Human Wave

TopT

Elder Member
Joined
May 2, 2004
Messages
2,603
Reaction score
1,398
Location
PA
Country
llUnited States
Can you HW on one turn, stop at the end of that turn, and then announce HW again for the next turn & the same for next turn (3 consecutive turns in a row)?

If the answer is yes, then how does a regular unit poop out after 6 MF? He cannot CX again until one full turn has passed.
 

jrv

Forum Guru
Joined
May 25, 2005
Messages
21,998
Reaction score
6,206
Location
Teutoburger Wald
Country
llIceland
Can you HW on one turn, stop at the end of that turn, and then announce HW again for the next turn & the same for next turn (3 consecutive turns in a row)?

If the answer is yes, then how does a regular unit poop out after 6 MF? He cannot CX again until one full turn has passed.

Yes. Likewise a unit may go berserk on turns1, 2 & 3.

You might read Chapter A footnote 32.

Also, don't confuse physics & ASL rules. There is only a limited correlation.

JR
 

Eagle4ty

Forum Guru
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
Messages
6,913
Reaction score
5,094
Location
Eau Claire, Wi
Country
llUnited States
Their motivated; or drunk; or both! They think they're supermen (trust me, I can vaguely recall that feeling).o_O?
 

TopT

Elder Member
Joined
May 2, 2004
Messages
2,603
Reaction score
1,398
Location
PA
Country
llUnited States
Yes. Likewise a unit may go berserk on turns1, 2 & 3.

You might read Chapter A footnote 32.

Also, don't confuse physics & ASL rules. There is only a limited correlation.

JR
I was really not being too serious when I typed this.
My opponent has run across a board and a half and will continue HW into his fourth turn. My DF attack rolls were all 8,9, & 10's for the 1st two turns and I have also lost every HtH, so I have done almost zero damage. I have about 1/3 of my force left and am telling my opponent that the game is over. He doesn't see it that way. It is a tournament game and I don't want to bag on it too early but... he has at least 15 Japanese squads (and all of their SMC/ SW) and I have 1 1st line squad and 4 conscripts squads w/ 2 leaders (notice I don't say anything about SW). I know that you shouldn't give up but in order to win, each of those conscript squads is going to have to win the William Military Order -highly unlikely.
The last tournament game I played was almost exactly like this with my opponent saying "you still have a chance..." on T4 I finally pulled the plug. I literally had 1 and a 1/2 squads left on the board and he had only lost 1 half-squad, total.

Man, I suck at this game. :)

[OK, whining rant turned off]
 

Pyth

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2014
Messages
1,092
Reaction score
287
Location
Brooklyn NY
Country
llUnited States
I don't have a problem with the ASL physics of endless HW/Banzai -- CX generally represents men who've jogged and run and darted sanely across open ground and through the trees in a half-crouch but wishing they could crawl sometimes moving from cover to cover sometimes looking at it longingly as they leave it behind to approach gunfire up ahead -- contrast that with screaming forward in a glorious charge, all your brothers-in-arms beside you, fearless and ferocious as if one man with 50 hearts while up ahead you can see of the enemy, fleeing in visible panic or firing wild aimless shots into the air the ground the trees -- what could be easier, what could slow you down?
 

TopT

Elder Member
Joined
May 2, 2004
Messages
2,603
Reaction score
1,398
Location
PA
Country
llUnited States
I don't have a problem with the ASL physics of endless HW/Banzai -- CX generally represents men who've jogged and run and darted sanely across open ground and through the trees in a half-crouch but wishing they could crawl sometimes moving from cover to cover sometimes looking at it longingly as they leave it behind to approach gunfire up ahead -- contrast that with screaming forward in a glorious charge, all your brothers-in-arms beside you, fearless and ferocious as if one man with 50 hearts while up ahead you can see of the enemy, fleeing in visible panic or firing wild aimless shots into the air the ground the trees -- what could be easier, what could slow you down?
Is that what the Germans did, fired wild aimless shots into the air the ground the trees? They didn't literally kill the Russians by the hundreds, if not thousands? And the Marines, they didn't slaughter almost every single Banzai charge ever launched at them?
I get the GAME rules but keep it real, these were not "screaming forward in a glorious charge, all your brothers-in-arms beside you, fearless and ferocious as if one man with 50 hearts", as much as they were last ditch, only tactics we have to try and stop the enemy right now.
 

