Back of Beyond help needed

[Cadet13]

Hello everyone,

After looking at all of the neat games over here in the back of Beyond board, I'm thinking of starting a BoB force. the thing is, I'm not sure what a good force would consist of. So I need your help with some questions.

I'd like to do a motorized European expedition. What sort of basic stuff would you need to field a small to medium force? Number and type of vehicles? Number of troops? Quality ratio of troops (i.e. Green vs. Veteran, etc.)? Heavy weapons? If I wanted an airplane, how would it change the overall composition?

Any and all comments welcome.

Thanks,

Cadet13

[Hammers]

For a civilian expedition I would go with Ford trucks and cars, perhaps also a Citroen-Kegresse. For air support,. take your pick. There was a lot of surplus WWI stuff around and few sales restrictions on the new stuff.

For troops, it depends of which style of game you are looking for. Historic or a heroic romp? I prefer the latter and would suggest a a couple of heroes (Indy types), backed up by a core team of no more than 10 multinational ex-military types (veterans). Then you could have as many local guides and guards (Turkmenes, chinese, Sikhs, Cossacks) with a leader. Finally another larger group of raw troops (kulis, wallas, bearers). I would also have the core group man a support weapon which could be anything from a BAR to a light cannon.

Games do not need to be balanced, troop wise, to be fun to play (at least not if you have that sort of attitude) but a game could be over pretty quick if your opponents force is not of reasonably equal strength.

The thing to do with airplanes is to not give them too much impact. Make them able to do just a couple of strafing rounds per game and add a random misdirection element to their bomb drops. Bomb templates should not have a very wide diameter.

[Cadet13]

For troops, it depends of which style of game you are looking for. Historic or a heroic romp?

Heroic romp, most definately.  

Ok, so taking the advice of Hammers, I've made up a tentative list of the force I'd like:

• 4 Characters (2 w/ pistols, 1 w/ a shotgun and 1 w/ a rifle)
• 1 Unit of 10 European mercenary types (6 w/ rifles, 3 w/ SMGs, and the leader with a pistol) Veteran morale
• European merc HMG w/ 4 crew
• 1 Unit of 10 hired Russian security troops (8 w/ rifles, leader w/ sword and pistol) Trained morale
• 1 Unit of 9 Pathan warriors acting as guides (8 w/ jezzails, leader with pistol and saber) Raw morale
• Model T Staff Car for the characters
• 2 Model T flatbed trucks for the troops
• Model T tanker for fuel
• Nieuport Ni11 Biplane and pilot, armed w/ Lewis guns

My force is a private European venture looking for untapped oil reserves. The campaign will take place in and around modern day Tajikistan, hence the Pathan guides.

How does this list fare in comparison to other list y'all have seen? Too much? Too little? I'm also considering an armored car... would this overpower the force? Feedback welcome.

Cadet13

[S J Donovan]

You have left out supplies.  I would add another flatbed truck so that each of your three very different armed troops have their own supplies also helps keep them from each others throats during movement.  What about a supply truck for your main characters along with whatever oil survey stuff they carry, as well as servant types and tents.
I think an armored car might be too overpowering unless you plan on overwhelming numbers of bad guys.

[Hammers]

I tend to units things together from a story telling perspective and would therefore leave out an armoured car. That would be a military mission and your group seems to be have scientific or exploration purpose. Or perhaps they are spies. In any case an armoured car does bot fit well with their 'story'.

You could have the Russians or pathans on horses, scouting ahead or catching up.

[Cadet13]

You could have the Russians or pathans on horses, scouting ahead or catching up.

I was originally considering some Cossacks, but I didn't find any figs that I liked.   I also envisioned the biplane as being the "scout" element of the force, so I think scout cavalry would be a little redundant.

I think I'll expand based on S J Donovan's advice by adding:

• A third Model T flatbed truck
• A Model T van to transport the delicate surveying equipment and character's baggage

So for those keeping track at home, the force would have a total of six vehicles, one airplane, 37 infantry (including characters) and a HMG. Is that a fairly good average?

[Ignatieff]

Looks good enough to me. Remember you want a heroic romp. In which case what would it look like if it was an Indiana Jones movie?  I think you are there

[Mark Plant]

I was originally considering some Cossacks, but I didn't find any figs that I liked.  

Usually when I hear that it means that the person thinks Cossacks fought in uniforms like the Tsar's Guard. Most didn't, wearing uniforms more or less like ordinary Russian cavalry. Any Cossacks near Tajikistan would be the second sort (Semirechensk are closest) and are pretty easy to find good figures for. http://www.pygmywars.com/barendspages/steppehosts/semirechenskcavalry/semirechenskcavalry.html

[Hammers]

I was originally considering some Cossacks, but I didn't find any figs that I liked.   I also envisioned the biplane as being the "scout" element of the force, so I think scout cavalry would be a little redundant.

I think I'll expand based on S J Donovan's advice by adding:

• A third Model T flatbed truck
• A Model T van to transport the delicate surveying equipment and character's baggage

So for those keeping track at home, the force would have a total of six vehicles, one airplane, 37 infantry (including characters) and a HMG. Is that a fairly good average?

I wouldn't worry too much about the accuracy of logistics. Add them just if you think it looks good. And that's a good number for a medium sized skirmish game.

[abelp01]

I was originally considering some Cossacks, but I didn't find any figs that I liked.   I also envisioned the biplane as being the "scout" element of the force, so I think scout cavalry would be a little redundant.

I think I'll expand based on S J Donovan's advice by adding:

• A third Model T flatbed truck
• A Model T van to transport the delicate surveying equipment and character's baggage

So for those keeping track at home, the force would have a total of six vehicles, one airplane, 37 infantry (including characters) and a HMG. Is that a fairly good average?

Have you looked at the Askari cossack?

http://www.askari-minis.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=42&zenid=hkofl08l22nilgb55o188m06k0

They're, I believe, for the 1860-1870 period, but they may be usable.

[Chuckaroobob]

Company B makes some 1/56 trucks which I like a lot better than Model T's;  IIRC there's a French halftrack used in the Sahara too.  A  B20 or something like that?