Byzantium Reborn Review

Boardgames, Review, World War I

This “mini-game” published by Fiery Dragon covers the 1920-21 fighting between Greece and Turkey.  The game was originally published by Micro Game Design Group.  Here’s link to the BGG page:  https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/13290/byzantium-reborn

This interesting R. Ben Madison design  lends itself to solitaire play.  Small footprint, not many counters, but real breadth to the rules.  Well, maybe not breadth as much as layers of chrome.  But it is good chrome.  The examples of play are done in a narrative style.  I prefer procedural examples.

It is a different type of system, and although the rules are laid out in game turn squence, there is quite a bit of page flipping early on to get comfortable with terminology, minor pieces of chrome, and general game flow.

The game isn’t as much about combat, but resource and allies management.  Combat is a means to increase your resources through occupying regions (Vilayets), but the real challenge is to gain allies that will intervene in the conflict and/or deny your opponent this support.  Your allies provide Equipment Points (EPs) used for the purchase of combat units/assets.

Each turn consists of a Random Events Phase, Political Phase, Greek Player Phase – which includes Battlegroup Step, Strategic Movement Step, Movement Step, Combat Step and Recovery Step.  There is a Second Random Events Phase, Strategic Phase, and then the Turkish Player Phase, which repeats the Greek Player’s steps.

Random events influence potential Ally behavior and the ability to gain/lose Political Support Points (PSPs) and EPs.  During the Political Phase, players can expend PSPs to “buy” increased support, or reduce their opponents political support.  Again, this support influences the ability to gain EPs which can be used to build or rebuild ground units, or bid for Asset Points (APs), represented by air and artillery units which serve as force multipliers during combat.

This purchase of APs is done on a bidding basis which I initally had trouble with. Likewise, the increased allocation of PSPs can be used to enhance the chances of moving one of the European powers involved in the conflict (Italy, Great Britain, France, Soviet Union and, to a much lesser extent, The United States), from Neutrality to Support and finally to Intervention.  Support and Intervention generate different levels of EPs 

The Battlegroup step is simply organizing one’s forces for combat in each of the Vilayets (regions) controlled.  Strategic movement involves rail or naval movement, and Movement is between Vilayets to either occupy for resources or to set up combats.  Combat is a dice fest, without the use of a Combat Results Table (CRT).  The Recovery step involves rallying unit disrupted in combat.

As pointed out in an earlier review, the game does involve a significant amount of luck, as embodied in the Random Events table.  But, the events are based on historical actions or probabilities/possibilities, and for solitaire play that’s not a bad thing.

As you might sense from my description of the game, it took some time to grasp the differences between PSPs, APs, and EPs as well as the methods for their use.  The bidding for assets and use of dice for combat also involved a learning curve.

However, the effort was worth it.  This is a good game, with an interesting system, that provides an enjoyable gaming experience.  

Here’s a picture of it on a card table.  Gives a sense of size.

Pursuit of Glory AAR

Boardgames, World War I

Finished up a weekend session with Tim.  We made it to Summer 1917 (I think), and then packed it up.  While my Central Powers armies were not defeated, we certainly weren’t in good shape.

For some reason, I couldn’t get the Caucasus Theater figured out, and Tim’s Russians were able to grab some crucial victory points, stalling the Russian Revolution.  That event is critical for the Central Powers’ fortunes, as it will knock Russia out of the war, and the Ottoman Empire’s dwindling resources can be used to  stop the British Empire.

The Empire got off to a good start Its naval units ran the gauntlet of forts guarding the approaches to Constantinople, destroyed them and even bombarded the city.  Tim followed this success up with a landing,  and prevailed in a long series of battles in and around Gallipoli.

Although I was able to knock Serbia out of the war, and open a rail connection to Germany’s resources, I couldn’t capitalize on this success, or maintain any pressure along the eastern periphery of the British Empire.  My revolts in Persia and approaches to Afghanistan never amounted to much, and Tim was able to deploy sufficient Russian units to turn that into a strategic cul-de-sac.

Here’s a quick situation picture before the wheels started coming off.

By the way, although he and I have played the game several times, I’ve never posted up about it.  Here’s a link to this highly regarded game’s  page.

 

Don’t Want To Look

Boardgames, General

Playing Fall of France (it’s that time of year) with Tim using Jet (JET?) software.  He finally talked me into it after years of cajoling.

