QUICK V2 files posted

After using this game for the second time at the May, 2023 serial of the Urban Operations Planner Course, I have had some ideas to revise the game based on player suggestions and comments… new files for a “V.2 version” of the QUICK are here! The QUICK Page (Scroll down a bit.)

Next serial of the course is August 2024 so there is time for further changes possibly, stay tuned… Differences between this and earlier versions:

• Single intermediate version with many independent options.
• Smaller number of cubes and only two colors (24 Blue and 16 Red).
• Created 6-row Execution Matrix with 7 choices in each row; place 6 selected cubes in Planning Phase and step through rows alternately in order; possible to reorient and reorder cubes to pivot and change… so it’s now explicit you have to make a plan, instead of leaving that up for (re)discovery.
• Choices of actions simplified, and some Enabler Capabilities adjusted.
• Combat: 4 levels of Fatigue in Maneuver units; Fatigue reduction in dice does apply to defender, who still fires first.
• Added optional rules for effect of infrastructure destruction and repair; also more Civilian markers will be on the map, posing obstacles to fighting in their location.

Variants: “Freedom Convoy” scenario for Civil Power, counters for Palace Coup

(dotty art found on Internet)

Chris van Someren of the Netherlands has uploaded to Boardgamegeek a special scenario he has concocted about the clearing of the “Freedom Convoy” protestors off Wellington Street in Ottawa in February 2022.

Not completely playtested and I haven’t tried it myself, but this is just the sort of thing I like to see people doing with a sandbox game like Civil Power!  Thanks Chris!

https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/263452/canadian-trucker-convoy-scenario

Meanwhile, not to be outdone, user Jim Manybears on Boardgamegeek made up an alternate set of counters for Palace Coup featuring images and personalities from both sides in the Freedom Convoy brouhaha. You have to see these!

https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/263518/palace-coup-ottawa-twenty-twenty-two

Event: Collective playing of Civil Power

Attention London readers (might be one or two of you):

Richard Barbrook has organized an event sponsored by Class Wargames, for a collective playing of Civil Power. He has made a double-size demonstration version of the game that looks great!

1030 – 1400 Friday 1 September at Pelican House, 144 Cambridge Heath Road E15QP London, UK (nearest tube: Bethnal Green)

Facebook event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/319421380524478

Hope to see you there!

Link to rulebook and scenario guide: Civil_Power_Manual_Scenarios_Final 25 oct 20

Interview: Game Design Deep Dive

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1993070/13325487-interview-with-brian-train

Not long ago the very clever Dan Bullock invited me to sit down and talk about games, game design, and working on “unpleasant” topics. Dan is doing some of the most interesting work out there these days and I was really happy to talk with him.

It was lots of fun!

Have a listen!

Be warned!

It’s 80 minutes long!

Chapter markers:

0:36 Design Notes
8:59 Historicity of a Model
20:02 Designing Games on Insurgency & Urban Warfare
45:13 Ukrainian Crisis & Tabletop Design as Citizen Journalism
57:28 Unpleasant Topics vs Fun Play

Warsaw and Mosul: two urban irregular battles (and a bonus)

Two interesting items to link to today.

From the blog Seriously on Games, a very good review and evaluation of We Are Coming Nineveh and its utility in classrooms.

https://pijus.substack.com/p/retaking-nineveh

Also, new from Army University Press: a 1-hour documentary on the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, released on its 79th anniversary. Not just a historical narrative, also relates the development of the battle to the operations process and operational considerations. Features appearances or contributions by several of the foremost experts on urban warfare, also principals behind the Urban Operations Planner Course: BG Robert Wooldridge, COL Jon Spencer, MAJ Austin Schwartz, MAJ Jayson Geroux, and Dr. Sahr MuhammedAlly. Worth a look!

And a bonus item: a talk with Stuart Lyle of the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory about some experiments the British Army is conducting on infantry units optimized for urban warfare. Stuart is DSTL’s “urban guy” and is an extremely smart fellow. Moves from a proposed reorganization and addition to rifle sections, platoons and combined arms company groups up to how brigade staffs and resources can support them.