Those of you who have been reading my articles in MWAN this past year or so know that I am on the verge of publishing a number of rules sets which will work f or all scales 54mm- 15mm. This will hopefully help units the hobby segments of gamers, collectors, and those madman 54mm gazers (skirmishes, blast it), of whom I am one. The latest news is that my WWII set RECON AND RUSHES OF WORLD WAR II is now (10/98) available from The Toy Soldier Company (James Delson's Christmas Catalogue 1998 p. 17), and can be ordered at (201) 792-6665. The final copy is being proofed and will be available by the time you read this at $19.95 (40 pages including Introductory and Optional Rules, charts and tables). Review copies will be circulated soon.
To showcase these rules, I am preparing A CANAL TOO FAR for Cold Wars Con (March 199 at Lancaster, PA). This is a late WWII scenario similar to the historical Operation Market- Garden 1944, but substituting a Dutch Commando raid on a canal control station for all those troops and bridges. Players and any number of observers will be invited to join me and my assistants, forming our "International Cast of Stars" (over la only); each performing as a company battalion commander on either side.
What follows is a preliminary draft of the "Staff Briefing" for each side. Although I can't give everything away, it hopefully shows several features of good scenario design. This is one of my specialties, but I have discovered that not every gamer is comfortable designing battles. So for those who'd like to try it, there is enough information for you. For others interested primarily in scenario design, the principles followed here can be applied to any period. A different player will conunand each force outlined below. Note how each player is given a specific mission and a tactical dilemma to solve. Each player also has a unique role to play on the side team in its strategy. Every player has a limited knowledge of the enemy and influence on his side's fellow commanders. A few hints about how these particular rules work can be gleaned here and there as well.
The scale is 1 figure/model to 4 actual soldiers/vehicles. The game is regimental level and will probably use two standard sized tables end to end, not because so much space is required for a battle but because it will be available! (The management reserves the right to make changes at the convention; don't show up expecting to know it all and win based on that). So each infantry type company is 50 figures, each tank company 4 tanks, etc. Each company/battalion commander has a radio which can talk to any one other player at a time. Most players have personal jeeps. All armored vehicles have individual radios which can communicate only to their own player.
THE ALLIES:
1. Dutch Commando Company ("Badger")
2. US Recon Battalion ("Cheetah")
3. British Armored Battalion North ("Lion")
4. British Armored Battalion South ("Rhino")
5. British Forward Air Observer ("Falcon")
THE GERMANS:
1. Blocking Force West--Town Garrison ("Heiradall")
2. Engineers--Canal Control Station ("Njord")
3. Luftwaffe AA Battalion ("Thor")
4. Panzer Reserve ("Tyr")
5. Panzer A ("Skadi")
and Panzer B ("Uller")
TERRAIN:
As in "A Bridge Too Far", there is only one road for advance. However, vehicles are not tied to it; The terrain is for the most part open with patches of wood--you're just faster on the road. Starting on the West Allied Base Line) and going East the road passes through a German held small town, then north of the Canal Control Station to a wooded crossroads. This is a wooded 'Y' intersection about 4/5 of the way to the (German Base Line). There it splits into two roads which go off to the Northeast and Southeast corners.
GENERAL SET UP: Most of the German units are onboard but hidden! movement in Line of Sight or Firing will give away individual figures/ weapons teams/vehicles. The Dutch Commando and US Recon force are also on the board and hidden from the Germans, but will not stay hidden for long! British all enter from their Bass Line. German Panzers A and B will enter from the NE and SE comers respectively. Specific unit positions will be given in the briefings below.
PLAYER BRIEFINGS--ALLIED:
1. The Dutch Commando Co. ("Badger")
Your target is the famous Van Der Haven Canal Control Works, which is a large one room station south of the road in the middle of the field, at the northern end of the canal, a small section of which runs south off the table edge. You start in two small patches of wood just West of it. The target is all Hard Cover, but since you have infiltrated behind enemy lines last night, the tough engineers defending it are not expecting your attack. You will got a turn of Ambush Fire (defender may not return) as you rush the place. Still, you will need to be fast and lucky to overcome resistance.
You will then "hold until relieved" by an Allied armored column approaching from the West. They will have to break the German front to reach you. As exact enemy dispositions are not known, you must prepare for all around defense. If the Allied drive is vigorous enough, you may be able to catch retreating Germans from the West between you and your relieving force, and ambush them. Interrogate any enemy prisoners you take and radio as much information about enemy dispositions to "Lion," (your Side Commander) as you can.
