Matt's "Wanna Play" List

Here's a list of scenarios that I'd like to play. In some cases, a scenario is here because I already had a good time playing it. In others, the scenarios just look cool. Some of these may not be considered well balanced, but in those cases a less experienced player can negotiate a balance to make the game more interesting.

Eastern Front

The Trap at Targul Frumos [Z19] This one looks very cool, but I think the Germans have the edge. Still, it's a great combined arms situation.

Hitler's Samurai (FF12) This looks like a pretty nifty late war brawl on village/open boards. 

One Eye to the West (NQNG! 6)  It seems to get played a bunch, so I'll have to give it a try.  Possibly a little tough on the Russians.

Siberian Woods (NFNH-7)  This looks like a pretty cool combined arms bash with a lot of units.  Boards 5 and 13.  I'm not a big fan of board 13, but I'd like to give it a try.

Himmler's House (J89)  Deluxe slugfest in Berlin, April 1945.

Pesky Pachyderms (SP98)  Elefants and Brummbaers at Kursk, tourney sized.  Of course I want to play it!

The Bitter End (NFNH14) This is a Gotterdamerung heavy metal brawl in 1945, with 36 Russian AFVs, including three IS-3s!

Broadway to Prokhorovka [J-KURSK-CG] What could be cooler? This mini-CG looks great and has a very high replay value.

The Last Tiger [SP74] I've seen people playing this at the tournament. This looks like a good small combined arms action. Eastern Front, Tiger, Rhino and friends against IS-2, Shermans, ISU-152 et al.

Bottom of the Barrel [CH71]  This is a late-war scenario featuring some flak vehicles, including a Wirblewind, against a Soviet attack. 

The Predators (CH8) I'm beginning to really like Kursk scenarios, and this one has a variable order of battle for the Russians. ROAR has it 15-8 in favor of the Russians as of 26 May 2004, but I'd be happy to take the Germans. They get 5 Tigers! Rick Reinesch and I played this a couple of times and had a pair of really good games.

Schwerpunkt (CH22) East Front Heavy Metal. It looks like it favors the Germans, but I wouldn't mind taking the Russians here, especially if there is a gap in experience levels between opponents. It sure looks like a fun one.

Dress Rehearsal (J52) I've heard the Germans are favored. Against less experienced players, I'll take the Russians straight up. Or you can give me the Germans, and make my order of battle choices. You have to like that deal. First come, first served.

Showtime [J54] This is one of my favorite scenarios. You have to love the Order of Battle choices; it has a very high replay value. Since I've played it a few times, what I'd like to do next is play a "challenge match" (as designer Pete Shelling calls it): each guy chooses his opponent's order of battle. That way some of the lesser-used choices would come into play.

Hube's Pocket (G)  This situation looks pretty interesting as the Germans try to protect a convoy from Soviet attack. 

Bunker Burning (OtO 2)

Fire from the Hole (OtO 3)

The Orsha Plain (OtO 4) Big.

Sparkplug (OtO 6)

Falling Like Dominos (OtO 7)

Tooth and Nail (OtO 8)

Another Bloody Morning (OtO 5) Big.

Hornet's Nest (OB 2) This is a pretty cool situation with the onus on the Russians to press the attack hard over open terrain in the face of 5 Nashorns among other things.

Motoring to Mogilev (OB 4) This is a tight tourney sized bridge crossing action.

Where's the Beef? (OB 7) Seven T-34s assist Soviet infantry in taking a town from some German landsers before the Panthers can arrive to save the day.

Bloody Bobruisk (OB 8) Large city fight with combined arms on both sides.

Tangle at Tolochin (OB 5) Where else do you get to play with a couple of 170Ls?

Hoffmeister's Charge (OB 6) A German 10-3 leads a desperate assault to seize a bridge crossing, but the small Russian force is supported by Sturmoviks and artillery.

