RAF Battle of Britain

Started by JudgeDredd, December 09, 2017, 08:01:48 AM

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BanzaiCat

Quote from: JudgeDredd on December 13, 2017, 03:50:16 AM
Quote from: MikeGER on December 13, 2017, 03:15:41 AM
+1  :)

JD do You choose  the targets freely or have to draw them from a stack?

so is their a strategic layer plan (in the limitation of what Berlin had ordered) a strategy you have made up
You have a stack of target cards and they're shuffled at the beginning of the game. You then draw 10 cards (8 if there's early morning haze) and you get to choose from the target cards selected. Some will be removed from you due to their strategic value and the Target Priority set. You don't have to engage with all targets either.

I don't know if that randomness equates to no strategic layer - I suppose it does because I can't purely focus on big raids and going after airfields for example. I could in the sense that I could choose not to attack industry and cities.

So I guess I have no strategic control over what's being targeted. Perhaps that's to do with the solo element and play balance - I don't know.

Perhaps the Target Priority and the Strategic Value on the target cards provide that strategy layer - but it's not something you as a player have control of.

That does make me wonder how it would play out if I was able to focus purely on Airfields or Radar  :dreamer:

As the British, the Germans have a starting target priority list (I think based on the scenario/starting date). As the game progresses, if your RAF is inflicting significant losses against the Germans, those target priorities may change. So, the tempo of the Luftwaffe's offensive may change from focusing on radar stations and airfields, to cities. As the British player, this is something you will hope for, because it will give you more time to react to raids, and will take the pressure off of your airfields.

The card system randomizes the targets for you, but again, IIRC the content of that target deck depends on the scenario/date. The game also simulates the amount of warning you have about a raid, so there's a chance that you might send your squadron(s) to intercept a German raid that ends up being a ghost, while the 'real' raid unloads on whatever target the game's card system generates. It's a pretty cool feature.

If you play as the Germans, you choose your targets, but I cannot recall offhand if you're hamstrung by High Command or get to make these choices yourself. (It's been a while since I played the Lion side of things.) I can't imagine you're not hamstrung, because that's one of the major events that can turn the tide against the Germans.

Dammit, JD. I'd been wanting to do an AAR on this game, but I get so overwhelmed with life sometimes that I can't get to it. But if you're doing the British side, maybe I'll start one with the German side. :)

bob48

'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers'

'Clip those corners'

Recombobulate the discombobulators!

MikeGER

...for those who don't have a physical copy yet or don't have the space to set it up undisturbed for longer (like me) but have TableTop Simulator there is a user-made module out recently

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1196796750

And if you are conveniently like me and don't like errors while doing the housekeeping and forget to apply some rules sometimes
Decision Games has the RAF Lion variant as a good standalone PC game
and the RAF Eagle Variant is in beta testing! (cant wait to get that too)       


JudgeDredd

Quote from: BanzaiCat on December 13, 2017, 06:38:40 AM
Quote from: JudgeDredd on December 13, 2017, 03:50:16 AM
Quote from: MikeGER on December 13, 2017, 03:15:41 AM
+1  :)

JD do You choose  the targets freely or have to draw them from a stack?

so is their a strategic layer plan (in the limitation of what Berlin had ordered) a strategy you have made up
You have a stack of target cards and they're shuffled at the beginning of the game. You then draw 10 cards (8 if there's early morning haze) and you get to choose from the target cards selected. Some will be removed from you due to their strategic value and the Target Priority set. You don't have to engage with all targets either.

I don't know if that randomness equates to no strategic layer - I suppose it does because I can't purely focus on big raids and going after airfields for example. I could in the sense that I could choose not to attack industry and cities.

So I guess I have no strategic control over what's being targeted. Perhaps that's to do with the solo element and play balance - I don't know.

Perhaps the Target Priority and the Strategic Value on the target cards provide that strategy layer - but it's not something you as a player have control of.

That does make me wonder how it would play out if I was able to focus purely on Airfields or Radar  :dreamer:

As the British, the Germans have a starting target priority list (I think based on the scenario/starting date). As the game progresses, if your RAF is inflicting significant losses against the Germans, those target priorities may change. So, the tempo of the Luftwaffe's offensive may change from focusing on radar stations and airfields, to cities. As the British player, this is something you will hope for, because it will give you more time to react to raids, and will take the pressure off of your airfields.

