23

PROFILE & AFTER ACTION REPORT KAISER'S SA rrLE A Playtester's Report by Philip Marchal

We strained mightily in the Art Department woods are not truly green forests, but masses sizes range from company to division. Such a to liven up the spotty and du ll terrain of the of twisted and splintered stumps. These wide variance is unusual in a simulation game game map we rece ived from the designer. stumps were definitely a hindrance to move­ because it is not easy to simulate fighting ac­ No reflection on the designer; the map is an ment, a fact that is reflected in the game by curately using such a gamut of scales. How­ accu rate reflection of the blasted and the movement point cost to traverse SUl.:h ter­ ever, the unique combat system allows The devastated terrain on which the battle occur­ rain. Yet, the shattered woods provided no Kaiser's BailIe to account easily for this great red. Nevertheless, gamers expect a certain real defensive benefit; no die I'OIl modifiers difference in unit si ze. show of effort on the map - we tried 10 give are given to units defending in woods. Several special units are particularly it to them in the elaborate treatment of the The continual artillery pounding was as fascinating. The German slosslruppen divi­ trench li nes. The author is one of the main bad on the towns as on the woods. !'vIany of sions are capable of extraordinary advances play testers of the game and was with it the communities depicted on the map as through narrow gaps in the enemy lines. On Ihrough most of ils development - RAS towns were actually nothing more than the other hand, the British service companies devastated ruins. However, these towns did are patchwork units, throw'n together from provide excellent defensive positions. army cooks, doctors, and Olher personnel Because of the small scale of the map, who were at hand. The Kaiser's Battle is an unusual opera­ there is room for additional specialization of One feature not included in the counler­ tional game of mobile World War I combat, terrain features. There are three distinctly mix is artillery, which is represented abstract­ with some interesting tactical flavor added. different types of fonification: wire, ly by tracks on t he game map. Though the use The game simulates the last major German field works, and redoubts. Each type pro­ of artillery is of primary importance [0 the offensive of the war that nearly broke vides slightly different advantages and disad­ game, the abstraci method of representation through t.he lines of the British 5th Army in vantages in movement and combat. Hilltops provides a great deal of unpredictability, as the Somme RiverValley. are represented on The Kaiser's Battle map, each player tries [0 guess how his opponent In some ways, this last German gamble since artillery is more effective if the target has allocated his artillery pOilll S. was similar to the Banle of the Bulge in can be observed from a height. Wcirld War I I. In both offensives the Ger­ It should be made clear at this point I hat The Rules mans had planned and prepared for the com­ The Kaiser'S Batlle simulates only the There are also a number of unusltal ing campaign over several months. In 1918, southern portion of this major offensive. features in t.he game's set of rules. Most as in 1944, the Germans maintained the all­ The southern sector was, however, the area unusual is [hat the game llses no Combat important element of surprise. The 1918 of­ through which the Germans historically did Results Table. Instead, the players mUltiply fensive was among the mo~t mobile battles of best - the attack in the north stalled after the combat strengths of I he units by a die roll World War I, as was the Battle of the Bulge in only a few days. The German plan for a ma­ and find their quotien[, which is then wm­ World WarIi. jor breakthrough was almost achieved in I he pared ","ith the defender's morale value to The overwhelming German numerical south. determine whether or not the attack was superiority easily smashed Lhrough an unpre­ successful. This system gi ves combat a quite pared British line that had already been The Counters different feel that is particularly wcll-suited severely weakened by a l11as~ive artillery bar­ The Kaiser's Batlle has an extremely to The Kaiser'~ Bailie: predictability is lost. rage. The German stossrruppen divisions had varied and interesting countermix. Thc most A German division can, ", .. it h some unlucky been specially trained in infiltration tactics to stanling aspect of thc mix is that the units' die rolls, be reduced extensively by a mere exploit Ihe small gaps in the British line. The battalion of the British. Finally, the combat Germans hoped to drive their lighlning results allow only elimination or reduction offensive straight to the sea, thereby cutting German