Wednesday, March 13, 2024

General d'Armee 2 - another test play

Another try out of GDA2 with Stephen using my Prussians versus his French in a 'pick n mix' type game again (we have not tried converting any of our old GDB/GDA scenarios as yet) to make sure we understand and are happy with rules systems.

Again we enjoyed the overall vibe of the new version and tried out various iterations of the new Taskings and those new CinC Commands (these need careful thought and timing) for instance I had a Brigade Falter so used the 'Stand With Me! to rectify the situation at cost of 2 ADCs plus 1 of these CinC Commands so useful but costly and a one time only (no repeat of same Command). 

Stephen also tried the 'Chief of Staff' which saw him increase his ADCs from 3 to 7 for that turn, again an impactful Command if used wisely.

We think we mostly (?) have the basics of system absorbed with only a couple of queries today over supports in charges and what thwarts/impacts them.

We are very much in that 'oh shiny new rules' mode at present



















++++ My iPad went on blink (too expensive to repair) a couple of days ago so ended up replacing it with newer version - an early 60th (!!!!!!!!!) birthday pressie and so messing about trying out its camera and movie functions and seeing how they interact with Blogger +++++ 






















Sunday, March 10, 2024

General d'Armee 2 - solo to further absorb rule changes and new systems

Set up a solo game with GDA2 to try to further comprehend the changes from GDA and familiarise myself further with new systems.

Table set up using GDB random terrain generator and the new 'Lists' from GDA2 with a French versus Prussian bash circa 1814.

Tried a different Prussian support option with a 5 unit Brigade of Landwehr who are classed as Enthusiastic (a temporary upgrade of sorts) but Recruits thus making the Prussians a large force. 

Prussians were in defence and French in attack both with 1 Bold Brigadier and both with Campaigner Generals.

Both held their Cavalry Brigades of-table as Reserve.

Play in GDA2 just seems to flow quicker than previous version with the movement being very liberal (essentially full going forward and half for sideways, backwards or in rough terrain) and the use of ADCs (still pretty random as to numbers available for use per turn) is slick with Orders seeming bit easier to use. 

Bold commanders are very good as unlikely to fail a command roll, unless you overload them with several taskings and you do get only one in 'pick up' games. 

Initiative seems more important than in GDA (maybe I misunderstood before ?) as going first is a potent advantage.

Charges are much easier to understand in terms of who can lead (max 1 unit per Brigade) and who can support and the charging process seems easier overall.

Shooting is pretty intuitive as to quality of volleys and adjustments and whilst Skirmishing has changed somewhat it still can be damaging as screens always seem to have decent numbers of dice to roll.

Artillery also easy to implement and Canister as deadly as ever.

Did manage a couple of melee combats and again easy to understand and process and the outcomes can be decisive if opposing scores diverge enough and supports get involved in a defeat.

Only things I needed multiple readings of to grasp were Retreats, Withdrawals and the differences pertaining to when and how these occur (ie from shooting or combat) and option to voluntarily withdraw to behind your supporting second line, which unlike a 'normal' withdrawal is marked as a Retreat (guess friends do not know it voluntary move) instead of usual Unformed.

Of course the new CinC Commands still need some absorption, I tried 'Now's Your Time!' but soon realised I had somewhat misunderstood its 'shoot and charge' concept especially when enemy pre-empted any charges with their own. 

These new Commands need to be carefully timed in the main and are a powerful but precious one-time resource.

Another game planned with Stephen this week which will doubtless highlight any mistakes in my understanding. 




Overview of initial deployments with Prussians on left occupying Village objective







French launch an Infantry Assault on town which threw out the lowly Landwehr defenders






Action all down the line.







The lead French column managed to get into combat without suffering casualties (a bonus indeed) and their re-rolls for support worked whilst Prussian re-roll failed






Clash of skirmishers with Prussians being out shot by larger French screen (they later dispersed voluntarily to avoid a Falter as not enough ADCs to assist)







French 2nd Line units (Reservists) push forward beyond the village but one Battalion suffered from a small Prussian battery (just visible beyond tree)







French stalled in center due to couple of Hesitant results but Prussians stuck due to Defend 'stance', you can use a Redeploy order to allow attacks beyond deployment zone but as ever ADCs needed













The effective small 6pdr battery visible







Central French Brigade is mainly Light Infantry so able to field units in Skirmish in open terrain in addition to Brigade screen








On Prussian left a Young Guard Brigade has pummeled them (and disrupted the 'Now's The Time!' Command order)






Prussians have two 6pdr Batteries side by side (from 2 different Brigades) but they have been ineffective as French not closed to canister range.







Prussian Light Infantry withdrew voluntarily from wood (where they could operate as skirmishers) but in Retreat mode but was unsure if they instantly drop out of skirmish as now in open (such skirmishing not allowed to their lights) but maybe sort of moot as will become unformed column once reforming from Retreat. 












