I’ve been talking to Arty Conliffe about potential Official Supplements for Crossfire. Official because they have Arty’s blessing and input. I’m thinking about both a commercial scenario book and some freebie booklets. My megalomaniac aspirations for 2022 mean I want to write one of each. There are lots of possibilities and I thought I’m share my thinking.
Possible scenario books
I would like to write a commercial scenario book. Hit the Dirt is the first and only Crossfire supplement and I’d like to add a second. Like HTD, all of possible scenario books would have 20-21 scenarios and some special rules.
I can see these possibilities for a new scenario book:
- Book 2: Hit the Dirt volume 2
- Book 3: Eastern Front “Blue Division”
- Book 4: Eastern Front “Regular”
- Book 5: Eastern Front “Specials”
- Book 6: Eastern Front “Best of”
- Book 7: Italian Campaign
- Book 8: Burma Campaign
- Book 9: Scenarios for beginners
- Book 10: Company level scenarios
- Book 11: Battalion level scenarios
- Book 12: Crossfire Campaigns
Some of these options could be combined e.g. a Eastern Front “Regular” scenario book (Book 4), with only battalion level scenarios (Book 11), and suggestions for how to weave those scenarios into a campaign (Book 12).
Book 2: Hit the Dirt volume 2 scenario book
I could follow the pattern of Hit the Dirt and feature scenarios from the big European theatres: Eastern Front, NW Europe, and Italian Campaign. This ensures there is something for everybody.
Book 3: Eastern Front “Blue Division” scenario book
I’m most comfortable with the Eastern Front, which is why there are four options in that theatre. The Blue Division, a Spanish division fighting on the Eastern Front, was my starting point for WW2. So I could write a whole scenario book about that particular unit. It would include updated version of my existing Krasny Bor, Volkhoz, Old Chapel, Sitno, and then add new ones. It would be great! But, unfortunately, I’ve had feedback that not everybody is quite so obsessed by Spaniards fighting Russians, so I have to consider alternatives.
Book 4: Eastern Front “Regular” scenario book
The “Regular” option for the Eastern Front would be 20-21 scenarios featuring regular German and Soviet infantry.
Book 5: Eastern Front “Specials” scenario book
The “Specials” scenario book would feature Cossacks, Motorised Rifle Battalions (with SMG), Penal Battalions, Naval Infantry, Storm parties, Assault Pioneers/Sappers, Partizans, Paratroopers. You know, specials, i.e. troop types that look different to normal infantry.
Book 6: Eastern Front “Best of” scenario book
The “Best of” scenario book would feature the best scenarios that are already available else where. The disadvantage is that these have been seen before. The advantage is that it would be much quicker to get something out the door.
Book 7: Italian Campaign scenario book
The Italian Campaign is attractive because you can pretty much have any nationality you want: German, US, British, French, New Zealand, Indian, Brazilian, etc. Japanese Americans (Nisei) served in the US 100th Infantry Battalion. Even Soviet POWs appeared in a Turcomen battalion in German service. And the HTD scenarios demonstrated some of the unique terrain present in the campaign e.g. contour lines, ravines, horn thickets, and thorn hedges.
Book 8: Burma Campaign scenario book
The Burma book would feature 14th Army (British and Indian), Japanese, and Chinese. It would lend itself to special rules e.g. ravines, jungle, bamboo thickets, not just hills but steep hills, Japanese fight-to-the-death attitude.
Book 9: Scenarios for beginners
Dick Bryant and my Download Crossfire Freebie 1: Mini-Scenarios is a set of tiny scenarios for beginners. I could take that concept further and write some more, slightly bigger, scenarios for people getting into Crossfire. They might be bigger than “tiny” but they would all be a company level or smaller.
Unlike the HTD scenarios these might be generic in nature. The goal would be to encourage good tactical thinking. The scenarios would also independent of theatre, so players could use any figures they have.
