Band of Heroes AAR

[JudgeDredd]

Thanks Barthheart. I find it difficult to remember all the things all the time - and I've yet to include armour and ordinance!

I might replay this mission - but as a kind of "second phase" where they (obviously) didn't break the Axis - so they are given reinforcements - maybe a tank? Might be fun...

Bayonetbrant - read the last post on this page of this thread and all will be revealed!
http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=6048.60

[JudgeDredd]

Definitely finishing this AAR this weekend.

I'm looking forward to seeing if the US can make any inroads to the second half of the map at all!

[JudgeDredd]

Turn 7 Start
First thing is to fix the balls up of not creating heroes last turn.

On impulse 3 Hero Ash rolled a 1 for his Damage Check - so a roll for hero should've been performed. Rolling now, I get a 5 - so no hero created (even roll required)
On impulse 5 Squad 2-5-7 (G7) rolled a 1 for his Damage Check - so a roll for hero should've been performed. Rolling now, I get a 3 - so no hero created (even roll required)
On impulse 5 Lt Frietag (I6) rolled a 1 for his Damage Check - so a roll for hero should've been performed. Rolling now, I get a 6 - a hero is created


Initiative
AXIS roll = 4
US roll = 5
The US have the initiative


Rally Phase
US
Well the rules mention a squad containing a hero in the hex can rally - it doesn't mmention a "good order" hero. So I guess the Squad in I7 can rally attempt even though Ash is wounded though I can't use Ash's Leader Hero card ability (I guess because he's not in good order)
Squad (I7) morale roll (2d6) = 8 - FAIL


AXIS
Lt Frietag (I6) morale roll (2d6) = 7-2(building) = 5 - SUCCESS

Half Squad (I6) norale roll (2d6) = 7-2(building)-1(leader) = 4 - SUCCESS


It seems the US luckless run is continuing!

Operations Phase
Impulse 1 - US
Hero Ash and Shaken squad (I7) try to retreat moving to H8
AXIS OP FIRE
1xMG42 (L6) opens up
Attack roll (1d6) = 6+1(target moving)+3(IFP)=10
Defence roll (1d6) = 6
Attack succeeds with a difference of 4

Hero Ash Damage Check roll (1d6) = 5+4=9 - Ash is killed

Shaken Squad Damage Check roll (1d6) = 6+4=10 - the Shaken Squad is reduced to a shaken half squad and has to halt!


Impulse 2 - AXIS
The AXIS hero (I6) plays the AMBUSH card. A roll of 1 means NO reinforcements!
It's not clear if that is the impulse for the AXIS - but I'm guessing not

Lt Frietag + 1x1-2-4 Squad + 1xHero (I6) opens up on H7
Attack roll (1d6) = 1+1(Hero)+2(MG34)+1(Leader)+2(adjacent)=7
Defence roll (1d6) = 2
Attack succeeds with a difference of 5

1x2-5-4 Damage Check roll (1d6) = 2+5=7 - the squad is shaken

1xshaken half squad Damage Check roll (1d6) = 1+5=6 - attack fails

Impulse 3 - US
2 Shaken squads (H7) move to G6


Impulse 4 - AXIS
Axis squad 2-3-4 (J8) moves to I7, H7
US OP FIRE
M1919A4 (F3) opens up
Attack roll (1d6) = 5+2(IFP)+1(target moving)-1(degrading terrain G4)=7
Defence roll (1d6) = 2
Attack succeeds with a difference of 5 - it looks like the machine gun has saved those units from certain death!

Damage Check roll (1d6) = 6+5 = 11 - The squad is shaken


That machine gun saved those 3 squads!

