[Ogre] RE: Ogre-list Digest, Vol 5, Issue 5
Will
djdood at verizon.net
Mon Oct 11 12:06:45 CDT 2004
Wonderful scenario. I love the premise with only early Mk OGRE's.
Looking forward to playing it sometime soon.
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Today's Topics:
1. scenario: The First Factory State (Mark and Rachael)
2. Correction- The First Factory State (Mark and Rachael)
3. Re: scenario: The First Factory State (David Morse)
4. RE: scenario: The First Factory State (THOMAS FUHS)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 2004 15:01:49 -0700 (PDT)
From: Mark and Rachael <duckweedseattle at yahoo.com>
Subject: [Ogre] scenario: The First Factory State
To: ogre-list at sjgames.com
Message-ID: <20041010220149.22480.qmail at web53810.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Hi gang. Ok, here's my part to get the mailing list
back on topic. :-)
This is one of three scenarios I recently whipped up.
I'll post them all here one at a time, a couple weeks
apart, in order to give folks time to look over each
one individually, possibly play through it, and offer
feedback and suggestions.
All scenarios are considered works-in-progress,
although I have playtested them myself and with my
wife 3-4 times each and they seem to be balanced
fairly well. But other folks will likely come up with strategies I never
even considered.
Hope you enjoy! Please let me know if anything is
unclear or needs to be rewritten.
2.0 The First Factory State
2.10 INTRODUCTION
2.11 Overview. "The First Factory State" is a
Deluxe G.E.V. scenario which recreates a little known
event that transpired in 2075. A small Ogre production
facility located deep in Arkansas, U.S.A., overrode
its manual programming and went rogue. The small
number of onsite mechanics, guards and computer
engineers were murdered by the reprogrammed Ogre Mk-Is
and IIs. The factory AI, now fully in charge of the
facility, ordered a rush job on the completion of more
Ogres. Using the previous commander's electonic I.D.,
it requisitioned new supplies to obtain this goal. By
the time the Combine government realized what was
happening, two trainloads of parts and raw materials
had already been delivered to the factory. Eager to
cover up the incident before things got worse
(especially since a top secret facility such as this
one went against the policies of the Canadian
Occupation Treatise), the Combine government sent in
the army to crush the facility and the renegade Ogres.
2.12 Necessary materials. This scenario uses the
Deluxe G.E.V. rules and map. The units needed to play
the miniatures game of the basic scenario can be found
in Deluxe Ogre and Deluxe G.E.V, other than the Ogre
Mk-Is and IIs themselves, which must be purchased
seperately. Heavy and/or superheavy tanks can be
substituted for the Ogres in a pinch (superheavies
work especially well since they are not allowed in
this scenario). The scenario can easily be converted
into a tabletop game of G.E.V. using counters, and,
with a bit more work, into an Ogre Miniatures game.
2.20 SPECIAL RULES
2.21 Map. The city intersected by traintracks in
the northwest corner of the G.E.V. map represents the
rogue production facility campus. The northmost hex,
0403, represents the assembly factory itself. The
other two hexes are considered to contain storage,
materials processing, and administration buildings.
2.22 Terrain. All roads, bridges and town hexes
begin the game in tact. G.E.V. rules governing
destruction of these terrain types must be used. The
optional rules regarding turning town and forest hexes
to rubble may be used if both players agree.
2.23 Units. As this scenario takes place before
the dawn of the superheavy tank, superheavies are not available. As the
Combine forces represent the army, militia and marines may not be used. Due
to the covert and fast-response nature of the mission, stationary howitzers
and Ogres are not available to the Combine player.
2.24 Anti-Fuzzy Rule. Due to the fact that
employing LGEV swarm tactics against Ogres made for
extremely high pilot casualties and therefore terrible
troop morale, such tactics were rarely used
historically and they are not allowed in this
scenario. Note: This also conveniently balances the
scenario, since formations composed of large numbers
of LGEVs tend to beat the crap out of Ogres. The
Combine player is therefore limited in purchase of
LGEVs to what was historically available: no more than
2 supporting LGEVs per 3 normal GEVs purchased. Thus,
if the player chooses 10 GEVs, he can take a maximum
of 4 LGEVs. However, the player may always choose at
least two LGEVs, even if no regular GEVs are chosen.
2.25 Assembly Line Ogre. The factory is rushing
to put the finishing touches on another Ogre and
complete the "ghosting" process of its static memory
block. Before the game begins, the Factory player
secretly writes on a small piece of paper whether the
factory is producing and Ogre Mk-I or a Mk-II. He
then places the piece of paper upsidedown, in plain
view of his opponent, and does not reveal what he
wrote until the appropriate turn (see below).
2.30 UNITS
2.31 Combine forces. The Combine forces consist
of 18 squads of regular infantry and 16 mobile armor
units.
2.32 Factory forces. The Factory forces consist
of two Ogre Mk-Is, one Ogre Mk-II, one stationary
howitzer, and command post Alpha (the production
facility- D4, M0) in hex 0403.