Besides small arms you have two bazookas and a flame thrower.
2. The US Recon Battalion ("Cheetah"):
Your force is split evenly North and South of the road behind woods facing the town. It is composed of an Armored Car company (4 cars) and an armored infantry company (4 halftracks). You need to link up with the Dutch Commando somewhere East of the town. But as your jump off time to take the town arrives, the main British armored column is nowhere in sight! Nevertheless, out ahead in enemy territory, the lightly armed Dutch Commando is jumping off now, no matter what. You can only see one German sentry pacing his beat at the roadblock in town. What will you do--wait or go?
3. British Armored Battalion ("Lion"):
You are the Side Commander! However, other than their initial briefings, local side Commanders have wide discretion until you actually link up with them. You may radio only one of them at a time. With you at start is "Falcon" the air observer, who must be protected from harm and not allowed to go gallivanting off if you are to get the benefit of the air strikes only he can call in for you.
Your direct force is composed of two Sherman tank companies (8 Medium Class) and two mechanized infantry companies (100 figures in 8 halftracks). Your own job is to advance North of the road and provide flank support for the southern "Rhino" force, identical in strength to your own, which is to race ahead based on information provided by US Recon ("Cheetah") and link up with the Dutch Commando at the Control Station before they can be counterattacked by German reinforcements.
So far you have been delayed by clearing an enemy minefield. You will finish at the Game Master's discretion, and race forward past the town, enveloping it if it has not fall on to "Cheetah" or "Rhino." You will need especially to contact "Cheetah" when you are through the mine field to find out their status and position.
4. British Armored Battalion South ("Rhino"):
You are pacing up and down in front of your radio command jeep waiting for your Side Commander "Lion" to join you at the Start Line, but he has not shown up. You own mission is to link up past the town with the Dutch Commando at the Canal Control Station and relieve them there, digging in against enemy counterattacks. "Lion" is supposed to parallel your advance north of the road as you advance south of it. But the Commando is getting ready to jump off regardless, and they will need your help soon. "Cheetah" is set up overlooking the town North and South of the road ahead.
Will you go ahead or wait for "Lion"? Screen the town off or assault it? Send "Cheetah" out ahead or do something else with them? They will probably follow your commands, although they tend to be impetuous and independent Americans! Better phone them up and discuss the matter. Or should you contact "Lion" first? or see how the Dutch attack is going? Then again, perhaps you should request the Forward Air Observer to come up and support you. Hmmm ...
5. British Forward Air observer ("Falcon"):
You are only 5 figures in a jeep, but as the only one who can call in a squadron of 4 fighter-bombers for ground support missions, you are critical to the Allied of fort. You start off board with "Lion", your Side Commander, but may enter alone and are eager to dash off to support other allied forces onboard if he is delayed' arriving any longer. If "Rhino" moves onboard without waiting for "Lion" you are especially keen to join him and move up forward, which is where an air observer can best affect the battle!
PLAYER BRIEFINGS--GERMAN:
1. Blockiny Force West/Town Garrison ("Heimdal")..
You are a heavy weapons company operating 2 AT guns + 2 MG in the large bunker South of the road and 1 MTR + 2 MG (with Co. HQ) in the ruined house North of the road. Twenty men occupy each position, with an additional ton at the road block across the road. These positions make up the "town." Your position is the current German front line. If attacked, you are to hold out while radioing as much information as possible about the attacking force to Panzer Reserve ("TYR").
In extreme emergency you may fall back to wooded patches North and South of town. In this case, however, the enemy must have paid heavily in blood for your position. Otherwise, its the Russian Front for you!
2. Engineer Platoon at the Canal Control Station ("Njord"):
You have 25 well equipped men. Your HQ/radio and an MG is the blockhouse. Around it are three radio controlled robot tanks or "Goliaths" full of high explosive, to be used against targets of opportunity.
To the south, you have a few sentries with automatic assault rifles stationed on both sides of the canal banks which are Hard Cover, and a few rubber boats to allow movement either way across the narrow canal section. Behind the position just to the East most of your men are busy with technical duties, since you are not expecting an immediate attack. If that happened you would hunker down and radio for help to Panzer Reserve ("Tyr").
