Thursday 28 November 2013

DSC

 I had my first ever game of Dropship Commander on Tuesday night. I was at the Medway wargames club and the game was put on by Dave and Paul who do both come to the Rainham club so I knew I was in good hands.

I played against Paul and Dave was kind enough to guide me through the rules and provide some (well a lot really) of coaching. I know most if not all of you have seen DSC the figures and the terrain before. I will be honest that I was drawn to the game because of the look. But look aside it does seem to be a worthwhile game.

WE played the starter scenario. Paul went first and darted up the board. I reacted ready to contest the centre large building with my infantry. Moving alternate units Paul moved his AA vehicles and demounted them. I countered with my tanks. Paul moved his Tanks and I moved my AA vehicles.

Round Two Paul with the initiative again demounted his troops into the building ready to begin searching for one of the three objectives. I moved and fired my tanks. Both Dave and Paul thought that would be decisive and Pauls AA vehicles would be toast. This was the first time that Paul had encountered my dice rolling agility first hand. An average roll would see 2/3rds of his unit destroyed. I only hit one and failed to do any damage. So my firing was totally ineffective.
Paul returned fire and scooted to cover. My AA vehicles crawled forward and fired. Lots of dice and again no effect. And Paul took that as the cue to destroy my tank transport leaving my no ground bound tanks only moving 4" a turn.

Paul took his second infantry unit to another objective and I stormed all mine into the centre building out numbering Pauls troops 2 to 1. A sure victory everyone thought. And then I rolled the dice. I did some damage but Paul did more despite me rolling twice as many dice as him. Oh dear. Paul then went on to destroy my APC's and then AA vehicles. I was running out of things to have destroyed just my infantry my tanks too far away to do anything and a dropship. All I had destroyed in turn was a single drop ship for Pauls AA vehicles.

Paul discovered the second objective and then I got a single lucky shot in from a missile on my dropship. It managed to destroy Pauls troop dropship and one of his APC's. This left his troops with the objective a mere 2" move a turn to try to exit the board.

The centre building finally yielded to me and my troops lined the walls and fired personal antitank weapons at Pauls Tanks. It worked and I took out two of them. And then with the building cleared I was able to find (one of my few 6's during the whole game) the objective.

The game ended as a draw as the turn countdown turned to 6 and the game ended. We each had one objective marker and had each failed to leave the board. I think both Dave and Paul would agree the dice did not favour me in this game. I had only my tanks and some battered infantry left at the end while Paul still had 3/4 of his starting force. Still a draw is a draw and I was very lucky to get that.

I would like to thank Paul for being a good sport and not laughing too loud at my dice rolling ineptitude and Dave for his invaluable help and advice.

Conclusion: It was a good game and terrific set up. The price of the starter set is affordable and I am tempted. The rules are quick and easy to learn and the game fun. The only reason I have not to go and get the starter set is that several members of the club already have large forces and if I was to get the starter set it would not get used because they have so much.

Thanks for reading and I will try to keep posting alternate days from now on. All the best Clint.



20 comments:

  1. It's Dropzone Commander, I think? Sorry to be an awful pedant! It has just appeared at my club and looks pretty cool, I might give a go soon.

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    1. I think you are right It probably is Drop ZONE commander. Thank you for the correction. Silly mistake on my part. Thank you.

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  2. Whatever its called it looks (and sounds) good!

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    1. It's not a bad game by any means. If so many others in my club had not already bought it I would definitely think about it. But now they have so much mine would be redundant.

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  3. I still think it looks like Epic 40k. Not that it is a bad thing as I have legions of minis for that game system. I might pick up the starter myself as I have heard lots of good things about it. One is that it is not a cumbersome system like Epic could be with turns moving quickly.
    It'd be nice to get my old guard army on the table again even at the expense of leaving my ogryns, ratlings, and roughriders behind. And I can use all the terrain from the box games of yesteryear to boot!

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    1. Several people have mentioned Epic when talking about this game. The rules mechanics are simple and straightforward easy to grasp and still allow for tactical decision making. I prefer the setting and races for this though more science fiction and less comical.

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  4. Looking good! I was thinking about it myself, especially as I have nothing of that scale yet.

    It is interesting to see you wouldn't buy it because it would be redundant, I keep noticing how you guys share miniatures and set up games for each other. Here, most of the time everyone just plays his personal force, with addition to occasional proxies :P

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  5. Many people would buy it anyway for there own personal collection. But as I only really play at the club these days and that 2 people at the club have the started sets and then have added to both forces as well. Both the two forces in the starter set are very well catered for at club level and as you can only play one side at a time those two members have enough forces for 4 players.

    The starter set is good value I think. it's worth looking at. Thank you Mathyoo.

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  6. It sounded like you were quite hooked on this and the terrain and forces looked good too.
    I don't think i could get that interested in it though, I can't see the long term appeal that others obviously do.

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    1. As I have said IF others in the club had not got so much for this I think I would have bought the starter set. The terrain does look good and as Pendracken now make 10mm Zombies I can see a horde game springing off of the back of this in a years time.

      Thank you Jo I agree about the long term viability of the game thou.

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  7. A new one on me, but does look great fun.

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    1. Maybe we should look at doing a Victorian/steampunk version with dirigibles and handsome cabs and lots of Victorian terraces for buildings and cobbled streets. Maybe I am getting carried away but as I type it I do like the sound of it!

      Thank you Michael, have a look for it next time you go to a show.

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  8. Great looking game - the flying models look particularly cool!

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  9. Each force has it's own version of the flyers tanks troops etc. It is a very cool looking game. Thank you Dean.

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  10. Looks good. I'm with you on the dice. The law of averages requires us to exist so that there can be great dice rollers in our midst.

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    1. I think I am about average with dice usually but I do seem to get the low rolls when I need high and vice versa! Thanks Dan it is a very spiffy looking game.

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  11. One part of me is trying not to laugh at your lack of luck (sorry!), whilst the sceptical/statistical part of me is wondering if you simply put more emphasis on the rolls which mattered but failed.

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    1. I completely understand what you are saying and it has made me consider that point of view. I think it was Dave's reactions to my dice rolling that tips the balance though as he was independent. As such I am forced to conclude for that particular game the Dice gods did not favour me. Thank you Hugh.

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  12. Damn those dice gods... Perhaps a sacrifice before next time?

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    1. Ah but who/what to sacrifice. Thank you Dave

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