Bloody March Turn 2

Jul 27 2014

FSLN phases

Supply: On Turn 1, it's a reasonable assumption that all units are in supply, given that the Honduran unit (CES) is specifically marked out of supply. (Which turns out to be specified in Section 9.4.) The situation hasn't changed all that much for Turn 2, but it's worth working through the supply rules in more detail, as it might be a way to dislodge the FDN from their entrenched position in Las Vegas.

Recall that each player must trace supply during Supply Phase regardless of which is the phasing player.

First, supply can be obtained from
- Supply Sources, which come in two flavors: green-bordered hexes, and Supply Source markers
- Supply Depots, which are counters placed in specific hexes and used once. No Supply Depots in this scenario.
- Moving Logistical Support Units (counters markers "lsu"), none in this scenario.
- Friendly fortifications and entrenchments.
Since there are no Supply Depots or LSUs in this scenario, we use green-bordered hexes.

Tracing supply for FSLN: pretty much everything can be traced into the town of Ocotal (hex 2012). Note that the Honduran unit (HN CES) is threatening the FSLN's supply line.

For FDN, the supply lines can (evidently) source from the entrenchment at Las Vegas (hex 2410), or trace overland through 2611 and 2712 to the trial connecting to the road to La Rosita (hex 3211).
Ground unit reorganization: skip, no reorganization points.
Regular Ground Unit Movement:
- Lopz: 2309 -> 2310.
- Uman & Pom: 2310.
This results in a 2 brigade, 2 insurgency stack in 2310, which is allowed under stacking rules as the insurgents count as support units.
Insurgency Movement: I'm not moving any of the other insurgents, as I'm going to use them in an attack on the entrenched position.
Insurgency Placement: Out of insurgency points.
Allied Aerial Counterinsurgency:
First Insurgency Disbandment: Keeping all the insurgents for this turn.
Air Mission: No air.
Ground Combat: All of the FSLN units attack the FDN entrenchment at 2:1 odds. DRM -2 for entrenchment, +1 for insurgent attacking, -1 total DRM. Roll 4 - 1 yeilds 3 on 2:1 which is -:-. Better than attacker losses, but still not seeing how FSLN can win this one without dislodging entrenchment.
Reserve Movement: No reserves.
Second Insurgency Disbandment: Keeping all insurgents for now.
Helicopter Transport: No helicopters for FSLN.
Return to Base: No helicopters for FSLN.
Reinforcement: No reinforcements.

I think I'm playing this wrong, but I can't figure out how to crack the entrenched position. It supplies itself, which makes it tough. One thing I might have been able to do is keep the entrenchment surrounded such that it couldn't be reinforced by insurgents. Unfortunately, that lends itself to being attrited due to low defense factors. Big stack yeild large defense factors.

FDN phases

Supply: All units in supply.
Ground unit reorganization: no reorganization points.
Regular Ground Unit Movement: HN CES to 1909, this unit hurting do to out of supply. SJac and Sag to 2509, Cong to 2510, 2509. Salz stacking onto 2410, nearly impregnable, now.
Insurgency Movement: moved as regular units.
Insurgency Placement: No more insurgency points.
FSLN Aerial Counterinsurgency: FSLN ain't got no wings.
First Insurgency Disbandment: not disbanding any.
Air Mission: none.
Ground Combat: Forget it.
Reserve Movement: Everything moved as regular infantry.
Second Insurgency Disbandment: keeping insurgents.
Helicopter Transport: Didn't do it, but might have been smart to pick up, say, the HN unit, or an insurgency unit in case the FSLN come knocking at Silca.
Return to Base: N/A
Reinforcement: no reinforcements.

Bloody March end of Turn
2

Score: FDN 4, FSLN 0.

Play continues with Bloody March Turn 3.

What to play next?

Deciding what to play next is always a tough call when faced with a closet full of games, all of which were purchased with intent to play. Here's one I'm dealing with the decision.

Something New: this means both something new to me and a game which has been published recently, within the last two or three years.
Something Classic: I've acquired a number of games properly considered "classic" which haven't yet been played. The current example would be PanzerGruppe Guderian.
Something Again: mastery requires constant practice, which means playing games many, many times to allow nuance to appear.
Something Vietnam: as I'm on a Vietnam binge. I don't have all the Vietnam games ever published, but I can say that I have a lot of them, and probably more than most people.
Something Obscure: as it's fun to poke around in the dustier corners of game design.
Something Different: break away from the same old publishers and try a game from one of the new kids on the block. Or, conversely, dip into legacy with a classic tried and true.
Something Light: once in a while it's nice to actually finish a game all the way through in one sitting, in an hour or two.
Something Heavy: if possible, it's nice to set up something big and complicated which can be left out for days or weeks or even months, for a leisurely stroll through a very large or long game.

There are surely many more ways to choose, but the above method keeps me busy enough, helps me get both breadth and depth into my play, and provides me with a sense of progress.

The odd man out

When there is an odd man out:

Have a solo game ready to play.
Keep score or advise on a game in progress.
Referee a game in progress.