Newb Review of Croix de Guerre

[Eagle4ty]

View attachment 12167

I like what he's done to the place.

 

[afgur]

Hello all

Shouldn't German reinforcement group G4 have 3 Opel 6700, 1 for each gun?
Also why are some Pz 38(t)A ID letters red?

Alan

 

[klasmalmstrom]

Shouldn't German reinforcement group G4 have 3 Opel 6700, 1 for each gun?

That does seem like a possible error.

Also why are some Pz 38(t)A ID letters red?

Because we ran out of letter-combinations, between A-F. The red/blue color doesn't mean anything special.

 

[afgur]

Thanks, that explains why I found no reference.

Alan

 

[Carln0130]

Thanks, that explains why I found no reference.

Alan

Legit piece of errata. Should be 2 all the way across Alan.

 

[Pitman]

That does seem like a possible error.



Because we ran out of letter-combinations, between A-F. The red/blue color doesn't mean anything special.

Why do the letters have to be between A-F?

 

[daveramsey]

Why do the letters have to be between A-F?

Acquisition counters or the AFV cards perhaps? (I know acq counters also have AA, BB, etc)

 

[klasmalmstrom]

Why do the letters have to be between A-F?

They don't really need to be, I guess. But if the vehicle can gain Acquistion - it helps a tad to keep track of that.

But if they can't gain Acquistion - there's no real need. E.g., the Opel Blitz trucks are, G-Z; a-z. PSW 221 are A-B; G-T.

 

[bprobst]

IIRC, there were approximately 5,999 Japanese MTR counters in BRT that have no matching acquisition counters. I guess they're removed from the board after they've fired once.

It seems like MMP have been stuck in a rut in this particular aspect of counter design for some time, for no good reason. If a particular unit/weapon can never gain acquisition, then the ID of that unit/weapon is only for record-keeping purposes and in no way needs to adhere to the "A-F, a-f, AA-FF, ..." pattern (and that pattern itself only exists because of the limitations in the supply of acquisition counters!). Randomly assigning different colours to the ID without even mentioning anything about this anywhere in the rules (I'm assuming, I don't have my copy yet) seems a particularly poor way of addressing the issue. "If we give this truck the id 'G', the game is broken!" Uh, no. I think players can cope.

I have no problems whatsoever with 99% of official ASL counter design decisions but this matter of IDs is one where I think MMP could learn to stretch a little.

 

['Ol Fezziwig]

To summarize generally regarding the Rommel counter.

Rommel upon arriving on morning inspections came upon a first crossing attempt that had been largely repulsed. Only a shot up company had made it across the Meuse and there was no impetus for a second try. He sent back for two 105's and armor support and used that for suppressing fire on the far bank. He ordered a second crossing, which under the suppressing fire and the targeted burning of buildings to generate an impromptu smoke screen, worked. Rommel did not have any smoke generating apparatus for a crossing, a fact he lamented in letters home to his wife, and so had to improvise. Also, for reasons we were unable to directly ascertain, he did not utilize the equivalent of OBA Smoke or even any noted instances of direct fire smoke screens. He also crossed to the far bank that morning on at least two occasions.

Also during that busy morning he directly changed the building of an 8 ton Pontoon Bridge to a 16 ton Pontoon Bridge in mid-construction. He knew he could get heavier armor across a 16 ton Pontoon and no doubt drew curses behind his back from the impacted Assault Engineers. He and his chief adjutant were strafed by a friendly aircraft, almost ending his career right there. Once satisfied with the second crossing he ran up to Hou briefly to see if the crossing of the 5th Panzer, which was attached to him at this time, was going well. It was.

He then headed back to Dinant, crossed to the far bank again and remained there. The next day, he was almost killed while looking at French defenses outside of Onhaye through the periscope of one of the rare MKIII's in 7th Panzer. The tank was struck by French ATG fire and in game terms, wrecked. He sustained cuts on his face from the periscope glass being blown back into his face and one of his subordinates in the tank lost an arm. The MkIII's driver hit the gas and drove into a ditch where the vehicle fell on it's side. After popping smoke dischargers, the occupants, including Rommel scrambled out. Rommel was stitched up in the same Inn that Dan Dolan, the chief designer of Dinant, would visit a couple of years ago. The inn keeper showed him family photos (His father owned the Inn at the time of the crossing) of Rommel being attended to and of the crossing. Sadly, we have been unable to obtain those photos to date. With the Inn Keepers permission, we might be able to share them for a future article.

To get back to our design conclusions regarding Rommel. He was definitely a source of impetus to the German assault in this sector and showed considerable improvisation and physical courage. Indications are that his men loved him for it. He was however, operating at an overseeing project manager level. Assessing the situation and determining what was needed where, to keep things moving. For this reason, while he raises morale level within 2 hexes of his position, and aids in the completion of engineering tasks such as Ferry, Pontoon Bridge and Pulley construction, (simulating his aides overseeing his instructions for same) he does not have the ability to direct fire and so forth, as that simply was below the level of what he was doing.

If Rommel dies/is captured during the CG, the Germans lose 10 CPP from the next CG date and 5 thereafter to simulate the loss of impetus to the assault in general. The German high command was not entirely enamored of the new approach of deep penetrations with exposed flanks and very likely would have throttled back any replacement of Rommel's. Also, German ELR drops by one permanently. Lastly, all personnel within 2 have a LLMC to take. Live by the Rommel, die by the Rommel.

Also, should Rommel die/become captured, the German player must use a verdammt sugar bowl for ALL DR/Dr from that point forward or forfeit the CG

 

[Carln0130]

Also, should Rommel die/become captured, the German player must use a verdammt sugar bowl for ALL DR/Dr from that point forward or forfeit the CG

Are you trying to say that's optional?

 

[boylermaker]

Yeah, I think I agree with @bprobst that I would rather just see acquisition counters expanded to G-L (since we have acquisition counters in CdG, seems like that should be possible) than have the color changed, which does have a specific meaning in at least one other CG (Festung Budapest).

 

['Ol Fezziwig]

... My inner French arteest...

That would be 'artiste'

 

[Gordon]

But of course, but zat would not have demonstrated my nuanced French accent, no? Ze mademoiselles, zey go crazee for it.

 

[seblick]

My counter sheet 9 has seriously crappy smudged vehicle images. MMP tells me all of the #9 sheets are of similar quality.
Anybody else have issues with that sheet? A minor issue but it becomes more problematic when the package costs $100 plus.

 

[Pitman]

My counter sheet 9 has seriously crappy smudged vehicle images. MMP tells me all of the #9 sheets are of similar quality.
Anybody else have issues with that sheet? A minor issue but it becomes more problematic when the package costs $100 plus.

Can you post a photo?

 

[Jobbo_Fett]

Got hit with a $40 COD by my mail provider, I guess the shipping I paid MMP wasn't enough.

 

[seblick]

Attached is a sample of the sheet 9 and a sample of similar counters from BV.

 

[boylermaker]

I don't remember noticing that on mine, but I'll take a look.

 

[FMFCB]

Attached is a sample of the sheet 9 and a sample of similar counters from BV.

Is this only on Sheet #9?