Benghazi Handicap

Started by michaelk, 29 November 2021, 06:28:44 PM

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michaelk

Hi all,

Just wanted to recommend a scenario book I recently purchased - Benghazi Handicap - Frank Chadwick - Command Decision - Test of Battle.

An amazing work with ton of  information around the battles in North Africa from August 1940 to December 1941. The scenarios are for Command Decision but with a little modifications work very well with Blitzkrieg Commander IV.

Thanks

Orcs

Yes, I can second that. Scenarios need a bit of tweaking, but the info contained is really good.

Has been republished by Caliver Books
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

Itinerant Hobbyist

Quote from: Orcs on 30 November 2021, 08:19:09 AMYes, I can second that. Scenarios need a bit of tweaking, but the info contained is really good.

Has been republished by Caliver Books

Also agree on the CD scenario books. Not a lot of scenario books with platoon stands, that I've seen.

I'm curious how you all are tweaking the scenarios?

I also find the CD scenarios a little large for my style of play, solo or just a couple people. So I would want to tweak them by taking a smaller portion of the battlefield and a small part of the OOB.

michaelk

I try and follow the OOBs but remove pieces like an HQ squadron as it is included in a British armor regiment and there will be a BN HQ on the board, or the HQ Coy as there will typically also be a HQ at the BN level.

Onboard artillery also is very represented in the scenarios. That said it seems like many of the battles did actually have artillery performing in a direct fire roll. I make a judgment call here as to whether or not I should represent them as on or off board.  If i know artillery engaged in a direct fire manner I will use them that way.

While I possess the CD rules i have not located how air is allocated and although represented in the book are mot part of the scenarios. I roll a die at the beginning of a turn and a 1 get a plane. Only one per side per game.  Although not perfect is fun.

Next the onboard setup differs from the BKIV approach. It isn't as simple as and aligning the CD mission to the BKIV scenario types to determine deployment as the are not the same.  Again a judgement call is required which will then dictate onboard setup and objectives.

I guess the last piece is the veteran,trained, experienced issue. CD uses both morale and troop quality to categorize units. If Veteran in the scenario then i use the unit as a veteran, Regular is regular in the rules. I use experienced as regular and trained or conscript as green.

I think that about covers it. It seems a lot but the scenarios are a lot of fun to play.

That is my approach and I am sure there are others.

Hope this helps.