O Group - Cristot scenario -Deployment Phase completed

Deployment phase completed of my solo run through of introductory scenario.

O Group has an area of operations for each Company in the game so after outlining this on a map/notebook you then place your initial on table Company Command stands accordingly and/or place units in Reserve.

Attackers plan can include Phase Lines and Consolidation objectives (allowing Infantry reserves to deploy forward) 

Then you roll your Command Dice, which is the standard 9 for each side in this scenario.

These rolls generate various certain outcomes (depending on being attacker or defender) which you then use to place troops, ambushes or Combat Patrols on table and as attacker possibly cause casualties or delays on defender by virtue of an opening bombardment effect.

The Deployment rolls (Germans in black)

The German rolls saw them gain 4 Ambushes (5/6) and could place 5 Combat Patrols (2-4), they also get extra ambushes for FOO and their Pak 40 (classed as a heavy gun).

The British could place 4 units on table (5/6), place 3 Combat Patrols (2-4) and cause casualties on defender by an opening bombardment (1).

Most units for both sides are in Reserve and so the importance of Combat Patrol placement (and any subsequent movement) is evident. Any resemblance to Patrol markers in Chain of Command is I am sure purely coincidental.

The double 1 for British saw the Germans have to remove a full Infantry Platoon (3 stands) from their OOB and lose 1 initial HQ order, had the Germans rolled any 1's their Reserves are possibly delayed. I removed a Platoon from 2nd Company, these however do not count towards overall losses for victory purposes. 

Germans deployed first placing their ambushes and Combat Patrols followed by British.

Attackers deploy up to 12" from their starting edge and defenders have a Forward Defence Line starting 24" from attackers edge.

Deployment is fairly easy to perform and some nice decisions already in the game.

Use of defined Company areas of operations (no deliberate overlapping) is bit different from most rule sets but feels rather historical and does make you have an actual battle plan rather than just winging it as one would usually do !

Obviously playing solo the use of ambushes is rather undermined but will suffice for testing purposes.

German ambushes (denoted by green puff) and CPs (blue chits) placed. 

British on start line

German right flank 1st Company area

Deployment around Cristot the ultimate British objective. 

Note on left field I have deployed the German MG42s (MMG) as a single unit instead of attaching out to Infantry Platoons

German 2nd and 3rd Company areas

The German FOO on his high vantage point. Note ambushes are usually required to be in Cover but FOO note says he can be placed anywhere which seems fine for a small 2-3 man team (not sure of I am correct in this)

British A Company deployment area to right of road

A Company deploy on the left of said road 

  

In O Group you have a Battalion Command stand as your overall HQ. 

This can be placed on or off table and denotes your HQ Orders total and presence of Battalion Mortars and Artillery Missions.

British BHQ with initial 3 HQ orders, Bttn 3" Mortars and 2 off-board Artillery Missions (chits) allowed in this scenario.

German BHQ with Bttn 81mm Mortars, 1 Artillery mission and a single HQ Order (initially 2 but 1 lost to opening bombardment)

Ready for the off.......................

O Group preparing for first solo try

Set up the Cristot scenario included with O Group rules today using my 15mm kit.

Table size is noted a being a minimum 5’ x 4’ although I have used 6’ x 5’ 

Hoping to try a few turns with rules (still solo sadly) and give thoughts on rules as is my wont.

My interpretation of scenario map

The opposing forces

Lasalle 2 - online game completed

Another session with Stephen of our remote Lasalle 2 game which we managed to bring to a completion (despite much waffling about these rules and newly arrived O Group !)

Once again we found Lasalle to be a very slick and playable experience.

Russians suffered terribly in several combats but did manage to narrowly hang on for a win in the scenario.

This was partly because we had not realised that the village was worth 2 victory points not just 1 as we had thought and would more likely have seen a French assault had we known.

The third VP was in the other objective which French just failed to capture on the final (8th) game turn, they did however gain 1VP for greater 'Carnage' inflicted on Russians and the Russian Baggage was also in danger had there been another 1-2 turns to play. 

