"Saving Private Ryan Scenario of DH/C7B" Topic

I'm putting together a scenario for my 1st turn as host for my groups monthly game day and thought it would fun to do a scenario based on the final battle scene in SPR. I was thinking having a small airborn unit defending a bridge against a larger german force. I've got about 3 months of prep time for the terrain, but I'm concerned about the game bogging down to bad due to the vast cover available in a ruined city. I wanted to get others opinions on what are good ways to handle this.

My current thoughts are:
1) Germans have a time limit to capture the bridge
2) Use 90% ruined buildings, with only a couple intact
3) Adjust the cover modifier to allow for easier pinning etc…

This will be most of the guys first experiance with WW2, let alone DH/C7B, so anything advise on gaming in urban enviroments would be most helpful.

Thanks,
David

Something like this would work better with a true skirmish game like Patrol or Nuts!.

mjc

I don't think that's true. Our game club has played DH in many, many urban settings and it works great. You don't have to alter any pinning rules, but the time limit for the Germans capturing the bridge is a great idea. In addition, I would run some simpler games to gets the game mechanics down, fewer houses, fewer tanks, some house to house assaults to get the feeling of the flow. Then run a test game with the exact set-up, armor, troops, etc. to see how it plays, then micro tweek the game to suit your taste. Cheers.

DH/C7B will work fine for this scenario and I think you will find that the game will not bog down. The turn limits will fire up the German players to move and of course the Americans will have the advantage of cover and being dug in. Should be a great game. If asked why the turn limit just state the P-51 has started its bombing run and the American relief force has arrived just like it did in the movie.

My current thoughts are:
1) Germans have a time limit to capture the bridge
2) Use 90% ruined buildings, with only a couple intact
3) Adjust the cover modifier to allow for easier pinning etc…

1: Time limit would be a great way to get the Germans going and pushing to the objective.

2: That would work, the ruined ones don't have to be fully ruined, just count the completely standing ones as full cover, anything else as "ruined". I would also allow the Germans some cover on the way in, but not as much of the heavier cover This will help force them to move in.

3: I would say use a -3 Medium cover rating for most ruined buildings (count linear obstacles as well), and only use -4 Heavy for slightly damaged or intact buildings.

I don't think you need to adjust for pinning if you make most of the cover as medium. Besides, you want the smaller US force to stand it's ground, or at least have a chance doing so. One thing you could do is allow the US player to move squads back "automatically" to positions further back according to a pre-arranged plan to represent that the US forces in the movie had "fall back positions". If an American unit fails a check, allow them the choice to pop up in a position further back and they automatically rally the pin check (but remain activated) and the Germans can occupy the vacated position.

To balance this, you could say that if a German unit pins a US unit twice, rather than as in the rules where a unit gets pushed out in a fall back move, you could say the US unit is simply wiped out as it is overrun by the Germans (like the guys upstairs in the movie).

This would create tensions for the defender as he can automatically save units if he gets in trouble, but they end up further back allowing the Germans to inch towards the objective, or the US player can decide to take his chances holding his ground but risk losing a unit.

Just an idea for the kind of urban last stand of the movie.

Hope the game goes well, and hope the players enjoy the scenario and rules. Take some pics and share if you get the chance!

I have run this scenario for the last five years and it has always been fun. As for terrain, I use all ruined buildings. And on top of that I have several rubble piles that i use to cover part of the street next to the buildings. Also I have lots of resin craters that I use to also cover the street. Remember that the streets are narrow so that should minimize the open street.

Time limit sounds good for the Germans, I run my game in a 3 hour slot. No one can start the game over the bridge (people have tried tio do that so they can ensure the bridge is blown).

Wow, thanks for the replies! I think the test games sound like a good way to test out some layouts and get the flow right. I love the idea of the prepared fallback positions, that would really add a neat element to the defense. I think going with ruin/rubble/craters should give just the right amount of cover (medium for ruins, light for rubble).

Think I'll run a couple paper tests today to get a better feel.

quidveritas – I actually started out playing NUTS! and while I still enjoy it I've been much happier with Disposable Heros and want to stick with it.

Thanks,
David

How does the P-51 kill the tank, BTW? Did it drop a 500lbs bomb on it? Were they armed with rockets in 1944? I know they eventually had hardpoints that could accept 10 five inch rockets but I am not sure if those were capable of busting tanks in June of 1944.

From what I have read the 5-in HVAR rocket (aka "Holy Moses", I you not) was not operational until July of 1944, too late for SPR. Shaped AT warheads were a post-war development.

I am pretty certain that Thunderbolts and Typhoons were equipped with these by September of 1944 and I believe they were useful in the anti-tank role but my knowledge is deficient so I can't state that reliably. Anyone have hard facts?

How does the P-51 kill the tank, BTW?

It doesn't. Tom Hanks with a .45 does. Weren't you paying attention? The P-51 just dipped down low to get a better look at the awesomeness.