Monthly Archives: April 2017

Storm Over Arnhem

Boardgames, Sessions, World War II

I like this game……I really do.  But, for some damn reason I found it hard to start pushing the counters.

Some games you just can’t wait to get to the table and play the next turn.  Examples?  Can’t roll that one over in my brain right now,   have to focus on SOA.

A highly regarded game that has spawned a number of “Storm Over” games.  Great area movement map, big counters (no tweezers needed), rules are……hmmmm, well maybe it’s just my learning style.   Perhaps the problem is the chrome with tanks, reformed units, bren carriers, and setting fires.  This play aide found over at Boardgamegeek was very helpful.

I really like the  impulse turn system involving individual sectors,  and units becoming more vulnerable after they have either moved or fired.  This leads to a cat-and-mouse tactics (at least in my first play).  You don’t want to move/shoot a unit that would be “flipped” to a committed status with a lower combat/defense strength with a full-strength enemy adjacent to your area. On the other hand, an area can only be fired on once a turn, so one has to maximize an opportunity to attrit an opponent.

Close-combat is a separate phase with all  committed units flipped to their active side,  engaging in new combats with any enemies in their sector.

Outcomes are dice-tastic, but generally reasonable.  Lots of counter-punching (no pun intended) with one side reacting to their opponents preceding move.

Maybe what I like is the problem; yes isn’t that the way of the world.  Constant back and forth with no respite for the solo player.  It would  be really fun FTF, especially with RAW restricting the time a player has for each impulse.

In my first try I relied on the British set-up used in the Avalon Hill General.  My German tactics were relatively ham fisted, blasting away at British units, with results less than optimal.  Pretty sure the Brits will prevail.

But, we’ll never know.  Time to take it down and make way for System 700.  However, this quality game will be back on the table sooner rather than later.

Maybe I can talk Tim into playing……

By The General Set-Up. Very Nice Looking Components.

 

 

Armour Camouflage and Markings

Aircraft & Vehicles, World War II

Back from a week in the Sun with friends.  Nice way to spend the time.

Just before departure, I  received the last of three books ordered to help with the Tanks project.  All of these involved camouflage and markings throughout World War II.  I already had one book covering the Polish and French campaigns.  Each of these four books, while originally published many years ago,  is highly recommended.  Here’s a few comments on each.

The cover says it all.  I was especially intrigued by the widespread use of tankettes and carriers by the Allies.  Many of the photos were of abandoned Allied armor, which shouldn’t have been a surprise, but the sheer frequency of breakdowns reported was astounding.

 

This is the only book not published by Arms and Armour.  George Bradford is well known for his profiles series.  I was not overly impressed with it at first glance-through, but subsequent readings proved it to be a very satisfying overview, complete with scale drawings of all the armored vehicles used during the campaign.

Another volume with Steven Zaloga, the well known armor expert and author of the popular  Panzer Colors series.  This volume includes a helpful survey of German Panzer unit insignia, as well as an interesting discussion of Soviet tank inscriptions. Vehicles from Romania and Hungary are also covered.

 

This book begins with a very interesting discussion of the purposes and techniques of camouflage.  The author emphasizes the effects of dirt, dust and foliage on armor camouflage, and the differences in philosophy between the Great Britain, United States and Germany.  To me, the illustrations aren’t consistently as good, but I am a fan of profiles and not aspect renderings of equipment and aircraft.  Most of German vehicles photographed were captured, with only a few shots of them in action.

Prices for these books – all used- range from the reasonable to the absurd.  It took time and effort over a period of months to locate quality copies at good prices.  I feel the money was well spent.

System 7 More Startup

Napoleonics

The Devil’s In The Details, and System 7 is devilish.  A classic chart intensive miniatures game, with accompanying rules framework.

Drafted up my rule summary cards.  One card for each of the ten turn segments.

The cards use bullet points for the rules and also indicate which charts to use.

The intent is to put together a booklet of rules and charts (working on those tomorrow now that the printer has been brought back to life) that has an accessible reference page for each turn segment.

One can only hope…….

System 7 – Startup

Napoleonics

Wargaming involves some form(s) and level(s) of obsession.  One of mine is the tendency to develop a fixation on certain games, usually due to period, regardless of playability and availability.

E-Bay has taken care of the latter, but the former remains problematic with some of my choices.

