WARFIGHTER: THE WORLD WAR TWO COMBAT CARD GAME.

 I had pre ordered this in the summer from Boardgame Extras . It was due out in September, but had slipped my mind. Imagine my surprise when it arrived today!  Rick has the modern version, which we have played a few times.

At first glance, the main difference is that there is a board.

                                            I have taken a couple of photos of the contents.

                   Once I have had a look and maybe had a trial game, I will post my thoughts.

SATURDAY GAME. MEMOIR '44: THE BATTLE OF ARRAS.

This battle took place a few months ago, in June. It is part of one of our occasional Saturday games, where we get to play games that would take too long for an evening. 

This was a 'Breakthrough' scenario from Memoir '44. It used the larger board and needed components from several of the expansions to play. The winner was the first to 12 medals. I took the Germans and Rick the French and British. 

The initial set up from my (German) side of the table.

The Allies advance. The Germans counter attack on the right.

The British advance is stalled. The Germans take Arras.

The Germans hold Arras.

The British advance is renewed. An entire German unit is destroyed in one go.

The French begin their attack. Faced by German 88s

Which are quickly dealt with, thanks to a fortunate dice roll!

The German line stabilises. The infantry dig  in and prepare to face an all out Allied advance.

The French advance continues. A German Panzer unit is destroyed. 

The French came off best in the armour duel on the left. Only a depleted infantry unit stands in their way. The British attack has worn down the defenders on the right.

The last German hope if stopping the British tanks was the mobile artillery. Forward they came, only to be destroyed in one shot. This allowed the tanks to move forward unhindered.

The game ended when the Allies reached 12 medals. Only 4 complete German units remained. The French had suffered heavy casualties, but the British still have strong units.

The Germans retained control of Arras.

This was a closely fought game. the British advance stalled as they struggled to get the right cards. The French were luckier. Once battle was joined, the Allies had a succession of 'lucky' dice rolls at crucial times. Once the Germans started losing units, the balance quickly swung in the Allies' favour.

THE GREAT WAR: SOMME, MASH VALLEY AND LA BOISSELLE. I JULY 1916.

For this week's Thursday game, we had a go at The Great War. We played the Mash Valley scenario, from the first day of the Somme. I took the attacking British and Rick the German defenders.

General view of initial dispositions.

As well as the usual one medal for each enemy unit destroyed, the British got a medal for each unit exiting the German edge. They also got a temporary medal for having a unit in the German trenches. Whoever held the crater got a temporary medal.

The British have captured the crater and have men in the German trenches. This counts as two temporary medals.

The British have advanced to the second line of trenches.

After a slow start, the British began to make inroads into the German trenches. They took the crater and broke into the first line of trenches. The defenders took a steady toll of the advancing infantry. My advance was also disrupted by Rick playing well timed combat cards and Ambush cards to thwart my best laid plans!

The German defences hold out. They reach 7 medals.

Eventually, the British attack ran out of steam. Rick reached 7 medals to my 4.

A really enjoyable game. We will play this scenario again, with Rick having the opportunity to succeed where I failed.

FIRST TRY OF AVP.

Our last Wednesday game saw our first try of AVP. I took the Colonial Marines, Derek the Aliens and David had a party of three Predators.

We set up the first scenario, where each faction had separate mission objectives.

The initial set up. Ping counters are used until within line of sight. They are then replaced with figures. 

Each turn begins with initiative. The player with initiative turns over the environment card for the turn. This card details something good or bad that affects all factions for the turn. The player with initiative then activates a figure. The figure has two actions. The next faction activates a figure and so on until all figures have acted. During the turn, a payer can play up to two strategy cards from his hand.

My Colonial Marine squad.

Models have skills, detailed on their stat card. each faction also has some unique active and passive skills to use throughout the game.

An Alien breaks through the door (using the 'force the doors open' skill) and all in line of sight become visible. 

My objective was to go to the Computer Room at the opposite end of the table. and override the controls to open a bulkhead, then board an elevator to go down a level.

A Predator appears. He causes carnage in the Marines with his Plasma Caster.

The two remaining Marines duck back into cover.

The Marine with the Smart Gun hits the Predator, causing a wound.

In the end all my marines perished to a combination of Alien and Predator attacks without getting far into the ship.

