Vassal - Combat Commander online and A Victory Lost Pbem

Another online Vassal session with Mike L today utilising the ever excellent Combat Commander.

We started scenario two 'Hedges and Handgrenades' with Mike as Germans defending in Normandy bocage against my US attackers.

I have 105mm Artillery support which has been both a blessing and a curse here, having hit Germans initially it has since blasted my own units die to the very limited lines of sight here in the bocage.

US hampered a bit by a lack of Move cards and costly terrain to move across, so seem to be stuttering forwards.

Thankfully I have managed to avoid the two German MG42s thus far but it cannot last.

Game not finished so saved to complete another day.

Also started a PBEM game with Mike K of A Victory Lost a game I have had for years but never got to the table, so great to give it a try on Vassal.

I am the Soviets in the Ukraine region just after Stalingrad trying to push West with Mike in charge of Axis forces trying to stem tide and possibly conduct Manstein's famous 'Backhand Blow' (assuming I take Kharkov and environs that is !)

A fairly low complexity game but so far slick and interesting with a Chit Pull system but with a few quirks in that both sides only get a limited number of Chits per turn (although Stavka chit allows all In Command Soviet forces to activate).

Not sure on overall strategy, beyond 'take the cities' (that is where VPs are) but fun so far although very early days as still only on 2nd Chit of Turn 1. 

A couple of rules purchases

Couple of rule sets that have been in pipeline now released or on pre-order.

Hoping one or both with help lift me from current miniatures gaming doldrums as this interminable lockdown continues here in NI/UK.

First up is 'O Group' from Dave Brown/TFL which I have pre-ordered (due for release 1st March) consisting of rule book, a Pdf of same and set of game tokens.

Been waiting for this one eagerly as love authors Panzer Grenadier Deluxe set and the TFL videos/podcasts have whetted appetite.

Then its Lasalle 2 from Sam Mustafa and massively revised re-boot of his original Lasalle rules.

Only got this on Pdf ($19) as too expensive from US to UK (despite Sam offering a limited time reduced shipping cost) and will wait until a UK retailer has stock, especially as no rush with face to face gaming being null and void for foreseeable future.

Only just delving into these but looking good so far as seems to be original set with some ideas from Blucher and Maurice sets as well as new concepts.

At least something to tide me over until O Group arrives :-)

Combat Commander - Vassal game

Managed an online Vassal game of Combat Commander with Mike today (using Discord for voice interaction).

Mike new to system and Vassal version so I selected the introductory scenario 'Fat Lipki' as very basic forces and no special rules or units to get 'feet wet'.

I took Germans and Mike the Soviets.

Maybe not the best CC scenario but it was still very fun (so great to interact in real time with another player even online !!) with Germans gaining a 105mm Artillery Radio (which done a lot of damage to Soviets) and usual heady mix of Snipers, Blazes and great or awful hands of cards and rolls/outcomes.

Germans won after sudden death roll by Victory Points level, but that was not the point of the exercise as we both learnt the nuances of using Vassal (worked very well). 

Hopefully a few more games in pipeline to ease this current Lockdown which personally I am finding much more tedious than last having kind of lost mojo for miniatures games against myself.

However thankfully none of my family or circle of friends have suffered from Covid and hope that remains the case.

The situation at end of game 

So very sad the passing of a true gent.............

 

The Dark Valley - end of a truly epic PBEM game

Just completed The Dark Valley Vassal game I have been playing PBEM since July 2014 (with one or two extended breaks) with Mike in Canada !!!!!!!!!!!.

We stopped at end of February 1945 as just no way Soviets going to make enough gains to affect the Victory Level (German Minor Win).

Enjoyed the game via Vassal but not sure what I think of it overall as an East Front game.

Complexity is low in terms of pure game mechanics (made larger by sheer numbers of units/scope) but I found it lacking dynamism.

Never felt in Barbarossa phase that Soviet lines would ever break or that any large encirclements/pockets would occur or that any real threat to Moscow or Leningrad never mind Rostov or far flung Stalingrad, although Mike may have been playing conservatively ?

Only Minsk, Kiev, Kharkov (recaptured) and the Crimea fell with Germans retaining Ukraine and most of White Russia along with Sevastapol at end.

Very seldom after 1941 did we have any units Out Of Supply/Communications as solid unbroken lines, meaning the Logistics chit rarely had any effect.

Cannot say we played optimally (certainly my first go with game) but never seemed that either of us could make any truly significant breakthroughs when attacking to really trouble the enemy.

Certainly once Soviets went onto Strategic Offensive they had a torrid time trying to grind the enemy and Mike was able to retire onto river defensive lines (not sure Herr Hitler would have approved) that proved impossible to breach (the Soviet Combat Results table is rather unkind).

From 1944 onward it seemed more of a WW1 Western Front style affair.

Certainly the biggest game I have ever attempted (a mini-monster) and one I would simply not get to the table for more than a brief session so Vassal a great way to actually play.

Overall view of the front at end of Feb 1945  

The northern zone

And the southern zone

Combat Commander - solo session

Had a short solo (just for a change) bash with Combat Commander today.

Felt I needed a quick outing to keep my hand in (as we say locally) as seems ages since I played this excellent game face to face (not since early March last year !) and several months since I played via Vassal either.

Set up the second original scenario 'Bloody Bocage' with Yanks facing Krauts in the....er....bocage.

Whilst not idly suited to solo play this is still a great experience and thankfully the rules are still lodged firmly in the old grey(ing) matter.

