VASSAL - Six Weeks On

We've being using VASSAL for just over six weeks now and played some fine games online, but how easy was it to set-up and use?

What is VASSAL?

Vassal is a game engine for building and playing online adaptations of board games and card games. You can use Vassal to play in real time over the Internet or by email. Vassal runs on all platforms, and is free, open-source software. (from the VASSAL site)

Setting Up VASSAL

The VASSAL site is fairly straight-forward to use and offers a good set of FAQs for users just starting up. Your first step is to download the VASSAL engine software for the operating system that you're using. This can combine with literally hundreds of different modules which cover many of the war gaming titles available today. Almost 1200 modules are listed and available for download, so there's a good chance that it has the game you're looking for.

The Games (or Modules)

VASL Map and Units

 









ASL - Modules can vary wildly in terms of quality and usability, but on the whole I've found those that we've tried excellent in their online representation of the games covered. To date I've tried Advanced Squad Leader, using the VASL system (VASSAL began as VASL for ASL players). It's slightly more complicated than most of the VASSAL modules as it has many different maps, units and scenarios to deal with, but the interface is strong and provides a useful online representation of the game.

The module provides counter and map artwork to match the physical game and a shared interface to allow players to track each other's line-of-sight (LOS) checks, dice rolls and counter changes. Set-up and movement are both straight-forward, but the system will not enforce rules, the players need to do that themselves.

FAB Sicily on VASSAL

FAB: Sicily - VASSAL provides a very nice online representation of this popular fast action battles system. I have yet to play the FAB Bulge version, but Sicily is a well put together module with great map and counter quality as well as simple programming to cover the random chit draws and the random untried Italian units. A first class job!

Twilight Struggle on VASSAL

Twilight Struggle - The VASSAL module for Twilight Struggle has a much higher degree of automation than that of either ASL or FAB Sicily. It handles the card shuffling and dealing, the staggering of the early, middle and late war cards, basic turn movement and scoring as well as some card effects. Initially I thought that the partial automation would prove problematic in understand when and where the players had to interact with the game, but this is not the case and it plays through each action and turn logically, taking the pain out of the constant influence movements.

As with FAB Sicily the artwork is excellent and in-line with the proper game art.

File Menu

The Interface (Using Twilight Struggle)

The file menu offers some basic game scenarios to play 

• "CCW - no optional cards" is the Chinese Civil War with no optional cards included.
• "CCW - with optional cards" is the Chinese Civil War with optional cards included.
• "Standard - no optional cards" is the Standard game with no optional cards included.
• "Standard - with optional cards" is the Standard game with optional cards included.

You also have the option to load, save or close your game, begin and end a logfile, edit some basic preferences or quit the VASSAL program. The logfile is especially useful as it record the game moves and can be loaded and walked through after completing the game.

Standard Button Options in Twilight Struggle Module

The standard toolbar options (above) allow you to control everything from the turn progress to your own hand of cards. As you can see from the screenshot below the American player during their turn can elect to play a card for OPs, the Event or on the Space Race by right clicking on a card and selecting the appropriate option from the menu. The module prevents you from completing an illegal or out-of-turn action.

Your hand of cards pop-up in a separate window

 In fact most things that can be automated in the game are automated and one of the few things that you will need to bookkeep outside of playing your cards is updating the influence on the board. This too is straight-forward and influence can be increased or decreased by right-clicking in the target country. (left)

Obviously the interface varies from game to game, but many of the popular games around today are well supported through their VASSAL module.

Overall, the VASSAL system takes a little getting use to, but after a game or two you'll quickly pick it up and future modules will appear very accessible. They do, from time-to-time, have some connectivity issues, although in the eight or nine games we've played recently, they have only proved to be a mild irritation and not disrupted our game-play for more than a few minutes.

VASSAL is run on a voluntary basis, it's documents and development work done most through community support. That being said the set-up is of a very high quality. Please support them if you can.

What's Up Next?

Probably a go at FAB: The Bulge or Shifting Sands.

FAB: The Bulge on VASSAL

The Digest: 17-Sept-12 - How he learned to stop worrying and love the bomb!

"Just the facts, ma'am!"

Our gaming is rich right now and to be honest it has been for the past six months or so. 

What's changed I hear me say? Well I think that our focus has improved and we've moved away from the talking a lot (about games) to the playing a lot (of games). This was really hammered home back in June as our Q-Con write-ups reflect, we're getting many many more games to the table. That can only be a good thing!

