AMBUSH! First of all, for those uninitiated to Victory Games Ambush!, here is a general description of the game I classify as a masterpiece in the solo boardgame design. Ambush! Parameters are - Time Scale: Simultaneous, relative time. Map Scale: 10 yds per hex. Unit Scale: Individual soldiers/vehicles. Players: One. Playing Time: From 3 to 4 hours per mission.
Ambush! Is a solitaire game of combat set in France during WW2. Using a ground-breaking development of the programmed paragraph solitaire system. Ambush! Gives the player control of an American squad who must successfully accomplish a variety of missions against tough German opposition. Many variable events and innumerable tactical options vary a mission each time it is attempted giving Ambush! a high rating for re-playability. The rules are clearly presented in normal Victory Games tradition.
The solo sergeant selects and designs his squad using command and initiative ratings, perception, weapons skill and movement capability. He then arms his men with standard mid-twentieth century US weaponry, medium machine guns, automatic rifles, bazookas, submachineguns, semi-automatic rifles, carbines, satchel charges, pistols and grenades. Just lay down that firepower! Our intrepid sergeant is then briefed on his duty, marches his squad to the mission area and hopefully carries out the operation required.
The game is enhanced by three modules of increasing difficulty, and a variable number of missions namely Move Out!, Purple Heart and Silver Star. When I play an Ambush!" session, I play through all the missions provided. Once I have successfully pushed back the German front to the outskirts of Berlin (!?!), my squad and I are deservedly sent home as heroes. The war is over for them.
Next time Ambush! comes off the shelf, I generate a new squad and start the series of missions again. In this way I enhance surprise and playability in missions already played because so much happens in the different missions that this system helps me to forget certain key situations in missions already played. I would strongly recommend that any of you Lone Warriors out there add Ambush! To your repertoire. It is certainly worth the effort and financial outlay.
SCHWARTZKOPF!
But this article is not entirely about an Ambush! Review. The plot thickens! I have long had an interest in present day military technology. I have researched, designed and built a 1/300 scale modern French army to challenge the US, Russian and NATO Forces. I am talking about simulating present day warfare, not say the Arab- Israeli War or Nam. Any of you who play modern warfare will know what is coming up next! I transport my army down to our club...No, I am not a traitor! I participate in multi-player gaming to enhance my enthusiasm for solitaire play!.... There, my opponent pulls out his US army and we start setting up the battle. Then what occurs? He says "Oh! By the way, yesterday, the US Defence Ministry gave the go ahead to install a control segment for the NEW! Global Positioning System in all M-1 Abrams. Since there is nothing in the rules about this new technology, I suggest we use the following rules to represent the GPS on the battlefield".
What happens? General Schwarzkopf across the table unbalances the playability of the rules with his GPS modification, my carefully laid plans go down the drain. I get trounced and curse the French military for not deploying the GPS in their forces. Solution? Drop a line to the author of the rule book for his version of the rules covering GPS. Weeks go by and we settle the GPS case. Then what occurs? Yes, you've guessed it.... Schwarzkopf again. "Oh! By the way, the US Defence Ministry has just declared that they have installed Miniature Homing Intercept Vehicles (MHIV) in 20% of the F18 Hornets....
Arghhh! What I am getting at is that modern warfare is in such a state of change and there is such a fine line between modern warfare and science fiction gaming that anyone who has an interest in technological warfare had better opt for Sci-Fi gaming in the first place. Sci-Fi in the sense of a realistic and plausible rules system where modern technology is the main factor in creating a tactical warfare simulation on the board or table.
AMBUSH! in the 21st Century
Using the realism and depth of the Ambush! System coupled with the additions for modern technological breakthrough lays the framework for what I believe to be an excellent basis for a set of Science Fiction gaming rules. The rules modifications I am about to present you with are in tabular form with footnotes. All that is needed to play Sci-Fi Ambush! Are the following charts and some coined counters. There are enough map variations in the Ambush! System for you to create endless solo Sci-Fi missions.
As a matter of interest. I use Citadel Miniatures Epic Armies War Horde (Squats, Orks, Dreadnoughts & Stompers) and Battle Group (Eldar, Chaos & Imperial Forces) figures instead of coined soldier/vehicle counters for play. The large varied selection of 6mm figures coupled with the fine colourful Victory Games maps gives an eye-pleasing set-up for my Sci-Fi gaming.
I have modified and re-written each Ambush! Chart and table. Following is a list of each one, with modifications you will find on closer scrutiny to my charts and tables:
- Equipment Cost Chart. Replaced by Squad Equip Chart. Additions include Equipment, Assault, Armour and Jetpack selection.
Actions Summary. Prepare jetpack and prepare and Use Automedic added.
Templates A, B & C. Used for many games functions.
Fire Combat Modifier. Now include Autoranger, Smoke, Distortion Fields and Airborne Targets.
Grenade/Missile Modifiers. Missiles function as grenades (Direct/Indirect Fire).
Assault Modifiers. Includes Dreadnoughts, Power and Carapace Armour bonuses.
Clear Jammed Weapon. No changes.
