First Playtest Test Game of IABNM

FINALLY got the group together yesterday for a Playtest of IABNM.  Long story short the entire group had fun (despite the scenario being an unbalanced dog and my forgetting about fire and move - NEXT game at Fall-In will take care of that).

Below is a pic of the table layout from the attacking Russian Viewpoint (up to the tree line is all woods)

Opening card rounds of the first turn - Russians tried to spot the US (far tree line) and managed a single spot to see the Blind (hey! those look like IABSM cards filling in for IABNM cards...)  In return the US side spotted two platoons Russian tanks.

And the Russians score the first kill!  An M2 Bradley is taken out by a 125mm round from a T80.  The Bradleys had previously fired on the T80s and missed - the tanks were within 18" of the TOW's minimum range and combined with the targeted tanks moving back into the woods made it a very bad chance to hit.   Vehicles that have not yet had a turn can react to missile fire - those with held actions can fire back before the missile attack strikes home.   Before the tanks were done all 4 Bradleys would be toast.

The infantry part of the Bradley platoon were in the next woods line over, they opened up with their Dragon missile launchers - and also missed.  A single Russian tank returned fire on a bonus card and managed to Suppress 3 stands (all within 2" of target) and killed a single figure.

Soon after the previous picture a Platoon of M1A1 tanks gets a turn and it puts a nasty spin on the Russians.  They managed to destroy 5 of 10 T80 tanks on the field.    (Final pic shows that.).  The Russians get two AGS-17 auto grenade launchers into action and they chew up the US infantry platoon in the woods...  One squad totally gone and another so badly off that it can't do anything.

Some real fun starts here.  The Russians use their smoke dischargers to create a smoke wall and run up their left flank.  (I ruled the smoke blocked even the TI imagers of the US - experimental hot smoke - I could not find the rule for TI in the rule book when I needed it, unprepared Umpire strikes again).  The US HQ platoon and second Bradley platoon respond by repositioning and chasing after the T80s!  Two Bradleys managed to get on the rear of the straggling T80s and managed to annoy one (it had to stop and fire at the Bradley that shot it) and the other one was suppressed and suffered 2 shock - which would leave it with no actions on it's next activation).  This pic also shows the remain of the US Infantry platoon.

At that point we called it a game.  The Russians were in a very bad way - below is the remains of the starting lineup - 5 tanks dead, one of them stuck (I forget why), one of the AGS-17 launchers blasted by the Abrams tanks and the other one with 2 dead crew and suppressed.  Oh yeah!  That batch of white smoke slightly off by itself from the rest - a Russian heroic leader card allowed that APC to break cover and try to fire at an Abrams's exposed back side (normally no moving and shooting a missile) but another Abrams was on overwatch and blasted it before it got off the shot (I allowed a roll-off to see if the Abrams shot first and the Abrams player hot dice stuck again).  This pic also shows the smoke screen made by repeated firing of Smoke Dischargers.  Russians did this till the M1s view was blocked by woods...

This was an easy first game to get used to Missiles really, which are an interesting take in IABNM vs the regular fire rules in IABSM.  Too close and they can't fire, and you need to be a ways beyond that for them to be effective.  From now on our group is going to use centimeters rather than inches in order to allow the needed distance and still have room for maneuver.

Combat is DEADLY in IABNM compared to IABSM - the guns are bigger and the smaller ones usually come in the autocannon variety.  The armor penetration has been revamped - you compare the armor value (with separate stats for front, side, rear, and top - very nice!) and then roll two dice on the effects chart using a modifier.  All the players in our group liked that change from IABSM.

Next up is another game in 2 weeks at Fall-In.  This time with Arty and Helicopter thrown in to the mix and using Centimeters instead of inches.

Commands and Colors Napoleonics first game(s).

Played the first two scenarios of Commands and Color Napoleonics, at this rate the name Wellington will be lost to history...

First game was Rolica, French First Position.

First the Setup, I was the hapless Wellesley

My Cavalry (that lone block between the woods) charged the guns with a charge card, and was soundly beaten back with a first strike card, OWW!

