John & I recently had a go at 'Fistful of TOWs 3'. (Well, John read the rules, and I brought enthusiasm...and pepsi).
This has been an aim for a while, as the system gets widely lauded (especially by the folks at 'Little Wars TV'), and it is complete, pick-up worthy, and offers a wide range across the C20th period. So we formed FFT3SOG, in order to explore this fine set.
To be fair, we weren't disappointed. Now, it's a little different, and subsumes a lot into simple die rolls, but for my money, it works really well.
Highlights:
It's fast - we completed 'Chinese Farm', with full Egyptian & Israeli complements in 3 hours - an evening no less.
We're used to seeing units disappear when destroyed etc.; then some pushbacks and disruptions and suppression in other games. In FFT3 - you fail your Quality Check, and you're gone - hence massed Egyptian armour can fail QCs and vanish, whilst Israeli stuff tends to be able to hang on; the QC being a method of denoting training/morale/staying power, but this all works, and it will be useful to see how validity is demonstrated in the Fulda Gap say, where Sov units can vary in quality.
There's a lot of d6, but it only reached 'bucket' status when an M60 fired at a nasty BMP / Sagger, due to armour differential. Otherwise - no buckets of d6.
A lot of online reviews think that it's not a parallel with Spearhead in terms of battle 'scope' / size. I disagree - I would say, speed of play would allow for larger battles quite easily (without those axes of advance arrows...which always seem like a great idea...but...).
The turn sequence takes some getting used to - but makes artillery, firing, hold fire and overwatch - all become fairly seamless. In a sense - 'hold fire' and 'overwatch' allow you to interrupt turn sequence, but at a cost - you have to 'know when to hold em'
I can see how this is perfect for 1/300 - it all fits nicely with the unit cohesion rules.
Very nice set - and deserves a lot more exploration.
Battle was 'Chinese Farm 1973'
Israeli M60s and Paras in 1/2 tracks advancing from the south, toward Egyptian infantry lines in Chinese Farm
While to the east, Armoured Battalions in M48s
Though of poor quality, the Egyptian infantry (1) has Saggers and (2) will be hard to dig out as the Israelis have only a single battalion of Paras, reinforced with a lot of armour
Egyptian armour is numerous, but can be stopped with a good warning shot!!! ...their QCs would be their undoing...
Typically, the Israeli armour units here, would take high ground, engage and disperse at long range, then move in with a covered assault...though as stated, lacked infantry
'Where the hell did the amour go guys?'
Egyptian reinforcements
...a lot of reinforcements
Some M60 action from the ridgeline, and forming a blocking force against the oncoming reinforcing armour, is fairly effective
...although not without some casualties to Saggers
Ultimately, with some covering fire, the Israeli paras go toe to toe with the well ensconced Egyptian infantry, but by the end of the first combat, they're fatigued such that it would be impossible to take all of the positions.
So, all in all, and interesting result, whereby the armour battle became one-sided, while there were too few paras to take the positions on day one.
A great set of rules - we'll do some more. I'll also try to draw some comparisons with the GDW First Battle rulesets when I get time.
So, having had several posts with nothing to say, here's an actual game!
You'll of course remember that Princess Zenobia was dramatically rescued from the proscribed organisation known as the 'Children of Doom' in a hastily organised (and hastily criticised), border incursion into Kush. Turanian forces...it appears, are none too pleased.
'We interrupt your favourite soap opera for a news update...'
'Thanks Belit...the firing you can hear behind me, is coming from Turanian forces who have engaged our own 'Task Force Eagle' overnight, with fighting going on until this morning. This task force is formed from the Poitanian Guards Armoured Cavalry regiments operating out of of Fort Shamar south of the capitol ...and have been based in Eastern Shem on peacekeeping operations for the last three years - keeping the so called 'green zone' between Shemite and opposing Turanian forces 'intact'. That ended this morning with a surprise attack by a Turanian task force, with T80 tanks and Hind helicopters opening fire against Aquilonian peacekeepers at the border research station.
I'll bring you more information as I have it, though I am assured by Colonel 'Hammer' Verentius, that the peace treaty is not at risk...and that Shemite forces need not become involved directly on their own border. Colonel Ari Harish of the Shemite Defence Force is due to hold a press conference this morning.
Turanian Official State News Agencies are calling this 'direct action' against the non-sanctioned Aquilonian / Nemedian operations in Kush that resulted in the rescue of Princess Zenobia, who we understand is still ill with a bad flu... '
In order to keep things fluid and moving, in a modern (albeit alternative reality game), and due to the fact that I am very keen on GDW 80s rules tech right now, I've used the 'Battlefield Europe' variant of the GDW First Battle series. Roughly similar to what we know about Team Yankee etc. - the main changes are use of a d10 vs a d6 for variability in combat, platoon scale rather than single vehicle, and introduction of variants such as reactive armour vs missiles (which needs to be 'blown off' , though can still be defeated with the right dice roll). As with most of these rules, new variants do not overcomplicate the rules. Morale is based on a 'yield' point of sorts, where enough damage will initiate a retreat.
A sound system based on a very logical, yet difficult to master, turn sequence. You 'gotta know when to hold em' as Kenny would say.
'Begin the attack..hehehhehehhhhh!'
So I used the hexes at half scale - i.e. all rules are in place, though my hexes represent 'two' in terms of the boardgame mechanics. I used actual counters at the side of the table to keep stats right.
Unbelievably, despite having been in a state of readiness for years...Force Eagle is surprised. Overnight movements have remained undetected, even at the Forward Ops Post ...something has gone badly wrong in terms of intel here...
'Ranger 6...this is FOP Alpha...permission to engage ...permission to engage over!!!'
'This is not a DRILL!'
'What the hell! MOVE PEOPLE!'
Surprsied in turn 1, Force Eagle begins to wake up.
Turanian Red Air takes out soft armour on the high ground - one less ITV to worry about...
Despite not having permission to engage...Force Eagle forward operating troops know when they are being shot at...
T80s have reactive armour...which helps vs tac misslies
'Get to Point Alpha NOW!'
Accurate Turanian firing, and the rapid movement of Red Air, is playing havoc with the surprised defenders
Here they come...
Horrible casualties on both sides at the forward Aquilonian position on Hill 611
A good defensive position on the high ground
Despite holding their left flank, Aquilonian armour now needs to engage with the larger threat on their right
Not looking good on the Aquilonian right, though Turanian forces could reach their break point quite rapidly if the defenders get organised.
Aquilonian armour moves to reinforce from the high ground on their right flank...just in time, and with Blue Air now (finally) ready to engage with Hellfires
Turanian massed assault on the Aquilonian right...
Turanian motor rifle troops flood the factory and research areas, despite having lost most of their armoured support to Aquilonian attack choppers
The Battle for Research Station Gamma becomes a hell of fight, with remnants of both sides becoming embroiled in bitter infantry actions within the station and factory... Luckily for the defenders - Red Air is taken out by Stinger fire.
Blue Air - saves the day on the Aquilonian right flank
The Aquilonian left: a wasteland of smoking metal...
Turanian forces are eventually driven off, but they were in the Shem/Aquilonian research station for a long time, before being driven out with heavy casualities...
...but it has not been a good day for either side...
'We held them off this time ladies and gentlemen...but things are going to escalate very quickly...stay frosty!'
