Monthly Archives: May 2019

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Normandy ’44 Campaign AAR Part VIII: June 23rd-24th

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The Invasion So Far

The US Army has reached Cherbourg and pierced the perimeter under the direction of VII Corps. After cutting the peninsula XIX Corps has turned south, pushing against Axis troops towards Coutances. VIII Corps is advancing south on the highway to St-lô. V Corps is trying to reach the southern edge of the map to split Axis forces in two lines. The British XXX Corps is helping in this endeavor while UK VII Corps continues the grind against Caen. The I Corps is advancing east trying to surround Caen from that direction.

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Fisher’s Hill: A Death Valley Narrative-Style AAR (Part 2)

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Introduction

This is the second in a three-part after-action report for “Fisher’s Hill”, one of Death Valley‘s 1864 battles. Like its predecessor, it employs a “narrative” style, avoiding game terminology but relying solely on GBACW system mechanics for its details, except for invented dialogue between historical figures. Where not entirely indulgent, the dialogue serves to indicate the rationale behind player decisions. Combat details which do not seem to square with the GBACW rules reflect rules changes in the new edition.

In this way I hope to demonstrate how rich a battle narrative GBACW is capable of conveying. For the sake of continuity, I tend to follow the action in a given sector throughout a specific turn before turning to another sector, rather than bouncing back and forth according to the activation chit draws.

This article covers the scenario’s 1700 turn. The third will cover 1800-1900.

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The Arjuna Chronicles #2: Setup and Overview

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Gandhi ships soon and includes a brand new Solitaire system, called Arjuna, that replaces the flowcharts that have become a staple of the COIN Series. Players who play COIN Solitaire have asked many questions about how the system works – and don’t fear! – COIN Series Developer Jason Carr is here to walk through the design, ergonomics, and play of Arjuna. This installment is the first in a sequence of connected examples of play covering Setup and basic principles of Arjuna.

Gandhi’s Solitaire system, Arjuna, introduces a number of new concepts and repurposes some old concepts, so let’s explore the system while playing an entire campaign of Gandhi. In these examples, I will be playing as the British Raj, seeking to generate support for the British Viceroy throughout India, while maintaining Control over its Cities and Provinces. These two goals are somewhat in tension, as we will see.

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Normandy ’44 Campaign AAR Part VII: June 21st -22nd

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The Invasion So Far…

The Allies spent the first week landing on the beaches, repelling German counter-attacks and pushing inland to gain a viable foot-hold. The second week was spent expanding the bridgeheads while the US and British sectors were united. An ambitious attack by Panzer Lehr was stopped just short of Arromanches and the Mulberry was saved. The US was having trouble at Carentan but managed to link Utah and Omaha. By the end of the third week the US aggressively cut the Peninsula and are attacking Cherbourg, the large port city. As we go into the final week of the Campaign Scenario the Germans are exhausted and nearly incapable of offensive action except for spoiling attacks here and there. There are reinforcements on the horizon but the question is whether it will be too little too late.

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Fisher’s Hill: A Death Valley Narrative-Style AAR (Part 1)

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As a counterpart to the after-action report for the Death Valley scenario, “Carroll Burns the Bridge”, which appeared several months ago in this blog, I now offer this first installment of an AAR for one of the game’s 1864 battles, Fisher’s Hill. This one, too, employs a “narrative” style. I believe the GBACW system is detailed enough to produce a narrative rivaling any I read in battle accounts, except, of course, for first-person accounts and anecdotes.

This AAR relies on GBACW system mechanics. I describe only what happens in the game, but generally avoid game terminology for the sake of the narrative. However, I do take plenty of artistic liberty with the historical personalities involved, even to the extent of supplying invented dialogue. Some of these fanciful interludes simulate nothing more than the kind of color commentary we might indulge in while playing face-to-face, but others serve to indicate the rationale behind  player decisions.