After Action Reports from The Front
A bunch of games came in recently, and I really want to play all of them as soon as possible.
But that’s not happening.
Links for the current bunch of games that came in:
Right now I’m focusing my time and energy on Core Space, reading the rule book, priming and painting the miniatures, and watching YouTube tutorials on how to play.
We’ll see if I can get a scenario in this weekend.
Stand by!
I wish there was a better solo system for this game.
I’ve had this game in my collection for a while, probably over a decade, but I can count the number of times I’ve played on one hand.
I’ve played more games of Memoir ’44, also by the same designer (Richard Borg), than I have this game, and the only time I played against a human opponent was at Dice Tower 2019.
I decided to revisit C&CA because I had preordered a Samurai version of the game sometime last year. As I was browsing Amazon for expansions (I got the 1st and 6th expansions over the years, Greece and Eastern Kingdoms, and Spartan Army, respectively) I saw a damaged copy of C&C Napoleonics on sale for almost 50% off retail price. I’d never played any Napoleonic wargame, but it’s been something I’d wanted to try, so I ordered it.
Cool, I thought, I’m going to play this one as soon as it comes in. I was planning to develop a bad French accent to use while playing.
The next day I got an email that the game I had preordered had shipped.
Welp.
So in the span of a week I’ve gone from 1 of these games to 3 variants, or 2 to 4 if you include Memoir ’44.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s still possible to play these games solitaire, with one of my plushies or action figures on the opposite side of the board to represent my opponent, but they’re more fun and challenging when playing against a live person.
For now, it’s time to assemble the playing pieces for the Samurai Battles game.
Stand by!
In the handful of games of Memoir 44 that I’ve played, I’ve had the opportunity to use the ‘Air Power’ card only a couple of times, and usually as the Axis, which is a weaker (1 battle die) attack than an Allied attack (2 battle dice). So for the most part I’ve thought of this game as primarily a ground assault game.
A few years back and long before I plunged into this game there was an Air Pack expansion that expanded the air combat rules for the game.
At first glance I believed that it was not necessary, since there was an ‘Air Power’ card in the game already. Many players appeared to feel the same, but others felt it was a necessary addition.
The Air Pack is out of print (like most expansions for this 15 year old game) but Days of Wonder is now planning to release the New Flight Plan expansion.
The rules are posted on the site, and after reviewing them, I decided to preorder a copy of the expansion.
It comes with plane miniatures, like my beloved B-17 Flying Fortress.
Looks like the ‘G’ variant.
Stand by.
The Pacific Theater of Operations has always been a favorite subject of mine for as long as I can remember.
Today I finally got a copy of the Pacific Theater expansion for Memoir 44. I managed to find a copy from a seller in Belgium.
I pulled out my old point-and-shoot camera for these pictures. Behold!
I’m still waiting on a couple of Memoir 44 items to arrive in the mail, but yesterday I bought the last expansion that I intend to for now.
This has much larger maps, for much larger scenarios, which I saw in the Winter Wars expansion.
I’m a completest, but even I gotta hold off on some stuff, like the Operation Overlord expansion, which bumps up the game to up to 8 players, and requires a SECOND core set in order to play. I like the concept, though: team of up to 4, with 3 field generals and one commander who gives the combat cards drawn to the generals, who play them as they see fit to do.
My gaming group is less than 8, and we’re not ready for something like that, I think.
For now, I’ll just enjoy solo or 2 player games.
By the end of the month I’ll have enough of the core game and expansions for Memoir 44 to cover practically all theaters of World War II
I have plenty to keep me busy with this game, I think. Though I am looking at the map series expansions, specifically the one with Japanese and Russians fighting early in the war.
