Very nice map great

This is written by Mike Willner at Consim:

Solitare: I'm finding this is a great game for solitaire, though I'm limited right now to the training scenario. Let me share my views and I'll expand next week ... I have a week vacation with the family and I intend to spend a huge chunk of that time solo'ing Tonkin:

1) Looks: Beautiful game, graphically pleasing. The map is easy to read (has gotten a bit easier though, right Kim?). Counters are outstanding. I have gotten no end of comments from club members who walked past the game (which is set up on one of our long-term wargame play tables) on how great it looks. I think this is a major contributor to good solo play, as you spend a LOT of time staring at the maps.

2) Forces have pretty clear strengths and weaknesses, so the solo player can set a general strategy easily. I contrast this to games where both sides have similar armies, similar capabilities ... you are left wondering what to exploit for one side or the other. FEF paras and armor, VM big infantry divisions and small cadres clogging jungle roads.

3) The turn sequence contributes to keeping the solo player interested. Not knowing how many activations in a row or what operations will emerge keeps it fresh and surprising.

4) Counter density is low enough to make you think about what to do with each stack, and special units are rare enough that you can't just shovel them forward. This gives the solo player something to think about and ponder. I know I have a good solo game on my hands when I find myself standing over the map thinking through the implications of committing this armor unit or that para unit.

5) I think that the strategies are straight forward enough for both sides that the solo player can compartmentalize and play each one 'fairly'. So, in the training game, I decided on "hold the highlands, delay tactics along roads, draw the attack on the delta city to district the enemy" was the VM strategy. I decided "Hold the most distant high land city with para operations, fall like a hammer on the delta city, sacrifice the second highland city" as the FEF strategy. This basic outline allowed me to play both sides, with the FEF falling right into the VM trap in the Delta, but the VM having a hell of a time prying the para reinforced FEF out of the highlands.

Some potential improvements for solo play:

1) The political objectives are an obvious problem. Randomizing the placement didn't seem right (I mean, the VM would know their objective and fight to protect it). So I opted to take them out of the game entirely ... seemed the best way, just take the 5 point swing out of the mix.

2) Decisions about burning supply for the Ops phase, and what ops to select can become a sticking point ... hard to decide fairly. A game called "Summer Lightening" has a table for solo play that helps decide based on a decision tree like "Agressive" vs "Defensive" that leads to a series of choices that ultimately selects the defensive strategy. Dice driven. Something like this would be nice for Tonkin for the Ops phase, but would be a major design effort that isn't feasible at this point of development. Maybe post release I'll give it a try and post it here and on the Geek.

3) Limited Intelligence: face to face, not being able to examine the VM stacks turns out to be more of a factor than you would think. The FEF just can't be sure where the big infantry are lurking, or if a para drop is safe at that city. I can't imagine how to add this in, other than leaving a day after the VM move so that you don't clearly recall what is where ... a poor substitue but I can't image doing better. I think the solo players will just have to take the hit on this one.

Many times it is a vicious game. Last time I played it I sent a group of paras to Laos to counter a VM thrust from Vietnam. I succeeded and went for a hot pursuit when the VM units retreated back across the border. Then suddenly the VM units turned around, walked right past me and blocked the road back south where my supply was. Oops with a capital O . Never ever forget that VM units pay much less for the terrain when they move and that French units do not project a ZoC into forest which enables the VM to use double movement right past you. My remaining option was to walk right eastwards towards the delta through the forest. I looked at the track to see how many Ops remained and realised that all of them had to be spent just to save those paras. The question, of course, was whether VM was going to spend his remaing ops to chase me or if he was going to grab the opportunity to do something sinister somewhere else and force me to react and thereby leave my paras in the jungle...

As I have said many times before, this game will not reward you for playing well, it will punish you for playing badly

It will be published this autumn since Randy Lein at Legion Wargames at the same time is also producing Slouch hats & Eggshells (invasion of Vichy Syria in 1941) and Hell of Korea (an add on to B-29). Three good games to look for.