Shootout at Slutsk (OB 11) A big, swirling battle with variable reinforcements for the Germans which determine the victory conditions for the Russians. Cool idea.

The Cat's Lair (OB 13) A powerful Russian combined arms force has to overcome some Panthers and Tigers to assault a village and penetrate the lines.

Fangs of the Tiger (SP87) Combined arms, board 49, looks small enough for a tourney game.

Assaulting Tes (SP89) This one looks fast and furious, with a lot of action packed into 6 turns.

Seelow Seesaw (SP92) Big nasty fight at the end of the war.

Storming the Factory (D3)  This a good lesson in factory defense and attack.

First to Strike (D4)  This deluxe fight is a little bit vanilla, but it's well-balanced and therefore makes a good tourney contest.

With Flame and Shell (D7)  Well balanced.  Flamethrowing tanks.

The Schoolhouse (D8) What's not to like about these deluxe slugfests?  The Russians seem heavily favored.  I'd be happy to try my hand at the Germans against someone with less experience in order to get a balanced game.

Preparing the Way (D9)  Six Panthers in a deluxe brouhaha.  Me likes.

Draconian Measures (D6) Another cool deluxe fight. Good fog of war with the victory conditions.

The Commissar's House (4) This is an oldie but goodie. I'd play it again any time.

The Ring (AP1) We wants it, yess, my Precious! What a great looking action with plenty going on and good replay value too! Ash nazg durbatuluk indeed.

Red Storm (AP9) Huge late war scenario. And the rarely seen T-44 makes an appearance. Cool.

Kampfgruppe at Karachev (J23) A popular tourney scenario, this one often comes down to the wire.

Brandenburger Bridge (Z5) This is quite an interesting situation. A German elite commando battalion tries to hold a brige against Russian counterattack in 1941.

Hill 621 (E) I've always wanted to play this behemoth of a scenario.

The Slaughterhouse (J33) Another classic, late war action on the Eastern Front. City fighting.

Hill 253.5 (T7) This one has a little bit of everything, all in a one-board, tourney-sized scenario.

The Final Battle [D10] This is a huge, nasty city fight at the end of the war as the Russian juggernaut reaches Berlin.

Beyond the PAKfronts [ASLUG1] A dynamic Kursk action pitting Stugs against Grants (among other things).

Breaching Maloarchangelsk [TOT37] A real Kursk slugfest. I want to use those funky funklenks!

Eye of the Tiger [WCW7] A Classic. Following closely on the heels of a barrage of 280mm naval gunfire from the Prinz Eugen, a Tiger, two Pumas, and a couple of Mark IVs with infantry support try to take a little crossroads town in Latvia from some Russians supported by T-34s and an SU-85.

Red Barricades CG III I think I'd prefer to play the Germans, but I'd certainly take the Russians too. I'd really like to mix it up in a full Barrikady campaign.

Red Barricades CG IV This is supposed to be a pretty cool campaign too, getting players right into the thick of it right away.

The Liberators [G34] Choose your OB, late war heavy metal.

Acts of Defiance [A68] A classic set in Breslau, 1945. Some rarely used weapons make an appearance here, such as the T-44, Brummbar, and the goliath.

The Mius Trap [SP79] Another tourney sized action I saw played at the Austin ASL Team Tournament. I'd give it a go.

Powderworks [PB-CH B]  Germans vs. Russians in 1942.  Two boards, 8 turns, combined arms.

Nel Nome di Roma [TAC 54]  Italians vs. Russians in 1941.  This is a mortar fan's scenario for sure.

Big Cats at Bay [TAC 49]  This is a 1945 slugfest featuring lots of tanks on both sides.  

Directive Number Three [AP7]  Russia, 1941.  This is a massive tank battle, but playable in a reasonable amount of time nonetheless.

Swamp Cats [AP11]  This is a popular combined-arms dustup.  There's quite a lot going on.

Other ETO

Rolling Thunder (NEWS 40) You don't see many really big scenarios set in France 1940.  This one has a lot going on.

