Road to Wiltz

[Faded 8-1]

Well I kind of felt bad about kicking Action about being OT a little bit in a different thread, so here's a post about the old SL classic he was on about.

This thing was a bit of a monster back in it's day. My friend Eric and I played it in SL a couple times back to back - up all night and till noon the next day.

What I most remember: trying to string LOS.

Remember how LOS rules worked in SL with AFVs? It was the ACTUAL DRAWING of the vehicle on the picture that hindered the shot - there was no such thing as Inherent Terrain in the original SL. And Road to Wiltz features a butt-load of AFV's, all advancing down a road (and spreading out beside it usually). So you had to carefully arrange all the vehicle counters carefully in their hexes, at least if you are anal like we were, and then carefully try to string a LOS without moving the counters. I'm convinced it's the Road to Wiltz that made Don Greenwood devise the concept of Inherent Terrain.

Fact is though, doing that was part of the fun back then. Part of the trial by fire of playing one of the most complex scenarios in the basic game.

 

[Actionjick]

Well I kind of felt bad about kicking Action about being OT a little bit in a different thread, so here's a post about the old SL classic he was on about.

This thing was a bit of a monster back in it's day. My friend Eric and I played it in SL a couple times back to back - up all night and till noon the next day.

What I most remember: trying to string LOS.

Remember how LOS rules worked in SL with AFVs? It was the ACTUAL DRAWING of the vehicle on the picture that hindered the shot - there was no such thing as Inherent Terrain in the original SL. And Road to Wiltz features a butt-load of AFV's, all advancing down a road (and spreading out beside it usually). So you had to carefully arrange all the vehicle counters carefully in their hexes, at least if you are anal like we were, and then carefully try to string a LOS without moving the counters. I'm convinced it's the Road to Wiltz that made Don Greenwood devise the concept of Inherent Terrain.

Fact is though, doing that was part of the fun back then. Part of the trial by fire of playing one of the most complex scenarios in the basic game.

Very nice synopsis!

 

[Arty83]

It was one of my favorites. The update was good too, but did not capture the flavor of the original

 

[pensatl1962]

I remember setting up the original version but nobody wanted to play it! It was so huge. It's interesting that the original SL12 was three turns shorter and two boards longer than the ASL update. Given that the ASL ROAR is about 2:1 in favor of the Americans, I wonder how (un)balanced the SL version was...

 

[Actionjick]

I remember setting up the original version but nobody wanted to play it! It was so huge. It's interesting that the original SL12 was three turns shorter and two boards longer than the ASL update. Given that the ASL ROAR is about 2:1 in favor of the Americans, I wonder how (un)balanced the SL version was...

Regardless of balance the version was a blast to play. First time I saw the boards laid out I was ready to play it!

 

[Honza]

Lone Canuck did their own version in their ASL For Fun series. They did a huge map of the area and a massive scenario.

JAVA 1 Securing of Senno

 

[Actionjick]

Regardless of balance the version was a blast to play. First time I saw the boards laid out I was ready to play it!

The variations possible for this basic layout are really good. Train, Convoy. Animal Pack. Partisan Ambush. Lol all really rather maneuver oriented perhaps.

 

[volgaG68]

I never got to play any of the SL classics involving vehicles, because my mentor was absolutely obsessed with infantry-only play, even though he owned the additional modules. I never played Road To Wiltz, nor the updated one, but really enjoyed the updated Bucholz Station from Yanks2. Thank God I did not have to experience the original SL rules quirks when playing it!

 

[Gunner Scott]

ya know, I can not find my old scenario of the ASL version of Road to Wiltz.

 

[Wayne]

ya know, I can not find my old scenario of the ASL version of Road to Wiltz.

Hope this helps:

See also the scenario archive site.

 

[Gunner Scott]

thank ya Wayne, VftT has all the generals on his website so was able to get it.

 

[tunixx]

I remember setting up the original version but nobody wanted to play it! It was so huge. It's interesting that the original SL12 was three turns shorter and two boards longer than the ASL update. Given that the ASL ROAR is about 2:1 in favor of the Americans, I wonder how (un)balanced the SL version was...

Back in the days we were pretty convinced that it was impossible for the Germans to win the SL version if you blocked 2 roads hexes on board 3 as the Germans wouldn't have enought MP to exit. I am still not sure if it is true, though.

 

[Jwil2020]

I have the original SL copy of 'Road to Wiltz.' But does anyone know where one can find the more streamlined ASL version (modified OB and 2 boards end to end v. 4)? I believe it was first released as an insert in The General Vol. 26 Ed. 1, but I can't find a copy of it anywhere.

 

[Gunner Scott]

here you go

 

[Wayne]

I have the original SL copy of 'Road to Wiltz.' But does anyone know where one can find the more streamlined ASL version (modified OB and 2 boards end to end v. 4)? I believe it was first released as an insert in The General Vol. 26 Ed. 1, but I can't find a copy of it anywhere.

Try this link.

You can find at archive.org PDFs of =all= issues of The General.

 

[Jwil2020]

Thanks guys. I had already found the General issue, but I did not scroll down far enough to find it (and St. Goar to boot!).

 

[21Z5M]

Is this the same battle in ASL For Fun, Battle for Wiltz?

 

[Wayne]

Is this the same battle in ASL For Fun, Battle for Wiltz?

Same historical action, Yes. Kindly placed here by LCP for public download as a VASL HASL. See their site re terms of use.

 

[Jwil2020]

Is this the same battle in ASL For Fun, Battle for Wiltz?

Same battle, but the upgraded SL-ASL version has a different scenario card and uses two geo-maps (2 and 3 end to end). I have it in my "someday like to play pile."

 

[Jwil2020]

Speaking of ASL's version of RtW... The Scenario Card's Turn Record Chart says the game ends on turn 15. Yet the Balance for the German player says, "Increase game length to 15 Turns." No doubt I am missing something simple--which is probably why I can't figure it out.