DB136 The Block on the Trail to Hell

Khill

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DB136 The Block on the Trail to Hell is an awesome scenario. Sven and I had a blast playing this one. it is such a great scenario. it is destined to be a Classic

we diced for sides and I got the defending IJA vs USMC. played on a relatively small part of board 37, the USMC win by eliminating all GO IJA MMC on/adjacent to six road hexes. USMC are potent: 2 MMG's, 2 DC's, FT, ten 6-5-8's, and got to use a stylish 7-6-8 assault engineer USMC counter, and his two half quad buddies. the IJA have eight squads, 2 crew, HMG, MMG, 2 LMG's, DC, knee MTR, a 2 squad Pillbox, and two trenches to hold on for 6.5 turns

this thing played fast and furious. the USMC has got to go, go if they are going to find and reduce all GO IJA MMC along the VC road hexes. the IJA have to slowly give ground and pray the USMC run out of time and/or bodies for the final assault

I cannot recommend this scenario enough. we had such a great time playing it. there was so much awesome ASL happenings in our playing. with that much firepower concentrated in a short battle space, coupled with awesome CC/HtH CC action, the casualties were shocking: something like six squads/equivalent each, we also each lost a leader, and the USMC had a wounded leader left at the end

Steve ground his Marines forward and the IJA slowly faded back. at the end of the VC road lay the IJA Alamo with the HMG. there were just enough IJA but not quite enough USMC troops left at the bitter end. he was in it to the end for sure but the IJA HMG went on a glorious rate tear that chopped up the last desperate few Marines that were left to make the last charge for the IJA win. the emperor was pleased (for once)

this is an awesome scenario. we had such a great ASL experience playing it. this scenario played fast and tight: like five hrs (with breaks) and it went right down the the end. I would play it again as either side. the Bougainville Series is great but Vic really knocked it out of the park with this one
 

Vic Provost

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Thanks guys for giving this a go, it was very close in playtesting and the Japanese often had to hang on by their fingernails for the win in the face of USA firepower but PTO action is fast and furious here.

I look forward to playing you here in my game room this summer Keith, looking forward to a great time, Vic. :)
 

Carln0130

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Also, DB136, The Block On The Trail to Hell and many other fine scenarios are on the Nor'easter Play List for 3/26-3/29. Why? Because only the finest scenarios get on the Nor'easter Playlist and there is STILL time to sign up. See the details in the Events sub-forum on this site. (Shameless plug, car salesman mode switched back off).
 

Vic Provost

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Also, DB136, The Block On The Trail to Hell and many other fine scenarios are on the Nor'easter Play List for 3/26-3/29. Why? Because only the finest scenarios get on the Nor'easter Playlist and there is STILL time to sign up. See the details in the Events sub-forum on this site. (Shameless plug, car salesman mode switched back off).
Carl is putting together another fine scenario pack, Nor'easter Pack II, that will be released at a future Nor'easter Tournament and he does a great job. Look for another contribution from me in there and if you have a chance, do attend a Nor'easter if you have a chance, you will have a great time, Vic.
 

Khill

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Also, DB136, The Block On The Trail to Hell and many other fine scenarios are on the Nor'easter Play List for 3/26-3/29. Why? Because only the finest scenarios get on the Nor'easter Playlist and there is STILL time to sign up. See the details in the Events sub-forum on this site. (Shameless plug, car salesman mode switched back off).

what: DB136 is on the Noreaster play list? why, we had no idea...

I think it will be a popular selection
 

Carln0130

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what: DB136 is on the Noreaster play list? why, we had no idea...

I think it will be a popular selection
:) I suspected some prepping, but I have to spread the word. Even when true-believers are in ear shot. ;-)
 

Vic Provost

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Digging out determined IJA defenders by equally determined USA Marines in the PTO, how much more cardboard fun can you have? ;) Vic.
 

Khill

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Digging out determined IJA defenders by equally determined USA Marines in the PTO, how much more cardboard fun can you have? ;) Vic.
I love the PTO and usually bid IJA except vs. Gurkhas or the USMC. usually when I play IJA vs USMC the emperor's men end up shredded by superior firepower but this scenario really give the IJA a fair opportunity to hold'm off. so when the dice gods gave me the IJA I was confident that with a little luck I might pull it off. in the end I had like a half squad, a crew (w/HMG), and two striped squads left (GO) but that was enough to hold off the furious last USMC assaults. it was such a slugfest, Steve and I had so much fun playing it

sixteen playings logged on ROAR 8:8
 
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von Marwitz

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I remember playing this one a while back. Here is a link to the short AAR:


von Marwitz
 

Spencer Armstrong

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Also, DB136, The Block On The Trail to Hell and many other fine scenarios are on the Nor'easter Play List for 3/26-3/29. Why? Because only the finest scenarios get on the Nor'easter Playlist and there is STILL time to sign up. See the details in the Events sub-forum on this site. (Shameless plug, car salesman mode switched back off).
I enjoyed our playing of this scenario. It was called to mind in conversation with Keith's "honored" opponent this weekend.
 