Impulse 5 - US
1x2-5-4+Lt Michael (G2) opens up on H7
Attack roll (1d6) = 6+1(leader)=7
Defence roll (1d6) = 4
Attack succeeds with a difference of 3

Damage Check roll (1d6) = 4+3=7 - casualties. The Shaken squad is replaced with a shaken half squad


Impulse 6 - AXIS
Cpt Weiss+1x3-3-4 Squad+1xMG42 (I3) opens fire on F3
Attack roll (1d6) = 6+1(leader)+3(IFP)+3(MG42)=13
Defence roll (1d6) = 6+4(TEM) = 10
Attack succeeds with a difference of 3

Damage Check roll (1d6) = 1+3=4 - attack fails

Roll for Hero = 3 - no hero

Impulse 7 - US
1xM1919A4 (E4) opens up on I3
Attack roll (1d6) = 6+2(IFP)=8
Defence roll (1d6) = 3+4(TEM)=7
Attack succeeds with a difference of 1

Cpt Weiss Damage Check roll (1d6) = 4+1=5 - miss

3-3-4 Squad Damage Check roll (1d6) = 1+1=2 - miss

Roll for Hero = 4 - a hero is generated but I don't have any hero counters of the same unit type!!

Impulse 8 - AXIS
Sniper (J8) opens fire on H8
Attack roll (2d6) = 8
Defence roll (1d6) = 6
Attack succeeds with a  difference of 2

Damage Check roll (1d6) = 4+2=6 - attack succeeds and the shaken half squad is eliminated


Impulse 9 - US
Pass

Impulse 10 - AXIS
2x3-3-4 squads+1xbar (I2) opens fire on G2
Attack roll = 3+3(IFP)+3(IFP)+1(1/2 of BAR FP rounded up to 1)=10
Defence roll = 3+4(TEM)=7
Attack succeeds with a difference of 3

Lt Michael Damage Check roll (1d6) = 6+3=9 - shaken

2-5-4 Squad Damage Check roll (1d6) = 1+3=4 - miss

Roll for Hero = 1 - nno hero created

All Moved and Fired counters are removed.


This is the situation at the end of Turn 7


Turn 7 End

[Barthheart]

Hi JD,

Some notes:

Only full and 1/2 squads can generate heroes, no other units can.

Rally Phase
"Good order" means not shaken. Since heroes never shake they are always good order until dead.
So yes wounded heroes can rally troops.

Impulse 2
You played correctly, the Ambush card is not an impulse.

Impulse 5
The 2-5-4 squad doesn't have the range to shoot at H7 and leader can't shoot by themselves unless they are carrying a SW.

Impulse 6
Damage check must be rolled for both the leader and the squad separately.

Impulse 7
There can only be 2 heroes on the board at one time for each force. There should be 2 hero counters for the fallshirmjagers.
If both are on the board then you can't generate another until one dies. If you don't, then you might be missing a counter.

Impulse 10
All squads after the first only add +1 each to FP, so you would have had 3 +3IFP +1IFP + 1(1/2 bar round up = 1) = 8

We could try something and have a play by forum match if you'd like. Kind of a training game and AAR all at once.

[JudgeDredd]

Hi JD,

Some notes:

Only full and 1/2 squads can generate heroes, no other units can.
Thanks - forgot that

Rally Phase
"Good order" means not shaken. Since heroes never shake they are always good order until dead.
So yes wounded heroes can rally troops.
Thanks


Impulse 2
You played correctly, the Ambush card is not an impulse.
Thanks

Impulse 5
The 2-5-4 squad doesn't have the range to shoot at H7 and leader can't shoot by themselves unless they are carrying a SW.
I think you are wrong here - the squad has a range of 5 and H7 is 5 hexes away from G2)

Impulse 6
Damage check must be rolled for both the leader and the squad separately.
F3 is the target hex here and only contains a half squad and an M1919A4 - I've just not been very clear in this turn about what was in a hex

Impulse 7
There can only be 2 heroes on the board at one time for each force. There should be 2 hero counters for the fallshirmjagers.
If both are on the board then you can't generate another until one dies. If you don't, then you might be missing a counter.
One of the few rules I do remember is that you can only have 2 heroes on the board. There IS only one on the board and there wasn't another one in my tray - but it's entirely possible the counter has ended up in another cup in the tray - I'll check when I get home

Impulse 10
All squads after the first only add +1 each to FP, so you would have had 3 +3IFP +1IFP + 1(1/2 bar round up = 1) = 8
How did I even forget that? I'm contantly reading (speed reading) the section on attacking!

We could try something and have a play by forum match if you'd like. Kind of a training game and AAR all at once.

^ lol

I STINK at this game!

