Nuts

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Nuts! is the last scenario in the Ogre Designer Edition Scenario book. It has the interesting feature of using the round numbered counters for establishing "camoflaged" positions, where the unit corresponding to the number is recorded privately on a sheet of paper. Then, the unit is exposed only when it moves or fires, or when it's fired on.

The three of us, AS, DM and I played two games. I kept score for the first game while AS attacked DM on defending. None of us had ever played this scenario, this is what we learned:

  • Lasers and strongpoints get double strength points in forest and towns. DM has these in the clear. Not good.
  • Defenders can move off the map to the north, there is probably no reason to move defensive units south to engage.
  • Defender needs to have an exit plan.
  • Good dice rolling helps.

The second game I played DM as defender, who attacked from the north in a deep front. Too deep in fact, as I was able to pick off his lead elements as they came into range, with nothing on my flanks or rear. DM wasn't able to get all his units into play during any turn in the game, reflected by the score Defender 178, Attacker 80.

The lesson here is "don't bunch up."

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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.