Exchanging shots the T-34 take damage but gain the upper hand (see below):
The German front line valiantly tries to hold back yet more T-34s and infantry but cannot help but nervously look over their shoulders (see below):
It is "do-or-die" time for the German gunners (see below):
But the appearance of a third T-34 seals their fate (see below):
The Russian infantry pressure also breaks the German infantry line (see below):
Then the German gunners are gone (see below):
And the position overran (see below):
Morale broken the Germans "drift away" on the breeze, the flotsam and jetsam of the 'lost' battlefield (see below):
The German armour (a trusty PSC Panzer IVH) escapes thanks to its mobility. It has been very ineffectual in its attacks (see below):
The German Commander routs (see below - lucky to be alive):
The last German platoon is surrounded and surrenders (see below):
Quiet a brutal affair, but I did want to see how the "step-loss" rule variant played. I liked it. However the "quick kill" seems much more in the vein of the armour (now you see it now you don't), so I might just mix-and-match them. Something about the gun values may need tweaking too when you get light tanks versus heavies etc. I do like the 'morale collapse' passing the initiative to the attacker (or perhaps non-broken). Onwards to "Developing the Portable Wargame" as I believe Bob addresses some of these very issues ("Pinning": say no more!). Also I think it is time for me to cook up some of my own scenarios.
I greatly prefer the step loss version, but as you say, armour combat should be more 'decisive' in some way. Only giving tanks 3 steps makes them more brittle though.
ReplyDeleteThe real issue we had was close combat, where armored overruns seemed almost completely ineffectual, even though I gave them the +2 'cataphract' bonus from the Ancients version.
As you say, light/medium/heavy armour and guns is easily dealt with by simple plusses and minuses. An interesting variant is to borrow from Command Decision and apply the gun/armour difference to the saving throw instead of the to hit throw.
I mix and match by making the roll for damage dependent on the unit's strength plus its morale. So Infantry retreat on a 1-4 (their strength or less) and die on a 5-6. Elite Infantry only die on a 6 and retreat on a 5 or less (their modified Strength or less).
ReplyDeleteI'm currently playing around with this method, plus one where units that are simply shot at are suppressed instead of retreating and retreat (plus become suppressed) instead of being killed. Units hit in close assault, or which are suppressed, roll the normal retreat/destroyed results. This gives units two hits from shooting and makes close assaults decisive (as well as giving them some purpose, since I allow units to choose to shoot from an adjacent space - close assault is optional). Suppressed units automatically remove suppression when they are activated with no penalty, and can then act as normal (actually I count them as having moved for the purposes of firing.)
It is a system designed to be tinkered with for sure
ReplyDeleteI want to try the "pinned" rules that were mentioned in the Developing the Portable Wargame
Likewise Martin I suffered from ineffectual armour versus infantry overruns in the open (but I feel philosophically opinionated enough to refrain from going to the automatic hit syndrome on principle)
Somehow I feel that close combat should be deadlier than ranged fire. Phil Sabin's point that infantry have to be turfed out of cover by close combat seems valid
More tinkering to follow ;)
Thanks for your ideas too!