tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570039711549278262.post5586472598912307152..comments2024-03-27T21:17:25.335+11:00Comments on The Stronghold Rebuilt: 'Brigadier General' In The Gran ChacoKaptain Koboldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17082772546044655044noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570039711549278262.post-70820592092847973622014-03-19T09:15:31.891+11:002014-03-19T09:15:31.891+11:00A few game reports/walkthroughs on the 'net mi...A few game reports/walkthroughs on the 'net might help; sometimes it's not so much the actual rules that make a game difficult to get into, but how they are played. For example, when our group played 'Maurice' the first few times we found the games very bizarre (albeit fun), and it took a while to understand *how* you were supposed to play the game to give something which reflected reality.Kaptain Koboldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17082772546044655044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570039711549278262.post-21641498122801430522014-03-19T09:12:39.807+11:002014-03-19T09:12:39.807+11:00Thanks for your comments, and especially the clari...Thanks for your comments, and especially the clarifications. I have to say that, since writing the review I have kept looking at the lonely printed-out copy of BGEN on my desk and thinking that, perhaps, I should give it another go.<br /><br />I appreciate what you say about the rules being written for the solo gamer, who can chose how to interpret them. I personally adhere to the idea that *any* rules should be written to as close to a tournament standard as possible to remove any, if not all, ambiguity. Maybe it's the IT professional in me; I treat wargames rules as computer programs, and don't like it when they 'crash' or when I go into 'subroutines' that don't seem to exist. In the case of the supply lines I felt that it's a fairly key mechanism and that it could have done with more clarity. I will probably go for closest point to closest point (which is how command would be measured) as this is easiest to adjudicate.<br /><br />I'm not sure what happened with that fighter getting shot down - maybe I did use the wrong factors, or maybe I allowed the heavy weapons to fire in support. I'm not sure. I think I had an issue with air units in that they can attack an enemy from the side and, technically, units only fire to their front. This allows air units to evade AA fire from their target. I assumed that AA fire was all-round. <br /><br />'Engaged' did have me puzzled; again, it's a matter of simple clarity - it's a key term and needed to be defined. Thanks for clarifying it.<br /><br />I certainly wouldn't bother with the AI matrix in future games; it was that which had the Fighter launching itself at a big block of enemy in the first place :)<br /><br />With air units I did find that the enemy HQ was the obvious target on every turn. Obviously with all-round AA it should be easy to support the HQ.<br /><br />As I said in the review or comments, I never quite feel that the DBx system does very well for any style of post-medieval warfare, but I appreciate that it's a useful and well-known mechanism which people are familiar with. I use it for my own South American Napoleonics games for example, despite its weaknesses.<br /><br />I realise my review does seem very negative, but I did find I was struggling to enjoy the game (however see above). Let me take this opportunity to say that I do appreciate anyone who takes the time and effort to write rules. You'll see that I have a few sets of my own on this blog, so I understand that it's not easy to write something that gives a good game, is easy to follow and is unambiguous. I spend a lot of time refining and rewriting in order to maximise clarity and remove ambiguity, and bits still get through. There's always a tricky balance to be struck between concise and complete.Kaptain Koboldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17082772546044655044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570039711549278262.post-11274540628137941142014-03-19T07:32:44.088+11:002014-03-19T07:32:44.088+11:00Hi Kaptain, I am sorry you had a unfavorable first...Hi Kaptain, I am sorry you had a unfavorable first impression of my game. As I mentioned in the intro it's not a complicated game and yes quite abstract. And as you have gleaned I am a DBx gamer, particularly HotT. Yes you are 100% right I could have used the help of an editor. Thank you for your review it helped greatly with my FAQ over on my BGEN forum. I wanted to address some of the points you made in your review. <br /><br />First on the AI matrix, you stated that you gave up and took command of your OPFOR. This is what I suggested in the rules. "To conduct both sides from the viewpoint of a commander." As mentioned in the Section 2 use the AI as a guideline.<br /><br />Lets clear up some confusion on Rally. You mentioned that you were confused if a unit were eligible to rally based on being in any type of combat that turn. Note that Rally is itself a turn phase and the rules state in Section 5.6 that you may rally units that are not "engaged" in combat, at that time. In other words if during the Rally Phase a unit is in base contact combat then it may not rally at that time.<br /><br />Group movement is mentioned in Section 6.1 Tactical Movement. All groups move as one at the speed of the slowest unit. As a side note I had originally placed a combat bonus to artillery vs. groups but took this out. <br /><br />On your statements about the similarity of 12 elements and opposed die rolls let me say this. As mentioned in the game you can play with as few 10 (one could field 6 with a single d6 as the cohesion die but it would be a very quick game.) or as many as 18 (at one point we had tested 20 but it was too clunky so it was reduced to 18 with 3 cohesion dice.) Look at the cohesion dice total, if you have 2 then their max score is 12, hence 12 elements. If 3 cohesion dice then max score is 18, hence 18 elements. On the opposed die rolls it seemed so much simpler since this is a solo-wargame to keep dice rolling to a minimum and yes I love DBx.<br /><br />On supply lines, please remember that this is not a tournament game with strict rules to adhere to. It's a solo game and one usually finds that their solo wargame buddy is a very accommodating chap. Imagine your supply line running from your HQ to your field units, has an enemy blocked one of these lines? If so no rally until someone moves or the enemy unit is destroyed.<br /><br />Also on breaking off from combat, that can be dangerous. This is described in Section 8.3.1 if you lose the break off attempt you take a FP and are still stuck in combat.<br /><br />Also you mentioned that your infantry shot down a Fighter Airplane by tripling it's score. Looking at your picture you have the infantry with a score of 6 on the die and the fighter with a 1. The infantry CF vs Air units is only +1 so their score would be 7. The Fighter would have a total score of 3. The result was the same that the fighter was destroyed but your assessment of it was a bit incorrect, doubled not tripled.<br /><br />I really like your game pictures and I have been considering gaming the Chaco War, now you've convinced me! I do hope that you might find time again one day to give my game another try. I am an amatuer game writer with a small miniatures line operating out of my home wargame room so I understand if you simply cannot because my game is abstract and of humble production. I do thank you for rebuilding the Stronghold, it's a great resource!<br /><br />Cheers, Auston.Auston Jeff Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01510209818428843584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570039711549278262.post-91544118897896823282014-02-26T16:17:54.191+11:002014-02-26T16:17:54.191+11:00Not yet, but I have to say that I'm not a fan ...Not yet, but I have to say that I'm not a fan of the DBA system for 'modern' warfare - I like his Memoir of Battle rules or something akin to the Portable Wargame, and that's the route I will probably go down. I have put a few ideas together, and will test them out when I get a chance.<br />Kaptain Koboldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17082772546044655044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570039711549278262.post-18594976361018617112014-02-26T15:26:03.476+11:002014-02-26T15:26:03.476+11:00Have you tried Bob Cordery's Chaco rules? If ...Have you tried Bob Cordery's Chaco rules? If so, di you enjoy them?<br /><br />Best regards,<br /><br />ChrisChrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05091296131481416326noreply@blogger.com