New Rules from Empress! Operation Squad Modern War

[Paul @ Empress Miniatures]

New Rules! Operation Squad Modern War

We are very proud to announce that Empress Miniatures is the sole English Language distributor of the excellent new modern war wargames rules from the acclaimed Torriani Massimo team (writers of the original Operation Squad World War Two game).



These 47 page rules are beautifully presented in full colour and include templates and all counters required to play. They are designed to be quick to learn yet full of well researched detail. They are the perfect compliment to our Modern War figures. Although primarily designed for 28mm figures, the rules will work equally well with other scales (20 and 15mm for example).

Operation Squad Modern War contains army lists for American Infantry, US Special Forces, British Infantry, British Special Forces, Italian (including Bersagliari and Marine units), Iraqi Army (including Republican Guard) and Afghan Rebels.



We are very impressed with these rules and proud that Empress Miniatures figures are featured throughout. We are the sole distributors for these rules and we encourage retailers to contact us if you are interested in stocking these (along with the rest of the Empress ranges of course).

Remember that we will be at Salute! this year, on stand TA29. Why not stop by and take a look at the new rules? We will have new releases across many of our ranges, and also hope to have some stock of the latest Imprint Models 'Technical' variations with .50cal and Recoiless Rifle!

Pre-orders are encouraged as popular items tend to run out quickly on the day. Email us for details.

http://www.empressminiatures.com/userimages/procart14.htm

[Paul @ Empress Miniatures]

Hi All,

Having sold out of the original print run we now have more stock so come and check these great rules out at Empress Miniatures. 

We are currently playing nothing else 

[Sangennaru]

Cool! I'm glad that Massimo has found international distributors, his games are quite terrific! =)

Quite a pity that he is not on this forum... he hasn't time for anything, sadly! =)

[NurgleHH]

Got my copy, but I miss a lot of nations. I hope they are coming soon...

[Keith]

New army lists have already been added to the OS:MW website with more due soon.

[SBRPearce]

A review would be lovely!

[A_Train]

Yes, I am interested in a modern ruleset.

[Dentatus]

So...

Anyone played this? There a Review anywhere on the Net? Is it available in PDF or in the States?

I'm curious.

[The Travelling Man]

I bought it and very, very much regret wasting my money on them.

Mechanics- it's a similar system to old Ambush Alley but restricts the number of reactions you can take. Seems to work but with no option for dedicated overwatch which feels very strange for a modern game (I'm used to not moving a fire team in AA unless I have an element overwatching their bound).  

Period feel- along with the lack of IEDs, ECM/EW, correct TO&Es, breaching rules, any detail on buildings or building clearance whatsoever, civilians, ROEs, insurgent tactical advantages (apart from a single mechanic linked to a Unit Attribute which allows a random roll per turn which may result in a reinforcement of an insurgent group or a suicide bomber), close air support, UAVs or any ISTAR at all; the rules miss something absolutely central to modern wargaming in Iraq or Afghanistan or anywhere else really- the RPG!

Yep the humble RPG does not get a mention. Considering it's widespread use as an anti personnel support weapon, this is simply mind boggling. The US list gets the option of a tripod mount M2 or Mk19 (which for the scope of the game seems odd) but no RPGs for the Iraqis or insurgents- nor anything similar on the Coalition side actually- no LAWs, no SMAWs, no Javelins. As most will be aware, in the real world these weapons systems are particularly useful in 'compound busting' or for use against strongpoints and are used daily.

Additionally, there is an absolute corker of a rule which details how one radio operator can indicate the location of bad guys to another radio operator in another fire team who is out of LOS. Apparently the authors are unaware that during the time period covered by the rules, all Coalition SOF and most conventional force elements are equipped with intra team radios and have been for the last ten years plus. Even the poor old Taliban use their Motorolas in a similar fashion. This may be a 'left over' from the original WW2 set but shows poor awareness of the actual conflicts the authors are supposedly attempting to simulate.

I'm not even going to start on the TO&Es and kit but to say that if you're going to go to the trouble of detailing individual weapon types (difference between an M4 and an AK)- at least get them right!  Again, poor research.

The three generic scenarios are so generic they could occur anywhere and considering the only opposition listed are Iraqi regulars and insurgents and Afghan "rebels" you would make the not unreasonable assumption that these are supposed to be set in those theatres. No local 'colour' at all apart from one featuring a mosque. They are much, much more like levels from an Xbox game however games like the recent Battlefield seem to do that far more successfully.

The whole book also suffers from some dodgy translation from the original Italian- including key acronyms which have been switched around and some translated words and phrases which simply make no sense in English- parts of the book honestly appear to have been translated by Google!  

As for the back cover blurb about "discovering history through playing", well no, you're not going to learn anything approaching history by playing these rules. I have however learnt not to spend 25 pounds without at least reading a review…

[Dentatus]

ouch...  sorry, brother. 

I am indebted for the fast response and the word of warning.

[The Travelling Man]

No problem mate- its a pity as I really liked the WW2 version. 

