Showtime Hanoi

Showtime 100 verses Colonel Toon

This is the little game that began the "Eagles" gaming system.  Though only 4"x6" in size, counters that have to be cut out, rules so small, one needs a telescope to read, one would think, "self, what the fudge, is this?", and the answer is of course, "why it is a pocket game!". Small in size, yet as fun if not more so, than a monster game.  (I know setup is a whole easier!).

This game is about Lt Cunningham* and Lt Driscoll's victory over Colonel Toon*,  May 10, 1972, during Operation Linebacker, making this team one of the few aces the Americans had in Vietnam and the only Navy Ace for the entire war.

At Lt Cunningham's de-briefing, he stated that it was a MiG-17 he shot down, that he fired a Sidewinder missile, it hit sending the MiG-17 down into the ground and exploding. There was no parachute in sight.>

On his way back to his carrier (the USS Constellation (CV-64), Kitty Hawk class, operational between 1961 to 2003) Showtime 100 run out of luck and was hit by a SA-2 in the aft (rear for those none military types).  Nursing his crippled F-4J back to the carrier, he made it to the ocean as the aircraft hydraulics failed. Picked up out of the ocean by helicopter, both "Duke" and "Irish" landed on the USS Okinawa before being transferred back to the "Connie".

*Note - Did Lt Cunningham shoot down Col Toon? He believes he did. All we know is that the NVAF plane was a MiG-17, with the numbers of "3020" on it.  Most of the Aces of the  NVAF flew MiG-21's, not 17's, though there is at least one MiG-17 Ace with a score of 7 kills and that is Nguyen Van Bay, but he survived the war. 

 

The NVAF claim that the plane Lt Cunningham destroyed was flown by a pilot named Nguyen Van Tho and that he survived the loss of his aircraft which doesn't correspond to the explosion Lt Cunningham witnessed.  Some believe it was a senior officer of the 923rd Fighter Regiment with the authority to ignore orders to disengage. 

 

One thing about NVAF, many different folks flew the same aircraft and each time that aircraft was used to down an enemy plane, a star was painted on it. Basically a MiG could be seen with 13 stars and it could be a rookie flying it. I don't believe we will ever know for sure. Was Col Toon (Tomb) for real or just a case of a hero enshrined in legend by his opponents in the conflict? Who knows as people more in the know, know better than me. 

But, enough of the history. We have a game to review!

The Game:  Showtime Hanoi is designed By Paul Rohrbaugh with graphics by Craig Grando and this is Pocket Battle Game #3. ©2008, *LPS, Inc.

*Note - LPS, Inc (Landsknecht Publishing Services, Inc) is the mother company of Last Stand Games, Turning Point Simulations, and Against the Odds magazine. All are good companies, it is just hard  to figure out where to spend one's money.  

Parts of the Game, Part 1: Showtime Hanoi utilizes the standard 8x8 square grid over a remarkable game map thatlooks like it is an air chart (I know my Air Charts and this game map is pretty close). It has numbers printed in the squares that give the illusion of what is known as the Maximum Elevation Figures (MEF) grid on a standard JOG-Air chart. This could be the top of a hill or the height of a radio tower on a hill, etc. The game map MEF is actually the row of squares. Such as 1.2 is first row of squares, number 2 square from left, 5.5 is 5th row of squares, 5 squares from the left, etc. Pretty smart thinking on numbering the grid that way. 

I also like the way the lake, rivers, village and what looks like an aircraft compass rose is indicated on the game map.  The graphics designer was top-notch in his making of this game map.  

The same can be said for the counters, though to be honest, the top down view of the A-4's and the F-4's are a little too close in size. The A-4 was a much smaller aircraft.  But if you take your time and look closely, one can see the wings and tail are correct for a F-4. It is just if one is in a hurry, it is easy to confuse the two. No such luck on confusing the NVAF counters - MiG-17 Fresno, MiG-19 Farmer, and even got the correct look for the old Fishbed (MiG-21).

Besides the game map, there are 18 counters that need to be cut out. Three counters for US aircraft (2 F-4J Phantom II's and 1 A4 Skyhawk) and 3 NVAF aircraft (1 MiG-17, 1 MiG-19 and one MiG 21). There is a turn marker, altitude markers, a target marker and AAA (SA-2's!). There is no sun marker or wind marker as these are not used in this game.