Vic Provost

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Howling Dog indeed, LOL!

I remember in developing it, it was 2-2 in solitaire once I settled on the OBs, then in the in-house playtest in the club it was again even and I was pretty confident it was close. Then we sent it out for confirmation testing and again, several playing's later it came back dead even so we did not even do any tweaks and called it a day at that point.

I can only hope my contribution to what will eventually come out as Nor'easter Pack II in a year or 2, which will be 'Recon on the Logging Trail' comes out as close, again a fight on the trail system in Bougainville, this time a meeting engagement with a brilliant suggestion from Steve Pleva for pre-game VC bidding on who goes first. Looks like a winner and time will tell. I think Carl is pleased with it.

Glad all you guys who gave 'The Block on the Trail to Hell' a try, I sure had a blast designing, developing and playtesting it, it never got old, seeing dueling berserk squads fighting over that pillbox was a 10 on the entertainment value alone in one playing for sure, Vic. :)
 

Spencer Armstrong

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Howling Dog indeed, LOL!

I remember in developing it, it was 2-2 in solitaire once I settled on the OBs, then in the in-house playtest in the club it was again even and I was pretty confident it was close. Then we sent it out for confirmation testing and again, several playing's later it came back dead even so we did not even do any tweaks and called it a day at that point.

I can only hope my contribution to what will eventually come out as Nor'easter Pack II in a year or 2, which will be 'Recon on the Logging Trail' comes out as close, again a fight on the trail system in Bougainville, this time a meeting engagement with a brilliant suggestion from Steve Pleva for pre-game VC bidding on who goes first. Looks like a winner and time will tell. I think Carl is pleased with it.

Glad all you guys who gave 'The Block on the Trail to Hell' a try, I sure had a blast designing, developing and playtesting it, it never got old, seeing dueling berserk squads fighting over that pillbox was a 10 on the entertainment value alone in one playing for sure, Vic. :)
It's a fun, brutal fight, Vic. Just enough wrinkles to make it interesting. Pretty much exactly what I want out of a PTO scenario.
 

Vic Provost

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Thanks Spencer, designed with those things in mind, wanted to give both sides a fair shot at victory and emphasize their strengths and it seems to do that, Vic.
 

Mister T

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I played that scenario a few months ago and i'm afraid i have to issue a dissenting opinion here. Not that it is unbalanced (it is probably not), but it is very scripted. No possible maneuver, all you can do is to neatly array your US forces adjacent to the concealed japs and wait for incoming fire. The outcome of that volley will probably have a significant bearing on the scenario's outcome. Ok, it did not help that the Japanese HMG seems to have an almost unlimited supply of rounds :rolleyes:, but i could have gone the other way with more favorable dice. I have nothing against this scenario in particular, it is a decent one, but i thought after the playing that i will not play anymore the type of scenario featuring these three characteristics simultaneously (board entirely covered with jungle, short size, plain vanilla VC). YMMV
 

Vic Provost

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I played that scenario a few months ago and i'm afraid i have to issue a dissenting opinion here. Not that it is unbalanced (it is probably not), but it is very scripted. No possible maneuver, all you can do is to neatly array your US forces adjacent to the concealed japs and wait for incoming fire. The outcome of that volley will probably have a significant bearing on the scenario's outcome. Ok, it did not help that the Japanese HMG seems to have an almost unlimited supply of rounds :rolleyes:, but i could have gone the other way with more favorable dice. I have nothing against this scenario in particular, it is a decent one, but i thought after the playing that i will not play anymore the type of scenario featuring these three characteristics simultaneously (board entirely covered with jungle, short size, plain vanilla VC). YMMV
It really captures the green hell of the war on the trails on Bougainville, this time it was all about a fixed position that the Marines had to overcome and clear the trail. For a little more maneuver in the war on the trails look for my scenario on the logging trail coming up in Nor'easter Pack II in a year or 2. Thanks for your input, different strokes for different folks.

IF maneuver is your thing we have a France 40 scenario coming up in Dispatch #49 right up your alley, combined arms on both sides, Germans attacking, French counterattacking, been a ton of fun in playtesting, doing my best for variety in as many issues as I can, Vic.
 

Mister T

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IF maneuver is your thing we have a France 40 scenario coming up in Dispatch #49 right up your alley, combined arms on both sides, Germans attacking, French counterattacking, been a ton of fun in playtesting, doing my best for variety in as many issues as I can, Vic.
That's more of my liking, thanks ?
 
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