Just completed another C&C scenario with Mike in our ongoing Vassal PBEM 'Campaign' with his Carthaginians under Hannibal handily dealing with my Punic (Puny ?) Romans.
We are now onto scenario entitled Dertosa which is an encounter I know of as Battle of the Ebro (Scipio vs Hadrasbul in Iberia) but hopefully Rome can exact revenge.
Starting positions
Of course I had Witch King on Fell Beast (I mean how can you not !?) with a Troll (again !) and usual mix of Morannon and Mordor Orcs with couple of Spectres in tow.
Stephens lot had Glorfindel on a horse as main character with nasty Elvish Archers and several Elven swordsmen and Men (Gondorians ?) with sword or spear and couple of archers with two chaps on horses.
Fun game once again although I struggled to recall how best to use all the varied options available to characters and armies.
Troll was hammered by Elevish bowfire then dispatched by Glorfindel but he did tie up a flank for a bit.
This allowed my Orcs to get to grips with enemy and the Witch King flew in behind enemy ranks to inflict multiple casualties, but not enough to out do the losses inflicted on my Orcs and Evil doers defeated.
Fun game with a Fantasy subject matter I can live with :-)
A very different game so far (and realised had made couple of mistakes on first outing) compared to last as Soviets much less effective against OKH and the Allies in west failed several Strategic Warfare rolls which slowed their domination of Mediterranean and has allowed OKW to evacuate North Africa and build up strength (forces in Italy rather strong) as I enter Turn 5.
Eventually Italy was forced out of war after Sicily captured but Allied progress into Italy looks unlikely, a landing elsewhere is needed (if I could but draw the required Naval Dominance card) to drain off OKW units.
OKW Action card hand draws seem to have obtained just about every card OKH would want (still have effect but lessened for OKW).
Finding this to be a very addictive game, very much a case of 'I will do just one more action' which becomes several and what seems like 15 minutes going by has actually been 2 hours !
++ Addendum - I misunderstood the full use of beachhead markers which would have allowed limited Allied intervention in Europe prior to Overlord style OP which really needs that elusive Naval Dominance card - which can convert these Beachs to Mulberry Ports. So whilst now Soviets are again crushing in East Allies could have at least threatened VP cities and dissipated OKW effort somewhat ++
Very interesting and involving game with several new concepts to embrace, that played pretty well solo (bar managing the card hands, which got quite large at times) with the back and forth playing sequence and order options for each side keeping things fresh and unpredictable.
As Allies I concentrated early on with Strategic Warfare as they have few units on board (in fact rather few overall) only in North Africa/Tunisia.
This saw Allies gain control of Malta Convoys and win the Battle of the Atlantic but fail to do much with Strategic Bombing (not sure the benefits of better air units is worth effort until later in war).
I struggled to fully understand the Naval (and Supply) aspects of the game preferring not to risk sending any reserves until requisite sea areas under full control.
In retrospect I can see an argument for OKW to evacuate Tunisia toot suite as once Mediterranean zones are dominated by Royal Navy their units are nigh impossible to reinforce.
Allies never got to launch attack into western Europe but did manage to invade Sicily and Italian mainland getting hung up at Cassino and Rome but I never got to knock Italy out of war (required Event card did not appear).
Therefore OKW had little to do bar contest Italy and do occasional Strategic Warfare.
This was really all because of the almost total collapse of OKH on Ostfront as the Soviets proved to be an inexorable juggernaut.
Tough choice for OKH whether to stand firm or give ground as units can get cut-off and annihilated (dead units are not returned/re-built) if not careful.
The Ivans just seemed to hoover up city objective hexes and their VP levels ramped up quickly indeed they won game automatically in Turn 3 (out of 8).
Doubtless there are better strategies/card use/order use than I managed with OKH and indeed Allies
All in all this is a fun game system with lots going on and it does suck you in despite turns being lengthy.
Combat and Movement all easily resolved at least on land as again I failed to do much at sea (game rated as Medium complexity which is pretty much spot on).
Soviet juggernaut pushing westwards..................................
Comparing this to WW2 Barbarossa To Berlin (a CDG type) it is much different with less overt 'scripting', but with more involved and lengthier turns, with BTB relying firmly on its card driven system to conduct OPs and Events whilst Downfall has a more nuanced system of cards, Action Chits and Events.
The strategic warfare and naval aspects are seemingly more important in Downfall as not purely Event cards and do effect Supply but much less frequently than in BTB also very few Event card chains compared with BTB which has several 'trees' of need play card 1 to play card 2.
Similar subject matter covered with BTB being probably quicker to play and less of footprint but Downfall much less predictable and free flowing.
With yet another birthday coming up I got myself (on wifes behalf) a board wargame from summer sale at Second Chance Games and went with Downfall from GMT which has garnered good reviews.
Am finding board wargames are generally getting to be out of price range I am willing to pay so obtaining this one for under £50 was hard to resist.
Game punched and set up ready to go as solo effort with relatively low unit count although it has a somewhat larger footprint than usual.
Standard GMT quality however I went with standard paper map version as to obtain the mounted boards and larger box would have doubled cost.
Covers essentially same theatre as WW2 Barbarossa To Berlin, which is a favourite of mine, although starting in November 1942 rather than June 1941.
It has unusual mechanic of it being Soviets versus Western Allies but with each side controlling a Nazi faction (why do I detest that word !?) with Soviets using OKW in West/Mediterranean forces to delay Allies and OKH forces in east used to delay Soviets.
Now to read the rules.......................
Had a quick solo session with Combat Commander playing first two scenarios from the Stalingrad scenario pack.
Both excellent games with so much happening, with Huns completely dominating the Ivans in first game but coming up well short in second (based around Grain Elevator action).
I selected the second scenario 'Pushing On' from the Op Martlet Campaign booklet with Stephen as attacking British and I as defending Huns.
This is an Attack vs Defence scenario but Brits managed to get to go first in Patrol Phase and this allowed them to get a Jump Off point within striking distance of central farm which was one of 2 Objectives (I placed it sort of centrally to test the new Objective/Final Countdown system.
And then with getting to activate first Stephen soon had a Section occupying the objective (bit unsure about how this worked in scenario context as wording seemed contradictory regarding when Final Countdown could occur and by whom) but we initiated the Final Countdown (10 Phases) and played out the action.
Having been a while since we played COC we had to relearn several basics re Shock and Commands but both thought the new generation and use of COC Points improved the game.
I had a PzIV (comes as part of core force) but it refused to appear due to ongoing Preliminary Bombardment despite Brits having 2 Shermans on table for it to potentially engage.
Game went to British after Sudden Death kicked in as double 6 rolled and they occupied Objective.
All in all a fun outing with new set and whilst I still prefer the scale/level of IABSM the COC Dice system is preferrable to cards in several ways.
Not a lot to see in pics as not much kit on display