Justiciar

Elder Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
5,410
Reaction score
2,011
Location
Within Range
Country
llUnited States
I was really not being too serious when I typed this.
My opponent has run across a board and a half and will continue HW into his fourth turn. My DF attack rolls were all 8,9, & 10's for the 1st two turns and I have also lost every HtH, so I have done almost zero damage. I have about 1/3 of my force left and am telling my opponent that the game is over. He doesn't see it that way. It is a tournament game and I don't want to bag on it too early but... he has at least 15 Japanese squads (and all of their SMC/ SW) and I have 1 1st line squad and 4 conscripts squads w/ 2 leaders (notice I don't say anything about SW). I know that you shouldn't give up but in order to win, each of those conscript squads is going to have to win the William Military Order -highly unlikely.
The last tournament game I played was almost exactly like this with my opponent saying "you still have a chance..." on T4 I finally pulled the plug. I literally had 1 and a 1/2 squads left on the board and he had only lost 1 half-squad, total.

Man, I suck at this game. :)

[OK, whining rant turned off]
Remember though the OPFOR still has to have an enemy unit (even dummy stack) within 8 hexes of a HW element to start the HW off. Thus if you deny him a "target" he cannot HW across 1.5 boards at all....
 

Khill

Elder Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Messages
2,188
Reaction score
792
Location
MAINE
Country
llIceland
I don't have a problem with the ASL physics of endless HW/Banzai -- CX generally represents men who've jogged and run and darted sanely across open ground and through the trees in a half-crouch but wishing they could crawl sometimes moving from cover to cover sometimes looking at it longingly as they leave it behind to approach gunfire up ahead -- contrast that with screaming forward in a glorious charge, all your brothers-in-arms beside you, fearless and ferocious as if one man with 50 hearts while up ahead you can see of the enemy, fleeing in visible panic or firing wild aimless shots into the air the ground the trees -- what could be easier, what could slow you down?
firelane!

I also like to try to hold fire and get the triple firepower when the screaming hordes enter their location

or, high moral defenders and/or need 'zidz: FPF!
 

TopT

Elder Member
Joined
May 2, 2004
Messages
2,603
Reaction score
1,398
Location
PA
Country
llUnited States
Remember though the OPFOR still has to have an enemy unit (even dummy stack) within 8 hexes of a HW element to start the HW off. Thus if you deny him a "target" he cannot HW across 1.5 boards at all....
THAT was my 1st mistake. On T1, I so very easily should have moved the only ? out of his los and did not. After that I could not stay out of his los. He came on the board in 2 separate directions. After that point there was no hiding.
 

Khill

Elder Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Messages
2,188
Reaction score
792
Location
MAINE
Country
llIceland
Is that what the Germans did, fired wild aimless shots into the air the ground the trees? They didn't literally kill the Russians by the hundreds, if not thousands? And the Marines, they didn't slaughter almost every single Banzai charge ever launched at them?
I get the GAME rules but keep it real, these were not "screaming forward in a glorious charge, all your brothers-in-arms beside you, fearless and ferocious as if one man with 50 hearts", as much as they were last ditch, only tactics we have to try and stop the enemy right now.
modern firepower has made such tactics deadly. those who employ them were indeed desperate. ASL does a pretty good job modeling them and their results
 

TopT

Elder Member
Joined
May 2, 2004
Messages
2,603
Reaction score
1,398
Location
PA
Country
llUnited States
firelane!

I also like to try to hold fire and get the triple firepower when the screaming hordes enter their location

or, high moral defenders and/or need 'zidz: FPF!
There is way too many hindrances for any appreciable FL. I was able to set up one FL with my only MMG, all of my rolls were 8 & above for zero effect. Next turn he moved at it [MMG] with 1 sqd/ DC, 3 consecutive DF and I rolled three 5,6's in a row. Same turn I rolled two 11's for ART Gun TH rolls. He swamped almost every SW I have but that is only because I boxcarred another AA gun. I almost quit right there but decided to hang on to see if my luck might change. It did a little but had almost no impact.
I don't think that I have passed a MC all game.
 

Justiciar

Elder Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
5,410
Reaction score
2,011
Location
Within Range
Country
llUnited States
THAT was my 1st mistake. On T1, I so very easily should have moved the only ? out of his los and did not. After that I could not stay out of his los. He came on the board in 2 separate directions. After that point there was no hiding.
Often time only takes one mistake.

What scenario are you playing?
 

TopT

Elder Member
Joined
May 2, 2004
Messages
2,603
Reaction score
1,398
Location
PA
Country
llUnited States
those who employ them were indeed desperate. ASL does a pretty good job modeling them and their results
That was the point I was making instead of some glorious charge.
 

Pyth

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2014
Messages
1,092
Reaction score
287
Location
Brooklyn NY
Country
llUnited States
Is that what the Germans did, fired wild aimless shots into the air the ground the trees? They didn't literally kill the Russians by the hundreds, if not thousands? And the Marines, they didn't slaughter almost every single Banzai charge ever launched at them?
I get the GAME rules but keep it real, these were not "screaming forward in a glorious charge, all your brothers-in-arms beside you, fearless and ferocious as if one man with 50 hearts", as much as they were last ditch, only tactics we have to try and stop the enemy right now.
I think you think I believe my own propaganda.

