The NEW New Boardgames Thread

[CountDeMoney]

Not recently, I'll catch up to it tonight.  Anything interesting?  Or more PB hate from Generation Aspie?

[11B4V]

Not recently, I'll catch up to it tonight.  Anything interesting?  Or more PB hate from Generation Aspie?

Naw, their still chugging forward with it. My fear is they will make it focused like HoD and start coming out with modules and shit. Marketing you know.

Day is working on MBT also.

[CountDeMoney]

I have the utmost confidence in Mr. Day.  NOM NOM NOM

[11B4V]

Picked up HFDG "Bloody Hell" on Ops Goodwood and Spring.

[11B4V]

I have the utmost confidence in Mr. Day.  NOM NOM NOM

As do I.

I pre-ordered MBT, MBT: FRG, and MBT: BAOR.

[Tamas]

All I am seeing is MBT: ANALYSIS PARALYSIS

[The Brain]

Can I have a long gun?

[Maladict]

Broke down and bought The Dark Valley.

It's here, my very first east front game 

[11B4V]

All I am seeing is MBT: ANALYSIS PARALYSIS

Actually you can get into it quite quickly. It's not rocket science.

Here's the Panzer rules, which are similar.

http://www.gmtgames.com/panzer/Panzer_Rulebook.pdf

[11B4V]

  Pre-ordered.

[11B4V]

Another GMT P500 contemplating.

At Any Cost: Metz 1870 is a game simulating the situation west of the Metz fortress during those few days of August 1870. The game is designed to be a playable, two-player brigade-scale game that allows players to experience the unique tactical warfare matchups that characterized fighting during the Franco-Prussian War.

This era, though generally overlooked in the gaming industry, is a fascinating study in Napoleonic tactics (and uniforms) slamming head-on into modern killing technology. The Prussian military juggernaut is armed with the new steel Krupp breach-loading artillery pieces that far outclassed the French guns. Prussian doctrine, adapted to the lessons learned during the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, allowed junior officers to exercise initiative and aggressiveness. The French army, meanwhile, was armed with the modern and deadly Chassepot rifle, a firearm so advanced that many argue its deployment alone should have won the war for the French. In addition, the French army was now equipped with their ultimate secret weapon - the Mitrailleuse, which was the first machinegun used en masse. Moreover, the game system makes clear that the French soldier, despite misconceptions to the contrary, fought valiantly during these battles. By all rights, they could have – and should have – won many of these engagements. But leadership, morale and tenacity won the day for the Prussians.

All these factors are seamlessly embedded into the At Any Cost game system and players will be challenged to utilize their advantages and minimize their disadvantages throughout the game. Will YOU as the Prussian player be able to withstand an early severe numerical disadvantage and use the brave audacity of the Prussian soldier and artilleryman to win the day? Can YOU as the French player overcome the lethargic and uninspired command structure of the Army of the Rhine and allow your tough and well-equipped infantry to fight unhindered?

At Any Cost: Metz 1870 also features the Blind Swords chit-pull system which emphasizes the three "FOW's" of military conflict: fog-of-war, friction-of-war and fortunes-of-war. With each chit pull, players will be challenged to make tough decisions based on their assessment of the current situation. Unlike traditional chit-pull mechanisms, the Blind Swords system ensures that no combat units can be counted on, or conversely, counted out. This yields an environment of tense action and constant surprises – an environment that will challenge each player.

UNITS

All brigades and artillery groups of both the French Army of the Rhine and the Prussian First and Second Armies that took part in these actions are represented in the Order of Battle. Each Strength Point equals 600 infantrymen, 450 cavalry troopers, 3 heavy artillery pieces or 4 light artillery pieces. In addition, units have a Cohesion Rating, representing the unit's morale, training and experience plus a Movement Allowance.

SYSTEM HIGHLIGHTS

Combat and Cohesion System: The combat system is "firepower" based and utilizes the unit's size and Cohesion Rating to determine its effectiveness. The combat system is driven by a two-D10 dice mechanic. Two differently-colored dice are rolled simultaneously. The first (colored) die generates an initial result and the second (white) die simultaneously informs the players of any physical casualties suffered by the unit and any morale effect of the enemy's fire. The assault combat system uses a differential mechanism and results in a more dynamic combat outcome.

Orders System: A player must first choose one of four possible Orders that an activated Brigade will operate under – Attack, Defend, March or Regroup. Each Order has specific parameters that provide benefits and restrictions. This Order choice can be critical to a unit's performance during its activation.

