• Michael "6+3 Conklin

Just got HOB’s SS II in the mail yesterday, and thought as always I would tell you what I thought.

As always, any opion expressed is my own.

What you get: No surprise as most of the information has been on the web, you get a full countersheet of black (SS) and red (Berserk) counters, with some vehicles. 8 scenarios, a page with the chapter H data on three new vehicles, and possible use for the "Hitler" counter, provided in black here, or Feldgray in BRV. Also an ad for Hell on Wheels (I’m ordering mine next week).

The Counters: Full OB (of 26 a-z) for 4-6-8s, 4-4-7s and 4-3-6s including 14 half squads for each. All in black with the death heads symbol and the morale appropirately underlined. I’m not sure on the justification of inexperienced infantry with underlined morale. "They may be conscripts, but they are elite conscripts." Rounding out the 1/2" black counters are 10 additional "?" counters, 14 black turrent counters, the 6-0 Hitler, a Goliath, a Field Phone, 4 ATRs, and a Death Head/Good Guys turn marker. 4 PzVIE(L)s, 6 PzVIEs, 4 PzVIBs, 2 JgPz V, 6 PzV Gs, 2 PzV Ds, 4 PzII Fs, 2 PzII(Fl)s, 2 StuG IIIBs, 2 JgPzIV(L)s, StG IIIG, FlaKrieg 38, PSW L2H43, Daimler DZVR, and 2 B IV Pzgr (the latter three vehicles being introduced in this module). Also 4 SMC prisoner counters, divided by morale. 44 Berserk red counters, with equivlent half squads on the back.

The counters look good, though as I said above, the 4-3-6 with underlined morale are a bit much. The berserk unit counters cry to be used just once, in a surprise move, but may provide more counter storage problems than they are useful. Not so sure on the usefulness of the SMC prisoner counters, though the idea isn’t bad. Would SMC prisoners maintain their standard morale (MMC don’t).

The Scenarios:

Be reminded that I just got this yesterday, and haven’t had a chance to play any of these, but if the first set is an indication, these are probably excellent.

FF 7: Monastir Gap. North Greece, 11 April 1941. Greek and British Troops try to hold back the 1st SS Panzer Division in the mountains. Dug in Greeks and SS on motorcycles.

FF 8:"Send in the Sand Rabbits" Ziegenhagen, Pomerania, 8 February 1945. Russians attempt to ambush some Tigers and Assualt guns, with a 100mm AT Gun and an ISU-152 until the IS2s can arrive. "Big Toys"

FF 9:Ghost of Napolean. Artemki, Russia, 14 October 1941. SS need to dig elite Russians out of the Board 12 village again. SS engineers.

FF 10: Blackjack is Back! Near Cologne, Germany. 15 February 1945. The SS meet the American M26 Pershing. Enough said.

FF 11: Tough Luck. 5 August 1944. Wola, Warsaw. SS and Partisans battle it out in the city. Both sides have Combat points in order to buy additional troops or fortifications.

FF 12: Hitler’s Samurai. Wolomin, Poland. 26 August 1944. SS defend against a Russian combined assault. Lots of Armor for the Russians.

FF 13: Death Ride. Kursk. 30 July 1943. SS must drive the Russians from the board 2 hills, or board 11 hill and board 43 farm. Tigers and infantry against dug in troops and T34 reinforcments.

FF 14: Operation Rosselsprung. Drvar, Yugoslavia. 25 May 1944. 6 Maps wide, 41 Partisans on board with AA guns, and an L6/40. Caves. 26 SS dropped in by Air Drop on turn 1, 15 more with 5 assualt engineers and RCLs by glider on turn 2. Capture Tito, or Take the Caves on one end and the Town on the other. 11 turns. This is a must play or groups or individuals with a lot of time. Looks like a blast.

All the scenarios are in the HOB non-AH layout they introduced in Fortress Cassino. The do use the standard AH (MMP/Hasbro) artwork. I truly do want to play FF 14.

