While just getting some gamers to meet up with lists made to set points limits can be done, I found that coordinating players before hand is fun as well. Our game saw Germans versus allies. Allies had 1 x Soviet IS-2 company, 1 x Brit Guards Motor and 1 x American Rifle company. Points 6,000 each side. The Germans had 2 panzer companys (one of them SS).
I was given the role of Group Boss of the allies side. Before the game I contacted my company comanders and gave a few simple instructions....I wanted Soviet aircraft (flying tanks) to use the single air support option and I wanted at least 1 Heavy Arty option and other arty options if possible (collection dependant), and recon platoons. I didn't know what the German players where going to bring but with 6,000 points and only 2 companys it was obvious they would go for big cats and, they sure did. Lots of Panthers and Tigers got deployed straight up. Yikes!
Now be sure to read the suggestions in the PDF as they have been really well written and the suggestions make lots of sense when it comes to terrain layout etc. Don't ignore the chance to bring recce, and other units onto the table out of reserve from the other sides table edge. My side managed to bring on loads of brit recce carriers among a Panzerwerfer platoon (which it eventually destroyed) early in the game. The Germans though managed to bring on an infantry scout platoon that wiped a yank 105 battery from our rear.
After reading some of the rules again after the game I think the next time I play I will be sure to take some markers to indicate which side controls the objectives as you can move away from them and still gain points if no enemy platoons can take it. At the end of our game the allies won. Allied arty was very, very useful in getting a victory.
Three tabes where used for our game and it was one more than I expected but it still worked well. It was personally refreshing for me to not turn up with a carefully transported army and boxes of terrain to unpack and pack up again as other players created the table and as Group boss I used toys in a support group made up from toys from the support slots of the allied companys. So big thanks to all who played.
Warning...The following images may contain unpainted buildings and toys!
Looks awesome! I'll have to get some guys together to try this.
ReplyDeleteDo it. We tried large games in the past but the rules for 'Total Victory' solve a lot of the problems we encountered.
ReplyDeleteCheers
I was the commander for the Axis side.
ReplyDeleteThe total war scenario worked quite well overall, we managed to get through the turns pretty well. I admit I had reservations on how well the game would work as in the past we had real issues with playing multiplayer games.
Overall congrats to the Allies on a well deserved win. The Axis plan didn't quite work as, my subcommanders didn't quite get with the game plan, this left units unsupported with the expected results. I think this largely came about due to the fact I tend to be an agressive/offensive player whereas both my sub-commanders tend to prefer defensive/counter attacking style of play.
Some notes that I learned, for total war Artillery has a limited range and must be carefully placed, also recce units are awesome (as would Para, FJ etc that have similar flanking advantages.
All in all it was a fantastic game and I will certainly be interested in a playing more total war games in the future.
In the past Pete our Mega Games didn't get to an obvious conclusion apart from a draw for the most part but, the VP point accumulation works wonders as no matter what time you pack up you can tally the points for a result.
ReplyDeleteI think the fact that we used 3 tables had a big affect on Arty Range. 2 tables would have made this less of a problem.
Cheers
I did like how the VPs were determined, that was a big plus.
ReplyDeleteSure 3 tables was big, but two may have been overly crowded. All in all I think it worked pretty well.
I think the artillery range problem I found was more due to the fact that in single table games it isn't an issue, so was overlooked.
Maybe you and I can organise the next one as more of a themed game.
ReplyDeletePerhaps we could use all your fantastic russian buildings with the edge of a russian city and a village or two around.
What do you think? We could get themed painted forces as well.