A deck of cards will be needed (all cards plus 1 joker, please) and  one six sided die (1D6). Of course, not letting an opportunity go to waste, a set of cards can be bought for this game too! Cost is $* from High Flying Dice Games. Just click here to go to the web site to purchase these. 

Parts of the Game, Part 2:  Movement is by the card system that Paul came up with and has over the years fine-tune. Of course there is a Movement Chart and a Combat Modifiers Chart (however these are on the rear of the postal game map. One needs to copy the map and play on that or copy the back side ,so you don't keep turning the map upside down and losing the counters. LOL ....

And if you order a game from ATO magazine you can request a free set of die cut counters for this game. In this set of die cut counters are two F-4J, one A-4 Sky Hawk, one F-4 (extra), one A-1H Sky Raider, one A-6 Intruder, three F-105's (one ace), one RF-101 (should have been an RF-4C) and three counters with bombs on them.  For the NVAF, two MiG-17 (one Ace), one MiG-19, one MiG-21. In addition there are ten AAA (SA-2) sites with "?" on one side and a "2" on the flip-side, three dummies, four with different attack factors at the various altitude levels and three that has the "?" printed on the wrong side - these must be the original AAA counters and what looks like two counters for bombing opportunities.  

But be warned, though there are extra aircraft counters in the die cut counters, you don't get the variant rules with the die cut counters, unless you also order ATO, issue #23 (at $32 a back issue, that is an expensive variant), but that could be how you should order to get  the variant counters and ask for the game with die cut counters, thereby killing two Fishbeds with one Sidewinder.

I think it would be easy to come up with variant rules for the use of the new counters, With the F-105 Super Chief (i.e. Thud) it was consider a supersonic fighter bomber  and though it was one of primary attack aircraft in Vietnam, it has the distinction of being the only aircraft removed from combat due to the amount of casualties it sustained. Over 20,000 sorties were flown, 382 aircraft lost including 62 operational (non-combat) losses out of the 833 produced.  

 

However, where the F-105 came into it's own was as the two-seat F-105F and F-105G Wild Weasel variants flying SEAD missions against the Surface to Air SA-2 platforms.  And that is where I believe the 3 F-105 counters come into the game in addition to flying as fighter attackers using the 3 weird bomb counters.  Outside of this, you are on your own.

That pretty much sums up the game parts of this pocket game.  What's next? Oh yeah time to play it!

Game Setup:  Shuffle the deck! Don't forget to add only one joker (important).  Game setup is just like the other Paul Rohrbaugh air combat series - 

1. On the map the NV picks out three sides which will be friendly. 
2. Place 2 AAA (SA-2) counters in each corner of the three sides. 
3. Place a 3rd AAA (SA-2) in one of the four middle squares and also 
4. place the target marker in one of the four squares, But not the same space as the AAA!  
5. American places his 3 aircraft, at any level in any of the squares on his friendly side opposite the US player.
6. The NV places his MiG-17 & 19 in squares friendly to him at low, medium or high level. 
7. The MiG-21 will come on at turn 3. 

Actions:  Jump down, turn around, pick a card...

1. The US has the first card draw (CD)
1. if the CD is a joker, discard and draw again, if the CD is a black suit, all US Aircraft may expend a number of Action Points between his aircraft equal to 1/2 of the card value, rounding up. An Ace =1.
1. example - a Black 5 is turned over - this is 5/2=2.5, rounded up is 3 APs to spend. REMEMBER - no aircraft can exceed it's printed Action value (lower left of counter). US player can move 3 aircraft 1 square or move 1 aircraft 3 squares or move 1 aircraft 2 squares, leaving 1 AP to fire with.
2. It takes 1 AP to be able to attack the enemy aircraft or AAA or target.
2.  if the CD is a black face card then the US player can move one aircraft 3 squares 
3. OR allow a free attack on an AAA unit
4. if the CD is a red suit then the NV player may expend a number of APs (like #8.2 above) for his aircraft. 
5. if the CD is a red face card then the NV move one of their aircraft up to 3 spaces
6. OR allow a free attack from an AAA unit against an US aircraft.  