I'm doing the final graphics. Here are the new trench counters:

Final map. It is getting closer now. The counters are done and are off to the printer. The box is also done. Final graphic layout of the player aids are being done right now, and I'm fine tuning the last details on the scenarios and rules. Expect shipment in late November together with Slouch hats and Hell over Korea.

http://www.kangerproject.com/tonkin_map.jpg

I can't wait for the moment when Tonkin is finally out of the house. It has been with me for such a long time and it has changed so much from the original version from VaeVictis. I would say that it is more or less a new game, not just an updated version. You will recognise the system, but that's it.

Some playtesters have been confused and said that they simply don't know how to play. There are no frontlines and the enemy is all around you, in front of you and behind you. Other playtesters have enjoyed the chaotic feeling, a kind of "chicken race". The player who manages to put pressure on the opponent without losing his nerves regarding threats from the enemy will win, and believe me, this was exactly what the French and the Viet Minh commanders were doing historically.

When this is out of my house soon, then at last I can turn my attention to my other projects: "Dien Bien Phu, the final gamble" and "Heart of Darkness" (exploration in Africa) and "Colenso" on which I am the developer.

You have done really a great job !

Les règles reflètent vraiment très bien la nature très particulière de ce conflit.
Ce sera un très grand jeu AMHA.

Thanks!

A special feature is that when you play a scenario you will have a historical setup but you will not be scripted and forced to do what the historical counterparts did. It will not say that you will win only if you take Haiphong (although you probably do win if you do take Haiphong) or something. No, a scenario will give you a historic starting point and a certain strength to your force but then it is up to you to decide what you wish to do.

For example, the Hoa Binh scenario starts with a large part of the French force between Hanoi and the strategic village of Hoa Binh. Historically the VM pounded on the salient until the French decided it was of no use to stay there and retreated back to the delta. But perhaps the VM player will say: To heck with Hoa Binh, let's see how the French player reacts when I invade the highlands?

You will be totally free to test different strategies of you own.

Guys, take a look at the final set of Tonkin counters. They look great!


http://talk.consimworld.com/WebX?50@657.bvt6cdElSp4.144@.1dd17eb3

I hope that we'll received the game before end of 2011, what a great Christmas present

I really hope so. We are working hard to get the remaining components ready as soon as possible. I will keep you all updated.

The former "final" counters didn't do well when printed. Now that has been fixed. These are the final ones (and they look great when printed):

http://talk.consimworld.com/WebX?50@79.hfLbaEdb7qt.7@.1dd17eb3

Joyeux Noël

Nice picture, thanks kim...

This was announced by Randy Lein at Legion Wargames:

"Attention Legionnaires,

The day that has been so long in coming is almost here. Within the next day or two I will begin taking Pre-Order payments for the the 3 games releasing on Friday.

Hell Over Korea
Slouch Hats & Eggshells
Tonkin

I am expecting delivery of the last components soon and I hope to begin packing up the games this weekend. Right now my plan is to take Pre-Order payments for the next two weeks and then begin shipping the games out on January 17th.

I will announce here when the LWG Pre-Order Payment Page is active, as well as sending out email alerts to all Pre-Order customers, in addition to news stories being posted on CSW. Also on that page you will find some great deals on most of our current stock of games games that are only available for Pre-Order customers. And if you were one of the people who expressed an interest in picking up one of the new Slim Design boxes for Ici, c'est la France! you will be able to add that to your order.

Due to the unusual nature of releasing 3 games simultaneously I am making this offer:

* Combining games into one order will certainly save you money on shipping, however, I realize that paying for three games at one time may not fit into everyones financial means. Email me if you wish to defer purchasing the 2nd and/or 3rd game for up to 3 months. contact@legionwargames.com

I want to thank everyone who has assisted me in the long, hard road to get these games finished. And of course to the customers who have showed great patience and great faith that it could be done.

Randy Lein - LWG"

Good news !