Activation

[benpark]

I'm having a problem getting my head around the basic concept of activation of units. Are all units eligable to be moved/fired (thus "activated") in a turn? Or does it specifically require a leader/hero to do the activating? It seems pretty simple, but I just want to double check before I start cheating on myself here.

[crabe tambour]

Hi Ben. you don't need a leader/hero to activate a hexe. The advantage for a leader is that he can activate his hexe and the adjacent hexes in the same impulse.

[benpark]

Thanks for the help, Crabe. I may bend your ear a bit more, if I may- Is "activation" merely the stated purpose of performing an action with a goup of units(or unit)? I don't see any rule relating to any die roles required in order to activate, so what is the leader imparting to subordinates with his personal activation if they may freely activate themselves?

Thanks for the help. I saw the excellent Flash example of play on Mark's site-Matrix should sticky the link in this thread. It helps a lot to see it in action. Kind of like learning new games in my youth-you'd have a friend show you examples of play. And then run out and get the game yourself.

[crabe tambour]

I'm not sure to understand your question Ben. There is no die roll needed to activate an unit. Basically, you choose wich hexe you activate and then you can play any of the units present in this hexe. If there is a leader in the hexe you activate, you can also activate the adjacent hexes in the same impulse.

[benpark]

Sorry-I'm just unclear as to why leaders have any need to activate units in an adjacent hex when those units could activate themselves without the leader. If any unit can activate itself, what role is the leader providing?

I hope that's a little clearer. Sorry, I've got the flu, and I'm a little addled...

[crabe tambour]

Well... basically, you can activate only one hexe per impulse. Ok? but if you activate a hexe containing a leader, you can activate then the adjacent hexes too ( = in the same impulse). Got it? [;)]

[benpark]

Got it. Thanks, Crabe.

I'm going to reread the rules again, and watch the flash example at Mark's site. My poor old brain needs to be trained!

[Magua]

Crabe, you da best!

[benpark]

Also found this thread at boardgamegeek that adds some info:

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geekforum. ... adid=74837

[benpark]

Here is how I played it my first full game-tell me if I am wrong:

-Roll for initiative(rally etc is done)
-winning side activates, uses one stack (if with leader, multistacks in adjoining areas may be activated)
-enemy activates stack, as above
-back to winning side, repeat until all units have done some type of action or abstained.

Am I crazed? It played out well this way-almost like a real time feel to it, with multiple units from each side reacting in a realistic way for a turn based game. Better than "I move all my pieces, then you move yours"

If I'm off, maybe a multi unit example might help. I watched the tutorial on Mark's site, but it has only two main opposing stacks fighting(or multiple ones being activated by a leader). Maybe something with a leader with a stack on one end of the board, and a leaderless stack 6 hexes south vs. similar.

Sorry to be so obtuse, I just want to get it right!

[Adam Parker]

ORIGINAL: benpark

Am I crazed? It played out well this way-almost like a real time feel to it,

That's how I'm going to do it! Still getting through the rules. The extra beauty imo is that not all units in a hex have to activate - others can await another impulse.

And which ever units do activate together - (with exceptions - ie: weapons teams, units that shake etc) either have to move or fire together into the same hex or at the same target - simulating some sort of human momentum going on as the turn breaks itself up into a flowing series of almost simultaneous segments. Nice [:)]

I'll have "Vietnam a Television History" playing when I get into my "Forgotten Heroes" scens. And I plan to have "Band of Brothers" playing when I receive my "Band of Heroes" game for added atmosphere [:D]

[stanguay]

Benpark, you git right and, as Adam mentionned, don't forget that if you activate an hex, not all units inside said hex have to actually perform an action.

[benpark]

Good to hear. Thanks. I certainly like the system so far. Great for solitaire in a way that other games never quite were.

[markhwalker]

Good to hear. Thanks. I certainly like the system so far. Great for solitaire in a way that other games never quite were.

