Hello,

Just received these rules the other day, they look like they're going to work great as a way to run games using 3mm miniatures, which I've suddenly got a hankering for. I have a couple of questions based on an initial read-through:

- Any recommendations for bases? I'm starting from scratch so I can go with what's the best bet. Off the cuff I'm leaning towards using the sizes from the Canadian Wargames Group's Great Battles of WWII - 1.5" (which I might round up to 40mm) frontages, with the same ground scale. I'm not sure those would fit in with the deployment restrictions though (e.g. 4").

- I see where the loss of brigade or divisional HQ's cause penalties to their sub-units, but don't see anything about HQ's elsewhere. I'm pretty sure I didn't gloss over these while reading through things. Would they just be equivalent to a detachment, with say signals and MP functions? Barring a breakthough it'd probably be artiller or airpower that did them in.

My initial project thoughts are for Juno Beach and afterwards, Poland 1939, France 1940. I may look into trying these for Korea as well.

Thanks,
Chris

Hi Seej and welcome. The forums are vewy vewy quiet, but i'll always check in and answer when i can.

I have played on maps uing arrows and using 2mm forces based on 1"x1" but ive also used 15mm flames of w ar. 3MM based as you suggest should work fine.

A key benifit is making a few counters out of card for "Concentrated" and "Defensive" formations etc, so that you can clearly see what unit is in what state. Cohesion counters are best represented by glass beads or similar.
Battalion HQ losses are factored into the cohesion losses and morale checks. Brigade HQ loss is a modifier on the Order Table. (Example:An Engaged unit with no Brigade HQ will only obay orders on a 3+)

Ive done Lodtz (poland), Sword Beach and surprisingly Dein bein phu with Schwerepunkt and all ran well except Sword which diddnt simulate airpower well, due to the massive amounts avalible. For playability, you have to cut down the Allied resources or its simply a game of "Germans Lose on turn 1"

Hope your first games go well. I have found SP works best in "Double Blind games" where units are placed on table by umpires when they enter threat ranges. Its intensive for the umpire, but creates a real atmosphere and game experience for the players, heading into the main room to veiw the main table after plotting movement on maps

For a simple system, schwerepunkt is surprisingly tactically complex. If you need advice or support, juts shout out!


Tommi


_________________
We then shall lead more happy Lives,
By getting rid of Brats and Wives,
That Scold and Vex us Night and Day,
o'er the Hills and far away;

Thanks Tommi, I'll go with my basing plan then. I was thinking of looking at Litko for some of the markers, and using a folded tent of cardboard for other markers as needed.

I guess my questions around brigade and divisional HQ's are: are they stands on the map, and what function do they have (other than being bad to lose)?

Thanks also for the heads up about the D-Day airpower overload.

I do like the simple system with complex effects, I've read other rule sets for this scale and had my eyes glaze over, my first read through yesterday was a snap.

Cheers,
Chris (also aka Seejman)

seejman wrote:

Thanks Tommi, I'll go with my basing plan then. I was thinking of looking at Litko for some of the markers, and using a folded tent of cardboard for other markers as needed.

I guess my questions around brigade and divisional HQ's are: are they stands on the map, and what function do they have (other than being bad to lose)?

Thanks also for the heads up about the D-Day airpower overload.

I do like the simple system with complex effects, I've read other rule sets for this scale and had my eyes glaze over, my first read through yesterday was a snap.

Cheers,
Chris (also aka Seejman)

Hi Chris.
They are stands on the map/table. Because they have , as a detached company and with usually light weapons, a very low combat potential, its advisable to simply put them hidden out of harms way. Specialist signaller units increase the chance of orders being successfully made, but each unit is assumed to have radios at this level and so units can still receive orders from the Army Commander (The player) when the BHQ and DHQ are destroyed, its just its a lot harder, because the player is having to micromanage the army using his own off table command.

I usually have a house rule that if the BHQ or DHQ is actually destroyed, then the sub-units cant receive orders for one turn. They will simply fight in place. Ive only ever seen one destroyed in near on 100 games. A Stuka strike knocked out the DHQ and left the allied player pretty much stationary. The germans used the time to encircle and that was the end of the game.

Hope that helps. Have fun

Tommi


_________________
We then shall lead more happy Lives,
By getting rid of Brats and Wives,
That Scold and Vex us Night and Day,
o'er the Hills and far away;

Thanks Tommi, that does help.

Chris

Have a question about detached companies. Per the rules they can't support a unit or be supported, but is there a way to account for an armour company being attached to an infantry battalion and parceled out to the infantry companies, or the Russian habit of having infantry riding tanks, so the bigger unit avoids the penalties for being a single arm?

Thanks,
Chris

Hi Seej

Sorry for the delay, I only check in here once a week or so.

I know armour companies sometimes split and penny packeted out to Infanty battalions companies, but in Schwerepunkt, because of the scale, its not taken into account. theres no worries of having an independent company working alongside a infantry battalion or even alongside independent companies of infantry, but really the basic unit is the battalion level.

During development, i tried getting down to companies as a basic unit, but it really dosnt work. You have 21+ units in a regiment, which makes hundreds of units to monitor in a divisional fight. Thats why Infantry units have an antitank value, because they have integral heavy weapons and antitank platoons. The Morter companies are factored into the Firepower etc etc.

Russian Tank riders are an interesting point. I see no problem with just allowing an Light (leg) infantry company sharing a Tank Battalions movement if they deploy alongside it and remain with it all move. They should count as moving in the open though because they are going to be very vunerable.

Definatly worth seeing how it plays out. Funnily enough, I'm working on a scenario for my group at the moment 1944 Russia. I might give that a go.

Have you played any games as yet, and if so how did they go?

Best wishes.


_________________
We then shall lead more happy Lives,
By getting rid of Brats and Wives,
That Scold and Vex us Night and Day,
o'er the Hills and far away;

Hi Tommi,

Thanks for the reply and suggestions. I'd be interested in hearing how your trial with tank-riding Russians goes. Haven't done more than push pieces of paper around to get a feel for things, still need to work up what my ordering plan for 3mm is. Which means figuring out what I want to do for an initial period and force...

Cheers,
Chris