The british manage to punish the French a good bit - pushing them off the hill and taking a Victory Point.  Things are looking up!

On the bottom left the french finished off the horse arty and the attached leader, game over.  If the leader had lived  the British would have moved in to take a victory up at the top right, close but not close enough!

The second game was Rolica, French Second Position.  I was once again some guy lost to history, name of Wellesley or something like that...  Once again the setup first.

With some good cards I launch for line infantry units for melee attacks on the french guns and infantry on the left flank.  the guns are destroyed and the infantry retreated.

I end up losing all those units (4 of them but not the leader) and only take out 3 enemy units - but I had destroyed all of his guns giving me a range advantage if I played it right.

Things are still going well if I retreat those light infantry.

Game over!  I tried a 3 unit attack, 1 with cavalry and 2 with the foot arty and the remains of the infantry you see on the bottom right.  The French had 2 First Strike cards - smashing both of my units.  The light infantry on the hill was eliminated as the last act of the game giving the French 4 victory flags.

The game is light on simulation but very fun  and quick playing (2 games completed and rules leaned in 5 hours).  I highly recommend it as a starter game.  I wonder how much variation there is between different games in the series (Ancients, Battle Cry) so I will read up on the rules for the ancients title to find out.

It Never Snows turn 5, 6, 8, and the wrap up.

On Saturday the 13th of September Lawrence and I finished up the It Never Snows game we had been playing, we called it at the end of allied turn 8.  The Germans felt like a punching bag and the wonky rules were getting to be a bit much for such a time investment.

Completed Turn 5 of It Never Snows last month (yup a bit behind on updates...)

Allied Turn, the 82nd is cutoff from supply...

Red Devils form a perimiter.

XXX Corps lined up on the road.

XXX Corps makes it across the Grave Bridge!  Lucky bridge roll back at Zon.  Another one of the quirky items in the rules - a bridge unit can create a bridge on the same turn it uses road movement.  Rules specify it has to start the movement phase adjacent to the river - which it did, after the road movement.

German turn 5
Germans make a push to cut the highway, never really having a chance.

Red Devils are now surrounded.

Germans manage to cut the Grave Bridge off, but not for long.

The 101 with its tank support start clearing out the Valkensward area.
Also this turn the Germans managed to destroy the second bridge unit (bad placement on my part - allowing a german unit to overrun it)

Turn 6  (forgot to take pictures after the German turn, sorry about that)

101 area, the fighting is fierce but the Germans don't really have any chance.

Red Devils still encircled.  Pushing the attack does not really help the Germans all that much but they do close in on their turns 6 and 7.

The Zon bridge is cleared but there is no highway bridge to the Nijmegan area...

Turn 8  (end of Allied turn pics)

The Germans cut the last remaining heavy bridge heading to Nijmegan, XXX Corps comes out the crossing from the Nijmegan side of the river (they are not allowed to cross the river to the other side due to zone line restrictions) while units of the 101 and 82 fight on the other side.

The way into Nijmegan.  On Turn 7 the Allies bombed German units that had a ZOC (with airpower) across the railroad bridge.  Managed to get one hit which removed the ZOC and DGd that stack.  Thus allowing XXX corps to cross and create a strong line.  This also put most of the 82nd back in supply.  Turn 8 the Allies started clearing Nijmegan but rolled losts of 2s 3s and 4s...

The Pols land and spread out (oops, no movement when landing in Polder,silly rule)

The German threat near entry area B (Eindhoven) is pretty much done.  Much of 101 would be moved to clear up the bridge to the 82nd.

At this point we called the game.  In our opinion the game just did not work and was not worth the time investment to keep playing.  The DUKWs were about to get up to the Nijmegan area and could have crossed the rivers with ease.  The highway movement rules don't do much to allow movement up and down the main highway but DO allow a unit to snake around the roads if each crossroad is not guarded, with the ability of unit to road move and then regular move and attack it just felt silly.  Add into that the inability of the airborne units to do anything if they land in polder (and thus not manage to reach places they reached in the actual operation).  Last and not least the German player felt like a punching bag - he had very few powerful units and without them an attack is not really possible.

