VASSAL/PanzerBlitz

[GaryOwen]

I've got a dozen or so old boardgames that I never play, such as PanzerBlitz, Panzer Leader, Assault, et cetera. I was wondering if anyone here has experience gaming with the VASSAL engine and would be willing to put up with my learning curve.

[ShotMagnet]

I have some minimal experience with VASSAL, and a goo-gob lot of experience with the games mentioned.

Throw me an e-mail, between the two of us I bet we can figure it out. I believe you know the address.

Shot

[andym]

I beleive that there is a Panzer Blitz/Panzer Leader Mod for the JOhn Tiller Campaign series from Matrix Games.

[ChanceBS]

I would be up for some old Avalon Hill over the internet if it is possible. Sign Me up. I will look into how it is done also...

[GaryOwen]

I think Roger and I will give it a go this weekend over TS. I'd like to begin with a PanzerBlitz scenario as the rules seem less complicated than most of the other games I'm interested in trying. Once we get comfortable with the set-up and can get PBEM going, maybe we should get a list of interested people and games.

[ShotMagnet]

I got the PB/PL module installed on my machine, per the e-mail I sent. It's pretty simple. If you're going to be on TS later I can talk you through.

You can likely figure it out for yourself, at that. As for using the module, it works just like the VASL module.

Shot

[GaryOwen]

I've actually had it installed for several months now, just sitting there, waiting for you.

[ShotMagnet]

Ah, copy.

Okay, we'll meet Saturday and I'll talk us through setting up a Situation. BTW, dig the coolio retro PB Situation cards, apparently scanned from the originals.

Shot

[GaryOwen]

If there is a particular scenario that you think would be most appropriate for a newbie, I'll get that one set up.

[ShotMagnet]

#1 or #3 look interesting, and aren't particularly unit-intensive.

On the other hand, I'm a Situation whore. You pick it, I'll play it.

Shot

[GaryOwen]

Ok well, Roger and I got a game started. Roger is defending rear echelon signals units on hilltops, I'm attacking.

Taking a page from the Leeroy Jenkins style book, I began an assault with two companies of T-34s, which were effortlessly dispatched by 88mm AT guns emplaced on the fortified hilltop.

Here's the situation after the first couple of turns or so.

[ShotMagnet]

What Gary isn't showing you are the two Infantry units he dispatched, because I'm a bonehead, and the Flakvierling that was trying to support the effort before he erased one of them with a tank company.

What else Gary isn't showing you is the fact that the fortification he's attacking is not supported by other fortifications. Some of us simply cannot be taught. Sure, there are a couple of infantry units limping their way toward the fight but they won't make it in time. For that, they'll probably get overrun in the process.

I'll post some shots a little later.

Shot

[ShotMagnet]

Some game highlights.

First one is from the first turn. Gary has 10 turns to knock down at least 8 German units. He moves directly under the guns of a fortress with a battalion of T-34s and a company of Sukas, plus some infantry who were riding on the closest two T-34 companies.

Some Cossacks follow more or less in trail, and some wagons hauling mortars and AT guns bring up the rear.

I shoot at the vanguard elements. Hilarity ensues.

Shot

[ShotMagnet]

Things look like they're going pretty swimmingly for the Germans, and for this all-too brief moment they are.

I've made a couple of mistakes, though. The first was in bringing the infantry forward to meet his guys. The second was in calculating the odds for the attack. I'm about to pay for my incautious ignorance. I flame another company of T-34s, but now GaryOwens numbers are beginning to tell.

The incautious ignorance I display costs me both of the infantry units that attacked in the first turn. Their absence will be painfully noted.

Shot

[ShotMagnet]

And now it's getting a little worrisome for the Germans. The Russians have a pony battalion of armor to the east, still. They bring fire to bear on the Flakvierling battery which was southeast of the fort. They erase the flak battery.

Meanwhile, the PaKs in the fort are having a time of it, trying to take down the Cossacks who are working their way forward for an assault. They are not in a good position and it's only a matter of time before Gary's horses, and the other infantry, find their way into positions which will eventually overpower the guys in the fort.

Once he's done that, Gary's won.

I should mention that I don't have any mobile elements of my own, except for some infantry which move 1 hex at a time. That's not 'mobile' in my book. It's all static positions for me.

Shot

[enigma6584]

Excellent posts gentlemen. Enjoying this AAR very much. Avalon Hill's Panzer Blitz was the first board game I ever owned.

[Volcano]

I forget the unit counter ratings... I remember it was a Z pattern. What was it:

(going in a Z pattern) Attack, range, defense, mobility? I have Panzer Blitz and the other one... Panzer Leader. I think PB was the better of the two.

