The Next War 1979 Expanded ( Beta 1.0 ) Damon v. larry

[larryfulkerson]

New moves from Damon and I see from this resolved combats dialog that there were several furballs and I looked at one of them and it said that the entire NATO squadron had been shot down. So I'm thinking that Damon lost at least one squadron per event. I've had my best fighters on three-dots and I've been losing a lot of them but the Allies are losing a lot also. I feel like I can afford the losses better than he can. If there's only a turn or two left in this game I should probably get with the program and make things happen this turn.

[larryfulkerson]

I had some unemployed paratroops loitering around Hamburg and thought I'd go for the gold and see if I couldn't stop up the exits from Italy to prevent NATO units escaping to France and to cut off the flow of supply from the west. I'm wondering what's in Turin and can I capture it this turn? Oh, and by the way, I just now had another CTD and had to start over. I lost about an hour's worth of work. I'm going to learn how to save my game more often or keep suffering these kinds of events.

[larryfulkerson]

I blasted a hole in NATO lines down south and I've been able to make a little progress as a result. There's a lot of units down there that I haven't moved yet so the lines may change a lot more.

[StuccoFresco]

How is the situation in the massive NATO bulge in the center? Looks like several Pact units are ready to be encircled and destroyed, and it seems there is just a single-line Pact MLR to prevent a total NATO breakthrough in the area.

[larryfulkerson]

New moves from Damon and it looks like a WP victory and the game is over.

[Hellen_slith]

ORIGINAL: StuccoFresco

How is the situation in the massive NATO bulge in the center? Looks like several Pact units are ready to be encircled and destroyed, and it seems there is just a single-line Pact MLR to prevent a total NATO breakthrough in the area.

Looks are deceiving. That massive bulge was occupied mostly by second-line Belge and German regiments, and a few brigade size Territory units in the back (which, by house rule, are not supposed to enter enemy ZOC ... they are intended for defense only.)

By the end of the scene, I had used up what little initiative I had gained from the uprisings.

I was severely hamstrung by total collapse of REFORGER (I got the WORST possible dice roll on that Atlantic event ... zero US reinforcements. I only had a few reconstituted units show back up for 82d Airborne, and by that time I was either out of helos, and I couldn't fly them in planes over the ZOCs Larry had set up ... they just got shot down if they were in planes.)

So, when I lost the initiative, I had moved so many forces north (trying for that breakthrough you and I both envisioned) that Italy was pretty much ripe for picking, and at the end I couldn't get the French back to Munich in time or the Italians back to Italy (which would have left Munich open anyway.)

Larry's interdiction plans were VERY effective all through the game. Well played, Comrade!!

This is a very enjoyable scene to play. Had the game allowed more turns, I would have eventually been overrun. But, that's one of the reasons this scene is so much fun ... only a limited amount of moves, so both sides have to ride hell for leather to achieve victory.

The only major drawback is that dang CTD issue. It gets VERY tiresome in PBEM play to have to save "JIC" throughout your moves, b/c the game closes and you have to reopen it, but that is better than losing hours of planning and moving, which both Larry and I experienced at different times.

Other than that ... looking forward to the next iteration of this expansion plan. Thanks so much for creating this scene! And congrats, Comrade Larry, I bow to your skills! Well played!!

[Hellen_slith]

ORIGINAL: cathar1244

What are the divisional-sized engineer units in the Pact forces?

Cheers

Those were not your usual Engineers. Those was Spetsnaz disguised as engineers LoL.

They hard, man. I got the feel that three of the NATO's V Corps "Combat Engineers" units were about equivalent to ONE of those big Spetsnaz engineers. Stalin grade diggers, they dug the Volga Canal for Stalin, and they HARD man, HARD AS NAILS.

Comrade Larry made good use of them

EDIT: wrong ratio. I meant ...

1 div. size SPETSNAZ seemed equivalent to THREE of the V Corps Combat engineers units

You could probably verify that but that was just the FEEL I got from it. From their usefulness aspect, that is. Pact sure has a lot of them

[Hellen_slith]

ORIGINAL: mussey

ORIGINAL: cathar1244

What are the divisional-sized engineer units in the Pact forces?

Cheers

At times I am conflicted of including many of these engineers on both sides since there appears to be little use for them....

Survey Question to Larry and Hellen: Are you utilizing the many engineers, or do they just add clutter?

I found the V Corps and US Combat Engineer units to be very helpful and useful, for digging in and getting out. They add both mobility and defensive bonuses to NATO units, and NATO need all the help she can get!!! I would vote to keep the US Combat Engineer units.

Pact seemed really strong w/ such large size divisional level engineers, of course I was playing NATO, so naturally I think they might have been a bit overpowered. Maybe break them down, and make some of them Spetsnaz (that HAVE to retreat, like SF / Commandos ... I think SAS and USA SF have that attribute, of having to RBC b/c of the nature of their unit? Can't remember ... anyway

I would vote KEEP NATO combat engineers, and maybe breakdown the larger Pact engineer units?

