Last game day was a massive campaign game of the Axis invasion of Malta. Tables represented air and naval forces as well as beach landings and paratroopers seizing the airport. There were multiple tables and most of the club took part. It was an interesting idea. Each table could effect the others. If the Italian navy got through it could bombard the beaches or if the bombers got through they could bomb the targets. Charley who put it on did a tremendous amount of work.
. It was an axis victory but I think it was designed as such. The axis paratroopers captured the airport because the British were asleep! On the navy front the royal navy could not use radar because it would be unfair to the Italian's who didn't have it. Also they had to attack piecemeal the entire Italian fleet, first with light ships then a few heavies because it made the game more interesting we were told. Can we retire, drawing the Italians towards our battleships? No, you have to attack right now or I will rule it as an Axis victory. Sigh.....
Anyway it was interesting aside from being set up for a axis victory.
What's the point of not giving each side a fair chance?
ReplyDeleteI'll confess that back in the 80s I once ran an Austerlitz game with all the veteran players being French with Napoleon in charge and the allies with the least experienced gamers and no Allied CinC. Thought it would be balanced but while it was close for a while, we got the historical outcome and turned off a number of new recruits who thought they'd been set up because they were newcomers. Never repeated that experiment!
Sounds like it would have been a fun experience...if you were the Axis, Mark! Games that seem designed to be by one side are not much fun if you are the designated lovers!
ReplyDeleteIt bothers me a lot. Come on was asleep so the Germans snuck in and captured the airfield intact? Never going to happen. Germans planting on the beach head have more forward observers then the British? Doubt it. Oh yes RN has an aircraft carrier! But it was not allowed to launch planes!
DeleteI hate when that happens...
ReplyDeleteI don't mind if its historical and you get into the spirit of the game. But this was none of the above. The Italians Evan got the ships sunk at Taranto!
DeleteA nice idea but badly let down in the execution:(. Bruce Weigle ran a great Malta game a few years ago at Salute in the UK, which was great to see and talk to him about all the research he had done:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQqEtIfzWiU
Enjoyed that video very much! Thank you!
DeleteHad a similar experience with a Snappy Nappy game. Ruined the day and experience with the rules and taught me a lesson in politics.
ReplyDeleteI hear you. II refused to play a certain rules set because of a similar problem.
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