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Post by Whiterook on May 13, 2023 20:08:15 GMT -5
I’ve been bouncing around the rules for three games I’m bringing to Compass Games Expo in four day (WOW, it’s almost here!!!), and I just added this one that I’ll be hosting an evening multiplayer game… Escape from Colditz!This is the newest version, put out by Osprey Games in 2016, which features a bigger map with new colorful artwork and great components. I plan to get this on the table tomorrow, so I can work through a game in prep for the expo. I last played this game probably about ten years ago or so…and then, it was with my 1973 Parker Brothers version, which is smaller. It’s a very cool game! …plays up to six players, with one player being the Germans, as the Security Officer trying to prevent escapes (…of course!); the other five players being a different Escape Officer from different Allied nationalities. You know, as an aside… I just remembered that I have a VASSAL module of this, but it’s the Italian (or some odd) version of the game, and kinda confusing to use. I should look at it again and if usable, offer to GM it here, if I can find enough players. Seems several of our gamer friends have deserted the ship!!!
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Post by mikeh on May 14, 2023 12:36:05 GMT -5
That is a nice looking game. With up to 6 players it sounds like a good game for the Expo.
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Post by Whiterook on Jun 3, 2023 20:14:11 GMT -5
That is a nice looking game. With up to 6 players it sounds like a good game for the Expo. It was a blast to play! I felt more comfortable teaching it this go’round, more so than I did several years ago when it was my first play, as well. This new version by Osprey is so worth the money!
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Post by Whiterook on Jun 3, 2023 20:28:47 GMT -5
About to put counters down tomorrow and see if I can muddle my way through a first play of Campaign 1 (of 3). The name of the game is Eleven Days War: Final Offense in the East 1918, currently setup on my office desk… nice big map, where I had to use my biggest sheet of plexi! I’d planned on playing it this weekend, and o finally got through the rules a couple hours back, just before the Stanley Cup Finals game one. This is one of three games I am currently signed on to PlayTest… I’m trying to get a play in before my second (of the four reports I’m obligated to do, this second one being due this Tuesday. I’m part of the Bravo PlayTesters (the group I’m in, which is basically round two of play testing). It’s a gorgeous game, even for a prototype print. Basically, 14 pages of actual rules, at what I would guess is Medium (nudging High) Complexity. Some very cool elements in it, including Armored Trains! It’s Brigade to Corps-level so, lots of bodies and equipment to move. It encompasses a timeframe of February to May 1918 (Operation Faustschlag), so Lots of mud and ice to slog through. As you can see, Russia dominates the landscape, but there’s the possibility to pursue one side into Ukraine. Not sure on units density yet for artillery, but there’s surely a shit-ton of Infantry! It’s from Decision Games, so very historically accurate, as the8r games tend to be. When out for sale (next year?), it will be a magazine game, best to my knowledge. This is my first PlayTest for a game for Decision Games. It’s an 8-week commitment process, so very short and intense…unlike the other companies I’m playtesting games for.
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Post by mikeh on Jun 4, 2023 12:17:23 GMT -5
Probably just me but the maps orientation throws me off.
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Post by Whiterook on Jun 5, 2023 8:32:02 GMT -5
Probably just me but the maps orientation throws me off. It’s the first thing I scratched my head at, literally! I’m figuring the strange (and I too, think it strange) orientation is due to the map area sipping to the right bottom to stretching to the top left, shape-wise. If you flipped it 90 degrees right, so that the topography (i.e., names of the cities and towns, and such) was read normally, the player at the bottom of the map would have to have his charts at the top right, and the player at the top of the map vice versa. If I were the game designer, I would have alternatively shown the map in that 90 degrees position mentioned above; you could have kept a lot of the tracks and pool boxes at top and bottom. As well as kept the Terrain Effects Charts in those positions, but altered 90 degrees to face the sides’ player. As for the charts, those could have easily gone on separate sheets, clustered nicely. This arrangement would also make the game easier to play solitaire. In other news, I went through all the counters yesterday, and it was a royal pain in the ass to separate out all the counters: You have something like 14 different contingents that make up both sides, and they are all color coordinated. Firstly, for myself personally, the issues I had were first, colors, where many are indistinguishable ti me die to my color blind issues; secondly, that’s a buttload of factions to keep track of, including which contingents are allied with the mother country (Germany ot Russia), as well as who doesn’t play well in the sandbox with each other. I’m learning some cool points of game design, and I also think it’ll be a cool game to play… but unless they take my suggestions to heart and alter some colors, I’d think twice or thrice about actually buying it.
