Blood Sweat and Tears overview

Started by Last Hussar, 13 March 2021, 11:36:48 PM

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Last Hussar

I've wriiten the following so I can give a quick overview to any players I manage to convince to try my homebrew set. These fit on 2 sides of A4 -

Ground scale is approx. 1:200

There is no measurement. Everything is done in areas, and eyeballing a 'Base Width' (BW). A base represents 2-4 men. 3 'Kills' removes the base. A Kill isn't necessarily a man dead – he could be wounded, or just too scared to function effectively. Kills subtract from dice rolls where low is bad.

When firing, the effects are resolved when the target activates. Until then the base carries the Fire Points. It can receive fire points multiple times, and they all add up.

Table is divided into AREAS. The smaller the area, the slower the terrain is to move through. Movement is one area at a time.

Range is done by RANGE BANDS. A Rough or Difficult area (up to approx. 15cm a side) is 1 range band – yes, it does mean ranges vary a little depending on line of fire.

Easy Areas (approx. 20-30cm a side) are quartered into 4 individual range bands, so firing across a meadow will count as 2, not 1.

Your forces are divided down into individual squads/sections/etc. A group of bases in the same squad is called a UNIT. Each unit has a card in the deck.

You will also have 1 or more LEADERS. They also have a card each. Leaders can activate Units if they are close enough. They also add morale bonuses, and can direct fire.

A Base is 'In command' if it is a BW from a leader in its chain of command, or a BW from a base in the same chain of command that itself in 'in command'.

When a Unit's card is drawn, the player states what each base in the unit is doing. Bases then resolve their Fire Points and actions in a set order.

To resolve Fire Points, roll 1d6 per Fire Point. For each result that is equal or more than the 'To Hit' number of the action, a 'Hit is scored. For each hit a d6 is rolled, that will give the effects of the hit.  1- No effect, 2-3 pinned, 4-5 Suppressed, 6 – Kill and suppress. Note that the To hit and Result dice are never modified. Modifiers happen to the calculation of fire points to be marked.


Actions - Resolve in this order

Hunker Down – hit on 6
After applying results of hits, the base ends its activation – it does nothing.

Rally – hit on a 5+
If no pins or suppresses are caused, it may attempt to rally, reducing pins or suppressions. It may be allowed to fire at reduced effectiveness.

Fire – hit on a 5+
Pinned bases may fire a minus, suppressed bases may not fire.
Calculate fire points and place on targets. Half the Fire points go on the target base, the rest are shared between the target and other bases within a BW. Then apply cover (effects defined by scenario designer)
Undirected fire – Base must fire straight ahead at 'most obvious' target.
Directed Fire – A leader can nominate a target base for concentrated fire – base may pivot to put target in front.

Move – hit on 4+
Pinned/suppressed bases may not move.
Movement is one area.
Linear terrain between areas may slow or stop movement – effects are described in individual scenario design.

Bases may 'Reserve Fire' – fire when enemy acts in line of sight.

Units may only Close assault under orders and lead by a leader.

Leaders have two actions – they may give 2 orders, or one order and move (or move then order).

An order can only be given to a base in a BW from the Leader. Other bases in the same unit 'In command' may carry out the same order. The 2nd order can be to a different unit, or a different base in the same unit.

Units may activate twice – one on their card, one by Leader order.

Leaders a BW from a Base that receives a kill may be killed instead.

When end of turn card is drawn pack is reshuffled, and any units that did not come under fire this turn halve marked Fire Points, or, if none, attempt to rally.

***

And that is really all a new player needs to know.

Some bits of it are so quick, I sit there waiting for the resolution, then realise I need to turn a card! The only thing that can take time is distributing the Fire Points, but often it is obvious, especially with concentrated fire at targets in heavy cover - "It's going to be 1 point each, isn't it"
I have neither the time or the crayons to explain why you are wrong.

GNU PTerry

paulr

Sounds a really interesting approach :-\
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mmcv

Some interesting concepts here for sure. I haven't gamed the period myself so can't speak for how they compare with others but seems like a fast moving system. The Fire Points system reminds me a little of the morale system in the Twilight of
.. rules, which I quite like.

Could you save yourself a sentence or two by calling Kills "Casualties", since it already encompasses those rendered combat ineffective beyond just killed?

On the Rally, it says only if no pins or suppression scored, and you chose the action before testing, so rally can be risky in that you call for a rally then cross your fingers and hope the hits roll your way or else you'll be unable to do anything?




Last Hussar

'Kill' is one syllable! Ideally it would be 'Combat Ineffective'

And yes, rallying might mean you in effect lose your activation because of one pin result. If you're hiding due to gunfire, trying to not hide while still under fire is difficult. However it is easy to rally, a modified roll of 2+ will reduce from suppress to pin, or pin to no effects, higher rolls have better results. Doing stuff when people are firing at you is difficult. As soon as people aren't firing at them, your men will easily do stuff.

Because of the difficulty in tracking where all the fire points come from, there is no modifiers on the to hit/effects rolls. Instead all of those are built into the weight of fire being applied. Effectively this then modifies other roll, such as shooting and morale.

The flip side of this is if you don't bring weight of directed fire to bear, but just line up in cover opposite each other, you will blaze away all day with no effect. The best tactic is to put a load of fire (15+) into a small number of bases, while another section, preferably 2, close assault, and hope when the target reacts to the CA, resolving the FP keeps their heads down. CA fire is resolved immediately, and the Winner is the side with the most Unsuppressed bases.
I have neither the time or the crayons to explain why you are wrong.

GNU PTerry

sunjester

I have played this a few times now and it's a fast (when LH remembers to turn the cards) and fun game which seems to reward using "proper" tactics (at least something akin to what the training manuals/films recommend).

I even manged to get an enjoyable game over Zoom with a complete novice player.

mmcv

Out of interest how do you mark the areas out? Just using convenient terrain?

Last Hussar

Felt patches, bits of hedge, flocked lollysticks
I have neither the time or the crayons to explain why you are wrong.

GNU PTerry