General Patton

FAB Sicily

We've settled into a reasonably good pace with VASSAL and have completed our first online FAB: Sicily game, which ended in a dramatic last turn tie. The return game already has a very different feel to it as my Allies move away from the historical landing plans to attack Sicily on two fronts. Now all I need is Patton's hell-for-leather drive on Messina along Sicily's northern coast. Who cares about the odd slap or two?

Twilight Struggle

Elsewhere, hamming up the Cold War theme, we've played two full games of Twilight Struggle. Both games have ended suddenly, almost without warning and been victories for the U.S. player (1 victory each). GaryB and I are still learning the game and more importantly the card mix in each of the three decks (early, mid and late war).

Twilight Struggle does have a lot of luck elements in play, from the card draws to the dice rolls you can sometimes feel that the game isn't giving you a fair crack of the whip. Generally your opponent feels that way too and it becomes a contest about who can manage their luck (or lack of it) most efficiently. 

During last night's game, Mr Bingers had built-up a sizeable 9VP lead heading into the mid-war. I had NORAD in play and was forever trying to keep the DEFCON levels low to gain the advantages it offered. In the end the lure of the Big Red Button proved too strong and Mr B sent the world spiralling into nuclear war, losing the game in the process. I guess I managed my luck a little better? That didn't stop me bitchin' about it during the game though! :) 

Full write-ups to follow.

Shifting Sands

Turning back the WWII clock a little, we'll be picking up MMP's Shifting Sands, probably from next Sunday evening. Shifting Sands covers the war in North Africa between 1940 and 1943 and uses a card-driven design to bring thematic events from that period to life. It also has a VASSAL module available, but we'll give it a go face-to-face first.

New Games?

Looking further ahead I'm considering a few potential purchases covering different periods in world history.

Maria - is based on the War of the Austrian Succession, where Austria was attacked by Prussia, France, Bavaria and Saxony, while only Great Britain, Hanover and the Netherlands (by forming the so-called Pragmatic Army) helped her.

A big part of the draw with Maria is that it is a strong three-player wargame. Not many of those about.

Ardennes '44 - a reprinting of GMT's 2003 game covering the action around the Battle of the Bulge. I love the look of the map in this game and it would be a bigger investment of time to play coming in at around 6 hours. Who knows, we may end up with FAB: The Bulge to cover this period instead.

Pursuit of Glory - GaryB mentioned this one recently, a sequel to the popular Paths of Glory, also a World War I game. Paths focused mostly of the European action of World War I, but Pursuit turns it's attention to the Great War in the Middle East. 

Pursuit uses the same card-driven mechanics and point-to-point of the first game, but with some rules changes and modifications to better simulate the conditions of the war in the Middle East.

Good times ahead!

AAR - FAB: Sicily (VASSAL) Part 3

Final write-up on our first VASSAL game for FAB: Sicily. (part 1 / part 2)





Session #4 (11/9/12) - Turns Seven, Eight and Nine

With three full turns left we were beginning to find our stride and play through the phases slightly more quickly, although some of this was certainly driven by a desire to finish the game in one more session.

Turn #7 saw a real push from the Allies as they advanced to push the Axis lines back, re-enforce their own central positions (U) and create battles at Enna (V) and Adrano (W). I thought at this point that GaryB had left it too late to assault on this scale across the board and that he would run out of time before capturing enough VPs/Objectives.

End of Turn #7

Adrano (V) put up much less resistance this time around and the Italian Aosta Infantry and Livorno Mobile Infantry were forced to retreat into Castelbuono (X) and Gangi respectively. My Italian Napoli Infantry units in Adrano (W) fared much better, forcing the Elite British 51st Infantry to abort their attack or suffer heavy losses.

During my Axis turn I re-enforced Randazzo (Z) and decided to assault Licato over the Salso River (Y). This was a big call from me as one of these armoured units may have served me better in a defensive position further north, even protecting the areas around Messina (top right of picture). I had a surplus of elite German assets to use and I piled into Licata hoping for at least 1VP from defeating units there. I rolled okay, but didn't do enough to destroy any single unit and the Axis managed to bring in additional support after the battle (in the form of step gains for their units in Licata). My main concern now was the road from Leonforte (U) through Nicosia ("35") and onto the northern coast giving access to the VPs in and around Messina. Maybe I should have re-enforced after all!

