Alan R. Arvold Ode To PB-PL-BB Scenario Sets

[Crossroads]

Alan R. Arvold Ode To PB-PL-BB Scenario Sets

Having made the first Ode To Panzerblitz / Panzer Leader / Banzai Blitz situations by Alan R. Arvold available as individual downloads, I am going forward going to upload them to Blitz Scenario DB as scenario sets.

This thread will host the download links to them all:

Downloads available by clicking at the links below, which take you to the Blitz Wargaming Club's Scenario Database

Ode To Panzerblitz

[*] Ode to Panzerblitz
[*] Ode to Panzerblitz II
[*] Ode to Panzerblitz III
[*] Ode to Panzerblitz IV
[*] Ode to Panzerblitz V
[*] Ode to Panzerblitz VI
[*] Panssari Salama
[*] Tactical Game 3
[*] Tournament Scenarios
[*] East Front Bonus Set

Ode To Panzer Leader

[*] Ode To Panzer Leader
[*] Ode To Panzer Leader II
[*] Ode To Panzer Leader III
[*] Ode to Panzer Leader IV
[*] Ode to Panzer Leder V
[*] Ode to Panzer Leader VI
[*] Ode to Panzer leader VII
[*] Panzerblitz Hill of Death


Ode To Banzai Blitz

[*] Ode to Banzai Blitz
[*] Ode to Banzai Blitz Suribachi

My sincere thanks to Alan for sharing his work with us. Enjoy! [:)]

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Click at each of the links to find the particular scenario set download page, or alternatively, to get a complete listing of all these sets (including the ones for Divided Ground, which has a separate thread here), do a Scenario Search such as this one:

[*] The Blitz Wargaming Club Scenario Search

[Crossroads]

Ode to Panzer Leader IV - "Para-Leader"

Ode to Panzer Leader IV (10 scenarios) added to the bunch. These depict the scenarios mostly under Para-Leader articles, and are another strong favorite of mine in addition to Ode to PL III France 1940 scenarios.

Again, thank you Alan for your work on these excellent situations!

From Design Notes:

DESIGN NOTES FOR SCENARIOS IN ODE TO PANZER LEADER IV

By Alan R. Arvold

This continues the further conversion of scenarios of Panzer Leader to West Front. The scenarios presented here are from the articles “Para-Leader” by Oscar Oates, in the General magazine Volume 20, #2 and from “Dieppe: Canadians Under Fire” by Mark L. Shannon, in the General magazine Volume 21, #3. Nine of the scenarios presented here feature paratroop operations and the other features the great raid at Dieppe. Most of these scenarios have a counterpart among the regular scenarios for West Front, either as part of the game or as a down load from one of the scenario repositories on the Internet. Still these conversions of the Panzer Leader scenarios can make for some interesting games, even if they are not totally accurate, and it should be remembered that they are usually nothing more than caricatures of the real battles being depicted.

As usual, these scenarios are being converted to the same standards as the previous scenarios in this series. For the original design notes refer to those that came with the original “Ode to Panzer Leader”. One important note here; in the paratroop scenarios I deliberately set the scatter distance for paratroops and gliders to one hex, for purposes of uniformity among the scenarios. Variables such as changing the environmental conditions, morale, or changing the orders of battle for one or both sides, I leave to the discretion of the individual players.

One will note that most of these scenarios range from a low to mid counter number count. Most of these are big boards so there is a lot of maneuvering room and the scenarios will be fast and furious.

A snippet from AH General Vol 20 #3:

[Crossroads]

Ode to Panzerblitz III - Panzerblitz 1941

From Alan's Design Notes:

Continuing on with the conversion of Panzerblitz scenarios to East Front II ones, these six scenarios presented here comprise the next set. They follow a particular theme, that being that they all occur in the year 1941. These scenarios were originally published in two different articles in the General Magazine. Five of these scenarios came from the article “Panzerblitz 1941” by Ramiro Cruz, in General Vol.13, #3. The other scenario came out of “1941 Panzerblitz” by William A. Farone, in General Vol.14, #3. While none of these scenarios were very popular, they did point the way for other authors to explore the early years of the war using Panzerblitz and in that they succeeded, considering the number of early war scenarios for the game are around today.

As before these scenarios are converted to the same standard as those of Ode to Panzerblitz I & II. For the original design notes on these standards, refer to the original Ode to Panzerblitz. Thus these design notes will deal with the set up and construction of the scenarios. Variables such as changing the environmental conditions, morale, or changing the orders of battles for either or both sides, I leave to the judgment of the individual players.