The carnage inflicted on Russians

We thoroughly enjoyed this game with Lasalle 2 both loving the MO system.

We discussed a lot about the various abstractions in the rules and its overall lack of chrome/granularity (certainly compared to many other sets) but in the end we felt it generated a fast playing and fun game.

Its Napoleonic feel might be down to the very bare bones (essentially Column, Line and Square),  and is essentially a Command oriented game with the somewhat generic troop types and grades along with very straightforward systems subsumed to the use of MO as the core.

But this very broad brush style certainly allows for a fast and slick game with plenty of decisions and ultimately rolls of dice to decide things, and to be honest none the worse for that.

Yes we would like to see (or at least we thought we would) more grades of troops, more formations (eg Close  Columns, Open Order, Skirmish) and some more tactical interactions (eg Assault Column vs Line expanded) and sometimes things like Opportunity Charges but and it is a big BUT that is not the design intent (clearly stated by Sam throughout) of this set which pares most of this stuff down to a fairly simple set of parameters with low numbers of modifiers or exceptions always leaning toward playabilty over any hint of complexity. 

And this is what gives the set its fluency and very easy to remember systems. We were both playing with just the QRS only having to refer to rules for one or two minor queries.

Probably my only real gripe is that the included lists (really only broad guidelines) are very generic and it seems one could load your OOB with large amounts of Artillery units (whether that is a good idea or not is open to question). We agreed our own limits.

We will definitely be giving these more outings in the future especially as a 'pick and play' option.

Lasalle 2 - face to face game - online that is

Decided to try playing an online live game with Stephen today using my iPad (via Messenger) and Lasalle 2.

And whilst a bit awkward at first and lighting not greatest, it worked fine overall and certainly more enjoyable than solo play.

I moved units and marked hits at Stephens behest and he rolled his own dice, I certainly got a decent workout walking to and fro around the table !

I selected scenario 4 'Making an Omelette' as it allowed me to set up in defence using my Russians and then Stephen commanding French to set up.

We played with Small forces (180 vs 250pts) which worked fine with 4 French attacking Brigades against 3 Russian defending Brigades.

The lists allow a very large amount of possible Artillery so we both reduced to 1 per 2 Brigades (or part thereof).

Lasalle 2 plays really smoothly and Stephen was able (like I was) to assimilate and play the rules quickly despite the limitations of my video skills. We were both using the QRS with very little reference to rules after a couple of turns. We stuck with Basic rules for first try out but think use of advanced rules would not be too onerous.

We played 5 full turns (stopping only because my iPad ran out of juice) out of the 8 scheduled and intend to complete game next week.

The Momentum system is really the heart of the game and works so very slickly and generates an enjoyable level of decision making each turn.

French (using the basic Skirmishing rules) were rolling 27 dice against my 12 so usually got extra 1-2 MO per turn.

Bombardments seemed quite powerful today especially the ability of artillery to select any available target. This saw French 'gang up' on a Russian Grenadier unit inflicting 4 Disruptions in short order and it was later destroyed by a French musket volley as I failed to Rally hits off.

Artillery is however quite brittle as destroyed after a mere 2 hits despite being harder to inflict hit upon. I lost both my batteries as deployed further forward than maybe they needed to be.

French have lost 2 units of Infantry one to a couple of devastating volleys from a unit in Line and the other a Square also volleyed to destruction.

Whilst we both felt the lists are very generic and the variety of troop grading is limited compared to other rules we did find it a fairly satisfying overall. 

Whilst rules certainly do lack a level of 'chrome' they do feel somewhat Napoleonic in terms of Maneuvering (very fast and loose away from enemy) and the interactions of the traditional Column, Line and Square.

Their low complexity certainly aided use in this video-conferencing style game.

Russians deployed 

Overview of battlefield

Russian guns to the fore and town garrisoned

The French force

View of Russian lines from French edge

French attacking Russian left wing

A unit of Russian Grenadiers has been destroyed so Hussars plugging gap.

