Onslaught to Orsha

[Rince]

I just checked out the heatofbattle website and found this game:

Onslaught to Orsha
The Death of Army Group Center, June - July 1944

has anybody yet given it a try? If so, good game?

thanks,

 

[Dr Zaius]

I own it, but have not played the campaign yet. It has received some very high marks that have played it.

 

[CPRad]

OtO

I've just purchased this one and BtB ... still waiting for them.

You might want to check out the AAR in this folder .. I think there are two differnt accounts for OtO.

 

[ibncalb]

just buy it

just play it

just forget about AoO and their little faggy 1AF tanks

OtO is a man's game

live it

b e n

 

[Bryan Holtby]

If you love mass tank attacks, give the Russian side a chance in the CG. You can get 40+ tanks for Day 1.......many will burn though. Drive the SU76's up front, they are guarenteed to burn and provide cover.


Great CG and some very good scenarios. If you are a bit of a history fan there is a very nice battle study writeup.

 

[AdrianE]

I have played one scenario from the pack. It was a good one (Cat's Lair) but the Russian has to be very aggressive.

There are several more scenarios from this pack in my want to play list.

The various AARs I've seen indicate that the CG is great fun. One caveat though, you may want to make a house rule that the historical drm is NA to the leader table. Otherwise you get too many great leaders at the start.

 

[Jazz]

I just checked out the heatofbattle website and found this game:

Onslaught to Orsha
The Death of Army Group Center, June - July 1944

has anybody yet given it a try? If so, good game?

thanks,

It's got:

-Vehicle/ordinance notes/rules/counters (*VERY* nice counters) for a bunch'o neat stuff (Russian rocket armed FB, Russian mine flail tanks, more types of Russian FT tanks, Lend Lease Brit tanks for the Russian).

-A number of pretty good scenarios on the standard Geomorphic boards

-A *VERY* large HASL map (which for some reason does not stir me)

-A number of scenarios on that map (which, 'cause the board don't stir me, they don't either)

-A CG (which is on the HASL map, which does not stir me, etc....)

All in all, I think it's worthwhile. The scenarios on the geo boards are good. The scenarios on the big map are probably good, I just have this (probably irrational) thing about the HASL map. Maybe it's 'cause I can't fit it on my usual gaming table?

Jazz

 

[Gunner]

Hoffmeisters Charge is a good scenario on the geo boards and I am in the middle of Cat's Lair right now. Seems that the Russian has a long way to go and a lot to acomplish in this one.

 

[Chris Milne]

Played Cat's Lair recently, and had one of the best ASL games I've ever played (both from a skill and enjoyment point of view). Very very nice scenario, with many options to consider in planning. The Soviet does have to be aggressive, though. IMO, if the German player has a good plan and executes it well, it's tough on the Soviets.

I'm also considering buying this - my hesitation is simply because I'm not a big fan of grinding my way through prepared defence lines, which is what I understand the CG to be. Still, just got a bonus at work...

Also, note that the prices for HoB stuff go up tomorrow (1 Oct). So decide quickly if you want to save...

 

[Houlie]

I *just* received this yesterday from Alex Key Games. The OtO scenarios look great and several have now moved to my playlist. I was a bit surpised by the large number of scenarios -- from a value perspective, it's a pretty good deal to boot. I had thumbed through OtO at a couple tourneys and finally took the plunge. I believe you will be pleased if you decide to purchase it.

And yes, this is meat and potatoes stuff. No tin cans.

Drop Alex a note at hobbies@revealed.net to check on availability. He usually offers some of his products at a slight discount from list (10% for OtO) and is a nice guy to boot.

Cheers!

 

[Jazz]

Hoffmeisters Charge is a good scenario on the geo boards and I am in the middle of Cat's Lair right now. Seems that the Russian has a long way to go and a lot to acomplish in this one.

Dean McGinley and I played Cat's Lair. A really fun scenario, with both sides getting the tools (PF, good tanks for the German, numbers at a passable level of quality for the Russian) that they need and historically used to take on the other.

That being said, we felt the VC needed queaked. It was *theoretically* possible for the Russian to win in the last turn, but extremely unlikely with a cagey (and somewhat gamey) German defender. Taking all the VC buildings is a toughie against someone who is practiced at the nuances of building control.

