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“Is it a Coincidence that Drugs and ASL Products Both Come in Ziplock Bags?â€
I saw First Wave at Omaha as a demo at ASLOK last October, and I knew I was going to buy it when it was released. I love the desperate nature of a beach landing and I have a particular interest in the Normandy landings. I also knew it was a “we gotta do it†for the Thursday Night Crew meeting at Brandon’s. And maybe just a little, I wanted to see “Saving Private Ryan†and the “The Longest Day†played out in ASL form.
The Map: Fully deployed, we’re talking six feet long, three feet wide and covering half of Omaha Beach, from Dog Green to Easy Red. In shear scope it is visually impressive. Ink and paper quality are on par with MMP. Artistically it’s not the prettiest map I’ve ever seen. Terrain depictions compare well with computer-generated images of other maps (TPP and MMP). But the on-map AT ditches are done in bright red, as are known minefields. Although it makes them easy to identify, in my opinion they detract from the artistic appeal. The on-map beach obstacles are unimaginative and a bit too uniform. They scream “click-copy†computer artwork in a way that makes them appear a bit boring. But aside from these minor detractions this map, deployed to its full size, still generates a lot of “wowâ€.
The scenarios: There are 15 in all, plus one 39 turn monster scenario that covers the entire landing in lieu of a CG (more on that below). One of the scenario cards in my module came with one scenario missing and another printed twice. I have been told that can be easily corrected with a call to CH. The scenarios offer a wide variety of size and utilize portions of the entire map. If you’re down with the Seaborne Assault rules, you’ve have 5 of those scenarios to pick from, and they run in size from small to huge. The scenario cards are laid out in standard CH fashion and artwork and appear to be clearly written and proofed. The scenarios look interesting and diverse. Scott and I played one of the short scenarios, “Lesson Oneâ€, which is played along the hinterland of the east board edge. We found the scenario to be quick and fun, though after a couple of playings we concluded it’s a little hard on the Germans.
The module comes with five and half sheets of counters that use CH artwork (including one sheet of bonus counters for Point Du Hoc). If you’re planning to play the 39 turn monster beach landing you may need some of these if you don’t have a double set of American counters. Some of the counters are unique to module. These include two new types of DC’s (Bangalores and Tetryl Charges) plus an American version of a DC Hero to use them. There are several new versions of pillboxes, as well as casemates, cupolas, weapons pits and block houses, as well as scaling ladders and expanded climbing rules. The Americans also get 5-5-7 Engineer squads and 6-6-8 Ranger squads and counters to represent the destroyers that moved in close to the beach to provide fire support. The Germans get a couple of new gun types, and on-board rocket launchers. Personally, I’m not a fan of modules that re-engineer the system with new squad types, but some of the other units are cool. There are counters for Shore Fire Control Parties that are a useful addition to my set, and who doesn’t love the idea of on-board rocket launchers. One final note on the Point Du Hoc bonus counter sheet: the green used in the Americans has a little too much yellow, making it more of an unattractive lime green than what we’re used to in Yanks and Gung Ho. But this is only on the bonus sheet, not the sheets used for the module. And like the red anti-tank ditches, it’s not a deal-breaker, at least for me.
One of the primary reasons I bought this module was for the 39 turn monster scenario “Black Day for the 116thâ€. This is a good alternative to the strict CG format often used in historical modules. Instead of the RB style refit phases, each side gets a set of player aide cards that indicate (in the case of the U.S.) what comes in when. There are also sidebars on each card that provide additional historical information. The Germans also get a set of cards listing fortification locations and OB for each “Widerstandsnestern†(strongpoint). I am very much in favor of the concept of a monster scenario and card sets for OB’s, as opposed to a Red Barricades style CG, if the historical situation is better modeled by using it, and in this case, the monster scenario is a perfect fit. And the use of historical sidebars for added color on the cards is downright inspired. Another inspired innovation, in my opinion, was the use of “tide lines†for the beach. Depending on what time of day a scenario is set up, deep water is defined by a series of tide lines, which has the effect of making the beach shorter as the day progresses. It is a simple innovation that captures an important aspect of the battle.
Although I’ve barely scratched the surface of what this module has to offer, I am so far very pleased with my purchase and look forward to a lot of quality ASL time with it.
Great review, Jim. Thanks also for another German word- “Wilderstandsnestern.” Looking forward to using that one.
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