Category Archives: Boardgames

SOPAC – The Reason Why

Boardgames, Sessions, World War II

One reason to play wargames is to gain historical insight.  I had one the other day.

Started Turn 4 of my SOPAC scenario.  Unlike Turn 3, several powerful units of the Japanese Combined Fleet are available for deployment from Truk.

I had held on to  Japan’s  Savo Island Card for a Future Offensive.  One of the criticisms of Japanese strategy was its husbanding of the Combined Fleet for a climatic fleet encounter, somewhere east (the general location changed as their defensive perimeter was pushed outward in 1942) of the Home Islands.

So, what the hell, let’s play it…NOW!

This is a powerful card.  The Japanese can activate seven (7) units.  A task force with two (2) battleships and two (2) carriers sailed south, augmented by surface and air units from Rabaul.  The battle hex was Guadalcanal.

Allied forces successfully rolled to intercept the Japanese fleet, dispatching two (2) battleships, three (3) carriers, a cruiser and air units.  A critical element in the fleet composition was that all three (3) carriers were at reduced offensive and defensive strengths.

The Allies should have stayed  home and let the Japanese pound the Marines and Henderson Field.

The Japanese had 69 strength points compared to 62 for the Allies.  I’d call that a straight-up fight.  But, in EOTS, you roll for Combat Effectiveness – or what percentage of the strength points deployed actually count for the combat.

The Japanese rolled high, and all of their strength points could be used.  The Allies rolled low, so only a quarter of their strength points counted.  On top of this, the Japanese rolled very high – a nine (9).  This result creates a “Critical Hit”.  In EOTS, all units in a combat have to be reduced before a unit can be eliminated.  A Critical Hit allows for units to be eliminated without others  reduced first.

The Allied fleet was, for all intents and purposes, destroyed.  All carriers  were lost.  A  catastrophic defeat.

So, one can see why, at this point (unlike the situation at Midway) both sides were reluctant to engage in a decisive fleet action.  The fear of catastrophic loss outweighed the possibility of decisive success.

Here’s a screenshot.

Groza’s Gaining Momentum

Boardgames, Sessions, World War II

Tim finished up the heavy lifting.  He dug into the OBs and put together the ground combat counters for Operation Groza – the Soviet’s hypothetical pre-emptive 1941 offensive against Germany. My job was to create the air units.

With this work complete, I set up the initial Axis dispositions.  Since the scenario is set in June/July 1941, the deployments are for an offensive, not one anticipating an attack.

Tim had to return my work due to my inability to follow the map’s boundary adjustments reflecting the two Vienna Awards, which changed Hungary’s and Romania’s borders.  It took a few attempts, but I think (haven’t heard anything recently…..he might have given up in disgust) it is now OK.  I can’t vouch for it militarily, since it is the classic case of too much frontage and too few units (are there ever enough?).

We plan to use the new Barbarossa Unleashed (BU) rules drafted up by John Astell and posted out on the Europa forum.  There may be instances where we have to go back to the old Scorched Earth rule set.  This will probably involve air unit replacement and production guidelines.  We’re also ready to try BU’s new optional Combat Results Table (CRT) and variable overrun rules.

Here’s screenshot of my northern dispositions.  How I yearn for low counter density!

SOPAC So Far – Reboot

Boardgames, Naval, Sessions, World War II

Made it through the first turn of the SOPAC scenario (which is Turn 3 of the campaign game).

I’m pretty good with the Offensives Phase of the Sequence of Play.  Did have a major revelation, though.  Apparently any movement of a unit is considered an Offensive, and the destination is declared a Battle Hex.  So, my movement of two air units to a different base in Australia (see map screenshot below) results in that destination being declared a Battle Hex, with the possibility of the opponent making a Reaction Move if opposing units are within range.

Will have to do some research over at Boardgamegeek to confirm/deny this interpretation.

In any event, the Allies have landed at Guadalcanal, reinforced the initial landing, as well as moving units to New Guinea in preparation for an offensive out of Port Moresby.  The Japanese attempt to defeat the initial Guadalcanal landings with air and naval forces out of Rabaul was turned back with losses on both sides.

