Assaulted in the Bocage country: Like it or Hate Bocage.

[Evan Sherry]

I know a crusty old guy who was assaulted in the bocage country. I mean assaulted!
He won’t play bocage.

1. Do you play Bocage scenarios?
2. Do you enjoy Bocage scenarios?
3. If given a choice of playing a Bocage scenario or a non-Bocage scenario which do you choose?
4. Would you rather play a Bocage scenario or have your feet swatted by an enemy interrogator?
5. Do your ASL buddies have to hold you at gun point to get you to play Bocage?
6. Would you like to see the Bocage section of every ASLRB ripped out and burned in the street?

 

[PresterJohn]

I don't go out of my way to choose bocage scenarios but if I do, I prefer playing bocage in large doses.
It's terrain with a lot of detail and it is satisfying to play with a good grip on the rules.

Perhaps the bocage concealment rules need to be re-evaluated for fit for purpose.

 

[FMFCB]

I have played a bunch of bocage scenarios. The bocage no big deal. Given a choice I would play a non bocage scenario most of the time. However finding another player to play bocage is much harder!

 

[MajorDomo]

An interesting different flavor of ASL to me.

Rich

 

[Sparafucil3]

First, I am comfortable playing in the bocage. I don't seek it out nor do I avoid it.

Having said that, I don't think bocage in ASL is nearly the defensive terrain it was in Normandy. At most, the terrain is neutral and in other cases, it favors the attacker and not the defender. The problem usually comes down to the defender's mobility. I think if I ever create a bocage scenario I will add an SSR letting the defender cross a bocage for 2MF instead of the current 2 + COT. It's so easy to outflank defenders in bocage.

 

[Ric of The LBC]

I know a crusty old guy who was assaulted in the bocage country. I mean assaulted!
He won’t play bocage.

1. Do you play Bocage scenarios?
2. Do you enjoy Bocage scenarios?
3. If given a choice of playing a Bocage scenario or a non-Bocage scenario which do you choose?
4. Would you rather play a Bocage scenario or have your feet swatted by an enemy interrogator?
5. Do your ASL buddies have to hold you at gun point to get you to play Bocage?
6. Would you like to see the Bocage section of every ASLRB ripped out and burned in the street?

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Either. Just happy to play
4. Hmmmmm
5. Nope
6. Real men play Bocage

 

[synicbast]

I enjoy bocage scenarios in general. I think BFP hit it out of the park with Beyond the Beachhead and Cobra with regard to the fun I had playing them and the additional details that reflected my understanding of the terrain (light bocage and treating Bocage like walls for LATW purposes). While Action Pack 4 was more of a mixed bag in terms of the scenarios overall I still got my money's worth. I echo the comment of playing bocage in groups rather than sporadically, just as with Desert and Night. Thankfully my regular pponents are comfortable playing Bocage.

 

[FJCruiser]

CH has 96 Bocage scenarios in the Hedgerow series. Enough for a lifetime and all 41 maps are VASLed.

 

[hongkongwargamer]

Bocage is fine. It’s a non factor in my choice of scenarios.

 

[Thunderchief]

I know a crusty old guy who was assaulted in the bocage country. I mean assaulted!
He won’t play bocage.

1. Do you play Bocage scenarios?
2. Do you enjoy Bocage scenarios?
3. If given a choice of playing a Bocage scenario or a non-Bocage scenario which do you choose?
4. Would you rather play a Bocage scenario or have your feet swatted by an enemy interrogator?
5. Do your ASL buddies have to hold you at gun point to get you to play Bocage?
6. Would you like to see the Bocage section of every ASLRB ripped out and burned in the street?

1 - Yes, it's in Normandy.
2 - Yes, they're in Normandy.
3 - Depends, but quite happy with most Normandy scenario offerings.
4 - Bocage
5 - Never
6 - No thank you.

On a trip to Normandy a few years ago a regular travel buddy and ASL opponent and I devised a game of "Hedge or Bocage?" as we drove around the countryside.

 

[synicbast]

CH has 96 Bocage scenarios in the Hedgerow series. Enough for a lifetime and all 41 maps are VASLed.

Life's too short to take a sight unseen punt on anything CH these days, but particularly so any large group that was released in relatively short period time. There are Ponzi schemes with better pedigrees.

