[SG2] large big arse games of SG2

These were memorable quotes from our Grey Day to die scenario at GZG ECC III.

"If we run out of black skulls I'll be truly horrified." - Tom B, A Grey
Day
"We woulda kept playing but the figures were getting tired." - Ted
Arlauskas, end of A Grey Day scenario.

This should give you some concept of how large games go. I had three counter
sets.

Our game featured a human force (an FSE Legion Etrange platoon of 5REA, and
two NSL platoons, with a bunch of Heavy Gear Infantry Walkers, PA, a tank
destroyer, a tank, two APCs, and at least one walker) engaged by a force of
Kravak with two heavy super-tanks, a light tank, several attack VTOLs,
and a whacklot of KV (plus ortillery galore).

KV Forces

http://www.warpfish.com/jhan/ft/gzgecc/gzgecc3/gallery/S3_GreyDay04.jpg

Humans

http://www.warpfish.com/jhan/ft/gzgecc/gzgecc3/gallery/S3_GreyDay02.jpg
and
http://www.warpfish.com/jhan/ft/gzgecc/gzgecc3/gallery/S3_GreyDay03.jpg

and the board
http://www.warpfish.com/jhan/ft/gzgecc/gzgecc3/gallery/S3_GreyDay05.jpg

The outer layer was about 8x8 as I recall, the second layer was about 6x6 and
the area you can just see at the bottom of the pic was 24" wide and
8'
long. All in all, I figure we covered about 116 square feet of game board
space.

To do a battalion level game, which to me implies a battalion on each side,
would require at least twice as much space. That would suggest around 250
square feet of board (keep in mind the effot of moving figs if you have to
reach over terrain too).

Our game took about 12-14 hours and the writing was on the wall at the
end,
but more dice could have been rolled. A single platoon game takes 3-4
hours. So, scaling up to battalion level, you end up taking (I would guess)
about 36 hours. You might do it in less, but not much less unless you run
separate tables with separate refs and it really isn't quite all one big game
then.

I'd suggest simplified direct fire resolution for certain, no (or few and well
marked) mines, few if any hidden units, and limited off board assets. We
brought to bear some of the force a company could expect to be supported with.
If you bring in Battalion level assets, expect the game to be very slow and
tiring.

My players (thanks guys!) and my co-ref 'Los had superhuman endurance
and capacity to make up for my defficiencies. The game was fun and produced
lots of memorable moment (the first KV close assault that killed six or seven
humans instantly in a squad of 8 - which was also the first time the
humans
saw an unhidden KV unit, and the moment Wi-Sel the NeverSeen KV sniper
opened fire on the 2ic of the human side with his sniper rifle...in range band
1 much to the horror of all!).

But such large games require planning, logistics galore, and ridiculous
amounts of effort.

Although I hope to see all my players at GZG ECC IV, I hope to see them in the
Can Am (Smaller!) FMA game me and Los are running! I think I'll leave
Carter Island/Grey Day part II for GZG ECC V.

Good luck to anyone trying to run anything like a battalion level game. I'd
think DS2 much better suited.

Please forgive one who has already admitted to not playing the groppos, but my
impression was that wars, now and in the future, tend to be envisioned as made
up of relatively small, diverse battles. Concentration of forces is good for
overwhelming the enemy, and bad for avoiding nuke strikes and
other nasties-from-above.

That said, doesn't this suggest a metagame? Maps and hidden simmov?

Takes a lot of work from refs, but can be quite exciting, and it sounds like
this is the kind of group that can put forth the necessary effort. Several
tables, with one crushed defense leaking flankers on to another
table.... *hmmm*

'Doug, we need you to finish two moves so you can catch up to everybody else,
and we can tell you why you are SOOOOO S.O.L.'

The_Beast

-Douglas J. Evans, curmudgeon

One World, one Web, one Program - Microsoft promotional ad
Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Fuhrer - Adolf Hitler

About 2 years ago(??!!) Los made a suggestion for playing a multi-table
game. Well, at our clubs Open Day last year (May 1999) Rob Deakin, Simon
Leray-Meyer and myself decided to run a large game like that as part of
our GZG campaign we were playing. Turned out to be a fantastic day!

The attackers (Two Platoons of MBTs and 3 Coys of mech inf plus recon and off
table arty support) was given three possible approaches to the defenders main
defence position. Defender was a reinforced inf coy.

We played three simultaneous games; one for each of the approaches and the
attacker and defender both had to allocate resources to each table. The
defender was limited to what he could place out to avoid a loss of all
forces in first games. The resulting win/loss/amount of delay imposed at
each table dictated how much intel the attacker received on the defenders main
position and how much additional preparation the defender could have.

In the afternoon it was a large game utilising all forces leftover from the
combats in the three approach games. Forces could be moved from one approach
to another by the attacker before the final assualt on the main position but
this resulted in delays on arrival on the board.

It was a lot of fun and imposed additional fog-of-war on both sides. And
it
wasn't that hard to co-ordinate!

We had something like 10 players and one referee for the days play.

Who's next???

Owen
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