Book 10: Company level scenario book
Quite a lot of the scenarios from HTD have a battalion on at least one of the sides. That is too big for many players. So I could do a book of smaller scenarios, where neither side had more than a company.
Book 11: Battalion level scenario book
Or I could go the other way, and do a book of larger scale scenarios. In each scenario at least one side would have an entire battalion.
Book 12: Crossfire Campaign Book
I have some ideas for Crossfire Campaigns. I could put all of those into a scenario book. And add a few.
Possible Freebies
Dick Bryant and I published Download Crossfire Freebie 1: Mini-Scenarios in 2021. It was both official (Assisted by Arty Conliffe) and a give away. The idea was to demonstrate that Crossfire was alive and well.
The question is, what next?
Give aways …
- Freebie 2: Collecting your first Crossfire force
- Freebie 3: How to play learning guide for new comers
- Freebie 4: Scenario design guide
- Freebie 5: Tactical advice on how to play
- Freebie 6: Making simple terrain for Crossfire
Being give aways, these could be quicker/smaller/easier than the commercial products.
And so … ?
Part of the above is just to get my thoughts down. Get my head straight. For the scenario book I’m leaning towards a combination of a HTD Style scenario book covering Eastern Front, Italy, and NW Europe (Book 2), with only company level scenarios (Book 10), and suggestions for how to weave those scenarios into a campaign (Book 12).
For the Freebie I’m leaning towards “collecting your first Crossfire force” (Freebie 2), because, well, it is half written.
Part of it is to get your input. What do you think?
I’m so thrilled that this could be happening in 2022. A commercial expansion written by you + freebies! And with a focus on the Eastern Front? Count me in!
Some thoughts about your questions:
– Each of your potential Eastern Front books seems interesting to me, Blue Division included (even if they are not my focus and I feel antipathy towards falangist Spaniards). I’d love to see some scenarios with the Soviets decisively on the offensive, possibly Bagration?
– While I struggle for space for big games, I think battalion level games would be quite interesting. The downside: aside from the needed table space, it’s also harder for beginners to get the necessary number of figures. Maybe battalion but with suggestions to scale it down a notch if needed?
– Scenarios for beginners: to be honest, I think there are enough already. Unless you mean to compile everything in a single book.
– Campaigns: definitely interested!
– Freebies: terrain tips are always useful. How to play/tactics: judging by the questions on the Crossfire group, I think this would be useful; there are many pitfalls to Crossfire, and it’s atypical compared to other wargames.
– Scenario design: I’m less interested in this. I’d rather either play a well designed and researched scenario somebody else designed, or go with a random/generic setup such as Mac’s Missions.
Most excellent ideas and news. For me any Eastern Front scenarios will do – also my main interest.
If you manage to do them in a «Beginners» and «Company» level I believe will attract more new comers.
If for «old hands» on the system, any will, specially if you go lesser Theatre of Operations, like Italy or Burma.
For me, is not the availability or not off scenarios, but the difficulty on getting the rules for most new comers on the system – let’s hope that the digital version will help it.
By the way, if possible made the Scenario Pack or booklet, available as digital and printed version.
Keep the good going
All 11 of your topics would be great. Less important IMO than the specific topics is the fact that something would be published involving Crossfire. I.e. when one is starving, peanut butter vs cucumber in one’s sandwich is less important than getting the sandwich…
Regarding #6 “best of” – yes the scenarios will have been seen somewhere before, but by how many gamers? Publishing the book would, I hope, reach many more gamers than the venues in which they originally appeared. E.g. somebody seeing the best of book on the stands at Historicon or Salute is probably more likely NOT to have seen any of the scenarios before than a dedicated Crossfire player who knows where to look for them…
Just my $.02. But ALL of them are good ideas because all 11 publicize Crossfire and provide scenarios for it.
Thanks Bill. I particularly appreciate your input given you’re behind HTD.
I am extraordinarily pleased to learn that someone is looking to push Crossfire back into the public eye. Its a groundbreaking game. I am doubly please that you’ve reached out to Arty Conliffe to get his input.