The VP marker still stood at Axis 3VPs An Axis sudden-death victory at the end of Turn #7 was 5VPs.

Turn #8 was the most action-packed turn we've played to date as the Axis forces dropped down a gear and advanced across the board. They began by cycling their units around Catania (AA) in an effort to surround the Elite 15th Panzer Units in there, finally cutting them off with the British 51st Infantry taking Mount Etna (AB). Not holding a unit at Mount Enta was a big mistake from my Axis perspective.

End of Turn #8

The British 50th Infantry, supported by the British 4th Armour, assaulted Catania directly (AC), but took heavy fire and had to abort their attack, their forces in disarray. More critically two Allied armoured units managed to punch a hole through the Axis lines at Nicosea (AD) and forged their way up the coast to Capo Di Orlando (AE). The single German 29th Panzer unit in Nicosea was then attacked by the U.S. Elite 45th Infantry and forced to flea all the way back to Termini Imerese (BD) or face being eliminated.

My forces were struggling to re-position and I elected to cut-off the U.S. armoured units in Capo Di Orlando (AE) by taking Sant' Agata Di Militello (BC) and fall back to protect Messina and it's neighbouring areas (BC). To the south at (AF) the U.S. 1st Infantry had moved across the Salso River to cut-off the two German armoured units in Licata, so I was forced to attack back across the (now blown) bridge their and I almost took the U.S. unit there, taking them down to one pip of strength.

In another counter attack, I assaulted Val Di Catania from Catania itself (BB) to move my Elite 15th Panzer units closer to a supply area. In this move I had given up 1VP in Catania and another airfield. Fortunately I managed to force the U.S. 50th Infantry unit in Val Di Catania to retreat and I took 1VP back for this area.

Axis - Weak around Messina

The VP marker still stood at Axis 3VPs (+1VP for Allies in Catania and +1VP for the Axis in Val Di Catania) An Axis sudden-death-victory at the end of Turn #8 was 4VPs. I was an agonising 1VP away at that point from a sudden-death-victory!

Moving into Turn #9 I was looking very weak in and around Messina and the NET 5VPs the U.S. could potentially capture there.






 In the final turn the Allies would make their last push for Messina and the VPs available in that area. Consolidating their position they reconnected their out-of-supply U.S. 2nd Armour units in Novara (CB) by moving Elite Infantry into Radazzo (CA). This would be too late to give the armoured units a full movement action this turn and they would have to settle for an assault on Novara (CA) and contest the VP objective marker there. Meanwhile the 1st Canadian and 1st British Armoured units assaulted Taormina (CC) just north of Mount Etna. I'd played a roadblock here during the admin phase and they couldn't press on to Messina itself. The final north-east coast battles would both fall short of the prized Messina.

These two attacks ultimately failed to clear out either the Italian Napoli Infantry in Novara (CA) or the Coastal Garrison troops in Taormina (CC) and both VP opportunities were lost to the Allies. Further south the British 78th Infantry invaded Val Di Catania and forced the out-of-supply German armour there to break and flee to Sortino, claiming the VP in that area for an effective 2VP swing to the Allies.

End of Game

I'd retreated the armour south in order to make a move for the beachhead VP at Augusta on the coast (DD). As we moved into the Axis turn, I held a 1VP lead but knew that these units would have to make morale checks and face being eliminated so I had to go for extra VPs myself.

I attacked one final time in Palma Di Montechiaro (DC) and brought the 1st U.S. Infantry down to one strength, but critically could not eliminate them. Moving my beleaguered German armour into (DD) was my final play. They successfully took the beachhead marker for a VP, but both failed their morale checks and were eliminated giving that Allies the 2VP required to tie the game. Agony!

Final Result = A Draw

Conclusions

Okay, so we just played through 4 sessions and 10+ hours for our 9 turns and ended up with a draw! Sounds like a wasted time? Well, no... :) This game ebbed and flowed and always kept the decisions both interesting and critical to your own success. I always felt that I was both on the edge of a victory or a loss, right up to that final morale roll.