Off board to the south are positions occupiect by.friendly forces, therefore you are not authorized to open the controls and flood the countryside. However, that is an option once the forces have retreated farther back. The Allied would probably love to take your position before that could be done, in the unlikely event they set up special mission to crash through the front just to do so.
However, there is always the chance of a partisan raid of some kind, so your men have their weapons with them.
3. Observer Force ("Thor"):
You are a Luftwaffe ground company operating a battery of two Medium AA guns in separate wooded areas--one gun is South of the road between the town and canal up front ("Thor- 1"), and another north of the crossroads in the rear ("Thor-2"). You have infantry stationed in a third patch north of the canal and road with your HQ. All three detachments have radios, but the other two can only call you directly.
With a limited AA Ammo Supply, you must fight off enemy air attacks, but also cover any enemy thrust against friendly ground positions such as Town, canal, and Crossroads. Your guns can fight any targets: infantry, armor, or aircraft. You secondary mission is to radio your higher HQ--Panzer Reserve ("Tyr") about the nature and position of any enemy attacking force.
4. Panzer Reserve ("Tyr"):
You are the German Side Commander. As such, you will be responsible for coordinating counterattacks by your arriving reserves Panzer A and Panzer B against any Allied attacks. Finally, your own force is available as a last resort. Your responsibility is at minimum to hold the Canal Station and a line including it and at least one of the roads leading East from the crossroads.
Your own force is made up of a company of 4 Self Propelled Medium AT guns dug in and camoflaged behind the crossroads between the two roads and a company of Panzergrenadiers (PGN). Thirty PGN are with the SP/AT9, and another twenty in concealed Hard Cover Breastworks in semicircles north and south of the road just before the crossroad. Although you have powerful armored elements, these are your only infantry available f or coordinated counterattack; and they are dismounted (no vehicles) and already holding important defensive positions. The PGN are carrying several MGs and Panzerfausts.
All other units report to you, and will radio you with alarms and information of any activity on your front. They will look to you for solutions to their problems, and orders if they are in trouble. Since Panzer A and B have no infantry, they would rather fight in ambush from strong positions themselves, and you will have to give them infantry to retake any positions lost, especially the Canal!
Panzer A ("Skadill) and Panzer B ("Uller")
You are two companies of Panther (Pzkv V) Heavy Class tanks, 4 in each. You will enter at Game Master discretion on the NE and SE roads from the German Base Line respectively. When this occurs, radio your HQ Panzer Reserve ("Tyr") for instructions. Most likely you will be fighting defensively; however you may also be involved in counterattacks. For this they should assign you some infantry support. You have maps of all prepared starting positions and friendly units. HQ should tell you where any enemy attacks are coming from, or where enemy advances have reached.
You can expect to be opposed mostly by Medium Class Shermans, inferior tanks which will outnumber you. However, enemy air activity is a constant threat; you do not want to be caught out in the open as you advancer You should not enter enemy bazooka range under any circumstances--that is what German infantry is for.
IN CONCLUSION
I am attempting to accomplish a number of personal and scenario goals by running this event:
Personal Goals
1. I exist; and my rules are for sale.
2. 54mm ain't just for kiddie rubber band games (or skirmishing) anymore! Lots of neat figures, equipment, and terrain in the Big scale are now available. You don't need a back yard of space.
3. My rules account for combined arms successfully, "favoring" neither armor nor infantry, and are simple and fun to play.
4. The rules, if they work in this space for 54mm, obviously will work for smaller scales.
5. The rules are robust and will take "customizing" by hard core period aficionados.
6. The Metropolitan Wargamers Club of NYC are fun to play with. (Y'all come back now, heah?)
Scenario Goals
1. It is possible to simply play out a balanced scenario including infantry, armor, air, and different types of units; in fact everything from flamethrowers and miniature robot tanks to radio communicatio and prisoner interrogation.
2. The important factors in any battle, even WWII, can be included simply (for example the difference between Shermans and Panthers).
3. "Fog of War" factors and multi commander interactions are lots of fun.
4. The trend toward simple rules combined with thoughtful scenarios does indeed make for better games.
5. A mad Game Master is better than none!
Hope to see some of you at Cold Wars. If you can't make it, try the scenario out and let me know how it goes! Good gaming.
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© Copyright 1999 Hal Thinglum
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