Jet is quite an accomplishment.  While the graphics are rudimentary, and the program has its quirks, in the final analysis it is quite an accomplishment.  I marvel at how it eliminates much of the cardboard and paper drudgery.

I have the results of his German May II combats downloaded to the computer, but I can’t open it.  I’m playing the French side.  I have gained new insights as to how General Gamelin must have felt.  Nothing but bad news.  Wake up in the morning, look at the situation map and go right back to bed.  I almost did that last week after I received his May I turn combats.

I feel the same way about opening this file as I do when I hear a loud 3 AM Thump downstairs.  I would prefer not to investigate and am loathe to get the shotgun.

What makes it worse is that his well intended informational snippets contained in the body of the email are, to me, not informational but loaded with ill portent.

This apprehension  is so acute that I promised to watch a movie with my Wife this evening………

 

Another New System

Boardgames, Review

The Sun Never Sets (TSNS) has been languishing on the shelf for a number of years. Tried its Gallic Brother In Arms – French Foreign Legion – a few years back, but that effort didn’t even make it to the punch counters phase.

Some 45 Minutes later……

Did some quick checking and there are a number of games in this series. Not only French Foreign Legion, but also The Sun Never Sets II and First Afghan War. Each of the games was published in Strategy & Tactics magazine. After rummaging through  boxes stashed under the gaming table, I discovered the latter two. So, I have the entire set. At times like this I feel like an aging acid-addled rock star who, when an interviewer plays an obscure track, mutters “Did I play on that”?

To continue this digression, I’m now faced with a standard gaming conundrum. Since I’m immersed in the common rule set, do I start working through the entire set of games? Or, will this only result in a feeling of obligation and avoidance, with a yearning to try something else?

TSNS has an interesting system. It can’t be considered a hex and counter simulation, but it has more depth than initially meets the eye. The campaigns covered appear to be push-overs for the British Empire. But distances, logistics and objectives can make each campaign a challenge.

Units are categorized by weapon type and morale. Weapons include five different types of artillery (rockets!), two types of machine guns, and four different types of rifles. For morale, units are classified as Veteran, Line, Fanatic and Rabble. The first three receive positive die roll modifications for both fire and melee combat.

Individual units can be organized into Forces. Headquarters (Leaders) can be assigned to Forces. A Headquarters has a tactical rating effecting Battle (combat) and Rally, with a strategic rating influencing Movement. Larger forces have a greater combat strength, which is reflected in the Combat Results Table (CRT). Force organization also effects Logistics.

The basic turn sequence is straight-forward, even though I’ve had some real problems keeping the mechanics straight. These Turn Segments are:

  1. Events
  2. Reinforcement/Replacement
  3. Movement
  4. Battle
  5. Logistics
  6. Rally

Events are randomly generated by 2xD6 rolls applied to a chart. Some results are campaign specific, others generic for the colonial period. Reinforcements and Replacements are game specific and involve either the deployment of specific units or strength factors by unit type.

While movement rates are printed on the counters, the ability to move and length of move is determined by a D6 roll for each Force at the beginning of the segment. Possibilities include no movement allowed, regular movement, forced march with an increased movement allowance, forced march with attrition (elimination of one unit in the force) and “Mad Dash” with even greater maximum movement. A Headquarter’s strategic rating may be added to modify the die roll.

The Battle Segment is somewhat involved. Tactical Initiative (comparing each side’s D6 roll modified by tactical rating of the Headquarters) determines which side proceeds first. This is important since results are applied immediately. Battle has three rounds, two of which involve fire combat. The third round is melee. During fire combat, units with the same morale rating, weapon and unit type are grouped to fire a “Volley”. Artillery fires during the first round, with rifles (all small arms) during the second round. Many native units do not have small arms, and can only “volley” during melee combat. Units with small arms also “volley” during melee. Specific modifiers are applied to the D6 rolls for results on a CRT specifying the number of units eliminated and/or demoralized. The side with the greater losses during a Battle may have to retreat if those losses exceed fifty percent. Forces retreating through an enemy controlled Zone of Control take additional losses.

Forces are supported by either Supply Trains or Foraging. Foraging Forces must roll to determine if they suffer demoralization. Supply Trains are expended after providing support. The number of trains is limited, and their staging/sequencing is important for a steady advance with minimal attrition.

Demoralized Forces may Rally. The ability to rally is influenced by their morale and Headquarters.

