Ardennes Classic (not the bike race)

And, we’re back…

Been busy of late with some work travel, though can't stand in the way of a game...

Steve’s mate Alex has sent me the excellent ‘Up the Blue’ WWII rules. Now these are based on the precepts set out in the ‘One Hour Wargames’ stable, but with so much more (and these guys know what they are talking about).

Highlights

• As with the OHW standard, a unit has a number of hits – though some are permanent and some can be rallied off in this case dependent on the severity of initial hits (this is very subtle in gameplay and can reduce attack dice). The gamble is trading permanent (which ‘stick’) against what you think you can rally, bringing out unique resource management nightmares. A slight tweak of a +1 rally makes elite units very good at hugging terrain – and we had a really good version of elite 101^st Airborne in the Ardennes, who simply would not give ground.
• It’s fast, and it’s d6. Now people argue (that’d be me) that you get more flexibility with multi-sided dice. In this instance Alex has got around it neatly by slimming the mechanism to a number of dice (2-4, but usually 3) with a few modifiers, while making the turn sequence do the work.
• Initiative…mortars…action phase 1…enemy interrupts (if ‘ready’)…action phase 2
• 
  
  Most play is based on what you see above and it’s relatively seamless, so the key is to worry about getting the drop on the enemy by keeping ‘ready’ units and not getting ‘panzer-bushed’, and where there are tactical issues (armour, superior gun, elite troops) you add a dice or a modifier. Unlike more GW-centric systems (‘Slack Chowder’ for instance) there isn’t the need for masses of unit characteristics.

• Initiative is also very subtle, If you had it, it's easier to keep - but unit losses put pressure on that, and an unlucky initiative roll can lose it and really give you a headache. I found this remarkably easy to judge during gameplay.

• Very neat  mechanics indeed. I thought that I might have to add something for Panthers, but it’s all there (e.g. heavy gun - +1d6, Heavy Armor -1d6 to the firer).
• Units are platoons made up from the individual elements – so three bases is a ‘unit’ with sensible spacing.
• ‘Dug in’ units always seem to make life complicated in other rules.  Not so here – it’s a simple modifier.
• KEY TAKE-AWAY…these rules appear to give me the same results that I see from more complicated sets. IN FACT…the gameplay is more exciting as the to and fro of initiative and managing the battle makes you focus on commanding troops as opposed to complex differences between a Panther and a Sherman. All I need to know is that the Sherman is going to lose in a straight up firefight, not the difference between a bunch of numbers.
• Combined arms work. We had a steep learning curve in the game, but mortars are very effective, armour needs supported, and can in turn support infantry assaults, and readily use the 'ready' (reserve fire) rule to stop counterattack in the enemy action phase.

As you maintain momentum and gain the initiative bonus, while destroying enemy units, you can keep control of the game, but it only takes the attacker to seize that a few times and really mess things up.

A great game – so we have a company of the 101^st with some deadly (if fragile) anti tank hardware, vs a deliberate German attack with a couple of supported companies.  Watch out for those Panthers!

Germans advancing against prepared US positions.

 Using 'march' advances up the road, though the infantry will be short of cover, bar a few rises in the ground.

US armour moves up.

A natural fold/gully in the approach, while the Panthers try to flank.

A horrible run in for the attackers.

Early tank duels.

The M36 takes out a Panther over two actions - good shooting.

But with 'soft' armour, it doesn't take long to get shot up itself.

German platoons reach the outer buildings, but at great cost.

Panzer IV takes out the second M36, leaving troops exposed, though they are well ensconced.

 ...and have their own offensive capability.

The Germans leave themselves dangerously open during the final assault.

...and end up getting caught in crossfires, which dents their hopes of taking the town.

A very nice set of rules, and we could see how minimal tweaking would make them work for modern and Vietnam.