One will note that these scenarios are rather small compared to the previous ones. Indeed, five of these scenarios are one board scenarios and all have a low unit density on the boards. This will lead to more free-wheeling play in these scenarios. Also these scenarios do not recreate specific battles, but rather recreate specific situation, even though historical unit designations are used in them.

See the Opening Post for a download link.

Enjoy! I sure did [:)]

[Crossroads]

Ode To Banzer Blitz: Suribachi



This week's compliment to Ode To... series is the thirteen scenario set for Rising Sun. See the Opening Post for a download link!

Here's what Alan had to say in the Design Notes:

DESIGN NOTES FOR BANZAI BLITZ: SURIBACHI

By Alan R. Arvold

Banzai Blitz: Suribachi was originally a variant article entitled “Suribachi: The Battle of Iwo Jima” for the game Panzerblitz, published in the Spartan Journal #3 back in 1972. The variant was about the battle of the island of Iwo Jima in World War II. The author was Norman Beveridge and it was part of a series of Panzerblitz articles by him for that magazine. It started off as just another scenario for the article “Banzai Blitz”, but had gotten so large that Norman made it into an article in its own right. Both articles were submitted to the Spartan Journal and Banzai Blitz was supposed to be published first. But a change in editors altered the publication schedule and Suribachi was published first and then Banzai Blitz was four year later.

Now one may ask, why make another Iwo Jima scenario for Rising Sun? There are already three other scenarios for it in the game. Well one of them deals with the first day of the battle and the other two have to do with the battle for Mount Suribachi. None of them deal with the whole battle. Besides, the scale of the maps in those scenarios is smaller (about 100 -125 meters per hex) and not the proper size for a Panzerblitz scenario. Besides, Rising Sun has the fewest scenarios in the Campaign series and is always in need of more.

[SNIP]

Conclusion

So here is Banzai Blitz: Suribachi as Norman Beveridge would have probably like to see it in Rising Sun. In truth this battle can not really be accurately portrayed at this scale. It is better portrayed in a smaller scale as can be see in some of the other Iwo Jima scenarios in Rising Sun. But I was limited to this scale to be true to Beveridge’s original work. I hope that other players will come up with some more battle scenarios for Iwo Jima in these smaller scales because this campaign certainly deserves them.

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Attachment below is the Spartan Magazine pic, not the scenario set...

[Deepstuff3725]

Awesome, Crossroads. Thanks!

[Crossroads]

All scenario design by Alan! I am just posting them.

But, you're most welcome [:)]

[Jafele]

The scenarios are impressive!

Thanks a lot, Alan. [&o]

[Crossroads]

Ode to Panzerblitz IV - 1942 The Forgotten Year (6 scenarios)

From Iwo Jima back to East Front!

DESIGN NOTES FOR SCENARIOS OF ODE TO PANZERBLITZ IV
By Alan R. Arvold

Due to the success of the Ode to Panzerblitz series of scenarios for East Front II, the call for more scenarios has come to me and so here is the next set. These six scenarios follow the particular theme of having all occurred in 1942. They were originally published in the article “The Forgotten Year: Panzerblitz Situations for 1942” by David Howery in the General Vol.26, #2. These scenarios certainly enjoyed great popularity as they were more fully developed than the ones for 1941 which were seen in the last set. They went far in showing other authors how well the early years of the war could be
portrayed if the scenarios were properly developed.

As before these scenarios are converted to the same standard as those of the previous
Ode to Panzerblitz sets. Again for the original design notes on these standards, refer to the first Ode to Panzerblitz, which deal with the set up and construction of the scenarios. Variables such as changing the environmental conditions, morale, or changing the orders of battles for either or both sides, I leave to the judgment of the individual players.

In five of the six scenarios, one will note that the Germans have the 120mm Mortar, a
weapon that was not officially made part of the army inventory until 1943. However in Russia, German units freely availed themselves of captured Russian 120mm Mortars and ammunition, something which they had large stocks of from the previous year’s battles. Although captured ammunition stocks ran out by the middle of 1942, the German military/industrial complex continued to supply ammo for the captured mortars until they could manufacture their own version of the 120mm.

The six scenarios recreate specific battles in various parts of the year. The details of the battles are rather general in the scenarios, given the nature of the Panzerblitz board game, but the unit designations are historical.

Again, my thanks to Alan for sharing his work with us. Enjoy!