The ideas you’ve floated are all excellent.
But there’s one thing that’s desperately needed to put Crossfire into the realm of all time best WWII rules:
Workable rules for armor/vehicles.
Do this, and Crossfire may become the go to rules for a certain level of WWII (and postwar?) games.
Mark, as you’ll see from my most recent post (Kiwis vs JF in Italy), I am experimenting with the armour rules. But, truth to tell, these are unlikely to become official because Crossfire players are divided on the current armour rules. Many are unhappy with them, but equally many think they are fine.
I’m happy to you experimenting, and if what you come up with satisfies you, I’d love to try them.
Official or not.
Would you consider posting the final, but unofficial, armour rules?
for sure.
Outstanding.
Looking forward to the post!
Outstanding ideas. I look forward to seeing these progress.
As I am a beginner still when it comes to playing Crossfire, and as I have limited space to game, Book 9: Scenarios for beginners and Book 10: Company level scenarios have the greatest appeal to me, as stand alone books or with the ideas incorporated into a title that combines several of your proposed topics. Seriously, anything is better than nothing as I could borrow ideas from just about any of the scenario books I’m sure.
Similarly all of the freebies sound great and I think starting where you already have the material in place (collecting a first Crossfire army) makes a great deal of sense.
Cheers!
– John
Definitely sounds like a plan. As I am a bit of a
RussophobeRussophile having been to Russia and visiting the Stalingrad and Kursk battlefields, my land wargaming is devoted entirely to the Soviet-German War and the scenario books you are considering would be most appreciated. I tend to shy away from books of scenarios from various theatres but with these dedicated scenario books, count me in! I could also be interested in books 10, 11, 1nd 12. ThanksNow don’t laugh guys, I’m an old Vietnam vet and you might get to be like this one day. LOL
You’ve probably guessed I didn’t mean Russophobe above, but Russophile! Я люблю Россий!
I figured that out. 🙂
This is a very good idea and thank you for the continuous efforts. If offered as a PDF at war game vault it should garner quite a bit of interest. My preferences would be at most 3 small scenarios, the rest being the battalion scale. As mentioned above a more robust armor system and a multi player example and implementation.
Would any of this involve crossfire rules 2.0 being published , to tidy up the main rules ?
Arty occasionally talks about an update. But I have not seen any concrete plans.
On that Steven, one of my issues with the rules is the way they are laid out. If a rewrite is coming, could consideration be given to a better layout, ie, not such a dense format?
Cheers
Roger that , would he potentially bless a lay out review ?
Any progress on these books? Very ambitious!
Well, my 2022 goals included a single freebie booklet and a commercial scenario booklet. I’ll probably finish the freebie. Not sure about the Commercial book.
Any updates on your progress? All of these look very fun!
I’ve recently gotten into crossfire (after years of vague interest due to Lloyd’s videos), and have played your beginner scenario and several of the small ones from your freebie.
With several different people at this point, who have all liked it!
I’m finding that the small scenarios go very much in favor of the attacker; perhaps our defense simply isn’t up to snuff.
Advice on tactics would be extremely useful! Having something to give to people that want to learn how to play more effectively would be great. That has my vote for the next freebie, or even a blog post!
Thanks for this enjoyable and informative blog!
Julian, welcome onboard the Crossfire bandwagon.
The small scenarios are intended to introduce new comers to the game, and also teach them how to attack. So yes, the scenarios are weighted in favour of the attacker. However, the booklet has suggests for countering this imbalance, i.e. beefing up the defenders.
I’ve been thinking about the advice on tactics. It is a good candidate for a freebie. But I have a problem. I’m an alright Crossfire player, I know what to do, but articulating it is quite tricky. I haven’t figured that out yet.
Anything officially published would be amazing in this Crossfire drought! I support Eastern Front/Pacific campaign, but also really like the idea of some beginner scenarios to get folks interested.