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Post by Whiterook on Jun 5, 2023 12:58:58 GMT -5
So OK… I think I’m done here, with this WWI game! It’s the half way through the Bravo Team, PlayTest and I’ve submitted two of my four reports, which actually has a ton of commentary, corrections, and suggestions; two passes through the rulebook with proofing and editing, two passes through the counters, and two passes through the map, and two trials of unit actions in small skirmishes (movement, combat, geopolitical, etc.)…
I’m sure, as of this writing, that I’ve done about all I can do, for one glaring and monumental reason… color distinctions in counters and map are too difficult for me. I’ve actually, never had that happen with a game before. I may try some more skirmishes, but I don’t think I can handle the much more of the focus needed to figure out what is what. That’s all on me folks, not particularly the game, because I can say that the game itself has a lot of very cool mechanics to it, and represents the WWI environment around the time of the Russian Revolution. It’s also much deeper than I typically go in gaming, with battling on such a huge area. It started to feel more like work for me, once I started trying to play it…and that’s not why I personally game, even though I know a bunch of people who do.
I have no doubt this is going to appeal to a lot of gamers and see success in sales. In that regard, I’m very happy for thr designers. I’m always grateful to have been a part of the second phrase of PlayTesting, as I’ve learned a lot about what the design of a game takes, as well as the historical period, which I didn’t have a lot of experience with.
I might titter with it a bit more, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to pull this dog (me) outta ‘da kennel. Woof Woof!
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Post by Whiterook on Jun 17, 2023 10:46:40 GMT -5
11 Days War (see above) is a cool game, and models WWI around the time of the Russian Revolution very well. In the game, I was hoping for an operational victory for the Central Powers (CP), but I just couldn’t get to the end of the game in one piece. I think the game has good potential to play out historically, but I honestly do not know a lot of the period, other than some quick reading to see where the hell was!
In the first scenario setup, the game seems to be primed well for the CP to advance like a a juggernaut: I saw another playtester advance forward for the the first 4 turns… but he, like me, saw the action slow down considerably the rest of the scenario. This is mainly due to the scarcity of supply sources (cities) deeper into Russia. The Ukrainians fare better, mainly due to better supply sources.
What all this leads to is a front line established at Navra to Smolensk, to Kiev, for Ober Ost. Again, there is not enough supply sources to guarantee a secured advance further. I found it interesting that he and I had the same experience.
I like a lot of what the game brings, but it damn well burned me out playing it. I think as comfort grows with play, there are nuisances that can be exploited to make game play more successful? …not sure how much more I can put int9 this one though, as my sciatica has me currently sidelines to short times at any game, and Herr Hairy Cats are just baiting their time to pounce!
Time to move on?
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Post by Whiterook on Jun 17, 2023 11:00:15 GMT -5
Next one up… Ostkrieg: WWII Eastern Front This is a strategic level game that covers the entire war in the east, from Barbarossa until 1945. Each turn is one year, but the game is card-driven with each year consisting of multiple card plays per side. I picked this one up at Compass Games Expo last month, because it’s basically a sister game of Pacific War… from the rules read (I’m 2/3rds through, a short 10-ish page rulebook), it’s damn near identical, except this is land-based. Great map, and the counters are decent… I’ll be punching and clipping counters this weekend or so, as well as sleeving the cards. With sciatica, I’m looking for short timespans to pass the time.