[lparkh]

Would you mind posting a screenshot of one of these scenarios in full "pseudo 3D" view? WOuld be cool to see. Maybe ones zoomed out too. Just get a feel for what these are like in game.
Thanks!

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: lparkh

Would you mind posting a screenshot of one of these scenarios in full "pseudo 3D" view? WOuld be cool to see. Maybe ones zoomed out too. Just get a feel for what these are like in game.
Thanks!

Hello lparkh,

These scenarios are faithful representations of original Panzerblitz and Panzer Leader scenarios. As those classic boardgames used generic mapboards, each scenario (or situation as they were called) had a listing of units, the positioning of map board(s) if more than one, and victory rules. In some cases they transfer quite well, in some cases there needs to be some sort of an intepretation, especially when victory conditions have to do for instance with no of counters destroyed or left in map.

Here's a situation from Panzerblitz "1941", depicting a scenario with one map board used. As the games had four map boards, the maps at maximum are four times the one shown here (in 3D Extreme Zoom-out view)

[lparkh]

I remember the original well Started wargaming in 1973
Thanks. Wanted to see how they realized themselves in CS.

[Crossroads]

OK, then you know all about the original board games [:)]

One of these days when I have the time (ha!) I'll create a little map mod for CS: Middle East, so the terrain would be more in sync with AH Arab-Israeli Wars.

With the 2D Zoom-in view, and with the fact the coming CSME 1.01 UPDATE will include counter stats similar (in style) to PL/PB/AIW, I think this would be quite close to the original boardgame look and feel.

Once we get back to WW II titles, after CS: Vietnam, will be sure to include PB / PL map mod there too.

[lparkh]

Thank you for your efforts.

[pzgndr]

ORIGINAL: Crossroads
One of these days when I have the time (ha!) I'll create a little map mod for CS: Middle East, so the terrain would be more in sync with AH Arab-Israeli Wars.

What, you're not already done?!?!

Thanks for these other PL/PB updates. Standing by for Ode to AIW...

[Crossroads]

Later, it is. All hands on deck at the moment, vetting the CS Middle East 1.01 Update to be handed out to M/S by coming Monday, for their packaging and distribution process. So far so good!

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: pzgndr

ORIGINAL: Crossroads
One of these days when I have the time (ha!) I'll create a little map mod for CS: Middle East, so the terrain would be more in sync with AH Arab-Israeli Wars.

What, you're not already done?!?!

Thanks for these other PL/PB updates. Standing by for Ode to AIW...

Update: The CS: Middle East "Ode to AIW Terrain and Counter Mod" is now available HERE.

[Jafele]

Awesome! [:)]

[Crossroads]

The Paths of Rommel: New Scenarios for Panzer Leader 1940


Time to turn back the clocks to 1940 and hit the West Front again!

From Alan Arvold's Ode to Panzer Leader V Design Notes:

DESIGN NOTES FOR SCENARIOS IN ODE TO PANZER LEADER V
By Alan R. Arvold

Again the conversion of the scenarios of Panzer Leader to West Front continues. In this set are the six scenarios from the article “The Paths of Rommel: New Scenarios for Panzer Leader 1940” by Daniel Helmbrecht, which were published in the General Vol.22, #3.

These scenarios when originally published were some of the strangest organized ones ever published in the General. Most of this was due to the multiple errors that occurred in transcribing the original manuscript to the printed page. In four of the scenarios, the mapboard configurations were incorrect. These errors were not discovered until the issue was about to go to press. It was too late to change the artwork (which the mapboard configurations were) so the editors changed the set up instructions so that the respective sides were set up or entered where the author originally intended. This led to some strange things happening such as the Germans advancing from west to east across the board, whereas they should be advancing east to west as would be appropriate in 1940. Another problem came from the author himself. In all of the scenarios the Germans are short of transport units. The author only supplied enough to transport the guns, the infantry was left without. Of course the author was relying on the Panzer Leader rule that allowed German infantry units to ride on any German AFV unit (except SPA’s). However, he must of wrote and submitted his article before the ruling came out that German infantry units may not ride on non-transport AFV units in Panzer Leader 1940 due to the fact that Germans did not adopt this tactic until after they invaded Russia later in the war and saw the Russians regularly employing it. Another fault of his was the inclusion of Pz III tanks in the German orders of battle. Anyone with even a basic knowledge of the France 1940 Campaign knows that the German 7 th Panzer Division never had Pz III tanks. The point of the matter is that all of the previously mentioned faults had to be corrected before converting the Panzer leader scenarios into ones for West Front.

