Dan Verssen's Thunderbolt Apache Leader AAR

[JudgeDredd]

I have to stop this AAR.

I've completely balls'ed it up. For a start, I started writing the first Battlefield resolution - spent more than an hour on it. For some reason that disappeared. I don't know whether I closed down the IE tab I was writing it on or whether I did it accidentally...but I lost it.

I then copied and pasted the Battlefield Resolution from the first Mission (for the "template") - and spent more than an hour trying to recall what had gone on in the battle....and I've just discovered I EDITED the first missions Battlefield Resolution.

So the whole post is screwed. I'm so fed up I have to stop. I can't remedy the post I've edited and so the whole thing doesn't make sense anymore....so I'm sorry.

I'm afraid this has pissed me off so much I'm not doing another AAR. I need to just go away and play the game and enjoy it

Really sorry 'cos this has soured the whole experience and I am just so pissed off at the minute with myself!

[Bison]

When I do an AAR I don't write in the forums.   I use ms word to write the descriptions and something like [insert image X here] where I want the image in the narrative.  Saves time fighting with the forum software, let's me edit and review, save to work on at my own pace, and it never gets posted until I've looked at it a few times.  That does not mean I don't make grammer errors or give confusing discriptions but it helps to not get to the point you are at now.  Pissed off at lost work and effort.

[JudgeDredd]

Totally right.

I did used to use notepad to do it - but there was all the editing afterwards (making things bold and italic).

This is the second AAR I've used forums straight away and it's been an absolute hell. Not the forum software's fault I have to say - all my own dumb ass work.

I was really looking forward to giving a 2 mission AAR for TAL.

I honestly can't see me doing another one. Where I sit, how I have to sit there to do it, the awkwardness of the positioning - screw ups like errors in wiring, spelling, rules...through in a REALLY annoying interface on photobucket with more bugs than can be found in I'm a Celebrity Get me Out of Here and then my own stupid errors...it's just been a total hell!

[Bison]

I reverted to the old photobucket format because I hate the way the new design looks and works.  It's been a few months since I wrote my last AAR, but I've got a few games I will do one or two for eventually.  You do excellent AARs so I'd encourage you to keep doing them.  Just take a break, go ride your bike, build a model, and come back to writing an AAR in a few weeks or months.

[mirth]

Sorry it's become such a PITA, JD. You've always done great AARs and it's clear you put a huge amount of effort into them. You should definitely take a break and just enjoy the games. Have some fun, man!

[JudgeDredd]

Thanks guys. I'm just so frustrated with myself. Thunderbolt Apache Leader is an awesome game engine with brilliant solitaire mechanics. It's such a shame I balls'ed it up.

I like doing the AARs as a kind of learning tool. And if I've already played the game, then it's a "re-learning" opportunity and it helps keep the rules in my head...but although I enjoy them - as well you know - they are extremely laborious. And it's just made into a chore by the screw ups.

I expect I'll do one for my new purchase which should be here in a few days...World at War:Blood and Bridges.

I promise I will return with a good AAR - one worthy of Thunderbolt Apache Leader. I have to rethink how I write them though...using the laptop on my lap, putting it down, taking pictures, turns etc, etc just begs for a screw up.

On the plus side, I've just completed Day 2 and both missions within the hour of my campaign with an Adequate result (13 points)!!

[Arctic Blast]

JD, you've done an awesome job with these. Seriously. Nothing to worry about at all.

Hell, I've tried occasionally doing one of these just with a PC game and eventually found it so maddening that I destroyed myself in game just so that I could start over and just play the damn thing. I can't imagine doing this with something spread all over a table. So thanks for having the patience.

[GJK]

This AAR has me seriously looking at picking up a copy of this game (or one of Dan's other similarly themed games) in the near future. 

[JudgeDredd]

GJK - well don't let my screw ups confuse you. The game plays simple but detailed and great fun. I just screwed up the writing.

Arctic Blast...thanks for that. I just got way too frustrated there. I seriously wasted about 3-4 hours of my afternoon through my own stupid fault.

I'll be back...once I decide on a decent and more comfortable way to do them

[bayonetbrant]

yeah, that's a bummer that it died on you.  I was enjoying reading it.

one thought: put the italic/bold BBCode into your text doc as you write it elsewhere before posting it in.  I've done that a few times.  I had to do it with some of the longer responses w/ multiple quotes I had to pound on Wodin with...

[JudgeDredd]

Sorry bout that. I had already lost my first creation of my 1st Battlefield Resolution phase of the second mission and had recreated it. Had that post succeeded, I'd have continued. As it was, I overwrote the 1st Battlefield Resolution for the first mission...and nothing made sense! I just lost it! There was no going back after that.

I have to be honest though...it was nice to finish the campaign (which I actually got a Good result for with 13 points). Aircraft were in a bit of a state. Structural damage, Hud damage, Control damage, Bullet Holes, Engine damage. Control damage gives you adverse rolls on ridge avoidance. Hud damage affected Strike rolls (-2 modifier I think). Pilots were all shaken up too!

Yeah - I actually thought that would be the thing to do. I've got the italics, bold, size and list down - which is basically all I need. The Image links already come from Photobucket (when it wants to play!)

One thing I don't really get in the game - and I had to think about it for ages. Ridge Evasion. For some bizarre reason, Dan decided to make 0 low! So the rolls for ridge Evasion were
0 - 4 stress
1-2 - 3 Stress
3-6 - 2 Stress
7+ - 1 Stress

Now, my pilot had +1 Evasive...so when I rolled a 9, I would normally add that one and it would be 10 (or 0 on the 10 sided dice)...and that would've meant because he had +1 Evasive, he'd have been punished...so I deduced that 0 was low - but when 0 is 10 for all other purposes, this seemed a very weird choice. I gave the Ridge Evasion and rolls a very detailed read - and they took some reading for me to get right in my head - but they make perfect sense now.

[JudgeDredd]

If my new game doesn't turn up this weekend, I'll do a new AAR for Thunderbolt Apache Leader - 'cos I feel guilty doing such a bad job this time round (bad job as in screwing it up)