"Best ambush mechanic for squad-level games?" Topic

Some recent posts about ambush mechanics got me digging around for alternatives to suggest for a set of rules that hasn't got any. I'm just wondering what the collective mind has seen for mechanics that work well for a face-to-face game. The game is WWII, but the sources need not be.

Any help appreciated. Thanks!

- Bob

If you are trying to do something simple that doesn't involve book keeping or tracking things with counters or a map I like the simple ones in Flames of War. You can deploy 'X' number of units out of line of sight or in cover 'X' inches from all enemy units at the beginning of your turn. Simple.

Ed G.

The Warhammer Fantasy Scouts rule is similar -- after all deployment, Scouts can be placed out of line of sight of enemy anywhere on the board, not just their army's original deployment area.

I've only played 40K a couple times but I believe its rule is similar.

The idea is, by the time the game starts, the ambush has been sprung. The advantage is there's no frustrating uncertainty or misinterpretation of circumstances -- the figures are where they are. The rule allows some figures to start closer to the enemy than normal.

Ambush Alley.

There is no game better at modeling ambush… in fact, that is the entire focus of the game.

Force on Force covers conventional force against conventional force and includes WW2 and uses the same base mechanics as Ambush Alley

Command Decision Test of Battle has a 'commander's reserve' rule that allows for you to spring an ambush. Essentially you nominate a small part of your force to be that special reserve that can be placed out-of-enemy-LOS on a later turn. Normally you do something like put your best anti-tank gun on commander's reserve and then plunk it down in a tasty flanking position. I'm simplifying, but you get the drift.

FNG:Unconventional Warfare has an excellent one in which there is a chance that the enemy might detect the ambush, or that someone on the hidden force might get over excited and pop of a round early. It is a bit "roleplay lite" though, and may not be up your alley.

Are you talking about a real ambush or just having troops hidden on the table? There's a big difference. Hidden troops are not always in ambush but ambushers are always hidden.

If you want to play a real ambush-operation, it needs to be a scenario-driven game. If your definition of ambush is to have hidden troops somewhere on the table, there are plaenty of systems that will do.

For the first option, we usually proceed as follows:

- Ambusher draws up plan of ambush (usually along a road …): lead element that springs the ambush; middle forces that do most of the firing; end element to seal of escape route; placement of mines etc.
- Other side plans his order of march. It works best if the defender is given the impression that the scenario is something completely different (e.g. he has to march to the battlefield and deploy there – the player thinks the battle is the game, but before that, he's ambushed)
- Put all troops on the table when the ambush is sprung (attacker's choice).

This works best with an umpire, as all wargames ;-)

It is hard to beat hidden deployment and even better, hidden movement. This requires a map and gentlemanly players, but there is nothing quite like being faced with an empty battlefield and being told to attack it.

Running the players as a team with an umpire managing hidden defenders works well, and is more RPG like in style. It is the only way I've found to make modern counter insurgency games work to my satisfaction without a ton of rules.

I'm after the "real ambush" sort of scenario, where one side is moving through hostile territory, uncertain of where exactly his opponent is. I particularly am looking for good alternatives that don't require me to knowingly move into a trap.

Martin: Agreed about team play with an umpire. I'm finding doing this solo/coop is easier in some ways than with two competitive players!

Darby: I have FNG:UW and quite like it. That is definitely one of the approaches I'm looking at. Allowing the other guy to set your figures down does require a leap of faith, but it is an interesting approach. How do your players react to that?

Collins355: I'll grab my copy of CD and give that re-read. It sounds similar to the WHFB Scouts that donrice described. I've got an old copy of WHFB… somewhere! More similar to FoW than I remembered it seems. (Yes, I am a FoW fan and do like that mechanic for speed-of-play.)

Berlichtingen & Ed: The 'hotspots' (AA)/'PEF' (THW) work very well. Interesting that in AA they are the objective in many ways. I like that approach for solo games (a LOT). The downside for a "true ambush" is that the markers give the player that info his figures wouldn't have, and avoiding them is a viable tactic. Of course combining this with a marked map would work. I do my own variation, but I'm wondering if there are better or different 'spotting' and 'trip' alternatives.

Thanks for the replies, all! Just knowing what's out there is a big help.

- Bob

"I'm finding doing this solo/coop is easier in some ways than with two competitive players!"

Yes, that is the problem, if the players aren't willing to role play a bit, then you need some more complex mechanisms. Dummies/markers/counters can work quite well – obviously the players can see there is something there but there is still some uncertainty.

The team vs umpire game seems to work very well, particularly with players who haven't come across it before. Gives them a real challenge as you can do genuine hidden movement and also means you can have some sort of command structure etc.

I'm after the "real ambush" sort of scenario, where one side is moving through hostile territory, uncertain of where exactly his opponent is. I particularly am looking for good alternatives that don't require me to knowingly move into a trap.

Easy enough to do. Use the PEFs and instead of having them represent forces have it represent an ambush. Then pull out the pre-arranged ambush and set it up.
Make sense?

Strangely, the Flames of War ambush rule works fairly well. I know, some people hate the "teleporting troops" aspect but the funny thing about being the recipient of an ambush is that they are always surprises and always when you don't want them.

I would say, some mechanic that allows you to hold a unit off table and then place it when and where you need it: possibly only after a "command roll" or placing the unit but not being allowed to take a turn if the opponent spots it, etc. is the way to go.

It is hard to beat hidden deployment and even better, hidden movement. This requires a map and gentlemanly players, but there is nothing quite like being faced with an empty battlefield and being told to attack it.

That's the way we do it, though we rarely use hidden movement. Hidden deployment, timing and planning fire zones is what ambushing is, I don't understand some of the statements made here in this topic.
--
Tim

Which bits, Tim?

If you want to do an ambush -- begin the game springing the ambush! Ambusher sets up secretly. Ambushee puts his stuff on the table.

Rock and Roll!!!!

mjc

so… quidveritas, how does the Ambusher set up secretly? On a paper map, just designating a map point or some other means?

phoenix command had some if I remember well .

another avenue of approach if playing with only a squad or a platoon could be to game the ambush rather then the way to the ambush : beguining the game when the ambush start off rather then on potential road to it .

how does the Ambusher set up secretly? On a paper map, just designating a map point or some other means?

Bobstro – Email me at twohourwargames@yahoo.com and I'll give you a sneak peak from 5150 First Contact on how to do it.

I assume ambushes happen on a force in column of march.

- Ambusher deploys on table, the way he wants his troops at the moment when the ambush is sprung. Informs umpire of his intents.

- Ambushee writes down (without seeing the table), marching order of entire force. Usually this is along a road.

- Ambushee (with help of umpire …) sets out force at moment ambush is sprung. Game starts from there.

We play ALL our games with an umpire, who handles the pre-game setup, deployment, orders, along with the necessarys secrecy that goes with it. Once play is underway, the umpire usually joins one side or the other.
It avoids a lot of the hassle you would otherwise have.

If no umpire is available, it's still possible with players with the right attitude. If your players are of the competitive kind, I doubt scenarios like this are possible.
E.g. The order of march of the ambushed troops needs to be consistent with how an army of the period would behave on a march.