Operation Merkur (Heat of Battle)

Scott's review of this HOB product…

Scott wrote:

HOB's Operation Merkur: The German Air Assault on Crete (a.k.a. Kreta)

I picked this up a couple of month's ago, but I thought I'd post some short feature reviews for you guys. I've always had an interest in the Crete battles, and one of my earliest ASL experiences was playing CH's “Cemetary Hill” mini-HASL with Dave Coleman long ago. One of my complaints about the TPP's is that for so long if one TPP covered an action, then all others would shy away from their own version of the same action…that appears to have ended, and we are starting to see releases covering actions/battles previously covered. Cemetary Hill left a little to be desired from what I remember, especially the pink cemtary hill overlay, so I was very happy when I heard that HOB would be releasing a Crete HASL with it's own map.

Contents:
1 – HASL map (46 x 56 hexes)
17 scenarios
6 pages of rules (terrain/SSR's/CG rules/notes)
100 counters

Kreta comes with a total of 17 scenarios…7 take place on the HASL map, and 10 are on geo boards. It does *not* contain a traditional campaign game…rather, it uses the “linked scenario” concept. The seven scenarios that take place on the HASL map can be played individually, or you can play six of them (OM2 through OM7) sequentially as the CG. Each scenario is marked with the number of points that can be won, and the points can be modified up or down by the “degree of victory”…the scenario winner gets the full points (can be modified by the CVP loss ratio), and the scenario loser gets half the points. The points are added together from scenario to scenario, and the CG winner is the one with the highest total after the last scenario is played.

The counters are mostly Germans. Included are unarmed German Paratroop 2-2-8 MMC's and 1-2-8 HS's and SMC's (all have a parachute symbol in the upper left, and a Luftwaffe emblem in the upper right); a number of German glider and transport plane (JU-52) counters; a few counters for dismantled SW's; a captured Brittish 3″ MTR. ALso included are a number of Brittish counter, including a few SMC's (most appear to be named after the designers, but a few historical names); a few SW's such as captured German LMG's and Lewis Gun LMG's (remember Lee Marvin firing one in The Professionals!) as well as special MMG counters (representing MG's scrounged from wrecked aircraft with a 1 ROF and 3PP's with no DM allowed); a few captured ART pieces; new 3″ MTR counters (i.e. there is pending errata from MMP raising the caliber of the Britt 3″ MTR from 76mm to 81mm…MMP will issue replacement counters and Chapter H notes in an upcoming Britt release…tbd). The overall quality of the counters is very nice, but they do have a glossy finish on them that I'm not too crazy about…but at least they are printed on the correct side this time…ha ha.

The map is overall quite nice. Some of the riverbed and beach locations are a little to yellow for me, but when taken in whole, it really is a nice looking map. The map that is provided with the HASL has some controversy surrounding it. Due to an error at the printers, the maps got printed on the wrong type of paper…despite it being the printers error, HOB was not able to get them redone immediately. A number of players that received early copies complained about the thin stock and glossy feel of the map, and expressed concerns over the durability of the map…so HOB had a number of heavy stock, non-gloss maps produced, which can be purchased separately from HOB. After having received mine, I can honestly say that the durability concerns were mostly overblown…but I did still buy the “upgrade” map (mostly because I'm an ASL whore and I can't refuse an ASL purchase).

I have only played one scenario to date. I played OM1 Morning's Peril, which depicts a German glider-borne assault landing against the AA guns guarding one end of the airstrip…the scenario was a lot of fun, and it came right down to the wire…lots of CC action due to the dust that is in effect the first 4 turns making most shots ineffective…I was able to clear the last AA gun on the last turn, and we had lots of wacky events during the course of the scenario.

HOB is selling the HASL for $66…the upgrade map is $21…but they have a deal going where you can get it for $61 (including the upgrade map) if you buy another product.

Semper Fi!
Scott