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DOMINATION -- strategic WW2 Quick Battle Campaign concept

So, I adapted this map from a WW2 strategic board game called Hitler's Reich to possible resuscitate a QB campaign we played here at FGM last in 2010 using CM1 -- it's kinda an abstracted way of playing a lot of WW2 at once using QB's
@Bootie @Badger73

Here's the map with counters and markers added:

xXd1NuJ.jpg


The basic idea is the players issue a challenge to attack into enemy controlled region using QB's using CMRT, CMFI and CMBN.

CMRT is obviously used to playing the East Front battles, CMFI for the Med, North Africa, Middle East, Balkans, Spain etc.
CMBN for the Western Front once the Allies are successful with Overlord.
(Minor powers such as Vichy, Yugoslavia, Turkey and Spain (and possibly partisans) are played using Italians.

The basic battles are SMALL or MEDIUM probes of between 30 and 45 turns max (which settings are negotiated between the players -- hopefully in good spirit and befitting the terrain of the region-- idea is to have fun with this) -- which will be modified with certain criteria.

The battles begin in mid 1941 with Axis on the advance -- on eve of Barbarossa, invasion of Yugoslavia, Greece and desert war.

The CM battle result determines the outcome:
A Total or Major Attacker Victory captures a region
Tactical or Minor Victory, Draw or Minor Defeat means the region is contested and Meeting Engagement battle is fought after that to determine who controls it (this might take a few battles)
Major Attk Defeat means defender retains control of region
Total Attk defeat means defender retains control of region and defender gets the opportunity to counter-attack at favourable odds

Let me run through a few concept with the counters on the map:

Lighter national counters are basic control counters and basic, standard battles.
Darker counters represent "Initiative Counters" which means that the attacker in this sector has the offensive initiative and cannot be attacked (except from another initiative region) -- and battle from an iniative counter is also upgraded from a PROBE to an ATTACK, so gains extra QB points. If the attack fails to capture the attacked region, the initiative counter is removed and the favored status is removed.
If the region attacked is on with a Total or Major Victory, the initiative counter moves along into the new region as the offensive rolls along.

Each side has some special ability markers that a player may claim and use in his battle challange if available at that point:

AXIS:

1. The Axis have THREE BLITZKRIEG marker (which represents a specially planned offensive) -- the Stuka marker currently placed in Poland -- this allows for two regions to be attacked from one region and all attacks are upgraded one step -- so a Probe becomes an Attack, a Attack becomes an Assault. (and a few other specs like being allowed to use heavy artillery) These can only be used one at a time and are discarded once used. A new one can only be used, once the battles using the current Blitzkrieg marker are completed.

2. The Axis have one Heavy Panzer marker (see Romania) -- in most QB settings (there will be a proper chart for that), Germans are limited with their use of Panthers, Tigers & King Tigers -- unless this marker is used. This then gives the German player a 10% bonus and freedom to use any of the "big cats" in his battles. (Heavy Panzer or Blitzkrieg counters can not be used in North Africa if MALTA is under Allied control)

3. Airborne Assaults (see Malta) -- Axis are allowed to use this marker to perform TWO airborne assaults on either Crete, Malta or Cyprus. (there will be limitations, like range, and special maps will be provided for those battles)
Note: if the first Airborne Attack fails, Hitler will veto a second.

WESTERN ALLIES

1. AMPHIBIOUS LANDINGS: The Western Allies are the only side that can perform Amphibious Landings (see off Normandy) -- they can do ONE at a time in either the Mediterranean or the Atlantic .
An amphibious landing will always be deemed successful, but triggers a BEACHHEAD BATTLE, where the Axis forces try and through the invaders back into the sea, with a 10% bonus for the defenders and the ability to use Naval artillery.
Mediterranean landings are limited by control of Gibraltar, Malta and Suez (there will be chart explaining that)

2. BREAKOUT -- (see tank counter next to London) -- once the ALLIES take control of the region they have landed by scoring a Total or Major Victory, they can launch a BREAKOUT -- this works in the same way as the Axis BLITZKRIEG marker, and is discarded once used.

