"Starting a game in the middle of a battle?" Topic

This is just the germ of an idea so I thought I would toss it out there to see what reactions there are.

How about starting a miniatures game (sci-fi for my preferences, but almost any setting, historical or otherwise, could be used) in the middle of a battle? Units would be diced for and the results could indicate if they have taken losses, are engaged in close combat, have advanced, are broken, have taken a position, etc.

Most of the battles I have seen are two sides setting up opposite each other, in perfect fighting order, then, at the starter's pistol, the battle starts. Units are often well within range of the enemy guns, yet they still start at full strength. I have seen a few ASL scenarios where units start broken, etc.

What are your thoughts? TIA!

I always thought that would be a good idea especially for a convention when time is limited and the first hour of the game is usually just moving into range.

I have done it a few times. It works fine. Players will occasionally grumble about lack of choice in deployment, but tend to like the ferocious action in the game. Most of the times I have done it were for siege scenarios with a limited time window. The wall just got reduced. Send the dogs of war in.

I have played in a Kursk game that was setup like that. It was a lot of fun. The game only used armor each player had one or two tanks and at the beginning of the game had no idea what tanks on the board were alive or dead. I would recommend everything being set and ready to go before bringing the players into it.

I tried doing something similar, once, for an aerial dogfight, but one player refused to play at a con, even though I said that if immediately shot down, he would get another "ride".

Instead, we ended up starting off with the usual, boring, approach phase.

Personally, I think it would work well, and make for a great game, with pretty much, immediate action and heightened interest. Afterall, in a furball, you don't always have perfect situational awareness.

Most Ambush Alley games start just after the first IED goes off or the first shots of the ambush are fired.

No out-of-range maneuvering, everything is within range. The only way to not get shot at is to find dead ground.

One of the reasons why I love Force on Force. As it's a scenario based system most games start with first contact. Avoids all the manoeuvring most games have in the first few turns.

Why not? It could be argued most conventional wargames start after the battle has begun anyway, as scouting, approach marches and deployment are omitted anyway.

I have done something similar by placing forces already on the table sometimes fairly close to each other. I put out some flaming vehicles and dead bodies then give an op order to both sides. What I will not do is dice for losses before the game has begun it could destroy play balance and give players something to gripe about all night.

On a side note during training in my old unit sometimes a battle would start with the lead elements close enough to spit on each other in the dark.

Tell the players they are a junior officer, and, with regrets, the command has just fallen on them.. Do your Doodie, then do your duty.

"Who's in command?"

"The CO and the OCs are down – you're in command, sir!"

@Kokigami: when that happens, most JOs are puckered too tight to do their doody…

As mentioned, most "battles" start after the "battle" has started (scouting, maneuver, selection of LOA, etc.).

I tend to start things out of engagement (LOF protected location), even if within range.

Thanks for all the comments.
Kokigami: That's what I was thinking when a player starts griping about the set up being unfair.
Now I just have to convince the players in my group to give it a try.

If you're running Ambush Alley, I think the sneakiest way to do it is to set up the foot patrol at the starting points, talk the players through some things, and then hit the iPod for a recording of a large explosion, followed by some rifle fire.

Talk about dropping people into the scene!

Just had a thought.

You have a friend who wants a game, but can't stay late. Another friend wants to play but can't get there until an hour or two later

You can see where this is going can't you.

I'm thinking especially effective if Late friend doesn't know. Tell him the rules and Scenario. Maybe give him a command, and he gets orders from Early Friend, and then tells you what his orders will be until he gets there.

Late friend arrives to be told General Bulletmagnet has been hit, and he must take over.

Most Ambush Alley games start just after the first IED goes off or the first shots of the ambush are fired.

Yeah, that was my first thought as well.

Doesn't SGII have rules for rolling to see the status of squads before a game? E.g. just how many boots are actually in the squad?

I would play such a game. However, playing devil's advocate, there is a practical use to moving to combat. The player gets a turn or 2 to learn the basic mechanics of the game.

I normally start ships in my A Call to Arms Star Fleet scenarios just outside effective weapons ranges and go from there. However, I just ran a scenario this last weekend, in which the first movement brought both side's forces into close combat range.

It was a scenario where a Fed convoy was trying to escape some Klingons, and the escorting Fed warships interposed themselves between the convoy and approaching Klingons. Close combat ensued immediately, with 2 of 6 Klingon ships being destroyed versus 2 Fed ships destroyed, and one crippled.

The players seemed to like being able to get right into the action, though I do think EjNashIII has a good point about the first turn(s) being good for learning the game mechanics of movement and long range combat.

I like the idea. We just had a rally round the flag game, where the union had worked their way thu the baptist bural ground and we just able to look at the bridge, which would allow them to trap the rebel wing forces…..to see the texas brigade at the head of another division just coming over the bridge and pushing aside routed units.

Next game I'll restart at roughly that point, but with a couple of "hidden movement" changes popping up on both sides to cause them angst and stress.

I can just hear the Pissing and Moaning. I love it.

Doesn't SGII have rules for rolling to see the status of squads before a game? E.g. just how many boots are actually in the squad?

It does, but it's an optional rule.

I've tried it a few times with Crossfire. It worked well. We also tried something similar once with Rapid Fire, laying out units at various distances rather than just deploying them all at the edges and having them march across the table, and I found it was a nice way to get around the game's IGOUGO mechanics and set movement distances without having to invent new rules.

Ralpartha did something like that in their Battlestorm game. You had to deploy within short range for missile troops and charge range for melee troops. So you started fighting in the first turn.