 


Thursday, March 07, 2024

General d'Armee 2 a quick initial try

A brief try of new GDA2 today at Stephens (whose physical copy arrived just as we started) with a 1813/14 Prussian vs French match up using the 'pick n mix' Divisional lists included with terrain generated from the system in the GDB rules.

The lists are quite good generating plausible Divisional forces as you get 4 core Brigades (3 Foot 1 Mounted) with options to choose 1-3 more depending on size of game you want. 

Additionally you use upgrades/promotions to regrade some troops or add extra units with number of such upgrades determined by size of game and attacker vs defender (attacker also get 2 extra Line units). 

British and French benefit from access to more Light Infantry units which if 'bought'/upgraded to Veteran are very flexible as only they can operate  Deployed into Skirmish Order in the open (lesser quality Lights can only skirmish in cover/rough) 


We rolled for attacker/defender (much easier to sort this prior to a game as effects list options) and as defender I got option to choose a Redoubt which can be the Tactical Objective in a game (one is selected within defenders zone and can be a BUA or Hill or some such). Defenders deploy in own half of table and cannot advance into enemy half unless they are Skirmishers or Cavalry or a Brigade using Re-deploy command.

We only played a few turns as lots of discussion (as is our want) of new systems in rules and effects of new Taskings and especially the new CinC Commands.

Systems for shooting, charging and combat are simpler overall (and more intuitive we felt) with most situations/circumstances being either re-rolls or additional Casualty Dice or simple adjustment to 'quality' of shooting effect. 

Charges being limited to single units (with supports) is much easier to work out and cuts out need for several rules like Massed Columns.

Troop grades are simpler in that things like Grenadier or Reservist is a permanent state rather than old changes after X casualties deal, again making things simpler overall.

Artillery Brigades are no more (they felt out of place in Divisional game) with Batteries being attached to an Infantry Brigade with a maximum of 1 per Brigade and Artillery Assault is limited to a single Battery per turn so much less impactful than in GDA1 (they always seemed too good).

We tried a cavalry charge vs foot in Line who now must dice to form Square (or not) with option to choose to stay in Line being removed. 

As it turned out my Line failed to form square and became an Unformed Line but managed to bounce the Light Cavalry and supports due to a judicious re-roll.

I also tried new CinC Command 'Post of Honour' which gives a unit/Brigade enhanced charging/combat ability at cost of a couple of ADCs and a CinC Command chit (we had 2 each of these). 

The various CinC commands look pretty potent but are non-repeatable one-shot wonders so timing is key.

Overall very happy with new version and look forward to more game time with them to discover nuances and tactics.

They work well for a Divisional (4-6 Brigades) on our tables size and whilst not as fast playing as the similarly pitched Lasalle 2, they do add some nice tactical decisions/flavour to game play. 

There are rules included for larger sized Corps Level games (but bigger tables required) but I would stick with Glory is Fleeting, Shako 2 or of course FOB for such larger encounters.



Only a couple of pics as engrossed in activity







Sunday, March 03, 2024

Fire In The Lake/Fall Of Saigon solo game completed

Managed to complete my solo game of FITL with VC coming out victors by 1 point.

The normal FITL game finished with both USA and NVA shattered (some massive costly battles between the two) and at Paris Peace Talks which are conducted after last Coup card the US was forced to retreat and NVA to call a ceasefire (this is based on their victory level at this stage prior to Fall of Saigon decks etc). 

This left VC and ARVN in fairly strong positions and indeed at one point ARVN looked to be in ascendancy as they were 3 points beyond their required win level. 

However a terrible run of events saw them lose 10+ points and then the VC upped their victory level taking the game by the single VP as Watergate Coup card appeared.

So only one campaign of expansion (6 cards of possible 8 for 1972) conducted but such fun overall and all in good timing as GDA2 released tomorrow which will doubtless consume my time. 








Near end of standard scenario and USA has begun decimating NVA regular forces and bases (they were all but annihilated in Laos/Cambodia)







NVA losses combined with low Resources is crippling






USA has committed most of its available forces to counter NVA but costing them VP







VC establishing themselves in Mekong Delta








ARVN too are looking strong overall










At game end in 1972 and NVA are mullered as are US (both forced in retreat status)







After Paris Peace Talks the US Army has been completely withdrawn and the VC have just managed to achieve victory.







ARVN had managed to get some armour assets on board but did not get to use them.


Friday, March 01, 2024

Late to the party, just watched nay endured 'that' Napoleon movie

Just watched Napoleon this evening (released today on Apple TV) and oh my oh my what can I say that has not already been said !?

What a waste of talent and a complete affront to history and even simple story telling and as a history/movie buff it was at times an excruciating watch. 