I’ve had a strange and troubling fixation on System 7 Napoleonics for a long time.  This is a hybrid of miniatures and board gaming.  And, if you read the Boardgamegeek comments, others find the system troubling, as well.

When I started gaming with miniatures, many of my wargame-friends were into 15mm Napoleonics.  Huge games, hundreds and hundreds of figures, manic painting.  No Thank You.  OK….not exactly….there were the 15mm Ottomans, but that’s another story.

Starting in 1978, System 7 offered the opportunity to play big games on the cheap, without the time and effort of painting.  I was intrigued, but drifted off into another fixation.

I re-encountered System 7 while scanning E-Bay, eventually picking up several sets at significant discounts.  That was a slippery slope.  First the super cheap Spanish, then German States….but how can they fight, so I need French, and hey, those Russians seem pretty inexpensive…..You know how that goes.

The critical difference between then and now was the opportunity to use Squad Leader boards for terrain.  The scale is roughly the same, so one hex represents one inch of movement.  No rulers needed!  And, the visual effect isn’t all that bad and a little less incongruous than mixing cardboard counters with miniatures terrain pieces.

French Deploy

One lingering problem was the rules.  Hard to find, and expensive.  However, I found a bare-boned set of the rules on the net.

So now, I’ve started breaking down the rules and pushing counters.  It’s a start.

Tanks – BEF Breakthrough Pt III

Miniatures, Sessions, World War II

Had too much fun yesterday with another session of Tanks.

This time it was the A-9s and A-10s (Cruisers) versus the Germans.  And, this was a wild one.

The Cruisers formed a box formation, veering to the West in an attempt to exit the map.  The Germans used their “Blitzkrieg” ability (can use the repair phase to make extra move, for a total of 3 moves in a turn), to get into the copses and prepare for stationary fire under cover.

The British engaged immediately, and managed to knock out the Mk III, as well as getting into a multi-tank and point-blank duel with a Mk IV.  After knocking out the Mk IV, the remaining British threw caution to the winds and took multiple moves, risking breakdown on a die roll of 6.

One Cruiser broke down, but the others were able to move off the board.

Cruisers Advance. Panzers will use their “Blitzkrieg” move to get into the woods.
Gunfight At Close Range
MkIII Knocked Out. Cruisers Maneuver Past A Burning A-9.  While An A-10 Brews Up In The Copse.  The Mk IV Will Get Theirs In The Next Turn.

That’s it for Tanks (for awhile).  Next up….Storm Over Arnhem.

Tanks – BEF Breakthrough Pt II

Miniatures, Sessions, World War II

Pitted the Matildas against two Pz IVs (short) and a PZ III (short).

This time, the Germans opted to head for the copses, allowing for some stationary firing (can re-roll firing dice), as well as a modifier for cover.

The Matildas stuck to their earlier plan, with the Mk IIs providing cover for the Mk Is.

This time, the heavier guns of the Panzers brewed up one Mk II.  However, the other pair of Matildas threw caution to the winds and risked breakdown (die roll of 6) by moving two bounds in a turn.

Fortune was with the Matildas as their armor and luck allowed them to bypass the Germans and move off the board to engage the now  exposed Wermacht infantry units.

Panzers Take Up Stationary Firing Positions Ready To Engage Advancing British
Matilda Mk II Burns
Despite Three Hits, Matilda Mk II Braves Point Blank Fire.

Tanks – BEF Breakthrough Pt I

Miniatures, Sessions, World War II

Decided to get on it and set up Tanks downstairs.  First chance to use BEF armor.

Threw out tiles and randomly slapped terrain mats down for a fight between Matildas and light German armor.

British orders were for the the Matildas to exploit a breakthrough (a quasi often gamed Arras maybe-it-would-have-been-something-decisive scenario).

After much wailing and gnashing of teeth I settled on ratings for the Matildas.

The Two Matilda Marks At The Top
The Pz II Defense Rating Should Be A “1”

The machine gun armed Matilda I is virtually useless against armor, but can hammer German infantry.  The Matilda IIs guided the little waddlers, while fending off the German armor.

The Panzers pressed their attacks, but the combination of British armor thickness and good die rolls were too much.

Matilda IIs Protecting The Little Matilda Is
Panzer 38ts Destroyed In Close Combat

Another fun, fast game.  Next up……Matildas vs. The Panzer Varsity (Mk IIIs and MK IVs).