MP Cost Chart. Now includes Hover, Walker and Flyer Movement.
Jetpack Table. New! Based upon airborne landings (parachuting).
Weapon Type Chart. Weapon types are now futuristic and chart includes Knock-Out and Blinded results.
Penetrated Armour Effects. New! For random suit malfunctions and ensuing penalties.
Vehicle Summary. Bike, Wheeled, Tracked, Hover, Walker or Flyer. Fit your favourite machine designs into one of these categories.
Small/Large Vehicle Damage Effects. With the additions for Hover, Walker and Flyer damage.
Accident Table. No change.
Squad Record Sheet. Driving Skill (DS) now becomes Technical Skill (TS). Use for any situation where mechanical or electronic skill is required. Also includes Assault weapon type of solider, Body Armour worn, number of Jetpack canisters, whether equipped with Automedic or Autoranger and spaces to mark suit Malfunctions and/or Wounds.
The Programmed Actions Chart and Grenade/Missile Selection.
Now onto my by now expected heart of the article, the Solo Mechanism Section. Those who own Ambush! Must be wondering how you can design a solo scenario without the famous Mission Cartridges. The is where the Programmed Action Chart and the Grenade/Missile Selection Table come in! Following is a sample mission to show you the mechanics of Solo Ambush! In the 21st Century mission design:
Mission: Defence of perimeter around mining shaft 3106 on Algar. Your squad sets off in an armed Terran transport for Algar.
Briefing:
Atmosphere: Poisonous.
Terrain: Dense Foliage.
Danger Level: High (1 Zogran Heavy Squad with 2 Balkar Walkers in support known to be operating in the area).
Orbiting Algar, you must now equip your squad. Due to the poisonous atmosphere and expected heavy enemy firepower, Terran Stellar Command makes Power Armour available to you to kit out your marines. Weaponry will be gyro-based due to the defensive strength of the enemy squad and walkers. Force-type assault weaponry is also issued due to the expected close range of the coming engagement caused by the dense foliage. No Vehicles are assigned to you.
Now for the mission set-up. Choose an Ambush! map with the most trees and bushes to represent the dense foliage on Algar. Locate a building to represent Mining Shaft 3106. Deploy our squad around this terrain feature. Choose a specific objective hex for the Zogran Heavy Squad and each Balkar Walker. Starting in Rounds deploy the enemy on the edge opposite to where your squad is deployed. Start the Action Round Sequence.
But how will the enemy troopers and vehicles operate?
Example 1: It is a Zogran Trooper's (not a Commander's) turn to carryout an action. He is armed with an heavy laser, one Distortion Field Grenade and one Smoke Grenade. He is within 5 hexes of one of your marines and there is another marine in his sight (Line of Sight, front 3 hexes). Check the Programmed Action Chart. Cross reference the Range (2 - 6 Hexes) with the number of Targets Visible (1:2). This particular enemy trooper will Aim Fire with his heavy laser at your closest marine.
Example 2: The same Zogran Trooper's turn comes up again. He has turned one of your marines into Kentucky Fried Chicken and now only faces one opponent in sight (1:1). Range is still 5 hexes. The problem is his heavy laser has jammed! Cross reference the Range (2 - 6 Hexes) with the number of Targets Visible (this time 1:1). He would have Moved towards his objective hex and Snap Fired with his heavy laser at the lone marine, but his weapon has jammed so go on to the next box right (1:2). He cannot carry out Aimed or Indirect fire so on to the next box right (1:3). First priority here is to chuck a Defensive Grenade.
Go to Grenade/Missile selection. Defensive Grenade priority is #1 - Flare; none available. #2 - Distortion Field. So our intrepid Zogran Trooper chucks a Distortion Field Grenade to cover himself until he hopefully unjams his heavy laser later in the skirmish.
The Programmed Actions Chart and Grenade/Missile Selection Table use a sequenced mode of decision making. If one case does not apply, proceed to the next choice until you end up doing something or get a No Action/None result.
I have play-tested Ambush! In the 21st Century thoroughly, am confident that once you have played a couple of games to get the feel of the system you will be designing missions galore to send your battle hardened Space Marines on.
A note on Weapon Technology Following detailed scrutiny of my ideas of a science fiction environment, I can imagine some of you Sci-Fi buffs believing that the weaponry I have designed might be on a lower par to what you believe would be operated on a futuristic battlefield. I have purposefully avoided weapons of mass destruction believing that if these were required to succeed in a particular military scenario, a squad of heavily armed marines would be obsolete in that specific military situation. In other words, weapons of mass destruction are not compatible with small unit confrontations.
Blow the Planet away! The important factor is victory! Forget colonisation and raw materials!.....Destroy! You cannot build a stellar empire on these teachings! You still need infantry to go in and HOLD the conquered territory! Until next time, enjoy your solo gaming in 1995 and.. try not to get NUKED!!!
Back to Table of Contents -- Lone Warrior #110
Back to Lone Warrior List of Issues
Back to MagWeb Magazine List
© Copyright 1995 by Solo Wargamers Association.
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com