I have been mulling over how to create what I call 'confused tank actions' using IABSM. The
card system of IABSM means that already a fog of war exists and that you can't always move
and fire all units, each turn, at will.
I wanted something even more confused!
Now sometimes its fun to line up the tanks on opposing table edges and unleash the dogs of
war. I wanted something more tactically challenging but on a very open table.
From my understanding of tank actions command really breaks down quickly and forces can
easily manouver into the wrong position, and at the wrong time, presenting the Armoured
Company Commander with a really confusing situation which is hard to co-ordinate and
control.
I like games where players are given very little control. This is what I've come up with. Jez and
I tried it with an all armour clash in the deserts of North Africa with good results.
I wanted to create the conception of a large battlefield where commanders order units forward
into action but have little control over when they arrive, or where. I hoped to arrive at a game
where units can arrive either piecemeal or en mass but mostly in between the two extremes,
but I wanted a random element to it, largely beyond both players control.
I suggest that after working out your unit orbats you work out how many unit blinds are
required and how many fakes you will use.
Number them and give a list to the opposing player, so he has a list of numbers.
The table starts with no units present from either side.
Cards in the pack at this stage will be a 'Blinds Move' for each side, possibly a 'Rapid
Deployment' card too if one, or indeed both, sides merits it.
When a players 'Blinds Move' card is drawn he reveals where he will place a blind on his table
edge, and then asks the other player to give him a number from the list that he presented him
with at the game start.
This could obviously be a fake or a unit but will be a very random thing. The owning player will
know its identity but not the opposing player who chose the number, until it is spotted or is
revealed by its owner.
This situation rapidly results in chaos with units out of an ideal position or failing to turn up as
required. The skill, as commander, is in trying to restore order from chaos and defeat the
enemy. It can be both extremely good fun and very bloody frustrating. However, it is in my
opinion a very accurate recreation of a confused tank action.
There are a number of options available to carry the idea to its extremes. For example; how
about in turn one only one blind can be placed on the table, but in the second and third moves
onwards, two or three blinds can be placed respectively? This helps to foster the idea that
once the enemy is spotted then forces are ordered to the area to attack the enemy or reinforce
a postion.
Alternatively, positions can be numbered and a dice rolled randomly to see where blinds arrive.
As I say, Jez and I tried it and found it very challenging but very good fun.