which is the best CH product of all time?

prymus

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Got my FB module a couple weeks ago and due to circumstances was able to spend a few days un-interrupted going through the contents. Outstanding product and am very pleased. Finishing up a VotG CG right now and then on to a couple PTO scenz(my first PTO) then will most likely play a couple scenz from FB. Looking forward to that.

Hey Jon H., I had been contemplating purchasing the Leatherneck pax but have found mixed reviews on them in the internet. If you don't mind can you tell me a little about them and why you like them? I would also be interested to know how much they depend on maps from other CH products. And lastly, what is the "TRBH" module? Thanks
 

witchbottles

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Got my FB module a couple weeks ago and due to circumstances was able to spend a few days un-interrupted going through the contents. Outstanding product and am very pleased. Finishing up a VotG CG right now and then on to a couple PTO scenz(my first PTO) then will most likely play a couple scenz from FB. Looking forward to that.

Hey Jon H., I had been contemplating purchasing the Leatherneck pax but have found mixed reviews on them in the internet. If you don't mind can you tell me a little about them and why you like them? I would also be interested to know how much they depend on maps from other CH products. And lastly, what is the "TRBH" module? Thanks
TRBH - Those Ragged Bloody Heroes, a long out of print Ch module dating from around 1997-1998 covering the Australian attack on Gona, in New Guinea. great design, great scenarios, a LOT of PTO, great CG. You even get a SNLF amphibious assault in one of the scenarios.

The Leatherneck packs main designer is Steve Swann, Dave Johnson, Ted Wilcox, ( a few from other well known designers made it in as well)- no one need exemplify the dedication to research and scenario designs. I have played 7 of these scenarios so far, and none have ever disappointed me. A wide variety of PTO city fighting ,barren hills, jungle boards, even city fights in Naha, Okinawa and in Garapan on Saipan. You see broken terrain in play, cactus in play, Chinese in play, Red Chinese in play.
There are a few beach assaults scenarios, a few cave scenarios, it covers the entire breadth of the PTO in ASL across the three scenario packs. 25 total scenarios that offer up a good combination of the entire PTO.

boards are only dependent upon the official in print as of 1997, 1998 boards ( i.e. up to around board 40-41). creative use of older boards with some overlays to create new PTO terrain.


If you enjoyed Blood and jungle, you will enjoy the LN series scenarios. Given that they can be found relatively inexpensively online nowadays ( used) - they represent a good way to get into total PTO with a pocket ASLRB for newer players, without investing large sums. You could conceivably use these and the pocket ASLRB and get into total PTO rules with a wide variety of scenarios. You will still need CoB / GH or RS for the Marines and the Japanese - but CoB / GH are easier to get now that RS is out.

Figure from nothing PTO, you buy a CoB at around 65 USD, a Gung Ho at around 75 USD, a pocket ASLRB for 40 USD and the LN packs at around 15 USD a piece.

total investment around 225 USD for a lifetime of PTO stuff, and full capability to run any of the General or AP1 PTO scenarios as well ( they are free online now).

Given a full ASLRB is 80 USD New and a full RS is about 170 USD now- that adds up to a 25 dollar or so savings in cost to achieve full PTO play capability.



TRBH can only be found via secondhand - but the map is quite well done and the module is also. I believe CH was going to reprint this last year, if they did , the increase cost is still well worth it, I have only come across a single issue in regards to unresolved errata in TRBH. That was supposed to be fixed in the reprint.

But I have seen original used copies on ebay for around 20 USD - so it is a no brainer for expanding PTO ASL - and every bit as useful to have as HoB's Tropic Thunder. ( and about the same cost).

IOW , shopping around can get you more and more complete PTO for ASL than a ASLRB and RS alone, for about the same price.

KRL, JOn H
 

Honza

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The leatherneck packs were one of my first purchases from CH. Never regretted buying them. As Jon said they have great variety and cover the chpt G rules in depth.
 

prymus

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Thanks Jon, Jan, and Mark appreciate the time. I have most the PTO official so am prepared to play just about anything produced. Even tough I've had CoB and GH since 2010 I just played my first PTO scen last week. Embarrassing I know, and now I'm in the midst of my second. Really like PTO terrain and how the Japanese are treated. Regret not having played before. Will be picking up the LN pax as they sound like a lot of fun.
 

ParaMarine

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I have mostly finished with CH although Maxim Gorky does look special.
 

witchbottles

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I have mostly finished with CH although Maxim Gorky does look special.
TRBH and Pel WB 1 remain on my perennial "will play it again" list for many of the scenarios therein.

Panther Line had some nice scenarios, as did Bandenkreig, and I would say that the DTO set in entirety lived up to my expectations, some awesome , some not so, and a shole slew of new DTO overlays and a couple mapsheets.

There are a number of reprints now that if you never got the first time , could be worth your time now, while they are back in print. As always, however, CH is a buyer beware market supplier.
 

