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Author Topic: Russian Civil War/Back of Beyond Rules?  (Read 5840 times)

Offline Rogerc

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2096
Re: Russian Civil War/Back of Beyond Rules?
« Reply #15 on: May 22, 2020, 04:23:24 PM »
Another vote for Triumph of the Will.  As mentioned they really do need to be given a second edition with proof reading and clarifications but if you are prepared to overlook that they have some lovely mechanisms and play well once you got into the thought processes used. Some of the mechanisms are slightly counter intuative which I know puts off some of my gamer chums ( roll lower than the number of figures firing to score a hit modified by the quality of the target rather than the quality of the firer) really clever but takes some getting your head around. Also designed for other itner war conflicts so good for your Tsuba Friekorps.

A number of battles using these on my blog, example below:

https://gapagnw.blogspot.com/2019/05/rcw-far-east-aar.html

+
My blog gapagnw.blogspot.co.uk

Offline Truscott Trotter

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 839
Re: Russian Civil War/Back of Beyond Rules?
« Reply #16 on: May 26, 2020, 12:04:34 AM »
Excellent write up Roger seems TotW really would benefit from a new edition....once Rich has finished the current 12 projects!  lol

Offline Rogerc

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2096
Re: Russian Civil War/Back of Beyond Rules?
« Reply #17 on: May 26, 2020, 06:45:22 PM »
I love the Lary rules as do most (but not all) of my wargamign chums. Sharp Practice probably being me favourite. By reading between the lines and playin g itn the spirit the rules were meant (I think) we get a good game.

Offline Nogbad

  • Assistant
  • Posts: 47
Re: Russian Civil War/Back of Beyond Rules?
« Reply #18 on: May 26, 2020, 07:46:08 PM »
I agree. Probably best not rewritten by the creators as the rules will then get 'tea breaks' and other silly in vogue Lardisms. Just adapt what's there already.

Offline Randell

  • Bookworm
  • Posts: 66
Re: Russian Civil War/Back of Beyond Rules?
« Reply #19 on: June 22, 2020, 11:05:43 PM »
I use Triumph of the Will also.  It does have Tchenka rules.  Just specifically  for movement only.  Interested to know why the Tea Break card is a silly idea?

Offline Nogbad

  • Assistant
  • Posts: 47
Re: Russian Civil War/Back of Beyond Rules?
« Reply #20 on: June 24, 2020, 07:28:54 PM »
as you say, just a movement distance but you need more than that. How does it fire, how often, hits? They forget to say.
as regards the Tea Break rule, I wasn't questioning the idea which I don't know anyway, more the style. All that sub-Carry On film/Battle comic language about 'Time for A Snifter' and Jolly Good Chap/Absolute Topper leadership tables, or whatever. Not for me
« Last Edit: June 24, 2020, 07:32:15 PM by Nogbad »

Online Romark

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Galactic Brain
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  • Posts: 4472
Re: Russian Civil War/Back of Beyond Rules?
« Reply #21 on: June 24, 2020, 08:01:38 PM »
as regards the Tea Break rule, I wasn't questioning the idea which I don't know anyway, more the style. All that sub-Carry On film/Battle comic language about 'Time for A Snifter' and Jolly Good Chap/Absolute Topper leadership tables, or whatever. Not for me

Well said !  :)


Offline Randell

  • Bookworm
  • Posts: 66
Re: Russian Civil War/Back of Beyond Rules?
« Reply #22 on: June 24, 2020, 10:26:29 PM »
as you say, just a movement distance but you need more than that. How does it fire, how often, hits? They forget to say.
Maybe because they didn't think they needed to specify it's as MG's?  Admittedly the rules are very loose, but they are very old now!

Offline Nogbad

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  • Posts: 47
Re: Russian Civil War/Back of Beyond Rules?
« Reply #23 on: June 24, 2020, 11:28:42 PM »
Perhaps that's so. I'd have thought that in any game rules, a tachanka has to work differently  than just being a heavy machine gun that moves at the speed of cavalry. Always seems a particularly flawed contraption to me, not surprised it didn't catch on anywhere else!

Offline Mark Plant

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 543
    • Pygmy Wars : Russian Civil War and Related Stuff
Re: Russian Civil War/Back of Beyond Rules?
« Reply #24 on: June 25, 2020, 04:52:48 AM »
Perhaps that's so. I'd have thought that in any game rules, a tachanka has to work differently  than just being a heavy machine gun that moves at the speed of cavalry. Always seems a particularly flawed contraption to me, not surprised it didn't catch on anywhere else!

It did catch on elsewhere, in a big way. It's just the vehicle is different. The technicals of Africa are just modern tchankas.

The flat terrain of much of Russia allows carts to travel across country in ways that would not be possible elsewhere.

Regarding the rules, I took the ability to move and fire out. You are simply not going to hit anything while firing from a moving vehicle across country. Just as prior to stabilisers, tanks had to stop to fire. Some people believe tchankas often dismounted to fire anyway (you are a pretty big target to everyone if you are going to sit on the back of a cart and fire). Plus you can only fire backwards, so when advancing there is a lot of turning around involved.

Offline Pan Marek

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 218
Re: Russian Civil War/Back of Beyond Rules?
« Reply #25 on: June 25, 2020, 09:50:06 PM »
Tachankas didn't operate like technicals.   The big issue is that the MG would face backwards.  Tachankas would move forward with the cavalry, but just before the cavalry stuck, they would quickly turn around to bring their MGs to bear on the targeted unit.
They did not continue on.  They were very much a product of a particular place and time.

Technicals, like army jeeps with mounted MGs, can fire in the direction they are moving.

Offline Nogbad

  • Assistant
  • Posts: 47
Re: Russian Civil War/Back of Beyond Rules?
« Reply #26 on: June 25, 2020, 10:54:04 PM »
Yes, only being able to shoot backwards while on the move a crucial difference with the tachanka over technicals. Still, quite useful if you anticipated doing a lot of retreating.

Offline Mark Plant

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 543
    • Pygmy Wars : Russian Civil War and Related Stuff
Re: Russian Civil War/Back of Beyond Rules?
« Reply #27 on: June 26, 2020, 12:10:00 AM »
So they've improved the tchanka concept with technicals firing forwards. Still the same basic MG on a mobile but unarmoured vehicle though. (Interesting that the firing forward rules them out, but apparently being on a truck caused no problem at all.)

Offline Ignatieff

  • Moderator
  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2667
Re: Russian Civil War/Back of Beyond Rules?
« Reply #28 on: August 28, 2020, 08:19:19 AM »
I would be remiss of me not put a voice in for ‘Setting the East Ablaze’.  But then again, I’m biased.  And the supplements have lots of excellent scenarios (only some of which were written by me)
"...and as always, we are dealing with strange forces far beyond our comprehension...."

All limitations are self imposed.  Work hard and dream big.

Offline juergen c. olk

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  • Posts: 2388
Re: Russian Civil War/Back of Beyond Rules?
« Reply #29 on: August 28, 2020, 09:18:48 PM »
I second ,"Setting the East Ablaze"