Combat:  Combat is another card draw and of course this has it own set of rules too.

1. Combat is voluntary! 
2. If you are going to attack, you must 
1. move one square forward, 
2. OR change a level (up or down). 
3. Combat costs 1 AP from the action phase (see above). 
4. Aircraft have a range of 2 squares, but watch out for that modifier!
5. Don't forget there is also the Combat Modifier Table!!!
6. And of course under combat, you have 
1. plane versus plane, 
2. bombing, 
3. AAA combat. 
4. Each has it's own set of rules. Not long, but you need to read them.

Game length is 4 turns, but inside those 4 turns is a deck of cards to go thru until 1 of 2 things happen - you run out of cards (new turn) or a joker pops up (whether for combat or movement and that is also a new turn).

Addendum: This game is pretty much standard like Fighting Eagles. Honestly, if you have that one, then this will be a piece of cake. If you have Head Honcho, the rules are the same, just the names have been changed to protect the guilty.

I keep thinking how brilliant the design of the game map is, all on a little 4"x6" card. The designer must have been prior military.  (he wasn't)

Ok, hopefully I have given you a review that WILL make you want to go and spend whatever it takes to get this game. Since it is a pocket battle game, one needs to order something from LPS, Inc and request it. Or maybe my review sucks and you say to heck with it.  

 

Whichever it is, you really do owe it to yourself to get this. Like all of Paul's Eagle game systems, this one too, is a gem. And not a rough one either. It is highly polished.

Without further adieu it is time for the ratings:
Complexity of the game = LOW (easy to learn, difficult to master)
Solitaire = HIGH (very little work is needed)
Fun Level = HIGH (the only thing missing is Nước Mắm (fish sauce if you ever been to Nam or Thailand)
Nail biting = 7 fingers worth.
Length of typical full game = .5 hour (30 minutes) to 1 hour.

Out of the 5 9 games I have played 1 3 NV win, 2 4 US wins, 2 draws. Both sides won and lost, It is pretty even, just the luck of the draw, as it always is. With the game map having squares, it would be very easy to adapt this to miniatures.

AAA - Below 2,000 feet, small arms were the most serious threat, but US directives limited most operations to altitudes above 4,500 feet, the maximum effective altitude of small arms fire, which limited the effect of these weapons. Other weapons included 14.5mm, 23mm, 37mm, 57mm, 85mm, and l00mm gun batteries, with effective altitude coverage up to 45,000 feet.

Then came the surface to air missiles such as the SA-2, SA-7, among the many different types. Of them all, the SA-2 was the deadliest.  However, like most weapon systems, the US worked out how to negate the effectiveness of the SAM's.

I really hope you can get this game before it is out of print. It is worth it. 
thanks for reading!
-ab out 

 

Also I need to add, this blog is considered to be a living blog. Changes will be made to it as needed to clarify, correct errors or update with new information.  And I apologize, but this review may contain references to graphics that are no longer on this blog. Long story, but it was Google who removed them.

Head Honcho, Jet Combat over the Yalu

Yes, today's review is on another fun to play, introductory level, small, exciting, good game called: 

"Head Honcho, Jet Combat over the Yalu"

This game is set during the Korean War after the US deployed the F-86 Saber to combat one of the bigger surprises the U.S. Military ever received from another nation, the MiG-15.

As typical, thru out the cold war (and even now with all of the world), the US grossly under-estimated the Soviet Union when it came to deploying new and at times better, military equipment (SA-2, AK-47, etc). Both sides developed their 2nd generation jet aircraft from captured German documents, this being a primary give away - give the wings a 30+ degrees swept back and watch what happens from take off.

Yeah, the Bun is being simple here. But hold on, there Skippy!  Both aircraft came out within a month or so of each other - in 1947 and both deployed in 1949. Coincidence? Or aliens?  You decide, but in the mean time it's not time to be anal probed, we got a game to review, but it sure is funny how the Soviets made a plane that looked just like the Focke-Wulf TA-183, more so than the F-86. 

First published in 2015, this game is one of the few Korean War air combat games out there (if not the only one).  Since the Korean War is known as the "Forgotten War" in the US (I can guarantee, it is NOT called that in Korea), gaming in this era, seems to be forgotten as well. 

