Trench Hammer Encounter

[Kaptain Kobold]

I played an equal force encounter game of Trench Hammer last night, using the mission objectives in the rules and some complications of my own and trusting that they’d generate a scenario of sorts. Which, of course, they did. Both sides had to inflict damage on the other (although it’s not entirely clear how that ‘4 hits on 3 units’ one works), with the British having to destroy German units as well, and the Germans looking to capture a terrain objective (modified from the Trench objective in the book).I called it a draw, despite the complete loss of the British force.

You can read about it on my blog HERE

The Stronghold Rebuilt: http://hordesofthethings.blogspot.com.au/

[kyoteblue]

I need to learn these rules someday.

[Kaptain Kobold]

In the blog post I said I’d be playing with a few changes to the rules. I have outlined them in a second post, along with some thoughts on areas I might yet change.

Trench Hammer Modifications

The Stronghold Rebuilt: http://hordesofthethings.blogspot.com.au/

[Kaptain Kobold]

I played another ad hoc game yesterday. Strangely it ended up similar to the last one, but this time the Germans were trying to capture a ruined farmhouse and having to cross open ground to do it. What could possibly go wrong?

Farmhouse Attack

I modified the assault rules so that the loser only inflicts half damage (assuming that they hit). It seemed to give a game that avoided squads wiping each other out in assaults.

 

The Stronghold Rebuilt: http://hordesofthethings.blogspot.com.au/

[JozisTinMan]

I like your mods, thank you for sharing.  I like the assault changes, it still allows the attacker to be rendered combat ineffective (ie too exhausted or damaged to continue) but not a constant occurance

http://jozistinman.blogspot.com/

[Kaptain Kobold]

Thanks. The issue I still have is with how good Bomber squads are, especially in assault.  Not only do they stand more chance of hitting targets in common forms of cover (trenches or shellholes), but they score an additional point of damage as well and get to shoot like a normal Rifle squad. Assault squads are much worse at shooting, make assaults no differently to Rifle squads, and, on average, don’t really score many more hits than the Bombers.

Basically if you need a squad for assault purposes, you should always choose Bombers. Assault squads don’t seem to have any viable role.

 

The Stronghold Rebuilt: http://hordesofthethings.blogspot.com.au/

[JozisTinMan]

Keep fiddling with it, after reflection, you are correct.  What my intention was that in actual, Trench knife/entrenching tool range assaults, it should be Assault troops > bombers > ordinary riflemen.

meanwhile, bombers can lob grenades over traverses fighting along a Trench, shower a shell hole, etc.  that was the intention, but does not seem to be the result…

i need to get my troops out again. Maybe treat Assault troops as bombers so they can use their sacks of grenades, with a limited firing capability, but bonus over bombers in assault with their sexy MP-18’s

maybe bombers should not get an assault bonus, especially if you limit Assault range to 3”? Then they will be superior standing off slightly and throwing grenades, but worse than true Assault troops  when in bayonet range.

just some random,incomplete thoughts. I shall be following your blog closely.  Thank you for sharing.  I also like your use of paper figures, you can have a fun game without breaking the bank and they look pretty good!

http://jozistinman.blogspot.com/

[Kaptain Kobold]

“Maybe treat Assault troops as bombers so they can use their sacks of grenades, with a limited firing capability, but bonus over bombers in assault with their sexy MP-18’s”

That was the solution I came up with after thinking about it – Bombers and Assault squads both ignore trenches/shellholes *and* get +1 damage when assaulting. Bomber squads are otherwise treated as Rifle squads. Assault squads can’t fire beyond firefight range, and then only with 1D3 damage, but in assault they roll 2D6 for damage and picke the best one (and get a +1 as well).

Thus Bombers are a normal squad with extra assault capability, whilst Assault squads are less good at shooting but deadly in close combat.

The Stronghold Rebuilt: http://hordesofthethings.blogspot.com.au/

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