SOVIET UNION

1. Soviets have one GUARDS SHOCK ARMY counter -- (tank counter next to Moscow) -- this represents the major planned, Red Army offensives and works the same way as the Axis Blitzkrieg counter, but can only attack on region at a time.
Soviets can only use T-43/85's and JS heavy tanks with this counter (but that can be debated) -- these are not discarded, but can be re-used in a new region (not the one just captured) after each battle is completed.

2. FORTIFIED REGION -- at any time, the Russians may declare one of either Leningrad, Moscow or Stalingrad a "fortified region" -- this downgrades the enemy attack by one step or -10% if a PROBE and allows the defender to use heavy artilley.

Some battle examples on map:

1. Russians attack into Romania from Crimea:
Russians have an initiative marker, the Germans have a Heavy Panzer marker.
Russian Attack (Attk -10%) - Germans allowed to use "Big Cats"
Other specs negotiated between players (thinking of keeping weather and ground conditions at random)

2. Germans Attack from Poland into Minsk and Baltics
Germans have an initiative marker and a Blitzkrieg marker
Both battles (two separate QB's): German Assaults, allowed to use heavy artillery, no big cats -- Russians: no heavy arty, no T-34/85 or JS heavy tanks

3. Bessarabia (contested region)
Meeting engagement battle (settings negotiated betwen players)

4. Allies attack Lybia from Tobruk
Allied Probe using CMFI (preferably a suitable map -- there are a few Tunisia CMFI maps around) -- no big cats for Axis, no heavy arty either side.

So this would be basically run by the players themselves who sign up to play either Axis or Allies, issuing challenges and setting up QB's -- I would handle the rolling map updates and clarify rules. (and also partake in the fun as a battle commander)

The map would be updated as and when battles are completed and new challenges issued, slower battles will just carry on while other, new ones start up -- all happening simultaneously, but the intent is to keep battles ticking over speedily, hence a 30 - 45 turn limitiation and keeping it to medium battles.
Challenges would be first-come-first served basis (could use someone to help me keep track of them) -- there shouldn't be more than max a dozen or so battles happening at once?

So THAT's the concept -- will it fly?

Suggestions welcome -- especially to keep things simpler! ;)

Oh, and VICTORY conditions -- ALLIES: capture Berlin ... AXIS, not sure yet -- capture all the Soviet supply cities and especially Moscow ...
 
Yeah this can work... I like the look of it... I suggest making all battles small though... remember it was the battles that dragged on that we bogged it down. If we also set a limit for when it is completed by that would help... say 4 weeks then a CF HAS to be declared.

Good idea keeping battles to small, especially infantry battles.

I'll type up the suggested parameters & limitations for the QB's later for discussion and suggestions.

The advantage CM1 also had was random generated maps...

Keep it light and fun :)
 
Suggested Quick Battle format and parameters -- (attacking player may offer parameters in his challange, but they are always negotiable)

Game: depends on location in map -- pretty obvious

Type: Probe/Attk/Ass/Meeting Eng (depends on situation & counters on map)

Battle size: Small

Length: 30 - 45 turns max (whatever you can get through in 4 weeks playing time max)

Map size: Small/medium

Map selection: Human (negotiable by players ) -- pick something that fits with area on map

Year: player choice - negotiable

Month: player choice - negotiable

Time: Attacker choice - negotiable

Weather: Random? -- or should that be player's choice?

Rarity: Standard/Loose

Limitations:

German Big Cats:
CMBN: Panthers available (enemy has Sherman 76's and Fireflies) -- Tigers and King Tigers only when Heavy Panzer counter is played
CMFI: no big cats -- only when Heavy Panzer counter is played
CMRT: no big cats -- only when Heavy Panzer counter is played

Russians:
T-34/85's and JS heavy tanks only available when Guards Shock Army counter is played.

Artillery:
No heavy artillery over 75/76mm guns or 120/104mm mortars allowed in standard battles.

