Battle Command - solo Seven Years war bash (pic heavy)

Better half had friends over today so made myself scarce up to lair and decided to play a solo miniatures game.

Toyed with trying several sets periods (initial try with Bolt Action 3 maybe) but I choose FOB3 (shock ! horror ! gasp !) and my SYW Russians and Prussians testing out a points system which yielded 18 Prussians vs 24 Russians with Prussians having better command.

I used scenario generator from FOB2 to set up the game and one of its terrain cards.

I rolled for Army Morale with Russians getting only 20 and Prussians a mere 14 morale chips.

This yielded a nice narrative for the game with Prussians getting better deployment options and one Russian unit delayed (but only for 1 Move option)

I then decided to switch to using Bat Cmd for a change for no reason other than 'just cause'.

Great game that went to the wire with both sides losing all morale but Russians 'gifting' 5 chips to Prussia to give them a minor victory when Russians failed their first Army Morale roll.

I really enjoyed Bat Cmd this time round with its reduced card deck and multiple options on the Action Matrix generating another nice set of decisions to make in a game, the rest of system of course pretty much unchanged from FOB3.

I still feel that FOB3 just has the edge in gameplay for me personally, not fully sure why maybe its just comfort or familiarity but such it is, although Bat Cmd very much now in close contention for my affection.

Russians in foreground try to turn Prussian left flank as their center decimated

Cavalry stand off on Russian left after couple of ineffectual charges apiece

Russians have just managed to save two Routing units but hole in central lines obvious

Russian mounted arm on their right rather weak with Horse Grenadiers backed by lowly Hussars and Cossacks and enemy has managed to turn their flank to thwart progress

Prussian Cuirassier in center (at hill) took no part in proceedings as loathe to engage steady foot 

The open Prussian flank visible prior to Russian mounted advance

Battle lines drawn around the village, the Prussian artillery here done a lot of damage

Prussian left wing 

Russian artillery was less effective at longer ranges

Fighting around village intensifies it was captured, lost and recaptured by Prussian Grenadiers in battle with Russian Grenadiers

Cavalry face off on Prussian right

Losses and disorder mounts on both sides

Prussian Cuirassiers come off the hill top deployment to keep advancing Russian foot honest

Prussian left were tardy facing cavalry threat 

View from Prussian lines 

Russian foot in summer garb advance

Prussian in their blue oppose

Less than stellar Russian right wing

View 'down' the table with armies clashing almost right on center line

No Retreat and Combat Mission

No game this week (due to dental appointment) but did manage to get in a solo session with No Retreat! The Russian Front which is always entertaining.

The low unit count and moderate complexity makes this a fun game.

Germans currently threatening around Minsk and Moscow with Russkies doing their usual scrambling to hold in initial turns.

Also an ongoing Pbem game with Combat Mission Afrika Korps with John with a Tunisia scenario 'Hells Hill' with John as Huns and me as Brits

Early stages but the Sherman pictured has just managed to take out a PzIV on turret at 800m with 3 shots.

 

Downfall - a fresh solo session

Another solo play with this truly involving game and I reset to start of Campaign scenario.

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 ++

OKW units in North Africa heading to Tunis for escape to Italy

And the consequence for Allies is strong German presence on the 'Boot' despite loss of Sicily.

Much slower Soviet progress on Eastern Front

Soviets pushing in South but struggling up North

Allies still not threatening NW Europe as OKW strengthens units 

Progress on 'Siege Of Malta' and 'North Atlantic' tracks has been tad pathetic

Downfall - first solo play

Had a solo session with Downfall (in sauna that was wargame room !) as a learning experience.

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..................................

Not sure of impact/purpose of opposing Fleets in Black and Baltic Seas (maybe later or am missing something)

Allies gain toehold in Sicily

Large Allied fleets in North Atlantic but invasion force stuck in UK as OKW fortifies French coast

End of game with not much change for Allies bar sending some reserves to Italy

Where they are hung up at Rome having just taken Cassino after a struggle (note Soviets already into Balkans and Bulgaria knocked out of war)

Soviets at very gates of Berlin and Allies not even ashore in West

The paltry Allied objectives held 

Dominant Soviet conquests yielding the 10VP difference need to win outright for them and OKW

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.

Downfall, Conquest Of The Third Reich - a board wargame purchase

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.......................

Combat Commander Europe - a couple of solo Stalingrad games

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).