Advanced Tobruk System Basics - Really basic

This is a very quick video on some ATS basics.

ATS - Clash of Armor Turn 1 Video AAR

 

ATS or ASL, That is the Question?

I was asked on Google+ why play ATS instead of ASL. My answer, though a bit of a waffle.

The ATS Armor rules are slightly easier. Rules are "only" 74 pages (2 column). Biggest reason, impulse turns instead of the more detailed sequence of play. New initiative rolls during the 3 phases of a turn. Plays a little faster.

There are a couple of ATS players locally which is nice. But there's also quite a set of ASL players as well.

The ASL rules seem more stable (on v2 with errata for sure) while ATS is on 4.4 and has undergone big changes to various systems throughout the years.

Some thoughts on the issue. It's a tough market for him. There's a complicated tactical game out there (ASL) and it's the go to game for the reasons I mention below. If someone wants an easier game there are better (ie easier, more accessible, etc.) to choose from that are also less expensive and easier to get. So why would one choose ATS?

I say all that as I'm considering getting some more ASL Kit as well. 

ASL is more popular and more players can be found around the world. 

ASL is better supported by the fan base. ATS is slightly more expensive (I've not done math here, just eyeballing it.)

Critical Hit can be tough to understand. But the couple of times I've emailed Ray(owner) and bought from his site, the experience has been fine. I know there are a lot of strong opinions of him floating around the web. He definitely has his detractors.

I'm riding the very expensive fence at the moment.

Pavlov's House End Game AAR - Advanced Tobruk System

On to Turn 4.
German Initiative. Tank turns and fires it's 75 smack dab into the buidling next door. C2. Leader and Crew each reduce one and remember
they don't have to check for Morale...this is huge.
Question - In another impulse, I wanted to change the Vehicle's Covered Arc (VCA) in order to shoot the bow MG.
I can't see how it supposed to affect the casualty table. I see if it was shooting on the Hit Probability Table (HPT) it would be affected by a +3.

Germans were able to eventually take out the Leader and crew in the G13 Building hex.  However, the Russians quickly placed more
units in the mix to make sure it didn't stay open.

The Russian is taking a chance at not filling that hex up with the remaining units. The thinking, there needs to
be a unit in each building hex to resist the Germans. All the Germans have to do is be the last occupying good order
unit in one of the three building hexes. This slows them down, though thins out the effectiveness of the Russian
defense.

The Russians had a reason to celebrate as the Norhtern mortar K-Killed the North PZIV.

The Germans have strong stacks ready to fire and assault G13.

And now, turn 5
Germans won initiatitive and tried took out the troops in G13 again. The Russians answered by moving a 6-4-8 into the hex.
However, opp fire, even with a crawl, whittled them down C2 (making them flip to the weaker 4-4-6).

The commisar also moved up a hex in the building, leaving G15 open.

German CPl saw the opportunity and took his 6-5-6 on a sprint across rubble and shellhole strewn ground.
The commisar took a pot shot at them and inflicted a C1 result!. However, they didn't break and they moved
into the empty hex! Making this a German Victory, having successfully caputured =>4 building hexes.

Fun and down to the wire. Pretty much getting the rules down. I know I've made some mistakes, but I feel pretty
good about most of the rules. Well, I had to refer to them a lot, but a couple more games will help.

Now the decision is, do I use the full rules that arrived yesterday to play scenario 2 or stick with the basic?

Pavlov's House Turn 3 AAR Advanced Tobruk System

Advanced Tobruk System Pavlov's House Turn 3 AAR
Russians win initiative and try to take out killer stack in the street with their MMG - two shots, no effect.

Germans in the street, under withering fire from MMG, fire into the building with 24 firepower and only cause
2 casualties, but they break, so that 's a good thing.
The northern Russian Mortar gets cocky and tries to do more damage to the tank...to no effect.

The immobile German tank then turns it's turret and fires on the Russian mortar in the junkyard in J9. 5 casualties.
Yeah, they're gone.

Looking bleak for the Russians. But the Germans have a task when it comes to taking that last building.

Germans take the Northern Objective buidling with Melee against broken units. The LMG crew in I13 are also taken out in Melee.
 The working PZIV runs over and eliminates the norther wire and sets up right next to the building. Germans hope they get initative
next turn.

Because that building has the Commissar in it, that building is a Fanatic Ressistnace Nest. All personel are considered as though they're
under a courage marker. This means they don't have to take Morale Checks, they may fire any type of weapon with no penalties for reduced
crews including leaders as crews. Wow, this building is going to be tough.

The Commissar infiltrated back a hex to not be right next to the tank. First chance he gets, he will move back one more. He only
has to be in the building to cause this.

On to Turn 4.

ATS Pavlov's House Turn 2 AAR

Turn 2
Russians win initiative. Mortar in middle of board reduces 2 squads hanging out in D9.
Mortar in the North M-Kills the PZIV in F8 with some good rolling (and assuming I was doing it correctly.)
Opp Fire also took out a squad that was advancing to the G10 building.