The rule sheet provide gives the rules for the Hitler counter, and use of the new vehicles. Since none of the scenarios use the vehicles, ownership of Berlin: Red Vengence is required. It also has the little bit of errata for SS #1. The back has the Chapter H data for the new vehicles.

If I have a complaint with this set, it is very minor. I use a computer data base to track my scenarios, so each has a defenate number. Since the first pack was numbers NQNG 1-6 (No Quarter, No Glory!). and this pack is FF 7-14, the number system frustrating. I think I’ll just number the SS 1 - 14. Hope you don’t mind HOB.

I recommend this for anyone who has the first set. Even if you don’t it is worth it for the scenarios. Great Job HOB.

• Goerge Grella george_grella@pop3.decisionanalytics.com

When making a decision to purchase some ASL product, especially by a third party, I can’t get enough information from other players, no matter how subjective. So in appreciation, I’m proving my perspective on the new HOB package Waffen-SS II Fuhrer’s Firemen. Not that it would make any difference...

What you get for your US $20 + shipping, is a cover sheet, 4 heavy stock scenario cards containing 8 scenarios, two rules pages covering some extra HOB features for B:RV and a sheet of counters. The counters are generally as spiffy as those for NQNG and as nicely cut. The sheet provides black SS versions of 468s, 447s and 436s, the latter two fulfilling the needs of some of the some of the new scenarios as well as allowing B:RV players to cover their mapsheet in black-clad bad guys. There are 26 count each of the FS and 14 each of their respective HS.

The new sheet also adds a few extra SWs; field phone, Goliath, ATRs, and Panther/Tiger specific turret counters to go with the 8 new Panther and 14 new Tiger/King Tiger counters, all in black. The AFVs are rounded out with 4 PzIIFs to replace the ones in the previous package, 2 PZII(Fl)s, 2 StuG IIBs, 2 JgPz Vs, 2 JgPz IV(L)s, and a StuG IIIG. There’s a FlaKvrlg 38, but I don’t see it used in any of the enclosed scenarios. For those with B:RV, the extras are intriguing; a black Hitler counter [to make him less conspicuous amongst the black SS(?)], two vehicles that come with him as "escort," a PSW L2H43 and Daimler DZVR, and two B IV Pzjgr, along with the rules for them. Hitler himself, if used in B:RV, acts like a super Commissar for rally purposes [he automatically Rallies units] and also an instant winner for the Soviets is he’s ever captured. Of course, he can try and commit suicide...

While the graphic quality of most of the counters is excellent, the Daimler and B IV pieces are disappointingly generic - perhaps these are the only original designs in the package? Compensating are the extra goodies, which I find very nice indeed; red counters with 10 morale level that replace the "Berserk" markers - these cover all Firepower-Range combinations outside of the Japanese - which, when flipped over, show the corresponding Berserk HS, single man prisoner counters, with Morale and Leadership modifiers, which I think is a brilliantly convenient idea, and my favorite, a new turn marker, a white SS Death’s Head printed on black on one side, the Allies symbols on the other with the description "Good Guys."

The scenarios are in the same layout as NQNG and cover 6 small to medium tournament selections and two larger ones. A quick review shows;

FF7 - Monastir Gap 4/11/41, Greece - Green Greeks and reinforcing British defend against 9 468 equivalents over 7 turns. The goal is CVPs.

FF8 - Send in the Sand Rabbits 2/8/45, Pomerania - Small German force of infantry and heavy armor attack Russians, who have a tank trap of a 100L AT gun(!) and ISU-152(!!), plus reinforcements. Gain CVPs over 7 turns.

FF9 - Ghost of Napolean 10/14/41, Russia - Elite Russians defend a last push to Moscow by 468s and a couple engineer squads with assualt guns. 7 turns of fighting for Board 12 buildings.

FF10 - Blackjack is Back! 2/15/45, Cologne - An elite American company with Shermans and the new Pershing [SSR gives it a Gyro.] attack a village of 9 mixed quality SS, an assualt gun and 2 Panthers. Kill or be killed for 6 turns.

