What's on your table right now?

[ArizonaTank]

At first glance and having never heard of this game before this one looks like AH Turning Point Stalingrad.  Only set in the Pacific Theater.

I hadn't really thought of that until you mentioned it.  Yes, it is heavily based on Turning Point Stalingrad (it even lacks a player aid card like TPS).  But the scale is different.  In KG:ER the basic unit is a platoon, and a turn is 1.5 hours; the entire game plays out during one night on Guadalcanal, defending Henderson field.  There is plenty of Pacific War flavor...banzai charges, defensive machine gun fire, leaders, Japanese capturing supply dumps, patrols, and infiltration.  Also, there is no mech / armor.  It is also a lot cheaper...you can get a copy of Kawaguchi's Gamble: Edson's Ridge on ebay for $35.  Good luck paying less than $100 for TPS.
   

[W8taminute]

TPS is worth $100?!  I need to store my copy of the game in a better and safer location.

KG:ER sounds like fun though.  Must check it out. 

[avrotim]

On my table is "The Lamps are Going Out".  I have been soloing it and its a hoot.  Unfortunately we are having a big family dinner on Sunday and I will likely  have to pack it away tomorrow to start the clean-up. 

[ArizonaTank]

On my table is "The Lamps are Going Out".  I have been soloing it and its a hoot.  Unfortunately we are having a big family dinner on Sunday and I will likely  have to pack it away tomorrow to start the clean-up.

I have been waiting for the Vassal module for this one...but great to hear you are having fun.  Maybe I'll break it out later this month.

[avrotim]

My impression is that Lamps should make a great 2 player game.  I am not convinced it would be as good in multiplayer mode but I could be wrong.

[Crossroads]

Putin Strikes arrived, good to see it finally! Rules look interesting, for instance depicting the first month of a "new war" all units become disrupted after they see action. Should be interesting. I will give it a couple of solo sessions first, before taking it to live play.

This Thursday should see another scenario from LnL's Nations at War: Blood and Bridges, followed by perhaps their Nations at War: Airborne scenario next.

Then, Continental Eastern Europe it is 

[mirth]

^Looks sweet!

[mirth]

Pics from the Battle of Savo Island game I played in Friday night. Rules were General Quarters, 3rd Edition. I played IJN and had Mikawa's Striking Force of cruisers.



Opening move - That's our main battle line sweeping in west of Savo Island. We have a small detachment to the North of Savo heading east. The Allies have their radar pickets out, with the rest of their forces in pre-designated patrol boxes. It's basically a historical setup. Our plan was to sweep further south than Mikawa historically did, in an attempt to break past the Allies and into the transports (off board in this scenario).

Both sides spotted the other on the 1st turn. The Allies were restricted from reacting on the first two turns after spotting the IJN forces to represent the historical confusion and C&C problems on the Allied side.

We opened fire on the first turn. It was at long range, but the picket destroyer USS Blue (center right) was the target of almost the entire IJN battleline. She was roughly handled and had to withdraw almost immediately.





Close up showing the head of the Japanese line - from front to back the cruisers Chokai, Aoba, Kako and Kinugasa  (the historical formation)

[mirth]

We launched torpedoes on turn two. The yellow slips mark the centerline of the firing ship at the point the torps are fired. Movement is resolved for both sides and then the torpedo markers are moved and hits determined.

My intent of launching early was to make use of our advantage in torpedoes (both in quality and quantity) and to disrupt the Allied lines. With so many torps in the water, maneuvering became very tricky for the Allies.

[mirth]

Two salvoes of Long Lance torpedoes heading toward the destroyer USS Patterson. There are a series of die rolls to determine hits and damage, but with so many of the heavy torpedoes headed her way things were about to get ugly for the Patterson.

[mirth]

Black "oil slick" marker indicating the remains of the Patterson after two torpedo hits. The yellow and white markers on the stands represent starshells that have been fired to illuminate the Allied formations.

[mirth]

Close up of the IJN line closing with the Allies. This is just before the Patterson was hit. To the right of Patterson is HMAS Canberra and USS Chicago. My line is about to engage Canberra.

[mirth]

After shot of the IJN line engaging Canberra. She took multiple hits from 8-inch gunfire. Her topsides are a shambles with almost all of her main and secondary batteries destroyed. She broke off, passing through the remains of the Patterson.

At the same time, Chicago opened up on my lead ship (Chokai) inflicting a couple hits and minor damage. I believe her top speed was reduced from 35 to 32kts.

[mirth]

With Canberra hors de combat, the line turned its attention to Chicago. These are the results - 8 hits from the 8-inch guns and 5 more from the 4.7 & 5-inch secondaries. Chicago suffered the same fate as Canberra. Afloat, but utterly wrecked.

[mirth]

Things began to break down quickly for the Allies. The Northern force attempted to come to the aid of their battered comrades. It ran into the salvos of Japanese torpedoes which sunk Quincy and inflicted heavy damage on Astoria. A second destroyer was also sunk, but I don't remember which.

We called the game shortly after (we had been playing for 5 hours or so). The end result was 1 Allied cruiser and two destroyers sunk with two more cruisers and a destroyer heavily damaged. The IJN did not lose any ships though Chokai received moderate damage from her encounter with Canberra and Chicago (as lead ship Chokai drew the most attention from the Allies).

In the end, it was a Japanese tactical victory. As with the historical fight, the main goal was to get to the transports which we were not able to do.