The card system randomizes the targets for you, but again, IIRC the content of that target deck depends on the scenario/date. The game also simulates the amount of warning you have about a raid, so there's a chance that you might send your squadron(s) to intercept a German raid that ends up being a ghost, while the 'real' raid unloads on whatever target the game's card system generates. It's a pretty cool feature.

If you play as the Germans, you choose your targets, but I cannot recall offhand if you're hamstrung by High Command or get to make these choices yourself. (It's been a while since I played the Lion side of things.) I can't imagine you're not hamstrung, because that's one of the major events that can turn the tide against the Germans.

Dammit, JD. I'd been wanting to do an AAR on this game, but I get so overwhelmed with life sometimes that I can't get to it. But if you're doing the British side, maybe I'll start one with the German side. :)
There speaks a man who read the rules rather than me who skims them and then reads as he goes.

Quote
Dammit, JD. I'd been wanting to do an AAR on this game, but I get so overwhelmed with life sometimes that I can't get to it.
AARs ar a lot of work.


As for this BC
QuoteBut if you're doing the British side, maybe I'll start one with the German side
Have you read my AAR? You do know I am doing the German side right?  :))
Alba gu' brath

JudgeDredd

Alba gu' brath

Staggerwing

Thanks for doing this JD. I may have to make getting this game on the table one of my New Year's resolutions.
Vituð ér enn - eða hvat?  -Voluspa

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'When searching for a meaningful embrace, sometimes my self respect took second place' -Iggy Pop, Cry for Love

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I got my time machine, got my 'electronic dream!"
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JudgeDredd

All my pleasure - really. I'm really enjoying it SW. The rules are clear with references to sub rules and steps in the appropriate places. Just one realaly cool game.

I wish I had a pair of those bloody clippers though so I could clip these counters - they're doing my nut in!  >:D (ducks from Barth)
Alba gu' brath

Barthheart


BanzaiCat

Quote from: JudgeDredd on December 13, 2017, 07:19:48 AM
Have you read my AAR? You do know I am doing the German side right?  :))

Ugrrrr....yes I meant you're doing the German side. I typed that in too much of a hurry. My bad! I could do the British side.

You're correct, they are a lot of work. If I do another AAR, I'm going to have to do it all in advance and finish it before I post it because I don't like doing half-finished ones.

mirth

Quote from: BanzaiCat on December 13, 2017, 10:03:14 AM
because I don't like doing half-finished ones.

Nor do we like reading them :P
"45 minutes of pooping Tribbles being juggled by a drunken Horta would be better than Season 1 of TNG." - SirAndrewD

"you don't look at the mantelpiece when you're poking the fire" - Bawb

"Can't 'un' until you 'pre', son." - Gus

Silent Disapproval Robot

How's that whole Outpost Gamma thing coming along BTW?

BanzaiCat

Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on December 13, 2017, 10:10:27 AM
How's that whole Outpost Gamma thing coming along BTW?

You're a good man for asking, SDR. Honestly it's comments like this that make me know I need to get back to it.

I have all the files still - it's all good. I need to reaquaint myself with it and get back into it ASAP.

JudgeDredd

Repair
Skip on 1st day of scenario

Time of Day and Weather Forecast
Set the time chit in the slot of the first planned German raid
The first German raid is to take place at 06:00, so I put the time marker in the o6:00 slot on the Clock Track


I then determine the weather by rolling the die and consulting the Weather Table. I roll 4 for Luftflotte 2 and 4 for Luftflotte 3 resulting in Patchy Cloud in both areas


I place Patchy Cloud markers on both Luftflotte areas on the map as a reminder




Meaty bit next - the Raid Phase
Alba gu' brath

JudgeDredd

Quick question

During the Raid Detection Phase, it says to work out the die modifiers and then roll a die and add the modifier.

Do they mean 1 or 2 die? I looked up and the plural for a die is dice....so do I just roll 1 die?

Ta.
Alba gu' brath

bob48

Can you work it out from the range of the results on whatever table its on?

If not, try asking on BGG or CSW
'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers'

'Clip those corners'

Recombobulate the discombobulators!