Thread: Re: British Ingenuity Strikes!

nickp — 2008-07-14T15:16:25+00:00

I have this and find it a real curiosity: the production values are quaint - particularly the jig-saw map and as for the counters! It's hard to believe how much the quality of components has progressed in the last few years.

I find the supply rules a bit difficult to hold in my head - I mean the different distances and movement rates. Nevertheless I think this game tries to do a lot with limited resources (rather like Rommel) and succeeds. A real little treasure. Thanks for the review.

Thread: British Ingenuity Strikes!

da pyrate — 2008-07-06T03:30:06+00:00

[BGCOLOR=#FFFF99]8th Army[/BGCOLOR]
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Two-player Strategic WWII Game of the North African Campaign, 1940-43
No Designer is Credited
Published by Attactix Adventure Games (1982)

In the early 1980’s Attactix brought out a range of wargames including Battle for Normandy, Victory at Waterloo, Fight for the Sky (Battle of Britain), Arnhem Bridge, Interstellar Wars and 8th Army. I have heard good reports about all of their games (apart from Interstellar Wars) which seem to have the theme of exploring battle situations involving the British Army, and there is nothing wrong with a little bit of nationalistic pride (in moderation).

The games, including 8th Army, are worthy of notice as they were designed with the specific intention of being easy to learn for people coming into wargaming while at the same time being sufficiently interesting and challenging to appeal for those already playing wargames.

The this end the game comes with an introductory rule set (3 pages), a basic rule set (2 pages), an intermediate rule set (3 pages), 5 scenarios plus a campaign for the intermediate rules (1 page), optional rules (1 page) and a further set of advanced rules (2 pages). The rules for each increased level of complexity are basically the same as the previous rules and simply add-on to what is already known. The basic through to intermediate rules use the operational map. The advanced game brings in the use of a second (strategic display) map.

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Map: the map measures 32” by 11”. More importantly for two-thirds of the map (from Egypt to Libya) the map is only 3 hexes wide – this means that flanking operations are not an option in Egypt. From the Libyan end of the map it is 11 hexes wide. The map is 25 hexes wide from East to West. The hexes are larger than is normal. The map is quite colourful. It is printed on thick board and is made in a jigsaw style – mine has slight warping and I place it under Perspex when playing. Very importantly, the map has both an Operational Display (i.e. map of Egypt and Libya with a hexagonal grid overlay) which is used for movement and combat of units AND there is also a smaller Strategic Display (i.e. map of the Mediterranean) which is only used in the Advanced Game.

Counters: counters have silhouettes and a large, single number in the top right-hand corner that represents their combat strength. Counters are back printed. The silhouettes indicate whether the unit is armour, motorized or infantry. The numbers on armour range from 1-4 and it is the same for motorized. Infantry units are generally 1-2, although some infantry are single-step units and have a solitary 1 as their combat strength. Axis units are sand-coloured (yellow) while the Allied units are stone-coloured (reddish-brown). There are several marker chits, leader counters (for Rommel and Montgomery) as well as some blue naval counters and a small number of air units.

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Introductory Game: the introductory game has the concepts of movement, combat and supply.

Movement is simple – Allied armour has 7 movement points, Allied motorised infantry has 5 MPs and Italian infantry has 4 MPs. Most hexes cost 1 MP to enter, rough terrain (only found at the western end of the map) costs 2 MPs and to travel along roads costs ½ MP. When you move adjacent to an unfortified enemy unit you must stop. Units that begin adjacent to an unfortified enemy unit may move and may even move directly into another hex that is adjacent to an unfortified enemy unit.

Combat works on a differential system rather than on the usual odds ratio. Add up the attacking strength and deduct the defending strength. If you are attacking across a ridge or into rough it will add to the defender’s strength. Roll a die and add it to the combat strength differential. If the result is +2 both sides will lose a strength point and the attacker shall retreat. From a +3 result upwards the defender shall retreat and take losses. The first strength point lost from fortified defenders is the fortification itself.