The Aliens surround and kill one of the Predators.

The remaining Predator finishes off the last two Aliens.

The Predators then made quick work of the Aliens.

For a first game, it was fast and bloody. Unfamiliarity with the skills and effects meant a few tactical mistakes were made by us all. Lessons we will take into the next game!

QUARTERMASTER GENERAL: 1914. THE FIRST GAME

For our latest Thursday game, Rick and I gave Quartermaster General: 1914 a try. With two players, I took the Central Powers (Germany, Austria/Hungary, Ottoman Empire) and Rick the Entente powers (Britain/US, France/Italy and Russia).

Initial set up.

Despite there only being two players, each 'country' has it's it's own turn, in strict order, using it's own themed deck and drawing from a limited pool of units. The object is to accumulate points in the scoring rounds (17 rounds, score on rounds 3, 7, 11, 15 and 17), when countries gain points for objective areas that they occupy.

The game in full swing.

During a turn each country has the chance to play a card from their hand, prepare (play face down) a card and use a card already prepared. Units are built by playing the appropriate card from the hand or recruited using event cards.
There is no movement in the game. Territory is gained by attacking a region, playing an attack card. The defender gets a chance to use any prepared defence cards. The attacker then gets to play any sustained attack cards they have prepared. An undefended attack or a sustained attack that exceeds the defender's cards removes the defenders unit. A unit can then be built on the empty territory.

The finite number of units and the means of expanding your territory mean that each country needs to have a plan that they stick to. It is possible to co-ordinate the actions of the powers, to an extent, but a lot will depend on the initial card hands drawn.

As we played the game, it became apparent that the card decks were important in more than one way. One other function of cards that are prepared, and some event cards, is to cause attrition. This means that the target country has to discard cards. As decks are not replenished, this means that the affected country loses potentially valuable cards and also it's ability to continue the war is reduced. If a country runs out of cards, they continue in the game, but lose victory points when called to discard cards.

In the game, the Austro-Hungarians started well, expanding to the south. The Germans and the British fought inconclusively in France and Belgium.Later in the game, the Russians started to affect the game, drawing troops away from Europe. The Austro-Hungarians/Ottomans ran out of cards, which allowed the French/Italians to hold off an attack on Italy.

Unfortunately, we did not have time to complete the game, and called it as an 18 point each draw after 11 turns out of the 17 completed after three hours. It will definitely be a Saturday game, when we have more time. Perhaps once we are familiar with the game, we can squeeze it into an evening.

It is an enjoyable game with subtle mechanics that give it an historic feel.

TARGE 2016.

Saturday 12 November 2016 saw my annual trip to Targe, Kirriemuir Wargames Club's show. As well as the traditional lunch at The Thrums, I had a good time at the show.

I only had one 'need', which was a Skirmish case from Figures in Comfort, for my Broken Legions and En Garde! forces. I did pick up a few other things, which I might share in a separate post. To the tables:

Germany 1945 game, using Fireball Forward rules. 

A wider view of the table.

A view from the US lines.

Fictional Honours of War game by Oldmeldrum Wargames Group.

Glasgow Games Group and Hawk Wargames had a Dropship Commander game.

And a Dropfleet Commander game.

The Iron Brigade presented a demonstration game of York 1641.

A wider view of the table.

Detail of 'York'.

East Neuk club put on a participation game set in the Borneo jungle during the Malaya Emergency.

Another view showing the Commando Miniatures figures used.

Commands and Colors Ancients using Hexxon tiles and 15mm figures. C& C Napoleonics in the background. Dunfermline Wargames Club.

A Congo participation game.

Russians v Afghans 1980s. I think Northumbrian Painting Service were running this.

Ancient Greeks on the attack in 15mm.

Middle Earth game using War of the Ring rules.

Another view of the battle. If I remember correctly it was the defence of the Westfold.

Indian Mutiny game of Sharp Practice, by SESWC.

Omaha Beach by Glasgow Warhog.

A closer view of the beach defences.

I did take shots of other tables, but these were of too poor quality to post.

Throughout the day I manged to talk to few traders and fellow gamers. I had my eye on a few things in the Bring and Buy, but ended up with a bargain DBA Hungarian army for £10. All in all a good day. Lovely shirt sleeve weather. Very un-seasonal for Scotland in November!