World at War - Eisenbach Gap

Here is my promised debrief of Lock 'n Load Games platoon level World War III game series.

I played the first scenario yesterday afternoon. The rules take up about 12 pages, simple without being simplistic. Each hex of the map is 125m. Each turn is 5-15min. The game is set in the Summer 1985.

Each unit involved in a scenario US company or USSR battalion has a formation chip which is placed in an opaque container - I used washed a cake frosting container I stashed away after wifes birthday earlier this month. Each turn chits are pulled one at a time, each time activating a formation. Once the units of a formation have been moved/fired etc, another formation chit is pulled. Adding uncertainty to the game is a number of end turn chits mixed in. In the scenario I played, there were two end turn chits mixed in. During the coursr of a turn, the first end turn chit is a "warning", the second ends the turn. It may happen that a sides formation(s) do not activate in a turn. Also, representing better command and control, US formations often (may always) have two of each formation chits in the container. This could allow for a US formation to activate twice in a turn. If in the right sequence even three times is possible due to Oportunity Fire.

The gameplay flows nicely. Each unit has either an Armor Piercing, a High Exposive rating, or often both. Each unit obviously has defense and movement ratings. Movement is straight forward. In Combat the attacker rolls the number of d6 equal to his Firepower Rating. Each result equal or greater to his To Hit Number counts as a Hit on the target. The target consults his Armor Value, which is the number of d6 to roll. Each result equal to or greater than his save number counters one on the attackers hits. The first hit inflicts "Disruption" which can be counteracted by rallying at the start of the next turn. Second and third hits result in step loss and elimination resprectively. Other than tanks platoons, mechanized infantry, armored reconnaissance, attack helicopters, air defense and HQ units are also represented. Indirect Fire consists of HE, DPICM, and Smoke and are provided in scenario specific amounts.

In the scenario played yesterday the T72 equipped 1st Tank Battalion attacked to capture an MSR which lead through twon towns, Bergengipfel and Eisenbach, and across the a river that I believe to be the Salle River (a town on which elements of my family are from). The defense was provided by two M1 (105mm versions) platoons, an M-113 mech platoon which a dragon team, and one ITV vehicle of Team Yankee. In the end the 1st Tank Battalion fell upon the guns and missiles of Team Yankee - their high water mark being the hexes just outside of Eisenback before the survivors broke contact and fell back upon Bergengipfel - two platoons and the HQ.

The game is quick moving and fun.