Monthly Archives: January 2025

Kvetching

Boardgames, General

Starting to bog down (pun semi-intended) with Advanced Squad Leader Starter Kit (ASLSK) armor rules.

Twenty-five or so modifiers for fire combat?  Ugh.

I don’t like House Rules.  If you have to change the game there is something wrong – “Sandbox Games” excepted.

The Designer spent a lot of time figuring things out.  The Playtesters spent a lot of time figuring things out.  The Developer spent a lot of time figuring things out.

Play the game once, then start changing things?  Now you are playing a different game.

Sometimes I think one should just sell it and move on to another game, same period/situation.

Kvetch!

Talked myself into staying with it.

Wilson’s Creek – Opening Mess

Boardgames, Sessions

Started Wilson’s Creek, one of the earliest in the Great Battles Of The American Civil War Series (GBACW), which appeared in Strategy & Tactics Magazine way back in 1981.

What is really scary is that my first and only previous play of the game was way back in 1981.

The exclusive game rules are mercifully short.  However, they significantly shape the course of play.

The Confederates start the game “encamped”, activated either individually by  “spotting” an advancing Union unit when it comes within three hexes, or by a  2xD-6 roll for the entire force beginning Turn 3.  In either case, the spotting unit(s) or entire Confederate force must then take individual morale checks.

Given the relatively low morale of many Confederate units, the result can only be characterized by-the-now-over-used word, “Mayhem”.  Routing units retreat the usual three hexes.  Given the density of the Confederate bivouac, the army becomes a  rabble.  To compound matters, brigade commanders must also make morale checks (morale level four), and can also rout.  From my reading of the rules, they cannot self rally.  This puts a real burden on the division commanders.

To make things even more interesting, the battlefield terrain is hilly and covered with brush, which limits fields of fire (units can fire through two hexes of brush into a target) and movement (two movement points per hex – for both column and line formations – with six movement point maximum).

Here’s a depiction of the entire game map.

And now a close-up of the opposing forces during Turn 4 (the Confederates had a very low die roll) after contact/rout and before rallying.  The units with a “Rout” marker are mounted, and unlike infantry, do not have a reverse side designating rout.  By the way, these routed mounted units must remain dismounted for the rest of the battle since it is assumed their horses have scattered in the confusion.

The darker the hex, the higher the elevation.  Wilson’s Creek runs left-to right and is in the lowest terrain.  It can only be crossed at fords, which is going to effect how/where the Confederates (eventually) form up.  The north-south water feature is a tributary which can be crossed at any point.

I’m curious as how all of this confusion develops…..

SOPAC – Finished

Boardgames, Naval, Sessions, World War II

Yes, wrapped up…….with an unanticipated and very abrupt ending.

As usual, it was as function of (another) rules/scenario comprehension (or lack of) gaffe.

I forgot that in this scenario, neither side is affected by “Interservice Rivalry”.  This status has a significant impact on gameplay as these rivalries preclude activating both Army and Naval units in the same turn/offensive.  In SOPAC, the bulk of the respective naval forces are located in the New Hebrides and Solomons, while army units are in New Guinea/Australia.

Given card draws, the relatively weak strength of US naval forces during the first few turns, and this apparent operational limitation, the Allies had focused on New Guinea, with positive results.

Here are the card draws for Turn 5.  Note that starting with Turn 5, the Allies have the first card play.  The Japanese can override that by playing a Future Offensives Card – which they do have (that might have been a good play…dunno).

The Japanese Navy started the action off by activating their Solomon air assets for another pounding of Henderson Field.  The Allies refused to react with their carriers, so the only opposition was two Marine air units (in EOTS any units in the Battle Hex have to participate in combat, but  do not have to be activated to do so – which is a bonus because more “outside”  units can be activated to participate).

