RFCM

If seven six out of, what was it, twelve? Then I could do with some of that.

Vikings is really good. Have put this date in the calendar.

Very good weekend as usual. Made by the company and the effort put into all the games. AWI amd CWB both very enjoyable. Pirates going well and I had forgotten how good Longships is.

Getting the play balance right will require fine tuning. The battle hardened small warship easily out fought our able small warship and also gave our able medium warship a hard time. If we had not added six extra crew pieces from the pre-game we would have had very little chance.


Battle hardened small warship firing at medium warship (not rake or short range) 3 guns (6D6), Battle hardened (2D6), target bigger (-2D6) Total 8D6
Able medium warship firing at small warship (not rake or short range) 3 Guns (6d6), target smaller (2D6) Total 8D6
Add in the extra manoeuvrability of the small warship and it should be easier to get in a position to rake etc.

Yes, I will be there. 1 x Force.

Latest version is 48.

Weds. 7th saw new version of leader - 'Inspirational' - Cancels morale in a square and able to assault for 1AP.
Enemy veteran unit in buildings (two bases, started jiggered), a gentle hill adjacent with partial cover. Advanced with large (8 bases + leader) raw unit. Rushed straight over hill and assaulted (for 1AP as Inspirational Leader also present). Two bases shot with opportunity fire. Assault dice about equal (not a short assault into buildings) - typical Rob roll - raw unit gets no sixes and loses two bases in the assault and fall back.
No further casualties in the enemy round from shooting.
However, as Inspirational Leader present no problem with moral and another assault wiping out veteran unit.

Inspirational Leader too good?

The consensus was perhaps split into 'Morale' or 'Easy Assault' leader.

In the example given a 'Morale' Leader would need to roll two (two plus one for force leader - includes a reroll if first roll is one) to get the 3AP needed for an assault.
An 'Easy Assault' Leader could still assault as however bad the morale, will always have 1AP which could use to assault.

Count me in .

Chief Hopping Owl will be ready.

Sorry have been remiss in not attending this forum.

The comments of the allied umpire that Mike refers to where:-

I think the game was enjoyed by everyone.

What went well. The layout and the organisation were superb. The effort that everyone put into providing the set up/figures and the pre-game organisation were great.

With a game like this, what you want to avoid is players being sat around for hours at a time with nothing to do. It is a game after all and not a simulation ('they also serve who only stand and wait' – Milton). Of course the collorally of this is that every one was so busy all the time. In the afternoon session in sector 3 (W3/E3) three turns were played as two players were managing two full companies. There were also issues with co-ordination between the sectors as the turns were running out of sync. This led to some frustration with firing and movement between the sectors. One way (which I do not recommend) is that all the turns are synced to the slowest table (which means loads of down time for everyone else). Another alternative would be a strict time limit for every turn, anything between  twenty minutes and half an hour (or faster if everyone finished). This would mean that the commander would have to prioritise the important things rather than firing every square (two points of rifle fire against a target in hard cover – 9 times out of ten no effect) – of course, they could do every thing available within the time slot for the turn – this would penalise slow players.

Having written that, is this a load of rubbish? Take sector 3. There were three turns each in the afternoon session. If turns set at half an hour (and assuming no time lost between turns) this would be a total of three hours which is what was achieved. Turns would need to be twenty minutes (nine turns – five and four) or fifteen minutes (twelve turns – six each – might be too rushed).   However, remember, 'Time is an illusion' – Albert Einstein.

One possible alternative might be to run a series of scenarios on individual tables in one session - an example off the top of my head. An Arnhem game.

Morning session  - say four games.

1)   XXX Corp breakout – (thankless task for the German player, they should have the pick of the afternoon games)
2)   101st Airborne try to capture the Son Bridge intact.
3)   81st Airborne defend a counter attack on the Goosbeck (Sp?) Heights
4)   3rd  or 1st Para try to reach Arnhem Bridge (assume 2nd Para moving on the river route make it for the afternoon game).

Depending on how these went would effect the afternoon games and the overall result.

As I said the Ardennes Day was a very enjoyable day which is why everyone is keen for a repeat (but next year).

Basing on 2p pieces works well (sorry Les) esp. with the warbase sabots. Makes movement really fast.