Saturday 28 December 2019

'It's not just about resource management ...there's killing to be done...'

Dice Demon Steve's quote above is taken from our latest game with the excellent 'Seven Days to the River Rhine' (7D), heard while we were discussing the high and low points of the rules.

The quote is quite relevant in terms of the rules' propensity to make you think about the 'to and fro' nature of the game turn, as well as managing your command tokens, the nature of 'if you can see it, you can kill it' and the relevance of that theme on the modern (1980s) battlefield, and of course the relative ease of gameplay for what is, as Steiner puts it : 'a technically complex wargame period, made easy to manage (but not simplistic) with these rules'.

So, all the superlatives, bullsh*t and diatribe come together in a really enjoyable 1/144 (new scale) encounter between French Rapid Reaction forces, reinforced with West German Bundeswehr, trying to stop a local Soviet counterattack with two companies of tanks/infantry, supported by the now (in)famous 'Red Air'.


(Though it wasn't really the theme of this encounter, I did consider later how applicable these rules are to 'late' WWIII actions, where armour is scarce, and weapon systems are running dry ('I have two shots left with my Milan') - along the lines of 'Twilight 2000' or James Rouch's 'The Zone',  but just before survivors start eating each other...).


To action:
Again, thanks to Robust Steve (a different Steve ...I know, it gets confusing) for hospitality and Superb, I say again, Superb terrain - well lit with spotlights, highlighting a small town on the Franco German border.

Some shots of his terrain and setup to start with. And yes, 'Pylons Maketh the Map'.





We're on the French border? Is the Wine and Cheese at risk Gawdammit!!!






 The garage was particularly effective. I wanted to go in for some French cigarettes.


 Town at map centre - Soviet objective.
 
 Olive groves.

 The mobile crane that they hired to move these containers has scarpered and was last heard of offering assistance at the NATO refugee camps, lifting thousands of Portaloos (TM) into place.

 The house price has dropped considerably since there is a bloody war on.

 
Soviet left flank; this attack axis would prove pivotal.

Early moves on Attack Axis Left

Some probes in centre.

 Flowers still in their boxes in the ruins of Centreville.


 Steineritzen on the Soviet right, in a race to be the first to Paris.

West German armour in the shape of a Leopard I. If you can see it, you can hit it; if you can hit it, it's probably dead. This was very much the case with the mid range armour in evidence.

 Attack Axis Centre and Right.

 German armour does not last long.

 The rules allow good and proper use of Recon to yield dividends.

 Panhard acting up from cover.

 French APCs and support in evidence halting some Soviet moves, making them approach more cautiously (than the usual CHARRRGE!)

 Sov infantry gains cover, awaiting Attack Axis Left to be secured before crossing the road.

 The farm on the left would prove difficult to secure, while the Garage offered a lot of cover for Soviet maneuvering.


 A lot of Soviet armour means that the NATO forces would chance their arm in terms of taking long range shots.


 ...which yielded early results.

 Though of course, Red Air is never far away.


 MILANs are VERY dangerous however, though had some bad luck with their shooting early on.

 Sovs taking hits at the garage.

 ...while NATO armour takes losses it can ill afford amidst the cherry blossoms.


 ...the bridge in the NATO centre.

 Sovs using cover to maneuver in the centre.



 AttackAxis Right secured halfway up the board, with Steinerzitch pushing on, and on, and on...

 

 Objective Centreville on the left.

 The farm securely held by French armour and infantry.

 ...inflicting horrible losses on Attack Axis Left.

 ..which soon gets the balance of the reinforcements.

 ...and builds strength for an attack on Centreville.
















 AMX30s reveal for shoot n scoot action, though come off worst.

  


 Sov forces 'liberate' Centreville in the name of the Workers (or some bullsh*t), and start to move in.



 ...provoking reaction from French forces at the farm...

 

 ...though there is just too much Sov armour, shooting accurately.

Jazz Hands.