Proff3RTR

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I Like the following

1. Hell's Bridgehead
2. Tiger's to the Front
3. Battle for the square (shame about the fact it is totally inaccurate)
4. Maxim Gorki
 

ParaMarine

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I thought about Bandenkrieg and then I decided that I would probably never play it because more COUNTER OVERLOAD ):
Yes the regular partisans are ugly as hell and they are sort of limited, but I think that there will be no crossover value like there is with BFP and older HoB stuff.
 

clubby

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We have finished ( almost) both playtests of the latest versions of 4-27 Noon. ( one logfile remains covering the RtPh- APh and CCPh of one game.)

A single large issue cropped up and was corrected in the rules ( poor artwork led to that.) A suggestion form all play testers along the same lines led to another change.

I am in process of an in depth proofreading of the rules revision 12.1 as of now - there is a lot of typos and stuff to fix, along with your changes everyone agreed to re narrow streets vs. road / building terrain that needed to go into the revision. The Zoo Flak Tower changes to meet the historical reality of the situation have gone in, as has JPs information on the IR Panther cited in Muncheburg Pz Div T/O and found by the Russians after engagement, verification from several sources puts this just to the east of Belle Alliance Platz and the Div reserve PzGruppe of the Tiger VIE(L) and JgdPz IV that are parked unmanned to the East of RSHA HQ building and require LOS to a KEU to maneuver without facing the breakthrough penalties if they re-position sooner.

The re-worked RG charts, OPT RG Charts, and Breakthrough rules are now in the revised rules as well. Artwork for the Alexanderplatz map to the West is almost complete ( the new map) - with a couple of building renderings being worked on that will cover the needs ( the Flak Tower and the A-platz S-Bahn / U-Bahn station by name) - someone is working on those for us.
Then the new map will get the coloration wash needed and the neighborhoods dropped into the city blocks.
The issue with non - alignment to the map West edge along the Tiergarten has been dealt with - Critical Hit did no favors to anyone by compressing the map landmarks along that edge and tinkering the road net too close together - so we used the roads as they pass through the Tiergarten to open them back up to the correct distances and standard of the rest of both Critical Hit - printed maps already out there, before the built up areas begin again on the far side of the park.

The map for Templehof area is at about 45% complete - and will likely remain in work for some time yet to come. Muncheburg's Sector defense area of E is also being mapped to the East, and is at about 25% complete ( all road networks and water obstacles in place, along with the S-Bahn and U-Bahn lines).

RGs have been revised for the Soviets as well - to break out those units from 3rd Shock, 5th Guards and 8th Guards out form the 5th Guards Tank. This allows us to use a similar ( and for players a familiar) approach to what Phillipe L did with KGPs RGs ( i.e. colored asterisks to define the FMEs those units can enter - and a RG SSR footnote to define when those RGs can be purchased.)

The Command and Control Rules are being revised - this will be the biggest addition to the CG - and borrows some from everyone's input along with some ideas from the SASL framework to create a more rigid set of requirements than one has seen in ASL yet.

We intend to continue the two play tests now, into 4-27 PM and 4-27 Night turns - nothing else yet would be occurring anyway unless an early breakthrough occurred which is really just poor German play. The Germans should do the breakthrough, but only at the point when it would occur anyway, so they can gain the "reinforcement" of the stragglers. Makes pulling from the OPT RG tables a matter of timing and good strategy being required.

The last requirements pending is finishing the OPT RG for the units around Templehof as well, they will be needed for the next run through after all maps are completed there - that is another round of 4-27 AM and 4-27 Noon.

Overall the rest of the additions, deletions and changes all lead to the goal we all chose when we began - neither side has a " perfect choice" in any circumstance. The commanders of both sides only get that " lesser of two evils" choice, and it is presented over and over, with every decision that needs to be made - for that was the ultimate reality of Berlin 1945.

Last, we have just begun the work on the Northern Map - the area of Sector A under protection of the 9th FJ Div and to their north, the 23rd SS PzGrDiv. That will incur construction of another building rendering of a Flak tower ( the only one the Soviets ever assaulted directly) - and inclusion of its attendant LOS rules ( it had a slightly different weapons mount system than the Zoo tower), as well as a full OPT RG for the 23rd and a filling out the RG of the 9th FJ. Those are later changes - and might be done by the time we get to 4-29 AM turn when the Soviets pushed hard enough, giving up on the flak tower assault, to clear all points north of the Humboldt Basin and Rail Station. ( It as that turn that led Mohnke to order the screwed up demolition of the Admiral Scheer Bridge across the Spree.