The rules overall by the late Chad Jensen are still for me one of the most well written sets I have ever encountered

Just such a fun game system and despite its apparently endless randomness it still has the feel of a proper plausible simulation of low level tactical action, just so much narrative is generated by the card play system and not a dice in sight.

Must give the Great War version another run out.

Field Of Battle 3 - Seven Years War Seasons Of Battle Campaign - Death Of The King !! (pictastic)

Decided to get some figures on the table for (yet another) solo game.

Played out 3rd session of the SOB Campaign I have been running solo with FOB3 over last few months.

Campaign had now progressed to Autumn (Fall for Yanks) with Prussians poised just inside Russian territory.

Several cards of the SOB system played resulting in a Move to Lichwicz by Prussians and some small Supply adjustments to Army Morale (-5% to Russians and +5% for Prussians).

Russians brought enemy to Battle at Lichwicz but an appalling set up roll (12 to 2 for Prussian) they saw the enemy pick an open map with Russians stuck on least favourable edge.

The Prussians also got a 30% boost to their Army Morale and 5 extra tabletop deployment squares, whilst Russians got only 2 extra squares and ability to define 1 piece of terrain (they chose to downgrade a Class II Wood to Class I).

Things all seemed to be going Prussian way prior to set up but they did roll poorly for Morale total (despite boost) whilst Russians rolled well seeing the Prussian 16 units having 21 AMP with the 20 Russians gaining 25 AMP, the Ivans obviously up for defending homeland.

The table prior to deployment (the poker tokens denote extra deployable areas) Note sparsity of terrain on Russian side (the fields are for decoration only)

I partially randomized the deployments which worked ok but did see the Prussian left wing mounted Brigade somewhat isolated on a hilltop.

Deployment completed with Prussians occupying high ground on both flanks but neither side able to deploy in the town areas at start.

Once battle commenced things just went awfully for Prussians as Russian artillery rolled extremely well and Prussian Move rolls saw several stuttering Brigades (in fact Infantry Brigade Kanitz failed to move 5 times !!).

Russian Infantry volleys were also much better than their superior opponents and Prussians were taking lots of AMP losses and indeed had a couple of units Routing.

Prussian Grenadiers approach the town

Brigade Kanitz fails to support their left flank

Russians advance on the town as more Infantry moves to confront Prussian Cuirassier

Russian Cavalry massed on their right wing

Supported by Infantry (three of these were lowly D4 Militia class)

Kanitz watches as battle erupts around the town and friends are engaged on his left with 2 Battalions routing (red plumes) from effective Russian Artillery.

A fairly tense action occurred around the central town as Russians managed to steal the march and occupy the built up areas.

Prussian Grenadiers did manage to dislodge the enemy but was only real Prussian success.

Action around the town as Prussian Grenadiers fling the Russians out

However static Prussian Cuirassiers are about to suffer

A unit of Frei Korps wisely stay out of trouble in the hilltop wood

Russians advance beyond the town to support their mounted wing

The town about to fall (the Prussians had to later retire from their gains here)

Despite lowly (D8) commanders for Russians they rolled well for Movement and got right into the face of the Prussians in numbers.

On Russian left their foot Regiments advanced upon the Prussian Cuirassier Brigade and simply blew them out of their saddles (they never recovered routing right off table) !!.

On Russian right opposing Cavalry clashed and after a poor Prussian charge the Horse Grenadiers of Russia soon put them to flight and this flank too was in dire straits.

Prussian Infantry suffering "Where is Kanitz !!??"

Mounted Wings about to clash on the hill

Russian Heavy Cavalry backs off from Prussian Musketeers, awaiting Infantry support

Overview showing how Kanitz (in center) has left other Brigades 'hanging'

Prussian left wing Cavalry in difficulties as their Commander falls (black plume)

Later the Prussian Cavalry has all but disappeared (one unit of Dragoons left and pulling back)

Forcing supporting Infantry to adopt defensive posture

Kanitz finally makes a slow move forward (only 1 meagre segment)

Casualties among Prussian Officer Corps was truly catastrophic as 3 of their 5 Brigadiers died in battle ! the Russian lost only 1 and so Prussian units suffered Disorders all across the line.

This then resulted in the Campaign ending event as Frederick stepped in to Rally a Routing unit which he duly did however on the soon appearing Army Moral Card he rolled the requisite 1 (on a D12) and was KIA !!!

Death of a King......................

The battle rolled on for several more cards but writing was on the wall for Prussian cause as they now suffered Down 2 on Move cards and indeed lost 4 Morale on an Army Morale card before Frederick was replaced by Seydlitz (a D10).

They did however actually manage to inflict some damage on the approaching enemy but had lost 6 units by this stage and all their Army Morale.

The next Army Morale card saw them defeated and with Frederick the King dead I decided to call an end to the campaign.

Several Prussian units have Routed off table (more would join them)

Prussian Grenadiers about to abandon the town as Russian Foot advances past on both sides

Dregs of Prussian Cuirassiers about to leave the field on their right.

Overview near the end as both Prussian wings have gone

A Russian General did fall on their left temporarily slowing progress

But elsewhere the Russians surge forward

The hill is theirs.

Positions at end as Prussian Infantry form a solid line from which to retire

Despite being forced to play solo this was an interesting Campaign and further evidence that the system and of course FOB itself is probably the best set of rules I have for solo play due to the inherent variability of the card sequencing, battle set up and unit generation.

Certainly better than not playing at all...........................