Getting the twitch for some new miniature games, but with minimal budget outlay.
First quasi-project is Western Gunfights using the Fistful Of Lead (Reloaded) rules. They’re available over at WargameVault. My real hope was to use them with smaller 10mm figures. No real options there. Tempted to work with 20mm “Punitive Expedition” figures, but that’s a pricey proposition for what could be a “one and done” game. So, found this at the local vintage toy store.
Cheap, can fabricate some buildings, and if it’s fun……go to the more expensive option.
Also purchased an Osprey title on the Technical vehicles.
Now all revved up (no pun intended) on a miniatures treatment using 1/285 GHQ vehicles. Again, pricey, but no real options for low cost tactical minis. Very, very tempted.
TAD at The Sunfish Capitol Of The World. It’s a holding area for some of my older AH games. Never know when there will be a couple of boring rainy days.
Set up The Arab-Israeli Wars, the final iteration of the Panzer Blitz Series. When I opened the box, I discovered three old envelopes containing the counters for Situations (they didn’t call them Scenarios back then) 2, 3 and 4. Have no idea when I last played. So….start at the beginning.
Before all of that, I read the rules. Three levels; Beginning, Standard and Advanced. Each layers on unit capabilities and additional types of units, even including fixed wing and rotary aircraft. The usual foodgroups for tactical armor games; direct fire, indirect fire, overrrun, and close assault.
Scenarios reflect increasing complexity and number of units. Counters are large and easy to read, maps are bland, but functional. On the other hand, what can you do with the desert? Well, someone did get creative with Bar Lev.
(In)Famously Psychadelic!
In short, what’s not to like for a reasonable armored combat simulation that doesn’t bog you down?
My only gripe is that the charts are on a double-faced fold out requiring all kinds of fiddling to work with…..and some genius included the turn track. But, the genius did add dotted lines so the track can be cut away from the charts.
It’s sunny now, but will still get in a few plays. Here’s a photo of the whole shooting match. Excuse the E-Bay Listing Approach.
Really enjoyed starting up a Kriegsspiel scenario.
Used the old Programmed Wargame Scenarios book. One of the first to introduce random events and personalities into a solo-friendly context. Also used a log to keep track of events.
KSpiel is intuitive to me. Work with the maps, the contours, basic concepts involving reconnasiance, and security, as well as some period knowledge about Prussian tactics. The latter is covered in the Two Fat Lardies rules.
This allows you to just play the game.
I used a company scale, with three to a battalion, three battalions to a regiment, with three regiments to a division. Each side had one division of infantry, along with attached cavalry squadrons.
The scenario called for Blue to have an advance force at a river crossing and to hold that crossing until reinforcements arrived. Red’s mission was to take the crossing. Both Red and Blue reinforcements (variable timing) had to enter the map from a programmed point (die determined).
I changed the scale from the prescribed 2 minutes per turn to 15 minutes, with an adjustment to movement rates. Risk game blocks designated regimental and division commanders.
Here are a few photos. As always, had to pack it up to go somewhere else.
Red Cavalry Occupying Village While First Regiment Advances. Note Blue Cavalry Picquets.
Red Continues Advance.
Red Infantry Deploys In Town. Red Block Is Divison CommanderRed Skirmishers Out For Firefight To Prep Objective. Second Regiment Advancing.Blue Reinforcements Advancing. Red Third Battalion In Column For Assault. Note Blue Has Been Attrited. Solid Red Block Indicates Loss Of Half Strength. Small Red Block Is Messenger To Cavalry Unit To Scout For Ford.
After two gratuitous posts, here’s (hopefully) something of substance, and very late getting to the blog.
A couple of weeks ago, Tim and I played Fall Grun, a Europa game covering the proposed German invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1938. The hypothetical conflict was previously covered by both Command and Strategy and Tactics magazines. In each of our three “games”, Tim had the Czechs.
This iteration is published by New Europa Games, using John Astell’s Blitzkrieg Unleashed rules. Mr. Astell’s involvement with the Europa system goes back to, I think, the inception. The rules closely follow the Europa template, but involve some interesting changes to ZOCs and Overruns.
The New Europa website is apparently dormant, but has been an excellent source for variant counters. Also, a game anticipating a Hungarian-Roumanian war in wake of the Czech conflict is supposedly in the making. That would be fun.
The game components are of high quality, however the lack of comprehensive charts presupposes ownership of other Europa games. The map is vinyl. Apparently this is cheaper to produce than a paper map. The only downside is that the creases are more obstinate than paper, requiring some improvisational and forceful re-shaping
The Germans have their work cut out for them. The Czech’s have a quality army that receives strong infantry and armored reinforcements very early in the game. The German initial deployment is rather “even”, without any real point of main effort. Many German units, especially valuable engineers and artillery regiments, are placed some distance back from the Czech-German border, and require time to assemble or move to contributory locations. There is also the possibility of Soviet intervention of the Czech side, with also a desulatory appearance by the anti-Czech Poles obsessing over three hexes.
The real German strength is their airforce. Many units, well suited to ground support, but with fighter cover that lacks range and (initially) limited airfields close to the Czech border. Also, Astell’s latest rules (early war) allow positive combat modifiers for an armored mix as low as 10 percent of the attacking forces.
After setup, we played the initial two turns. I dutifully went through the Blitzkrieg playbook using the first turn to annilihate the Czech airforce and mass units for border attacks. Tim countered, and my attacks stalled. And, that was that. A learning experience. Reset for Saturday.
Well, Friday was a learning experience, but not a good one for me. Still allocated aircraft to airfield attacks, but this time I had deployed my engineer units to quick construct airfields, or move into positiion close to the border to construct them on Turn Two. I concentrated my attacks to the southeast and southwest of Prague, hoping to isolate Prague from the strong Czech units facing Vienna.
Initial Setup. That Vinyl Map Needed AnchoringGermans Attempt To Isolate PragueLimited Gains
Weather. Why worry about it, right? Never a thought. It’s October…….crisp fall weather. Oh…….then just roll on the weather table for …..MUD. Ugh…..bad, bad amateur move. It stings even three weeks later.
OK, give it one more try. Another set up after dinner. Same bloody result. This time, more aggressive, greater gains. But, again, MUD.
New Game….Same Result….Stalled
No wonder the General Staff was ready for a putsch. Tough army, difficult terrain, limited mechanized advantage, and an untried airforce lacking airfields. And, also, MUD.
I don’t know if Tim is ready for it, but I’d like to switch sides and see what he can do. He’s good, very good. But this is quite a challenge.
Good game in the tradition that is all best about the Europa system. And, given the strange and terrible saga of this system, it’s best to remember the good.
Gave in and decided to go with DBA 3. Haven’t been overwhelmed with the differences in scale, and the introduction of “solid” troop types. Well, maybe because I don’t have the Army Lists. Still, the addition of “Threat Zones” extending out one stand width from all units precludes unlikely gymnastics, and forcing a fight or withdrawal.
So, the tournament is back on. First round involved Swiss and Condotti. Condotti scored an unlikely upset by turning the Swiss flank moving through bad going, and forcing a Swiss charge into Mounted Knights. Another tactical lesson learned.
Packaging up the last of some 35 games sold over the last few months. Running out of space. Many had been played. Rules read for others, but no great motivation to get them on the table. So, cull the herd.
In the midst of this mayhem, I found a thread over at boardgamegeek. I thought I had a collection! Nothing compared to some of these men.