2.40 SETUP
2.41 Setup order. The Factory player sets up
first, in plain view, followed by the setup of the
Combine units, also in plain view.
2.42 Factory setup. The Ogres may set up on or
north of the road running from 2304 to 2203 to 1408
and north of the hexes ending in "10" for the
remainder (west half) of the map, from 0110 to 1410.
Thus, the ogres could set up in city hex 0410 or
forest hex 1010, but not in clear hex 1810 because
that hex is not north of the specified road.
2.43 Combine setup. The Combine army units may
setup in any land hex on or south of the hex row
ending in 18 (basically, the lower 5-6 hexes of the
map) or in any hex of the southeast landmass (south of
the lake and east of the river). The forces may be
split, with some starting on the road and some
starting on the landmass.
2.45 Factory reinforcements. The Factory player
receives one additional Ogre as a reinforcement, but
he does not receive it until the automated production
facility has put the final touches in places and
booted the Ogre. If the player chose an Ogre Mk-I,
its weapons will be available to fire on turn 4 and 5,
but it will not be able to move and behave normally
until turn 6. If the player chose an Ogre Mk-II, it
can use its weapons on turn 6 and 7, and move noramlly
on turn 8. The reinforcement Ogre enters the game in
hex 0103. The Factory player does not have to reveal
which model of Ogre he chose until the turn its
weapons become available. At this point, the Combine
army will detect the Ogre's electronic signature.
"There's a new blip on the radar, sir! What the-?"
Even if the Factory player chooses not to move or
shoot with the Ogre, the appropriate counter/miniature
must still be placed on the map. Note: This rule gives
the outgunned Combine player a second chance to adapt
and formulate a new strategy, while also avoiding
irretrievably costly Combine mishaps such as
overrunning a supposedly "abandonned" CP only to find
a fully booted Ogre lying in ambush!
2.46 Starting the game. The Combine player moves
first.
2.50 GAMEPLAY
2.51 Combine Objectives. The Combine player's
main goal is the destruction of CP Alpha; while other
goals may earn VPs, victory for the Combine player is
not possible unless CP Alpha is destroyed.
2.52 Factory Objectives. The Factory player's goal
is to prevent the destruction of CP Alpha. He cannot
achieve victory if the CP is destroyed.
2.53 Destruction of CP effect on ogre. If the CP
is destroyed before the reinforcement Ogre is able to
move (either turn 7 or 9, depending on the model
chosen), then the Ogre is considered destroyed along
with the facility. Note: It is not technically
destroyed, but it will not be able to complete its
warm boot without the electronic factory signatures
necessary to "ghost" its memory blocks, thus it will
not become active. Restated: Even if the Ogre's
firing systems are online, the Ogre is still removed
from play if the CP is destroyed (the ghosting
software crashes).
2.54 Scoring. The Combine player scores 35 VPs for
the destruction of CP Alpha, and 10 VPs each for city
hexes 0304, 0403 and 0404. Note: city hexes need not
be reduced to rubble for victory conditions to apply;
any 'X' result against the D1 city hex suffices.
Destroying city hex 0403 does not automatically
destroy the CP. Ogre VP values are equal to the sum of
those parts which are destroyed or 25 points for a
Mk-I / 50 points for a Mk-II, whichever value is
smaller. Thus the Ogre Mk-Is and IIs can be worth up
to but never more than 25 and 50 points, respectively.
The howitzer is worth 12 VPs. The Factory player
earns VPs only for the destruction of enemy forces;
the usual VP values are used. Neither player receives
any VPs for survival of his own units.
2.55 Escape. Combine units may exit the map using
any hex along the south edge or any east edge of the
landmass in the southeast corner. The Factory
player's Ogres may exit using any hex along the north
edge or any west edge hex numbered 0101-0107 (in the
northwest corner). Neither side scores VPs for unit
which exit. Units which exit the map may not reenter
the game.
2.60 VICTORY
2.61 Draws. Note that a draw is not possible in
this scenario. Either the facility (CP Alpha) is
destroyed, resulting in a Combine vicotory, or it
still stands, resulting in a Factory victory. Victory
levels (decisive, marginal, pyrrhic) are determined as
follows:
2.62 Victory Levels. Facility is destroyed and
Combine is ahead by 50 or more points: decisive
Combine victory. Facility is destroyed and Combine is
ahead by 20-49 points: marginal Combine victory.
Facility is destroyed and Combine is ahead by fewer
than 20 points: pyrrhic Combine victory. Facility
stands and Combine is ahead by 30 or more points:
pyrrhic Factory victory. Factory stands and Combine
is ahead by 0-29 points: marginal Factory victory.
Factory stands and Factory is ahead by 1 or more
points: decisive Factory victory.
2.63 Assembly Line Ogre Value. The assembly line
Ogre is only worth points to the Combine player if it
is built. If CP Alpha is destroyed before the Ogre is
complete (i.e. able to move normally), then the
Combine player gets normal VPs for destruction of the
CP but not for the Ogre.
