August 22, 2004 |
Dan and I got together to play some games on Sunday, which the weathermen promised to be crappy. They were wrong. Dan and I suffered through two games before cabin fever drove us the heck out of the house.
| Memoir '44 |
| Results | |||
| Player | Score | Place | First Time? |
| Mike | 8 | 1 | * |
| Dan | 5 | 2 | * |
Notes: We played the Pegasus Bridge scenario. We played each side once apiece. We also played without the gray "special cards" in order to get a feel for how the game works. (Plus, I'm familiar with the special cards and didn't want to have too unfair an advantage on Dan.)
In the first game, I was the Allies. I sent a few units immediately into the barbed wire that surrounded the sandbagged German unit which guarded the bridge on my left flank. They took some heavy hits, and I quickly called them back to keep the Axis from getting a quick point. Soon I had two units trying to take out the Germans in the sandbags. When I ran out of command cards I opened up the attack on my right flank, moving two units in to grab the bridge.
The Axis managed a counterattack, picking off a unit near the German sandbags and driving my men from the bridge on the right. Finally, I managed to destroy the German infantry on the far right and held the bridge. As inevitable as the sunset, I finally picked off the German sandbag unit near the left flank bridge. With three units operating, my men on the right flank were able to easily wipe out the last remaining Axis unit, which tried to stay protected in the forest.
Medals: Mike 4, Dan 2
The second game was much closer. Dan felt that he lost the first one due to my having better cards. In this one, though, we both frequently had assault and attack cards, and Dan once had a recon in force.
Dan took a different tack to deal with my German sandbag units. He hid a unit in the woods and tried to pick my defense apart turn by turn. It sort of worked, as my Germans weren't able to get too many shots off, but my sandbaggers held on for a long time and I was able to reinforce them with units from the north. Finally, my other unit on the Allied side of the bridge managed to come around and take out the Americans.
Next, the Americans came after the less defended bridge on my left flank. I quickly caught the first unit in a crossfire and then aggressively pursued them, eventually pinning them between another unit and the river. My aggressive unit was then quickly killed by an overwhelming force of Americans.
On the German right flank, the Americans were finally able to whittle away my sandbaggers - at great cost. The score stood at 2 to 2. I sent my reinforcements down the right side of the river and picked off a couple of stray units. The units took some damage, and I forced them into moving forward - right into the line of fire of my unit hiding in the town near the bridge. This pestering unit, however, took some heavy hits and eventually fell.
Still, the Americans were forced to advance, and they were stuck in the barbed wire. They took some heavy hits and soon were crippled. My unit emerged from the town to get a better shot and finished them off.
On my left flank, an American unit overextended itself and attempted to hide in the forest. The Germans moved one unit, which had abandoned the sandbaggers, to the left flank, and they took a few good shots at the Americans. Dan, in a gesture of futility, tried to kill off one of my pincer-ing units, but failed to do significant damage. Finally, my Germans crept up and killed the Americans' last two units.
Medals: Mike 4, Dan 3
I thought that Dan's strategy to save his units while picking off my sandbaggers was a bad one. My strategy in the first game was more solid - sacrifice a unit and then make it easy on yourself. His method took too long and allowed me to bring up reinforcements. Dan also didn't bring enough units to the fore. For the Americans, it's better to get the Germans worried about a LOT of units, not just 2 per side. Dan rarely had more than 2 units doing anything on either flank. Had he taken a turn or two to bring up all those reinforcements (he didn't even move 4 of his units), he easily could have won. Instead, he went with 2 on 2 on the American Right flank, and 3 on 4 on the left.
This is a very cool and quick-moving game. The decisions are very difficult, but you can sometimes force someone to react in a place they don't want to simply by moving around in that area.
| Duel of Ages |
| Results | |||
| Player | Score | Place | First Time? |
| Mike | 3 | 1 | |
| Dan | 2 | 2 | |
Teams:
| White (Dan) | Black (Mike) | |
| Syriach (the Warrior Race) | Boris Andronov (the Mercenary) | |
| William Wallace (the Inspiring Leader) | Mildred Stonegutter (the Battle Axe) | |
| Corporal Janus (the Bug Hunter) | Whip Vyper (the Agile Alien) | |
| Geronimo (the War Chief) | York (the Foot Soldier) | |
| Homer Morgan (the Slugger) | Enrak the Fury (the Berserker) |
First Geronimo and Wallace entered, and made for the Colonial and Ancient labyrinths. Team Black sent in Whip Vyper and Enrak, who made for the future and Ancient labyrinths. Next Team White sent in Corporal Janus and Syriach. Then Boris Andronov appeared, and he headed for the Ruins of Cany XII. Next, York showed up and went for the Colonial labyrinth. Finally, Homer Morgan and Mildred Stonegutter appeared.
Vyper failed a tough wits challenge in the future labyrinth - the Brain Dome outthunk him. Next, Mildred went after William Wallace, and gave him a good hiding with her rolling pin as the Scottish leader made for the modern labyrinth. Regrettably, she missed him as he ran off, screaming bloody murder at him. Corporal Janus put Team White in the lead by making it past the Brain Dome and netting some precious cards.