I’ve started the March To Peking scenario, covering the 1860 Arrow War. The basic game and scenario specific rules have provided a good experience, and after a number of fits and starts I am getting comfortable with the game’s flow.

I am looking forward to incorporating the optional rules in this and other scenarios. These include Engineering operations, Sieges, Fog of War, Attack From March, Ambush, Evasion, Atrocity and Fair Play, Negotiations, and Civillians.

My next post will offer an After Action Report (AAR).

Always The Last To Know?

Aircraft & Vehicles, Miniatures, Skirmish, World War II

The good news is that this isn’t another relationship situation.  The bad news is that it looks like the Tanks! franchise has been discontinued.    No posts in quite a while and no merchandise in the store.

While I use the less expensive Zvezda models, I did enjoy checking out the site for scenarios and information.  I guess I will go over to Flames of War for news updates.

Meanwhile, I continue to build up my late war Germans in anticipation of creating some urban combat scenarios.  Here’s the latest additions.  One more traunch of kits to finish up for a representative set of both German and Soviet AFVs.

 

 

Rout At Kattego

East African Renaissance Campaign, Miniatures, Renaissance, Sessions

The short story is the Kattegoans routed Lord Renaldo’s Portuguese in a hard fought battle.

At the end, few of either side’s companies (units) were capable of movement to contact since their Resolve had dropped to one, as both leaders were either involved in melee or too far away to effectively rally the affected companies.  With low Resolve, a company cannot enter into melee, but can still shoot.

This problem was mitigated by my failure to role for Impetuous Actions for those units outside of command radius.  However, I can partially rationalize this oversight because each company kept to their original plan.  An exception was the Kattegoan leader taking his company on a wide envelopment.  While in the short term this placed him out of touch with his companies, the end result was to flank and scatter (rout) Lord Renaldo’s company, putting an end to the battle.

I can’t rationalize my failure to use a leader’s +2 die roll modification in all but the last round of melee.  This had a significant effect on the Portuguese, as Renaldo’s company was in a melee marked by a series of Inconclusive Draws (no effect on either side) for almost the entire battle.

Only the dogged Pikemen and a lone Crossbow company remained cohesive enough to cover the Portuguese withdrawal to Ekene, where they will remain for some time after this failure and accompanying loss of prestige.  While Lord Renaldo will remain in command for the time being, that may change after word of the debacle reaches Lisbon.

Oumar, the Kattegoan leader, proved to be a somewhat unorthodox commander, leaving his companies to flank the Portuguese force.  While aided by my rules omission, this tactic proved decisive.  He is now considered an Experienced Lord ( proven leader)and will now receive a +1 die roll modification for Initiative.

Here’s a series of poor battle narrative photographs.  I also need to figure out how to change the font/size for the captions.

End Turn 6. Looking West. Note the number of “1” Resolves for the Portuguese. Pikemen on left. Lord Renaldo’s melee in center. Oumar’s company at the upper right behind archers.
End Turn 7. Looking North.
End Turn 8. Looking North. Oumar’s company moving towards contact with Renaldo’s Company. Kattegoans now with low Resolve.
End Turn 9. Looking North. Carnage in center. Both sides’ companies scatter. Renaldo’s company scatters, also.

 

Ambush At Kattego

East African Renaissance Campaign, Miniatures, Renaissance, Sessions

Remembered that I needed to role for Disease and Mishaps before starting play.  The dice were not kind to Lord Renaldo.  One of his two Targeteer units thought better of the whole proposition and deserted.

The Portuguese reacted well to the ambush, forming a defensive line.  The Kattegoan warriors were too far away to make contact on their first move.  View for the following photo is to the West.

By the end of Turn 3, the Portuguese right wing units had moved up  to support  units in melee.  The Kattegoan archers focused their efforts on the Portuguese right, but with little effect.  The Portuguese musketeers struggled to attain good lines of fire.  The following photos are looking North and West, respectively.

During Turn 4, the Portuguese line stabilized.   Lord Renaldo’s Targetters anchored their center. The Kattegoan archers flanking fire was still ineffective.  Here’s another view looking North.

By the end of Turn 5, the Portuguese musketeers were firing with some effect.  One melee has ended in a “Bloody Draw”, with both sides recoiling due to Resolve of only “1”.  Neither unit can be rallied because Lord Renaldo is in melee, and the Kattegoan leader has somewhat inexplicably moved off some distance to  the left (North) apparently to support the archers.

 

No Wonder It Seemed So Easy…….

