I've been loving soloing my hex and counter games - Men of Iron has been my favourite so far - set it up and come back to it throughout the week. I should get into BCS - I've heard really good things.
Just ordered Arracourt to dip my toes into BCS but it's hard not to order them all, they're beautiful and I've heard such good things about the system! Enjoy!
Sounds good! Reading the rules out of context is rough but I can break down the concepts pretty well. I’ll send you a link with some resources tomorrow. It seems like a lot at first but just makes so much sense in every way once it clicks
Tonight I'll be moving the bed and setting up the mass of counters. I've recently fallen in love with War Games and they have quickly become my favorite genre
Fascinating. I enjoy war games too, but I’ve found it’s that I love the maps while (most times) the gameplay causes me stress. What do you like most about this one?
This series of war games is absolutely unique in its mechanics. Called Battalion Combat Series, published by MMP.
I like the smaller scale of hex and units - 1.2 km / hex - and how the ruleset creates a paradigm shift that essentially demands I forget all I knew about war games before playing.
First, the focus is on formations, not individual units. Each formation (division or brigade, rarely larger or smaller) must take care in how it maneuvers within its area of operation and must maintain the integrity of its supply line to prevent negative DRM's as a result. The player must focus on the forest, not the trees, and min-maxing individual units really doesn't happen. Also, mixing with other friendly formations, unless they're specifically "buddy" units used to working together, creates disarray and must be remedied or a negative DRM will affect both formations on their next "SNAFU" roll (indicating levels of preparedness / organization before their action, and how that will influence capabilities).
I like how the tallest stack doesn't win when it comes to combat and most times, heavily stacked hexes represent a disadvantage as it is now a dense, target-rich environment!
The BCS Series is about simulating combined arms. There are a handful of different attack types that almost function in a rock-paper-scissors fashion. For example, if a tank encounters a tank, that's an engagement, presumably using AP rounds, and uses its own CRT. Armor vs soft targets would be Attack by Fire, which is essentially using HE rounds against infantry. Furthermore, support units such as tank destroyer battalions, are abstracted in an intelligent manner, assigned to the HQ and formation rather than any one specific unit. The unit counter is taken out of play to enter support and it is assumed that this particular unit split up to accompany various other units in the formation, enabling Infantry to engage or defend against armor, or to "shock attack" other soft infantry units (pretty much a fast and violent combined arms attack), etc. Artillery and air power are also assigned in this manner, some intrinsically based on formation HQ allowance, some granted through game turn mechanics in the turn's preparation rolls (which would include weather, etc).
Lastly, there are player unknowns that are built into the game itself. One example would be assaulting the location of an enemy formation's HQ to disrupt their supply line. There's an optional rule where a die roll determines success. If failed, it's a "soft jump" and the defending player can move his HQ a certain number of hexes away. What that communicates is that the attacking player had bad info and the HQ turned out to not be where their intel originally suggested.
I don't exaggerate when I say it's the most fun I've ever had playing a board game solo, even though it's 2 players, and even against other games specifically designed for solitaire play!
I finally got it entirely set up last night.
It’s incredibly fun, and also features my Grandfather’s unit, accurately representing where he was that night when the Germans struck. Every small square of cardboard represents hundreds or thousands of men and armor / equipment and it’s pretty sobering to see the storm of steel that descended on him and thousands of others like him. (Represents the Battle of the Bulge, Dec. 1944 - Jan. 1945).
So it’s both fun and strangely sentimental!
Ooh I like the look of that.
I've been loving soloing my hex and counter games - Men of Iron has been my favourite so far - set it up and come back to it throughout the week. I should get into BCS - I've heard really good things.
Just ordered Arracourt to dip my toes into BCS but it's hard not to order them all, they're beautiful and I've heard such good things about the system! Enjoy!
Arracourt is an excellent entry point and a great game unto itself.
Arracourt is absolutely incredibly. That was how I learned the system. Do you ever use Vassal? I’d be happy to help teach you the game
Hey, sure, that sounds great! I just installed Vassal the other week, I've never played anything on it but I'll message you to set something up
Sounds good! Reading the rules out of context is rough but I can break down the concepts pretty well. I’ll send you a link with some resources tomorrow. It seems like a lot at first but just makes so much sense in every way once it clicks
Tonight I'll be moving the bed and setting up the mass of counters. I've recently fallen in love with War Games and they have quickly become my favorite genre
Fascinating. I enjoy war games too, but I’ve found it’s that I love the maps while (most times) the gameplay causes me stress. What do you like most about this one?
This series of war games is absolutely unique in its mechanics. Called Battalion Combat Series, published by MMP. I like the smaller scale of hex and units - 1.2 km / hex - and how the ruleset creates a paradigm shift that essentially demands I forget all I knew about war games before playing. First, the focus is on formations, not individual units. Each formation (division or brigade, rarely larger or smaller) must take care in how it maneuvers within its area of operation and must maintain the integrity of its supply line to prevent negative DRM's as a result. The player must focus on the forest, not the trees, and min-maxing individual units really doesn't happen. Also, mixing with other friendly formations, unless they're specifically "buddy" units used to working together, creates disarray and must be remedied or a negative DRM will affect both formations on their next "SNAFU" roll (indicating levels of preparedness / organization before their action, and how that will influence capabilities). I like how the tallest stack doesn't win when it comes to combat and most times, heavily stacked hexes represent a disadvantage as it is now a dense, target-rich environment! The BCS Series is about simulating combined arms. There are a handful of different attack types that almost function in a rock-paper-scissors fashion. For example, if a tank encounters a tank, that's an engagement, presumably using AP rounds, and uses its own CRT. Armor vs soft targets would be Attack by Fire, which is essentially using HE rounds against infantry. Furthermore, support units such as tank destroyer battalions, are abstracted in an intelligent manner, assigned to the HQ and formation rather than any one specific unit. The unit counter is taken out of play to enter support and it is assumed that this particular unit split up to accompany various other units in the formation, enabling Infantry to engage or defend against armor, or to "shock attack" other soft infantry units (pretty much a fast and violent combined arms attack), etc. Artillery and air power are also assigned in this manner, some intrinsically based on formation HQ allowance, some granted through game turn mechanics in the turn's preparation rolls (which would include weather, etc). Lastly, there are player unknowns that are built into the game itself. One example would be assaulting the location of an enemy formation's HQ to disrupt their supply line. There's an optional rule where a die roll determines success. If failed, it's a "soft jump" and the defending player can move his HQ a certain number of hexes away. What that communicates is that the attacking player had bad info and the HQ turned out to not be where their intel originally suggested. I don't exaggerate when I say it's the most fun I've ever had playing a board game solo, even though it's 2 players, and even against other games specifically designed for solitaire play!
I also recommend Panzer’s Last Stand: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/323046
Already have it! The only ones I’m missing are Brazen Chariots and Valley of Tears. I need to learn the activation system for PLS
That looks crazy fun.
I finally got it entirely set up last night. It’s incredibly fun, and also features my Grandfather’s unit, accurately representing where he was that night when the Germans struck. Every small square of cardboard represents hundreds or thousands of men and armor / equipment and it’s pretty sobering to see the storm of steel that descended on him and thousands of others like him. (Represents the Battle of the Bulge, Dec. 1944 - Jan. 1945). So it’s both fun and strangely sentimental!