French right refusing as their guns pound enemy 

Russian HUssars and French Dragoons 'bounce' of each other as French foot form square

French start to pressure center of Russian lines

Vassal - Combat Commander scenario completed

Another online Vassal session with Mike today completing our game of 'Hedgerows and Hand Grenades' scenario.

Game ended as a German (Mike) win over USA (moi) on second Sudden Death roll with 9 Victory Points.

Great to get a 'proper' game in during continuing lockdown and Combat Commander a super game to play via Vassal.

We are hoping to give No Retreat! The Russian Front an outing next.

The game board positions at end

 

Lasalle 2 - final solo session and thoughts.

Played another two full turns of Lasalle 2 today (it is very fast playing).

Lots of action now both forces almost fully engaged.

Have tried numerous Charges and Combats involving Squares, Cavalry, Garrisons, the Old Guard and Artillery Retirement, in addition to usual Movement, Rallying and Shooting, and all very easy to work through I must say.

Artillery if charged has option to attempt to Retire by a dice off (using 1d6 if Foot or 2d6 if Horse or Limbered) against charger and if they succeed they are removed from table, but do not count lost and can possibly return subsequently as a reinforcement. An abstraction to be sure but very neat and tidy.

Squares do not move in Lasalle 2 but do gain a +1 in combat vs Cavalry (not vs Infantry) but conversely Artillery are +1 to hit when targeting them.

Cavalry seem quite tough with good Resolve values (usually 5+) but do suffer extra Disruptions during Combat Outcomes unless they manage to ride down enemy (ie by scoring 3 more in combat).

Also had an 'Upset' outcome in a combat. This occurs when opponents roll a 6 vs 1 (all other combat factors including unit strength is ignored) in Combat and depending on whether its the defender or attacker that rolls either it either means no damage sustained or auto-broken. In my case the defender rolled a 1 vs 6 by attacker and auto-broke.

I have lost 4 Prussian units (3 Infantry and 1 Gun Battery) and 3 French units (3 x Young Guard Infantry) thus far. Most (if not all ?) scenarios include a Sudden Death victory option with usually a side defeated upon reaching 1/3 losses in units (all unit types count). Otherwise you score VPs for on table objectives. There are 3 in this game, 1 in each deployment area and the town.

Young Guard losses

Prussians losses with 'Retired' Artillery (on left) waiting to return

The Prussians have taken occupied the town and set the occupying unit up as a Garrison which requires an action subsequent to physically moving into the town. Garrisons get defensive benefits but cannot then exit the town voluntarily for course of game.

An unit of Old Guard Infantry charged the Garrison but bounced off on equal combat totals.

Old Guard attacking town Garrison (note the Permanent Losses)

Old Guard unit to right forced the Prussian Field Battery to Retire

Many units have now sustained several Permanent Losses (signified by red or blue dice in pics) in addition to Disruptions (small white dice) with some unit going Shaken (yellow pipe cleaners). I have found it fairly easy to mark losses/hits in this fashion and remember unit traits (by use of a roster) without having to use the unit sheets (basically akin to the cards of Blucher) as not really a vast variety of troop types or traits in the game.

Will not play scenario to conclusion as this was only to learn basic game but may re-try using some of the Advanced Rules.

A Quatre Bras historical scenario included and a introductory historical scenario available to download and will be interesting to see if it encourages more historical encounters.

All in all I enjoyed (besides actually getting some figures back onto table !) Lasalle 2 even in its basic version. 

A very slick and easy to pick up and play set of rules. In fact was pretty much using only the QRS sheets with the odd rule look up. As with all Sams rules some innovative ideas and overall a fun game and I think it will be great primarily for points based quick set up and quick play games.

Although for many 'Grognard' type players I suspect the Army Lists (and may troop types/gradings ?) will seem rather bland (compared to say FOGN or La Bataille d'Empire) but are perfectly functional and Sam does include the innards of his points system so easy to tweak to ones hearts content to field any historical unit (the Army Maker lists are available on a free additional Pdf). 

The QRS and some other info is also available free in Pdf form and worth a perusal to get a feel for the game.