Stosstruppen Division results. This accurately portrays the lightning off the British in the north from the French FRONT advance by the Germans that allowed no in the south. In the battle, after a long and Si:::.e retreats. bloody fight, the Germans were barely Supply is also treated in a new way: sup­ De5i~na/lOn stopped. ply status makes absolutely no difference for SrI-UP /lex Urli! T vpe the defending unit, but all the difference for The Map (or Reinj (Jrn'men l Hex; the attacking unit. OUI of supply allacking One of the most striking features of The units increase the combal die roJl multiple for Kaiser's Baffle game map is the complete the defending unit. Other rules in the game lack of roads and railroads. By 1918, all the C ombo! Strength Alo vemen! system cover suclt items as gas, artillery, ad­ roads and railroads in that section of France .4/1" ..-un cp vance after combat, and air power. had been totally destroyed. The Battle of the BACK Somme (1916) had been foughl in this same After-Action Report: area, producing extensive damage to the area that was compounded by the 1918 German The Kaisers Battle offensive. Game-Turns 1 and 2: On Turn One, Reduced Much of the terrain on the map is not Combor S,,.enRlh the German artillery pulverized the British really what il appears to be. For instance, line. Although the German player bombard- 24

ed a great number of front line British units, - by Turn Three. On Turn Four, the Ger­ German force hit head-on with the main he succeeded in creating only one gap be­ man player attacked the wire. Three divisions Allied force which consisted of seven power­ tween Castres and Urvillers. The barrage were reduced near Roupy and Etreillers, ful brigades. The slugging match resulted in a had, however, seriously weakened the blunting the drive in the north. very slim German gain at, the cost of two secondary British line who were holding out By Turn Five, the Germans reached more reductions. The Germans extended in the fieldworks . Tugny-et-Pont, Caulaincourt, Beauvois, t heir bulge only to Canizy. The German player, after advancing on­ Cugny, and Flavy Le Martel. The British The British solidified their already Iya few hexes through this gap, made a series brigades that would make or break the game sturdy line on Turn Eight with the addition of successful attacks. He attacked even in the entered play and took their positions a few of four more service companies. Though the south where he had no real power. After each hexes in back of the current front line to long German advance. seemed contained in attack the German player rolled the die for await the German advance. the center, the flanks were still very weak. advance after combat, and with luck on his On Turn Six, the German player faced a The Germans could still exit the map during side, managed to sweep past what was left of problem: he could continue his lightning ad­ the last two turns and pick up extra victory the front line, not stopping until he had vance, hoping to keep the British from points. reached the secondary line entrenched in the recouping their initial losses, or he could Game-Turns 9 and 10: The German line of field works. hold up, letting his lagging divisions finish player launched his last major attack with all The British player rolled the die for mopping up the rear and join the lead ele­ the divisions he could muster. In the north movement capabilities, but as a result of ment on the front line. Each strategy has its the beleaguered British were totally over­ poor luck on these rolls, was hard pressed to advantages and disadvantages. To continue whelmed and the Germans raced unopposed consolidate the portions of his line that were the advance places the troops in a poor sup­ to the banks of the Somme River. In the in particularly desperate situations. ply status, which threatens their attack abili­ center, on the other hand, the Germans On Turn Two, once again massive ar­ ty. However, such an advance at this time crumpled in their attacks on the strong tillery barrages blew gaping holes in the could very well catch the British in an awk­ British brigades. Six German divisions were British lines, through which the slosslruppen ward SPOt and thus break open the game reduced, and the German forces were so divisions poured into the rear area. After totally in the German's favor. Waiting for weak that the British might have gone on the mopping up what was left of the original the lagging divisions - and, more impor­ attack to recapture Ham. To the south the front line, the German player prepared to at­ tantly, for the headquarters - to come up Germans continued to advance, though at a tack the redoubt line. In the north and provides the German player with mass and much slower pace. No town was captured in center, the Germans had already pushed