In Part 1 of this AAR we saw the first two turns of Frédéric Serval’s Red Flag Over Paris. The Paris Commune, played by me, had a very poor first turn, and was almost wiped out by Fred’s Versailles Government. In the second turn I was able to make a comeback, but I am still behind on both scoring dimensions (Military and Political). There are two turns left (turn three plus the Final Crisis round) for me try and save the Commune!
Red Flag Over Paris, designed by Frédéric Serval, is a new lunchtime CDG presenting the clash between the Paris Commune and the Versailles Government in the spring of 1871. The game takes place over three regular turns and a fourth “final crisis” turn, here representing the brutal suppression of the Commune during the “Bloody Week” of 21st-28th May 1871. Historically this resulted in the defeat of the Commune, but of course this time things might go differently! Today I will be playing as the Paris Commune against Fred’s Versailles Government and trying to avoid my historical fate.
Saludos, damas y caballeros—We arrive at our final installment of Phil Dreher’s full-length scenario replay of Levy & Campaign Series Volume II, Almoravid. In this final chapter, Phil’s opponent on the Christian side John Campbell joins him for their wrap-up reflections on Volume II, their campaigning, and strategy lessons. As before, all art here is playtest only and all game details described provisional rather than authoritative.
Welcome back—we return to the pageantry of medieval Spain! In this second of three parts drawn from a live Levy & Campaign playtest, Phil Dreher reports on his Muslims’ climactic year against John Campbell’s Christians in the 1085-1086
scenario of Almoravid, via Vassal magic by Miguel Ángel Sánchez Galán and Peter Wagner.
Who will break the stalemate of the Zaragoza border war? Is Rodrigo El Cid Campeador—back in King Alfonso’s grace—bound for great deeds or merely the menace of Muslim shepherds? Will León, Castilla, and Aragón develop the military pressure to extract tribute gold in Parias dinars? Or will the emirs bow to call in to the Almoravids of Africa? And then what great clash of arms might smash or reset the Taifa mosaic of al-Andalus?
Phil’s thoughts mainly relevant to playtest rather than narrative appear in italics. [Volko adds explanatory and design-related comments in brackets.] All art is playtest only and all game details provisional not authoritative. In Part III to come, we will sample the testers’ observations and reactions to the gameplay.
Join us for a saga out of medieval Spain! We present here only lightly edited an internal playtest report from Levy & Campaign Series’ Volume II, Almoravid. Phil Dreher authored the report, playing the Muslims against John Campbell as the Christians.
They ran through the full-length scenario over several days in April 2020, entirely via a playtest Vassal module created by Miguel Ángel Sánchez Galán and Peter Wagner.
While it may be challenging to follow every detail of the action below without full knowledge of the game, the replay gives vivid insight not only into decisions and consequences over the epic course of Almoravid’s two-year scenario but also into testers’ inputs to and impact on the game’s ongoing development. Phil’s thoughts more relevant to playtest rather than to the after-action narrative itself appear in italics. Volko adds explanatory and design-related comments [italicized in brackets]. All art is playtest only and rules provisional not final.
For those of you interested in learning more about one of our newer P500 offerings, The Barracks Emperors, here are a some notes from Brad and Wray as well as a few videos for you to enjoy. -Rachel
Lowering his head, the Commander slumps back into the gulley – this battle is lost. He has failed to take the high ground, and worse – the Germans have a commanding view of the field of battle, and are moving up additional tanks and infantry to secure their lines.
“Get ready to fall back, we need to get out of here!” He shouts to his crew. They grab the wounded driver and slowly and carefully make their way back to some better cover. Tanks are retreating, the battle is lost. Soon they leave their cover and continue their way back to the rear as darkness falls. Tired, bruised and demoralized, they stumble along until finally reaching a first aid station. The driver is conscious but needs blood; the rest of the crew is essentially uninjured.
The Commander leaves his men and makes his way back to HQ to debrief the General. How to tell him that he lost the battle? He will be lucky to survive this meeting…
Fire erupts from the barrels of the Panther and PZ IV nearly simultaneously as they open up on the T-34/85, which is creeping further into the building. The Commander sees one shot impact the T-34/85 in the hull between the driver and Assistant driver! No smoke or flames, but how bad is the damage? The other round just misses, the small movement throwing off the aim of the Panther.
Behind him the SU-100 fires at the Panther again – another hit but it bounces off the sloped armor again! They need to flank him!
The T-34/76 moves into another building and has a nice flanking position on the Panther – if they hurry they can get a shot in before the Panther can move! This may be our chance to take out that Panther!
A round whistles past the T-34/76 – the Stug took a shot after it had stopped but missed.
The T-34/85 just sits there, how bad is it damaged?
The Commander looks around, but the situation is dim. The end of the day is approaching, the Germans control the high ground, and his tanks have been unable to dislodge the Panzers. If we can make one last push before nightfall, we just may be able to drive them off the hills. Attack!
Coughing from the acrid smoke that envelopes his men, the Commander realizes that they are going to lose this battle unless they can kill the Panther and Stug that have captured the high ground in front of him. And they need to do it soon as German reinforcements have been spotted moving towards the hills. They command the battlefield from there and are laying waste to his men. Fortunately the two German Panzers appear to have lost targets as they just sit there, exposed.
The SU-100 behind him opens up, nearly knocking him into the side of the gulley. He sees the round impact the Panther in the Hull and bounce off! The angle from the hill was just enough to deflect the round! That Panther…
Behind him the T-34/85 moves up and moves into a building when a round bounces off the hull! The PZ IV has him in his sights, but fortunately that round failed to penetrate.
The T-34/76 appears to have spotted the Stug and is preparing to shoot. Hurry up! Hurry up!
“The Panther and PZ IV are zeroing in on the T-34/85!” he hears his Loader shout out. Looking at the hills, he sees both tanks lining up shots on the T-34-85!
The Commander can only watch as the T-34/76 comes to a sudden stop, mud spraying. Get out of there! But it is too late – the Panther’s gun barrel settles in, aimed at the T-34/76. He isn’t sure what came first, the sound of the shot or the explosion as the T-34/76’s hatches blow clean off and the turret is lifted up! Incredulously, two men crawl out and drop to the ground next to the destroyed tank.
This attack is falling apart.
A shell whistles past his head, and another explosion rocks the earth, throwing dirt and debris into the gully where he and his men are desperately searching for better cover. Looking at the T-34/85, he sees that the turret is blown off the hull – there isn’t much left. There’s no way anyone survived that.
“I think the PZ IV went into those woods over there” the gunner shouts above the din, pointing to the right. Looking back to the battlefield, he is unable to see the PZ IV.
Behind him, the SU-100 manages to find a small depression in the field, only the superstructure is visible. He sees the SU-100’s cannon adjust, taking aim at the Panther! Fire! Fire!!!
A T-34/76 and T-34/85 appear further to the rear, additional meat for the meat grinder. How much more of this can we take?