Supply is crucial in this game. When you attack you spend supply for Transportation (based on how far the furthest attacking unit is from your supply base) and then you spend supply for Provision (based on how many stacks of attackers are involved and their distance from the supply base). The Allies have the ability to put in attacks at overwhelming strength but at the cost of using up a lot of very limited supplies.

The Introductory Game is 5 turns long. Whoever holds Tobruk at the end of the game is the winner. The game involves four Italian infantry (7 points of strength) with three fortifications and six supply points against six points of Allied armour, four points of Allied motorised infantry with fifteen supply points. Because of the small number of units involved there are not a lot of decisions to be made. No additional supply points can be obtained during the game and the crucial aspect of the game is managing your supply points. To win the Allies must capture Tobruk. An attack from a single hex would cost 5 supply points (2 for Transportation and 3 for Provision). The maximum possible Allied strength would be 4 combat points against a potential 5 Italian points – this would give the Allies only a 50% chance of capturing Tobruk. An attack from two hexes against Tobruk would cost 9 supply points (3 for Transportation and 6 for Provision). Given that the Allies have a total of 15 points of supply and must keep at least 5 of those available for the final assault on Tobruk it is a difficult task.

The Introductory Game is not terribly exciting in my opinion and is specifically included to make a quick learning situation for those new to wargaming. Too much depends on the vagaries of the dice to make it a truly interesting competitive contest.

As an aside, the rules are organized poorly. Although the information is there it is not set out in point form and relevant information is often separated and this means you read something that appears to be complete, only to find later on that it is only partly correct.

On the positive side, the rules have a massive amount of examples and I found that reading the examples was crucial to understanding the rules.

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Basic Game: the Basic game is very similar to the Introductory Game and introduces more supply rules, replacements, additions to the combat rules and resupply rules.

The changes to supply are that at the start of each turn you pay maintenance (based on Transportation and Provision). You still have to pay supply when you attack. The addition of Maintenance at the start of the game just means that your monthly supply bill has gone up. At the end of each turn, players roll a die to see how much new supply will be added to their reserves.

The concept of replacements is added to the game. Whenever units die due to lack of supply or as a result of combat the dead units are placed in a reserve box and a replacement point is added to the Replacement Point Track. At the start of each turn players may use some of their replacement points to increase the strength of units on the map or to even recreate destroyed units and bring them back into the game.

Combat is modified with the addition of a Second Attack Option and a Second Offensive Option. Units that achieve a +6, or better, during combat may launch a second combat without using extra supplies. As well, any units that did not attack in the first combat round may launch combats, providing they pay the usual supply costs associated with combat.

The Basic Game has the same general parameters regarding duration and victory as the Introductory game. The set-up is slightly different in as much as the Allied player has only 3 points of armour (down from 6 in the Introductory Game) while the Italians have an armour unit and only 4 points of supply.

Playing the game has quite a different feel to it, due mainly to the ability to gain additional supply points and the ability to launch multiple combats, in sequence, in the one turn.

Intermediate Game: the game comes to life at the Intermediate level with the inclusion of a variety of scenarios and rules covering fortifications, replacements, troop withdrawals, reinforcements, overrun, leaders, air units, replenishing supplies and Tobruk.

Players may now strengthen existing fortifications or even build new ones. Fortifications make a position stronger and allow defenders to better absorb losses. The disadvantage is that by being behind fortifications the other player’s troops may move past without having to stop when adjacent.

Regarding replacements, the Axis player now has German troops as well as Italians and must keep the replacement points for each quite separate. The German armour may always be built up to a strength of ‘4’. Allied armour remains at ‘2’ for the first nine game turns. From turn 10 it may be built up to a strength of ‘3’ and from turn 20 may be built up to a strength of ‘4’.

As the scenarios go well beyond the initial Italian invasion of Egypt, there are Orders of Battle for both sides that specify when reinforcements arrive and when some troops are withdrawn from North Africa.

Single defending units may be overrun by a stack of 6 or more points.

Leaders and air units have an effect of the tactical resolution of battles.

Air units based at Benghazi will also have a beneficial effect on the arrival of Axis supplies.

Tobruk has special rules regarding supplying the garrison by sea.