[maverick]

hello
I am one of the playtester of the games and there are some mistake in the evaluation.
First of all is a game based on a single squad and not on a platoon as Ambush alley. Do you believe that you can have an air support for only a single squad? Probably if all going on the same way that on paper happen the american shoyuld not have a single victim... That cause the first observation. With only a single squad the use of RPG could be avoided. That doesn't mean that they are useless but the insurgent will not use them only agains a single squad of Delta force for instance. As for the sister games WWII  they will come together with the vehicles. If you think they are absolutely necessary i will move your request to the people that design it. Overwach. This mechanism is not real. talk to the people that have done war. Youa are not pointing in each moment the area. In the middle of the battle you will loos concentration because you heard noise, some bullet fly near your head... Please read some book from the people that doing war and you will discover that the reality if far distant from what's happen in the reality. The rules of priority (both roll the dice and who does more act firs) re-create well the un-predicable event. As american you got +5 against + 3 and this give to your model a good advantage. In the real life the soldiers are not a perfect machine that doing exactly what you are expecting... Fire team work well just in a few action but a lot of conflict show how bed they perform. Black hawk down and Restepo give to you the right idea. In the real war the soldiers doesn't keep the gun pointed on the street. If they do so a single sniper will shot them in a few second. Very often they shoot "more or less" at the area. Only a in a very close combat they see the eye of the enemy. the radio. They know about intra but, at this level of simulation, they try to concentrate on the rules of Leader. Again in the real life and in the middle of the battle with a great number of noise have the possibility to listen someone and understand correctly is very very difficult. Probably you mention again the Platoon level of game where someone not involved (not under the shoot of the enemy) coordinate the fire or movement of other team. I know that they submit the games at the people the fight in Afganistan... someone that have done the war and not only read... The insurgent rules (the possibility that someone pop up behind the line) was suggested from them... Translation. As you can easy understand english is not my own language... so I am unaware about the quality of translation but, as you know, there is a man that sign the translation: Andrew Carless. He is a real man that live in Milan (I know him) and is a player from more than 20 years. I don't know if the translation is so bad but I know that the people in this company and Andy are ready to change or clarifie any single aspect.
Regarding the scenarios it is quite useless remember you that there are so many list on it that was impossible to do a specific and less generic scenario...
Reading your comment I have the impression that you know very well the matter and you can help them to do a better work but keep in mind that one thing is a game of platoon level (Hambush Alley) and another a squad level. And more than that one thing is a Modern force on paper and another on field... They try to recreate a small skirmish fight... and in order to do that they submit the game at a loot of veteran... More than that i cannot say. We will have a lot of fun playing this game. For the first time the insurgent can do something and not just take kick in ass. The game should give to you fun and quite the same possibility to win. You don't need scenario wrote down with all the forces balanced. Here you will fight a battle with the same possibility to win.
You don't like it? Sorry. I like.

 

[CptJake]

hello
I am one of the playtester of the games and there are some mistake in the evaluation.
First of all is a game based on a single squad and not on a platoon as Ambush alley. Do you believe that you can have an air support for only a single squad? Probably if all going on the same way that on paper happen the american shoyuld not have a single victim... That cause the first observation. With only a single squad the use of RPG could be avoided. That doesn't mean that they are useless but the insurgent will not use them only agains a single squad of Delta force for instance.

1st, Ambush Alley does have several scenarios where the regular force player has a single squad. 

And depending on mission, yes, sometimes a single US squad will get air support, especially if they are the only TIC that is happening.

And you had better believe Jihad Joe will pop off RPGs at single squads, fire teams, and soldiers if it is the weapon he has or if he feels it will kill the trooper behind cover.  It happens a LOT. 


TIC = Troops In Contact

Jake
So sorry, your argument seems based not on facts but on misperceptions.

[FRAPED]

Hi
I'm an italian player of Operation Squad, both the versions and also the new ASSAULT PLATOON (platoon level)

Sorry
but you are argue about what happen in Ambush Alley... not in the reality...
Maverick is saying that there are no one episode in the real war  with an air support at a single squad... Could you mention one?
I don't think so.
Probably it is you that base your argument on misperceptions.
Do you know how many rpg are produced?
If a single squad of twenty man have it it means that the are more than hundred of milions of RPG around somalia/afganistan/yugoslavia...
Please keep the movie outside your mind... and read some good book (written from real soldiers) with a real production... You will discover a very different world...

Bye
Francesco

[maverick]

Quote Fraped at all.
As I said they based the games on single squad and talking with people that was in Afganistan and in Iraq...
if the RPG was so popular why the american, french, english have pick up without armour?
Please don't misunderstand the movie. RPG are present but not so easy to obtain. Normally they use it in order to destroy vehicles. There is some situation in which they use them against infantry but always when you have some vehicles involved.... and more than a single squad. Again, I have nothing against AA but it is a different scale. They use a single squad only for playing reason but the games is done for play with platoon (more squad) and in this case air support and other things are right... I don't want try to convince anyone about the games but I try to argue the reason behind some choice. Again, if you don't like it don't playing it but one thing it is if you like or not the rules and another is think that the people have done it without any knowing. I can assure you that they know the argument very well but they have a different view.
Hope is clear...