I honestly do think there is something to being carried along in a yelling mob that is energizing and quite different from ordinary experience, indeed the rules reflect that... but I was trying to convey with a bit of self-aware irony the sort of bullsh*t we are capable of selling ourselves... I'm aware the Japanese didn't win the war, I'm aware a Banzaii charge doesn't give you super powers and the ability to run ten 3 minute miles in a row, and I'll bet quite a few of the boys in those charges pissed their pants as they ran... but I'll wager quite a few felt the way I described it... and feeling that way what could stop them? I mean, besides a bullet thru the forehead.

As mentioned elsewhere -- some good firelanes, PBF, TPBF, and/or well-chosen -2 opportunities...all have a way of dampening the hordes' enthusiasm.
 

Khill

Elder Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Messages
2,188
Reaction score
792
Location
MAINE
Country
llIceland
There is way too many hindrances for any appreciable FL. I was able to set up one FL with my only MMG, all of my rolls were 8 & above for zero effect. Next turn he moved at it [MMG] with 1 sqd/ DC, 3 consecutive DF and I rolled three 5,6's in a row. Same turn I rolled two 11's for ART Gun TH rolls. He swamped almost every SW I have but that is only because I boxcarred another AA gun. I almost quit right there but decided to hang on to see if my luck might change. It did a little but had almost no impact.
I don't think that I have passed a MC all game.
sometimes they get through in spite of every effort, in history and in cardboard. that is what makes ASL so great
 

TopT

Elder Member
Joined
May 2, 2004
Messages
2,603
Reaction score
1,398
Location
PA
Country
llUnited States
Often time only takes one mistake.

What scenario are you playing?
True Grit. Aptly named :)

I 'might' have one half-squad conscript w/ ldr left by the time my reinforcements come on T5 but I am going to have to push him out of stone buildings as he will have all 8 buildings by then and about 15 full squads to defend with.
 

Pyth

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2014
Messages
1,092
Reaction score
287
Location
Brooklyn NY
Country
llUnited States
There is way too many hindrances for any appreciable FL....
Do you mean too many Obstacles? Firelanes are (in my opinion at least) the technique of choice when there's lots of (soft) hindrance about. If that doesn't sound right to you, you may want to look over the firelane rules. You are possibly being overwhelmed by Banzai charges because A) your dice have sucked, I get it and... B) you've misunderstood firelane and hindrance in a scenario where balance depends on you using FL's correctly. (not saying I know that about True Grit, I've never played it... saying it's possible).
 

TopT

Elder Member
Joined
May 2, 2004
Messages
2,603
Reaction score
1,398
Location
PA
Country
llUnited States
I think you think I believe my own propaganda.

I honestly do think there is something to being carried along in a yelling mob that is energizing and quite different from ordinary experience, indeed the rules reflect that... but I was trying to convey with a bit of self-aware irony the sort of bullsh*t we are capable of selling ourselves... I'm aware the Japanese didn't win the war, I'm aware a Banzaii charge doesn't give you super powers and the ability to run ten 3 minute miles in a row, and I'll bet quite a few of the boys in those charges pissed their pants as they ran... but I'll wager quite a few felt the way I described it... and feeling that way what could stop them? I mean, besides a bullet thru the forehead.

As mentioned elsewhere -- some good firelanes, PBF, TPBF, and/or well-chosen -2 opportunities...all have a way of dampening the hordes' enthusiasm.
Mob rules, yes but I believe that every one of them knew that they were going to die that day. But for the grace of god, they did not.
 

TopT

Elder Member
Joined
May 2, 2004
Messages
2,603
Reaction score
1,398
Location
PA
Country
llUnited States
Do you mean too many Obstacles? Firelanes are (in my opinion at least) the technique of choice when there's lots of (soft) hindrance about. If that doesn't sound right to you, you may want to look over the firelane rules. You are possibly being overwhelmed by Banzai charges because A) your dice have sucked, I get it and... B) you've misunderstood firelane and hindrance in a scenario where balance depends on you using FL's correctly. (not saying I know that about True Grit, I've never played it... saying it's possible).
Maybe that is why I am getting wrong.

When placing a FL w/ a MMG, do you reduce the FL strength for each hindrance between the MG and it's target (IE: 2 hindrances would reduce a MMG to zero) or

Does the FL factor remain the same (2) and as the enemy enters the hex, the DRM are applied to the IFT (MMC enters hex and is attacked with 2 FP + 2 for the hindrances between firer and target)?
 
Top