 

[ibncalb]

CH has 96 Bocage scenarios in the Hedgerow series. Enough for a lifetime and all 41 maps are VASLed.

where are those vasl maps found?

 

[Robin Reeve]

I know a crusty old guy who was assaulted in the bocage country. I mean assaulted!
He won’t play bocage.

1. Do you play Bocage scenarios?
2. Do you enjoy Bocage scenarios?
3. If given a choice of playing a Bocage scenario or a non-Bocage scenario which do you choose?
4. Would you rather play a Bocage scenario or have your feet swatted by an enemy interrogator?
5. Do your ASL buddies have to hold you at gun point to get you to play Bocage?
6. Would you like to see the Bocage section of every ASLRB ripped out and burned in the street?

I like Bocage and will readily play scenarios featuring it.

 

[JRKrejsa]

I know a crusty old guy who was assaulted in the bocage country. I mean assaulted!
He won’t play bocage.

1. Do you play Bocage scenarios?
2. Do you enjoy Bocage scenarios?
3. If given a choice of playing a Bocage scenario or a non-Bocage scenario which do you choose?
4. Would you rather play a Bocage scenario or have your feet swatted by an enemy interrogator?
5. Do your ASL buddies have to hold you at gun point to get you to play Bocage?
6. Would you like to see the Bocage section of every ASLRB ripped out and burned in the street?

Yes
Yes
Bocage is a non-factor in choosing a scenario.
Bocage
No
No

 

[M.Koch]

1. Do you play Bocage scenarios?
2. Do you enjoy Bocage scenarios?
3. If given a choice of playing a Bocage scenario or a non-Bocage scenario which do you choose?
4. Would you rather play a Bocage scenario or have your feet swatted by an enemy interrogator?
5. Do your ASL buddies have to hold you at gun point to get you to play Bocage?
6. Would you like to see the Bocage section of every ASLRB ripped out and burned in the street?

1. Yes
2. Depends
3. Non-Bocage Scenario
4. Bocage Scenario
5. No
6. No

 

[FJCruiser]

where are those vasl maps found?

I sent you a private message.

 

[zgrose]

I like Bocage.

 

[Doug Kirk]

First, I am comfortable playing in the bocage. I don't seek it out nor do I avoid it.

Having said that, I don't think bocage in ASL is nearly the defensive terrain it was in Normandy. At most, the terrain is neutral and in other cases, it favors the attacker and not the defender. The problem usually comes down to the defender's mobility. I think if I ever create a bocage scenario I will add an SSR letting the defender cross a bocage for 2MF instead of the current 2 + COT. It's so easy to outflank defenders in bocage.

This exactly. I play it occasionally for something different but I dont like it. It just doesn't feel right. It favors the attacker too much.

 

[Martin Mayers]

This exactly. I play it occasionally for something different but I dont like it. It just doesn't feel right. It favors the attacker too much.

I firmly believe a lot of people play it incorrectly.

For example it is virtually impossible to destroy units by mass of firepower when they are sat behind bocage. And I know for a fact many (most?) players don't realise this nor understand why because I've watched many scenarios featuring bocage being played on VASL and in person, and watched players lose units which they had no right to lose simply because neither player understood that as soon as a unit breaks it goes "poof" and ethereally disappears.

I find it extraordinarily difficult to attack against and equivalently 'comfortable' to defend behind. And I've played tons of it over the years. It's really good fun and as interesting as "vanilla" ASL gets.

All IMHO it goes without saying...

 

[Sparafucil3]

For example it is virtually impossible to destroy units by mass of firepower when they are sat behind bocage. And I know for a fact many (most?) players don't realise this nor understand why because I've watched many scenarios featuring bocage being played on VASL and in person, and watched players lose units which they had no right to lose simply because neither player understood that as soon as a unit breaks it goes "poof" and ethereally disappears.

I don't know if I agree "many" don't know, but I have seen this misplayed.

I find it extraordinarily difficult to attack against and equivalently 'comfortable' to defend behind. And I've played tons of it over the years. It's really good fun and as interesting as "vanilla" ASL gets.

The problem for the defender is usually mobility. The defenders lack of mobility makes it easy to flank them. This is a little harder if the attack is along the length of the board.