Also, the ATR in E13 is "sneaking" around to try and get a flank/rear shot on the PZ IV in E11. Otherwise the
ATRs are useless.

But is was ugly in H10. A lone German Squad was able to survive Opp Fire and infiltrated into H10 and wiped
out Cpt Itsov, a crew with an ATR and a crew with a MMG. All were broken so were eliminated as soon
as he entered their hex. The brave 6-4-8 Squad stands alone in G11 to hold the third building hex.

The immobilized PZ IV in F8 is a bummer. They would've been nice as support for the attack into the final
building.

Player note - need to check if I'm playing Opp fire correctly and it's effects against those units that were already
in the hex when the moving units underwent Opp fire.
Did I do the mortar against the tank correctly?
How would that tank be affected if they'd been there when troops underwent opp fire?
Rallying 4 morale units is TOUGH.

ATS Pavlov's House Turn 1 AAR

Germans lost Cpt Gunter, a 2-3-8 crew and their MMG (big loss). Also, Germans took a unit up north to take out the Mortar. However, the crew fired at them, casualtied them and they failed their morale check and broke. Being no leader available, there is no way for them to rally. I suppose I'll move them toward the rest of the German team.

The Russians simply moved up some units to strengthen the defense now that the German attack is so focused onto the G10,11 and H10 Building hexes.

Saint Maria Infante Unboxing

I'm a sucker for tactical level games.  I should just be content with the ones that I have, Lock N Load or ASLSK.  But alas, I'm not. Not yet, anyway. 

I posted earlier about trying the tank gamers guide from Critical Hit. It was okay, but didn't include infantry. And there weren't many armor cards available.

So, I've been looking to get one of the full games from CH to try it fully out. First of all, my wife runs a small business, my parents have, and most wargamers are small businesses.  So, I know that it's tough to do it.  Especially in this hobby because most people can't do it full time.  Therefore, very select choices have to be made on what can be don and how. That said, this is a tough company to figure out.

I'm not sure what games come with all you need. For example, some of the Basic Games coming out don't come with counters.  You order those separately.  There are more things, but I really need to back off my focus on CH.

So, why am I trying this then?  Because I enjoyed my experience with the tank guide and would like to learn more.  And there's a local group of players that getting together this month to game ATS.  I won't be able to join them.  But just the fact that there are 5+ people joining up means there are potential opponents.

Anyway, because I have an interest in the Italian Campaign, I bought Saint Maria Infante from Enterprise Games.  It's a used copy and was missing the rules and the play aids.  This is okay, because fortunately, I have a copy of the 3.09 rules handy and some fan made play aids...so I'm ok. 

BTW, i mentioned this fact to Don, the guy that runs Enterprise Games and he offered to cut open a shrink wrap and make copies for me.  I declined because I already have the rules. Then he offered a small credit to my account for my next purchase for the trouble. Very cool.

If  you're in the market for used or out of print games and magazines, he has good pricing and good service.  He also sells new games.  Again, one guy running the company so be nice.  He's easy to be nice too because he responds to emails and engages with you as a customer.

All this to say, here's  my unboxing video of my copy of Saint Maria Infante:

First Play of Advanced Tobruk System Tank Guide

This was a basic intro game.  Just 4 pages of rules.  The local wargame meetup group suggested I give this system a try.  They like it better than ASL. So, why not.  I bought this for Geekway and just got around to playing it.  I didn't take any pics of the games.  I played twice solo, the second time using some of the charts and the advanced rulebook to see how some of the terrain is covered.

The starter map and winning US chits

Both games were Allied blow outs.  Only one US tanks was lost in both games. It was very fast, and the armor rules were much simpler than ASLSK that I've experienced. Much simpler.

From Boardgamegeek - details, oh my!

Tons of charts though.  But I'm not adversed to this.  The regular game has tons of rules, something like 40+ pages.  But in a tactical game I don't seem to care.  In Normandy '44 I was all in a wad over having to refer to 24 pages of rules the whole time.  But here I didn't seem to mind.

Charts, tables and more tables - Love it!

The one struggle I have, Critical Hit.  It's a one man and woman shop and it seems erratic. But I could be completely wrong.  The output seems weird, like I'm not sure what goes with what, what the latest version of people play with, etc.  And not all the games come with all that you need.  I suppose ASL is this way, but it seems a little more clear that you pretty much need the rulebook and Beyond Valor to play the rest of the modules. Mainly for the Germans and game markers.  CH stuff, I'm not clear what's in print, what comes with everything you need, etc.

And I considered getting the next intro set, but  the postage was going to be a large percentage of the cost and again, I wasn't sure came with it.  This sampler kit i bought came with a couple different game markers, but not enough variety of the others you would need, yet it came with a bunch of extra AFV, gun, plane and other units.  That you can't use because you don't have the stats.  Why not get rid of some of the AFVs and throw in all the game markers?

Anyway, I should probably just stick with ASLSK or Band of Heroes.  But as I'm typing this, I would like to jump in and try another game of  ATS.

And that's always a good sign.