URBAN OPERATIONS
Tactical level modern urban warfare! This is not the first foray in to this territory by the designer, Sebastien de Peyret. The first was notable for being a solitaire offering. A Week In Hell: The Battle of Hue [2010] was the game in the second issue of Battles magazine, a magazine noted for its in-depth quality reviews. Though the insert games have varied in their success, for me A Week In Hell was one of the real successes both in its system and its graphics quality.
So, what does Urban Operations hold in store. Well, first of all, this new game designed by Sebastien de Peyret is simply overwhelmingly impressive in quality and quantity. For the company, the leap from Phantom Fury to this is indeed a quantum one. From a very attractive, but folio sized map, typical cardboard units and markers, one player aid and one rule book to ... 2 full size [72cm x 54cm] double-sided maps, with a slim river map [72cm x13cm] to join the maps together for some scenarios, a small map with a series of bunker tunnels on one side and a sewer system on the other. Innovative terrain elements integrate familiar hex movement with irregular shaped interiors of buildings, roof tops and the ability in some cases to leap from one to the next. All giving the appearance of looking down from on high at this 3D seeming panorama spread below ...
In addition, there are also four wooden cylinders for use on the map, so perhaps that's where the figure of 160 comes from.
... linked to the Scenarios are 16 double-sided Scenario displays which give you all the set-up details and reinforcements for your troops, including a picture of each block and the Impulse Force that it belongs to. An excellent touch is that when your infantry mount vehicles, you simply take the relevant infantry block from the map and place it on the depiction of the transport block on your display card. Safe to say that like every other item in this game, the layout, use of colour and graphical quality is excellent.
So, far every item and aspect of this product was a stunning revelation. On the physical side only the box containing the game could benefit from one thing - greater solidity. Visually, like all else, it looks highly attractive and very similar -slightly shallower - to the boxes for the Command & Colours series, but it lacks their all important thickness and rigidity for coping with a substantial weight of wooden blocks.
Be warned, a hand on each side of the box, preferably with fingers supporting under the box are advisable. Do not try to pick it up single-handle by one corner and definitely DO Not store heavy games on top of the box. All with have a rapidly down-hill deleterious effect. You have been warned.
There is a depth of rules and detail that I would suggest moves this well into the high category. To be honest, personally I welcome this level of detail. Having tried Worthington's Boots On The Ground which covers virtually identical ground, I was disappointed both by the lack of depth and blandness of the game play.
First of all there is the range of units to consider from the customary infantry, tanks, armoured and un-armoured vehicles to support and logistics units. The latter two form an important chain. Support units can use the limited support [2 steps worth]carried by each platoon to help units who've lost steps in combat to recover them, while logistics units carry their own store of support that the support units can in turn go to replenish their meagre supply. All this involves manoeuvring units in to adjacency; no simple rules here for a set number of supply points that can be used at the end of each turn to build up lost steps.
So, we've located our target, it's in LOS and falls in the correct range. Next the target block may do one of three things [a] withdraw, compulsory under certain circumstances [b] fire back [c] have an eligible friendly unit give covering fire. If either of the last two choices are made that's when you get into using the numbers, looking up modifiers and rolling dice! Not too difficult and I like some of the details, especially the die roll by each player that determines who gets a +1 bonus, but may also produce a critical hit that can go all the way to destruction!
However, this individual combat isn't over yet. Look back at the stats card and you'll also notice the strange red stripe symbols beneath certain range boxes. At these ranges there is residual EP - a single red stripe indicates a radius of 1 EP, two stripes indicates a radius of 2 EPs. Any blocks or Population counters that lie within those residual EP ranges will also be affected and to find what that effect may be you'll need to look up a separate chart on P24 of the rule book. A series of symbols will tell you the type of unit that can be affected and the colour of the symbol will tell you whether it is only friendly blocks that can be affected or both friendly and enemy blocks.
