You can view Part I of this article here.

Movement

With air recon complete it’s time to move any/all of your blocks into position for the attack!  Block movement remains the same as in the 2-player game. 

Combat

The solitaire combat sequence has a small departure from the 2-player game where artillery is committed and resolved before you send your boys “Over the Top!”  Solitaire combat requires you, the player, to commit to all of your attacks and add any artillery to those attacks before checking to see how the AI responds.  The combined value of your blocks and artillery equal the strength of your attack.  Attacks are resolved in order from your strongest to weakest.  This prevents “gaming” of the system with little attacks away from the real objectives.  The AI is far more likely to match strength for strength but it is by no means a certainty.  Much like a human player might.

Solitaire Combat Sequence

1. Place all of your artillery counters
2. Declare which hexes you will initiate infantry combat
3. In all hexes where combat is declared, complete steps 4-7. Complete 4-7 in its entirety in one hex before going to the next. Resolve hexes in order of greatest allied total block CV + artillery to least.
4. Check artillery response table for hexes w/artillery or combat declared
5. Determine CP block CV in each infantry combat hex
6. Check for CP reinforcement
7. Resolve artillery fire
8. Resolve infantry combat. 

Artillery response by the AI is checked using the “Artillery Response Tables.”

Step 1: Do the Central Powers Respond?

• Begin with the hex with the highest combined total value of Allied artillery counters and attacking block CV.
• For each hex, roll 1d6 adding any DRM.
• Cross reference die result with the total value of CP artillery counters in the “Available Box.”  If the result is “N”, no CP counters are added.  If, “Yes (Y)” go to the next step (2).

Step 2: How Much Do They Respond With?

• Roll 1d6 adding any DRM.
• Cross reference die result with the total value of CP artillery counters in the “Available Box.”  The result is the total CP artillery counter value added to the hex.

As with air squadrons, you are placing the Central Powers artillery from the solo player board to the map as you go. Once all artillery is placed, it’s time to reveal blocks and fight! 

Here’s that important table again.  A glance at it tells you that 46 Central Powers block CV remains hidden to you.  Important number…

How to Determine the Central Powers Strength in a Hex

Roll 3d6 and cross reference with the amount of CP block CV not yet revealed this turn.  Place Central Powers block CV face up in the hex equal to the result. 

     

The Maximum Result

Maximum results are determined by the number of blocks not revealed by air recon.

Blue = max value if only one block    Lt Red = max if only two blocks.

Here is where air recon becomes so helpful.  Let’s say for example you are attacking the hex where 2 blocks have already been revealed by air recon.  I’ll toss 3d6… 14!  You cross reference 14 with the 41+ column (46 remain hidden) and the result is 36.  If you were attacking this hex blindly, you’d now place 3 blocks with a sum total of 36.  With only one block left to reveal, thank you air recon, your result can not exceed the blue.  Instead of 36, you place 1 block with a value of 10.  The grand total in the hex would only be 14.

Tell the Truth!

Have you read this far without thinking about how to “game” the system?  That’s how I think. I thought of you.

The AI has another limitation set by the size of your attack.  Attacks with Allied CV <6 may never exceed the 13-16 column and attacks with Allied CV< 15 may never exceed the 25-28 column.  This prevents the AI from dropping 40 where you attack with 4.  Keeping the AI from overreacting and allowing players to get it out of position with small suicidal attacks was the very first “gamey” tactic I worked to avoid.  To date it has worked very well. 

“Okay, I’ll just attack every hex with 14 CV and hope to roll low”

I thought of this also and have installed one final fail safe into the system…

Central Powers Reinforcement Check

After all of the Central Powers blocks are revealed, if the Central Powers has any logistic points, a reinforcement check is made.  First, you determine the ratio of Allied to Central block CV rounding down.  Then roll 1d6 on the CP Reinforcement Check Table.  If yes, you add 5 Central Powers block CV to the hex.  Reduce CP logistic points by one and be sure to adjust the Central Powers Block CV Table! 

A reinforcement of 5 may not sound like much, but in practice it has saved the Central Powers bacon countless times.

Artillery Fire and Combat

Artillery fire and combat resolve following the core rules and affect the Central Powers Block Combat Value Table in one of two ways.    In this example you are making 2 attacks. 

Attack #1 (skull 1):  Hits scored against the Central Powers reduce both the “Total CV” and the “Revealed CV” since all hits are taken by revealed blocks.  While decreasing the size of the enemy, it does not increase our knowledge of where he is.

 

Attack #2 (skull 2): Hits scored with artillery only attacks against hidden blocks only reduce the “Total CV.” This narrows the gap between the known and the unknown. 

 

Breakout Move

The opportunity for a breakout move arises when combat clears a hex of enemy blocks.  You expend a tank counter for the move.  The position on the “Tanks” technology track determines how large your breakout may be.  As a quick design note, the “Tank” technology represents development of tanks, Sturmtruppen, and other infiltration tactics used in the mid to late war to help achieve breakouts. 

Breakthrough at Cambrai!

In this example, a hex has been cleared of the enemy.  Your tank tech level is 8, allowing you to advance 8 block CV.   A key element to the solitaire game is that no hex is ever considered free of enemy blocks.  This is a departure from the 2-player game where, if your opponent left hexes open he’s in trouble.  The AI is simply a better player than that.  It gives you the feel of what is was like to attack a determined defender who has adopted a defense in depth strategy across the entire front.

Breakout Combat

Blocks that moved during breakout movement may initiate combat in any newly contested hexes or you may just call it good and see how the AI reacts on its turn.

In the Next Article…

In the next article, I’ll explain how the Fog of War is reestablished, how the AI moves and attacks, and how events like the Spring Offensives are modeled.  Until then all of us on the development team want to thank you for your on-going P500 support!

Draft Player Aid

  

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Solitaire System for Fields of Despair Part 1

Solitaire System for Fields of Despair Part 3