Small Scale Solitaire Infantry Boardgames?

[MFlynn]

Hello all, like Judgedredd recently I was also looking for a tactical solitaire game.
However for my purposes I was in search of something to simulate modern or contemporary engagements if possible.
Having failed to find anything suitable I then turned to possibly adapting a WW2 game.
To that end I found Fields of Fire by GMT, it was designed my a USMC officer and many of the doctrinally correct military concepts were very familiar to me.
Unfortunately those same concepts befuddled many civilian gamers and the rushed to print foggy rulebook did not help at all.
The development and publication of the game having been hurried while the designer was deployed to Iraq and then worse post publication support stalled while he was again deployed to Afghanistan.
However the 2nd edition rules available online help immensely and he is back to answer questions.
So now I have slowly been working through the scenarios and I must say it is the nearest thing I have found to match personal experience.

It is my game of choice for now, I see they have posted examples of a Vietnam Hue urban fight scenario, that concept is very exciting to me and exactly what I want to do.
Band of Brothers I found a bit too simplistic, a Hollywood movie version of WW2 (and the designer is a....bit full of himself)
-Mike

[Bison]

Welcome Mike!

[GJK]

That's some good info Mike, thanks for posting.  I have FoF 2nd on Pre-Order but I may have to look for a cheap copy of the 1st edition for use with the posted 2nd ed rules.  I've heard nothing but good things about the game; if/when you get over the learning curve.  The game looks like nothing else I've ever played and frankly images like http://cf.geekdo-images.com/images/pic818628.jpg make it look like a confusing mess but I'll take yours and others word that it's one hell of a game.

[Jack Nastyface]

FWIW...I do indeed like "boots on the ground" for some quick and dirty modern warfare ops...but ONLY if you use some of the common house rules readily found on the internetwebs.  A big problem with the default rules is the lack of an "opportunity fire" mode...so it is entirely possibly for a player (say a US rifleman) to complete his actions for a turn, then have a insurgent step out from a door way in front of said soldier, run around past him, turn and rotate to get a shot on his unprotected backside.
Game benefits from fully supported solo-play mode, and having a number of interesting scenarios (search for ied's, hostages, etc).  Not bad if you can get it on sale.

[ABD]

That's some good info Mike, thanks for posting.  I have FoF 2nd on Pre-Order but I may have to look for a cheap copy of the 1st edition for use with the posted 2nd ed rules.  I've heard nothing but good things about the game; if/when you get over the learning curve.  The game looks like nothing else I've ever played and frankly images like http://cf.geekdo-images.com/images/pic818628.jpg make it look like a confusing mess but I'll take yours and others word that it's one hell of a game.

Fields of Fire, I really like that game too, but as noted it has growing pains that hopefully now that Ben Hull is back from Iraq-Afghanistan (and when he is finished with his 30 years war series) GMT can finally dedicate assets to properly streamline and lock down the more confusing aspects.
The use of pyrotechnics is one clear example, mostly because the game relied on the player to use them doctrinally correct, whereas wargamers were always accustomed to a rulebook on/off switch to tell them explicitly what they can/cannot do.

Some prerequisites Judge Dredd mentioned was no CDG and that he needed a physical map, at first glance that would seem to disqualify FoF because it does use cards (but is not a CDG) it also uses cards to build a random map.
However I'll attempt to address a few.
Why is it not a CDG? Think of the cards in Fields of Fire as the dice combined with the charts. They are random number generators.
Need to perform an action or resolve a combat? Flip a card and look for a number or symbol. Simple as that.
The cards just sit in a pile and you flip them as needed. No hand to manage. You barely touch them.

The map. A map built by random card draw is one of the biggest conceptual hurdles for veteran hex&counter gamers to jump, but IMO is one of the genius aspects of the design.
Don't think in terms of an old standard hex map, look at the terrain cards like a military commander would look at a topographic map.
The cards represent key terrain, the LOS borders represent avenues of approach between key terrain features. (Green = LOS stops in card, White = LOS through to next card)
The Hill, Town, Village, Open Field, Gully, Woods, Hedgerow....you lay out terrain cards and visualize a topographic map of the same terrain elements.
Sure, it is random...but doesn't have to be, setup whatever terrain board you wish....it's as if we have all the geomorphic maps possible.

But the best part is the "Cover markers", they represent the micro-terrain that is not on a map but is exactly what soldiers use to hide behind.
Each terrain card is rated for an amount and type of "Cover", if you want/need a unit to hit the dirt you need to find Cover on that terrain card (flip an action card, look for "cover" icon)
Here is the genius, a terrain card can have a number of cover markers all occupied by opposing forces. So you are fighting across the map but also, possibly, within each piece of key terrain.

