----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ Amphibious Assault ================== A two-player game of unequal forces by Clark D. Rodeffer, November 2001. Submitted as a second entry for the 2002 Game Design Competition sponsored by About Board Games, the Strategy Gaming Society and Abstract Games Magazine, 2001. Story ===== [10 October. 03:15 hours. The makeshift briefing auditorium deep inside the belly of the commandeered oil freighter, Scone's Throw. 30 km off the enemy coast of Rubber Head Beach] "Men, I'm not gonna lie to you. This morning's mission is gonna be costly. Each of you take a moment to look at the men to your right and left, men you've trained with, men you've eaten with and befriended. Well today, at least one of you three will probably not taste supper. Our mission is to storm the enemy beach here (indicates location on a map mounted on the wall) in order to set up a supply base. I can't emphasize enough how important this supply station will be to our campaign. This is the only usable harbor area within 500 km, and without a supply base... Well, all I can say is may God help our families back home if we don't stop the enemy here. Unfortunately, the enemy knows the importance of this location. Intelligence reports indicate that mobile artillery have been detected in this area here (indicates a small area). The beach may also be mined but, so far, there are no permanent structures in place. That means the enemy's supply chain has probably not been set up, and their troops are probably just a few tired men. They are more vulnerable than they realize. We also have a couple more factors in our favor -- the element of surprise, and the morning sun at our backs. We storm the beach at dawn. Until then, your orders are to write a letter home, because it could be your last. Dismissed. [10 October. 06:12 hours. Dunetop observation post, Rubber Head Beach.] "Rafts! Sound the alarm! Enemy marines on the beach!" "Where did they come from?" "Who cares where they came from?! Man the guns!" "The GUNS!!" "Oh, dear Lord, I didn't even want to be in this army. I pray that you'll please watch over my wife and kids...." Equipment ========= * Two players designated Assailer and Defender, * An approximately 1 m^2 playing surface to represent the beach where the invasion is taking place (This could be a dining room table, a card table, a couple of towels spread on the floor, or even an area marked in the sand at a real beach. For more variety and challenge, books, clothing, cats or other common household items can be used to simulate terrain features and to provide more or less cover for the Assailer's soldiers.), * An access area all around the playing surface where the players can move about during the game, * A box of about 100 stand-up playing pieces to represent the assailing soldiers (Plastic soldiers are ideal, but any lightweight standing pieces roughly 2 to 5 cm tall could be used -- wooden or hollow plastic chess pieces, dominos, AA batteries, folded cardboard rectangles, etc.), * A hand-held battery-operated torch/flashlight, and * A large (about 200) supply of rubber bands. Preparations ============ Players decide between themselves by some fair method who will be the Assailer and who will be the Defender. Next, the area is prepared by removing any breakable items, setting up any optional terrain features, and placing the box of soldiers and supply of rubber bands within easy reach of the Assailer and Defender respectively. The Assailer signals the breaking of dawn and the start of the invasion by shining the torch into the Defender's eyes. Play ==== Once dawn has broken, there are no turns, just like in a real war. Both the Assailer and the Defender play as quickly or as slowly as they wish until the Assailer runs out of soldiers. Assailer -------- * Using one hand to shine the torch into the Defender's eyes, the Assailer uses the other hand to draw soldiers from the box and stand them on the beach. * The Assailer may not stand up soldiers that have been knocked down (by any means), but must always place new standing soldiers from the box. * The Assailer must stay on one side of the play area and may not block the Defender's shots or pick up rubber bands. That cursed ammunition! Defender -------- * From anywhere in the access area, the Defender uses rubber bands to shoot down the Assailer's soldiers. * The Defender may shoot from anywhere in the access area, and may also shoot at the Assailer's hands and the torch. That cursed morning sunshine! When all of the Assailer's soldiers have been played, the Assailer signals the end of the invasion by switching off the torch, at which time the Defender must stop shooting rubber bands. If more than 50% of the Assailer's soldiers remain standing at the end of the invasion, the Assailer successfully storms Rubber Head Beach and sets up a supply base. If less than 50% of the Assailer's soldiers remain standing, then Rubber Head Beach is successfully defended. WARNING: NEVER shoot at someone's face. In fact, it might be a good idea to wear safety goggles when playing Amphibious Assault. WARNING: Do NOT use a laser or other bright light. A low-powered battery-operated hand-held torch is plenty bright.