Tag Archives: Fast Attack Boats

Fast Attack Boats AAR

Boardgames, Sessions

During Round One the Israelis aggressively engaged the Egyptian ships, while the Egyptians fired just one missile and turned away . Both tactics seem to work. The Egyptians enjoyed some good luck and sank two of the Israeli boats . The Israelis also sank two vessels and had one boat remaining on the map. By the rules this is a victory for the Israelis. But, give in an asterisk.

Round Two also went to the Israelis . Both sides fired at maximum range and moved off the board. After two rounds the Egyptians have lost three boats and the Israelis have lost two.

The Egyptians changed tactics in Round Three, aggressively pursuing the Israeli boats. This tactic backfired, with three vessels sunk, with only one Israeli boat lost. This loss required rolling cosmic boxcars for a missile on the third leg of its flight. However, the round went to the Egyptians for remaining on the board.

Incoming Missiles. Turned counters are on their third – last – leg of flight.

Both sides husbanded their resources during Round Four. The Israelis sent out only one boat against three opponents. Both sides were cautious. The Egyptians launched only two rounds of missiles before turning away, with the Israelis launching only one round of missiles. Ironically, the sole Egyptian boat remaining on the board was sunk by the last Israeli missile. By RAW, it’s a draw.

Round Five was a a decisive defeat for the Egyptians . They lost four boats to only one Israeli boat. The fifth Egyptian boat suffered significant damage. Once again, the Israeli tactic of staying far away enough to allow Egyptian missiles to hit at maximum range paid off. The Israeli missiles retain their destructive punch even on the third and last leg of flight.

Saturating Targets

Overall, the Israelis were the winners, but the Egyptians still have a operational fleet ready for more.

Solo and Simple

Boardgames, Review + Session Report

Resperitory ailment, snow and an empty house makes for interesting decisions.

Grabbed a copy of Yaquinto’s Fast Attack Boats (FAB) and set it up.  Reviews aren’t that kind, but there is some agreement that the campaign game shows FAB in its best light.

Agreed.  Plus there are some other attributes.  Game is quick to set up, has plenty of action, minimal bookeeping and poses some real tactical quandaries.

I’m not a big naval wargamer, despite my fetish for Avalanche Press’ Great War and Second World War At Sea series(s).  Tactically, it all seems a bunch of line ‘em and go at ‘em.  While GWWAS and SWWAS provides an operational context for battle scenarios, FAB does not.

I tried finding  doctrinal information on modern fast boat tactics, but it’s pretty slim out there.  What I did discover within the context of this game’s play is that it’s “shoot and scoot”.  Crank off missiles at max range and get the hell out of the way.

Problem is, and this is a nice design feature, that victory in each of the five segments comprising the campaign game are based on last force to have craft on the board.   While this would lend itself to all kind of gamesmanship in a FTF contest, when playing solo it requires a level of steadfastness and willingness to accept damage.

Egyptian and Israeli boats have their respective advantages.  The Egyptian boats are more numerous, can be faster, and have a longer missile range.   On the other hand, the Israeli boats can launch more missiles per turn, and have greater hitting power at longer ranges.

Each force will get hit with missiles.  The CRT is simple, but for this type of game, reasonable.  The longer the range, the less the effect.  Even at close range, the chances of a miss approximate 40 percent.  Missile fire is “fire and forget”, as they will hit a target if it is in range.  Missiles have a running time of three turns.

Boat maneuver is simple, but, again, fitting for this game.  All ships must move their maximum distance each turn.  Any turn must occur after one hex of straight-ahead movement, and is limited to 60 degrees (or a change in hex orientation).  This leads to some interesting group maneuvers.

My first campaign finished as a marginal Egyptian victory.  The Israeli’s got shy and decided to get ready for the next go-around.  I’m looking forward to  it.

Ready To Get On It………