Indeed during the last turn or so we had many points that could have swung the victory to either GaryB or myself:

• No air-power left resupply to his U.S. 2nd Armour (CB) prevented almost certain victory as he would have been able to assault Messina as wells as Novara (CA) and Taormina (CC).
• My engineer allowing me to roadblock Taormina (CC) and prevent him getting to Messina that way.
• Twice I almost wiped out the U.S. 1st Infantry at Palma Di Montechiaro (DC), the second time missing it by rolling a 7 on a target of 6 or less.
• I also failed both morale checks at the end when one success would have given me the single VP to make the difference.

We both had our share of good and bad luck and good and bad decisions. I could list ten more close call instances from the final few turns that would have changed the final result in the game. It literally was on a knife edge.

I must concede though that GaryB's strategy throughout was stronger than mine and that if he'd pushed harder perhaps even a turn earlier, he would have walked into Messina and won by 4/5 VPs. I did scramble well and could have had more success in my counter-attacks, this game almost forces you to track back over your moves and think about where and when you missed the opportunities to win.

A great experience all round!

Posted with Blogsy

What's next for our wargaming table?

On The Lookout

In recent weeks and months we've learned a few new systems and reached the point where they could be quite quickly picked-up and played with minimal effort required. (FAB: Sicily and Twilight Struggle)

I now want to look ahead at the next few months and get a feel for games that might be on our gaming table soon...

First up is Combat Commander: Pacific from GMT Games. It is a card-driven wargame covering tactical infantry combat in the Pacific Theatre of World War II. It's been a while since I played a squad level wargame and the Pacific really appeals to me.

You can find our first look at Combat Commander: Pacific in a July blog post.

Sticking with WW2 a second option would be Shifting Sands this time from MMP Games, the company who currently release ASL material. It uses point-to-point movement and is based on the World War II African campaigns of 1940-1943. Shifting Sands is MMP's first card driven game. 

Lastly I want to consider Wilderness War, again from GMT Games. Having recently played a lot of A Few Acres of Snow online again we would be covering the French & Indian War, 1755-1760, as France and Britain battled for control of North America. 

Any thoughts on the games above? Perhaps you have a suggestion for us?

AAR - FAB: Sicily (VASSAL) Part 2

Continuation of our first VASSAL game with FAB: Sicily. For Part 1 click here.




Session #3 (4/9/12) - Turns Three and Four

By the end of Turn #4 the Allies had removed one of the German HG Armoured units in Niscemi (G) and all of the Italian units around that area except a single Napoli unit who escaped by moving North (I). This earned the Allies a further VP. Elsewhere (H) two US 2nd Armoured Units repaired the blown bridges at Licata and pushed into Canicatti (H) through Palma Di Montechiaro earning one further VP by destroying a Livorno motorised unit there. As the Axis, I was scrambling a little here having failed to recover most of my isolated units in the shrinking out-of-supply pocket (G). My unit there and the additional VP for holding Niscemi and it's airfield would be gone by Turn #5.

End of Turn #4

 All was not lost for the Axis as they maintained a strong defensive line in good hilly terrain from Caltanissetta through Enna right to the coast at Catania (through J to I line on map).

The VP marker stands at Axis 4VPs (-2VP across turns 3 & 4) An Axis sudden-death victory at the end of Turn #4 was 8VPs.

Session #4 (5/9/12) - Turns Five and Six

In Turn #5 the breakaway Allied armour unit moved from point (H) above to take point (K) below. In other advances the British Elite 51st Infantry took control of Ramacca (O), preparing for the hilly Adrano point (I) above. The most crucial part of the Allied turn though was the capturing of the airfield and German unit at Niscemi (P), worth 2VPs.

End of Turn #5

In response, possibly desperation, I moved my German armoured units south into Agrigento (L) to cut the Allied supply lines. A battle in Canicatti saw the Italian Aosta Infantry defeat the US 1st Infantry gaining a (much needed) VP for me. These advances had to be taken from my centre and despite a reshuffle around line (N) and area (M) I was beginning to look a little weak there.

In Turn #6 the Allied forces advanced creating conflicts in Enna (Q) and Regalbuto (R). At Enna, two US 45th Elite Infantry engaged two Italian units, the Assietta and Livorno. I used a lot of assets to support the Italians and caused significant damage to the advancing us forces, but the area would remain contested moving into Turn #7. The British faired better in Regalbuto, forcing two Napoli infantry units to literally run for the hills. I was retreating my Axis lines for good defensive terrain.

