Bomb Alley Scenario unplaytested (or I don't understand)

chicklewis · Bomb Alley Scenario unplaytested (or I don't understand)

We tried the 'Bomb Alley' Convoy to Malta scenario, but ran into a few things which make me believe either the scenario wasn't playtested, or I don't understand the game.

Firstly, in the day 1 sub-scenario, you must get 4 transports off the far edge of the board to have them continue on towards Malta. However, the game length is only 10 turns, so with a speed of '1' you will not exit a single transport.

Secondly, there are setup notes for axis submarines, but no subs included in any axis force.

What am I not understanding here? Is there another undiscovered version of this scenario which gives speed 2 to transports and includes axis submarines?

Chick

wilt57

Hehe. I looked at this scenario and thought about trying it. It was just too much extra crap to have to remember. I can see where the historical gamers could get a kick out of it, but as a casual gamer myself, it was too time consuming to get a grasp of it all. I don't want to be too critical of the writer, because there have been some really fun scenarios and I want them to continue making them.

One of the things that turned me off was the excessive rolling of dice to see if an event triggers. It wasn't just a plain old die roll either. You had to add up all these things and then subtract all those things and it got really confusing just reading it, let alone playing it.

A low amount of special rules is more in theory of this game. Give us the units, a couple special rules, and let the KISS system take care of the rest.

wilt57

jfkziegler

I agree with wilt57. I love scenarios, but I prefer the simpler scenarios like the ones in the Guadalcanal campaign. Some of the scenarios, like the Malta one, are just too complex.

ericjohn

Yeah I noticed that U-boat issue when I read it over Smile

...

In May I was working on a Malta Convoy scenario of my own to be posted on the boards, and when I started seeing the units in the Opening Salvos I decided to punt it until after Task Force.

Anyway, I hope to ressurect it in the next few weeks, and I'd like to find a few of playtesters, so if anyone is interested, let me know. I think it will be somewhat simpler -- at least it will not be "multi-stage". The main "gimics" will be in how the Axis select and stage their forces for the attack, and a bit of historical flavor representing the destroyer-tow of SS Ohio...

chicklewis

I would be glad to help you playtest, ericjohn.

Chick

BrownBagnostic

We recently ran the Bomb Alley scenario twice at the D-Day Museum in New Orleans, for their "Heat of Battle" wargaming convention. (Reeaallyy cool playing under aircraft that actually served in WWII, hanging right above ya)
It went pretty good once we changed these three things:

1) Make the inbound Day and Night matches run north/south, not east west. This way, the transports only have to move 8 hexes, which makes more sense with the way the scenario is written.

2) Make the Final Run match a night time match. Without this we found that the air units of the Axis can easily take out the two transports and end the game with an Axis victory. Every time. And at least 3 of them are going to survive the Inbound Day match to do this...

3) Make the victory point value of each of the transports that makes it to Malta 75 instead of the 12 that the scenario lists. With the Axis having 4 turns in the Inbound Day match to take a shot at the transports, he WILL take them out. They will never make it to Malta. This leaves the 2 transports in the Final Run match the only ones the Allies MIGHT get credit for. This will also make the Axis player really think as to where he commits his Force C. (He can use it in the first match, wipe the Allies and hope he doesn't lose any of his own ships, or he can use it in the Final Run match and hope the Warspite doesn't take his battleships before he can use them to sink the two transports)

With those three changes, our two games at the Con were really close and really fun! The Axis squeaked out a victory in both games, but I chalk that up to good spotting dice in 1 game (for the Final Run match) and a lucky Ram (special ability of one of the italian destroyers) in the first turn of the Final Run match of the other game.

That being said, we've played this particular scenario 6 or 7 times and never had need to play the inbound night match. 1 side or the other was wiped in the first (Inbound Day) match and the aircraft can't participate at night. =)

BB

Greyh Seer

Thanks for the feedback! It is always good to get additional feedback on the scenarios! I like the idea of night and 75 points and agree that it would go a long way to balance this scenario.