Any Japanese efforts during this initial turn are limited as the bulk of the Combined Fleet is in home waters, and not available until the following turn.  The Allies will also receive significant naval reinforcements during Turn 4.  Should be interesting.

Here’s a Vassal screen shot for the end of Turn 3.  The Area of Operations (AO) is outlined in the bottom right corner.

Grinding It Out – Part 3

Boardgames, Sessions

Have now finished up nine turns.  Both Army’s respective flanks are locked in contact, with the terrain favoring the Federal defenders.

On the Federal right flank….

Although the Federals’ positions seemed exposed, the Confederates are armed with muskets which have an effective range of only one hex.  At two hexes firing strength is halved, which renders their musketry ineffectual.  The Federal rifles have an effective range of two hexes, doubled at one hex.  This is a significant advantage.

However, the two units anchoring the Federal right have run out of ammunition.  This occurs on a fire combat D6 roll of “one”, with a follow up D6 roll of “one” or “two”.  But, the Confederate requirement to roll a D6 to enter melee, with score equal to or below their morale rating, combined with their already low ratings, have hindered their efforts to turn the Federal right.

On the Federal left, the terrain/situation is different, but results  much the same.

The Rebels have to cross open ground to engage the Federal left, while their center advance is channelized by unfavorable terrain.  Some progress is being made  in flanking the Federal right.  However, the Federals will receive reinforcements beginning Turn 10.

The battle is being shaped by terrain that limits each side’s ability to fully or even partially deploy their rather significant artillery assets.

I am looking forward to reading about this battle, but want to hold off until the game is finished.  It’s always fun to find out what I did that was historical, and what was ahistorical.

Grinding It Out – Part 2

Boardgames, Sessions

The Pea Ridge game is developing some action as both flanks are  in contact.

To the South, both sides are deploying, with the Confederates moving into contact.  Van Dorn’s force has managed to unlimber artillery to support this advance against the Union right.  Little room to maneuver, so Van Dorn’s brigadiers are moving right down road, with supports moving into the adjacent woods.

A different story to the North, where McCulloch’s wing is deploying in the woods in order to flank the Union position.  The Confederates have been able to unlimber two artillery units for support but, again, the terrain is masking fields of fire`

SOPAC – So Far

Boardgames, Naval, Sessions, World War II

As threatened, I’ve plunged into  VASSAL to play Empire Of The Sun’s (EOTS) “South Pacific” scenario.

Turned out to be double learning curve.  First curve is working with VASSAL.  Have  made a couple of half-hearted attempts in the past, without any sustained or focused play.  As to the scenario, I was surprised how quickly I’d forgotten the rules since my last play with Tim back in July.

In retrospect, I should have read that post.  Repeated a couple mistakes I had noted.

This is a great learning scenario that allows you to focus on card draw mechanics, activation, movement and both air/naval, as well as ground battle phases in just one area of the map.  While the scenario allows for play (and the significant rules overhead involved) in the  China/Burma theaters, those regions are not critical for achieving victory.

VASSAL’s Log function is handy for “What the Hell have I done” references as it  records everything you do.  It also documents but  your “back button” adventures when the player decides to “un-do” a previous decision.  Vacillation can be amusing.

You can quickly change sides, which makes solitaire play a breeze.

I also like the screen shot option, which I intend to use for this blog as soon as I reset my first game.

More later…Game One of the World Series is starting……

Grinding It Out – Part 1

Boardgames, Sessions

You can only read the rules and stare at the setup for so long.  At some point, you have to play the game.

Started my Great Battles Of The American Civil War (GBACW) game the other day.  Pea Ridge is a classic meeting engagement, with only one unit on the map before Turn 1. Then both sides start moving troops onto the map, with each side’s respective forces entering through two hexes.

During movement I maintained brigade integrity for the most part, attaching artillery to brigades to maximize unit density and minimize the length of the “column of columns” moving on roads through heavy forest.  Here’s an overall shot of the game map during Turn 5,  when contact first occurred.