It is , in short ,alive. It is being worked on by a dedicated team continuing the development into a CG that covers all of the battles leading up to the assault on Sector Z as well as the actual fall of Sector Z had Critical Hit already began for us. It is a far larger product, adding four full mapsheets to the map, and many rules nuances missed and / or miffed by Critical Hit. Our goal remains to polish that diamond in the rough that Mark Porterfield began for us, and enhance it from that point forward. Will it ever go to Critical Hit? Doubtful. But it will see the light of day for ASL players sometime before 2020 - that is the deadline we set for ourselves when we began this journey in 2013. :)

KRL, Jon H
I, for one, am excited to hear you're working on this and can't wait for you to get it all worked out? What's going to required of us that own the original Berlin Final Days and Tyrant's Lair to get it up to snuff? Thanks!
 

witchbottles

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I, for one, am excited to hear you're working on this and can't wait for you to get it all worked out? What's going to required of us that own the original Berlin Final Days and Tyrant's Lair to get it up to snuff? Thanks!
It is being worked on, but remains a huge project nonetheless. What the final version will require is a copy of either 1st or 2nd edition Berlin:FTR and Tyrant's Lair mapsheets and countersets. All of the rest is going to be replacement SSRs, CG rules, RG charts and Historical DRM charts, for a PL Campaign Game, and add-on maps, with replacement Cptr H notes, along with a new countersheet for the new units, and a play aid for the triangular Flak tower and Alexanderplatz S-Bahn / U-Bahn station ( both of which will likely become battlefields similar to the other landmark buildings and have their own special rules therein).
To play the CG, the players will also need a copy of PL rules in 2.5 or higher format ( we are writing the CG to fit within the 2.5 to 3.0 framework, other PL CG rules editions will need their own "tweaking" to make work if the players decide to use them.) We will not be re-publishing the PL CG rules set, it will be a prerequisite.

We will be looking at 4 mapsheets additions, 2 play aids, a countersheet set for the additional counters, and around 25 pages +/- of SSRs; CG rules, and RG charts and Cptr H notes.

KRL, Jon H
 

Gunner Scott

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I would seriously pass on max gorki, it was way to complicated for my tastes and there is a lot of open areas the Germans have to cross over to reach their objectives. Lastly, the panel maps are a real bear to piece together.

Bandenkrieg or Maximum Gorki. Haven't bought from them recently
 

william.stoppel

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It is being worked on, but remains a huge project nonetheless. What the final version will require is a copy of either 1st or 2nd edition Berlin:FTR and Tyrant's Lair mapsheets and countersets. All of the rest is going to be replacement SSRs, CG rules, RG charts and Historical DRM charts, for a PL Campaign Game, and add-on maps, with replacement Cptr H notes, along with a new countersheet for the new units, and a play aid for the triangular Flak tower and Alexanderplatz S-Bahn / U-Bahn station ( both of which will likely become battlefields similar to the other landmark buildings and have their own special rules therein).
To play the CG, the players will also need a copy of PL rules in 2.5 or higher format ( we are writing the CG to fit within the 2.5 to 3.0 framework, other PL CG rules editions will need their own "tweaking" to make work if the players decide to use them.) We will not be re-publishing the PL CG rules set, it will be a prerequisite.

We will be looking at 4 mapsheets additions, 2 play aids, a countersheet set for the additional counters, and around 25 pages +/- of SSRs; CG rules, and RG charts and Cptr H notes.

KRL, Jon H
This sounds amazing Jon!
 

RRschultze

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It is being worked on, but remains a huge project nonetheless. What the final version will require is a copy of either 1st or 2nd edition Berlin:FTR and Tyrant's Lair mapsheets and countersets. All of the rest is going to be replacement SSRs, CG rules, RG charts and Historical DRM charts, for a PL Campaign Game, and add-on maps, with replacement Cptr H notes, along with a new countersheet for the new units, and a play aid for the triangular Flak tower and Alexanderplatz S-Bahn / U-Bahn station ( both of which will likely become battlefields similar to the other landmark buildings and have their own special rules therein).
To play the CG, the players will also need a copy of PL rules in 2.5 or higher format ( we are writing the CG to fit within the 2.5 to 3.0 framework, other PL CG rules editions will need their own "tweaking" to make work if the players decide to use them.) We will not be re-publishing the PL CG rules set, it will be a prerequisite.

We will be looking at 4 mapsheets additions, 2 play aids, a countersheet set for the additional counters, and around 25 pages +/- of SSRs; CG rules, and RG charts and Cptr H notes.

KRL, Jon H
Any further news on this? sounds really interesting
 

witchbottles

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Any further news on this? sounds really interesting
play testing contiinues at this point for two of the CGs. One newly finished scenario depicting the final Russian assault around A-platz is complete, the A-platz, Templehof, and Halbe district maps are complete ( roughed in , still need a lof of touch up art rendering). The C and C rules are mostly finished - should be going back out to proofreaders by the end of the month. The main rules revision needs to be incorporated with the new changes (this makes it rev 12.4 - a lot of re-structuring and reorganizing for clarity and ease of locating linked rules sections, only a few major revisions.) I hope to be done with that and ready for some read-throughs by the volunteers in time for November - Thanksgiving break time frame. Seelow map sheet is done, the 4 scenarios are done and ready for internal play testing before a genreal call for some outside play testers - I hope to have that ready for the New Year as a general call for anyone desiring to play test then, but I will hold off for now, to ensure all materials are ready (VASL finalized map, .pdf finalized map, .pdf finalized counters, VASL counter extension finalized, and relevant rules at revision 12.4 standards.)

Hope that covers the update at this point. :) More will of course come along. :)

KRL, jon H
 

clubby

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Wow, sounds like a lot of progress!
 
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