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29/01/2015 at 16:45 #16464Nathaniel WeberParticipant
(If I ought not be announcing new rules here, sorry!)
I have just released a new WWII rules set called A Sergeant’s War, intended for small unit combat (platoon+support) with individually- or group-based models. A few months ago, Nordic Weasel Games opened a thread here to discuss his new game, with “5 things you might like” and “5 things you might not”—I’m going to do something similar, with his permission to shamelessly steal the idea.
A full description of the game’s mechanics can be found at my blog, http://thedogsbrush.blogspot.com/2015/01/a-sergeants-war-rules-now-available.html
The game is for sale at the Wargames Vault as a PDF, http://www.wargamevault.com/product/143584/A-Sergeants-War-Rules-for-Wargaming-Small-Unit-Combat-in-WWII
A brief overview: A Sergeant’s War (ASW) is a WWII game which emphasizes morale, unit quality, and small-unit leaders. Each side usually has 1-2 platoons, plus support. It can be played with any scale of figures, based singly or in multiples, and many games can be played on a small table, like a card- or kitchen table. Measurements and most game effects apply to units rather than individuals (though casualties are removed individually); this greatly speeds play and lets players focus on the placement of weapons, vehicles, and squads, rather than individual riflemen. The game is friendly to solo-play.
Here are 5 features of the game that I think will most appeal to gamers:
Emphasis on leadership—Your squad- and platoon leaders are the heart of your force. They keep your troops moving under fire and up in firing positions while defending. But whenever your leaders do something significant—rally troops, keep your troops moving under fire, etc.—the leader is put in danger, and there’s a chance that he becomes a casualty. Leader casualties rapidly degrade your force’s ability to fight.
Morale—Unit morale is very important, as your troops try to avoid becoming pinned down or broken. There is also a mechanic for force morale, called “Breaking Points”—as chaos and casualties mount, your troops become less and less willing to take risks, and your leaders become even more important, because only they can keep your force moving forward (or holding its position).
Small table space—ASW plays quite well on small tables. 15mm and 20mm games can be played on 3’ and 4’ square tables. 6mm games can be played on tables even smaller. 28mm can be played on 4’ or 5’ tables. Movement rates are generous, however, so you can definitely play on big tables.
Combat Mechanics—The various types of combat—infantry vs. infantry, vehicle vs. vehicle, and infantry close combat—all use the same basic die mechanic, which only has to be learned once. Infantry and vehicle casualties generally take time to accumulate rather than happening all at once, but players might suddenly realize, after 3 or 4 turns of combat, “wow—my troops are shot up!” Infantry assaults (“firefights”) are very much back-and-forth, attack/counter-attack events that encourage movement and bold attack.
Fast play—Combined arms games, with each side fielding a platoon or more of infantry with armor and artillery in support, can be played in under 2 hours. Small infantry games can be done in an hour to 90 miniites. Large tank-only games, with a dozen or more vehicles per side, can be played in 45 minutes. The speed of play is largely due to the emphasis on units rather than individuals.
Taken together, I think that ASW provides a quick-playing, fun game that “feels” right and rewards intelligent gameplay.
But everybody says that about their game, though, don’t they? So here are some things may not appeal to everyone:
Markers: There are several statuses (stati?) that require the use of markers on the table top—pinned, broken, damaged, and full speed, and also casualty markers if you have multiple figures per base.
Vehicle detail and data: Because the game represents the “tip of the spear” and assumes a battlefield 300-500 meters across, a lot of the differences between vehicles common in other games disappear. Tigers and Panthers are vulnerable to T-34s and everything’s in range. Long-range gunnery duels and extensive artillery rules as absent from the game. I have also restricted the data on vehicles to late war stuff (43-45) for the main belligerents; more stats will be available soon.
Abstractions: Hand grenades are folded into short range infantry combat. Leaders can be killed while doing other actions, representing the general amount of small arms fire in the air. Some simultaneity is assumed in the game. Not all players will enjoy the different aspects of the game that I have abstracted to either speed play or try to create a result.
Scenario-driven: ASW is scenario driven. I have provided orders of battle, vehicle statistics, special rules, and a section on designing scenarios, but there are no point values or random-scenario generators (though there might well be in future supplements, either for sale or free here).
Not a skirmish game: ASW is a small unit game, but not a skirmish game. You control the actions of units, not individual soldiers. There is a wealth of excellent man-to-man games out there, but ASW isn’t one of them.
I hope this information is useful. I’ve had a lot of fun designing and playtesting the game and hope that it finds an audience who will enjoy it as well.
A full description of the game’s mechanics can be found at my blog, http://thedogsbrush.blogspot.com/2015/01/a-sergeants-war-rules-now-available.html
The game is for sale at the Wargames Vault as a PDF, http://www.wargamevault.com/product/143584/A-Sergeants-War-Rules-for-Wargaming-Small-Unit-Combat-in-WWII
Thanks for looking!
30/01/2015 at 13:28 #16524Nathaniel WeberParticipantBy all means, Tim, steal away! 🙂 I imagine the scenarios could be of use to a Crossfire player; the game is at a similar level of combat (especially if you convert rifle and LMG sections to full squads).
30/01/2015 at 17:59 #16538War PandaParticipantAfter reading your overview Nathaniel I decided I was curious enough to download them too 🙂 So far they look very good. Looking forward to trying them out. I might post an AAR later if I’ve time. Best of luck with them.
“The great Gaels of Ireland are the men that God made mad,
For all their wars are merry, and all their songs are sad.”30/01/2015 at 22:08 #16551Nathaniel WeberParticipantThanks, War Panda! I hope you enjoy them. (And an AAR would be most cool of you )
04/02/2015 at 19:07 #16846Nathaniel WeberParticipantThe first scenario pack for ASW is now available. “Row by Row” features 6 battles in the bocage, 1944, which can be played individually or as a set of linked games. They work for other rules sets, too. They are currently priced $1.49 for the pack, or free if you buy them bundled with the main rules. I have an Eastern Front scenario pack under development now, probably available the end of the month.
They are availabe from the Wargame Vault. http://www.wargamevault.com/product/143927/Row-by-Row-A-Wargaming-Campaign-for-Normandy-1944
04/02/2015 at 21:55 #16869War PandaParticipantI have to admit these rules look great; can’t wait to try them out for real. Looks like a supplement I’d get lots of use from too
“The great Gaels of Ireland are the men that God made mad,
For all their wars are merry, and all their songs are sad.” -
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