RH4 and RH5

[Rhett]

The long awaited ... ..... new scenarios from RH Games are ready !

Linked scenarios removed by moderator due to use of copyright counter art.

The background for RH4 Motti can be found on the excellent Finnish Winter War site (in English). There are some fine maps there that show the development of the mottis north of Lake Ladoga at the end of December 1939 and beginning of January 1940. The ASL scenario tries to show how all such mottis were formed. See also here for the background of the term motti, tactics and so on. This was the direct inspiration for the scenario.

Information about RH5 Halted at Midtskogen can be found on Wikipedia. There is a great map there - more or less on scale with an ASL board - with the whole set up. It was the direct inspiration for the scenario. Map 17 together with a stream overlay matches the actual terrain in a not bad manner. There is more information about the KIng's flight from Oslo here (in Norwegian, use a translator) and the battle here and here (both in Norwegian). For more information about the German Fallschirmjäger unit that took part read here. We presume it was the 2nd Company that actually was at the battle.

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RH Games now plan to make a scenario pack. This is an ambitious project that will take awhile.

Keywords: East Front, 1 or 2 new maps, 4 to 6 scenarios (depending on how much time we want to use).

The new maps will be in both VASL format and in 300dpi for printing out on paper for ftf play.

The idea is to follow a front or a division over a period of time. We also want a wide variety of scenario-types and situations.

 

[AdrianE]

The VC for RH4 need to be re-written. "Vertical hexrow" is not a defined ASL term.

Also note that the Finns can almost never win with the current text. They need 15 to 18 MMC spread out to meet VC at game end. They start with 10 to 13 squads (20 to 26 MMC if fully deployed). The Russians only need to kill 3 to 4.5 squads and they win because the Finns can not then mathematically meet the VC.

You might also consider allowing the the truck passengers to set up cloaked. It will be too easy to identify the leaders and kill them otherwise.

However that is likely not relevant. A smart Russian will not set up anywhere near the Finns. I see two clumps at 37A5 and 52A5.

I think you are trying for a scenario that is an ambush of a column. The VC and setup won't work as written

 

[Vinnie]

RH5. no need to designate both sides as scenario attacker as both sides set up on board unless there is a desire to allow the use of cloaking.

At first glance it looks very tough on the Germans who have less squads than the defenders who will get a few shots at them while on board trucks and have an HMG.

 

[Rhett]

The VC for RH4 need to be re-written. "Vertical hexrow" is not a defined ASL term.

It is not a defined ASL term, but not all terms need to be. If north is "up" in the Board Configuration, vertical is north-south.

A hexrow is not an (Alternate) Hex Grain (A9.221).

Also note that the Finns can almost never win with the current text. They need 15 to 18 MMC spread out to meet VC at game end. They start with 10 to 13 squads (20 to 26 MMC if fully deployed). The Russians only need to kill 3 to 4.5 squads and they win because the Finns can not then mathematically meet the VC.

You have misunderstood the Victory Conditions. The Finns must create a number of consecutive vertical hexrows (as defined above) free from Good Order Russian MMC anywhere on the map. If the Russians leave gaps in their setup, it becomes far easier for the Finns to create such a number of consecutive vertical hexrows.

You might also consider allowing the the truck passengers to set up cloaked. It will be too easy to identify the leaders and kill them otherwise.

However that is likely not relevant. A smart Russian will not set up anywhere near the Finns. I see two clumps at 37A5 and 52A5.

I think you are trying for a scenario that is an ambush of a column. The VC and setup won't work as written

Read the scenario again. Since the Finns set up after the Russians, the Russians can not chose to avoid the Finns. It is the Finns who decide where to attack based on the Russian setup. The Russians can not leave any large area free of units because the Finns set up HIP and the Russians are never sure exactly how many squads the Finns have. It only becomes clear at the end of the game.

 

[Rhett]

RH5. no need to designate both sides as scenario attacker as both sides set up on board unless there is a desire to allow the use of cloaking.

The Scenario Attacker (and Scenario Defender E1.2) are formal terms used to designate abilities in Night scenarios. When both sides are the Scenario Attacker, it just means that there is no Scenario Defender.

At first glance it looks very tough on the Germans who have less squads than the defenders who will get a few shots at them while on board trucks and have an HMG.

On the contrary. Due to German fire power they have a huge advantage over the Norwegians. We had to reduce the number of German squads in our play-test. At the beginning while in the trucks the Germans are most vulnerable, later much less. Also don't forget that the broken morale is the same for the Germans but one less for the Norwegians. The Green HS easily get Disrupted.

It is not a good idea for the Norwegians to engage in long-range fire fights with the Germans. Keep concealment for as long as possible. But I will not tell you how to play ....

 

[Vinnie]

The Scenario Attacker (and Scenario Defender E1.2) are formal terms used to designate abilities in Night scenarios. When both sides are the Scenario Attacker, it just means that there is no Scenario Defender.



On the contrary. Due to German fire power they have a huge advantage over the Norwegians. We had to reduce the number of German squads in our play-test. At the beginning while in the trucks the Germans are most vulnerable, later much less. Also don't forget that the broken morale is the same for the Germans but one less for the Norwegians. The Green HS easily get Disrupted.

It is not a good idea for the Norwegians to engage in long-range fire fights with the Germans. Keep concealment for as long as possible. But I will not tell you how to play ....

