Game Report--Fireball Island: The Curse of Vul-Kar

(Image from Restoration Games)

A couple weeks ago, I got together with my friend Joe.  Instead of playing any of our usual wargames of military mayhem, we opted for the more family-friendly adventure game Fireball Island: The Curse of Vul-Kar.

This is a remake of the 1986 Milton Bradley game, now published by Restoration Games.

(Image from Milton Bradley)

Back in 1986, I felt I was “too old” to play such “kiddie games.”

Fast-forward a few decades—add one pandemic—and what free time I may have to gather with friends, evaporates.

So I'm desperate  willing enough play anything.

No matter which version you have, think of Fireball Island as “Indiana Jones on the Volcanic Island of Chutes and Ladders.”

Up to four players are dropped off with the mission of collecting all sorts of treasure, pictures and souvenirs.  All while dodging “fireballs” (marbles), and their light-fingered fellow players, who can swipe an item from you as they run past.  

The game’s big MacGuffin is The Heart of Vul-Kar, a large red jewel prominently placed on the island’s summit.  Because The Heart is the single largest source of points, it can have a mesmerizing effect similar to “The Precious-s-s-s.”

But the Geological Clock is ticking, so players can’t dawdle. Sooner or later the island’s volcano god, Vul-Kar, will get fed-up with the foreign devil fortune hunters, and unleash a cataclysmic eruption.  

(Image from:  Krakatoa East of Java)

Ars Technica has a full review, and there’s a How-to-Play video, along with one of several play-through videos available on YouTube.

The game is rated for anyone age 7 years or older.  Joe’s two boys are about 5 & 6 years old and seemed to grasp the basics of the game rather well.

However, when playing with younglings, adults need to forgo their usual desire to “...crush your enemies, see them driven before you...”.  

Instead, us grups have to encourage fun & fair play, even as fireballs are flying and the island is coming apart at the fault lines. 

(Image from Ars Technica)

Our game session lasted over a couple of hours due to explaining the rules and breaking for lunch about half-way through the table-top treasure hunt. 

I can’t remember who ended up with “The Precious-s-s-s,” but it changed hands a time or two before the Final Cataclysm.  

I didn’t bother going after it, and instead contented myself with swiping all the minor jewels I could get my hands on.  

I was also the first one to get to the choppa before the island blew, and got the “lucky penny,” worth some bonus points.  Joe’s boys were right behind me and piled into the helicopter. 

(Image from:  Jurassic Park)

What about Joe?

Alas, Joe was hit solid by a fireball as he sprinted to the helipad.  The boulder pushed him down to the very bottom of the hill.  As a result of this critical hit, he didn’t have enough movement points to get off the island... 

(Image from: Raiders of the Lost Ark)

So if this sort of fast & furious looting-spree sounds like more fun than another plodding round of  “...do not pass Go...”, consider adding Fireball Island: The Curse of Vul-Kar to your family’s Game Night Library. 

Airfix--The Introductory Wargame, Product Review and Game Report

If you’re a gamer as old as I am like me, you probably got started by playing with Airfix toy soldiers.

These 1/72-scale, soft plastic figures were a staple part of my childhood.  We use to line them up in the back yard and toss pebbles at our opponent’s troops.  The kid with the last man standing won.

This turned out to be a “gateway drug” for my life-long addiction to wargaming.  (But I’m not really addicted—I can quit any time I want to).

Fast forward to 2018.  I was cruising around an on-line gamestore’s site, The Miniature Market I think, and I was delighted to stumble across Airfix Battles The Introductory Wargame by Modiphius Entertainment. 

The game comes with the following—

—A 16-page rules booklet

—A 16-page mission booklet with 10 scenarios

—10 dice

—2 double-sided, grid-square maps

—2 sheets of double-sided die-cut counters representing German and Allied soldiers, vehicles, terrain and various status markers

—A 54-card Command Deck, and

—2 27-card Force Decks (German and Allied)

The counters representing the vehicles and soldiers are top-down views made to the same scale as the 1/72nd scale figures.  In fact, players are encouraged to replace the counters with figures.

All the components are high quality in a sturdy box.  My only complaint is the ruined house counters are identical on both sides.  Modiphius Entertainment missed out on an opportunity to provide players with a variety of buildings for their game.  I imagine this was done to cut down on printing costs.

Anyway, players assemble troops using the Force Deck, based on the scenario being played.  The cards list the weapons and capabilities of the leaders and squads.

My friend Joe and I played Scenario 1:  Link up with HQ!/Halt the Allied Breakthrough!

This covers the German counter attacks immediately after the D-Day Invasion.

The Americans (Ted):

The Germans (Joe):

The game is played on a cardstock map with faint white “+” marks to indicate the grid squares.  (Note:  No diagonal movement is allowed).

Here’s the terrain set-up for Scenario 1:

The forces assemble:

Each square can be occupied by only one unit (a single vehicle, or a 5-10 man squad).

The fire-fight unfolded as follows:

The German veteran squad occupies the southeastern ruined building.

