Re: [SG2] large games (batallion level and up)

>do any of you have any experience with playing large games like
batallion
level and up. I ask because we might try someting this large in my
wargaming club. It will probably not be a tank heavy setup, but mainly
grunts and set in WW2. Is it possible?? Does it take too long to
complete a
turn(I know it'll take longer of course), does the command level rules
function at theese high levels?? 
>
>What are your experience with this??
>
>Med venlig hilsen
>
>Claus Paludan

Hello Claus,

I've played in a couple of large Stargrunt games - but the largest was
about two companies on one side (appx 10+ platoons, plus vehicles)
versus a
single company in a defensive position.  This was on a 4' x 12' table,
and
took a single evening to play out (was a *long* evening).

You *could* play a battalion scale game, but honestly the Stargrunt
rules
are designed around platoon level combat.

A few suggestions for you.  Keep the "extra rules" use (like artillery,
EW,
snipers, etc) to a minimum.  That extra stuff adds "realism", but also
adds
a lot of time, particularly in a big game.  Same with vehicles - keep
their
use to a minimum.

There has always been some debate as to exactly how the re-activation
system works in Stargrunt.  The rules seem to suggest that you could
reactivate a single squad many times in each turn (and this is a much
argued point, but nowhere in the book does it place a limit on the
number
of times a unit can be reactivated, if you have multiple command
levels).
I would recommend using a limit on this, or you'll have "super squads"
who
can act disproportionately...  The limit we use is that a single squad
can
be re-activated only once per turn by it's command element, UNLESS that
command element is itself reactivated.	So in a platoon size game, a
platoon commander could transfer his actions and reactivate any given
squad
only once per turn.  In a company size game, if the platoon commander
was
reactivated, he could then reactivate AGAIN one of his squads, even if
it
had been reactivated before - but with this new set of actions, he can
re-activate any given squad only once.	You probably already use some
type
of limits (just about every Stargrunt player does) but this is *really*
important in a very large game with multiple command levels - or else as
I
said, particularly strong units (like a tank, for example) could
rampage.

Some people love using mines and decoy counters.  I don't, in large
games,
again because of the "slow-down" effect.  In a game that big, you want
the
fighting units to "get stuck in" as soon as possible, otherwise the game
will drag on and on, and it gets dull.

Use a referee, who is not one of the players.  The referee has the
authority to decide any disputed points and everyone else agrees not to
argue, and the referee has to keep the game moving along.  Not that the
ref
has to be pushy about it, but it keeps the game going smoothly.  We have
had a *lot* of success using an "independant" referee in large games.

Set mission parameters that make sense - victory conditions.  Certainly
not
"last man standing" unless you're recreating Stalingrad or something
equiv.
I would suggest that you don't use a battalion on each side.  Have a
battalion on one side, and a smaller size unit (couple of companies,
maybe... perhaps a single reinforced company in a defensive position) on
the other side, and give them each mission parameters and victory
conditions that make sense.

Keep lots of water handy.   :)	  

People get thirsty after that much gaming, talking, etc.

Good luck,

Adrian

Adrian Johnson
adrian.johnson@sympatico.ca
	AND
acjhumber@yahoo.ca