Abandoning the Patrol Phase?

[Alan Charlesworth]

When designing and playing historical scenarios the dispositions of the forces will often be set at outset by the circumstances that you are modelling. In such cases is it best just to abandon the Patrol Phase and go straight into the game proper based on fixed dispositions?

Alternatively could the Jump Off points be predetermined using the actual historical dispositions as a guide with the ability for the players to then have some flexibility about when and where forces appear and if desired the standard game ability to move the jump off points using CoC dice?

I will probably experiment with both ideas. Anyone have other thoughts on this?

[rmakowsky]

If you know with accuracy or want to place with accuracy for a historical battle, then I would say set the jump off points in the scenario outline. I think though that the patrol phase can still be used for a historical game. You give a historical force disposition and terrain and then let the players use the partrol phase to effect their battle space.

It is an interesting idea though, depending on how much you want initial conditions to mimic historical reality, the closer you need to control the jump of points.

[dutchy124]

I can't see how you can use the patrol markers in a game like the D-Day landings. Surely the Allies have to come onto the table from the sea and any MG's the Germans have will be placed in cover such as bunkers.

The difficulty then being that if you are using paras behind the German defensive line how do you allocate jump off markers?

[Rolf]

In a recent Spanish Civil War scenario we played (AAR on the forum) we used the historical dispositions as per the scenario and it worked just fine.

The Patrol Phase is an interesting way to mix up an historical scenario or introduce some of the factors that occurred in the real action, so it can be used both ways IMO.

Rolf

[Truscott Trotter]

Hi Rolf - not to hijack the thread but I was thinking that CoC might be ideal for SCW - have you made your own lists or are you only doing historical scenarios?

[Jaedrian]

I like the idea and will game this out as soon as I can. Sounds like a great idea for a video. I'll dig up some scenarios from other games to try with pre-placed elements. Thanks for the idea!

[EvilGinger]

The patrol phase ads a level of fog of war to the game & I would be loathe to abandon it entirely even for historical scenarios I would use the deployments as a guide to tailor how it would work for that particular scenario.

I would also see Jump off points as being in part substitutes for blinds in other lardie games.

Ginger

[Rolf]

HI Truscott,

I have all but done an Army of Africa list and People's Militia list ala 1936 and the March on Madrid.

I have passed them on to Rich so he may run his eye over them- I'm awaiting a reply...he is a busy man! I have others ready to do but will be away on holiday for 6 weeks so it'll all have to wait until I get back.

Rolf

sorry to side track the thread

[Richard]

Rolf

Chuck them up here. I am keen that we all have a chance to comment and develop lists collectively. I can only really crunch the numbers once we have the agreed format.

Rich

[Rolf]

Ok.

I shall do. But they are in a PDF format, tables, pics, etc, etc. I don't think this forum can do that......can it?

Cheers

Rolf