Friday, November 04, 2022

Field of Battle 3 - solo scenario - Gross Jagersdorf

Stephen unable to attend this week (family illness) so I decided to solo play the SYW scenario I had set up for use with FOB3 (we will play it in due course).

Scenario from Eagles in the East supplement for BP converted to FOB3 covering Prussian assault on Russians at Gross Jagersdorf 1757.

A nice sized scenario with 21 units vs 23 units, and I gave Russians a Poor Deck and the Prussians a Superior Deck but for ease of play I rated all commanders on both sides as D10.

Scenario rates several Russian units as Valiant (a BP trait) which I equated to a small (4 card) boost to Russian Army Morale level, they also do not get any First Fire bonus which is easily matched in FOB. 

What a breath of fresh air this game was (even solo) after the head scratching and angst and slowness of GDA, slick playing exciting and with no more inherent luck or abstraction present, just different and played to completion.

Of course I am much more offay/at ease with FOB and despite having not played for months it was an easy slide back into system and of course less detailed/process driven than GDA in many ways (I really only 'missed' the Charge Table).

Prussians had best of early exchanges but later suffered badly in wooded area and saw their Army Morale plummet and they quit the field first.

I had used our standardized ratings for units (easiest) but think will try using the dice roll procedure for units and commanders for added variety.

Looking forward to new 'upgrade/expansion/redo/enhancement' (??) of FOB that Battlefield Command promises to be (if I can afford it from USA !!). 





Prussians assault on wood begins







Units could only be seen if at edge of wood or at 4" once both sides within wood






Prussians make inroads but were later repulsed.








Just visible at top the superior Prussian cavalry and Grenadiers are having a torrid time 






8 comments:

  1. It comes back to FoB, I don’t think you have ever reported on a bad game and it plays to completion …. Winner!

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    1. For me it most certainly ticks more boxes than any other set but not so much for others. Playing to completion in a reasonable time frame is big bonus.

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  2. Kevin7:51 am

    Nice looking game. I haven’t heard anything about ‘Battlefield Command’. Is this a new offering from Brent Oman in development?

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    1. Yes new set from Brent, not got full details but seems to retain core FOB combat systems but card deck redone with less cards but more options on each card. In final stages and due for release soon, but I do fear present postal costs etc will make it a hard sell for UK chaps, hopefully a pdf version will appear also.

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  3. Great looking game, if a tough one for der alte Fritz's boys!
    FoB3 is of course my go to set as well.
    I have a nearly final copy of Battle Command (for proofreading/editing), and hope to p[lay a game with it in December or January. Although Brent says it isn't FoB4, it is very clearly of its lineage. The key difference really is the cards and sequencing. No more 11 card impetus runs, BUT the expanded options on each card have the potential to give well commanded armies much more flexibility (and fewer "wasted" cards, such as Infantry Firepower at the start of the game). I can see where the revised structure could work well across periods, especially pre horse and musket. I would be very surprised if it isn't released in print and pdf formats.

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    1. Anonymous4:55 pm

      BC sounds intriguing even if just an adjusted FOB, whilst I am not a fan of Pdfs its probably be initial option.

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  4. Great looking game! I am thinking of trying some Field of Battle 3.

    Christopher

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