On to Arras!

Nearly there.....

I have had man flu and a dose of hard work, neither of which are good for me. Emerging this weekend with a sore head I have determined to get back into action at Arras.

I say, is that Arras?

Order of battle

I have had another go and am happier with the improved version.

Invading Germans in Krupp-Protze carrier

Scenario map

I am now officially happy with the map and don't plan to change it unless play testing reveals something weird. The next job is to markup the starting locations and reinforcement hexes. 

Counters

I have really enjoyed putting together some counters. 

Infantry Tank Mark 1 Matilda

These icons are modified Junior general images. I plan to play test using these rather than new toys.

Light Yank VIB

Rules

I now have a working draft set of rules, hurrah. So very nearly ready to go!

My Arras page now has the latest version of the files so please have a look and let me know what you think. I'm looking forward to getting some counters sorted out this week and perhaps a first go next weekend.

Its a long way to Arras

Further than I thought!

Work doesn't slow down for Christmas these days so hobby time has been at a real premium. I have, however, made good progress with my Arras game. Long experience with my foibles and lack of delivery has convinced me that, once I have a good and workable idea, I should go for it hell for leather. This way I at least get to a complete product for play testing rather than ending with a big pile of books on the floor that stay there for several years until I can't remember what I was doing with them.

The story so far:

1. Troops. I have had a go at the OB. Having done some more reading I know now that I have to revisit my first draft.

2. The narrative. I have found a great Marine Corps publication about 7 PD in France and Russia that gives the "other side of the hill" so I'm looking to get a proper grip on the German perspective.

3. A map, nearly completed! I can play on my prototype foam hexes.

4. The rules are KISS Rommel (how appropriate!) with some slight adjustments for scale.

5. Toys. I have looked out some 6mm troops. I have some British and German infantry (H&R) but no suitable tanks. I'm really looking forward to putting in an order for Matildas, Somuas and Pz38ts. That's not to mention the 88s and 2pdrs.

I'm enjoying preparing this game so much that I'm tempted to put together some counters and try it as a board game as well. However, I have also found my 2mm terrain in the garage and its now back in the house (but don't tell the wife). This will go really well with the new shiny tanks. Roll on January!

KISS My Arras!

Initial thinking

Apart from going arf arf about the title I have doing some thinking. This is largely based on the account in Julian Thompson's Dunkirk book (Sidgwick & Jackson 2008) which seems to follow the official history very closely. So we have a very uncoordinated attack by a composite British force, supported by the French, against the flank of 7th Panzer Division and SS Totenkopf. This lasted a short time before being stopped by a German gun line.

Much has been made of this fairly primitive episode. It certainly wasn't the major counter-attack that some histories present it as. Nevertheless, it does show how both professional and dedicated the pre-war BEF was but also its limitations on a modern battlefield, especially its very poor communications.

From my point of view it has Matildas I and II. I have only just realised that the Matilda I was produced in very limited numbers (139) and this was its major outing. It also has the "what if" possibilities that make for a great game, just like the Bulge!

A foggy Matilda I

I want to use my 8 by 6 hex grid and some 1/300 tanks. This looks like a job for KISS Rommel with some hex grid type adjustments.

First go is the attached OB for the battle, leaning very heavily on Bob Mackenzie's Bathtub Command Decision scenario. Next may well be a happy 1/300 shopping experience.

New stuff

Just in time for Xmas

As all gentlemen know, Xmas is a time of socks, ties and other unnecessary presents (monogrammed golf tees for example). A wise chap usually stocks up with a couple of essential presents for himself to enjoy in the odd quiet moment over the holidays. They don't have to be expensive.......

Ground Pounders

Some time ago Quick and Easy Games produced a free rules booklet for use with Dark Dream Studios Space Battles plastic figures. This was conveniently called Space Battles. They have now come up with a new version of the rules, Ground Pounders, which is based on their almost as cheap generic toy soldier rules called Battlefields.

I think this kind of stuff is great. I'm not a fan of £30 rule books. What I do need is good ideas that look like fun and you can't say fairer than this......

Two Buck Games

Two Buck have released a couple of new games Wake Island and AWI Battles 4. Wake Island looks interesting (1941 in the Pacific). 

The AWI game contains 9 mini scenarios, each with its own map:

• Monmouth (initial)
• Monmouth (final)
• Harlem Heights
• Fort Washington
• Ticonderoga Defiant
• Paulus Hook
• Red Bank
• Bound Brook
• Fort Clinton

This follows on from three other collections which cover a total of 28 AWI mini battles plus a larger game on Brandywine.

I can't find a picture of this latest AWI pack but here is one of the earlier ones.....

Both of these are great value at $5 each (inflation strikes even at Two Buck Games) and they can be downloaded from Wargames Downloads. Possibly one, or even two, for Boxing Day!

Combat Leader

Minden Games have a great reputation for tactical games. They are the people that brought us Retro, Squad Leader made simple (for thickies like me). Their latest game is Combat Leader (Eastern Front 1941) which looks like a nice infantry only tactical (man to man) game. This picture gives a flavour of the components.

This might be Retro the "game", as opposed to just the rules, as it has a real Squad Leader feel. I'll keep this on the radar. It is hard copy only and comes in at US $32.90 for the basic game and first expansion (urban warfare). Not very cheap but not perhaps the sort of investment required by Combat Commander or similar. See update below!

Holdfast

This is my real Xmas present this year. I collected it from the Post Office this morning. A simple block game of Barbarossa and 1942. It has great reviews and, although a bit on the pricey side, seems to have enormous replay value. 

The rules look really straightforward and the big plus is that they plan to do more WW2 campaigns. The next one is the Bulge. Top!

This is getting a bit scarce, I could find only one shop with it in stock (Leisure Games, London), so if you are after this, get in quick.

I haven't posted much recently because, having reached an interim stage with Plan B, I've found yet another really interesting project. This one is KISS My Arras! Not an original title (someone else thought of it before me) but this is my effort at using KISS Rommel to play the battle of Arras 1940. Essentially, a tactical version of KISS at roughly company/platoon level. More on this in due course.

Update: I see that Norm Smith has just reviewed the Advanced Squad Leader Starter Kit 10th anniversary edition. This looks good and is only US$25 so it might be a good alternative to Combat Leader, if not precisely the same scale.