Now I do not expect, nor indeed want, Hollywood history based films to be documentaries and understand fully the need to condense events or characters to propel a movie or convey drama but by heck this was mostly a turgid, cringe worthy 150 or so minutes of film making.

Such a pity as there were some marvellous vistas (Egypt looked stunning as did marching Prussian Army for instance) and sumptuous sets and costumes but these were denigrated to occasional background noise by the overall crapness of the so called story.

Of course the 'battle' scenes were what I was really watching for and oh dearie, dearie me is the most polite I can be, such potential simply wasted in such pathetic cartoonish style. 

On plus side Waterloo had me literally laughing out loud (along with the under the table 'seduction') and who knew Boney lead so many cavalry charges sabre in hand throughout his career, nor indeed that French cannon hit the tops of Pyramids, I could go on but shall refrain, and to paraphrase Ridley Scott (how are the mighty fallen) "I wasn't there so what the actual feck do I know ?".

Ah well was I guess it was watchable in its own painfully horrid way and I never thought Braveheart would be worsted, but that is at least a proper 'movie' able to tell a compelling story with decent acting alongside the albeit truly horrible history.

Indeed there have been several stinkers from historical perspective but most are at least entertaining in the main (stand up Anzio, Spartacus, Battle of the Bulge) but this was such a disappointing experience. 

As an aside I watched with better half who also thought it was disjointed (understatement) and awful overall without fully understanding my ire at battle scenes, indeed she commented that the only decently acted scene was that of Boney hearing of Josephines death, brief though it was.

I also had to watch a few scenes from Waterloo to cleanse my eyeballs afterwards..........

 




There he is sabre in hand.............again








One of the better vistas soon ruined by farcical 'action'





Boney spends a lot of time with fingers in ears, which may actually be accurate but I was not there so cannot confirm or refute





There he goes again doing his Ney (not given even a mention) impersonation



 

Fire In The Lake another solo outing

Whilst awaiting imminent (Monday 4th) release of GDA2 I was in several minds as to what to play in meantime and Glory is Fleeting seemed attractive but I plumbed for another session with Fire In The Lake COIN game (as I am kind of addicted to it !)

Plan is to play through the Full Scenario then onto the Fall of Saigon so no faction can win in normal scenario (option). 

Whether I get enough time over the weekend to do so is another thing as once GDA2 rules/Pdf arrive they will have to be fully inspected.

Have so far played through first 2 Coup cards and NVA and ARVN have both fully mobilised their forces whilst VC and USA had both been strong but they have both at this point taken huge casualties. 

The US in particular suffered awful troop losses from massive attacks from NVA and VC in succession and this saw US Aid to Vietnam plummet to zero (three time casualties are deducted from Aid level). 

As third Campaign starts the NVA are still very strong (and only faction in position to use their Pivotal Event - Easter Offensive) with US still looking weak with a distinct lack of bases available.



NVA look dominant although ARVN are out in force and have mostly secured their Lines of Communication









US casualties mounting (it got worse) and Aid was cut off as a consequence






NVA spreading influence in north





Whilst massing to threaten Saigon (US and ARVN later increased forces in capital) 



 

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

More dabbling with Glory Is Fleeting rules

Another run out for Glory Is Fleeting rules today with Stephen.

He used a pre-1812 British Peninsula force and I used contemporary French Army of Suchet in Spain (both fielded 12 units)

Suchet is by default an Exceptional General so I was able to strip 3 options from strategies available to British (I rolled 6 dice with double 1, double, 2 and double 3 making decision of which to remove automatic).

I ended up choosing Flexible Defence from 4 options left to me and Stephen picked Flank March (interesting to see this strategy)

Peninsula terrain has access to lots of hills (3 compulsory for defender) but we had quite varied terrain which fell quite well for me (with a large wood securing a flank and a strong point in a central town). 

The flank march obviously influenced deployments with Stephan sending 2 Divisions on flank marches (both deep on same flank as it turned out).

Thankfully I had a Division of Veteran units deployed on my right as these bore brunt of Brit attention as I tried to turn his left.

My Cavalry Reserve arrived centrally and was sent to support my outnumbered right wing.

We failed to finish as we thrashed out a few remaining rules lessons regarding supporting units (some wording confused us) and the sequencing of melee combat, and just how Skirmishing works (pretty much a variation of Lasalle 2 method) and of course interspersed with waffling over pros and cons, intricacies of system and the army lists and army make ups :-)

But this is overall a decent system (I do so like the set up/strategies system) that suits the Corps vs Corps scale of game and whilst none of inertia (no Pips, cards etc) we are used to or national characteristics, it works for this level and style game (pick up points game playable in a few hours).



Pics lacking variety as all the action was mainly in one area