Playing the Intermediate Game players have a lot more options and it is certainly much more than just learning to move, fight and supply your troops as is the case in the two previous rule sets.

Scenario 1: Wavell’s Offensive – three turns long and the objective for the Allies is to capture Benghazi.

Scenario 2: Rommel’s First Offensive – turns 5, 6 & 7 on the Turn Record Track. To win the Axis have to reduce the Allied strength to less than 8 points and capture or besiege Tobruk.

Scenario 3: Operation Crusader – turns 12 & 13 on the TRT. To win the Allies must hold Tobruk at the end of the game and to be able to trace a supply line via the road to Alexandria. In this scenario the Axis player moves second.

Scenario 4: Rommel’s Second Offensive – turns 15, 16, 17, 18 & 19 on the TRT. The German objective is to control Mersa Matruh by the end of turn 19.

Scenario 5: The Alamein Offensive – the scenario starts on turn 20 and finishes on turn 24. The Allied objective is to control Tobruk at the end of turn 24.

Campaign Scenario: the campaign game runs for 26 turns. On the final two turns the Axis player is not allowed to use any replacement points as these are considered to be needed in other theatres by this stage of the war. The objective for both players is quite simple – to control the opposing player’s home base. Failing that both players are considered to have lost.

The Intermediate Game is a lot of fun. Depending on the scenario you select the game can last as little as 60 minutes or several hours if you play the campaign. There is enough in the rules to make the game seem quite realistic, with a strong emphasis on the effective use of plans. The victory conditions are straightforward and reflect the same sort of objectives as the real-life commanders were given. One of the beauties of the game is the relative smallness of the map. It is a lot easier to make plans and decisions in this game than in similar games such as Afrika Korps and The African Campaign where there are just so many more hexes to move through.

There are Optional Intermediate rules that relate to SAS/LRDG and increased options for the deployment and use of aircraft. As is usually my habit, I find that the optional rules don’t really add anything to the Intermediate Game.

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The Advanced Game: this rule set is in addition to the Intermediate Campaign Scenario. The Advanced Game allows you to use the Strategic Display where you will make decisions that will influence the events on the Operational Display. It is here that decisions regarding the deployment and use of naval units and air units that will have a direct effect on the supply situation in North Africa. Remember, supply is the key element in the design of 8th Army.

The Axis player has many choices regarding where to deploy his planes – Benghazi, Tripolitania and Italy/Sicily. The Axis player also has access to light forces (submarines and torpedo boats) and the Regia Marina to disrupt Allied convoys and launch invasions on islands such as Malta.

The Allied player must try to run convoys to Malta and to Egypt in the face of Axis opposition.

While not recommending the Intermediate Optional rules I must recommend that if you are playing the Campaign Scenario the Advanced Game rules are certainly worth using. They take you from being in charge of the operational control of the 8th Army to being an actual Theatre Commander.

I think that, overall, 8th Army is a fine game and the designers are to be congratulated with the concept of having a game that is suitable for novices and veterans. Having said that I think that the Introductory and Basic Games fall short of their goal – they are not terribly well balanced or interesting situations to play although they do allow a gradual assimilation of the core rules. The Intermediate scenarios are interesting and historically valid and are supported by a solid game system. The Advanced game adds interest without adding complexity to the overall system.

“Dead Men Tell No Tales!”

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fellonmyhead — 2006-12-30T00:09:06+00:00

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Chris Barnard — 2006-01-27T11:37:13+00:00

Everything except the sand

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Chris Barnard — 2006-01-27T11:33:44+00:00

Counter sheet

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Lawrence Hung — 2005-09-06T15:41:48+00:00

Box cover

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MarkEJohnson — 2003-08-07T16:40:26+00:00

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MarkEJohnson — 2003-08-07T16:40:11+00:00

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MarkEJohnson — 2003-08-07T16:39:41+00:00

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MarkEJohnson — 2003-08-07T16:39:24+00:00

Game: 8th Army

Thread: Re: British Ingenuity Strikes!

Thread: British Ingenuity Strikes!

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