This is me checking the rules as I go too! Though if I "think" I know a rule, I don't go and look...otherwise I'd just be reading the manual all the time...which is another reason the AAR takes so long.

I don't know why I'm having such a hard time with the rules. I am often reading sections over and over again.

I have checked just about every part of the rulebook relevant to this scenario go knows how many times...because each time I play a turn it's been a week since I last played. My memory is bad - but I'm obviously misreading if I'm checking and still getting them wrong.

It is very frustrating  :( - the idea of the AAR was to help me get into the rules. I seem to be progressing somewhat slower than I'd anticipated.

I guess I need to re-read each section carefully again - and then each time I take an impulse to make sure I'm doing it correctly.

Thanks for your input Barhheart. My heart always sinks a wee bit when I see you've replied because I know I've done something wrong! But I look forward to being pointed in the right direction.

So on the plus side I am doing this and hoping you do respond so I sort the rules out in my head!

So as always - thanks.

[Barthheart]

Ha! You are correct that I'm wrong for the impulse 5 note. I read it wrong too.... serves me right for trying to do this at work while hiding that fact!  :P
Same for impulse 6.

I know what you mean about kinda dreading my replies. I kinda don't want to point out all your mistakes and make you dread the game. But I do want to help you learn too.

I've always found that learning a new game by yourself is harder because YOU have to remember everything while if you had a partner you only need to remember 1/2 of everything.
I've played games that I learned by myself and played that way for years before I played someone else, only to find out I've messed up about half of the rules.  :o Great learning experience.

Keep at it you're getting the hang of it.

[JudgeDredd]

Although I "dread" them, I definitely appreciate them. Without your pointers, I'd be playing the game wrong forever and I take an AAR and others comments as a necessary training tool to learn the mechanics.

It's little nuances like why do other squads only add 1 to the FP and not their full FP that let me down mostly.

I am getting the hang of it. Example - remembering to create heroes because you pointed it out last turn (although I didn't remember that only squads and half squads can create them)

[JudgeDredd]

I just noticed there's a Tabletop AAR forum below!  ???

[TheCommandTent]

I just noticed there's a Tabletop AAR forum below!  ???

If you ask I am sure one of the mods will be happy to move this thread to that part of the forum.



In regards to this thread.  I have admittedly been following the AAR halfheartedly because I just didn't have the time to sit, read and comprehend the game and feedback.  However, this thread is bookmarked and one of these days when I have some uninterrupted time I am going to pull out my copy and slowly go through this thread to help better learn the game .  This has turned out to be not only a great AAR but also a good resource for learning the game.

[bayonetbrant]

just realized this wasn't in the AAR folder - I moved it.  I hope you don't mind :)

[JudgeDredd]

Well thanks very much for those kind words...but make sure you read Barthhearts correction  ;)

I'm going to love replaying this scenario and throwing a Stuart in for the US or maybe some arty - just to see. I know I couldn't come back and go "I beat it! I beat it!" as I've changed the parameters...but no reason why any of the scenarios can't be spiced up a wee bit.

[JudgeDredd]

just realized this wasn't in the AAR folder - I moved it.  I hope you don't mind :)

Nope - fine with me - it's "home" now  ;D

[JudgeDredd]

I'm going to drop this here I'm afraid.

I know - I know...half a job. But there really is nothing the US can do at all and I'm finding it very hard to get motivated to do the final turn...in fact I started it on Sunday morning and although I did a couple of impulses, I knew I could send a couple of squads out to melee - but I just wanted to "pass".

So - sorry for all who followed it but didn't see the end result. But it was a foregone conclusion that the US lost. They actually lost about 3 or 4 turns ago.

I'd like to thank everyone who read it and everyone who helped...and Barthheart you taught me more than I read in the damned manual. Quite a few things you picked me up on are embedded.

I plan on doing this scenario again and possibly throwing in a tank. I'd also like to do one or two more before I go and try and learn my World at War Blood and Bridges game which I actually bought before I bought this but funnily enough dived into this first.

So thanks again and sorry - like I said I started the last turn on Sunday but I just did not have any go in me to continue.

[Arctic Blast]

No worries, JD.

Try a different scenario before you go trying to mod this one!

[TheCommandTent]

Its all good JD, its been a good learning experience for me watching someone else play.