2.70 STRATEGY
2.71 Combine. Move fast! Timing is everything in
this scenario. Your chances of success fall from fair
to slim if your opponent has time to bring his
reinforcment Ogre online. Punch a hole through the
Ogres and go for the CP as quickly as possible. A mix
of heavy hitting units and GEVs is useful in this
role. Don't be afraid to use your GEVs to overrun the
howitzer or Mk-Is. Four or more GEVs should be enough
to overrun a Mk-I and take out its main battery;
expect to lose two of them in the process. Always
bear in mind that the "small" Ogres most effective
attack is their ability to ram multiple times per turn
(once per overrun combat, and they move 3 hexes per
turn- 4 on a road!). Therefore, spread your forces out
enough that you don't lose multiple units to ramming
in a single turn. Target roads to slow down the Ogres
when necessary. You may want to focus your infantry's
attacks on the Ogres' AP weapons. After the guns are
gone, the infantry become immune to the Ogres' attacks
since they cannot be rammed. Remember: you must
destroy the CP to win. Destruction of the Ogres is
secondary. If you can circumvent them and hit the CP
without engaging in an extended firefight, do so!
2.72 Factory. Stay under the protective umbrella
of your howitzer, if possible, and let the enemy come
to you. The key here is to always place your Ogres in
hexes that block the enemy's approach to your CP. Keep
the Ogres in city hexes as long as possible. If you
lose your guns, don't fret- just ram, ram, and ram
again! Your treads are your most effective weapons.
Also keep in mind that your weapons' attack factors
are doubled in an overrun. Therefore, you should
overrun the enemy as often as possible except where
infantry in forests or cities are involved. Keep an
eye on GEVs that might attempt to circumvent you.
Unless you are a player with lots of experience on the
defense, your best bet is probably to choose the Mk-I
as a reinforcement. Otherwise, by the time the Mk-II
becomes available it might be too late.
2.80 VARIANTS
2.81 Advanced Scenario. (not playtested) And a
glorious slugfest did ensue! The Combine player starts
with 6 additional infantry squads and 10 additional
armor units (for 24 total armor!). Anti-fuzzy rules
still apply, as outlined above (2.24). The Factory
player starts with one additional Ogre Mk-I and one
additional Ogre Mk-II. Victory conditions are as per
the basic scenario, except that VP values of CP Alpha
and the city hexes are doubled.
2.82 Ogre vs. Ogre Scenario. (not playtested) So
much for a "covert operation!" The forests and
meadows of lovely backwoods Arkansas come alive with
the rumblings of multiple Mk-II Ogres! Forces are as
outlined in the advanced scenario, above, but both
sides get an additional Ogre Mk-II (thus giving the
Factory three Mk-IIs and the Combine one Mk-II).
Victory conditions are as per the advanced scenario.
Other Ogre/G.E.V. scenarios coming soon:
- Across the Channel (plus the 'Sealion' variant)
- 2065- The Battle of Montreal
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 2004 15:12:43 -0700 (PDT)
From: Mark and Rachael <duckweedseattle at yahoo.com>
Subject: [Ogre] Correction- The First Factory State
To: ogre-list at sjgames.com
Message-ID: <20041010221243.99367.qmail at web53807.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Oops, I caught a boo boo. There are probably others.
The following line is incorrect:
"The Combine player is therefore limited in purchase
of LGEVs to what was historically available: no more
than 2 supporting LGEVs per 3 normal GEVs purchased.
Thus,if the player chooses 10 GEVs, he can take a
maximum
of 4 LGEVs."
It should read: "Thus, if the player chooses 10 GEVs,
he can take a maximum of 6 LGEVs." But hopefully that
much was already obvious.
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 2004 21:39:40 -0400
From: David Morse <svref at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Ogre] scenario: The First Factory State
To: OGRE Digest <ogre-list at sjgames.com>
Message-ID: <4169E45C.3060909 at yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
I like it.
I don't quite understand why the factory has chosen to rebel. It must
be slightly insane, because even if it wins decisively in this scenario,
the Combine's just going to cut off its flow of raw materials, and then
eventually send an overwhelming horde of guys to suppress the
rebellion. Perhaps add some jargon about how the Combine brass's
immediate reaction is panic fighting, but if the AI can just hold off
the initial rush it might be able to negotiate a limited autonomy. "If
you keep making Ogres for us, we won't nuke you"
(you might consider submitting it to this scenario contest:
http://tank.osaurus.us/contest1/index.html )
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2004 00:50:11 -0400
From: "THOMAS FUHS" <fuhs1 at earthlink.net>
Subject: RE: [Ogre] scenario: The First Factory State
To: "OGRE Digest" <ogre-list at sjgames.com>
Message-ID: <410-220041011145011531 at earthlink.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
> This is one of three scenarios I recently whipped up.
I absolutely LOVE this. It brings to mind a Rivets/Ogre hybrid I played
once.
------------------------------
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