A double dunter - Field Of Battle 3, Prague scenario and Stalingrad Advance To The Volga

Stephen at chez Steiner today (we missed last week as he was poorly after Flu/C19 jab) and we played a SYW game with FOB3 using a Black Powder based scenario I adapted for action at Prague 1757, with he using his Austrians against my Prussians (Browne's counterattack vs Von Schwerin).

This was a mighty quick game (think only lasted just over 2 hours !) as yet again Stephens dice were awesome in Shooting and Combat from get go and my casualty rate was truly awful (only my Rally rolls were decent)

I charged with my superior cavalry into his but won only one of five combats and he managed so many even rolls to not become Disordered and my cavalry wing just never recovered.

I later had a Cuirassier unit rolling a D12 +2 against an enemy Cuirassier on a D8 (previous hits) and still managed to be forced back with a hit which was par for course for all my mounted units bar one which routed an enemy Dragoon before being pummeled by two other units.

On Infantry flank my Grenadiers shot very poorly and Austrians inflicted losses including a single 12 to 1 Artillery shot that destroyed a Musketeer unit in place (it already had a hit)

It was so bad that I had instantly, or so it certainly seemed, hemorrhaged all my Morale (25 chips) and was gifting to Austrians who had lost a mere 7 at this point. 

Really should have called it but decided to fight on and indeed survived two Army Morale rolls in quick succession.

Curiously at this stage the Prussians woke up and began to roll some decent dice but just too damn late. 

I managed to inflict several losses (think Austrians ended up down 18 from their 35) but just no way back so offered terms and yielded the field.

Frantic and deadly fun this one ! 

I do so enjoy FOB but by golly it does seem to hate me at times :-)

Prussians arrayed before arrival of enemy (their finest hour)

Cuirassier and Dragoons formed left flank

Grenadiers in the centre

And a large Brigade of Musketeers on right wing

Front rank of Grenadiers who under performed all day

And vaunted Cuirassier (best cavalry on table) who were also pants

Large Austrian left wing Infantry advances

As the mounted debacle unfolds (I have 2 units Routing at this point)

Grenadiers taking losses whilst inflicting none (the story of their day)

With the FOB game fairly flying by I decided to let Stephen try out the Solo 'Stalingrad Advance To The Volga' with me making dice rolls for Russians.

Played through 4 turns and he really enjoyed the game seeing the depth of decisions combined with simple rules that make it so attractive a package. 

Stalingrad: Advance to the Volga played

Had a proper bash with new acquisition and what a tough old time it was for Germans !

To win outright (ie exceed historical outcome) they must capture every area on board (they start with 9 and there are 50) or if they can exceed 40 they have achieved the historical outcome (a draw in game terms).

Soviets can auto win of they 'force' German morale to zero from starting level of 19 but since every repulsed result causes a -1 morale drop and you lose 1 at end of each turn (you can spend Supply to push up by 1) it soon dwindles. 

When Morale is good, Germans get +1 to all attacks conversely when its low this bonus is lost and Soviets get +1 to defence, Germans do get a +1 if 3 or more units from same formation attack together, but any loss sees units Repulsed with lead unit destroyed (can be brought back with Supply expenditure) so low yield attacks are fruitless and costly.

But boy is this a hard proposition with several areas defended by some tough Soviet units of who it seems maximum strength  value is 10 with Guards tactic but usually married with +4 terrain in the high urban areas along river.

Taking several areas proved really tough as even a +3 Light Urban area can have an 8 or 9 strength defender (tactics vary) and Germans can only mass a maximum of 4 units in one zone although they can support with Supports up to number of attackers. 

The Stukas are powerful (only 3 in mix) but less so than I first thought as they are marked as -1D6 to defender which I took initially to mean Soviet threw 1 less D6 however upon actually reading rules this is 1D6 rolled to reduce Soviet defence by total rolled bit less impactful.

At start of each turn you roll for Random events and I was twice in a row effected by Operational Pause which means you roll a D6 and that many German areas must flip their units to Spent prior to action phase, I of course managed to roll a 6 twice fairly gutting offensive power. Other events reduce Artillery effect, increase Soviet defence or effect things by off-board offensives by Soviet Armies. All grist to the mill for solo player

I did take most of southern part of City but could not make a dent in northern half.

The game is as can be seen quite dice luck dependent but it is fairly quick playing and rather addictive fun and so have set up for another try this time to try several optional rules of which being able to Isolate (cut an area off from Volga) Soviet units looks most useful, others not so much.

Early stages as I make some inroads in south of city

Managed to take Grain Elevator zone (garnering a +1 morale boost for capturing High Urban areas)

Support assets accumulate at turn start but note German Morale marker is in last box of Good status) 

Soviets being forced onto river bank but way too slowly and costly

  

And in final splurge for birthday another title en-route, 'Donnerschlag' depicting failed relief effort towards Stalingrad. 

A more traditional hex and counter style game but with cards for Activation and Combat effects.

The game looks graphically awesome but am aware of its having a fairly extensive Errata/FAQ document but got at a decent price so took the plunge.

 

Stalingrad Advance to the Volga 1942 - an early birthday present

Stalingrad - Advance to the Volga (by Revolution Games) is an early birthday (25th - date that is not age unfortunately) pressie that arrived and got it set up and running on table.

Game is a solo type on Germans attack on Stalingrad in early October 1942.

It is based around the Area system first seen in the old 'Storm Over Arnhem' Avalon Hill title, of which designer Mike Rinella is very much an aficionado/proponent, so usual aspects of Area defence factor variety, Movement Costs, Spent units and so on.

One plays as Germans with Soviets as purely static (but tough) units, with fog of war element being that the Soviets are unknown/hidden units each with varying defence strengths and 'tactics' and are taken from a pool of units based on terrain type.

Tactics are labelled as Heroes, Ambush, Guard and similar all of which have varying effects in or post combat (extra losses to attackers, loss of morale that sort of thing).

Germans have Supply points which they can spend to 'buy' assets at varying cost of usual variety; Stukas, Artillery, Engineers all of which generate modifiers to combat. They can also boost their Morale level.

The victory schedule for Germans looks tough (only played a single turn so far) as they need to capture essentially all areas whilst their Morale (combo of morale and logistics) level dwindles and Soviet resistance increases as they push further into urban areas (defence factors increase)

Great production values in game with nice counters and a luv'rly mounted map board.

Rules are short concise and clear and this is a rules light game although it does include a couple of scenarios and some optional rules.

Have Cyprus game from The British Way set up on other side of table and just started as well so I feel like a Chess Grandmaster (except not so grand or in any way a master and not playing Chess, but otherwise identical).

This one is similar to Palestine game with Arms Caches, Intel and Cells on a very small area of conflict.