The RHA at Bay (PB 2)  This is a tourney sized scenario in France 1940 that I've heard some good things about.

Shootout at Singling (ASLUG 5)  It looks like a challenge for the Americans, but should be a fun contest.

Raw Deal (PB 6)  I had a good match against Zeb in this one.  I like the variable OBs, which is why I'd like to give it another shot or two.

Blood on Hill 192 (BtB 7)  A big bocage bash between Americans and Germans.

Steel Inferno (BtB8 8)  Another big bocage bash, this time between British and Germans.  There's an AVRE too.

Firestorm in St. Manview (BtB 4)  The British get 3 Crocodiles and a 150mm creeping barrage, while the Germans get one of those nifty
SPW 251/16 flamethrower halftracks that can shoot toward both sides of the vehicle.  I've always wanted to play one of those, and Crocodiles
are cool too.

Foret de Nieppe (NFNH-5)  I like the look of this Brits-vs.-Germans matchup.  Lots of units but only 7 turns, it's not very heavy on the vehicles although there are a bunch of carriers.

Escape to Wiltz (J88)  I think this one will be a tourney favorite.  It's a good size, and features a cool tactical situation, with Americans trying to break through a small German force and exit, while being pursued from the other side by another group of Germans.

The Feineisen Factor (SP99) Jadgtigers are the feature in this tourney sized action with Germans vs. Americans.

Cat's Kill (G21)  Hitlerjugend vs. Canadians at night.  I've never played much night, especially with tanks roaming about.  This looks fun to try.

Chance D'une Affaire (U)  This is a good France 1940 tourney-sized standby.

Unlucky Thirteenth (J68)  Another tourney-sized action in 1940 France.

For Whom the Bells Toll (SP103)  Carentan.  Screaming Eagles, SS, Stugs, Marders, Shermans, 2 boards, 6.5 turns.

Easy's Bridge (SP104)  Market Garden, infantry only action, with the All Americans trying to take the Maas River bridge.

After the Tea Break (SP106) Brits, American paratroopers, SS, combined arms, 2 boards, 6.5 turns.

Searing Soltau (SP108)  Wasps and Crocodiles?  Yes please.  Tourney sized.

Stand at Festubert (SP40)  This would probably require me to read the Carrier rules, and also read the Carrier article in the Journal.  It's a tourney-sized action set in France 1940 between Brits and Germans.

The McCown Encounter (SP85) SS armored company vs. Americans in the Bulge.

Bridge at Stavelot (SP86) More SS vs. Americans in the Bulge.

Skirting the Mace (SP90) Free Poles against SS in 1944 France.

Husum Hotfoot (SP96) Comets and Wasps. Need I say more?

Suffer the Children  (CH23)  A Warsaw 1939 scenario on a couple of deluxe boards.

Across the Wurm (CH72)  Unique terrain due to the use of the Village-40 overlay.  Americans vs. Germans in 1944.  There's even a Crocodile.

Denouement (TOT 32)  This looks like a well-balanced, tourney-sized encounter between Brits supported by Challenger and Cromwell tanks, against German infantry led by a 10-3.

Push Comes to Shove (TOT 31)  This is a huge manwich of a scenario: 4 boards, 10.5 turns, 30 AFVs, and a 10-3, and OBA.  

Pyrrhic Victory (TAC 53)  I like this action set in Greece in 1941 between Brits and Germans.  It has combined arms on both sides, air support, and a twilight SSR.

Among the Ruins (21) I think this one is a challenge for the Americans, because it's 6-morale vs. 8-morale, but it still looks fun. I like the challenge of playing the Americans and I think they can win.

In the Bag (J61) This is a scenario that has just about everything: OBA, Wirblewind, Air Support, Panthers, Jacksons, and even a couple of Jumbos.

Priests on the Line (J74)  Brush up on the bocage rules.  

