Scenario Contest #5- Luck of the Draw

[Jen]

Scenario five is ALIVE and ready to play! You can find Luck of the Draw on the Scenarios page of the website!

This thread will stay open until August 10 for feedback- both playability and editorial comments are great! If you know who the author is, keep it close to the vest so everyone can leave honest feedback.

Thank you!

Enjoy!

Jen

[sgbeal]

Originally Posted by Jen

both playability and editorial comments are great!

Finally a solo scenario :-D!

Minor math bug:

Marginal Defeat 0.25-0.49
Decisive Defeat < 0-0.24

that final line should be: <0.25
or: 0-0.24

Confused by: "Note the "Convoy Option" present in the table; this adds further complexity through the inclusion of a actual convoy (in which case, the mission would then change from convoy security/protection to purely route clearance)."

Isn't that last comment backwards? If you add a convoy, it becomes (also) a security/protection scenario.


"During the game, when a Friendly element of the player's either ends its movement adjacent or attempts to move through a hex containing a Dummy counter, roll 1d6 and consult the following table:"

So what happens if we just... skirt around them (not ending movement adjacent)? No harm, no foul? Suggestion: how about revealing a dummy when any friendly unit comes within its own firing range of one?

[GranitePenguin]

Originally Posted by sgbeal

So what happens if we just... skirt around them (not ending movement adjacent)? No harm, no foul? Suggestion: how about revealing a dummy when any friendly unit comes within its own firing range of one?

This is related to the same question I have: Must you stay on the road the whole time? It's not clear if you are allowed to spread out or not, or how far you can deviate from the road if you can.

The placement of Dummy counters also comes into this. It's not clear where they should go, either. If I put all my dummy counters along the West road, I'll just go up the East road instead. In other words, since you have full control over the placement of dummy counters, you can artificially make it as easy or as hard as you want.

Additionally, it says

Any Enemy unit that is discovered will immediately attack the closest Friendly unit, using a Ranged Attack if adjacent and Overrun Combat if the Friendly unit enters the hex.

but the placement of dummy counters is:

These will need to be placed in a hex bordering the route that will be taken, preferably in some type of obstructed terrain

so when would an overrun ever happen, since you are never placing a dummy counter in a hex blocking the route (e.g., on the road)?

In general, I think the description of placement and enemy action need to be clarified, but I really like the idea overall.

[Jen]

Originally Posted by sgbeal

"During the game, when a Friendly element of the player's either ends its movement adjacent or attempts to move through a hex containing a Dummy counter, roll 1d6 and consult the following table:"

So what happens if we just... skirt around them (not ending movement adjacent)? No harm, no foul? Suggestion: how about revealing a dummy when any friendly unit comes within its own firing range of one?

Thank you for the feedback.

What *would* happen if you just skirted them? Or if you flipped that counter when the unit comes in range?

Let us know!

:D

Thanks!
Jen

[GranitePenguin]

Also, can dummy counters stack? Do they represent an individual unit? My understanding from the phrase "this is the number of Dummy counters that will represent potential enemy concentrations." is that the Dummy counters are NOT individual units, but rather areas that might generate units.

Once a Dummy is used (revealed?), is it removed from play, or can it generate more units later? If you drive a unit past a Dummy and do not end it's movement next to it, is no enemy generated?

[GranitePenguin]

Originally Posted by Jen

What *would* happen if you just skirted them? Or if you flipped that counter when the unit comes in range?

If you just skirted them, it would be a very uninteresting game. No enemy unit, no battle, no fun (i.e., a guaranteed win).

Flipping within range (although I don't think it's clear flipping is the expectation; see previous post) should make it harder to have a win by default (i.e., some shooting is going to happen).

A lot hinges on my questions about dummy placement, how wide a travel lane you have for the battle group along the road, etc.

[Jen]

Originally Posted by GranitePenguin

If you just skirted them, it would be a very uninteresting game. No enemy unit, no battle, no fun (i.e., a guaranteed win).

Flipping within range (although I don't think it's clear flipping is the expectation; see previous post) should make it harder to have a win by default (i.e., some shooting is going to happen).

A lot hinges on my questions about dummy placement, how wide a travel lane you have for the battle group along the road, etc.

That's very true, that just skirting them would result in a rather boring iteration.

What's the lane's optimal width to keep the gameplay interesting, in your opinion?

Jen

[sgbeal]

Originally Posted by Jen

What's the lane's optimal width to keep the gameplay interesting, in your opinion?

If a convoy of trucks/hovertrucks is required instead of optional, the problem might solve itself. The trucks can (via scenario rule) be forced to travel along the road (or river, for hovertrucks) and the player will place his armor accordingly nearby. If he doesn't, he loses the convoy.

[rjg173]

"At its core, it was designed as a way for beginning players to get a feel for movement and combat whist retaining applications for more advanced players."

I think you want 'whilst' in that sentence.

[GranitePenguin]

Originally Posted by sgbeal

If a convoy of trucks/hovertrucks is required instead of optional, the problem might solve itself. The trucks can (via scenario rule) be forced to travel along the road (or river, for hovertrucks) and the player will place his armor accordingly nearby. If he doesn't, he loses the convoy.

The issue with requiring the convoy is this is meant to be a "beginner" scenario at its core. Changing it from what is essentially a solo breakthrough to a convoy that involves protecting units starts to get sticky.

Originally Posted by Jen

What's the lane's optimal width to keep the gameplay interesting, in your opinion?

I would say Radius 4; i.e., somewhere in the middle of the range of INF and the tanks for the defense (movement+firing arc). So 4 hexes to either side of the path taken. That gives enough room to maneuver, but you are still going to have to deal with the enemy units.

Perhaps a better way to deal with the dummy units is to have them populate as you advance, rather than place them all at the beginning. Placing at the beginning just turns it into a tower defense (or rather, tower avoidance). If you roll at the beginning of your turn, you could see if any units are in the immediate area that you have to address (treat them similar to camouflaged units). That way, regardless which way you go, forces will be there in some concentration. It also helps randomize placement so you don't (even if subconsciously) make it easier on yourself. Maybe roll two dice; one for direction and one for distance (e.g., 1-6 hex facing (1=North and go clockwise), and 1-2 one hex, 3-4, two hexes, 5-6 three hexes).

You can keep the enemy ranged attack behavior in the scenario this way. Plus, you could also make the range be 0,1,2 hexes rather than 1,2,3 which would give you your overrun situations.