"CoC Last Stand on Opium Hill Scenario 4 (one more time)" Topic

The Japanese make a second attempt to take the Opium Factory, this is probably going to be their last chance. Failure will hand the doughty men of the Malay Regiment a campaign victory so we have everything to play for. The first Japanese attack ended rather badly, can they fare better this time? Full AAR here Last Stand on Opium Hill Scenario 4 (one more time)

Great AAR keep them coming

Great campaign! I am enjoying these reports even more than usual as we are unable to meet for games in person. Thanks for posting these.

Oh Boy! The best yet. It was so touch and go, every time one side got their nose ahead the other got a lucky break. The starting position (JOPs) looked so stacked in the Japanese favour I thought it was a done deal but then your leaders kept insisting on leading from the front and getting hit – just classic.
I know you analysed the ways you may have turned this into a win but I think, as you say, the fun element is main thing and this was fun in Spades!
Thanks, I loved every AAR.

PS where does it say you have to move the full distance allowed by the dice? I don't think I've found myself going too far before (usually caught short moving to cover).

PS where does it say you have to move the full distance allowed by the dice? I don't think I've found myself going too far before (usually caught short moving to cover).

I know this is how Rich Clarke wants it played and have done so for so long I simply assumed it was in the rule book, but having had a look it doesn't say it specifically. However Rich did clarify it in the FAQ (downloadable from the TFL site). Here's what he says:

Q: When you roll for movement, is the number of inches rolled the maximum that may be moved, or is it the distance which MUST be moved?
A: It is normally the distance which you must move. However, there is an important exception to that where you may specify that the unit is moving up to a specific recognisable point, such as a hedge or the crest of the hill. In those situations, you can stop at that point. But if you are moving across open ground then that is how far you must go.

This is how we play it. So unless I specify a clear and obvious destination like a wall, or tree line or another unit then my unit goes the distance rolled (it prevents any of those gamey moves like "I'll move that unit across the field but only as far as to keep it out of enemy SMG range"). It needs to be the sort of destination you would give in an order and that would be an obvious destination to those receiving it.

In this game I could have ordered the Japanese squad to advance to the edge of the smokescreen, that would have been a clear and obvious destination. At the time I just wanted the squad to move as quickly as possible towards the factory and so that's what I said. It was only when I saw how far they had gone that I realised I should have given a specific destination (or maybe not, the end result was a key moment in the attack!).

Thanks, I guess that is how we play it, as I said we're usually moving to specified piece of cover. Thinking about it though we may at times have not moved full distance if thar were to open us up to an enemy field of fire. I shall police this in future games as the TFL intent makes a lot of sense.
Thanks again, I do find they way you describe the decisions you (and sometimes your opponent) have to make really instructive. Most of all you've taught me not to be too hasty in thinking the game is unwinnable.