End of Turn #6

My advancing German armour (S) forced the US to retreat back into a supplied area across the Salso River into Licata. I deployed a re-enforcing armoured unit, fresh from Messina, into the hills around Nicosea (T). This terrain would hopefully be a good position from which to hold-up any Allied advances over the last three turns. 

The VP marker stands at Axis 3VPs (-1VP across turns 5 & 6) An Axis sudden-death victory at the end of Turn #6 was 6VPs.

Scoring so far... (Axis began with 8VPs)

AAR - FAB: Sicily (VASSAL) Part 1

Having recently learned FAB: Sicily face-to-face we decided to give VASSAL a go and continue our play online. To make these AARs slightly more manageable I'm making them much briefer and hopeful more to the point whilst still giving a flavour of the play.

In this game I'm taking the Axis forces vs. GaryB's Allies for a full campaign scenario running through 9 turns.

The Axis player begins the game in full control of Sicily and therefore all of the available victory point areas (a total of 8VPs). A sudden death victory is available from the end of turn 4.

Session #1 (27/8/12) - Set-Up and Turn One

GaryB picked a Historical Landing Plan for his invasion of Sicily with his US forces assaulting beaches Joss (A1) through Cent South (A4) and his British forces assaulting beaches Bark South & East (B2) through Fustian (B6). A snapshot of the full set-up is pictured below.

Historical Landing Plan Selected By The Allies

 By the end of Turn #1 the Allies were comfortably ashore taking the port of Syracuse and the southern and eastern shorelines (A1 and A2). Syracuse and it's port give the Allies a VP and a "Fading Italian Morale" chit for the draw bag. During the Axis turn I moved forces into B1 and B2 to protect the airfields and VPs at Niscemi and Catania respectively. In B3 I placed the Elite 15th Armoured Infantry Div. to hold the intersection at Enna. I also blew the bridges south of Catania to slow any assault from the elite Allies in Lentini.

The VP marker stands at Axis 7VPs (-1VP this turn)

End of Turn #1

Session #2 (3/9/12) - Turn Two
Some really key passages of play in Turn #2 as the Allies cleverly dropped their 1st Airborne into Grammichele (C). My Axis forces did well in Val Di Catania but critically I chose to retreat them (D) from there to maintain some strength. I lost the VP there, but also cut my own supply to the units in the areas boxed in red (E). There is real benefit to be had by the Allies in releasing units from the restrictions of their starting zones of operation. In this case it enabled the Allies to drop their British airborne into Grammichele (C).

The VP marker stands at Axis 6VPs (-1VP this turn)

End of Turn #2

By the end of Turn #2 I had 4VPs locked in the red zone with limited hope of recovering them.

AAR - FAB Sicily 19-Aug-12

FAB Sicily

Sunday was our second run at the 5-turn tournament scenario covering July 10, 1943 through to July 19, 1943. I took on the Axis forces against the combined efforts of GaryB (US forces) and AndyA (British forces).

Axis Setup

I knew that I'd be handing the Axis defence this week and read-up a little on some play-testing set-ups conscious that the Allies may elect to try the Alternate Landings instead of the Historical Landings used in Game #1. Unfortunately I was running late on the night and much of what I'd read was forgotten in my rush to get the game started. :)

There was however some method in my madness as I expected the British to deploy in the B2 through B6 landing areas (line A) to put pressure on the Port at Syracuse and the Port at Catania through Lentini, so I left Modica (point E) unpopulated. Elsewhere I constructed my own "Maginot line" (point I) as a strong fallback position should the Allies go for the Historical Landings.

(1) Axis Setup

Otherwise the random untried Italians were on coastal defence (to gain Field Works markers) and fairly spread out along some of line B as well as lines C and D. Looking back, I can see some clear weaknesses, especially around the Port of Palermo from points G and H, but the Allies didn't choose to exploit those in their set-up.

I also didn't consider placing any units around Messina (red area F in the picture). There are a lot of potential victory points here for the Allied player, but I felt that I could route the more mobile armoured units there if I needed to.

Allied Setup

Having considered my Axis setup the Allies chose the Alternate Landings option and placed their British forces in A4 and B1 through B4, with their US forces in D10 through D13 as pictured below.

(2) Allied Invasion Setup

From an Axis point-of-view I was quite pleased with their choices and felt that I could manage my forces well enough to cope. Turn one would be a bit of a wake-up call for this early optimism.

