BAIT wouldn't have been a set of rules I'd have bought myself. Although wanting to game the SCW I was looking at higher formation actions, but if you get them free, why not?
I saw BAIT in development through Wargames Developments & CoW (can't believe it's nearly 10 years ago), but didn't pay that much attention. However, those involved in producing this PBI variant (who included Wayne Thomas) are people whose approach to wargaming and research I respect. My only reservations in reading the rulebook through is that it seems to be an exercise in bolting as much chrome as possible onto a framework that isn't going to be changed at a fundamental level. Mirrored in this set is an argument that raged on the RFCM Yahoo group on and off for years over artillery. Given that is a company level game how much should higher level formations be involved. There was one particular row about the use or not of a British Army Group Royal Artillery. If you include that as an option then the whole playing area becomes a smoking wreck, so it seems fair to exclude it.
In BAIT there's a prebattle sequence that gets you to an off table barrage and air intimidation. Whilst those are both important features on SCW battles how important they are down at company level where armies start a few hundred yards apart at most is debatable, so for this evening's game I'll be ignoring those rules. I'll also be skipping the pregame recce sequence as I want to play the table in a certain direction, plus I want to get straight onto the table and start moving figures instead of playing a version of battleships.
The scenario for tonight is a Moroccan company assaulting some Anarchists on the outskirts of Madrid. The armies are:
Moroccans - Veteran Company
Company Command
Officer & Pistol 35 points
2 Rifle groups 16 points
1st Platoon
Officer & Pistol 35 points
10 Rifle groups 65 points
2nd & 3rd Platoons as above
Support Platoon
Officer & Pistol 35 points
3 HMGs 66 points
Total 352 points
NB This is very similar to the Peter Pig boxed army, but the points are wrong on the website listing, with the rifle platoons costed at 5 points to much.
Anarchists Average Militia Centuria
Company Command
Officer & Pistol 17 points
1st Platoon
Officer & Pistol 17 points
10 Rifle Groups 45 points
1 LMG 10 points
2nd, 3rd & 4th Platoons as above
Support Platoon
Officer & Pistol 17 points
2 HMGs 30 points
Total 352 points
One final note on the Peter Pig SCW Black Boxes. They're a great way of picking up lots of packets of figures in a cost effective way, but they aren't always perfect. As I've noted above the points for the Moroccans have been worked out slightly wrong, although you have enough bits in the box to fix the problem. The Falange Box is a mess as it has a lot of female militia in it, and the Falange never gave women rifles let alone put them anywhere near the enemy.
Still, really looking forward to tonight. Battle report to follow.
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