As usual these scenarios were converted to the same standard as those ones in previous parts of the “Ode to Panzer Leader” series. Again, as usual, refer to the original Design Notes for “Ode to Panzer Leader” to see what those standards are. One special note, since all of these scenarios have to do with the German 7 th Panzer Division, I have made the top German leader General Rommel himself, since he usually preferred to lead from the front, and the rest of the leaders in the various German orders of battle the actual commanders who led the units in question during the actual engagements.
Most of the scenarios have a low to medium units count and can be completed in a short amount of time.

Download link available in the Opening Post.

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: Crossroads

DESIGN NOTES FOR SCENARIOS IN ODE TO PANZER LEADER V
By Alan R. Arvold

Again the conversion of the scenarios of Panzer Leader to West Front continues. In this set are the six scenarios from the article “The Paths of Rommel: New Scenarios for Panzer Leader 1940” by Daniel Helmbrecht, which were published in the General Vol.22, #3.

These scenarios when originally published were some of the strangest organized ones ever published in the General. Most of this was due to the multiple errors that occurred in transcribing the original manuscript to the printed page. In four of the scenarios, the mapboard configurations were incorrect. These errors were not discovered until the issue was about to go to press. It was too late to change the artwork (which the mapboard configurations were) so the editors changed the set up instructions so that the respective sides were set up or entered where the author originally intended. This led to some strange things happening such as the Germans advancing from west to east across the board, whereas they should be advancing east to west as would be appropriate in 1940. Another problem came from the author himself. In all of the scenarios the Germans are short of transport units. The author only supplied enough to transport the guns, the infantry was left without. Of course the author was relying on the Panzer Leader rule that allowed German infantry units to ride on any German AFV unit (except SPA’s). However, he must of wrote and submitted his article before the ruling came out that German infantry units may not ride on non-transport AFV units in Panzer Leader 1940 due to the fact that Germans did not adopt this tactic until after they invaded Russia later in the war and saw the Russians regularly employing it. Another fault of his was the inclusion of Pz III tanks in the German orders of battle. Anyone with even a basic knowledge of the France 1940 Campaign knows that the German 7 th Panzer Division never had Pz III tanks. The point of the matter is that all of the previously mentioned faults had to be corrected before converting the Panzer leader scenarios into ones for West Front.

As usual these scenarios were converted to the same standard as those ones in previous parts of the “Ode to Panzer Leader” series. Again, as usual, refer to the original Design Notes for “Ode to Panzer Leader” to see what those standards are. One special note, since all of these scenarios have to do with the German 7 th Panzer Division, I have made the top German leader General Rommel himself, since he usually preferred to lead from the front, and the rest of the leaders in the various German orders of battle the actual commanders who led the units in question during the actual engagements.
Most of the scenarios have a low to medium units count and can be completed in a short amount of time.

Here's an example of Mapboard Set-up Alan talks about in the design notes. Germans attacking from West to East [8D]

[Crossroads]

ODE TO PANZERBLITZ V - NEW EXPRESSIONS FOR A FAMILIAR FACE

East Front it is, again! This weeks installation is again best described by the detailed Design Notes Alan Arvold's put together:

DESIGN NOTES FOR SCENARIOS IN ODE TO PANZERBLITZ V

By Alan R. Arvold


Given the success of the Ode to Panzerblitz series, the time has come to finish out the set and so here is the final installment. These scenarios are conversions of the six situations published in the article “New Expressions for a Familiar Face” by myself in the General Vol.28, #3 and also a couple of situations published way back in the early 1970s in the same magazine. Again, these scenarios enjoyed great popularity among Panzerblitz players and it seems only natural to bring them to East Front II. There is no overall theme to these scenarios, but they are presented in chronological order.

As noted in previous design notes, these scenarios are converted to the same standards as those in the previous installments of this series. Again, refer to the original design notes in “Ode to Panzerblitz” for the set up and construction of these scenarios. Variables such as environmental conditions, morale levels, and changes in the order of battles I leave to the discretion of the individual players.

The battles occur in various seasons of the year and the description of them is rather general, given the nature of the Panzerblitz board game. However, the unit designations are historical to each situation.

Make sure to read the PDF file in each of these archives though! What I've included here is just the Abstract, there's a lot of detail available for each of the scenarios included in all these scenario sets!

Again my sincere thanks to Alan for having his work available for us all to enjoy [:)]

[*] Download link available in the Opening Post!