Abandon Ship! (G44) This is a nifty tourney-sized bulge action on board 24.

The Island (AD4) Now that we have sensible rules for bocage in the v2 rulebook I'm ready to tackle some of these. This one looks interesting. Tigers, OBA, British vs. Germans.

Merzenhausen Zoo (J19) Simply one of the coolest scenarios there is.

The Weigh In [J25] Early war: Poles and Germans.  The Poles have a strong edge in my opinion, but it's a fun scenario nevertheless.

Round One [84] Poles and Germans square off in the city.

Round Two [J26] Another neat combined arms action with Germans vs. Poles.

Château de Quesnoy [A64] For this one, the defending French should probably have their setup ready beforehand. It's pretty involved.

The Mailed Fist (Z12 repub.) [AD13] French vs. Germans in a combined arms action.

Parker's Crossroads [G26] Large. Bulge.

Peiper's Progress [O1] Bulge, and board 24. Looks like a good tourney-sized action.

Cross of Lorraine [SP17] Western Front urban slobberknocker.

Flaming of the Guard [SP76] This one looks short but fierce on some cool boards.

Hill of Death [G36] Six Tigers. Need I say more?

Fighting Back [86] Poles on the attack?! Long but not very complicated it seems to me.

Backs to the Orne [SP67] Cool looking combined arms with SS vs. Brits.

One Tough Canuck [SP72] Another cool looking combined arms with SS vs. Canadians this time.

Action at Kommerscheidt [U6] Western front, 1944. Germans vs. Americans on boards 12 and 44. Air support, mist, OBA.

Weissenhof Crossroads [U8] I'm not a big fan of board 13, but this could still be an interesting scenario. I like the 150* assault guns. Another bulge action with Germans against Americans.

Setting the Woods on Fire [Z23] A variable-entry running battle in the woods between British paratroopers and Germans during the Market-Garden operation. I love the last SSR, which disallows kindling despite the scenario title.

Chestnuts!  Hot Chestnuts! [TAC 37]  Canadians vs. SS in France, 1944.  Fireflies, Crabs, a Crocodile, and some Panthers all make an appearance.

There Once Was a Little Column... [TAC 28]  This looks like a nifty Bulge scenario with American paratroopers supported by M5 tanks and a couple of Shermans against Panzergrenadiers and tanks.  At 7 turns, it looks like a tourney-sized action.

Sad Baptism [TAC 20]  You don't often see scenarios with second-line troops on both sides.  Here's one, with Americans and Germans, plus a few tanks.

Christmas Fields [TAC 19]  Slightly on the larger side (9 turns, 3 boards), this Bulge firefight pits US paratroopers and Hellcats against volksgrenadiers and panzergrenadiers with armor support.

Get Up Kids! [TAC 10]  More Bulge.  10.5 turns, 4 boards, combined arms.

Trap in Carpiquet [TAC 7]  Three boards, 11 turns, Canadians against SS.  A Firefly, a Crocodile, and several Shermans support the Canadian infantry, while the SS has a couple of Panthers and an 88L.

"I Remember" [TAC 4]  Italy 1943.  Canadians vs. Germans.  4 boards, 10 turns.

A Few Rounds [HS32]  The main attraction here is to test fire the Sturmtigers.

Cold Crocodiles [A25]  This old classic is probably on everyone's list.  It has stood the test of time.

Hervorst Hell [HS21]  A chance to use AVREs and Crocodiles in a moderate size scenario.

Married Up [HS20]  9.5 turns, 1.5 boards, Canadians with generous armor support attacka German fortified position.

Bewildered and Belligerent [HS19]  Less than 1 board and only 6 turns, this Germans vs. British action looks to be playable in a few hours.

A Breezeless Day [AP3]  Jacksons, JagdTigers, flamethrowing tank.  A big, fun scenario.

Ace in the Hole [AP14]  The attraction here is the Pershing tank.  This scenario is proving to be popular.

