Sunday, July 21, 2013

Little Generals' July 2013: WWII Beer & Pretzels

The July game for the club was put on by Jeff, an avid painter and a collector of 20mm and 1/72 WWII miniatures. The rules we used were something he got from the internet, but I never asked him the name of the set. Basically, each command (for this game, each player had a company) is dealt, face down, 2d6 of playing cards each turn. A player can allocate 1 or 2 cards to each stand or can elect to group up 3 stands to act on the one or two cards allocated to them. The color and number of the cards determined how many die would be used to move or shoot (only one action per card) and also the order in which the unit activated in the turn. Everything was placed faced down, with the exception that up to six cards could be collected by not using them during previous turns and these could be placed face up. One hit removed any order cards remaining on the stand or group of stands and two hits killed the stand. Hits could be removed by playing a face down card and then beating the value of the card on 2d6. For this game, I chose to play on the German side, with Dave, Neil, and Brent (who commanded two companies, one of which was slightly over half strength). The Russian players were Ron, Michael, and David, each playing a reinforced company (they had 12 stand companies to our 10 stand and, in one case 7 stand, companies). The objective was to control the table by taking over half of it. The Germans were the attacking force.  photo image_zpsabf46d52.jpg The town, as seen from near my seat at the table.  photo image_zps34910784.jpg The German forces  photo image_zps7f9a1e92.jpg The Soviets  photo image_zps811a7d7b.jpg Jeff's handiwork, as close as my ipad could get and still be clear.  photo image_zps88848db6-1.jpg My company of infantry. Jeff had glued the figures on temporary bases of card, as he tends to use them as single figures in other games.  photo image_zps363476c2.jpg photo image_zps8804e902.jpg The forces as deployed. Dave, Neil, and my company were all concentrated against Michael's reinforced company, 30 stands to 12. On the other side, Brent's 20 stands were matched against 24 Soviet stands.  photo image_zps3de7ab4b.jpg After a full turn, I've lost a stand. My lads are in the left foreground, with Dave's immediately to my right. Neil's troops are far right foreground, just a bit past Dave's. Not all of the Germans have gotten onto the table as yet.  photo image_zps4d3236f2.jpg A turn later, concentrated fire by my company, with some help from Dave, has eliminated the four stands facing us in the first building. More Soviets under fire from Neil and Dave. The orange marker was used to indicate a casualty. Note: If a stand had a hit on it, it could not then receive any orders for the turn.  photo image_zps96498536.jpg Brent's troops are mostly hidden inside the buildings, but one can see some of Neil's lads on the far right. The Soviets attempted to strike at the Brent's incoming troops, but the terrain and the dice did not favor them.  photo image_zps4cc500c5.jpg Movement is slow, with the max being 6" a turn. Dave's company happened to be fairly well pinched and I shifted left to make room for him. Terrain gave a 5+ cover save on a d6, being in the open meant the boys took the hit.  photo image_zps3892c17e.jpg The view from Neil's position.  photo image_zpscaf34bd3.jpg Brent's weak company, already down 2 stands from fire. Once below 5 stands, a company would only get 1d6 worth of cards for command purposes.  photo image_zps22daa4af.jpg The rest of Brent's troops. I took this pic about the time we broke for lunch.  photo image_zps2143aac9.jpg Getting some nice rolls for cards gave me the opportunity to place two cards down for groups of squads. Fortune favored me by granting me a movement weighted card and a firepower weighted card at the same time, two turns in a row. This allowed me to shake my troops into a line, within cover, and poor a telling fire on the Soviets. I felt bad for Michael, but he did make some fantastic cover saves, which allowed him to hang on for two full turns than he would have otherwise. Note the dice indicate 3 saves had just fended off 3 hits by Dave.  photo image_zpsbec746e2.jpg One Soviet stand, slightly to the center right, took multiple hits and Michael saved them all, the picture showing his 5 and 6. Dave had gotten lucky by getting hits needing a 10 on 2d6, but he was again denied the kill.  photo image_zps8e2cbb5c.jpg A couple of turns later, and Michael's company of Soviet infantry has been wiped out. The way combat worked out, he lost five stands in a single turn as overwhelming numbers were brought to bear on him.  photo image_zpsc0d48497.jpg Soviet infantry had taken cover in the fountain, in a vain attempt to stem the tide against Michael (probably should be written as Mikhail for this), but he is caught by Neil who moves to attack.  photo image_zps5059e953.jpg From left to right, foreground, mine, Dave's and Neil's companies advance to take half the map. In the distance, on the right, Brent's troops are finally able to advance and take a building as well.  photo image_zps9e33c585.jpg And at this point, the Soviets conceded the game.

With even up forces, it was a slugging match. But, with numbers against him, there was little chance for Michael to halt the tide of oncoming Germans.

It was a fun game and the rules were easily memorized after one turn. Perhaps not a game for rabid gamers, but one we could play without army lists, point values, and arguing about special rules for "unit x" just clarified in the latest online post or magazine.

2 comments:

  1. Looks like a fun game and great terrain. It sounds a little bit like the paper tigers rule set.

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  2. Yeah, that might be the rules, actually.

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