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Post by Whiterook on Jun 17, 2023 21:48:31 GMT -5
As with any new game, first comes cracking ‘er open! All contents looked great on quick inspection so, I took a little time before and after dinner to first, sleeve up the cards. I chose KMC Perfect Size 64 x 89mm, a Japanese card sleeve that I buy on Amazon by the 10-pack (cheapest option by far!). These sleeves are meant to be the inner sleeve, pairing it with a reversed outer sleeve, but I use these as the primary outer sleeve… yiu can generally get a size that will fit the card like a glove without bending the card. Next was punching counters, and then clipping them with my Oregon Laminators 2mm corner rounder. …since these counters are so small (like the size of older Wargames), I chose a smaller corner, which was perfect, leaving factors and flags untouched. I think clipping your counters makes not only a huge difference in handling them — the little punch fizz on the corners can stick to each other when stacking — but also look much better! Finally, as with my Pacific Tide game, I placed each sides’ counters in card cases, which make 5e, pretty easy to fumble through for counters (there aren’t a lot of counters in these games); as well as place each sides’ cards in card cases; and then bag the admin counters and dice (…I have to say, this game has some of the best dice I’ve seen come with a game… KUDOS to Compass Games!). Next will be finishing the rules and then getting it on the table!
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Post by Whiterook on Jun 25, 2023 8:04:42 GMT -5
Escape from Stalingrad ZPlaying concurrently with the game above on a different play area, I’m planning on playing within the next few days. Once playing, the scenarios themselves (that are part of playing the game as campaigns) are all said to be fast play. There are three levels… basically, Newb, Veteran Wargamer, and Advanced Craziness. I can’t tell you emphatically enough, how cool this game is! Granted, I just started the rulebook now, on page 14… the first 10 pages are explaining the components and dew behind the game; thirty pages the. Explain the Core Rules and how to play; then by page 41, you delve into team control, a great armory of weapons that you might use, and multiplayer options. All of this in fairly large type, with great artwork illustrations and examples, so the rules are a somewhat quick read in my early judgement. I’m planning to just use the Character Discs and/or Cardboard Standees to get gaming now. I think for my personal tastes, I’ll need to pant the miniatures before using them? …not sure on that yet
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Post by Whiterook on Jul 3, 2023 10:41:57 GMT -5
Oddly enough, I’ve three games going concurrently at the moment… this is a first! - Ostkrieg took a bit to clip and sleeve, and for me, it’s at least a couple day play (or more) and I do t have the setup area available yet, but I will get it tabled soon
- Escape from Stalingrad Z needs punching of counters and standees and organizing, but I made it through the rules and want to start figuring it out. Games are quick setup and quick play, so no worries on cat proofing, beyond an unguarded table!
- Caucasus Burning: The Nagorno-Karabakh-Karabakh War, 2020, has joined the fray, with my reading the rulebook (10 pages of rules), which came in Flying Pig Games’, YAAH! #15 magazine game edition.
A clever, card-driven, hex and counter executed game, the simulation is an operational design by Greg Porter, covering the Nagorno-Karabahk War of 2020. You'll command formations of T-90 tanks, BMP-equipped mechanized infantry, drones, cruise missiles, and squadrons of attack aircraft as you simulate the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which took place in the fall of 2020. Units represent battalions grouped into brigades. Maneuver and attacks in the game are done via actions played from a deck of cards, and each pass through the deck represents 2 days and nights of fighting. A game of Caucasus Burning: The Nagorno-Karabahk War, 2020 will probably take a little less than 10 passes through the deck, so it will run a little faster than the actual war Planning to get this on the table soon!
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Post by mikeh on Jul 3, 2023 13:23:55 GMT -5
Three games at once!That is a lot going on. Sounds like fun though I must admit. I need to check out YAAH magazine.