 By game end, the situation was such that the Soviet right was in stalemate with Bundesweher forces, whilst the centre was ready for a thrust toward the town, with a sweep through and around the French held farm on the Sov left, which was unlikely to withstand the weight of Sov armour that was coming.

A great game again, with these excellent rules.

More to come in various scales I think...











18 comments:

  1. Thanks for all that work to share a ton of pictures - loved it. The 1/144 is Timecast stuff I assume? I have the rules and think they look really good, though I was a bit dismayed to see that download errata file for the vehicle stats, more than I would have expected. The pylons, road and garage set a good 80’s scene.

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    1. Thanks Norm.
      The guys have recently sold all their 1/200 stuff (I know since I bought it) and replaced with (I think) some 1/144 Timecast, but there are a lot of 1/144 Butlers 3D printed items here too.

      The rules have some great mechanisms and ideas, but yes, there are some disparities with stats and errata - as if the genius elements of the rules were there, and the stats and some mechanisms were a bit of an afterthought.
      I guess the forerunner 'Iron Cross' is even more skeletal but still playable.

      Terrain was great - the pics don't do it justice.

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  2. Wow great action, sir! Beautiful table as well. Perhaps i shall put away the naps and tricorner'd troops for a bit to push my yanks and ivan to conclusion and get them on the table!

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    1. Cheers Steve.
      Yes, I sense some Fulda Gap action coming up soon :)

      80s Ivan always easy - green spray can...the units don't last very long anyway ;)

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    2. My thoughts exactly :) i was going to ask if this was somehow a "preparatory" game for something, i dont know, maybe a Fulda Gap campaign coming up soon!!?? :)

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    3. Ha - yes quite possibly.
      I'm looking also at Alex's rules plus Fistful of TOWs for some of the larger games in Fulda.
      Possibly Strike Legion for anything Corps Sized and bigger.
      Strike LEgion works quite well solo too for anything that needs to be decided outside the main events.

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  3. What an awesome spectacle, that terrain is very nice Indeed. Looks like a great game and the rules sound interesting.

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    1. Thank you sir. It was very exciting - a real spectacle and great rules and company.
      We should get around to rules reviews on the podcast too...

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  4. A very good looking tabletop.

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    1. Thanks Peter. Stephen's table is excellent. I think the nature of the rules compliment it, in that they are fast play and exciting, and the table and gameplay is far from static. Always a good thing.

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  5. Yes very enjoyable game and rules (nearly as good as Black Powder !!).
    Not much technical 'meat on the bones' maybe but a nice system that generates an exciting game with some nice decisions to make.
    Our CinC was a bit too much in role play mode though barking out orders....sorry suggestions :-)

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    1. It worked very well. I think now that wargames rules that boil what happens in an instant 'BANG' down to number+dice vs armour, yet retain something of the chaos of battle and training, probably have more to teach us than the 'highly technical uselessness' that was WRG and its ilk from the 70s/80s.

      I think the genius of this system almost happened by accident; there's far too much that hasn't been designed in for it to have happened the way it did ...though we should be thankful for the nice system that emerged.

      ...there's a lot to be said for having a commander too I guess, at least we can blame him when it goes wrong ;)

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    2. Another set with which you just accept several abstractions to get a decent game. Biggest here is of course lack of artillery/indirect fire. Certainly simplifies proceedings.

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    3. Best to leave out here anyway. Prelim bombardment would be the mainstay of Soviet advance. We can assume it's already happened. Local mortars are included in 7D, and anything else would just create un-needed fog I suppose.
      There are probably a few UK/US doctrinal issues with lack of support, but I don't think it matters.

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  6. I am envious of those who can pack a table full of terrain. Superb looking table!

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    1. Thanks Jonathan.
      Yes, that table really was something else. The lighting and background really help some of those pics too. Stephen does a great table and setup.

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  7. Fantastic photos Duc. Recon is clearly important in "modern" warfare.

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    1. Thanks Jack. Yes, that little BRDM2 Recce vehicle actually worth its weight in gold.

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