Team Black quickly rebounded, though, taking a 1-0 lead by tying Team White in the Future labyrinth (Whip Vyper) and getting the first victory in the Colonial labyrinth (York). Team Black couldn't decide what to do with Syriach (he has a -1 on all adventure rolls), and he wandered aimlessly for 3 or 4 turns. William Wallace, having fled Mildred Stonegutter, beat up a bully in the Modern labyrinth to tie the match at 1.
The lead was short-lived, though, as Boris made it past the Vermin-filled Tunnels of Cany XII, though his success was countered by Enrak's failure to destroy the serpents of the Lost Valley in the Ancient labyrinth. Corporal Janus of Team White then failed (for the first time) a Missile Run in the Future labyrinth, followed closely by Syriach, who also failed. Meanwhile, York and Whip Vyper exchanged equipment, and Vyper quickly revealed his to be Stunglasses, which cause an attacker to drop his equipment if he rolls a '7' vs. Whip in melee. Mildred Stonegutter squeaked a Cat & Mouse spy game in the modern labyrinth, getting a card.
Despite Team White's poor luck in the Future labyrinth, they were able to tie it up at 1 thanks to Geronimo's amazing capture of Jack the Ripper (and friend) in the Colonial labyrinth. Team White's joy quickly turned to sorrow, however, as Mildred Stonegutter finally caught up with William Wallace and brained him to death. 2-1, Black.
Homer Morgan redeemed things a bit by Amazingly slaughtering the serpents of the Lost Valley, tying the match at 2. Team Black stagnated, as Enrak only squeaked against the Cossacks (though I forgot to add a +1 to a melee challenge for him!), and Boris failed the Cat & Mouse game. Corporal Janus then failed again at the Missile Run in the future labyrinth, though Geronimo chased off the Cossacks, and Homer won the battle of spies in the Cat & Mouse match. White now led, 3-2.
York once again exchanged cards, this time with Enrak, giving him a spear he would use to deadly effect later. Whip Vyper extended Team Black's lead in the Ruins of Cany XII, sneaking past the AI defenses. Meanwhile, Team White buffed up their tactics by having Syriach trade gear with Corporal Janus - a trade that would prove most effective.
Mildred, slightly damaged from her battles, healed with an Amaze in the Great Vortex. Boris then Amazed in a chopper strike in the Modern labyrinth, Whip amazed at the Missile Run (which had been Janus' bane!), and York won a duel in the colonial labyrinth to give Team Black the lead, 3-2.
But Team White refused to give in. Geronimo amazed while scouting in Cheyenne country, and was able to banish Boris. Boris took out his anger on Syriach with a Pulse Rifle, but missed. Syriach then took the Buffalo rifle he had attained from Janus and took out York with one shot.
Then the the teams passed several challenges each and grabbed a lot of cards. There was more available equipment in this match than any game we had played before. After all these challenges, White held a 3-2 lead. Enrak the Fury took it upon himself to kill Syriach, and nearly did so, wounding the fellow twice with his spear for 5 points of damage. Boris fired upon Corporal Janus, whose Damper Shield prevented any injury.
Syriach, having barely escaped Enrak's devastating attack, managed to Amaze while Mining on Cralia and was able to banish both Mildred and Enrak from their respective labyrinths. Team White now held a 3-1 lead, and threatened to add to it when Janus fired his Energy Cannon, newly acquired from the team's vault, at Enrak. Fortunately for Team Black, he missed. Mildred Stonegutter then managed to cut the 3-1 lead to 2-1 by winning an arm wrestling match with a biker, and she released the Centauri Dragonette after Homer Morgan.
Geronimo made the lead in the Colonial labyrinth insurmountable for Team White, but Syriach failed to do the same in the future labyrinth, failing an easy challenge to do some Skimmer Recon. Homer Morgan, after being injured by the Dragonette (which he had greatly underestimated), hit a three-pointer to reclaim a 3-1 lead for Team White. Boris, however, managed to kill Syriach by shooting him with his Pulse Rifle. In retaliation, Boris was a victim of Corporal Janus' impossibly devastating Energy Cannon attack, which fried Boris to a crisp with one blow.
Whip Vyper then Amazed at Skimmer Recon, and then helped to hem Homer Morgan in, forcing him to come face to face with the Dragonette yet again. Enrak, mad with rage at the death of a second comrade, decided to bash Janus' brains in, but could not quite catch him. Homer, injured from the Dragonette, managed to heal while Corporal Janus and Geronimo exchanged more equipment. Mildred Stonegutter took the opportunity to win against a wizard's staff of fire. The match stood tied at 2-2.
Homer Morgan and Geronimo gave Team White its final lead by passing 2 challenges, but it quickly vanished, as Enrak challenged Team White to a duel with spears in the Tournament of Honor. No one took him up, and Team Black tied the match at 2. With time running out, Whip Vyper made for the Ancient labyrinth and survived a shot from Corporal Janus' pistol. Mildred Stonegutter managed to catch Homer Morgan and gave him a good licking.
With time expired, Whip managed to escape Corporal Janus and get to the Ancient labyrinth. An adventure roll was not needed, though, as Mildred was able to club Homer to death with her rolling pin, ending the match with a 3-2 Team Black victory.