FF11 - Tough Luck 8/5/44, Warsaw - The Kaminski Brigade, described as the thugs they were, attempts to rescue a garrison surrounded by the AK home army. More complex VCs include sudden death wins to the AK, turns 3-8. "Fog of War" provided by the interesting OB, which both give forces and points to purchase the remaining OB.

FF12 - Hitler’s Samurai 8/26/44, Poland - Dug in SS with heavy armor reinforcements face and Armor/Infantry assualt by elite Russians with OBA and Sturmoviks. CVPs give the win after 8 turns.

FF13 - Death Ride 7/30/43, Kursk - The SS attacks a hill and must clear it to win after 8 turns. Even with Stukas, Nebelwerfers, Assualt Engineers and 6 Tigers, it’s no sure thing agains Russian Infantry, HMGs, 4 dug-in T34s, Mortar, ART and AT support and 6 T34s to the rescue. High density of pieces over 8 turns.

FF14 - Operation Rosselsprung 5/25/44, Yugoslavia - The monster in the pack, this is HOB version of Operation Knight’s Move. The difference with this one? Start with 6 boards, then land a full battalion of SS, via parachutes. And don’t forget the second battalion that comes in on the gliders, complete with recoilless rifles. There’s those Stukas buzzing the landscape too. And all to capture poor Tito, mister 10-3 huddled in his Cave [yes, a Cave]. Plus he’s got 310 of his closest Partisan friends with him, HMGs, 4 mortars, 3 Bofors AA guns and an Italian built L6/40 - and the SS with no ‘Faust/ATMM capability. Later on, 100 more Partisans joing the party. Eleven turns of this; either grab Tito or control/eliminate the cave and all stone locations on board 3. I’m always puzzled how the Germans thought it worthwhile to mount such a operation at this stage of the war; where was the strategic value?

While the counters are strongly produced, the graphic quality of the scenario cards is mixed, and that is from unit to unit printed on the cards themselves. Some are sharp, some a fuzzy, and the SdKfz 2s on FF14 are just plain squirrely. SSRs stay firmly within the scope and nature of the rule book, and the only obvious error I’ve seen so far is on FF13, where an OB note refers to the incorrect SSR, but the answer in this case is obvious. The scenarios are a nice mix of unit types and situations and seemed geared towards maximum mayhem - which is not a value judgement.

This is good, strong ASL product, and the proof and true value is in how the scenarios play. There is a particular quality, however, which I find in this and other third party packages, which keeps it from being truly polished and professional, and that is the writing. HOB could have used an extra set of eyes for spotting errors, but they need some better editing along with proofreading. My favorite part of any scenario card is the Historical Perspective, and I look for something that gives me a concise context and a strong flavor of the battle, preferably with an anecdote or epigraph. Style is more important to me than length, since so much of length is so often filled witht he most common cliches. There are problems on these cards. Along with some bad and consistent spelling and word choice problems; "them selves," "tasked with the roll[sic],"the Arian[sic-they were Aries’?] men," there is bad grammar and bad writing. The "About" page has this phrase: "In late 1942, the political struggle within the SS caved in..." No political struggle had been mentioned before, and does the struggle as a whole cave in? Soldiers ‘were’ awaiting an attack, not "Awaiting this attack was the well dug in Soldiers..." The aftermath of FF8 mentions this: "Kauerauf punched his way out of town...He and his Tiger never made it out." Well, which is it, did he punch his way out or not? The same card describes Sand Rabbits, who were men, as being "destroyed," when there are more appropriate choices. FF13 says "only the shattered hulks of the 23rd’s tanks could were visible."

Now this kind of thing doesn’t make or break the product for me, nor I assume for a lot of other players, but it is something I notice. Much of ASL material is written after all, and there’s no reason publishers shouldn’t strive for the best writing they can, and while the third party producers add value to ASL in general, this weakness in writing helps maintain a broad gulf between their work, no matter how enjoyable as ASL it is, and that of AH/MMP. Hopefully, as I and others encourage the third party makers with our dollars, they will continue to improve the quality of their work in every detail.