CF Scenario Draft Archives - Steven's Balagan

Battle Stations BS7810 US Infantry Action – A Crossfire Scenario

17 Aug 20218 May 2021 by Steven Thomas

Scenario - BS7810 US Infantry Action - Crossfire - Banner

Through the late 1970s and 80s, Gene McCoy wrote a series of articles called “Battle Stations: Small Unit Actions” for his magazine the “Wargamer’s Digest”. The Battle Stations posed tactical problems and then offered solutions. The idea was that wargamers could compare their solution to McCoy’s. The Battle Stations are good candidates for conversion to Crossfire scenarios.

Here is the first conversion based on “US Infantry Action”, originally published as a Battle Station in October 1978 (hence BS7810). A US Motorised Company is tasked with opening the supply route for the neighbouring division. To do this they must destroy the armoured German blocking force.

Snakes and Ladders Campaign for Crossfire

30 Dec 202120 Feb 2021 by Steven Thomas

Campaign - Snakes And Ladders - Crossfire - Banner

Following my Snakes and Ladders Campaign for Tilly’s Very Bad Day I thought I’d do one for Crossfire. This uses the children’s board game Snakes and Ladders as the basis for a wargaming Campaign. The snakes become tribulations and the ladders are campaign successes. So I have made up a board a Snakes and Ladders board but with a more World War 2 flavour.

There is no skill in playing this campaign system as, like the children’s board game, random dice rolls lead to success. If you are lucky, you will win. For me this makes a Snakes and Ladders Campaign most suited to solo play where the goal is to provide narrative for the game.

Stalingrad Day 2 – Finchley Wargaming Club – Steve Phenow’s Briefing

17 Aug 202123 Mar 2019 by Steven Thomas

Day 2 of the 2019 World Wide Stalingrad Campaign for Crossfire is upon us. This is, more or less, the Crossfire material that Stephen Phenow sent the Finchley Wargaming Club. I have changed the format and put it into my normal template. And I’ve added a few bits that seemed missing. Where possible I’ve used Steve P’s words.

The Germans have replaced their depleted battalion with a fresh one and given them more combat engineers and more heavy artillery. The Moving Clock (Timeslip) is now under German control. The Soviets had their infantry refresh but lost support elements e.g. Tanks and generally have less troops than on Day 1. T34s now also have a chance to breakdown if they try to move.

Stalingrad Day 1 – Finchley Wargaming Club – Steve Phenow’s Briefing

17 Aug 20219 Mar 2019 by Steven Thomas

This is, more or less, the Crossfire material that Stephen Phenow sent the Finchley Wargaming Club for Day 1 of the 2019 World Wide Stalingrad Campaign for Crossfire. I have changed the format and put it into my normal template. And I’ve added a few bits that seemed missing. Where possible I’ve used Steve P’s words.

African Ambush – A Crossfire and Fogo Cruzado Scenario

18 Aug 202120 Oct 2018 by Steven Thomas

PCWA05 Portuguese patrol entering village – Close up

An armed patrol walks into an ambush somewhere in Portuguese Africa. The action starts seconds before the bullets fly. Will the unsuspecting targets spot the danger before it is too late? This is a Crossfire/Fogo Cruzado scenario for the Portuguese Colonial War. The scenario uses a cinematic premise, i.e. start the action when there is action.

Where is the Fuel – A Crossfire Scenario and Battle Report

20 Aug 202220 May 2017 by Steven Thomas

Brett Simpson developed an idea of a friend of mine into a Crossfire scenario called “Where is the Fuel?”. Brett sent through the scenario and associated battle report for the play test.

Small Threat to the Flank – A Crossfire Scenario

18 Aug 20216 May 2017 by Steven Thomas

Scenario - Small Threat to the Flank - Crossfire - Banner

This is the small version of Scenario 2: Threat to the Flanks from “Scenarios for all Ages” (Grant & Asquith, 1996) converted to Crossfire. It follows guidelines for Crossfire Scenarios for all Ages. It is a “small” game because there is only a company defending.

Water Party – Scenario Design Experiment for Crossfire and Fogo Cruzado

18 Aug 202118 Feb 2017 by Steven Thomas

Immediately following our successful experiment on Ambush scenarios for the Portuguese Colonial War, Jamie Wish and I tried another type of scenario. The goal of our second game was to defend a water party, which is an idea from FNG of Two Hour Wargames. Of course, our version of the scenario was for Crossfire and my Fogo Cruzado variant.

As a scenario design experiment, this one failed in a pretty spectacular fashion. But maybe I’m biased because Jamie won, and very quickly. 😉 Anyway, the good news is that we learnt a few things.

African Ambush – Scenario Design Experiment for Crossfire and Fogo Cruzado

19 Aug 202211 Feb 2017 by Steven Thomas

I’m in the process of writing a solo campaign for Portuguese Colonial War called “African Tour”. This process has been dragging on for years. Instead of sitting with my computer imagining what might make a good game, I decided to experiment with some of my ideas. So I invited Jamie Wish over, we got out my (previously unused) figures and tried an ambush scenario for Crossfire and my Fogo Cruzado variant.

Despite the scenario design misgivings I had before we started, it was actually a pretty good game. Exciting and novel.

I made up Cards for Crossfire Missions v2

25 Sep 20215 Mar 2016 by Steven Thomas

I designed the PDF of Mac’s Missions v2 – Revised Pick up games for Crossfire so that players can make up a set of cards.

Mac’s Missions v2 – Revised Pick up games for Crossfire

25 Sep 202120 Feb 2016 by Steven Thomas

I recently blogged about Mac’s Missions – Pick up games for Crossfire. I’ve made a few tweaks to the system and come up with a version 2. And there is a PDF to download.

Mac’s Missions v1 – Pick up games for Crossfire

25 Sep 20219 Jan 2016 by Steven Thomas

Mac wanted to play pick up games of Crossfire so created a simple method of doing that with a cool graphic. I’ve added a few supporting assets, played a game and made a few recommendations for a version 2.

Eye of the Tiger – A Crossfire Scenario

19 Aug 20213 Oct 2015 by Steven Thomas

Eye of the Tiger Scenario Table 6x4 - Banner

My mate Chris asked “Have you considered ASL as a source of Crossfire scenarios? For example the Windy City Wargamers Color Scenario Pack, which includes the classic Eye of the Tiger scenario – which looks ideal as a Crossfire scenario to me.” As it happens I have considered this and have even written up some notes on Converting Advanced Squad Leader to Crossfire. However I’ve never actually done it.

Chris’a question inspired me, so this is my version of “Eye of the Tiger” for Crossfire.

Storm Group Stalingrad – A Crossfire Scenario

19 Aug 20215 Sep 2015 by Steven Thomas

This Crossfire scenario is based on Plate C “Red Army ‘Storm Group’ Stalingrad autumn 1942” in “World War II Street-Fighting Tactics” (Bull, 2008). It simulates a Soviet Storm Group attacking German held buildings.

Crossfire at Position Four: The Line N-M Scenario

3 Nov 20227 Apr 2011 by Steven Thomas

This is the briefing for the Line N-M scenario of the Crossfire at Position Four linked scenario campaign. The other scenario is Village P. Both scenarios can be played as a stand alone Crossfire scenario.Line N-M is a bit of a monster of a scenario, on a 8′ x 5′ map with a reinforced battalion on each side.

At the moment the scenario is draft.