On November 11 veterans of our great country are honored nationally by the observance of Veteran's Day. I would like to give a huge salute to all the men and women who have saved or currently serving this country in all aspects of military service, SALUTE! In our own way, the Lion's Den group were invited to present a demonstration game at The Fountains At Greenbrier retirement community in Independence, Missouri. Thanks mostly in part to my wonderful and lovely wife Connie, who is the Home Health Administrator, we got a chance to show off our hobby and handy work to people who have in a sense "been there, done that."
We opted to run a 54mm World War II game using our Theatre Of Operation rules. The scenario was a small fictional confrontation between a forward observation unit of the German Army and a recon unit of the U. S. Army in a town in northern France. At the start, the German units, consisting of a SdKfz 234 8-rad radio car and a SdKfz 232 radio car, had ambushed an American M3AI Scout car with four crew. The Germans also had eight troops form infantry support. Things looked real bleak for the GIs!
Fortunately for the Americans, their radio operator had contacted a M4 half-track and a M4A1 Sherman that were rolling up the road toward the town. On turn three, the reinforcements arrived on table, much to the dismay of the German players. The M4 and crew immediately silenced an infantry attack on the left flank while the Sherman took care of the 20mm gun on the radio car to the right. Within two turns the 8-rad was out of control and most of the German 'infantry were incapacitated or in retreat.
The most glorious efforts by the Germans came in the form of the crew of the smaller radio car who had suffered a flat tire by an American attack. They then moved back to a defensive position and laid down pinning fire. The other was from a sole German infantryman that attacked the M3A1 as it raced past. In true SS fashion, he ran up tossed in a grenade and awaited the result.
As the grenade hit the floor of the car, one of the crew jumped on it to save his buddies. The blast dealt its damage and as the car drove away, the rear gunner fired a shot that dropped the attacker where he stood. The Americans left the battle and won the game.
This issue retains the World War II theme with the release of Ken Van Pelt's version of D6. The Lion's Den crew have been play testing this rules set and all I can say is, "It's a HOOT "
Scope of play could run from squad to company to battalion level if you prefer. We have used 1/72-d scale troops and vehicles, but other scales can be adapted to this system. In fact, our painting tables are piling up with some Micro-scale armor and troops to take us to a new "level" of play. After playing for years with 54mm stuff, I never thought that I would have a battalion of T-34's in micro-scale! D6 is one of the easiest to play systems for the scope it was designed for. that I have seen. Check it out.
There are some new twists for Theatre Of Operations to lend some flavor to your games. We have come across certain situations in normal game play where we thought there might be more "realistic" outcomes if there were rules to cover what was happening on the table. I think you will like the options.
This year has come and gone and it seems as though it passed quickly. We have had some wonderful times gaming at the conventions we attended this year (yes, I did bring home the Branson International Go-Cart Grand Prix title for 1998!) and we have enjoyed our times together. New friends have come our way, welcome Alex, Brad and Brian and old friendships have grown stronger. I think my only regret is the fact that there are no quality weekend conventions in our area. Granted, there were conventions here in the past, those were blanketed in pettiness and egomaniacal shrouds that left a rather sour taste in the mouths of people who really wanted to be at an event that was so close to home. My wish for the new season would be for an event for everyone to be held in Kansas City that would draw people in from surrounding areas for quality games and companionship while leaving the excess baggage at the train station.
The Lion's Den year has been a great one. We have let loose with some ideas for your amusement and hope you like what you saw. Be prepared for 1999 and the stuff we have planned for you in the following year. It looks like "the boiler, she's a cookin' and pressure, she's a risin', Colonel. Full steam ahead and ready those horses, Sergeant, we're going into the fray!"
We wish you all the best luck and happiness for the new year. God speed to you and yours, may your guns never jam and your saving rolls never fail.
'I have a tendency against which I should,
perhaps, be on my guard, to swim against the
stream..."
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© Copyright 1998 by Lion's Den Publications.
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