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brian brian -> Groundhog Day AAR (7/24/2016 8:26:08 PM)
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Hello there, I am quite pleased to report that I have started up a new game of World in Flames, thanks to the MWiF software, for the first time in several years. I have an excellent face-to-face opponent near where I live in northern Michigan, but my career keeps me traveling far too much to get through an actual FTF game lately, most unfortunately.
I have been playing World in Flames since I first saw a copy in 1989. I barely have time for any gaming, generally, and thus the only game I devote any real time to is World in Flames.
I briefly met JagdTiger14 at a pair of WiFCons I attended some 8-9 years ago at this point, though we did not play on the same table either year I attended. Since that time, well, Time has become my enemy in WiF gaming.
I am mostly fascinated by the opening of the game. If there were a set of victory conditions applying at the end of Nov/Dec 1942, I would happily play that scenario over and over - even as the Allies. I find the opening 'defense phase' for the Allies more interesting than the American Juggernaut phase at the end of the game. I also prefer the lower counter density of the first years of the war. Once 1000 pieces are in play from the middle of the game on and there are never any empty hexes on the front lines, I lose more interest. To me, the first 8 turns of WiF remind me of an Avalon Hill classic, with the nearly chess-like opening lines of play and the small sub-variants those allow.
I am also fascinated by a very popular Axis strategy, especially here of late, where nearly every game in these AARs uses some sort of attempt at "Fall Gelb" - Case Yellow - a land attack across Germany's western borders in 1939.
One of the years I attended WiFCon, our table discussed this strategy in detail during much of our down-time - meals shared by both sides, etc. We somewhat focused on the idea of a "magic #" of factors Germany needs to beat Poland. When I returned home I gamed it out extensively, though never with a variant to the strategy - not even planning to take both Lodz, and Warsaw, for sure, on the first turn - i.e. screening Poland.
Most every decision in World in Flames has pluses and minuses, even the decisions made by very experienced players quite good at playing the game. A good player will be able to play to use the minuses in the other side's decisions.
I personally probably would not open a game of World in Flames as Germany with a strong Fall Gelb and a screened Poland. I have many ideas on what the Allies can do in response - and those are before &/or combined with what the dice can dictate at several critical points in the strategy. i also feel that Hitler would not have had the political capital with his General Staff to launch WWII as a new "Two Front War" with Poland unconquered - the nightmare of most German officers. I feel it is important to remember that the Wehrmacht did not know that Blitzkrieg would work as well as it did. They did not know the values on the counters. But we do. And it is OK to explore this possibility in the game.
So Tiger Hunter 14 and I will be playing against each other, with me as the Allies.
But why "Groundhog Day" as the title of this AAR? That is taken from an enjoyable Bill Murray movie from many years ago now. If you are not familiar with it, well, the concept is Murray's character keeps re-living the same day of his life.
And thus we will be replaying this game at least 5 times. Initially we are thinking to play it 6 times, once with me as the Axis, each time until Paris falls or more likely, until we both agree that Paris is toast in another impulse or so. To keep things honest, after 6 tries at the opening of the game we will randomly select one of the 6 games to continue on past the fall of Paris. We will also be playing all Major Powers out completely, not just having China and Japan take a Pass option every impulse. I think the major actions in Europe can have tiny ripple effects in Asia, and vice versa. i think this first game will be a good candidate to play out as it will have a very, very interesting Allied decision on their very first impulse.
There are two ways we can explore the decision paths at the beginning of the game - via starting a new one, complete with new unit draws, or moving the same game on from various critical dice points (Weather, to name just one) but with different dice rolls. At first we will start new games with new units, but me might explore the second option later.
The first game will use most Optionals, with the notable exception of no Presence of the Enemy, one I generally play with, and also no use of Limited Overseas Supply, one I ALWAYS play with and will have to get used to living without. Also gone is No Limited Supply Across Straits, though I've never had a problem with using it in cardboard WiF, except possibly for occasionally remembering it even exists. I think some of those basics will change in other games.
On the MWiF options, we will not use Additional Chinese Cities at first (I find China ridiculously over-powered in the game and their partisans ridiculously under-powered). Nor the MWiF "Break Pact" optional.
Of course in MWiF, we still do not have Option 47 coded, and I strongly reject the idea of not using it. But using it is not an option either. I think not using it is sailing the seas of cheese, as gamey play can be called. Wargamers hate logistics, but logistics determine the outcome of much in war. I think this first game looks set to reveal some of the downsides of not using the Option.
A final introductory note - I remain very, very indebted to Jt14 to get this game off the ground. I am mostly playing off my cell phone, and even that is difficult. I work in environmental contracting and frequently stay out on my jobsites, which are frequently in remote areas without any cell service at all. So he will be handing most of the administrative work of playing the game. As the action picks up I will probably have him make many of the minor decisions for the Allies, or else this effort would never get anywhere.
So, let's look at the first set-up...I hope...I've never uploaded a picture here before...wish me luck.
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