By Dale Holmstrom
After a long dry spell of not being creative—unless you count having your first child at the age of forty-three as such—I readily accepted a request from Mark Walker to help work on an expansion for Heroes of the Blitzkrieg. The company has grown up since I last worked on something this similar in scope. Some of my virtual friends who helped me on those previous projects are gone or working new games of their own. I felt a little alone in the woods, but then, one of my other hobbies is to be alone in the woods pursuing Bambi, so I was stoked to work on this project.
The first item to work on was counter values. British Squads (or in their vernacular, sections) were primarily armed with the Lee-Enfield bolt-action rifle.I wanted the standard Squad to be much like its German counterpart: good morale combined with long-range capability. You will be getting a few more Half-squads for In Defeat, Defiance; they are needed for those nifty little battle taxis: the Bren Carrier.
Bren guns and mortars round out the infantry units. For crew-served weapons, the Vickers machine gun serves as the main heavy weapon for the British infantry. In France, the 25mm anti-tank gun was still in use, but the bigger and more effective 2-pounder gun also entered service.I had to give the poor Brits something other than their bare hands for fighting off German tanks!
A nice ego bonus when doing this sort of thing is the option of naming Leader counters. Most of the Leaders are the family surnames; however, a certain sergeant counter pays homage to a very ribald and slapstick British comedian.
So, it was down to naming this expansion. I’m a fan of finding an appropriate quote, or something else that captures the spirit of the times. I really thought Crescendo of Doom would be a great title, but some company used that for a war-game expansion over thirty years ago. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out a good name, until finding this quote from Winston Churchill:
In War: Resolution,
In Defeat: Defiance,
In Victory: Magnanimity
In Peace: Good Will.
Well, I am happy to report that Mark liked it too.
The Scenarios
I like to craft a variety of scenarios for the gamer to choose from that are as balanced as possible. One would think scenario crafting could be made in to a science. A few people in another gaming community have written books on the matter, but for what it’s worth I really believe it is an art. By the way, before some of you start thinking I consider myself an arteest, stop right there. I’ve been hit on the head too many times to be that creative, or intelligent. There will be 14 scenarios in the module, and here is a summary of the eight that I have designed.
“One Last Steak Dinner”
The first scenario crafted. Seeing “Black Watch” in a historical account always gets my attention, and combined with finding out they had some help from French cavalry sealed the deal. I really found this story compelling. Low on beans and bullets, this famous unit is given orders to delay the dreaded 7th Panzer Division for as long as possible. They are in a very idyllic village and decide to butcher a cow for their dinner. The thought of this bucolic scene and the irony of life and death makes this account more apt for a movie than a game; but isn’t that the whole idea?
“Bring on the Night”
I wanted a night scenario for the expansion. One of the many reasons I enjoy playing Lock ‘n Load are the nice and simple rules for night actions. I also wanted a scenario that showcases the use of Bren Carriers. I found both when reading this historical account. Some of the British soldiers were Ulsterman. My wife and I have ancestral connections to this Irish county. Those of you who have Swift and Bold may notice a Leader named McCloud: A Scots-Irish family name on my mother’s side.
“The Price of Arrogance”
“Squeezing Limeys”
An urban-combat scenario. City environments are a favorite of mine in any gaming system, whether it is ASL, Battle Tech, or Lock ‘n Load. Here is a last-stand defense in Calais. What I like about this one is the canal. The Germans have an overwhelming force, yet they must fight their way across the canal to get to their objectives.
“Death’s Head at Arras”
The British counterattack at and around Arras shook the Germans. Matilda heavy tanks, much like the French Char B, made mince-meat out of German armor. The biggest fault of allied combined-arms attacks was their lack of available air support. As a scenario designer I often focus only on armor, infantry, and artillery, forgetting how important air power is. One of the most visual and audio images that resonate in my head of the early war period have been the sound and sight of Stuka dive-bombers (from the BBC series World at War that I watched intently with my dad when I was 10). This scenario has a large British force of Matildas and infantry attacking a very small SS detachment. Can the Stukas stop the Matildas in their tracks?
“Kick ‘em Out”
“The Canal”
A revisit of the allied Bassee Canal defense, but this time it’s a German assault to create a break-out. Rommel, frustrated with a stall in his advance, directed this attack. What drove me about this account was the broken down French tank fighting in the midst of incredible odds.
“I’ll Take the Low Road”
Another heroic stand by British troops against incredible odds. This time it is the port city of Boulogne. What was interesting was that I found first-hand accounts by both sides. The terrain was rugged as well, allowing me to use that really cool map (#25) that comes with Heroes of the Blitzkrieg. This one offers some maneuver room to experiment with different defenses and assaults.
Well, that’s about it for now. My daughter wants to watch Tangled again, the trash needs to go out, and the cats need to be fed. I hope you enjoy In Defeat, Defiance, and that it will provide you with hours of war-gaming excitement.
Editor’s Note: You must own Heroes of the Blitzkrieg in order to play In Defeat, Defiance. For more information about In Defeat, Defiance, and to place a pre-order, go to www.locknloadgame.com.
- No Time for Tea: A Preview of In Defeat, Defiance - Feb 16, 2012
- Mark H. Walker Looks at Heroes of the Pacific - Dec 17, 2011
This was very good. I’m really looking forward to this game now. All the scenarios sound great.
This was a great article. I’m really looking forward to this game now. ALL the scenarios sound great. As a teacher, this will be one of the games for the summer!!! Thanks. Mark B.