David R. Moody - 01:06pm Jul 11, 2003 PST (#4775 of 4795) 
President of Krapee Games. Currently playing: Battle Hymn (Victory),
Advanced Civilization (AH), Science vs. Pluck, Corsairs & Hellcats (Late
1943 Solomons campaign and Oct-Dec 1944 Philippines campaign). Reading:
The Iron Brigade (Allan Nolan). 

Wednesday night Joe Oppenheimer and I met at Endgame in Oakland, CA to
do some gaming. We played Lock 'n' Load and the fourth mission of our
ongoing Late 1943 Solomons campaign from Corsairs & Hellcats. 

Lock 'n' Load was a LOT OF FUN. It was the first time I had played it.
Joe picked a small scenario to get me into the game--it was May 1969 and
I had two US Army platoons to clear a small village of VC preparatory to
the Hamburger Hill battle--and after going over the rules and setting
up, we were off. 

The first thing that struck me was how many things in the game reminded
me of other tactical games I have played and enjoyed. I saw a lot of
influence from both Squad Leader and ASL, right down to the look and
feel of the maps, the way the charts are set up, and the way the
scenario cards were laid out. The counters reminded me of Landships
(similar look and layout), and the "get into a hex-read a paragraph"
mechanic reminded me of the Ambush/Battle Hymn series. But this game was
better than all of those--it seems to take the best elements in all of
them, and others, and distill it into something very playable and a
whole lot of fun. And I'm not just saying that because I kicked Joe's
VC/NVA butt and got revenge for his savaging of my mechs in a previous
battle. :-) 

To the battle: I decided to send my two platoons in a wide advance,
sending the leader with three squads and the medic through the light
jungle on my left, heading for rice paddies and a cluster of huts, while
the other three squads moved through heavy jungle to take up an
overwatch position on a hill on my right. As far as I knew I was facing
only VC. As my men advanced on the left, though, the lieutenant spotted
an NVA force dashing into the huts in our front. A quick firefight
ensued, as VC tried to infiltrate into the elephant grass near the left
hand platoon. Joe made a mistake by popping his sniper up too near my
forces--he missed, and I was able to quickly dispose of the sniper by
rushing a squad into his hex. At any rate, blessed with good dice, I was
able to clear Joe's troops out of the elephant grass with minimal
casualties (I even got a hero), calling down artillery on his fleeing
VC. His battered survivors fled to the village, and I pursued them,
firing from overwatch and inflicting losses, taking a half squad loss,
and getting another hero. By the end of the game, I had cleared most of
the village and inflicted heavy losses, winning handily. 

Again, the game was a LOT of fun. If I could afford it, I'd buy my own
copy. We are DEFINITELY going to play this one again--probably as soon
as next Wednesday--but bigger, with maybe tanks or APCs or helicopters.
A great, great game. 

The Corsairs & Hellcats mission was much closer--I sent two P-40Es to
bomb a Japanese seaplane base, escorted by two late-arriving Kiwi
Kittyhawk IIIs. Joe bounced me with two Rufes and two Petes, shooting
down one of the New Zealanders and flipping one of the Yanks to Damaged,
while I flamed one of the Petes and flipped a Rufe to Damaged. Joe's
still winning that campaign after four missions, but I'm creeping
closer. I'll post a more detailed replay in the Down in Flames folder.