So I picked up Monty's Gamble Market Garden and plan to give it and Hell's Highway a try.

Abrams Charge, ASL Scenario SG1

Played ASL scenario SG1 with Robert today, and a wild turn of luck it ended up being!  Robert had to leave early so we just played it fast and without thinking too hard...

End of Allied Turn 1

Allies Enter the board.  A German squad fires a Psk from the top left building, and rolls an 11 running it out of ammo.  The Germans in the tower have LOS to the US 9-2 (DOH!) and manages to break the 9-2 and his infantry.  (DOH!)

End of German Turn 1

Note to self, bunching up with Arty around is stupid, another note - it is REALLY stupid.  German puts arty right down in a clump of tanks and infantry.  It immobs two tanks, wounds the hero and breaks some infantry.  The guy in the steeple went downstairs but that was still in LOS of the 105 which shoots and misses. A panther, just on the right side of the picture moves around to get shots on the Shermans but does not fire.

End of Allied Turn 2

Shermans Charge!  Shermans first head for the Panther at the top left.  First out the gate gets hit and killed by the Panther.  The next one took the spot adjacent to it and the one after that is 2 hexes away.  The gun at the top of the board is a 20L and fired at the Sherman nearest it, no effect.
Off to the left (Sorry, did not catch that in the picture...) a 76L sherman with the 8-1 leader went after a stug that was there, the stug had already fired at one of the Shermans above and missed.  Stug turned and fired (intensive), killing the 8-1 and my 76L armed sherman...
The 10-2 leader and his sherman went adjacent and CE, fired and took out the Stug (nearly had to reveal it was a 10-2, after rolling a 9 to hit 10 -1(size), -1(moved) -1(other part of moved) +2(range) = 9.  The shot killed the Stug and set it on fire.
Running out of time so I just rushed a bunch of guys forward, ended up pinning two leaders (the 7-0 and 8-1 in the middle) and the DC guys charged the Panther at the bottom right, the 9-2 led group made it adjacent and then I didn't place the DC! (DOH!).  My other bunch of Shermans charged that panther as well, the one under the OBA started and turned two hex sides and ended up dead for his trouble (KIA).  The other 4 Shermans made it adjacent (2 of them) and in LOS for next turn.  The 9-2 made it into CC with the Panther along with the 2 half squads.  In CC the 9-2 led HS rolled a 5 Immobing the Panther, while the Sn rolled an 8 so no use.  Panther crew passed MC to stay in the vehicle.

End of Game

By the end of this we were both laughing.
First off the Panther at the top left rolled a 6 on the repair attempt so broke his MA.
then he fired with the Immob panther at the bottom right on the adjacent Sherman, rolling a 12 and malfing the MA...
He moved the Jagd off the hill (top left) and it fired on the Sherman with the -1 acq on it.  He missed.  (more or less expected with moving, BU, etc...)
US Defensive Fire Phase, first the CE Sherman fires at the Panther and hits killing it (hull hit, not an unexpected result).  Then the Sherman with the Orange -1 acq fires, he needed a 4 or less to hit with all the modifiers (10 -3 for moving, -1 BU, -1 Small target =5 , oops needed a five).  He hit with a 1,2 on the dice.  He then needed a 6 to kill (17-11) and rolled another 1,2 for a burning wreck.
The 75mm armed Sherman next to the other Panther killed it with a point blank shot.
For the heck of it the 8-1 leader and the hero (middle of board 2 below the melee) fire at a building (just above the smoke off to their right).  1+1 shot, yup - rolled snakes, leader and squad in that hex break.

Called it a game at that point, fully intend to play it again when we have more time.  I have to remember that Gyro Shermans can stay in motion and only have a +1 and can keep acq!