Luckily game publishers within the last few years have realized this and is correcting the lapse of games.  I can remember SPI (S&T) had a few games on Korea, division level I believe, and there was John Hills "Yalu". 

In the 90's SPI/S&T's/TSR's Korean War in the modern time period, but really, no one else. I don't remember an Avalon Hill, GDW, or anyone else publishing a game set in the Korean War for that matter. 

And if I skipped over someone, I don't believe Wiki is the best place to take as fact, and my gaming/memory stopped in 1990.  Having picked it back up, I am re-learning who makes what these days.

"Head Honcho, Jet Combat over the Yalu" is designed by Paul Rohrbaugh and graphics are by Bruce Yearian. It is very affordable and available for $*. Mounted counters is available for $*.  

Note: $* prices have changed. Check the website.

Parts of the Game:  This game is part of what I have dub "HFDG-ACGS", sounds like a radar system. In other words, the "High Flying Dice Games, LLC-Air Combat Gaming System". Though Paul will tell you it's just a game, he has used this game play type on several games with the 8x8 square grid game map, card system movement and attack, altitude levels, 1D6, etc, it works. This one is no different. 

The basic rules are the same as Fighting Eagles (FE), though this one does add a different Victory Point (VP) campaign that FE should have.  If you have both games, it isn't that hard to meld the VP from this game to FE.  And no, I am not going to publish on the blog how I did it. Go on, buy both games. $16 is pretty cheap these days.

a moment of reflection - Planter's Honey Roasted Nuts, I swear is addicting. First time I have had these. A beer would go swell with these. Be right back........ ok, got it and back....

The game comes with 3 sheets of rules comprised of the basic rules set, the expanded rules set and the Combat Modifier Table and Movement Costs Chart. The 8.5" x 11" game map is of a river with an airfield south or could be east (see map below) of it, covered in a 8x8 square grid. And of course the unmounted game pieces. But Paul does offer a mounting service for this.  

 

The game map looks remarkably like a true reconnaissance photo taken from high up and it looks to be of the Yalu river with either Sinuiju Afld or Uiju Afld. Both are North Korean airfields in Mig Alley and very close to the Yalu River.

it is a good possibility that this is one of the two NKPAF (North Korean People's Air Force) aflds that the game map represents.  

Wherever it is, it represents the aerial playground where foes met, fought their duels, and either won or died well away from others as the only participants invited to this deadly boxing match were the F-86 and the MiG-15 (MiG-15bis).

The game has 28 double-sided counters, consisting of 11 counters of information (sun, bridge/truck convoy target marker, game turn, altitude levels, target marker and Air Support), 4 counters of AAA, 4 Soviet/PCR aircraft counters (3 MiG-15s and 1 Il-2 Sturmovik (ground attack)), 9 US aircraft counters (3 F-86, 3 F-9F, 1 B-29, 1 F-84 Recce Bird and 1 AD-4 Skyraider).  The F-84 serves as the reconnaissance aircraft in addition to ground attack like the AD-4 or Il-2.  

There is a card set for this game too, just like the others.  Cost is $*. Or free if you buy 4 or more games (only available thru HFDG).  Is it worth it? I would say yes and now why did I say that? Because what I have and am learning is that the card sets carry information where you don't have to remember all the nit picking rules. And to me, it is worth that not having to create a player's aid card, like I am doing now *well, not this minute, but in a few when I am done typing here.  

It's nice to see the F-9F Panther in a game. It is one of my favorite Navy Jets, from where
else, "The Bridges at Toko-Ri" of course. Love story, yuck, Naval aerial combat, hell ya.

Game Setup:  Just like Fighting Eagles - use all the cards plus 1 joker and shuffled together. The Chi-Com player selects one side and places the "target marker" in one of the 4 middle squares (sound familiar?).  

The American player places his 3 aircraft at any level, in any square (even all in 1 square) on his side, opposite of the Chi-Com (the opposite side). Chi-Com player places his "Ace" and 1 non-ace at one of these levels - low, medium or high in any square on his side. The Sun does affect the Combat Modifier Chart and is placed by rolling a 1D6 roll - "Even" it is place on the map to the left of the American player. "Odd" it is placed to the right of the American player. And the US Player draws the first card.

