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Author Topic: OST  (Read 10812 times)

judgedredd

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Reply #15 on: January 24, 2021, 02:23:53 AM
There is a vassal module for 2 now...I downloaded it last night  :nerd:



judgedredd

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Reply #16 on: January 24, 2021, 03:07:17 AM
Ok. Having had a few hours with the game, I have some thoughts. Please bear in mind some of these will be personal issues with me and I fully understand if they appear trivial to others.

  • Already mentioned - not enough Move/Fire counters. I've also read someone mentioning Shaken and Broken - though not having a single unit shaken or broken as yet, I can't confirm that
  • Map - these huge maps, not a huge fan. I had to flip this map upside down to play the small first scenario because it used a small portion at the top of the map. The alternative was to reach over the map. Had the map been broken up into sections rather than folded, it would be much more manageable
  • Manual. It's clearly written in that particular game mechanics are well explained, but the sections don't always reference other sections in the manual. For example, Combat Results mentions Gut Check...but it doesn't tell you where Gut Check is in the manual
  • That brings me onto my next gripe - index. The index is no use. It's not in alphabetical order. It's written in the order of the sections in the manual. How is that helpful? If I want to see where Gut Check is, I can't look under G in the index - because it's not in that order...so I have to scan the entire index to look for Gut Check to see what page it's on
  • Staying with the manual - it looks like the counter issue wasn't the only thing used to save money. It does look like the manual has been squeezed onto the least amount of pages...this is mainly apparent on the back page where a Turn Sequence is laid out in more detail...it just seems to be squeezed onto the last page. A detailed Turn Sequences should've been a Player Aid card. It's also apparent on every page where the text on each page starts right at the top...no margin

Someone has very nicely created a proper index for the manual which will help when looking for a section.

On the plus side, the game components are very nice (I know some people have issues with font  ;) ) but I think they're nice. The map is beautiful - if too big imo. Obviously big maps are cool for big games (The US Civil War - it doesn't make sense to break that map up) but where you have smaller scenarios, I prefer the smaller geomorphic maps.

Also game play is nice and really quite simple and it did not take long for me to get it setup and running. Not a huge amount of modifiers.

I am really pissed about the counters though. Not just about there not being enough - but the fact they knew this and couldn't be bothered including any in any of their addition modules (ok...I only checked Ghost Front - but I'd be surprised if there are any in Airborne).

I'm going under my desk today to grab the other one (V3) and I'll take all the administration counters that are applicable across both and put them in a tray - labelled OST - so it doesn't bug me anymore.



judgedredd

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Reply #17 on: January 24, 2021, 08:47:09 AM
Ok...just emptied my OST V3 box for Fired/Moved markers and there were alot more present in that box. There were 11 in OST Vol2 and 24 in OST Vol 3

SO they did something right...though you have to splurge nigh on £100 to discover they did the right thing. There's a little sceptical beastie in ma heed that's suggesting there was a plan.

Anyway - I've got my counters so I can stop stressing whilst I'm playing whether I'm going to run out or not.



bbmike

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Reply #18 on: January 24, 2021, 08:49:38 AM
As I own OST Vol 3, that's good to hear!  :bigthumb:

"My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplace of existence."
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My Own Worst Enemy


Barthheart

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Reply #19 on: January 24, 2021, 08:54:22 AM
I've got OST 1 + Stalingrad expansion and OST II + Airborne + Ghost Front + Phantom Division. With those I have enough info markers to run even the large scenarios.
Pacific doesn't interest me so I didn't get that on.
Next volume however is supposed to Commonwealth in Italy  :D
 

PETS - People for the Ethical Treatment of Square corners


judgedredd

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Reply #20 on: January 24, 2021, 09:29:19 AM
I don't know about the other expansions,  but Ghost Front came with one sheet of counters and they were units. No admin counters.

Unless I already raised it...but I don't think so.

I've got OST 2, Ghost Front, OST 3 and Hell Bent and I was toying with getting Airborne just then

Does anyone know what the numbers and letters mean on these hex descriptions on the map? The numbers look like the defence bonus...but I don't know what the letters mean



Barthheart

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Reply #21 on: January 24, 2021, 02:34:35 PM
Letters: B- LOS blocking, D- LOS degrading. Numbers are defence modifiers.

PETS - People for the Ethical Treatment of Square corners


judgedredd

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Reply #22 on: January 24, 2021, 03:26:33 PM
Thanks



judgedredd

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Reply #23 on: January 26, 2021, 03:47:06 AM
I have to say this was extremely easy to pick up and play...even given the bad manual layout and lack of decent index - the core of the game is extremely simple.

I thought it was going to be a nightmare to learn - I'm very glad I got it onto the table and it's made me look forward to giving Armageddon a go.



Barthheart

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Reply #24 on: January 26, 2021, 07:28:15 AM
I have to say this was extremely easy to pick up and play...even given the bad manual layout and lack of decent index - the core of the game is extremely simple.

I thought it was going to be a nightmare to learn - I'm very glad I got it onto the table and it's made me look forward to giving Armageddon a go.

OST is great, simple fun to play.
Armageddon is a completely different system, and for me, not as fun or straightforward to play.

PETS - People for the Ethical Treatment of Square corners


judgedredd

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Reply #25 on: January 26, 2021, 09:31:55 AM
I made the stupid assumption as it was made by the same people there would at least be similarities!!

Ah well.....I'm still looking forward to getting it on the table (and moaning about lack of counters as it's the same publisher!)



Barthheart

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Reply #26 on: January 26, 2021, 09:48:56 AM
OST is a Shayne Logan design, published by Flying Pig Games.
Armageddon War is a Greg Porter design, published by Flying Pig Games.

They are completely different game designs.

PETS - People for the Ethical Treatment of Square corners


judgedredd

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Reply #27 on: January 30, 2021, 09:29:48 AM
Barth...as you've played this...

When a shaken unit with a support weapon opens fire, is the 1/2FP for the inherent FP or is it for the complete FP?

So German squad with LMG = [4FP + 2FP support weapon] = 6FP

Does shaken change this to 4FP [1/2x4FP + 2FP support weapon] or to 3FP [1/2x(4FP + 2FP support weapon)]?

NM - Norm replied swiftly on BGG and it's 1/2 the total FP



Advocator (Scott)

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Reply #28 on: March 09, 2021, 08:29:17 PM
I just lucked into a copy of OSTv2 and Airborne. Haven't had a chance to get them to the table (if I can get my son to game, it's War of the Ring... I really can't complain), but was wondering if there were any decent videos on the game. I know Stuka Joe did a 2-part series on it and he's usually on top of things. Are those a good starting spot? Or is there a different video that might go into more game play examples? I tend to do a little better at picking things up from videos than I do just sitting down with the rules, so looking to watch a bit before I crack open the rulebook.



judgedredd

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Reply #29 on: March 10, 2021, 04:26:15 AM
I honestly can't remember the videos I watched - but Stuka Joe's are certainly a good starting point.

I often luck onto a few and then find there are errors in the gameplay - as we are all aware can happen. So I find reading the rules and then watching a video or two helps because if something isn't right in the video - and I spot it - I can double check what I understood the rule to be and whether the video has it properly down or whether I understood the rule correctly.

But yeah - manuals on there own are meh...I just can't take things in like I used to