[Volcano]

Either of you play a game called Combat Commander from GMT Games? It is a squad based WW2 game, and probably the most exciting games I have played in a good long while. It is worth a look... but unfortunately it is only infantry based. I had my doubts because of that, but once I played it I didn't notice. GMT Games is formed from a lot of old Avalon Hill game makers. One thing they are good at is game graphics on their counters and maps, and they provide the best quality I have seen in a boardgame. Here is an example of CC:Stalingrad counter art:

http://www.gmtgames.com/combatcommscens/CC-BP2_CtrSample.pdf

...CC:Pacific is probably the best of the series thus far (IMO), but if you look at images on the website they are often playtest prototypes and not the finished images (I am not sure why they don't update them after the game is released LOL).

Another good GMT Game is Downtown, the Air War over Vietnam. I have that and have been meaning to play it but... well, too much shit to do:

http://www.gmtgames.com/nndt/map.html

http://www.gmtgames.com/nndt/counters.html

...there is also a Battle of Britain and a Arab Israeli War of the same series, have those too lol.

Another good game is Lock n' Load series which is unrelated to GMT Games. It is another squad based game which has vehicles.

...ahh well, don't get me started talking about boardgames! I guess I am a collector of sorts.

[Double Deuce]

Got stacks of many old Avalon Hill games back home in the attic. Only thing I brought with me when I joined the Army and then later moved to TN was my ASL stuff.

[GaryOwen]

I suppose that if there is interest here, one of us could collect info from possible players and the games they'd like to play, compare that to availability of VASSAL modules, and do an opponents finder spread sheet kinda thing.

[ShotMagnet]

I forget the unit counter ratings... I remember it was a Z pattern. What was it:

Upper left, attack; Upper right, range; lower left, defense; lower right, movement (in hexes).

There are also modifiers for what class of weapon is attacking. 'I' class units are only effective against armor if they are adjacent. 'A' class weapons hit armor twice as hard if the target is at half-range or less. 'A' class weaponry does miserably against non-armored units at any range, however. This is why Gary's Cossacks are threatening my fort.

Avalon Hill's Panzer Blitz was the first board game I ever owned.

Me too. Cut my wargaming teeth on PB. Went on to PL, then AIW. Now I play ASL. And speak in acronyms.

Another good GMT Game is Downtown, the Air War over Vietnam.

Downtown effing rocks! Played it with a fellow boardgamer. Bought it for him, in fact.

My Americans swanned about uselessly as the PANV took shot after worthless shot, failing to down a single round-eye. Great game.

Never played CC, but I heard good things about it.

Only thing I brought with me when I joined the Army and then later moved to TN was my ASL stuff.

You're my new best friend. We should arrange to play via VASL. Sooner, rather than later.

I suppose that if there is interest here, one of us could collect info from possible players and the games they'd like to play, compare that to availability of VASSAL modules, and do an opponents finder spread sheet kinda thing.

That'd rock. We need to find someone who doesn't mind a bit of programming, though. As the air floats the name 'Dark Angel'...

Shot

[Tacbat]

And the award for the most mulit-quoted response goes to...... "Mr. Awesome!"

[foeh@mmer]

I've been reading with interest this thread. First of all what is "VASSAL"? Is this some sort of computerized version of Panzerblitz. Secondly, I wondering if you are aware of the East Front/West Front games by Talonsoft? These are sort of "Ueber Panzerblitz" computer based games. Jim Dunnigan, the guy who developed the original panzerblitz, even contributed to the East Front series. Still, your above discussion did bring back fond memories of the game. There is something about the board game experience that can't be duplicated by a computer version. Thanks for sharing.

[ShotMagnet]

VASSAL is an engine through which the game can be played. VASSAL supports a wide variety of games, which is part of the reason why the engine is so handy.

VASSAL allows games like Panzerblitz to be played on-line, just like you were sitting face-to-face with an opponent. You do need a VOIP utility to play, Gary and I were playing over TS. You could do the same with YM, Skype, etc.

Shot

[GaryOwen]

First of all what is "VASSAL"?

VASSAL is a Java based application that serves as an interface for playing old boardgames online or through email.

Users have created modules for various games that reproduce the maps and counters for the games. All you need is a copy of the rules.

Here's the link to the VASSAL site: http://www.vassalengine.org/community/index.php

Here's the list of game modules: http://www.vassalengine.org/community/index.php?option=com_vassal_modules&task=displayAll&Itemid=30