Tag Archives: Up Front

Up Front – Filling the Gap

Boardgames, Review, World War II

This Summer I played Up Front (UF) both solitaire and face-to-face.  It’s a comfortable game.  I keep coming back to it.

What I like about UF is that it isn’t too complex (like Advanced Squad Leader), isn’t too simple (like many miniature tactical/skirmish games), and is more accessible than Advanced Squad Leader Starter Kit (ASLSK).  By “accessible”, I’m referring to a level of detail requiring numerous chart references, multiple plays for the requisite knowledge, or a savant-like memory.

Also….you don’t need the space required for a board.  ASLSK has a number of compact one- board scenarios…..but not that many.  UF doesn’t require  multiple boards to enjoy an involved experience,  but the number of scenarios provided are limited.  However, those scenarios can be tarted-up using different force mixes, different nationalities, or removing cards to create new terrain and obstacles.  Actually, if you could still buy the game (and why that is involves a strange and terrible saga that I am only vaguely familiar with), a case could be made getting a second box to add cards.

By the way, Chris Farrell has some very interesting observations about the game over at his blog.

To keep the game in its comfortable place, I add selected sections to enhance the  Basic Game which is limited to Sections 1-16.

17.  Flank Fire and Encirclement; Lateral Group Transfers

18.  Weapons Acquisitions

19.  Malfunction and Repair

20.  Infiltration and Close Combat

For Chrome, I will include – on a case-by-case basis –  the following sections.

21.  Demolition

22.  Flamethrowers

23.  Pillbox

24.  Minefield

39.  Troop Types

With these five additional rules, you can attack a pillbox; first without any additional weapons, then with demolitions and, finally, flamethrowers.  After that, assault the pillbox through a minefield.  Excellent for solo play.

Tanks? Artillery?   I’ll leave those for Advanced Squad Leader or the Starter Kit.  Tanks & Artillery rules make me uncomfortable.

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.

Old Friend – Up Front

Boardgames, Skirmish, World War II

Tired, frayed, torn and stained……took out Up Front to get reacquainted before my annual sojourn to The Sunfish Capital Of The World.

I hadn’t opened the battered box for quite a while.  Everything was there, including the rules and cards for the Desert War variant.  I’m starting a serious hunt for Banzai later today.

I bought the core game and variants back in the 80’s and from the look of the components, I must have either  a messy pig, or just played the hell out of them.  I want to think it’s the latter.

The reason for the reunion is  I need some quick set-up and play games during my stay.  Gaming space is limited, and there will be visitors.  The dining room table will be for eating, not for board gaming.

Up Front fills that requirement.  It plays in about an hour, with soldier card deployment, action deck shuffling, and marker setup taking about ten minutes maximum.

One problem…..the rules.  They are more involved than I remembered.  But, the time spent reacquainting myself with them, as well as discovering how much I do not remember, has been enjoyable.  After all of these years it’s still a unique system.

Started a quick play of the first scenario, and rediscovered how you don’t learn the rules by reading them, but by playing.

The game is not particularly solitaire friendly.  Solo systems are out there, but I just keep it simple.  Two reasons…. because my memory is shot, and I never look at a discard draw (last action of a player turn) at the time of draw, but wait until it is that side’s turn again.  I’ll call it “limited intelligence”.