AAC Podcast my quick comments on reviews. Its been awhile since we covered an AAC podcast!

Jason & Dave interviews my buddy Tyler Roush from Game On! Con.

Dave spend a bit of time working thru Tylers sexual history. Then discovers Tylers unusual background and how he got to real wargaming – Twilight Struggle, Paths of Glory etc.

What does Tyler get out of wargaming? Listen and know!

A quick discussion regarding the BCS Battalion Combat Series from Multi Man’s new PXXX and how supply might be modeled. Which I think is going to be superb, but also shine a light on some of the fiddly aspects modeled in OCS.

It would be interesting to see a review of Supply and all of its affects with this new level of thinking applied to BCS.
We go thru the quiz exercise. Tyler does well.
CSW Expo discussion. Such a pity I cant go and meet all these awesome guildies.

Reviews:
Minute 55:  first review –

Tanga gets a meh…. Counter issues and some awkward rules jade the game. But Tyler being the good egg, give it a needs more play result.
– Notes that this is an obscure theatre thus appealing and good looking map (see above)

Review – Ukraine ’43, Simonitch system of course and Tyler walks thru the basics and outlines working mechanics and his impressions.
Unique aspect of most Simonitch games – Zoc Bonds, allows a gap between two units to be covered. This is the core of the appeal to Tyler.

Block Games… East Front II – a must have game. Not sure how this jumped into the conversation but…

Ahhh no. For me the sweet spot of a good game is playability and history meeting each other. Even monster games can be relatively playable if approached correctly. The problem with EFII is that you have to divorce yourself from history totally. So you may as well play Quartermaster General. that too is a fun game, but its not a suitable historical wargame to me. EF II forces you from turn 1 right off the path of history into just playing a game set in the Eastern Front.

But the discussion then moves to the level of interest between West Front and East Front games, which brings up some interesting points about the tactical finesse versus brute strength.

Which I think is mainly in the early war, as the Soviets, while still using massive force did evolve and adapt tactics and operational capabilities from at least the Brigade level up by late 1942. Soviet small unit tactics seemed to take a longer time to evolve and never really matched the Germans until they lost their fighting effectiveness due to losses and inexperienced troops being lead by lower and lower caliber NCO’s.  The Soviets added more firepower per Squad and platoon with more MG’s and automatic weapons, but tactics appeared to be slower evolving at the small unit scale.  That would be a good topic to discuss sometime online.

Then a fair amount of snickering at the lack of landing choices in Normandy ’44….but I guess that is why its called “Normandy ‘44” ;).

Jason rolls on with his game play – which coincidentally is DDay related – Victory Roads. A different style of game that really does throw you in the planning efforts up front.

Dave is playing the Kharkov scenario from Case Blue. A super scenario. Loads of ASL in the East Front, as well as Next War India Pakistan in pre pub mode!

Beyond the Rhine OCS review – Sept 44- April ’45. Lots of optional rules and good stuff. OCS fans will love it. Not much more detail. I’m hoping we can hear more about the game play, random rules

Crucible of Steel – ASL product….32 scenarios etc in Kursk….Yahhh for ASL guys. So if you want real historical scenarios is the place to go! $85 bucks.

Jason does a review on Dual of Ages II – skirmish role player game, sci fiey..role playie…..and…Pocahontas. Sigh. Here we go.
and..fast forward. Sorry Jason.

Looking forward to the next podcast.