Chit-Pull System: The Blind Swords chit-pull system generates challenging actions and difficult decisions for both players. It features three different types of chits, all of which reside in the same cup, each with special effects:

Activation Chits = these activate all units of the listed Corps or Cavalry Division. In some scenarios, Activation chits for the French player are fed into the game piece-meal to represent the slow reaction time of the French command structure. But the French player does have some options to speed up this process (see below).
CIC Chits = these are special Activation Chits. The Prussian player has a Chief-of-Staff chit and the French player has a Commander-in-Chief chit. These chits allow players to select any one Division (for the Prussian player) or any one Brigade (for the French player) for activation - even if it has already activated or will be activated later in the turn. Thus, this is the opportunity to activate units twice in the turn.
Event Chits = there are nine Event chits assigned to each player. At the start of a turn, players select any one of these chits to place in the cup (obviously an Event they really want). Three Event chits are randomly thrown out of the turn and will not be used – the remaining five Event chits are then placed into the cup with the pre-selected chit. In this manner, players are never assured of drawing any particular Event chit, except for the one they initially chose.

Each Event chit has a Unique Event side (all of which are different) and a Command (or Common) Event side. The Unique Event is tactical in nature and has specific effects and options for the player to consider. Event examples are Auftragstaktik, Krupp's Guns, Beaten Zone, Moulin a' Cafe and Battlefield Conditions. The Command (Common) Event side is used for more strategic options. The Prussian player may attempt to speed up his reinforcements and/or change their arrival location and to curtail the effects of the Prussian Aggressive Tactics Event that the French player may play against him. The French player can use his Command Events to hasten his Activation chit availability and to attempt to cancel the effects of the crippling Bazaine's Malaise Event.

Prussian Strategic Movement: In order to add player input into the strategic off-map movement of the approaching Prussian forces, some scenarios offer the opportunity to use the unique hidden Prussian Strategic Movement system. This involves the Prussian player openly moving units on a special point-to-point map whose results, nevertheless, are hidden from the French player. This will vary where and when the Prussian forces arrive on the map. However, the system is set up so that even the Prussian player cannot be assured of the arrival time or the content of his forces. There will be a solitaire friendly version of this feature, as well.

MAP

The map is 22" x 34" hexagonal map of the entire west of Metz. Each hex equal approximately 500 yards and contains all the significant terrain details – elevations, slopes, woods, towns, quarries etc.

SCENARIOS

The game will include at least five scenarios:

Tutorial – a small, limited battle depicting the fighting around St. Privat on August 16th, which at one point resulted in 6,000 Prussian Guardsmen casualties being inflicted in 15 minutes! This scenario serves as a teaching experience for new players.
The Battle of Mars-La-Tour – the whole battle beginning at 8:00 am and continuing the entire day. There are two variations offered – historical and free-setup deployments. There are also options for a historical reinforcements schedule or a variable schedule utilizing the Prussian Strategic Movement system.
The Battle of Gravelotte-St. Privat – – the entire day-long battle. There are two variations offered – historical and free-setup deployments. There are also options for a historical reinforcements schedule or a variable schedule utilizing the Prussian Strategic Movement system.
Campaign Scenario #1 – the game begins with the Mars-La-Tour scenario but continues past the first day until the campaign victory conditions are achieved.
Campaign Scenario #2 – the game begins on August 15th and the French player must march the entire Army of the Rhine across the map to escape to Verdun or, as a secondary option, protect the army from destruction. The Prussian army's movement is done entirely via the Prussian Strategic Movement system until they enter the game map. This scenario gives players the option to shape an entirely new campaign.

COMPONENTS

1 – 22" x 34" map
2 – 9/16" countersheets
1 – Rulebook
1 – Playbook (Scenarios, Historical Notes and Examples of Play)
1 – Game Tracks Card
1 – Prussian Strategic Movement Card
4 – Player Aids (2 Prussian and 2 French)
4 – Ten-Sided Dice (1 Blue, 1 Red and 2 White)

[Ed Anger]

I was thinking about Hammering Sickles. Not enough detail yet to pull the trigger on a pre-order.

[11B4V]

I was thinking about Hammering Sickles. Not enough detail yet to pull the trigger on a pre-order.

Thanks for the heads up. It's by the same guy. I liked his Duel of Eagles.

As Sickles' III Corps troops marched on their way to the Peach Orchard and past the left flank of II Corps, General Hancock observed: "Gentlemen, that is a splendid advance. But those troops will be coming back very soon."

[11B4V]

Looking at consim forums for the above two games, Rick Barber is apparently heavily involved. His maps alone would/will be the reason why I pull the trigger on these.