One of the problems I’m having working with the game system is the rules.  There are a number of iterations, which is not surprising since the initial game (Terrible Swift Sword – a true Monster Game) was introduced close to fifty years (!) ago.  The rules changed as publishers changed;  first SPI, then TSR , SDI, and then GMT.  These changes were in both additional detail as well as scope.  In fact, from what I’ve read, the earlier editions of the game are not playable with the new – GMT – rules.  Fortunately, for those just getting into the system, GMT has reissued the main games, and has added others.

Since I had the earlier games, I decided to work with the earlier rules and sold off my GMT GBACW collection.  But the question remained, “Which set?”.  I’m not the only one with this  quandary.

Another rules problem is that many of charts are printed on the individual game maps,  not in the game specific rules packets so they can be copied, consolidated and stapled.  One possible  reason is that the scales of the games vary.  The best I can tell is between 150 and 120 yards per hex.

Ugh!

My current approach will be to use the Standard Rules V.1 (with the included charts), individual map charts,  Quick Reference Card and Consolidated Errata.  The latter two are available over at Russ Gifford’s great SPI site.

Enough of this.  I’ll get to the game in the next post.

 

Finally Did It

Boardgames, General

One recurring topic over at Boardgamegeek is “Grail Game”.  This seems to be a game someone must have, but cannot either find, or cannot find at an affordable price.

I really don’t have any, but I do (did) have one game I would use the acronym “GOYAABI” for.  That is “Get Of Your Ass And Buy It.

The game is/was “Terrible Swift Sword” (TSS).  Yes, the original Great Battles Of The American Civil War (GBACW) monster designed by Richard Berg.  It was superseded by “Three Days At Gettysburg”, which has gone through several permutations as the playing system has evolved – read become more complicated – over the last thirty or so years.

I sold off my copies of the later editions of the system, and concentrated on learning/playing the original games.  Why?  Simpler and cheaper, and just as challenging/fun.

The last game I needed to complete my collection (not counting the incredibly expensive “Corinth” S&T game) was TSS.  I purchased a copy of the Second Edition – upgraded counters and maps along with updated rules,  a couple of years ago.  The copy I received lacked the Confederate counters!  Fortunately, the seller was extremely reasonable and refunded almost all of what I paid.

In the interim, I became enamored with the first edition – I like the  classic SPI Redmond Simonsen maps – and frequently checked EBay and Boardgamegeek for copies and a reasonable ($50 or less) price.  Found one last week.  Bought it, and it arrived yesterday in very good shape.  Yes!

And now, the usual refrain:  I need to get it on the table.

Smoke

Boardgames, World War II

Been back for a couple of weeks and have enjoyed the last days of Summer.

Still playing ASLSK, getting in a least one turn each evening.  That seems to be plenty, especially since it’s the last activity of the day before shutting everything down.  I’m sure things will change when I return from my early Fall explorations of Western Wyoming.  Then it’s shut the place down, and dig in until April/May.

My great weakness (and I have several weaknesses when it comes to playing this system) is my seeming inability to use smoke.

Especially important when playing Starter Set #2.  This set introduces ordnance, which includes a variety of mortars.  While the system limits ordnance to Line of Sight (LOS) – as opposed to full ASL – even the puniest of mortars are invaluable for covering movement and mitigating the effects of defensive fire attacks.

I know, obvious.

ASLSK – Rules Maintenance

Boardgames, Sessions, World War II

Set up another scenario.  Need to keep hammering the rules into my brain.

This one is S16, Legio Nostra Patria.  It’s a one-mapper, with Free French Legionnaires assaulting a German held town.

Here’s my initial set-up.  Top of the photo is East.

And here’s my plan.

The French need to occupy three of the multi- hex building highlighted in yellow.  They already occupy the building at bottom center  of the photo.

The red-circled German units will be suppressed, and with that accomplished, the squads will move towards the occupied multi-hex building and, from there move Northeast.

As I worked with my cheap photo markup app, I realized this is not a good initial deployment or  plan.  However, I’ll give it a try.  My own little “Defense of Duffer’s Drift”.