Hello from Teesside Uk

Started by LesD, 28 September 2021, 07:51:58 PM

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LesD

Having taken a 30 year break from tabletop fantasy war gaming I am looking to start playing WW2 based games.
With the ultimate aim of trying to play the Second World War as a series of campaigns, collecting the armies as I go along.

I would welcome your thoughts/advice on the use of Pedraken's Blitzkrieg Commander rules to do this.

LesD


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Techno II

A very warm welcome, Les.

Cheers - Phil :)

paulr

Welcome LesD :-h

I'm sure there will be some useful comments on Blitzkrieg Commander rules shortly
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fred.

Hi Les

Welcome! Many us have taken a break from gaming, then come back to it, but 30 years is a long time!

10mm figures, and Pendraken in particularly are a great choice for WWII, gives a nice balance between size of infantry (not too small) and size of tanks (not too large).

Personally I swing in and out of liking BKC. It is definitely a top down game, where the overall effect generally plays out, even if parts of the process can seem a bit odd at the micro level. The fundamental part of the game is the command system, basically for each formation you roll 2d6 to see if it can activate - trying to roll its Commanders command value or less - these range from 7 to 10, with 8 being the most common. This gives you a bit more than 50% chance of activating, if successful you can then attempt to activate again - this will be at least on a -1 to your chance of success - and if successful you cna try again. You then move onto other formations.

This means you can end up with formations doing nothing in a turn, doing a bit, or doing loads. And this to me is the marmite part of the game - when this works well it gives a good feel for units seizing chances and exploiting them, or sitting back and being cautious. When it doesn't work, one side feels they are stuck doing nothing, whilst the other dances around the table. And unfortunately this is down to the dice, in the main.

BKC will certainly work well for your idea of progressing through the war, as the core book covers all the protagonists in all the theatres.
The rules are good in the at the same core mechanics are used for resolution of shooting whether its from tanks, infantry, artillery or air craft. Which makes the game quick to get the hang-of.

Probably worth finding some videos on YouTube to get a feel for the game. Cold War Commander (CWC) and Futue War Commander (FWC) share the same activation mechanism - but obviously have different special rules for their periods. There is also a lot in common with Warmaster (both Fantasy and Ancients)


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Orcs

HI Les

Welcome to the forum. I and my freinds are still using BKC2 and have not played the latest version, butu it is a good game for company sized actions. For platon size I would recommend Chain of Command. Both are eminently d0-able in 10mm
The cynics are right nine times out of ten. -Mencken, H. L.

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Steve J

Hi Les,
welcome on board. Personally I love BKCII, so am a bit biased. I've linked by Blog below so you can see some games in action and also my recent 'Breaching the Trasimene Line' campaign, which will hopefully give you a feel for how the games and campaigns can play out:

https://www.blogger.com/blog/posts/7522860709581497750?tab=rj&q=label%3ABKCII

hammurabi70

Quote from: LesD on 28 September 2021, 07:51:58 PM
Having taken a 30 year break from tabletop fantasy war gaming I am looking to start playing WW2 based games.
With the ultimate aim of trying to play the Second World War as a series of campaigns, collecting the armies as I go along.

I would welcome your thoughts/advice on the use of Pedraken's Blitzkrieg Commander rules to do this.

LesD


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Being a recent retiree this has been my plan.  Originally the intent was just do the Eastfront but now I have expanded it to include other fronts.  One strand is to use our own home rules while another is to use ROMMEL.  It depends on what sort of games you want to have, from low level skirmish to large scale operational.

steve_holmes_11

Hey Les,

WW2 is phenomenally complicated to wargame compared to earlier conflicts.
A bold statement that I'll qualify by saying there are far more weapon systems, organisations and interactions between them.

Many well designed rules break down when all these interactions come into play.

I can recommend three (all rather different) which play well - and I'll attempt to describe their differences.

Crossfire by Arty Conliffe: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossfire_(miniatures_game)

Very infantry biased - tanks get a limited look in, but the game is really designed for Infantry companies to go at it in dense terrain.
Revolutionary mechanics, praised as "realistic" by people who've been involved at the sharp end.
Unlikely to satisfy dedicated tread-heads who want to sweeping tank battles on the steppe.
Fairly figure scale independent.


Chain of Command by TooFatLardies: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/146922/chain-command

Another game for the infantry, but this time focused on the platoon organisation.
More traditional mechanics, typical of the TooFatLardy games (Variable Movement and command opportunities, emphasis on the leaders, and some detail of the weapon systems).
Vehicles are represented, and can be important, but it's mainly about the infantry.
Some attempt to reward national doctrines.
Win by breaking your enemy morale.
Suits 15mm and 28mm.


Blitzkrieg Commander available form Pendraken https://www.pendraken.co.uk/blitzkrieg-commander-530-c.asp

Combined arms rules based on the Warmaster activation system.
You'll likely be commanding a regiment or brigade.
Most/all arms of service are represented, and you get to play some bigger batles.
Fits 10mm like a glove.



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Orcs

Quote from: steve_holmes_11 on 28 September 2021, 10:04:41 PM



Chain of Command by TooFatLardies: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/146922/chain-command

Another game for the infantry, but this time focused on the platoon organisation.
More traditional mechanics, typical of the TooFatLardy games (Variable Movement and command opportunities, emphasis on the leaders, and some detail of the weapon systems).
Vehicles are represented, and can be important, but it's mainly about the infantry.
Some attempt to reward national doctrines.
Win by breaking your enemy morale.
Suits 15mm and 28mm.


And 20mm !
The cynics are right nine times out of ten. -Mencken, H. L.

Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well. - Robert Louis Stevenson

FierceKitty

Welcome to the group, in hopes you'll try the real stuff one day. ;)
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LesD

Thank you for replies and recommendations.

I have watched quite a few Two Fat Lardies productions and enjoy there presentation style.  I have also followed Storm of Steel productions.

I agree that 10 mm scale (intending to use pendraken miniatures since the they are at most 20 mins away from me) would best suit my requirements and looking at your comments I will be further investigating  Blitzkrieg Commander. 

Interestingly enough what first gave me the idea of the full campaign was my recollection of The Campaign for North Africa: The Desert War 1940-43. Though to be honest whilst I find the approach interesting, I doubt I would have the time to complete the campaign.

LesD



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steve_holmes_11

Quote from: Orcs on 29 September 2021, 09:04:39 AM
And 20mm !

I should have said 15mm to 28mm, though I'm sure some of those 28s are at least 35mm by now.

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