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Post by Whiterook on Jul 3, 2023 18:50:09 GMT -5
Three games at once!That is a lot going on. Sounds like fun though I must admit. I need to check out YAAH magazine. Luckily, Escape from Stalingrad Z has a super small footprint, so it’s quick to setup and tear down… it’ll be an in-between game at the kitchen table, while I try to get through Ostkrieg up in Gameroom Headquarters North (old office space) mainly this upcoming weekend. Caucasus Burning is gonna get some counter and cards work tomorrow for the 4th and a see what I can play in short the end of the week, just to ge5 mechanics down. YAAH! magazine is super nice, actually… they highlight all kinds of games, from Wargames to Star Wars and the like, which great in-depth analysis and review. There are typically about five or so scenarios for different games, mostly Flying Pig Games and Tiny Battle Publishing, but some others as well. And of course, a full game with maps, real counters, and rules/charts/player aids in the magazine itself. There is a much cheaper version in PDF (print ‘n play, for the game)… the magazine is a decent price at $40 USD, considering yiu get a full game that would easily cost at minimum $25-50 on its own, boxed or zippie. I own the print versions of this #15, as well as #14 (with the game, “Rattenkrieg”). I asked Santa’s helper this morning to put #13 (“The Battle of Hue”, Vietnam… a sister game in The style of The Battle of Ramadi).
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Post by Whiterook on Aug 8, 2023 14:12:16 GMT -5
Been bouncing between systems, but I’ve been having a hankering for quite a bit now to jump back into Lock ‘N Load’s, tactical squad-level game (LNLT), which has been a favorite of mine for 15 years now! …I was introduced to the system by the original designer, Mark Walker, back at Origins Game Faire back around 2008, it’s been a staple of mine since, even through all its redevelopment under new company ownership. I originally cut my teeth in platoon-level games, but once I discovered squad-level, I’ve gravitated towards those particular board Wargames as my primary interest. While a lot of serious “Grognards” of that level gaming head towards Advanced Squad Leader, that system remains just too brain draining for my tastes and interest — and though ASLs’ Starter Kit scales downward towards LNLT, it’s still way too detailed. LNLT is plenty enough intense and detailed for my gaming style, while still remaining fun and relatively fast-play. It remains a favorite! Whereas the system has been rebranded and upgraded under the “Heroes of…” moniker series of games and expansion sets, and is currently in version 5.1 rules as of this thread, which covers the gamut of eras from WWII to 1980’s, I still prefer the version 4.1 Lock ‘N Load Tactical World War II Era 1939 - 1959 rulebook as my go-to rules… it’s stays in that pocket of WWII, and has plenty of updates from v3 and earlier rules. I’d use v5.1 for the more modern eras, but honestly, I’ve stuck primarily in WWII. I also think LNLT looks a hell of a lot better that ASL/SK! …but like I mentioned, it’s an easier, and dare I say more elegant system. I did buy the latest Heroes of Normandy core game… …it’s been out of print for a long time now, and I bought a new/used copy off a gaming buddy. It has some real nice upgrades to the components, with new cardstock, folded maps, of which style is now part of all their LNLT expansions and new Player Aids (PACs); the counters are pre-rounded at corners, but there are tree nips in the center of all four sides so, what was gained? …it’s actually a little more annoying to me, plus the extra punching of the die-cut process to get those rounded corners make a bevel on all the sides, of which the printed art is kinda wonky in falling off the flat earth-look, IMHO…plus, it appears lighter in ink color. I think I like the older games, which is why I’ve kept my original and 2nd edition Band of Heres copies! …the benefits of the older games for me are: I’ve rounded the counters myself, and the counters appear to be clearer; the maps are on solid boards (one solid piece on 1st edition and folded on 2nd edition); the PACs are just one cardstock sheet, versus big double folded ones (harder to find table space for those); and the scenarios are on separate cardstock sheets, instead of on a scenario book (…I think it’s easier to setup games with the separate sheet). So there you have it! I’ll be taking a long comparison look at all three versions of game I mentioned and seeing what sticks best with me
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