Jazz

 

[Mark Warren]

"Where's the Beef?" was a very popular scenario at last years Intensive Fire tourney in Bournemouth. I played and enjoyed it despite those Soviet tanks rubbling numerous buildings where my german defenders were hiding

 

[Gunner Scott]

Hi-

Played Cats Lair also and I thought it was excellent, there are AAR's on this scenario in the AAR section.


Scott

Played Cat's Lair recently, and had one of the best ASL games I've ever played (both from a skill and enjoyment point of view). Very very nice scenario, with many options to consider in planning. The Soviet does have to be aggressive, though. IMO, if the German player has a good plan and executes it well, it's tough on the Soviets.

I'm also considering buying this - my hesitation is simply because I'm not a big fan of grinding my way through prepared defence lines, which is what I understand the CG to be. Still, just got a bonus at work...

Also, note that the prices for HoB stuff go up tomorrow (1 Oct). So decide quickly if you want to save...

 

[Chas]

lots of good comments, and of course i am biased I think OtO was the best project I have done so far.

The map should have been printed in 2 segments. Some have cut theirs and said it works great. One hist we are working on has ~ 30x86 map. Already planning to break into 3 sections. The OtO map has the larger hexes, which really helps play.

The CG has a lot of varying opinions, which is a good thing. The one common comment is the high fun factor.

Gunner, did u report your game of Hoff Charge to roar? This was probably my favorite scen in there, but hasnt caught on like I thought it would.

thanks to all for the great feedback on this.
chas

 

[Gunner]

Chas we reported the game to ROAR. I started playing it on VASL and almost got finished with it but then life got busy and haven't been able to reconnect with my online opponent (my fault). Later I had a chance to play it FTF and we finished that one and reported to ROAR. I really liked it a lot even though I lost as the German. Lot's of toys on both sides! Lot's of burning wrecks!

Shawn

 

[Houlie]

Chas, perhaps part of the low playing of Hoff Charge might be due to the use of Board 49 which is not part of any available module and is quite difficult to find. I personally don't have this one or any of the AoO boards.

I wonder how many times the lack of boards 48-51 result in missed playings despite these scenarios looking like good games. I know I have written off some scenario choices because these boards are not available.

<Please, any rants on AoO or MMP should be directed to another thread. Thanks.>

 

[da priest]

..I wonder how many times the lack of boards 48-51 result in missed playings despite these scenarios looking like good games. I know I have written off some scenario choices because these boards are not available...

Yep, just happened to me at the St. Louis 'con. Finally broke down and bought the unmounted versions, and glued them to some old SL boards I had lying around.:OHNO:

 

[Gen. blunder]

just buy it

just play it

just forget about AoO and their little faggy 1AF tanks

OtO is a man's game

live it

b e n

Yeah human wave attacks against 20 mm quad AA guns ,heavy machine guns with mine fields in the middle, rocket launching stormoviks, 88 mm german sp guns, 120 mm mortars,isu 150, 88 mm antiaricraft guns etc etc etc .
If you enjoy the warmth and frendliness of a slaughterhouse you'll love that game.

 

[David Reinking]

Yeah human wave attacks against 20 mm quad AA guns ,heavy machine guns with mine fields in the middle, rocket launching stormoviks, 88 mm german sp guns, 120 mm mortars,isu 150, 88 mm antiaricraft guns etc etc etc .
If you enjoy the warmth and frendliness of a slaughterhouse you'll love that game.

GD is right. OtO is not for the weak-of-heart.

However, that being said, OtO absolutely ROCKS! Play "Funnel of Death" or "The Orsha Plain". Both scenarios can get the heart pumping-- The Russians due to the lack of cover for their advancing troops; the Germans because the Russians just keep on coming (kinda like the Terminator).

 

[Chas]

You could be right on the boards 48-51 issue. However, I never expected that OtO would see print before AoO, or that it still wouldnt be in print. Personally I love board 49. It has a lot of application possibilities, and is fun to play on.
On another note, I am starting to dislike board 48. I probably had used it because it was "or would be" new, but have pretty much left that out of consideration for the future.

On OtO. Yep, definitely not for the meek of heart, but there is a lot of action going on. I really liked Another Bloody Morning on the historical map.

Nothing like quad 20s, 88s, FT tanks, Mineroller tanks, OBA, stukas, Sturmovicks, etc all lighting up the battlefield at the same time If this sounds interesting, OtO is definitely for you.

Chas