Presentation
92 page PDF by Nordic Weasel - available on Wargames Vault for $12.99, minimal images but fairly sensible layout. About 1/3rd is campaign rules. No QRS.
Set-Up
Operation Martlet Scenario 4 - Striking at St Nicholas. The Germans have now added an IG37 infantry support gun. The rules have no explicit scale, but all long-arm weapons have unlimited range, so probably more like 10/20m per square than 30m. No close/effective range either. Although designed for the Modern period the rules include bolt-action rifles and Brens, so no conversion needed.
How It Played
No. 3 Section started off, patrolling along the S flank til they got hit by 3. Gruppen on the hedge line. One man down, adverse morale test and scurried back to where they came. Cromwell came forward to support, put some MG and 76mm HE into the hedge-lines, but really only suppressed. The Panzer IV seized its chance, did a quick and long drive into a shooting position and disabled the Cromwell tracks. The 6pdr returned fire and took the Panzer out. A Panzerfaust team in the hedges tried to take the Cromwell but it was front on and the round bounced off.
Meanwhile No. 1 Section was heading across the N flank through the wood, but as they approached the farm came under sustained fire from the MG42 in the attic rooms. Before long the whole Section was suppressed - with the IG pouring fire in from the flank not helping.
The Pl Comd finally called down smoke in the S and No. 4 Section went to help No 3 Section which had still been pinned. No. 4 was slow off the mark though and No. 3 was still not at the enemy by the time the smoke cleared. The static Cromwell hoped shoot them in though and a handful of No. 3 Section finally made contact with a handful of defenders. The Brits won and the Germans pulled back.
Meanwhile No.2 Section had also been advancing through the woods, and with all the fire being directed at No. 1 Section was able to get up to the farm walls without casualty (a short range German shoot missed totally). Grenades were lobbed in, Germans stunned, and No. 2 Section stormed through the openings. The melee wasn't as quick as planned but finally the Germans gave way, and the MG42 team and Zug OK fled the farm.
End game time, No. 2 Section turned its fire S on 2. Gruppen in the central field, with No.4 and No.3 Section also putting in fire from the flank. 2. Gruppen struggled to get people out of pinned, especially those caught in the open, and finally No. 4 Section stormed into melee with them and it was game over.
Rules Impression
No End In Sight has a really cracking command and control system - probably the best yet for giving you a section commander's feel for a Platoon battle. Sides alternate activations, and can activate one commander, who gets D6-Stress action points, each of which can activate upto 3 men (if close) or remove 1 pinned, and a few other things. But each activation gives the NCO one more Stress, and if they role modified 0 or less they are "exhausted" and have to wait the next turn. The next turn only happens when everyone (voluntarily or mandated) is exhausted, and 3 Stress are instantly recovered by NCO.
The next effect is that you tend to focus the battle on one bit of the field at a time, with opposing NCOs fighting it out, and spending an increasingly meagre AP as best they can, removing a pin here, pushing a couple of guys forward there - all within the context of the larger game. Excellent.
The under-fire Morale test was nice - forcing No. 3 Section back with the first shots, and as the rules warn whilst units are often pin soldiers are more rarely killed than in other rules. I did find pinning easy to recover from though - although I suppose since the NCO is using activations up to do that they still can't then do much (can't recover pin and fight in same activation).
There were rules for most situations in there, including lots of building and vehicle ones. However some had less depth so you might be forced to improvise. Nice grenade rules (luckily none of No.3 Section's bounced off the door frame?). The tank combat rules have an annoying "silent" result on a roll of 4 which is meant to keep people guessing and require a reroll next turn, and I just kept rolling 4s!
The core combat system is dice heavy, shock dice per man, +2 for LMG, then half that many dice for Kill (a Nordic Weasel trope), so that's 15 dice for an 8/9 man section, then need to reroll Kills if in cover. Not my ideal, esp with 2 different types.
The under-fire Morale test was nice - forcing No. 3 Section back with the first shots, and as the rules warn whilst units are often pin soldiers are more rarely killed than in other rules. I did find pinning easy to recover from though - although I suppose since the NCO is using activations up to do that they still can't then do much (can't recover pin and fight in same activation).
There were rules for most situations in there, including lots of building and vehicle ones. However some had less depth so you might be forced to improvise. Nice grenade rules (luckily none of No.3 Section's bounced off the door frame?). The tank combat rules have an annoying "silent" result on a roll of 4 which is meant to keep people guessing and require a reroll next turn, and I just kept rolling 4s!
The core combat system is dice heavy, shock dice per man, +2 for LMG, then half that many dice for Kill (a Nordic Weasel trope), so that's 15 dice for an 8/9 man section, then need to reroll Kills if in cover. Not my ideal, esp with 2 different types.
No comments:
Post a Comment