 

Actions:  If the Card Draw (CD) is "black" all the American aircraft my expend a number of "Action Points" (AP) between them equal to 1/2 of the CD value (round up) (example - the CD is a black 7. 1/2 of 7 is 3.5, round up is 4 Action Points to be used among 3 aircraft. For example two F-86 aircraft can move forward 1 square and each attack a Mig-15. that's 4 APs).  Of course if the drawn card is "red' then the Chi-Com player has his movement and expends a number of APs like the American.  And of course the following:

1. If a black or red face card is drawn then the owning player is allowed to move a single aircraft up to 3 Aps (remember, no aircraft can spend more APs than what is printed on it's counter.).  
2. OR a black face card allows the American a free attack on a AAA unit. 
3. OR a red face card allows the Chi-Com a free attack using the AAA on an American aircraft that is LOW or MEDIUM altitude and not in or next to a Chi-Com Aircraft. 
4. Or you can climb or dive
5. Or just not move.
6. But to have combat, you must either move 1 square or dive or climb and have 1AP left over to initiate combat. whew. 

Now there are exceptions to all of this and one needs to read the rules on how to conduct movement with the APs; see the movement costs table for what it costs in APs to move; read how to attack AAA from the American aircraft to the Chi-Com AAA attack on the American aircraft.

Combat:  Combat is another card draw and of course this has it own set of rules too. 

1. Combat is voluntary! 
2. If you are going to attack, you must 
1. move one square forward, 
2. or change a level (up or down). 
3. Combat costs 1 AP from the action phase (see above). 
4. Aircraft have a range of 2 squares, but watch out for that modifier!
5. There is also the Combat Modifier Table. 
6. And of course under combat, you have 
1. plane versus plane, 
2. bombing, 
3. AAA combat. 
4. Each has it's own set of rules. Not long, but you need to read them.

Game Length: 4 turns, but inside those 4 turns is a deck of cards to go thru until 1 of 2 things happen - you run out of cards (new turn) or a joker pops up (whether for combat or movement and that is also a new turn).

And then there are the Expanded Rules Set that adds"

1. aircraft abilities:
1. such as power diving
2. or climbing 
3. damage for AD-4 or Sturmovik
2. Bombs Away rules, 
3. Fighter Sweeps,
4. Variable Targets, 
5. Air Support Missions, 
6. Additional Aircraft, 
7. Other Bombers, 
8. Photo Recon Missions 
9. Communist Bombing Mission, 
10. Victory Points and 
11. Multiple Missions.

Addendum: This game is pretty much standard like Fighting Eagles. Honestly, if you have that one, then this will be a piece of cake. If you have the pocket game (aka Post Card Game) Showtime Hanoi, the rules are the same, just the names have been changed to protect the guilty.

Ok, hopefully I have given you a review that WILL make you want to go and spend the $* it costs. Or maybe my review sucks and you say to heck with it.  Whichever it is, you really do owe it to yourself to buy this. Like all of Paul's Eagle games, this one too, is a gem. And not a rough one either. It is a very polished game. 

Here are some specification sheets for both the MiG-15 and the F-86.  Look at that rate of climb and service ceiling for that MiG! One of it's features was it could zoom up in a climb, higher than what the F-86 could do. But here's the funny part - Soviets and Chinese did not have zero-g suits. What does that mean? LOL, they blacked out when doing high speed climbs and turns. 

Without further adieu it is time for the ratings: 

Complexity of the game =  LOW (easy to learn, difficult to master)

Solitaire = HIGH (very little work is needed)

Fun Level = HIGH (the only thing missing is the Kimchi)

Nail biting = 7.5 fingers worth.

Length of typical full game = .5 hour to 2 hours (my fault as I was learning the Expanded rules 1st) (Basic game was 30 mins)

Out of the 11 games I have played both sides won and lost. It is pretty even, just the luck of the draw, as it always is.

With the game map having squares,  it would be very easy to adapt this to miniatures. There are a few 9mm (or 1:200) scale metal and plastic miniatures available.  

Thanks for reading!

-ab out 

Also I need to add, this blog is considered to be a living blog. Changes will be made to it as needed to clarify, correct errors or update with new information. And I apologize, but this review may contain references to graphics that are no longer on this blog. Long story, but it was Google who removed them.