"Your favorite scenario for a do-over, here's mine......" Topic

Guys,

Do you have one of those games, that for some reason you wish you could do over again?

Maybe it was a great scenario, or maybe it just needed a little tweaking to be that great game!

Here's one of my do-over candidates – "Counterattack to the Manych River", Winter 1943.

The Germans were tasked with breaking through a Soviet bridgehead to destroy the bridge, and prevent further Red armor exploitation of the crossing. It was inspired by the many rearguard actions fought post-Stalingrad, with this one actually having an operational-level objective at its core.

Sure, how many times have we played a tactical game with an objective to be achieved "at all costs". Well, although I didn't elevate the 1st-running of this one to that level of game-play importance, it was designed with that historical back story in mind.

Despite the heavy presence of the Tigers involved, the platoon of halftrack-borne Panzer Pioneers were ultimately the most important German unit, for only they could rig the bridge for destruction.

I would love to get this back on the board for another go!

Presented here with 1/144th scale vehicles and buildings, the latter by Pegasus Hobbies and Pendraken – and mostly Pendraken seen in the pics (those with their molded bases cut off 1st before their painting).

I run most of my scenarios several times each. I tweak the parameters each time to try and improve the player experience. This partly a maximization of effort (it's a lot of work to set up an all-new scenario) and partly a tacit admission that I can't do anything right the first time.

I love your winter scenarios. You have the aesthetic nailed.

Looks great!

Is that a battle mat or did you make the snow terrain yourself? Looks perfect.

YA, that's a good plan right from the start, but I'll admit too, that sometimes after finally getting the game off, I can feel burned-out on it.

Wargamorium, thanks, and it is a mat, and largely my own digital work (though with some borrowed textures).

I've worked on another version that could be printed on fleece material this time instead of on vinyl, and with a more 'wind-swept, drifting-snow' look. Here's what would print out as being a 12" X 12" sample section from that new look version. Different, but not sure it's better…..and after working on this one for awhile, I think I start to suffer snow blindness. :)))

I second nailing the winter look. And I'd buy that fleece mat in a heartbeat!

Thanks for that PZIVH43!

Speaking of PzIVs, you've got me thinking of using those for a replay of this scenario here (much easier to balance those out vs. T-34s).

Agree on the mat, well done indeed! And your games have such nice "atmosphere". The type you just want to jump into.

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who goes to great lengths to remove bases from buildings.

Was the game pictured above a 1:1 skirmish, or do the miniatures represent units? The movement doesn't seem to be regulated by the fields.

YA, good spotting – yes, even though I was using a mat design capable of regulating movement from field area to field area, this game was played with my rules mod to Bolt Action – Blitz Action, so standard [inch-measured] movement and ranging. The mod's unit scale has infantry stands as squads, but vehicles still at 1 to 1, and all ordered at the platoon level (with those flippable round markers on-board).

I'm using the same order marker mechanics for a Ukrainian Donbas 2014-15 project in the works, but that'll have players flipping their placed orders one platoon at a time, rather than by activating en masse with each side's turn (the latter method being used with this WW2 Blitz Action mod game above).

This a way to 'scale' the order activation process along with the size of the game-level presented, and/or with the participants involved. (more tactical the game level played – the finer activation level can be used)

LOVELY Table! Lovely pieces! Just do NOT like use of 'markers'.. just ME!

HH, I don't like them either – they so distract from the table looks.

There's different 'sabot' methods of course, like clever scenics that tie-in with a game function, or just thoughts of making markers smaller, or flocking them so they're less visiible….but then there's a game to execute, and players needing clear methods to 'embrace".

To a degree, these order markers also function like 'crutches' – "here, hold these in your hand player, and make a decision from these choices".

If in my game area (much being public-venue gaming), if we played the same rule systems more frequently, and I could rely on participants to know and recollect these order mechanics, I'd get away from markers in a heartbeat, 'cause I'm right there with you HH, and then maybe work on the dice all over that usual game table too! :)))

While on this subject, you know one of my beefs – wargaming systems that rely on playing cards to make them work, I mean, needing another game system to make another one function, and then having these colorful, distracting cards stacking up all over the board?

That's just one of these personal things I guess – many guys love this tabletop flotsam.

EDIT: Swinging back to the order symbols I'm using here, I could cut or punch these symbols out along their edges, so without the surrounding circle material seen (or could have them printed out by Litko for example) – this would be a visual refinement.

I have a scenario inspired by on the Assault of Pegasus Bridge, D-Day Normandy. We replayed it last night. Motorway bridge because I have one and forces converted from the old Stargunt II Rules and a few minor tweaks need due to the players and some more experience in scenario writing. The original scenario was written in 1998 (based on a SI-FI theme) but as SG II is not really that SI FI its fine.

Why? because its small not much more than a Platoon either side but complex enough to be interesting, with no obvious single tactical solution.

There are scenarios that stand the test of time (and rules). the smaller ones. Multi night scenarios need to be completely fresh to make them work at their best.

Markers, we use them as there are no other options but done reasonably they are not too intrusive and if it improves the game play well worth it. Cards ????!!!! definitely not for me, see no gain at all with them.

Getting ready for this scenario re-do, with a new fleece mat here, that I think will work with micro-armor, or up to 1/144th scale minis (as pictured) -

If time permits, I'm hoping to add some detailing to the involved armor (with radio antennas, and log/de-bog stowage, etc.). The Soviet armor will be easiest to detail, maybe adding an antenna on company vehicles (perhaps do the platoon leader AFVs also) – but talkin' Winter '43 time frame for the game, so could even add little signal flags instead!