What's on your table right now?

[Cyrano]

Thank you Bison.  I am now far more serene.  And sure.

And my wife stickers my blocks.  That is not a euphemism.  That would be a weird euphemism.

[BanzaiCat]

[Bison]

Choices, choices.  I could start the process of stickering the French army or I could punch and clip counters for Unconditional Surrender. 

Of course, GMT should have shipped Unconditional Surrender in a 3" deep box because there is no way I'm getting a counter organizer and the new map boards to fit in the box.  The map boards are a beautiful work of art but basically fill the box on their own.

[trailrunner]

Bastogne, Standard Combat Series.

After mostly playing ASL this year, I'm looking forward to something simpler.  When I was young, I remember playing AH's Bulge when I was home from school on Christmas break.  It seemed sort of appropriate since the actual battle took place in December, and even though I lived in southern California, I tried to imagine what it would have been like to be fighting in the cold snow, or trying not to get killed on Christmas eve.

Anyway, back to Bastogne -- I have the Americans set up, but haven't set up the Germans yet since that involves actual thought.  I'm going to be off work for two weeks starting this Friday, and might try to play a turn a day synched to the actual dates of the battle, although I'll be out of town for the first two turns, so I'll either play the first turn before I leave or play a couple of catch-up turns.  I might even get ambitious and write an AAR as I go along. 

One minor bummer -- I discovered that I'm missing a German counter.  I've only played the game twice with a friend, and those were the mini-scenarios that didn't use that counter.  Not the end of the world, and as I said in the previous paragraph, at least no one is trying to kill me on Christmas eve, so I can't get too upset.

I finished the game this evening (sorry, no pictures).  Despite being off of work for the last two weeks, I didn't achieve my goal of playing the game in real time (one turn per day between 18 and 27 December).  I actually got real busy over the holidays, but no complaints.

The Germans managed a minor victory by taking part of Bastogne and holding it for several turns.  The Germans could have played more aggressively and probably achieved a major victory, but it would have been risky.  Instead, they decided to consolidate their forces and protect their gain at Bastogne.  The Abrams task force entered early, which I thought might save the day for the Americans, but the counter attack fizzled because of the earlier German decision to play it safe and fortify Bastogne.

[Bison]

That looks really cool TR.  I really need to get over my dislike of MMP rulebooks.

[mirth]

I just ordered the Tsushima set from Topside Minis

http://topsideminis.com/product/tsushima-11800-scale/

[mirth]

I also want to give props to Wargames Vault. I ordered several rules related products to use with the Tsushima ships. Where I could, I ordered printed copies in addition to PDFs. On one item, I forgot to include the PDF. When you order both versions, it saves you a couple bucks over ordering them separately. I emailed their CS about adding it to my order. A few minutes later they had added it to my account gratis (I would have gladly paid).

Excellent CS on their part. I've ordered a number of things from them in the past year and have been very pleased. The printed books are B&W, but they are nicely done and worth the cost imo.

[ComradeP]

Bison, what's your beef with MMP rulebooks?

[Bison]

Bison, what's your beef with MMP rulebooks?

Mostly I've just become accustomed to the GMT method.  Rulebook and play/scenario book with a nice extended gameplay example.  So nothing, in particular, I'm just not enamored with the organization and presentation of MMP rulebooks.

[bob48]

Despite events, I'm trying to distract myself by having a go at one of the smaller scenarios from 'Victory Roads'. I have to say, I very much like this system (I acquired Liberty Roads at the same time) and the components are excellent quality. The counters are a work of art!

[mirth]

Despite events, I'm trying to distract myself by having a go at one of the smaller scenarios from 'Victory Roads'. I have to say, I very much like this system (I acquired Liberty Roads at the same time) and the components are excellent quality. The counters are a work of art!

Nice  O0

[Bison]

Despite events, I'm trying to distract myself by having a go at one of the smaller scenarios from 'Victory Roads'. I have to say, I very much like this system (I acquired Liberty Roads at the same time) and the components are excellent quality. The counters are a work of art!

Very cool.  I broke out the maps for Unconditional Surrender last night to play the first learning scenario, but my table is too narrow.  >:(  I'm going to be forced into building my table topper sooner rather than later I guess.

[bob48]

You would like these Hexasim games, Bison - I guarantee it  >:D

[Bison]

Ah the old encouraging me to spend money trick, eh?  I like it.

[bob48]

Would I do a thing like that? ::)