Boardgames, Sessions, World War I

Finally got around to continuing my play of  Romania – The Transylvania Gambit. 

As previously posted, the Romania Army’s plan was badly flawed, and the scenario certainly reflects that.   The availability of German reinforcements to bolster the Austro-Hungarians effectively stops any offensive across the Carpathians.

Despite the slow operational tempo of mountain fighting and Romania’s desperate-from-the-start prospects,  I was settling down for another session when a  casual glance at the rule book moved the game from the possibly forgettable to another memorable rules gaffe.

Tim’s been on me to compile and post a list of our grotesque errors of rules omissions and commissions.  I have consistently demurred.  Not out of personal shame, but because the compilation would be a very lengthy and time consuming process.  So Tim, here’s one in real time.

All those German reinforcements hustled south using the Austro-Hungarian rail network, which has a capacity of three units per turn phase.  It took a few phases, but the Romanian attacks were quickly blunted.  Well, that was too quickly.  While the entire rail capacity is three units, the capacity for any one rail line in that network is only one unit per phase.  Whoops………..

The poor Romanians were not only fighting a flawed initial deployment and the mountainous terrain, but also some very tough units that should not have been there – at least not so quickly.

Well, that put paid to the game.  It was going to be some time before the  operational tempo accelerated past “slog” speed, especially with Winter just around the turn track corner.  My current impatience is not the best mood to enjoy a scenario which accurately represents the time and resources required to build up combat power in this theater of operations.

So, despite my high regard for the system, I decided to pack it up, and move on to another game.

Here’s a photo taken right before it all went back in the box.  Note all those gray German units in the North Central portion of the map.

 

Renaldo’s Approach March

East African Renaissance Campaign, Miniatures, Renaissance, Sessions

I set up the initial dispositions using  the die rolls described in the previous post.

The Portuguese are disorganized,  with Lord Renaldo near the front of his faction.  The bulk of his companies are East and some distance from him.  Only the grenadiers proceed him.  His force is close enough to Kattego to trigger an immediate ambush.

The Kattegoans rolled for two ambush groups with forty percent of the force West of, and three units distance from the Portuguese.  The larger group is to the Southwest and five units distance from the invadiers.

After a series of failed photographs last night, I changed the overhead light and saw the chance for a striking aerial shot of the battlefield.  It is shown below.  That orb is the reflection of a task lamp bouncing off my brand new plexiglass map cover.  If it isn’t one thing…..

No, That Isn’t The Moon

 

Expedition to Kattego

East African Renaissance Campaign, Miniatures

Working on parameters for Lord Renaldo’s grand foraging expedition to the village of Kattego.  This is an ambush scenario, with special rules.  By the way, the leader of the Kattegoans is Oumar, of whom little is known.

First a quick primer on Irregular Wars rules terminology.

Distances are based on multiples of unit base widths, or “units”, abbreviated as “u”.   In my games the base widths are 40mm.  So 1u equals 40mm.  A unit is referred to as a “Company”.  The force commander is “The Lord”.  A force or army is referred to as a “Faction”.

The Kattegoans  will be concealed .  Their attack will be triggered by a Yes/No die roll beginning each turn the Portuguese are  9u or closer to the village.

A directional die will determine the location of the tribal faction(s), with Kattego being North.

A Yes/No die will determine if there are one or two ambushing groups.   If “Yes”, a percentile die will determine the allocation of companies.  A d6 will determine the ambushing force(s)’ distance  from the Portuguese.

The Portuguese will have already rolled for their formation used approaching the village.  The formation will be tactical on a d6 roll of 1-2; column if 3-4; and disorganized with a 5-6.

Determining the positions of each company in the disorganized formation will be fun.  Each company will be placed using a d6 roll for distance from their Lord.  The Lord’s  position will have already been  determined by a d6 roll, with 1-2 being forward; 3-4 being in the center; and 5-6 in the rear.

When ambushed, each Portuguese company will make a reaction die roll if  beyond 2u from the Lord.  The Impetuous Actions table will be used.  Units with a d61 will not only “Run Away”, but will also lose one resolve.  Note:  I decided not to use the ambush rules that call for an automatic -1 resolve when contact with the enemy is made.

The villagers will be considered a company with a resolve of 4, melee strength of 2, and a short range shooting rating of 5+.

The Army rosters are finished and the table is set.  The game will start after my return from a bikepacking overnighter.  It’s a fun way to maintain social distance.