Category Archives: Sessions

Way Way Back Machine

Boardgames, Sessions, World War II

Winter has finally arrived.  Gone are sunny skies and temperatures in the sixties.  Disorientation replaced by discomfort.

Home Alone, so wargames spread out all over the place.  As always, the problem is to avoid the avoidable distractions and just sit down.

One project is a solo Vassal game of the venerable Panzergruppe Guderian.  To make things fun/different, and to learn a little more about how to play, I dredged up an old copy of Moves Magazine #29.

None other than Redmond Simonsen walks the reader through what to do.  So, I’m following his guidance.

Here’s the game board (or most of it) after Turn 1, along with a shot of the first page of the article.

Kids!

Boardgames, Post World War II, Sessions, Solitaire

Now  playing this great solitaire game.  I had forgotten just how good it is.

Went over to its Boardgamegeek page and downloaded this mini-mat.  Saves so much space!  Now I can comfortably play it at my desk, with the Soldier Player cards and loadout on a small side table.

The usual re-entry fits-and-starts with the rules.  This narrative discussion really helped.  So, with this, the 2nd Edition rulebook, downloaded key terms and universal rules, I had all the resources required to play.

Here’s a quick snap of the first mission of my campaign game.

Notice the Refugee Card?  That ruined everything.  Damn Kids!!!  No auto bursts or explosives.  My M-203 – which I’m counting on to kill the mission’s VIP target and to kill multiple bad guys, is useless.  So, I became bogged down in a gunfight characterized by my die rolls that suppressed, but did not kill.  After one Player-Soldier was wounded twice and  my Mission Timer clicking down, I went into abort mode.

Granted, it is a tough mission with low (41) resource points. But, I’m sure an experienced player would have figured things out.  I’ll use this as a negative score, and do my usual reset.

Lots of fun, though.

Groza – Barbarossa Unleashed Rules

Boardgames, Sessions, World War II,

Tim and I both like the draft of this ruleset.

We didn’t use any of the optional or experimental rules, just the new Combat Results and Supply Effects  alternate rules.  We also found two changes to the basic rules that had an immediate impact on play.

The alternate combat results seem less bloody, and, according to Tim, simplify the replacement process. Units that are out of supply no longer roll for elimination (4th Turn), but continue to exist albeit in a very weakened state.

The  changes in airfield capacity and stacking had the most significant impact on play.

Full and Partial Hex Cities now have a maximum capacity of 3 air units.  With Minor Cities having a capacity of one air unit.  In the older rule sets,  the former had a capacity of six air units, with Dot Cities at three units and Reference Cities at one unit.  Apparently there will some changes in the categorization of cities when new maps are published.  We simply used a capacity of one for both Dot and Reference cities.

The total number of Regimental Equivalents remains at twelve, but in the new rules all twelve factors can be divisions.  The allowance for artillery remains the same.  This change allows for some very robust combinations.

I’ve sent my initial dispositions to Tim.  More on that later……

Groza – It Only Gets Worse

Boardgames, Sessions, World War II,

The remainder of this session report will focus on Romania.  There was  mutual nibbling up north, but the bulk of the action was to the south.

Here’s the situation at the end of the Soviet Exploitation Phase.

Not good at all.  Desperate Times…..

Here are my Desperate Measures……Strategic Rail Movement for German ground reinforcements and Transfer Missions for air assets.  Fortunately, Hungary is a benevolent neutral, so the Axis can use Hungarian rail and airspace, as well as trace supply through it. Unfortunately, Romania does not have many airfields, although I had engineers working diligently for more fields to be ready in the Aug I Initial Phase.  The supply access really helped withdrawing units.

Axis Movement…..

Up north, I tried to extricate units by moving west into the mountains.  Down south, the priority was to stop the Soviet advance from down the valley, while having German armor in position to move during the Exploitation Phase.  Some of the stranded units had no hope for a successful retreat, so they would buy time for the others.

These two shots show the situation after the Axis Exploitation Phase.  A cobbled together perimeter defense with the panzers providing some depth.

The big problem is the Soviet unit identified by the red arrow.  Couldn’t reach it and establish a zone of control.

When Tim diplomatically suggested a re-set, I took up his offer.

Next, some observations we have about the Barbarossa Unleashed rules.  Plot Spoiler……..we like them.