You also need to setup phaselines, primary and secondary objectives, assault positions, casualty collection points, TRP's, unit boundaries, main lines of resistance....you have CO, XO, 1SG counters....you need to establish and maintain field-phone land-lines....leaders have limited command and control...you need to evacuate casualties...
You are issued "Assets" that you need to distribute pre-mission and key to command options: various colored smoke grenades, star clusters, parachute flares, anti-tank grenades.
In Fields of Fire you need to think like a Company Commander, not a wargamer. US Army Normandy, Korea, Vietnam...2nd ed will be USMC Pacific, Korea, Vietnam

It is solitaire but it also has alot of RPG aspects if you wish, like B-17 or Hornet Leader, there is a Company Roster you use to keep track of experience, casualties, assets, promotions.
IIRC one can use the VASSAL module and downloadable rules to "free demo" the game  8)

[bob48]

Good stuff there guys, so thanks for that (and welcome Mike).

I agree with Mike with regards to Worthington's Band of Brothers, a game I was very tempted by, but for one thing, the cartoony style graphics put me off a little.

'Boots on the Ground' does look interesting though, and maybe I should investigate that a little more, but your comments about FoF, a game about which i know nothing, have piqued my interest, and I'll be taking a closer look at that one.

[bayonetbrant]

I know some pretty well-respected wargamers that LOVE Fields of Fire

[bob48]

^Just been looking at it in BGG - there's a lot of components there. Now to check the GMT site and get a little more info.

Now if I can just find out where Mrs.B has hidden the credit card..................

[bayonetbrant]

^^ it's taped to the frying pan

you don't need to find it, it'll find you

[bob48]

Argh!

[jomni]

Fields of Fire is great and it teaches you infantry doctrine.

Command and control via action points is cool. You first draw how many actions your company commander  can make.  Then he uses the points to activate platoon leaders. Platoon leaders then draw action points to give orders to the squads. After all this, you can also give limited orders to unactivated squads and leaders via initiative. Take note that solid lines of communications are needed to be able to give orders through the chain. In world War 2, you need to lay out telephone lines for company co and platoon co to talk. Squads need to be within visual /shouting range from platoon Co to be able to take orders. At least once you get to vietnam, you get wireless radios.

It is a bookkeeping nightmare. :-( this is what prevents me from fully enjoying  the game. Not to worry a digital version is announced but not sure if it is mobile or PC.

Also FoF2 is also announced. It will cover the USMC this time. I also taking you through ww2, Korea, and vietnam.

[JudgeDredd]

I think I'm going crazy - I'm 100% certain I posted on this thread last night!

Anyway - the upshot of that post was that LnL Mark (or actually Tracie I think it was) replied that there was nothing they could do as they didn't have any spare sheets.

They are pretty much cosmetic issues, but I explained my disappointment (it does spoil the purchase somewhat) and requested that at the very least they have a word with their printer and try and help it not happen again.

I'm not going to return it. I don't think I could take sitting there cutting out and trimming little bits off hundreds of counters again. Besides - there's no guarantee the one I receive as a replacement would be any better.

So I'm stuck with it. There are bigger problems in my life and around the world to let this bother me anymore.

Back to reading the manual.

Oh - I did find another issue with the game I received...the rules mention a red dice for performing some action (I can't recall what it was - see how bad my useless memory is and why I find it infuriating to read a manual!) but there were no red dice in the box - only white.

I've since ordered some other dice (a few different colours, 10 sided, 12 sided, 20 sided and 6 sided) as one of the examples I was looking at the guy was using dice as a "reminder"...saves writing things down I guess.

[Barthheart]

Again you're a not missing anything, the game only came with white dice. Everyone had to supply their own. It was a rulebook thing left in before it went to publishing.

Too bad about the counter sheet, they are a very small company and don't keep much stock. For the really bad counters you could always make your own. I can send you the graphics to print and mount.

[JudgeDredd]

Ah ok - rule issue.

Well I've ordered some dice like I said. They will help with keeping "score" when working out attack and defence

No thanks BH - thanks for the offer but as I said they're mostly cosmetic.

I will be printing some victory hex ones though. Weird the game has victory hexes but no counters though.

[jomni]

But still those counters need to be replaced... small company or not. Everyone who buys boardgames are not looking forward to printing their own stuff.