Scheldt Campaign

[bob48]

https://hollandspiele.com/collections/wwii/products/the-scheldt-campaign

This is an interesting little game from Hollandspiele that I've had my eye on for a while. Its a very interesting, but often overlooked, campaign to clear the Scheldt Estuary and allow access to the port of Antwerp, which had already been captured in a more-or-less undamaged condition by 11th Armoured Division, with some help from Dutch resistance fighters.

Designed by Brian Train, it has a simple but elegant system that is quite unusual and interesting to play.

I've just brought the PnP version and have been tinkering with it on Vassal. I hope at some point to do an AAR on the game.

[bayonetbrant]

Looking forward to it!  Brian does good stuff

[bob48]

Finished making the PnP map and counters, really quite pleased at how they have turned out.

[Bison]

Did you print your counters on cardstock?

[judgedredd]

Nice 👍

How does it play solitaire?

[bob48]

Did you print your counters on cardstock?

Yes. I printed each side on 300 gsm card then mounted them on another sheet, so we have a laminated counter, not too thick, but thick enough. I did them in 'blocks' of 16 counters and all the final cutting with a hand held rotary cutter. I finished up having to re-do 8 counters that i screwed up during cutting.

The maps (3 sheets) and other charts are also on the same card, since that's about the thickest that our home printer can handle, and then only by feeding them single sheet.

All-in-all, they have turned out quite well. Excluding the cost of the ink, the game plus some card cost about £12.50 as opposed to buying the boxed version which, with postage, would have cost £53.00.

I'm now making a game box to keep 'em in :-)

[Bison]

That's really awesome Bob. It's one of the amazing things about the gaming hobby. There are so many different aspects of it beyond just the actual game play.

[bob48]

Nice 👍

How does it play solitaire?

It can be played ok solo, and on the BGG (I think) someone has come up with a decent system for playing the German command system. But, as usual, you can play a left-hand-right-hand game without too much of a problem. Its helped by the situation whereby the Allied are very much on the attack and the Germans are pretty much reacting to what the Allies do. However, this does not mean that the Germans do not get a chance to strike back on occasions.

A nice little game on an interesting subject that has not had a lot of gaming cover.

Recommended, especially if you are interested in Canadian 1st Army operations along the coast. Note that the Breskens Pocket is also included.

Also worth looking for the book 'The Long Left Flank' by Jeffery Williams.

[bob48]

I should add that the two OOB sheets in the picture are not those included with the game, but done, and very nicely, by a guy who posted them on BGG for others to enjoy.

[Staggerwing]

Looks great! 


How big is the map?

[panzerde]

Turned out really well Bob!

[bob48]

Looks great! 


How big is the map?

The map is only 11" x 25.5". I did think about if or not I could 'blow it up' but I'm not sure how. Also, that would mean going to maybe 6 or more segments, which could be a bit messy trying to line up.

[bob48]

Turned out really well Bob!

Its not at all bad, and much better than what I turned out for H&M, to be honest. I may well go back and re-do the counters for H&M and make a better job of it. I think I mounted them on too thick card, which made them difficult to cut. I also learned a thing or two about lining 'blocks' up when mounting the reverse side.

[Undercovergeek]

My bolt action opponent has themed his force around the commandos here

[bob48]

.Buffalo's...........Terrapins.................Weasels.......................