Finally got around to playing a solo game using the new Rapid Fire Reloaded rules, I opted for a small game to aid my way around the rules. I set up a small 4x3 foot table and used the following forces...
German
One company of three Panzer IIIs with long 50mm guns.
Two lorried Panzer Grenadier companies of eight figures each plus HQ.
One towed PAK40
Russian
One company of two T34/76s
Three motorised infantry companies of 8 figures each plus HQ
One Lend-Lease SU57
In turn one both sides infantry and anti-tank support will enter the table the location decided by a dice throw.
Germans, 1 or 2 and they will enter by the wood in the top right corner, 3 to 6 in the bottom right corner where the train track exits the table.
Russians, 1 or 2 and they will enter the road top left through the wood, 3 to 6 the road in the centre.
In turn two the armour support will arrive again dicing for the entry point but also dicing to see if they arrive, 5 or 6 on the first attempt a fail means they enter in turn three.
How It Played
Turn one the Germans diced to come on first entering at the rail track, sending one grenadier company and the PAK40 along the railway embankment which afforded soft cover while the other company made its way across the track to row of trees which provided concealment and soft cover.
The Russians came on the middle road, one company heading for the woods top left in a flanking manoeuvre and to support the tanks should they appear there. Another company was sent to occupy the izba with the other and the HQ following up in support while the SU57 advanced down the road.
Turn two saw both sides armoured support enter in the same place has their infantry.
Turn three saw both sides engage, the SU57 was damaged by a shot from the PAK40 but passed its resulting morale check. The T34s and lead Panzer III traded shots with no results, either a miss on none penetrative hit.
Turn four saw the flanking infantry continuing their advance through the woods finding it tough going, meanwhile both sides were suffering myopia, read poor dice rolling by yours truly.
Turn five saw the Germans in the ascendancy, the SU57 was destroyed by the PAK40 and one of the T34s was damaged and forced to retire a move and do nothing in its next turn. The third Panzer III engaged the troops in the izba to no effect, the first three casualties have to be on the building. I was uncertain if I was interpreting this correctly, to remove a base of infantry (two figures) for instance you have to do two casualties in the same turn there is no carry over, it does not say in the rules if this also applies to buildings, i.e. you need to do the three hits in one turn.
Turn six was another uneventful turn for both sides, I diced for and got a turn seven where the Panzer III destroyed the remaining T34. Game over for the Russians really.
Some shots of the action
Conclusions
Well not having to cross reference the scores on the old chart is certainly an improvement for us of advanced years, on the old eyes especially, although I do feel it makes causing casualties a lot more random. Having to cause the two casualties or three in the case of most support weapons does make them more durable than RF1 or 2. I have not really made my mind up on anti-tank fire and HE does not seem as effective, but again in such a small game and my dice throwing it may not be a good measure.
Overall I thought the game flowed better, seven turns in two hours with a coffee break and having to reference the rules sounds fairly rapid to me and I am sure that they would have been a lot better with an opponent, unless they rolled just has bad as myself of course :~)
I am biased having being a fan of Rapid Fire from the outset but they are certainly worth the £5 asking price, nice one Colin and Richard.
Until next time KBO.
We old folk take comfort from your assessment, if not the result ..
ReplyDeleteSorry I didn't roll the dice well for you Comrade Bikkliski🙂
DeleteAs a fellow RF fan, I must agree that RFR certainly is a wonderful update.
ReplyDeleteAgree on HE fire, though I think they've tried to streamline 'all that was fiddly' in the older system - which admittedly, had it's ancestry in 1960s style rules, so an update was due.
Absolutely superb looking game. i love your vehicle finish and basing style too.
Thank you for the kind comments, I am looking forward to a face to face game with Dave over at GHQ on a bigger table where the rules come into there own.
DeletePhil enjoyed seeing this on your table and your views as someone who knows the system. I had a Pz IV long gun trio V’s a KV-1 trio on the table a couple of days ago, just to run through the process a few times and thought as a fast play (rapid) it hit the mark well and certainly a few steps up than the NT stuff does, a superb £5’s worth.
ReplyDeleteLove the shot of the PzIII’s crossing the rail track, very nicely presented tanks.
Thank you Norm, the new rules are certainly a step forward and I feel they will be less clunky than RF2 when we get to play a larger game.
DeleteNice Phil good to a see a game. All that open terrain and T34’s surprised the Germans made such light work of Ivan !
ReplyDeleteThank you Matt, the Russians were a tad unlucky managing to miss a lot and when they hit it glanced off. One of the reasons I prefer Battlegroup these days is that even a glancing hit can have an effect.
DeleteIndeed, thanks for that Phil. It confirms my feeling about the new rules. Maybe the thing with artillery is that one will have to consider realistic concentrations, or complete absence for off table stuff. One battery in support no longer seems to cut it but organic support, assault guns, close support tanks and mortars seem to have an enhanced role in the new version. I think it a worthwhile investment, and look forward to the theatre/battle specific supplements. Thoroughly enjoyed a couple of the small Arnhem scenarios I have played through using 15mm and 3/4 or 2/3 movement rates to fit larger tables on to 6 by 4 or smaller.
ReplyDeleteThank you Graham, good to see another players thoughts on RFR.
DeleteAlthough not a player I still found it interesting. Lovely troops as well.
ReplyDeleteThank you George, glad you found it of interest. I will be back to my CoC mini campaign for my next solo outing.
DeleteA nice looking little game Phil...
ReplyDeleteI’ve been playing a solo game over the last few days... it has proven to me that no matter what side I am on my dice rolling is rubbish 😂
All the best. Aly
Thank you Aly. As for the old dice throwing same here, luckily for the Panzer IIIs it got better for them first.
DeletePhil, just re-reading RELOADED and have a question. I had assumed for morale purposes that a unit was say ... A company as shown in the diagram on page 4, so when that company takes 50% losses it takes a morale test.
ReplyDeleteBUT, The description of ‘units’ on page 3 and the mention of ‘the battalion’ on page 8 (the ‘when to take a morale test’ box), seems to suggest that morale tests are taken based on total losses at the battalion level .... is that right?
Yes that's correct they are taken at battalion level.
DeleteA super looking game Phil!
ReplyDeleteChristopher
Thank you very much Christopher.
DeleteLovely looking game that sounded like it flowed nicely, sounds a bargain at £5!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Thank you Iain. A bargain it is plus all the stats for vehicles and guns are free to download from the website.
DeleteA very nice looking game with lovely vehicles, figures and terrain. I may have played RF once twenty years ago so the mechanics are unknown to me but the game seemed to flow well, bar the impact OG the Dice Gods!
ReplyDeleteThank you kindly. Rapid Fire got me wargaming WWII when they first published and carrying on with Rapid Fire 2, however I have recently being playing Battlegroup in the main but still have a soft spot for RF.
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