The final coup de grace for some might be that range isn't even counted in a simple ratio of 1 EP equals 1 hex, but needs a separate table as some terrain costs more than 1 EP to see through! But for once don't despair. All is not lost as, in reality, this table is a very simple: nearly all costs associated with walls, apertures and breaches are 2EPs, while other costs are 1EP. Similarly, the Movement Cost table is far simpler than most games that include infantry and a range of different types of vehicle.
I strongly believe that the programmed method introduced to the wargaming world many years ago in the revered Squad Leader would have greatly benefited Urban Operations. As it is, the rule book can be a daunting and intimidating prospect. Never mind the breadth of ideas, the innovative nature of many of them adds to the task. My advice is skim the rules to get an overall impression and then create your own programmed learning path. Start with a simple scenario with low unit density and only infantry [Lead The Way, the first scenario in the Mogadishu Scenario book, is perfect - its title almost seems to be ironically shouting out "Hey this is the one to get started with!"]
This will introduce you to basic movement and firing/assault, while gaining familiarity with the blend of hexes and room areas and some of the issues of LOS. This is better handled than in many games, though not without its uncertainties. However, considering the issues of dealing with buildings, rooftops, apertures and breaches, much here is clean and well dealt with. It will also introduce you to Population counters, again a relatively new element to contend with in gaming terms and how to use Support unit blocks.
Taken in this manner, a potentially steep learning curve starts to look a little more like starting on the nursery slopes until eventually tackling the dangers of off-piste skiing. To continue the analogy, there will be plenty of falls along the way.
My first and a totally simple, practical one illustrates my point only too well. Having neatly bagged up all my blocks, carefully labeling each bag with the relevant infantry platoon, tank platoon, escort platoon and so on, I discovered that each Scenario creates Impulse Forces [that operate together when activated] built up from units drawn from different platoons.
So, now before I play a Scenario for the first time, I record which platoon bags I have to draw units from. That way the next time the scenario is played I can quickly locate the right units and also quickly return them to the right bag at the end of the game.
However, the main spills and falls come from a lack of clarity and precision particularly where the rules are innovative. The game is already throwing up a fairly high rate of queries and uncertainties about rule meaning and interpretations. [At times, this can come down to something as simple as uncertainty about unit set up in the Scenario I've recommended to start play with.]
By all means use the questions and answers on forums like Boardgamegeek, but only when you absolutely need to. Far too many people in the gaming world seem to want to throw up endless questions when they clearly have done nothing except READ the rules and have made no attempt to play a game. Time and time again, you'll find that what appears difficult on the page starts to make sense as you play the game. Otherwise, you'll doom yourself to rules indigestion and potential abandonment of the system.
Sorry, I'll put my soap-box away, but I'm only too aware of how many people have been put off buying games in the past by too much questioning of rules in the abstract without getting down and trying to play the game.
To further round out the impression of this game, I'd also like to list just a few of the many successful aspects of Urban Operations. So, in no particular order ... An easy, more realistic and concrete handling of "supply" through Supply and Logistics units on the map needing to move into contact. Activation by platoon with a simple chain of command that affects the number of units within a platoon that may be activated. The concept of three operational levels that diminish as you take hits, along with elite, veteran and recruit status that can mitigate or intensify the effect of hits.
The explanation of LOS generally, but especially the handling of fire from apertures [mainly doors and windows] with unobtrusive map markings that avoid ambiguity . The system for mounting and dismounting from vehicles, with straightforward marking by symbols on the stats cards of a transported unit's weight and a vehicle's capacity.
The procedure for what are called 3D actions [e.g. helicopter reconnaissance, drones, mortar/artillery fire etc]which is dealt with through the use of Support cards - more interesting and visual than simple Air points, more abstract than actual units on the map, but a good comprise for an area that can be difficult [need I mention Advanced Squad Leader here!]
Finally, Combat. I know I've pointed out the complexities, but the eventual outcomes and the fact that the target has three possible options of response and the introduction of collateral damage through the idea of Weapon's Effect make it well worthwhile getting to grips with.
Price 75 Euros
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