The American veteran squad occupies the northwestern ruined building, while First Squad advances along the road.

Meanwhile, the German Zuerst Squad advances along the southern flank, and the Zweite Squad advances toward the northeastern ruined building.

The American Second Squad charges the German flanking squad...

...with the Americans getting the worst of it.

Despite the lopsided outcome, the Americans manage to inflict a few casualties among the Germans.

The Germans though, finish-off the handful of survivors from the Second Squad.

The American First Squad advances to the southwestern ruined building in an attempt to shore-up the south flank.

The German Zuerst Squad fires a devastating volley into the American squad (by playing a "Fire" Interrupt Card)...

...then beats the Americans in the race for the southwestern ruined building.

Undaunted, the Americans attempt to evict the Germans...

...first with a “commando assault...”

...then with an infantry assault.

Neither attempts succeed in ousting the Germans.

The German company commander joins the Zwiete Squad...

...and orders the men to charge the American veterans.

Over half the American veterans fall, but the pair of survivors, "stayed frosty" (by playing a "Stay Frosty" Card) and were able to hold off the Germans...

...long enough for the First Squad to come to their rescue.

Caught in a crossfire, the German Zweite Squad is annihilated when the American First Squad opened up on them.

However, the American First Squad is caught in the open by the German Zuerst Squad and nearly wiped out.

The final stage of the firefight:

While both side have been mauled by the short and intense firefight, Joe felt he was not in a position—to hold his positions.

Joe and I enjoyed playing Airfix--The Introductory Game.  We both made a couple mistakes during our session, which could have changed the outcome.  While we like card-driven games like this, it’s often hard to remember every bit of capability each of your units have during the heat of battle.  I think hand grenades were the most forgotten about asset squads possessed.

Still, I recommend this game for anyone just getting into the hobby, introducing others to wargaming—or for those of us desiring a bit of nostalgia.

Fix Bayonets 2018, What A Tanker Game Report

The second game I played during Fix Bayonets 2018 was What A Tanker, run by Damond and assisted by David.

What A Tanker, produced by Too Fat Lardies, is a tank vs. tank skirmish game.

Each player controls one tank, although running more is possible, through the use of a "dashboard."

(Image from:  Skirmish Wargaming's game review)

This is used to determine the status and possible actions your tank.  After determining the initiative order, each player will roll up to six 6-sided dice (d6) and put them in the Command Dice box when it's his turn.  (When your tank takes damage, you will roll less than  6d6, depending on the severity).  The results are:  1-Move, 2-Acquire, 3-Aim, 4-Fire, 5-Reload, and 6-Wild Dice.  The Wild Dice can be used for any other action, or saved for next turn.

Damond put together a Breakout from Normandy scenario.  The American players needed to advance across the river, while the German players needed to defend.

The American force consisted of a few M4 Sherman tanks, and a M36 tank destroyer.

The Set Up

Setting up the scenario and going over the rules.

The four German players.

Two of the American players and the Gamemaster (GM).

The Battle

A Tiger tank advances up to the bocage on the north flank.

Two Panzer IVs maneuver around a farmhouse. 

A Sturmgeschutz III ("Stug III") advances up to the bocage on the south flank.

An M4E8 ("Easy 8") advances up the road and comes under fire from the Tiger.

The Panzer IVs guard the river crossing.

My M36 advances up to the bocage on the southern flank.

My M36 and the Stug III exchange shots.

The StugIII is hard to hit, but is destroyed by my M36.

Another Sherman tank advances over the bocage but is caught in the open.

Another Stug III arrives to reinforce the Germans.

My M36 takes a long range shot at the newcomer, but to no avail.

Another Sherman tank arrives in the American center.

One Panzer IV takes up a position on the south side of the farmhouse...

...while it's companion continues to guard the bridge.

While on the west side of the river, the Tiger tank moves to another position behind bocage.

The newly arrived Stug III takes out my M36!

One of the Panzer IVs backs up behind the barn.

The Tiger and the Easy 8 begin their cat & mouse game around the woods. 

The Tiger advances.

The Easy 8 advances, just far enough to take several shots at the Tiger.

Both tanks are struck several times.  The Tiger suffered minimal damage, but the Easy 8 became hard-pressed.

One of the Panzer IVs advances around the farmhouse and attempts to take some potshots at some Sherman tanks.

Another M36 arrives to reinforce the American's stalled advance.

One Sherman takes a shot at the newly arrived Stug III

The Stug III returns fire.

My newly arrived M36 provides supporting fire against the Stug III.

The Panzer IV moves to the front of the farmhouse looking for targets.

The Tiger doubles-back towards the woods on the north flank.

The Easy 8 and Tiger at a final stand-off.

Conclusion

This was an enjoyable, yet challenging scenario.

This was my first time playing the game.  The only problem I, and us newbies had was understanding the results of the command dice die rolls.   A quick reference chart could alleviate this problem.

Otherwise, What A Tanker is fun, easy and quick to play, that requires less resources than "more serious" games.