Fast Action Battles: The Bulge first try

Had a game of Fast Action Battles: The Bulge with my Dad last night (when I should have been touching up the paint job on my Norman type army which I am fielding as Early Medieval French this coming weekend in a Field Of Glory competition here in NI) . A game I have had for several months but not managed to get to table until now.
We both enjoyed the game a lot.
Nice system with the combination of Block units and Assests & Events (counters) combined with standard Bulge scenario.
The terrain problems, and Rollbahn restrictions, nicely rendered for the initially powerful German forces with the pesky US Engineers assests proving their worth with ability to blow bridges and/or build or man roadblocks.
We managed a full seven turns (out of 13) which was pretty good for game and system new to us both with our biggest bug bear being having to flit between core rules and those in the Bulge specific playbook.
We did make a couple of mistakes re Victory Points (counting weak units in error) and Assest draws but we found this out quickly and rectified without too much impact on game.
German tide was quickly stemmed in Northern sector and they had moderate gains in South but they did make significant gains in Central sector taking Bastogne and pushing beyond.
However as we finished Pattons powerfull 3rd Army units were arriving and threatening the German flank.
Another fun game added to the growing list of 'we must try that one again' titles !

Combat Commander addiction continues...and FAB Bulge makes appearance

Enjoying this excellent game system so much I could not resist temptation to obtain the Stalingrad Battle Pack (along with an issue of C3i with CC:E content Issue 12). Both hopefully winging their merry way from USA (amazingly cheaper even with postage than buying from UK supplier !?)

Also managed to get Fast Action Battles: The Bulge onto table (several days ago) but no bloody time to try it out !

Couple new games arrive or arriving........and Infamy

A couple of new games arrived at Steiners Bunker but sadly absolutely no time to spend with them so far due to ongoing duty commitments.
Hope to get a look at them later all being well.



Jours-De-Gloire Campagne IV: Allemagne 1813 de Lutzen a Leipzig
Bit of a mouth full but a game from French (really !?) company Hexasim, publishers of Vae Victis magazine.
This is a boxed game covering 1813 campaign from battles of Lutzen to Leipzig (again really !?) an extension apparently of several magazine type games using this Days of Glory system.
My first game from Hexasim (I also like look of their Liberty Roads WWII game).
First blush (all I have time for) is very nice counters decent point to point map and nice but flimsy cards.
Rule book not too thick and nicely presented and thankfully in English despite my obvious command of French :-)
A period I am very interested in (my Prussian miniatures based around the 1813/14 period).
I got this one of a chap in Scotland via BGG and its in mint condition.





Next up Combat Commander: Mediterranean as promised (to myself anyhow).
Cunningly it looks to be more of same as Europe version (indeed I believe it's essentially the 'second half' of initial system release).
Lots of counters to punch and clip (neighbours must think I have toughest toenails in Christendom !!) several new maps and card decks.
Includes British French and Italians with the latter two also doubling for various Allied and Axis 'minor' nations.
This one I got new from Hexasim site as the Euro cost including postage was several pounds cheaper than UK supplier costs.
I confess I was as site looking at Liberty Roads and got pleasantly waylaid.........
I also found myself clipping a few counters a 0200hrs after finishing a shift !!

Also inbound from US0fA I have Fast Action Battles: The Bulge a GMT block and area style game I have had a hankering for ((there must be some form of medication to subdue this !?) but which has been out of stock in UK

Of course none of this helps reduce my lead mountain (cardboard mountain fast gaining height) but what the hell eh !!!???

"Infamy, infamy they've all got it in for me"

And so on a related note my notoriety has scaled new heights with one of my Blog entries re Combat Commander: Europe being linked/referenced (or maybe it was a warning against ?) by none other than than C3i OPs site (in house magazine site of GMT run by Rodger B MacGowan an artist whose box art adorns so many of my games).
Have not seen the huge royalties cheque as yet but doubtless it is in the post :-)

http://www.c3iopscenter.com/currentops/ and specifically http://www.c3iopscenter.com/currentops/?p=22499 refer.