Harrumph.... I kinda liked the title of the 'other' folder on this game; it was longer and easier to find.  Plus I had my name in it!

Now that the cat's out of the bag, I'll elaborate a bit from my angle on things. It will be a two game 'mini series', in that Hammerin' Sickles' will be the first, featuring the whole of Longstreet's Attack area (and now even a little more room for Hood to possible go a bit further 'to the Right, General!') At present, that will be using 5/8" counters, on a 22 x 34 map with nice generous 7/8" hexes, at 150/hex.

I'm this weekend finishing the final art for a game from White dog Games, out very shortly, that uses the exact same system as HS. Stonewall's Sword covers the 1862 Battle of Cedar Mountain in the same regimental scale, on a 17 x 22 map with the same large hex size. I don't know if White Dog will be releasing it as a downloadable P&P game as they did for Hermann's Duel of Eagles, but I'd recommend that anyone who finds the upcoming Gettysburg game to be of interest check out Stonewall's Sword first, just to see the system at work!

The second game in the GMT 'series' (which I'm hoping they call 'We're still UP Here!') will add in the rest of the July 2nd/3rd battlefield to the north, allowing folks to explore all the possibilities of Ewell's dusk attacks on July 2nd, as well as combine them into the whole Monte.. Lee wannabe's will have a field day trying to outdo or outguess the Marble Man's Great Plan, and there's a possibility for Meade to try his own offensive as well.

Picture the two overlaid maps as being a very squat 'T' shape when we're done. Together they show the 'core' of the Gettysburg battlefield that covers the second and third days' actions. I'd almost consider the first day as a completely separate battle, as it was a total meeting engagement, with all thr troops on the march, and many differing possibilities that can only be really covered on a much larger map area. The second and third days are much more of a set piece battle, and lots of wannabe Lees out there really just want to see if they can do the Marble Man one better once the lines are set. (Secretly, I think that the first book on the battle that Hermann happened on was Pfanz's Gettysburg: The Second day.....) 

Alan, the scale is regimental/battery, but it's completely different thanthe old AH Devil's Den game - that one was 'company' level, and used 30-40 yd hexes. This one is 150/hex, and the first game's map shows the southern half of the battlefield, from the area of the Bliss farm south the whole way to Heagy's Hill on the Emmitsburg Road - that means that there will be full room for Hood to try the swinging maneuver to the south that he three times asked Longstreet to do. That is not the full operational maneuver to the south that Longstreet was hoping to convince Lee to do, but still gives the Reb player plenty of room to trey his luck. (It also allows for the Union player to repeat Kilpatrick's futile cavalry attack on July 3rd, but with the option of including Wright's VI Corps Division, which would have landed Lee in a whole world of hurt!!)

West to east the map covers everything from just short of the Pitzer Schoolhouse to a few hexes east of Big Round Top, so plenty of room for all the possible actions on those two days. The Northern map, which overlaps the southern one by a few hexrows so that a couple critical roads are on both, extends the field up to about Barlow's Knoll, and goes from about the location of Lee's HQ on Seminary ridge east to well beyond Wolf Hill, which allow for the possible attack on Ewell's flank that Meade was considering on July 2nd.

Herm has the only 'colored' copy of the prototype so far, but I'm attaching a scan of a small part of my original, just so you folks can see the scale of things and the way I'm handling the terrain. (And if you like that, I've already drawn up, using the same scale, a new two map 'Designer's Edition mapset for my own Summer Storm game - after laying out the field in this scale for Herm, I found that my own game plays very well on it with just minor modifications to arty range and stacking, and I really like the greater detain i got by going from 200 to 150/hex! Just need the time and energy to do that one in final form!)

I'd also say that if a more detailed and closer scale version of 'the best three hours of fighting ever done by any troops on any battlefield' is what you're after, Herm and I are back at work with VPG to finally do the expanded version of his original Tattered Flags: The Wheatfield game, which uses 100 men per counter, arty sections and a hexless map at 50 yds per inch. The new version will have at least three 11 x 17 sections, and cover a lot more of Hood's attack into the Wheatfield/Devil's den area. Lotsa Gettysburg Gaming in the future, kiddies!

His map from summer storm.

[Ed Anger]

I was thinking about Hammering Sickles. Not enough detail yet to pull the trigger on a pre-order.

Thanks for the heads up. It's by the same guy. I liked his Duel of Eagles.

As Sickles' III Corps troops marched on their way to the Peach Orchard and past the left flank of II Corps, General Hancock observed: "Gentlemen, that is a splendid advance. But those troops will be coming back very soon."

General Hancock.