Anyway, thanks!!

[Hellen_slith]

ORIGINAL: Hellen_slith


Also, I don't recall ever seeing an AAR for the old ACOW version of this scene. It would be interesting to see how those went. I don't recall seeing many AARs back then of any scenes. Are they still around?

Found it. Now THIS is old school AAR, how we used to do it back in the day. <SIGH>

Good times. Ok, well, thanks for reading our AAR and happy gaming!!
H

Next War Old School Iron Man Style AAR

[larryfulkerson]

Survey Question to Larry and Hellen: Are you utilizing the many engineers, or do they just add clutter?

The NATO special forces had a habit of getting into my backfield and bringing down several bridges per turn until I can corner them and destroy them. So then I need to fix the bridges quickly to permit the flow of supply again, either that or pull the entire front backward to better supply. And that's expensive in terms of loss of equipment and so on. Engineers are an essential part of a division or corps and the forces at the command of the player should include at least a minimum number of engineer units or else the formation will be hamstrung very easily.

[StuccoFresco]

Thoroughly enjoyed the AAR, guys. Cheers.

[Hellen_slith]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson



.... 20 turns remaining.

Yes, the news scroll or situation briefing has always displayed the max turns remaining (from maximum 34 moves, if you play full tension mode) but the scene always ends after 17 turns after Pact declaration of hostilities (or if Pact uses the Geneva bypass, that also will trigger the end the game.)

[Hellen_slith]

I almost forgot: special kudos to Mr. Cross for bringing this board-game to life in the first place.

Over the last 10 or 15 years, I have enjoyed many many hundreds of hours of entertainment just from this one scene. It is the reason I bought TOAW in the first place, so ... A Special tip o' the cap, to you, Mr. Cross, who made this scene possible.

I hope to enjoy many many more hundreds of hours playing The Next War. Love it!!
H

[mussey]

Well played gentlemen. Your commitment to seeing this through has provided me with valuable feedback and I am highly in your debt. Thank you! This feedback will allow me to make some revisions to the next Beta. A note here that changes are mostly reflected on realistic data and orbats. Previous posts have already mentioned changes, here are a few more:
- the CTD flaw is alarming. I was hoping (still hoping) that the Tech Thread folks would give me some feedback. So far, none has been given [&:]. I've cleaned up a few graphics glitches I've seen on my end, but not sure what causes them on your end. Maybe this will help.
- I may add some more game turns
- I have already revised downward the odds of a Soviet victory in the Battle of the Atlantic to 4%. This was based on more 1979 CIA info on WP limited naval capabilities.
- Engineer equip changed to also fix railroads. Some Soviet Eng Divs are broken down to x3 bdes.
- the events for Non-Soviet WP (NSWP) nation's participation are fixed. Also changed participation/revolt odds and events (see previous posts). Essentially it is no longer an 'all or nothing' result if they revolt or refuse to participate at the beginning of war. Guerrilla event will activate if a revolt occurs. Those engineers will be very important.
- NSWP militia was added, as well as Border Gds. Getting into the WP rear areas will be more hazardous.
- West German Territorial Army was expanded. Getting into the W.Ger rear areas will be more difficult.
- Objective values and VP's for Norway were increased to reflect its value as operating bases for the Soviet Northern Fleet.
- Norwegian coastal batteries were added. Froy Line added north of Narvik (thanks Cathar).
- Event added that Norway may refuse NATO forces and smaller odds of going neutral.
- Yugoslavia added, may join WP if certain hexes in Austria are occupied by WP.
- a few US Natl Gd units added, as well as several UK Home Gd Bdes. The 12th USAF added, about 475 aircraft. This can alter NATO strength considerably.
- The Air equipment has been converted to Cathar's modifications, and more air models added.
- Naval equipment modified and expanded.
- GT 2 (the first turn of war in 'Sudden War') was altered so that both forces have less movement to reflect mobilization, and delay for NATO. WP will not be able to penetrate as far, NATO will have even less movement to counteract.
- Terrain tweaked so that more roads were added, and more.

Well, there you have it. The next version will be a Beta 1.2 to test these changes. Should be out soon.

Thanks again to Larry & Hellen, and to all that posted here for a great AAR and much needed feedback.

[StuccoFresco]

Sounds good.

[larryfulkerson]

Is the new version ready yet? I think somebody wants to play me pretty bad.

[mussey]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

Is the new version ready yet? I think somebody wants to play me pretty bad.

I'm finishing the necessary Word documentation with explained changes, and one more dry run, then I will post Beta 1.2

He (the One that must not be mentioned) may be daunted by a few changes to the WP secondary - mostly Ohio State/Big Ten grads. Kudos to Cabido for graphics):

[Zovs]

Go Buckeyes!

[Hellen_slith]

I like the "watch tower" symbol on those EG units, that is really cool.

All of new changes and additions sound GREAT!!! Can't Wait!!!

Cheers!!