The Road to Wiltz [P]  This a big scenario, with 15 turns and a lot of units.  It looks like a lot of fun.

Shoot-N-Scoot [G29]  A combined arms, SS vs. Americans, Bulge scenario on 2 boards with 8.5 turns.

PTO

Land of the Khan (CH25)  There just aren't enough Chinese-Japanese scenarios.  This one looks balanced, is 8 turns, 3 boards, has a river with a pontoon bridge, a choice among 3 victory conditions which is great for fog of war fans, and ABS handicap if you want to bid or tweak the balance a little more than usual.

Show a Little Guts! (SP91) A short PTO bash.

Burn Gurkha Burn! (SP95) Cool title. PTO.

KP 167 (70) This Bataan action would make a good three-player game too, since the American forces attack on both sides.

Totsugeki! (A60) Okay, it's been played a gajillion times, but it's popular for a reason. If you want a quick tourney-sized action in the PTO, this will fit the bill. Games have been known to end with nary a unit left!

Maggot Hill (A117) This is a large PTO scenario played on the Nhpum Ga map. It looks intense.

Battlin' Buckeyes (J2)  Combined arms for both sides is a bit uncommon in this theater.  This is a good tourney-sized game which gives both sides plenty of action.

White Tigers (A47) Ghurkas vs. Japanese in the rain. Cool.

The Bushmasters (66) Intense jungle fighting action. It may favor the Japanese, but the Americans are fun to play.

The Tiger of Toungoo [AD10] Japanese vs. Chinese in a city fight on deluxe boards.

Orange at Walawbum (SCA5 re.) [A82] PTO jungle fighting.

Gojira!!! [1954] I like to put Gojira in hex Q5 and just let the opponent come to him. Others may prefer a more aggressive counterattacking style. :-)

Bloody Red Beach [74] Someday I'd like to tackle this one for the PTO beach landing experience.

Men from Mars [SP19] A nice looking PTO clash between the Japanese and a combined U.S./Chinese force.

Mars' Last Fight [SP58] More PTO action.

The Eastern Gate [63] Close quarters combat on a jungled hill between Gurkhas and Japanese.

A Tough Nut to Crack [ASLUG 3] Aussies vs. Japanese near Buna in 1943. Looks cool.

Die Ghurka Die! [SP80] You can probably guess the combatants by the title. Burma 1942.

Last Stop Before Victory [TAC 41]  Guam, 1944.  Americans vs. Japanese, with a rare appearance by Japanese armor.

Uneasy Withdrawal [TAC 3]  Australians vs. Japanese on New Guinea, 2 boards, 8 turns.

Down the Manipur Road [SP39]  This is small enough to be tourney-size, yet it's meaty too.  Brits supported by Lee tanks attack a fortified Japanese position.  One board, 6.5 turns.

North Africa

A Line in the Sand [LitS]  Pete Shelling's next effort in mini-CG creation, this one takes place in the desert.  It's a best-two-out-of-three CG, where the players are able to make order of battle choices for each scenario.  Brits vs. Germans.

Rommel's Remedy [J79]  The first of the LitS scenarios, it looks like it makes a good action by itself too.  Axis must exit points to win.

Egypt's Last Hope [J80]  The second LitS scenario, this time with the Germans trying to take and hold key hexes on board 25.

Twisted Knickers [J81]  Besides having a great name, the third installment of the LitS CG looks to be mostly a tank battle.

A Bridgehead too Wet [41]  Fighting on flat desert terrain makes LOS issues easy.  Although there are 10 turns and a lot of units, it seems to me that this well-balanced scenario shouldn't take ridiculously long to play.

Sunday of the Dead [G9]  This is a large scenario (9 turns, 4 boards), but I think it will play a little faster than it looks.

Dangerous Crossroads [TAC 55]  A combined Italian and German force  against Brits in Tunisia.  Two boards, 6.5 turns.