'Ol Fezziwig
Repressed Dissident
Yeah, I know I'm a little behind the times, but what's the scoop on this TCS offering? Looks a little like TCS-lite what with no vehicles and such, but how does it play?
Bloody Ridge
- Thread starter 'Ol Fezziwig
- Start date
Keith Todd
Member
[QUOTE='Ol Fezziwig]Yeah, I know I'm a little behind the times, but what's the scoop on this TCS offering? Looks a little like TCS-lite what with no vehicles and such, but how does it play?[/QUOTE]
I played Bloody Ridge solo, the first scenario - "The Planned Assualt" with the new 4.06 rules. It was a very good simulation of the battle and methodical. The Log Bridge seems to be the intense hot spot of the game and of course there is plenty of night action. I am sure the full "Bloody Ridge" would be more interesting. ASL has sort of spoiled my enjoyment of TCS, as I keep comparing the TCS play with the ASL ASOP. Someday I will go back to it and give it a fair playover. The TCS rules are well written and the OPS are challenging.
Be sure use the Notional Spotter is at 20m for the naval artillery.
Keith
I played Bloody Ridge solo, the first scenario - "The Planned Assualt" with the new 4.06 rules. It was a very good simulation of the battle and methodical. The Log Bridge seems to be the intense hot spot of the game and of course there is plenty of night action. I am sure the full "Bloody Ridge" would be more interesting. ASL has sort of spoiled my enjoyment of TCS, as I keep comparing the TCS play with the ASL ASOP. Someday I will go back to it and give it a fair playover. The TCS rules are well written and the OPS are challenging.
Be sure use the Notional Spotter is at 20m for the naval artillery.
Keith
'Ol Fezziwig
Repressed Dissident
I think comparing the two to be apples and oranges. Of course, I also play ASL and look to TCS for a 'break' as it were from the intense denseness of ASL. Not that TCS doesn't have depth, but the rules aren't typically an additional opponent. Don't get me wrong; I love ASL and don't find the rules typically overly intrusive (especially if you gloss over any potential sketchy topics beforehand), but they can at times become a sticking point with opponents who are either less versed or, conversely, too versed in the minutea of ASL.
One of the weaknesses of ASL (command & control, echelons) is the strong point of TCS. It always bothers me to see players playing (please forgive me) ahistorically with their units in ASL. By that, I mean a total disregard for platoon,company, battalion formation. Of course, I try to keep these matters in mind when I play, (not that I'm right and others are wrong, mind, you) and hope the bedrock of ASL will reward this usage. I'm not quite sure if the command system of the TCS equates to the command system of, say, CWB, but I do rather like the restrictions the system places on the omniscient player in regards to reacting to opponents moves over myriad other systems. This can be accomplished in ASL (as in many other games as well) by having multiple threats preventing or limiting reactions to a devastating move.
Systems such as most of The Gamers lines, that reward reserves, are far superior to those that do not. This, in my experience, is a weakness of many ASL players: the lack of reserves. This is of course exacerbated by the current abominable trend towards "tourney" or "micro" scenarios in ASL of late.
Myself, I'm looking to play some of Bloody Ridge to reintroduce myself to the TCS line and enjoy myself a bit.
Thanks for the heads up on the Naval Spotter (makes more sense, though the 20m height may only discourage peak of the hill occupation, given some of the jungle atop the hill slopes).
Another quick question: are mines available to the MARINE player? There are no mine counters in BR (or, at least, I do not recall them, having punched, clipped and sorted them already. My TCS system counters go in a Plano tray seperate from the tray I keep in the box). I obviously have mine counters form other TCS games, but thought I had read somewhere the MARINES were short on things like mines & wire due to the Navy's quick exit from the beach...
One of the weaknesses of ASL (command & control, echelons) is the strong point of TCS. It always bothers me to see players playing (please forgive me) ahistorically with their units in ASL. By that, I mean a total disregard for platoon,company, battalion formation. Of course, I try to keep these matters in mind when I play, (not that I'm right and others are wrong, mind, you) and hope the bedrock of ASL will reward this usage. I'm not quite sure if the command system of the TCS equates to the command system of, say, CWB, but I do rather like the restrictions the system places on the omniscient player in regards to reacting to opponents moves over myriad other systems. This can be accomplished in ASL (as in many other games as well) by having multiple threats preventing or limiting reactions to a devastating move.
Systems such as most of The Gamers lines, that reward reserves, are far superior to those that do not. This, in my experience, is a weakness of many ASL players: the lack of reserves. This is of course exacerbated by the current abominable trend towards "tourney" or "micro" scenarios in ASL of late.
Myself, I'm looking to play some of Bloody Ridge to reintroduce myself to the TCS line and enjoy myself a bit.
Thanks for the heads up on the Naval Spotter (makes more sense, though the 20m height may only discourage peak of the hill occupation, given some of the jungle atop the hill slopes).
Another quick question: are mines available to the MARINE player? There are no mine counters in BR (or, at least, I do not recall them, having punched, clipped and sorted them already. My TCS system counters go in a Plano tray seperate from the tray I keep in the box). I obviously have mine counters form other TCS games, but thought I had read somewhere the MARINES were short on things like mines & wire due to the Navy's quick exit from the beach...
Keith Todd
Member
[QUOTE='Ol Fezziwig].. Not that TCS doesn't have depth, but the rules aren't typically an additional opponent. Don't get me wrong; I love ASL and don't find the rules typically overly intrusive (especially if you gloss over any potential sketchy topics beforehand), but they can at times become a sticking point with opponents who are either less versed or, conversely, too versed in the minutea of ASL. ...[/QUOTE]
Totally agree.
[QUOTE='Ol Fezziwig]..
..I'm not quite sure if the command system of the TCS equates to the command system of, say, CWB, but I do rather like the restrictions the system places on the omniscient player in regards to reacting to opponents moves over myriad other systems. ...
Systems such as most of The Gamers lines, that reward reserves, are far superior to those that do not. ..[/QUOTE]
That is why CWB and RSS are my favorite games. The TCS game, I want to play the most is Black Wednesday. Gamers rules IMHO, enable a player to quickly get into the game, without being bogged down with rule lookups. The games become lessons on how to play and deal with the unexpected.
Keith
Totally agree.
[QUOTE='Ol Fezziwig]..
..I'm not quite sure if the command system of the TCS equates to the command system of, say, CWB, but I do rather like the restrictions the system places on the omniscient player in regards to reacting to opponents moves over myriad other systems. ...
Systems such as most of The Gamers lines, that reward reserves, are far superior to those that do not. ..[/QUOTE]
That is why CWB and RSS are my favorite games. The TCS game, I want to play the most is Black Wednesday. Gamers rules IMHO, enable a player to quickly get into the game, without being bogged down with rule lookups. The games become lessons on how to play and deal with the unexpected.
Keith