Turn #1

The Allied landings were an almost complete success and only one untried Italian unit survived the beach assaults vs. the US 1st Infantry in Monti Sicani (point A below). The Allies claimed an undamaged Port Syracuse and claimed their first Fading Italian Morale chit for the draw bag.

View after Allied turn #1

My untried units mostly failed their morale checks and generally rolled poorly against the mighty invasion forces, in fact my only success was to eliminate the US 82nd Airborne who dropped straight into combat with the two Livorno Mobile Infantry units at Canicatti (point B above). This airborne unit was worth 1VP to the Axis.

During the Admin Phase of my Axis turn I damaged the Port at Catania (point A below), blew bridges on the Simeto River (point B below) and built defensive field works in Val Di Catania, Vizzini and Caltanissetta (orange dots below). Meanwhile the Allies were using the British 3rd Commando asset to perform a flanking invasion at Lentini (point C below). These commandos survived and would remain awaiting Allied reinforcements.

View after Axis turn #1

A Panzer IV

During movement I brought the HG Armoured Panzer Division forward to Sortino to try and halt the Allied advance (movement D above).

The beleaguered green Italian unit in Monti Sicani was also reinforced by a strong Assietta Mountain Infantry unit (movement E above) and I reserve moved the Elite 15th Panzer Grenadier to the centre of the island in order to support the VP in Caltanissetta (movement F above). +7 NET VPs to Axis

Turn #2

Could the Allies exploit a gap in the Axis lines?

As we entered turn #2 I was sure that I'd made a mistake and opened the door for the Allies by leaving a gap in my lines at Mussomeli. To protect the VP at Caltanissetta I blew bridges across the Platani and Salso Rivers.

Allied infantry did indeed move through the Mussomeli Gap (movements A and B below) and re-engaged the strengthened Italians at Monti Sicani (point D below). These advances and assaults would prove a devastating failure for the US forces.

A critical passage of play.

Firstly their assault at Monti Sicani met with stiff resistance from the Assietta Mountain Infantry and the US 1st Infantry sustain heavy losses with both units reducing down to one strength each.

Worse was to come however as their drive to exploit the gap in the Axis lines had created one in their own between Canicatti and Agrigento (Axis movement D in the picture to the left). My Livorno Mobile Infantry units moved in picking up 2 VPs from the unprotected beachheads.


I felt pretty bad for not warning them during their Movement Phase, but it was something that we'd covered in our first game. This is WAR after all! :)

Victory Points by turn.

These turn #2 losses, combined with another lost airborne unit saw the Axis forces move into a +10 NET VP lead moving into turn #3. A sudden death victory could be called after 4 turns if the Allies were on +2 NET VPs or the Axis were on +8 NET VPs, so my position was beginning to look almost comfortable.

Turn #3

Stung by the events of Turn #2, the Allies had to respond choosing to complete their breakthrough on the Axis lines and threaten both Termini Imerese (point B) and halving the distance to Messina itself (point C) with the Elite 45th Infantry.

The Allied Fightback

The US also withdrew two units back to the coast and assaulted the brave Livorno Mobile Infantry cutting off the Axis supply line in to them in the process (point A).

Meanwhile the British forces were struggling to make huge progress, but still threatening to capture the airfield at Niscemi. Generally the Allied battles were more successful in Turn #3, but they didn't manage to capture either Termini Imerese or Cattolica Eraclea despite significant Axis losses.

Allied 45th caught and destroyed at Nicosea

In the responding Axis turn I reinforced Termini Imerese (point B below) and sent an elite PG armoured division to deal with the breakaway US 45th Infantry unit at Nicosea, en route to Messina (point A below and in right-hand picture).

Axis Clean-up.

Our evening was drawing to a close and Turn #3 ended with the Allies losing their breakaway unit to give the Axis a +11 NET VP total. The Allies conceded defeat at this point.




Final Thoughts

Tonight's game really brought the game to life for me and although we are still getting the odd rule wrong, our pace has picked up considerably and we better understand the general flow of play. I was a little fortunate this evening, turning a genuine mistake into an opportunity to score two VPs from the US beachhead markers, but generally I was happy with how I handled the Axis forces.

I'd like to give the original fast action battles game "FAB Bulge" a try now and hope to pick-up FAB: Golan '73 when it comes out.

Next up is the full 9 turn campaign game via VASSAL.

Posted with Blogsy