Undaunted: Stalingrad

Started by W8taminute, December 13, 2022, 02:12:20 PM

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W8taminute

Very encouraging Geezer.  I'm close to pulling the hair trigger on this game.  Got some money over Christmas that I'm trying to decide how to spend.  Haha!

I am probably going to play this game solo so your advice on choosing initiative is a point well taken.  I, like you probably, pride myself on making a game designed for two or more players work in solo mode. 
"You and I are of a kind. In a different reality, I could have called you friend."

Romulan Commander to Kirk

Geezer

#16
Finished my second scenario of the campaign today.  I say "my" scenario as there are branches that could make each campaign unique as it goes along.  The Germans won again.  That was in part due to some bad dice rolls by the Soviets, my poor thinking regarding the Soviet deck design, and the Germans getting the initiative right when they needed it to win.

The first scenario had the same victory conditions for both sides,  This one had completely different victory conditions for each side which made for some interesting decisions.  New rules appear to get introduced with some new scenarios, so that adds more chrome to the game over time.  It also keeps from overwhelming new players with all the rules at once, which is a nice design.

So far I'm happy to have the game.

Edit - One complaint is the card designations in the lower right corner are gray on white and extremely hard for my tired old eyes to read.  No idea why they couldn't have made them black on white.
We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.  George Bernard Shaw

Geezer

Scenario #3 is in the books and it was a slaughter for both sides with the German's getting the worst of it.  Let's just say artillery is devastating and so is close range combat.  Both Pavlov's House and Zabalotny's House have been reduced to rubble for the rest of the campaign.  The Soviets pulled out the victory by routing both of the German rifle squads.  If they had not done that in their turn there is a decent chance the Germans would have done it to the Soviets in their following turn.  A nailbiter right to the end, and good fun.
We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.  George Bernard Shaw

Geezer

Finished scenario #4 last night.  Another German victory.  I played the Soviet side poorly which I'm going to chalk up to this being my first time playing the system.  The Soviets withdrew after all 6 of their engineer cards ended up in the casualty pile.  Technically they still could have won by routing both German rifleman squads but that just wasn't going to happen given the situation on the map.  Losing a bunch of Soviet engineers could prove costly going forward in future scenarios.  Time will tell.  Both sides are feeling the effects of the prolonged fighting, both in terms of permanent casualties and the need to call up reserves.

So far my tendency has been to put mostly upgraded cards in the starting deck but that also usually means they are the first casualties.  Not sure if it would be better to hold them back and add them later through bolstering.  Maybe others who have played the system could comment on that.
We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.  George Bernard Shaw

W8taminute

Sounds like an awesome game Geezer.  I just so happened to buy a copy of Undaunted Stalingrad from the local wargame store.  But the day that I bought the game (5 days ago) I became ill with corona.  Did nothing but sleep all day in isolation. 

Now that I'm back from the dead I'm going to give this puppy a whirl. 
"You and I are of a kind. In a different reality, I could have called you friend."

Romulan Commander to Kirk

Geezer

Sorry to hear you got sick, but sounds like you are doing better now.  It's a fun game for sure.  My campaign got temporarily suspended when my son banged into the gaming table, causing a major earthquake at Stalingrad!   :pullhair:
We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.  George Bernard Shaw

W8taminute

Thanks Geezer, I am doing better for sure now.  You son sounds like my cats.  It's hard to keep a game on the table without some sort of interference.  Haha!
"You and I are of a kind. In a different reality, I could have called you friend."

Romulan Commander to Kirk

Geezer

Finished my 5th scenario; yet another German victory.  It was set up as a race across the board to the objective tiles.  One problem for the Soviets was that the Germans already started with one objective in their control.  Not sure if that is a mistake or as intended.  The Germans also had a bit better starting position IMHO.  The Soviets had already scouted an objective one hex from one of their starting positions, but it still took two actions to get there and control it.  They made a game of it and almost pulled out the win, but in the end both of their rifle squads were routed and that was all she wrote.

I set up the next scenario which should prove interesting as it includes some armor and an AT gun for the first time.
We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.  George Bernard Shaw

Geezer

My last scenario, #6, didn't go as expected.  The German armor played little role in the fight.  Instead the Soviets won by routing both German rifle squads.  This happened in part because I gave priority to adding armor cards to the German deck.  That left their rifle squads somewhat brittle and easier to rout.

The Soviets got a leader upgrade for winning the scenario, and both sides have to add the dreaded Low Morale card to their decks.  Seems like the campaign is starting to take a toll on both sides.
We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.  George Bernard Shaw

Geezer

Just played through scenario #7.  It was a bloody affair for the Germans.  Both sides started within spitting distance of each other.  The Germans had to advance to take 3 points of objectives with the Soviets already holding the best objectives and it did not go well for them.  They lost after suffering their 10th casualty.

Currently the Germans have won four scenarios and the Soviets three, but the Soviets have won two of the last three.

The next scenario involves the Germans covering a tactical retreat after the beating they just took.  Soviet morale has improved so they get to remove the Low Morale card from play.
We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.  George Bernard Shaw

W8taminute

Sounds awesome.  I really need to carve out some time to play but I've been so swamped these past weeks.
"You and I are of a kind. In a different reality, I could have called you friend."

Romulan Commander to Kirk

Geezer

It's a lot of fun.  Just ordered Hadrian's Wall so I may be splitting my time with that.
We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.  George Bernard Shaw

Geezer

Soviets got another win in a close fought scenario.  The Germans almost succeeded with their rear guard action but came up one mission point short.  The Soviets won when they routed a German unit off one of the objectives and then took control of it.

Taking a break at this point as Hadrian's Wall has arrived.  I followed the recommendation on how to store the game so I can come back to the campaign at some point.
We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.  George Bernard Shaw