Drive on Metz/ASL
What is a Campaign Game?
In the military sense, a Campaign is a series of battles linked by time and geography, such as The North African Campaign in the Second World War. In a game sense, a Campaign is a series of linked battles. For instance, a player might be required to play three scenarios with the same army, with losses in the first battle weakening the army during the following battles.
How is it done?
An operational level game is chosen. In this example Drive on Metz by James Dunnigan is used.
Drive on Metz is Brigade/Regiment level game about Patton's assault on the Fortresses surrounding the city of Metz Circa September 1944. The Map Scale is 4 km per hex. Drive on Metz is an introductory wargame that is quite simplistic. The object of the game is accumulate more Victory Points then your opponent. This is the Summary of the ways to gain Victory points:
The Units ratings for Drive on Mets are explained here:
Drive on Metz is played normally in the campaign save combat resolution. That step is played using the game "Advanced Squad Leader."
The American units move from the left map board edge first turn. These are the positions of units after the movement phase. The USA player declares combat. The USA units in hex 409 and 510 are attacking Ft. Driant which is in hex 509 and is defended by a regiment of German infantry. In the DOM this is the point were Combat Factors would be added together and divided by defenders to resolve combat on the CRT of the game. My Campaign Systems replaces that method with a scenario played in Advanced Squad Leader.
Unit Conversion from game to game: In this example we will take the US 5th Infantry Regiment located in hex 409.
Using Information from websites dedicated to unit organization I have come up with a conversion.
Some Listing are not relevant such as the men of the administrative men of the HQ company. They are simply omitted. Combat portions such as the rifle platoons have their manpower divided by 10. I.E each platoon consists of 4 Squad Counters and one single man officer. Other portions of the ToE documents list how many heavy weapons like mortars are included. Those counters along with a crew are included in the Order of battle for the scenario.
The Battlefield:
4 kilometers (the scale of a Drive on Metz hex) converted to the 40 meter scale in ASL is 100 hexes. Each battle will consist of enough ASL boards to achieve that dimension. The terrain is chosen based on the predominate terrain displayed on the Drive on Metz hex being depicted . The battle at hex 509 shown above should have the Road running through it, plenty of woods the Fort, and Village of Dirant.
What's the Scenario Objective? The victory conditions of the game Drive on Metz are used. In the ASL battles the objectives are up to the player, keeping in mind the victor conditions from Drive on Metz
Time length: If any attacking unit moved 220 Turns. If no Attacking units moved then 360 Turns. Scenario can also end if either side surrenders, withdraws, is destroyed, or is routed the off map.
Casualties:
Each Counter in the Drive on Metz game has a record sheet. Casualties are recorded on the sheet so that in subsequent battles the losses are reflected. IE In Battle 1st battalion loses 1 company of troops. When deploying the same battalion for battle B. It is deployed less the company that was eliminated.