Groza….Amateur Hour

Boardgames, Sessions, World War II,

My previous post covered the scenario’s basics.  Now to the gameplay.

Here are shots of the initial dispositions (after the Soviet Jun II Special Turn) from North to South.  I discovered it takes four (4), not three (3) screen shots to cover all fronts.  This group is missing the southern tip of Romania.

For some reason, I never “captured” an image with Tim’s Soviets dispositions in Romania.  But this is pic of mine is damning enough.  Just wait……

The following show Tim’s Soviet onslaught.  Not much going on in the northern and central pictures, but in Romania……whoaaa!!!

They say we create our own Hells.  Yes, my Romanian Hell was a product of failing to comprehend the interactions of two  Special Rules.

For the first turn, Zones of Control (ZOCs) are reduced.  And,  Axis units must be placed so as to either occupy border hexes or have them in a zone of control.  Too much of the latter, and not enough of the former.  I needed a solid front in Romania, with reduced border strength, but without gaps that, literally and figuratively, could (and would) be exploited.

To compound this error, I did not recognize the implications of the enhanced exploitation capabilities of Soviet units.  Here’s Romania after the Jul II Soviet Exploitation phase.

Gruesome.  Enough!  I’ll cover the rest of our game after my return from W.C. Fields’ (not so) favorite city.

From Set-Piece To Re-Set

Boardgames, Sessions, World War I

Set up another Gaza scenario.  This one covers Allenby’s 1918 campaign.

Yes, more set-piece battle action, but with the enhanced possibility of a decisive  Allied breakthrough.

Why?  A special rule for one turn.  The Allies can ignore the effect of enemy entrenchments, and add a +2 to their D6 roll if supported by two factors of artillery,  to an attack using at least 20 factors.  Also, any cavalry not involved in the attack can “exploit” (after combat is completed) up to their full movement allowance and launch an attack (no special modifiers) of their own.

Later That Same Day

Reread the scenario rules.  The special rules cited above hold for any attack (with at least 20 factors) during one turn, just not “an” attack.

How typical.  An error of omission.  I will avoid descending into a public display of self-castigation.

So, here’s the result of my misguided efforts.

The breakthrough took place along the coast, with two cavalry units exploiting.  An opportunity, but probably not as good as one generated by two attacks with these favorable modifiers.

Also, an additional cavalry unit is hiding under a headquarters situated along the coast.  Jeez! Sloppy staff work!

I may play this one out for another turn or two, but will set it up again to take full advantage scenario rules to see if I can completely “unhinge” the Ottoman defenses.

Valour & Fortitude – Jacobite Rebellion 1745

18th Century, Miniatures, Sessions

Setting up a Valour & Fortitude(V&F) 1745 Jacobite Rebellion game using  WorldofFun (WOF) 18mm plastic flats. Finally have the shed table (re)squared away and ready for action (photos in follow-up post).

You can read all about these rules over at the Perry Miniatures website.

I bought the figures several years ago without any specific game system in mind. V&F is all the rage, the rules are free, and they had army lists available for the rebellion. I use the past tense, as I have copies of the lists in Goodreader, but can’t find them on the net.

Why a new search? Well, I downloaded the Jacobite army sheet twice, but not the characteristics – or fate cards – sheet. Typical. I’ll cobble something together from other lists. Fortunately, only the first four characteristics on the sheet are unique. The remainder appear to be the same for each army.

While the game system involves drawing a fate card as the first action of a player’s turn, and using points to upgrade a commander’s capabilities,  I wanted to add other, more personal, characteristics for each side’s leaders. Rather than use the Irregular Wars system for that, I dug out the old standby, Programmed Wargames Scenarios by Charles Stewart Grant. Published in 1981, it has been an  influential and relevant resource.

Grant’s system uses dice to determine his array of characteristics for commanders, and “programmed” orders for either Red (Attacker), Blue (Defender), or both armies. It’s a good and fun solo system. He also includes an excellent and amusing set of “fate cards”.  However, I’ll use those contained in V&F for my first couple of games.

The results were interesting to say the least. Here’s a summary.