It Never Snows Turns three and four

Lawrence and I finished up turns three and four of our It Never Snows campaign today.  It took us one hour less so the average is 2.5 hours per turn.  Lots of fun though - and a huge mental twister trying to not make mistakes in placement.

End of Allied turn 3 at Arnhem, the Red Devils are holding on..

The situation with the 82nd at Nijmegan, things are getting dicey here. 

Finally the situation at Eindhoven, the Son bridge was taken by overrun attack in the Exploitation phase - no bridge blown there this time!  The road to the bridge ended up being a tough not to crack - a couple of 3 results on overrun attacks meant the Germans on the road stood firm.  I made a mistake with the XXX Corps troops stacked on the road, the 4th turn bridge units are not going to be able to go straight to Veghel to repair on turn 4.  

Things are quite at entry area A...

End of German turn 3, first at Arnhem, Red Devils are holding on.

End of German turn 3, first at Nijmegan.

End of Allied turn 4 at Arnhem, Red Devils are starting to consolidate for the attack and are still holding strong at Arnhem bridge proper.

At Nijmegan the 82nd is getting pushed around by swarming German reinforcements.

Finally at Eindhoven, the 101 and XXX Corps firmly hold the area, sporadic artillery fire is all that is happening.  Bridge units are in position to road march to the bridges and roll for repair/building next turn.  Sorry for the blurry image.

End of German turn 4.  The Devils at Arnhem bridge are nearly done, one more turn most likely will be the end of them.  The other Devils are holding off the Germans well for now though a few of them did get cut off and destroyed before making it to the perimiter.

 Eindhoven is a mess of the Allies, the Germans took the 82's Division DZ/LZ, hopefully XXX corps gets the Veghel river bridged next turn...

Finally at Eindhoven/Son/Veghel - a better picture this time at the end of German turn 4.

It Never Snows - First two turns completed

Started Playing "It Never Snows" Today.  We got in 2 game turns in 6 hours - speedy we are not...

Here is the initial setup completed.

The situation after the first allied player turn.  XXX Corp made it up to Valkanswaard (forgot the unit next to the road would cut supply, should have killed him with the 2 units near the entry area - could have then moved back to hold supply/entry area open).  Allies only got 4 airstrikes this turn and the Germans ended up getting 5 - NOT fair!  The airstrikes and bombardment managed to clear out the woods before Valkanswaard so it worked out well.

The situation after the first German player turn.  Managed to DG my armor units down there.  Up in Arnhem 5 units made it near Arnhem bridge - and a bunch of bridges were blown but Arnhem and the other bridge across the Rhein are good.  XXX Corps needs to bring up that Bailey crap...

End of Allied Turn 2 from XXX Corps perspective.  Allies got 8 air bombardment this turn though most of them did not do anything.  The three units on the left of the Valkanswaard woods were DG'd though and destroyed in the first combat phase along with an 88 (I think it was) just inside the woods line.  Closer to the entry area the Arty and arriving units made short work of the remaining Germans.  During the exploitation phase the Allies moved up to Einhoven to keep the Germans from being able to enter (digging units out of a city is slow torture).

Up at Arnhem the Red Devils are settling in for a Siege.  The 82nd is not very visible but they went to the map edge to try and delay German reinforcements - get them early to keep them from road moving too far...

End of German turn 2 in the Arnhem sector.  Red Devils in Arnhem are OOS but holding nicely so far - 1 step loss this turn.  The rest of the Red Devils are going to need to consolidate.

Finally the situation from the 101 landing area to Eindhoven.  The Germans moved in force to cut XXX Corps off from the 101.  With some lucky air/arty XXX corps should be able to move out from Eindhoven and reach the 101, the Son bridge may blow and that would put a damper on things, a big damper - the Allies already have to put up a bridge near Veghel since both of those were blown.  101 never got near the bridge much less Eindhoven - the penalty for landing in Polder makes it nearly impossible with the historical drop scenario we are playing.

My opponent and I will be back at the game tomorrow, hopefully getting in three or more turns but there are a lot of units to move in this one.