Heavy artillery allowed if Blitzkrieg - Breakout - Guards Shock Army counters are played.

Naval artillery allowed in Allied Beachhead Defense battles.
 
<snipped>
The map would be updated as and when battles are completed and new challenges issued, slower battles will just carry on while other, new ones start up -- all happening simultaneously, but the intent is to keep battles ticking over speedily, hence a 30 - 45 turn limitation and keeping it to medium battles.
Challenges would be first-come-first served basis (could use someone to help me keep track of them) -- there shouldn't be more than max a dozen or so battles happening at once?
<snipped>

Yes, I can help with admin. I concur with @Bootie's suggestions.
 
So this is the starting set up I am thinking of ... AXIS side is ascendant and has the initiative.

AXIS are poised to start Barbarossa, invade Yugoslavia, Greece, can air assault Malta (Crete not yet in range) and attack in North Africa -- with inititiative counters in Poland, East Prussia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Libya.
They have available for use the first of the three Blitzkrieg counters, the Airborne Assault counter and the Heavy Panzers counter.

No ALLIED attacks are possible until the first AXIS attack battle has been completed -- then it becomes a free for all.

Other limitations on Russians: The Guards Shock Army counter becomes available as soon as AXIS take control of a region adjacent to Moscow (Vologda or Belorussia ... or Steppe region, if they come the long way round ;))

I've updated the maps with some additional regions:
Split Baltics into Riga & Baltics to force the Axis into two steps before reaching Leningrad.
Also added in East Prussia.
Split Romania into Romania and Ploesti (loss of which will cancel out any remaining Blitzkrieg counters)
Also split Caucasus into Don and Caucasus regions to make the oil fields harder to reach.

ieiMLgl.jpg
 
I would be down to ay if you would take me! Seems really interesting and I've been thinking of a way to do this myself for some time. Partly why I started H2H
 
Would it be worth adding some sort of bonus for cutting off a territory? How will Air power be determined and used if at all?
 
Would it be worth adding some sort of bonus for cutting off a territory? How will Air power be determined and used if at all?

Yes, there would be, although with the large scale of this, there are not too many opportunitiesfor encirclement.

You are free to use air support in your QB's -- adding air power on the strategic level will just an unnecessary level of complexity at this point.
 
Did you give up on your Battle of Rikonovo campaign?
Nope, not at all -- still a work in progress -- just worked on this when I found that game map -- Domination is also an idea that would basically run itself once it gets started.

Anyway, looks like I'm running out of weekend to do much on anything -- too many errands, work spillover from last week (which I am taking care of now) and other RL stuff :rolleyes:

Too many good ideas -- too little free time ...
 
Looks cool. :)

Is there a way to gain Initiative counters? They are lost when an attack fails so over time they will all vanish and then all 'attacks' will be Probes.

What is the 'Atlantic' wrt to beachhead landings?

Why should the Axis attack anything but the Soviets? In other words: what do you gain by owning a territory?
 
Is there a way to gain Initiative counters? They are lost when an attack fails so over time they will all vanish and then all 'attacks' will be Probes.

Yes, if you win a territory by "Total Victory" you gain an initiative counter.

What is the 'Atlantic' wrt to beachhead landings?

Anything bordering the North Sea, Channel and mid-Atlantic sea sectors ...

Why should the Axis attack anything but the Soviets? In other words: what do you gain by owning a territory?

There will be victory conditions ... controlling the Med and key locations there will obviously curtail Allies ability to counter-attack with sea landings in Med.

Also, key here is a fun, simple campaign giving QB's some context -- not to be taken too seriously and get bogged down in too many rules :)
 
Anything bordering the North Sea, Channel and mid-Atlantic sea sectors ...
I suggest to rule out a landing in Holland (and maybe Calais). That's only 3(4) battles to Berlin which could end the campaign prematurely. :)

Also, key here is a fun, simple campaign giving QB's some context -- not to be taken too seriously and get bogged down in too many rules :)

Roger that. ;)
 
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