The preceding paragraph only tells part of the story.  The initial Allied response  was to react.  Not a good idea.  The Japanese had roughly 60 attack factors, with the Allies only able to muster 40.  The would have probably been a big BLAMMO, with crippling comparative losses for the Allies.  I love the “Undo” icon.

Meanwhile, the Allies continued their aggressive attacks in New Guinea, destroying the understrength corps that had arrived in New Guinea during the Replacement Phase of Turn 5.  Note the participating Japanese naval unit.  Another rules gaffe.  While I now recognized  interservice rivalries were not in effect, I forgot naval gunfire support applied only to the offensives player, not the reaction (defensive) side (if the offensive player has the only naval unit in the Battle Hex during ground combat, he/she enjoys a +2 combat die roll modifier).

The ensuing combat destroyed the 9-12 Japanese Army unit, ending any effective ground resistance (there still is a weak Japanese Naval Infantry unit just off the photo to the west (left)).

The Japanese response was to launch an all-out attack on the Allied naval units in the New Hebrides.  The Allies had no choice but to  react.

The VASSAL die-bot rolled high for the Allies and low for the Japanese.  The Japanese sailed back to Truk without the  Yamato and with damaged surface units.

Again, the preceding paragraph is just part of the story.  I initially used the Allied Central Pacific Headquarters to activate naval units.  This HQ can add three units to the activation force, but……..and this is important……it can only activate units in the New Hebrides.  This meant the The Wasp, now situated in New Guinea as part of the dispersion of naval assets to prevent catastrophic loss early in the game, could not join the reaction force.  Neither could the Army’s long-range bomber units.

However, Genius Boy had forgotten that the Halsey Card had been put in play earlier in the game.  Halsey’s South Pacific HQ can also add three units to the reaction force, and is not limited to the New Hebrides.  Add the Wasp and Army air, and the Allies strength was increased by 16.  Significant.

I shut the game down for the night, and returned to it the next day.  Mulling the options there seemed to be no way the Japanese could win.  The Allies now controlled three additional ports, and any Japanese counteroffensive would have to wait until they received replacements (a 9-12 reduced corp) for Turn 6.  While theoretically feasible, this attack would face strong ground units and a significantly reinforced US fleet.

Now it’s on to the Burma Scenario.

SOPAC – Turns 3 & 4

Boardgames, Sessions, World War II

Getting into a good rhythm with Empire of the Sun’s SOPAC scenario.  And well I should since this is about my fifth playthrough.

This is situation at the end of the first card play round of Turn 3.  Yes, I whiffed on getting a screen shot before Turn 3 began as well as the Strategy Cards drawn.

The key to tempo is not thinking too much, and just playing.  Especially since VASSAL let’s you “Undo” any number of stupid/misguided offensives.  Here’s an example:

The above is an Allied misadventure during Turn 4.  The Japanese played their Future Offensives card “Battle of Santa Cruz” as an event and set Guadalcanal as the Battle Hex.  They could  activate a total of six units; the four naval bomber units highlighted in red, along with a carrier and accompanying battleship (to absorb damage).  The Allies were able to pass their Reaction die roll (d10 – “7”), and activated two carrier task forces.  The  two air units at Henderson Field are in the Battle Hex and do not have to be activated in order to participate.  Sounds OK….NOOOOOOOO!!!  The Japanese have sixty (60) attack factors, while the Allies had a paltry thirty-four (34).  That is not going to work.  UNDO!  I let the Marine air units take a pounding.  Save the fleet for their Turn 5 reinforcements.

Outside of this abortive effort, the real action during Turns 3 and 4 took place in New Guinea.

During Turn 3, the reinforced Australians successfully attacked Buna, taking the airfield.

