A Little Bloodier

Boardgames, Review + Session Report, World War II

Was able to get through about 12 turns of Bloody Buna before I left for latest elder-care iteration.

It’s easy to understand why the response to this game was muted. Supply is everything, and there isn’t enough of it. Unlike many games where new supply counters are generated every turn, or MSRs linking supply sources to units are lengthy and developed, this game has short MSRs (2-4 hexes), and a very limited number of supply counters.

The result is the need to accept attrition die rolls as the cost of conducting business. While Allied units can huddle in defensive positions near supply sources, they will have to conduct operations far from these sources in order to win. The Japanese face a dwindling level of supply as the campaign progresses, and will have to hold on to their gains in order to eke out at least a marginal victory.

This isn’t the Western Desert. No booming and zooming.

So far, the Japanese were able to advance to Kokoda, eliminating Australian units that were tasked with a delay/defend mission. However, the Japanese are now on half-supply.

Another Japanese force moved east of Buna to cut off Allied forces that had moved west from Milne Bay. Again, both sides will soon be out of supply and subject to random attrition and accompanying loss of combat power.

I’m charmed by this game, if only because of the limitations created by factors taken for granted in so many other games.

Here’s a couple of bad pics depicting the Japanese attack on Kokoda, and the situation when I left.  Number chits indicate supply turns remaining.

 

 

Kriegsspiel Box

Kriegsspiel

Bought the unfinished box down at Hobby Lobby.  Stained it, and now I have a nice atmospheric place to stow my blocks and other instruments of war.

My grandfather was trained as a civil engineer, and these tools were his back in the early 20th century.  Nice way to measure things, and a congenial way to play the game.

Slow But Not Yet Bloody

Boardgames, World War II

Back to playing the Campaign game for Bloody Buna.  Not for the time challenged, as it extends for 43 turns.  The game develops slowly, just like that Sloth/Pictionary commercial that is thankfully off the air now.

The potential for unit attrition dictates modest rates of advance and husbanding of supplies.  Units are battalions or companies, so it is ant-tastic.  But, these can be powerful ants, with the ability to generate high-odds attacks even in unfavorable terrain.

The Japanese have some interesting victory conditions that allow them to not have to take Port Moresby or Milne Bay, but simply threaten it.  This puts the onus on the Allies to contain the Japanese advance, and then roll it back literally to their start point in the vicinity of Buna.

Will post up game summary soon.

 

Free

Kriegsspiel

Finally set up my Kriegsspiel maps and blocks.  Long story.

Components were purchased as a Xmas gift for me from Command Post Games, Photo Cutters Studio,  and Two Fat Lardies.  Shipments went astray, problems happened.  The first two providers were fantastic, while the latter provider’s reaction to a lost shipment was (and I’ll use British understatement) less than cooperative and gave me deeper understanding into Vinegar Joe’s phobias.

Anyway, had the maps printed out and used spray adhesive to affix to large card.  Bought a unfinished box, stained it, and added a couple of dividers for a storage space.  The final touch was adding my Grandfather’s civil engineering drafting instruments to help with measurements.

Aesthetically very pleasing.

The rules are fun.  I purchased the 1860’s version, rather than the 1820’s Napoleonic rules.  Very common sense, and the Kriegsspiel dice eliminate a great deal of chart reading.

Command Post has expanded their Kriegsspiel product line to include blocks and maps, building on their fun Pub Battles Series.

With this system, the player is free to set up scenarios and explore them to his liking.  It’s all about command problems, without any need for an umpire.  After so many years of gaming, and military experience, it’s fun to just mess around with an open system.

Here’s a quick shot of the maps, with a regimental defense, supported by 6lb artillery and cavalry set in.  The bone folding ruler’s been in the family for who knows how long.

 

 

Last Stand

Boardgames, Sessions

Finished up the fourth turn of The Alamo:  Victory in Death.

Figured out the casualty rules that had baffled me.  Silly me, just read the rules and interpret them literally.  Things will work out.

Crockett’s attempt to push out beyond the walls was a foolish.  Now surrounded and locked in , he’ll eventually be killed.  The west wall has been overrun and now all that is left is the time consuming chore of isolating each Texan unit and destroying it.  Reorganized Mexican units are flooding back onto the battlefield, and there seems little chance that the Texans can last another ten turns.

The initial setup is everything.  The Texans have to react quickly to stop any massed Mexican attacks, and the Mexicans, in turn, must be creative to exploit any Texan attempt to reinforce a threatened area by judicious of their reserve units.

It’s a tense contest for the first several turns.  Worth the time to play.

Crockett Surrounded Outside The Church. Church Isolated. North Wall Defenders Surrounded. Plenty of Mexican Replacement Units Ready To Come On Map. Pick It Up.

 

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.

Remembering

Boardgames, Review

Snow and sickness can lead to some desperate measures.   After FAB I opened a shrink wrapped time capsule…..The Alamo:  Victory In Death.

It’s not like my recent games. Yes, there is a lot of wristage, but with counters and a map that contains all of the charts.  So 1980’s, and so appreciated.

Here’s a great overview at Boardgamegeek.

This game is well-suited for solitaire.  I used a die to determine where the Mexicans were to attack.

But, it can be tedious, with many die rolls for shooting and melee combat.  However, the tension factor is excellent, especially when the defenders have to fall back from the walls to defend the interior of the mission.

I still am badly confused by the rules concerning Mexican losses that result in an immediate Texas victory during the first five turns.

Here’s a picture of the setup

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………

 

 

 

Too Fun To Solo?

Boardgames, Review, Solitaire

Really enjoying Supply Lines Of The American Revolution .

Bought it with some Christmas money after having read the excellent reviews and perusing the Hollandspiele website . That site is a  fun place with several intriguing titles .

It’s a real puzzler of the game and a departure from a card-driven or hex and counter game .

The  map is attractive with the counters more than serviceable.  I do like the wooden cubes.  The rules are well organized, but what really makes things work is the online example of play posted by the designer to the game’s Boardgamegeek page.   Invaluable.

However, by the time I was well into the first turn I started getting uncomfortable . A great game, but it’s solo playability, for me, is marginal . It’s a cat and mouse affair begging for two players, not one trying to outguess himself .

I’ll set it up again and try a scenario in which the British focus on a specific course of action ie. attack down the Hudson Valley…..just like Gentleman Johnny B.   We’ll see how that goes .