Thursday, July 4, 2013

Are those fireworks?

Happy Independence Day to my readers and friends from South of the Border. May there be many more to come.   (Oh and thanks for having invited us to join and I'm glad you're not still sore that we turned you down.)


In what seems to be a new tradition of games with no connection  to the current day of note,  here are some shots of today's Memoir 44 East Front game which I would have won if the victory conditions had been different.

Scenario 2 from the Red Book. The Huns brace themselves for their second attempt to cross the river and press deeper into Mother Russia.

Here we see me in my guise as Commissar picking my card a turn in advance. Improved my play no end. 

The scenario as usual, adapted smoothly to Memoir. Prior to picking sides Ron gratuitously threw in some trenches to thicken up the defenses. He was sorry later. The game opened with a tank battle raging across the river which ended with both sides pulling back to lick wounds. Ron then shifted the weight of his attack to the ford. I repulsed the first attack but as my casualties mounted and holes opened in my line I couldn't stop him from establishing a bridgehead. A counter attack by my armour backed by artillery brought him to the brink of defeat but he counter attacked in turn. 

Initially Ron assigned the defender a break point of 7 and the attacker a break point of 9 but before we started he asked if I'd rather have both sides have the same breakpoint. I waffled. When he destroyed my 7th unit he asked if I wanted to play on till 9 units so I flipped the  hidden card revealing an off table barrage from heavy guns, blowing his 9th unit to smithereens. Since we hadn't settled it in advance and since he had just gifted me with my own copy of Battlecry, it seemed only right that his prior victory should stand. Another exciting squeaker of a game where the advantage had shifted back and forth.


7 comments:

  1. This looks great! Nice one, all round ;)

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    1. Yup, nice to go play with someone else's toys now and again. Always a fun game.

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  2. Ross Mac,

    An excellent and very interesting battle report. I know that not everyone likes Memoir '44, but it has far more merits than some people give it credit. I also like the way that it transfers so easily to miniatures and hexed terrain.

    All the best,

    Bob

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    1. I can see it being a little abstract and generic for some but it certainly provides a consistently good game with just enough atmosphere for me and the principles of war do apply.

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  3. I really have to dig out my copy of the "Red " book and start using it! My scenarios are pretty lame. John

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    1. I've designed some 1/2 decent scenarios but I'm lazy! These are pretty consistent and involve very little work. Grant's programmed scenario book is handy for solo games as well as face to face ones. I don;t always use the programmed enemy options but sometimes I do.

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  4. "(Oh and thanks for having invited us to join and I'm glad you're not sore that we turned you down.)" No hard feelings. We've mostly forgotten about the little incident at the White House.

    "game which I would have won if the victory conditions had been different."
    ha ha - why does that happen so often!?

    I've made good use of the 2 Grant Scenario books and the "Scenarios for All Ages" book over the years. A very good investment.

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