Going Operational

Not much progress on the modelling and painting front since the last post. Did clean up and prime some more figures for the Swiss, but that's as far as I got. Work has left me drained last couple of weekends.

I have recently purchased a couple of rule sets. In older posts on this blog, I have hinted at a move towards "Operational" level rules. Well two sets have recently been published , and both Frank Chadwick and Bruce Weigle have WW2 operational sets due for release at some time.

First, we have Not Quite Mechanised or "NQM" by Chris Kemp.

https://notquitemechanised.wordpress.com/chris-kemps-not-quite-mechanised-rules-nqm2-latest-draft/

A4 softbound, print on demand, 63 pages including playsheet. These rules have been a long time in development and I've followed Chris several versions published free on the internet. These have the benefit of having been cleaned up and organised for publication (previous versions were difficult to understand in places).

They are comprehensive and cover, well everything as far as I can see apart from Naval / amphibious landings. Several different levels of play are possible, some more tactical than operational it has to be said. I think this is a hang over from previous versions, but does allow games at a smaller level using the same basic rules.

They are written for hexes which may put some people off; also squares are possible. Originally, no grid was used, then squares and now hexagons. All arms are represented, including medical and repair. The reconnaissance rules are clever and give a use for such troops. Markers are required and it can get busy in this respect. Base sizes are agnostic, although some suggested sizes are mentioned. It's worth noting there is a stacking limit of 7 bases (or 9 if using optional rules) per hex. In practical terms that will limit how you base and the size of hex used.

I have found myself quite inspired by these rules, not only for WW2 but also AIW and SCW.

Then out of the blue comes another set, Sam Mustafa' s Eisenhower.

https://sammustafa.com/eisenhower

Somewhere between UK A4 and A5, softbound, print on demand from Amazon. 112 pages.

I was unaware this was in development and its publication came out of the blue. It clearly follows Rommel by the same author and like that set uses a square / rectangular grid. Bases are battalion sized and a player controls a "command" of roughly corps size comprising 2 -6 division sized units. Thus, the scale is much larger than Rommel whic itself was originally aimed at having battalion, not company size stands.

Only infantry (leg, motorised and mechanised) and armour stands form a division, with cavalry and tank destroyers being specialist versions. Artillery are represented by dice and recce, engineers, flak etc are not represented but are assumed to be part of other stands "getting on with their job". The website has downloads for command sheet and cards for advanced game and several scenarios.

I have not finished reading these, but find them a bit "bland" so far. I'm puzzled by some of the decisions; German reconnaissance battalions were equipped for fighting and were used as ad-hoc combat fire brigades in Normandy. Lots of German kampfgruppes were depleted remnants, but which took on battalion sized combats. For example, much of the German forces for Market Garden would not be represented in Eisenhower - Graebner' s Aufklarungsabt for example and the cobbled together armour formations, flak detachments etc.

It may be the advanced rules cover this, but to me, it seems that a decision to restrict the type of stands is flawed. I could not see any recommended base sizes; the standard 6' x 4' layout uses 150mm / 6" squares with a stacking limit of 3 units - a battalion sized stand per square which will limit base size. Some of the terrain is odd - no roads for example, it being assumed a campaign will only take place where there is a road net.

I will continue reading and it may be only playing will reveal how they work, but so far I'm unimpressed with some of the decisions taken.