During Turn 4, the Australians decisively defeated the reinforced Japanese ground units, eliminating two Armies.  The attack was made at a negative strength differential hoping to attrit  the Japanese forces.  The Australian air unit (noted with the “A”) was used to offset the Japanese air unit in the Battle Hex.  If not activated, the Japanese would have enjoyed air superiority and a +2 modification to their combat die roll.    The Allied die roll of “8” allowed them to inflict 1.5 times their attack strength as Japanese casualties.  For once my tactic of using a card with low Operations value (rather than Event value) did result in a surprise attack, with the Japanese strength reduction taking place before being able to strike back at the Allies.  In this case, there was nothing left to strike with.

I had decided to reinforce the Japanese, so the ground units would not be eliminated piecemeal.  Instead they were eliminated en-masse.  Not good.

What IS good is that Turn 4 is finished and I can move on to Turn 5.  Hopefully I’ll wrap this iteration up by mid-week.  That will free up the computer for “Groza’s” opening moves.

Done Grinding

Boardgames, Sessions

Read the Pea Ridge Night Rules.  Too much.

Lots of motion involving shifting forces, collecting stragglers, and recalculating Brigade Effectiveness.  I’ll pass.

While it might be interesting to play out another 6-7 turns, I just don’t feel the need.

I do feel the need to get another Great Battles Of The American Civil War (GBACW) on the table, if only for the enhanced enjoyment of playing a game that one is fairly conversant with the rules.

So, I’ve put  Wilson’s Creek on the table.  I last played this circa 1981 when published in Strategy & Tactics magazine.

And then, I do need to regain my momentum on the Der Weltkrieg series………if only to finish off my long dormant try at  Serbia/Galacia.

Grinding It Out – Part 6

Boardgames, Sessions

Finally made it to the night turns.  Took 18 turns to get there……Jeez…this is such a long game.

We’ll pick up my fragmented narrative with the Confederate phase of Turn 16.

Here’s battlefield view looking West.  Pea Ridge (at least my version) is really two fights.

This is a closeup of the “Western Fight”.  Here, the Confederates have pushed back the Union left, with Rebel forces forming to assault the Union’s right flank.  With a key  unit out of ammunition and the left flank crumbling, the Union situation is deteriorating.

The Union situation in the “Eastern Fight” does not look promising, either.  Three units have rolled “1” during fire attacks.  This can lead to Ammunition Depletion if a follow up roll of “1” or “2” is made.  Yes, that has happened three times, in addition to one unit being Pinned by Confederate fire.

This above depicts the overall situation during the Union’s phase of Turn 17.  I include this to show the Union’s ammunition resupply entering the game at the upper left (south) of the photo.  BTW, wagons are frustratingly  slow until they hit the Pike road.

In the East, the Union line is holding due to strong artillery support.  Artillery is not involved in ammunition depletion rolls.  They are for small-arms, only.

The Union’s defense  in the West is a “fish hook”,  buttressed by reinforcements.   However, there is considerable pressure from Confederate units just moving into melee.  The Confederates have some very real limitations for melee combats  Unless stacked with a leader, a unit must be adjacent to a leader and roll a “1” or “2” to enter melee.  All melees must be declared before rolling for entry.  If one fails, the others must still roll.  This makes for some bad, low odds, attacks.

Here’s an battlefield overview for Turn 18.

And now overviews of the East and then West Fights.

The Confederate attack has been repulsed in the West, with only limited success in the East.

By the end of Turn 18, Union forces have completed their ammunition re-supply and stabilized their defensive positions.  While the situation in the West is the same as shown above, here is a picture of the East fight.  While there is some pressure on the Union’s right, the Confederate attack is not well supported, with Union reinforcements arriving.

While there has been some back-and- forth, the Confederates have been consistently stymied by the short range of their muskets, ammunition depletion (without any chance for re-supply) and the aforementioned melee limitations.  The Union forces have benefitted from their ability to deploy and use artillery  (especially effective on Confederate units at close range trying to use muskets and enter into melee), the longer range of their rifles and, on a limited but very effective basis, the devastating short range fire of those units equipped with carbines (x5 increase in firepower at one hex range).

Now it’s time to read the Night Turns’ special  rules.