You are corrrect but for there to be a scenario Attacker or Defender, one side has to start on board while the other enters entirely from off board. Since here the two sides bith set up on board, neither can be the attacker or defender. There is no need to specify that one is unless you wish them to benefit from cloaking.


My concern with the first turn is the trucks have to spend a movement point to stop, prior to unloading. The Norwegian player will get shots with his half squads (allbeit at +1) but you are destroying trucks on a 4 three times if you stack 2 half squads and that may well make the scenario quite unbalanced.

 

[Vinnie]

Is there a particular reason you did not leave the Germans as Lax at night like they normally are (pre-1943)?

 

[Rhett]

Yes, if the Norwegians can eliminate Germans it happens at the beginning. The Norwegian force that can actually attack the trucks is limited for a good reason. Two shots less then 6 and so on. If you can fire a Starshell and want to reveal the HMG you have one more chance.

The Germans are not Lax because they are elite paratroopers and move first.

 

[Vinnie]

It's all about design choices and I haven't even looked at the board. I just wanted to pointbout the risks you are taking. A couple of low rolls on one side right at the start can seriously unbalance the game.
Particularly if they start off with a 2 leaving a burning wreck that illuminates the rest of the convoy for the HMG!

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Your write-up is far better than the Wiki article on Midtskogen. I had never heard of this before (I'm familiar with the COD scenario about the Dutch royal family that was redone for ASL though).

Looks very interesting.

 

[AdrianE]

You have misunderstood the Victory Conditions. The Finns must create a number of consecutive vertical hexrows (as defined above) free from Good Order Russian MMC anywhere on the map. If the Russians leave gaps in their setup, it becomes far easier for the Finns to create such a number of consecutive vertical hexrows.

The way you have written the VC the Finns need to create 15 to 18 consecutive hexrows with NO Russian MMC/tanks and at least one Finnish MMC in each hexrow.

 

[bprobst]

It is not a defined ASL term, but not all terms need to be.

Yes they do.

If north is "up" in the Board Configuration, vertical is north-south.

Then why not use the term "running north-south" or similar? If your first instinct in scenario design is "players will know what I mean", you have already failed. BE PRECISE. USE OFFICIAL DEFINITIONS WHERE POSSIBLE.

You have misunderstood the Victory Conditions.

Or, you have used imprecise terminology leading to player confusion. When the players play the game, all they have is the scenario card. You're not on hand to provide useful tips. The scenario card needs to say everything that the rules don't say already.

 

[klasmalmstrom]

The Scenario Attacker (and Scenario Defender E1.2) are formal terms used to designate abilities in Night scenarios. When both sides are the Scenario Attacker, it just means that there is no Scenario Defender.

If the intent is to have no Scenario Defender, then all you have to do is not write anything - the "both are Scenario Attackers" is just superfluous, and will potentially cause some confusion. I'd remove it.

 

[Rhett]

The VC of RH4 has been changed to read:

VICTORY CONDITIONS: The Finns win at the end of any Game Turn if an area of twelve plus a random number (see SSR 3) of consecutive hexrows are free of Good Order Russian MMC and Mobile AFV (D.7) and has at least one Good Order Finnish MMC.

 

[Vinnie]

The VC of RH4 has been changed to read:

VICTORY CONDITIONS: The Finns win at the end of any Game Turn if an area of twelve plus a random number (see SSR 3) of consecutive hexrows are free of Good Order Russian MMC and Mobile AFV (D.7) and has at least one Good Order Finnish MMC.

So each of these 12+ hexrows needs a good order MMC in it? The hexrows do not need to be contiguous.

 

[Vinnie]

With only 7 plus a random number of squads, you are going to struggle to reach that number of covering units.

 

[klasmalmstrom]

With only 7 plus a random number of squads, you are going to struggle to reach that number of covering units.

Perhaps the last part is just saying the Finns need at least one Good Order Finnish MMC anywhere on the board?

Sort of like this:

VICTORY CONDITIONS: Provided the Finns have >= 1 Good Order MMC, they win at the end of any Game Turn if there are twelve (plus a random number [see SSR 3]) adjacent same-lettered hexrows free of Good Order Russian MMC and Mobile AFV (D.7).

But this is just speculation of course...

 

[Vinnie]

Perhaps the last part is just saying the Finns need at least one Good Order Finnish MMC anywhere on the board?

Sort of like this:

VICTORY CONDITIONS: Provided the Finns have >= 1 Good Order MMC, they win at the end of any Game Turn if there are twelve (plus a random number [see SSR 3]) adjacent same-lettered hexrows free of Good Order Russian MMC and Mobile AFV (D.7).

But this is just speculation of course...

Not so sure. This woukd be an almost automatic win atntge end of turn 1. There are about 25 Russian units to cover 2 board lengths.

 

[klasmalmstrom]

Not so sure. This woukd be an almost automatic win atntge end of turn 1. There are about 25 Russian units to cover 2 board lengths.

There are 65 hexrows to cover - and you only need to make sure there aren't 12+ in a row that's empty. With 22 units that's a Russian unit - on average - in every third hexrow. So I don't see it as likely as 12+ hexrows are "cleared" on turn one. Granted, I've not look that closely on the scenario.

Or I could be missing something.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Perhaps the last part is just saying the Finns need at least one Good Order Finnish MMC anywhere on the board?

...if an area of twelve plus a random number...of consecutive hexrows....has at least one Good Order Finnish MMC.

Seems clear to me, as I read it, that you have to free said area of Good Order Russian MMC AND have at least one GO Finn MMC in that same area.