TRAIT/ORDERS

BRITISH (Blue – Defense)

JACOBITES (Red – Offense)
C in C Personality

Bold

Bold
Tactical Capabilities
Attack Good – +2 to unit attack Weak – -1 to unit attack
Defense Above Average – +1 to unit Weak – -1 to unit defense
Local Population Attitude

Indifferent

Indifferent
Allocation of Forces 50% defend South Hill 40% attack South Hill
30% defend North Hill 20% bypass to East, attack N. Hill
20% reserve (West of bridge) 40% reserve (off table)
Execution of Orders Give no ground. Defend well forward. Can move off contour to exploit favorable situation.

See Pg. 19 for responses to events.

 See Pg. 21 for reserve response to events.

The local population option is an interesting touch.  Locals can actively aide one side or the other.  This includes sabotage, giving bad directions, or whatever one’s imagination conjures up.

I haven’t figured out how to apply the tactical modifiers.  Apply to the entire army or to a single unit designated by the CinC?

In addition to the CinC, V&F calls for Brigade Commanders.  A brigade can have anywhere from two to eight units.  I’ll have two Brigadiers per side.  However, I’m not assigning characteristics/traits to them since it’s my first game with this system, and I’ll have plenty of other opportunities to butcher the rules.

More as I get things figured out.

Learning Curve Continues

Boardgames, Sessions, World War II

Finished up ASLSK’s Scenario S2, War of the Rats.

I thought it would be an easy mopping up after the early punishments meted out by the Germans.  But, the Soviets were surprisingly resilient.  It all came down to a climatic melee in the last German turn, in the last hex, of the last building.

Given the weapon mix (demolition charges and flamethrowers), unit types (conscripts and elite) and urban terrain, the scenario is a great introduction/review of the system’s first infantry-oriented iteration.  As I’ve posted  before, ordnance and especially armored fighting vehicles slow things down.

Well, why not another play?  I’m curious if my “overload tactics” will work again.  And, if so, can I finish off the Soviets quickly?  As a teaching colleague used to say “Repetition is the key to knowledge.”  Then, perhaps, something with ordnance…..

Bits And Pieces

Boardgames, Sessions, World War II,

Continuing to fiddle with the Balkan/Central Europe 1938 scenario.

Latest bit of information is a Wikipedia article on the Yugoslavian army, particularly the interwar section.  I know…thin stuff, but there isn’t a whole lot of pre-April War information out there.

Yugoslavia had sixteen (16) infantry divisions, one (1) alpine division, as well as two (2) cavalry divisions in 1935. Mobilization would create another eight (8) infantry, one (1) alpine and one (1) cavalry division within 30 days.

Well, it’s something to work with.

The  mobilization parameters need to be refined, especially for the less-than-reliable Croat units.  My instinct is to stay with random die roles for the Croats, and, since Europa uses two-week turns, having those mobilizing units attaining cadre status at the end of Turn 1, and divisional status at the end of Turn 2 if they do not move or are involved in combat.

Why not?

Vaporized

Sessions, Skirmish, World War II

Over to Tim’s earlier this week for Up Front.

We’d played it once before a long time ago.  Was surprised, but happy,  when he suggested this for my July visit; especially since I had played it recently.

We set up the first scenario.  Since it does use all of the infantry rules it was perfect for our levels of (in) aptitude.

Since we weren’t using the Flanking Fire or Melee rules, the game became a lengthy positional gunfight.  The only incentive for moving forward was to increase each group’s firepower.

It took over two and one-half decks (scenario ends after the card deck has been played three times) for Tim to break my Americans with fifty percent casualties.

Emboldened by our “success” (which I define as an enjoyable experience without the mind aching turmoil that accompanies, let’s say, Pursuit Of Glory), we set up the same scenario with the  French fighting Italians somewhere in The Alps.  Both these crews have some real limitations when it comes to card draw and discard.  However, I didn’t realize my Italians also have some real weapon deficiencies.  They have to get to Relative Range 2 before their bolt-action rifles have any effect.

It was a short and violent.  I dutifully advanced, he fired, and my two groups were vaporized.  It took only three “hands” and the Italians (who will break at 40 percent casualties) were done.  Here’s a bad pic of the battlefield after it was over.  Notice the Italian casualties (cards) at the bottom left of the photo.

The cards with figures were those that panicked.  The others were KIA.

Regardless, it was a lot of fun and should be more fun using the advanced infantry rules.  Despite my focus on ASLSK, I think Up Front will be on the table quite a few times in the upcoming months.