 

SOPAC – It’s Never Over Until…….

Boardgames, Naval, Sessions, World War II

“Finally Finished”‘?  No……

Was reviewing the rules last night while preparing for my new session.  I was feeling pretty good about myself.  And then I discovered two more rules gaffes.

  1.  You can’t play a Future Offensives Card as your last play of the turn.  Both sides did this for the decisive Turn 6 .  Might have made a difference.  I’m not going to do a post mortem to find out.
  2. The elimination of a US division or brigade in an attack negatively affects Political Will.  Again, no post mortem, but I’m pretty sure at least one was wiped out.  I do remember an Australian Corps was destroyed, but their elimination does not affect Political Will.

Sigh……..

SOPAC – Finally Finished

Boardgames, Sessions, World War II

Whew!  That took awhile.

Was pleased the last turns flowed pretty smoothly.  Especially when compared to my initial efforts.  Well, that’s what should happen, right?

I kept some play notes, but as with most efforts at this, what was cogent at the time is  now indecipherable.  So, this post will not include a blow-by-blow account of Turn 6.

However, I can chronicle some of my lessons learned.  But first, a picture.

During Turn 6, I had to take four airfields/ports/resources to meet Progress of War requirements.  I only took three, but this shortfall had no impact on whether the Allies won or lost the scenario.

What did have an impact was my capture of four ports during the course of the game.  They are highlighted by the red arrows.  This fulfilled the conditions for an Allied Victory.

The “X”s represent locations where I botched the rules.

The lower right “X” represents my failure to move the US Naval Headquarters (HQ) to control landings north of Guadalcanal.  I assumed actions there could be initiated by the headquarters in Hawaii.  It’s in range, but the scenario rules limit that HQ’s  influence to the New Hebrides.  Only the play of the “Halsey Card” extended the HQ’s range to cover operations nearer Rabaul.

The “X” in southern New Guinea indicates a significant rules gaffe.  I had been using the SW Pacific Headquarters to activate both U.S. and Australian units.  No!  Only the Australian HQ can activate Australian air/ground/naval units, unless a special event card is played.

The “X” in northern New Guinea marks a real tactical blunder.  I activated an Australian ground unit with an attack strength of “11” to battle an opponent with a defense strength of “12”.  This significantly reduced my chances of destroying the Japanese unit, as it would take a D10 roll of at least “7” (inflicting 1.5 times the Allied attack strength) to eliminate the Japanese unit.  The Allies rolled low and the Japanese  rolled high.  The understrength Australian unit was  eliminated.   Dumb.

I started playing cards for their Operations Value rather than as events during Turn 6.  The reason was unless the event involved a significant special condition, the lower intelligence value of the operation use made a successful defender reaction die roll less likely….in theory.  This is very important since no reaction means the attack is a Surprise Attack, with the defender taking losses before they can fight back.

However, there were a couple of occasions when a reaction roll of two or lower was needed, and damned if it wasn’t rolled!  Is there something creepy going on with VASSAL die rolling iterations?

I now fully appreciate why this game is so well regarded.  Encouraged by my  rules familiarity and increased speed of play, I’m going to give it one more try.

Groza – Even More Momentum

Boardgames, Sessions, World War II,

Tim finished his setup.  He pointed out the airfield capacity in urban hexes is three units rather than the six used in the Europa Second Front rules.   A quick shifting of several  German air assets, and my setup is complete.

Now for the fun!  Tim anticipates continuing his (Soviet) pre-Surprise Attack steps (there are ten) this week.  Steps 5-10 include flipping four armored/motorized cadres to full strength and all 3-6 infantry divisions to their 4-6 sides; placing the June II Turn reinforcements; planning special operations; a special movement and exploitation phase; designating NKVD units as “Spetsnaz” units;  and, finally, the  Soviet Jul I player turn.

Here are shots of the North of Warsaw and South of Warsaw front-line deployments before Steps 5-10.