Thanks, and yes you all are playing it correctly. But, as Stanguay pointed out, there are numerous subtleties that may or may not be readily apparant. 1) The ability to pass. Passing --especially as the defender, makes the attacker do **something** because he he passes, you'll pass again and the scenario becomes one turn shorter. 2) All units in a hex are NOT required to do anything when activated (to put it in another way, you are activating units within a hex, not just the hex). For example, you can activate a hex with three squads, and advance one toward the enemy. That is your complete impulse. If the bad guys opportunity fire, they'll be spotted. On your NEXT impulse, you may activate the hex, and return fire with the two squads that haven't done anything. Keep in mind, however, that ALL units from the same hex, MOVING in the SAME IMPULSE must move together, and all firing units from same hex firing in the same impulse must fire at the same target --ordnance is an exception. You can fire those LAWs, RPG-7s, and bazookas at different targets.

Solitaire... as folks who know me can attest, it's hard to get me to shut up. I guess I'm what they call a people person, but I DO LOVE playing solitaire. Most of my gaming comes at odd hours (after the kids are in bed, before they wake up, etc). So, I wanted LnL to be very solitaire friendly. I really think the impulse system helps with that, but I'm not really sure why. [:'(] I guess it just keeps things simple. Also you'll never see lame design mechanisms in LnL like hidden units... nothing that will prevent you from playing a game solitaire.

An added advantage of the impulse system is that it almost seems to be self balancing. I have had tens (if not hundreds) of people email me with their stories about LnL scenarios that were won in the last impulse of the last turn. In fact, there is one scenario in Forgotten heroes titled River of Perfume that I have either played or personally winess others playing 20-25 times. I bet it was decided on the last die roll 22 of those times. I love that stuff, and I love when one side appears to be down and out, and they generate a hero who allows a platoon to rally, and then personally takes out a machine gun nest and turns the tide of the battle. It's the stuff we have all seen in movies, but rarely in gaming. I think it crops up quite a bit in LnL.

I'm four years into this game, and I enjoy playing it as much now as when I developed the first workable prototype. Now, I just need you all to talk David into funding a RedStorm Rising LnL module. [;)]

Best,

Mark

[benpark]

Excellent. Thanks, Mark. The game is in the top 3 board games of all time for me.

RedStorm Rising? Where/when pray tell does this take place?

I noticed on the ConSimWorld forum there has been talk of some P500 games, any idea which are in the running for consideration?

[Magua]

Yup. It's a player's game, that's for sure. It seems designed with a philosophy of positive reinforcement, as opposed to many games of the past that seemed bent on negative reinforcement. In other words, in LnL, I feel like I can do things, where in many previous sets of rules, you get punished for just about everything you do, or at least it feels that way.

I played Foucarville again with a new friend the other night. Here are some of his comments.

Him: You mean I don't have to preplot mortar fire?
Me: Nope.
Him: Wow. Cool.

Him: And any of my leaders can spot for the mortar?
Me: Yup.
Him. Hmm. Neat.

Him: Can I spot with this leader?
Me: No. Not this time, as he's already participated in a direct fire combat.

Him: Well, that seems odd. You mean he can't do both during the same turn?
Me: NO! Okay fine! Look! See? I'm eliminating my MMC. Okay? They're dead. All of them. Struck down by the mortar of God! Sheesh.

Anyway, this was typical of the talk throughout the game. By making things like mortar fire so easy to use, you get a game that opens so many new possibilities that more labor intensive systems discourage.

Anyway, I'm also thrilled with the nod towards solitaire play too. I like head-to-head, that's for sure. But like you, Mark, there are a lot of times I feel like playing, but it's inconvenient to hook up with an opponent.

And you know what else I love? Those great big 1" hexes. Interestingly, I find their large size helps to create a feel of scale. They make handling the pieces easier too.

[markhwalker]

Hi Magua,

I'm glad you're havingso much fun. That mortar is a good example of what I wanted to do in the game. I'm not big into reading history, so instead of massive research, I've been lucky enough to make friends with many vets (most from 'Nam and the Gulf Wars). One thing they have all told me is that infantry HATE mortars. So, I wanted to make mortars and artillery deadly. Well, you can make it deadly by assigning a huge firepower factor, but if it's too complicated to fire, no one will use it... and it sin't deadly. So, I made is simple to use, in hopes that folks would use it. I think it works.

I have talked with veterans who have seen an entire company held up by a mortar barrage., and later found out it was only a pair of mortars laying the barrage.

Best,

Mark