favorable supply status. this last push. beyond the redoubts and had reached the The German player now felt the effects The British player decided not to outskins of both Vermand in the north and of his own advance; it had been so rapid that counterattack and take back a town. Instead, Cast res in the center. Once again, the British the disruptive force on the cohesion of his he shifted lUlits to the north in hopes of player had little choice but to fall back as far forces was almost as great as on the enemy limi ting the continuing Gennan drive. as possible in t·he best order that he could forces. The next several turns were impor­ On Turn Ten, the Germans attacked in manage. tant. He had either to advance out of suppy the north only. Though the British player So far in this play test, the German ad­ or wait for reinforcements, thus allowing the had moved in reinforcements to this area, vance was about average. He had made British forces also to coalesce. they were not strong enough to stop the Ger­ several important penetrations through the During Turns Four through Six, the mans, who punched through and exited five British lines and was continuing to advance British player suffered no movement restric­ divisions off the map. al 'a steady pace. During Turn Two, he suc­ tions and could thus consolidate his forces With those advances after combat, the ceeded in clearing out the few British units and form cohesive lines to block the German offensive and the game ended. After count­ that threatened his line of supply in the rear advance. The British brigade reinforcements ing up victory points, the British player suc­ area. However, despite these strong initial had also arrived. The British player must ceeded in achievi ng a marginal victory. Keep­ gains, only one reserve German division had make sure to use the brigades cohesively, as ing the strong divisions together in the center been able to move up. one unit, or watch them get cut up piecemeal had proven crucial to the defense. As in most Despite the heavy loss of British units by three or four German divisions acting in other play tests, the last two turns proved to and the sacrifice of much ground, the British unison. be pivotal. Both sides had committed every situation was no worse than could be ex­ Game-Turns 7 and 8: The German last available unit to the do-or-die situation. pected. The Germans were bound to make player decided to try both strategies. On In all tests the game teetered on the edge to several decisive breakthroughs, and the Turn Seven, he waited for the headquarters t he very last moment of play . • • British player had to fall back as best he and rear division to catch up, while launch­ could to maintain a solid line for as long as ing limited attacks on the British line. FEEDBACK RESULTS: MOVES 52 possible. In the event that lone German divi­ These attacks helped him establish a solid Rank Item Rating sions manage to slip into the far rear area, the line through Ham, Brouchy, Ugny Le Gay, I. Designer's Notes 6.87 British player should let them exit the map; Toulle, Douilly, Lanchy, and Tenry. The 2. C'Est La Guerre 6.78 due to their isolation from supplies, they will slight bulge in the center was offset by the be unable to attack at advantageous odds. southern flank, which lagged behind. 3. MOVES in English 6.75 4. Forward Observer The British player can give up half the map The British player meanwhile stacked 6.75 before surffering any adverse effects from the nine service companies he received with 5. Tito Lives! 6.24 German victory points. the powerful brigades in the center; the ser­ 6. Stat Rep: Bulge 6.08 Game-Turns 3-6: On the second day of vice companies would be sacrificed to absorb 7. The Forest for the Trees 5.94 step losses inflicted by the massive German the offensive, air and artillery operations 8. Opening MO VES 5.76 began in force, continuing throughout the attacks. The British line now appeared to Charle-Mail next day. The German advance gained all have steadied. 9. 5.50 along t he map, piercing the redoubt line on On Turn Eight, the German assault was 10. Con Crit 5.45 Turn Three and massing divisions for an launched. In the north the German divisions 11. Conquering the assault on the Crowl Canal by the end of smashed through the British line, gaining Magic Kingdom 5.35 Turn Four. The British line was firming up more territory and capturing Guizancourt. 12. From Sea to nicely along the Canal, but could not hold The attacks in the south, however, made no Shining Sea 5.31 out against the fierce German onslaught. progress. Although no German divisions 13. Photo-Toons 5.19 In the north the Germans reached the were reduced, they only succeeded in barely This issue overall 6.31 last line of British fortifications - the wire capturing Yilleselve. In the center the main