Price: $*
Designer: Paul Rohrbaugh
Graphics Designer: Antonio Piñar Peña
Publisher: High Flying Dice Games
Published Date: 2020
Subject: Operation Fustian was a military operation carried out by the 1st Parachute Brigade, part of the British 1st Airborne Division during the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943. The operation's objective was to capture the Primosole Bridge across the Simeto River.
Abbreviations Used: Arty=Artillery, ACT=Activations, AB=Airborne Brigade, AP=Axis Player (Italian, German), BP=British Player, CB=Coastal Battalions (Italian), CD=Card Draw, CF=Combat Factor, DR=Die Roll, Inf=Infantry, MG=Machine Gun (German), MP=Movement Point, 1D6= one die six, Paras=Paratroops (British), CE/RE=Combat/Royal Engineers, AT=Anti-Tank. (page 3)
Scale: Each hex is about 1/2 mile across and each turn is 8 hours of time. Inf/Paras are companies in size and armor units are 4 vehicles (when reduce, 2 vehicles). (see 1.2)
Components and Physical Quality: The graphic designer for this game is Antonio Pinar Peña and as it was said back in 1985 on SNL's Fernando's Hideaway - "Dahling, I have to tell you something. And I don't say this to everybody, your graphics look mahvelous!". 😀
The game map, player's aid, and counters are fantastic. I really do enjoy his graphics and rate him in the top 10% of his profession. As of this review, he has graphically designed 29 games. I wish him luck in everything he does.
There are 16 counters of Italians in grey-green, 13 counters of Germans in dark gray (or black, just calling it as I see it) (including one Luftwaffe support counter), 24 counters of British in khaki (including one arty and naval support counters), and twenty-six counters of Low Ammo/Entrenched counters. Last, but not least, the game turn counter.
One will need to mount the counters or have HFDG do this for them, with a cost involved. So why have HFDG mount your counters? Well, to get them lined up is not so easy. Plus, the cardboard HFDG uses is pretty nice and importantly, one less thing to do before playing the game. One will still need to cut out the counters.
Game Map: An
excellent realistic good looking game map... Honestly, I can smell the
fields and the water. This is just a small sample of the 8.5" x 11.0"
game map on the right.
Complexity: Introductory, with no variant rules, but do not let that nomenclature fool you, as it is no beginner's game. Simple yes, simplistic no. It has a lot of very good ideas and plays like games four times it's size and expense.
Rules: Would you believe 6 single pages? The rules are nicely printed on high quality paper with a good feel to them. Not some 10 lb copy paper, but true printer heavy paper. What is nice about this rule set is that the important rules are pre-hi-lighted in yellow. And saying it has 6 pages is not true. Pages 3 to 6 have the rules, page 1 is just the title page and page 2 is a chart showing the units and their formations.
OK, this might seem like I am confused, as I will be jumping around. To be honest, I am, as the weather is playing havoc with my head. I have listed the rules each paragraph is talking about like so (see #.#).
Player Supplied Components: A standard card deck (or the HFDG card set) is a must and as is 1D6. (see 1.1)
The chart to the left shows how many acts a card gives. BP uses Red cards while the AP uses black. Note: I think I included everything a certain card draw does (such as face cards).
It is important to know to ignore the 2nd Joker if it is drawn
before both players have been able to activate and play until all cards
are drawn. If not the last turn, shuffle the deck, advance the turn
marker and continue play. Game lasts 11 turns. (see 1.2)
Please do note that the card draw is used for the number of
activations available to a player, with each activation being used to allow either combat or movement or entrenching a unit or recover
once per unit per round (CDs), with many rounds in a turn. (see 3.0, 3.2, 3.3, and 4.0)
Is it needed? Only you can say that. I find it has all of the information needed in a very easier to read and understand format as shown to the left.
Note: $* means I have no idea the cost.
Game Setup: The Axis Player sets up first using the setup guide. (see 2.0, 2.1, and 2.1.1)
The British sets up second according to the setup guide and conducts the paratrooper/glider landings and sets up the British Reinforcement schedule. (see 2.2, 2.2.1, and 2.2.2)
And don't forget to reshuffle the card deck to start the game!
Formations: In a lot of games, one doesn't need to keep track of unit formations, however in this game formations are important for the correct setup and stacking (allows up to 2 units to share a hex). (see 2.1, 2.1.1, 2.2, 2.2.2, and 3.1)
Each country has units in formations that are color coded representing
paras (considered inf for play), inf, and armor. AT and Combat/Royal
Engineers do not have a formation stripe and can stack with any nationality unit. (see 3.1 and 5.0) Special Units: Some units have an asterisked * to indicate these are units with special abilities. AT, Armor (Tank), and CE/RE have an *, allowing these units to increase the CF of any inf unit it is stacked with by 1 or said unit can attack with their own CF. (see 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3)
Armor units in addition to the *, have a red square under their MF to signified that the BP needs to roll 1D6 when the tank unit enters a non-bridge river or canal hex side, or enters a cultivated hex. I believe it is to see if the tank unit gets stuck in the mud (see 5.1.1).
Armor has the ability for one armor unit to freely stack in a hex with 2 other units (and use it's +1 CF increase). There is no Zone of Control and combat is voluntary. (see 3.1, 4.0, and 5.1)
Support attacks such as Air, Arty, and Naval are resolved by 1D6 and do not require an activation. (see 4.0 and 5.4)
Units can "entrench", which offers a +1 CD attack modifier (or +1 DR if attacked via Air, Arty or Naval), against the entrenched unit when it is attacked. (see 3.2)
A reduced unit can attempt a full recovery with a 1D6 check. (see 3.3)
Combat:
Units have a range of 2 hexes. Units can fire into but not through
hills and cultivated hexes. Naval, Air, and arty support units can
attack any unit (no range limit.). Remember, a unit can either move or have combat, not both from an activation during a round. (see 4.0)
Low Ammo: The BP can suffer from low ammo if the BP draws a face card when resolving a Paratrooper unit's attack. Units that suffer this have their CF reduced by 1. Axis Player and British reinforcement units do not suffer this. And when any BP reinforcement units enter the game, all Low Ammo markers are removed. (see 4.1)
Winning the Game: The Axis Player wins by controlling one or
both hexes of Primosole bridge. The BP wins by controlling both hexes
and having 1 to 4 units north of the Simeto River. (see 6.0)
Playing Time: From 2 to 3 hours, easy.
Solitaire Playability (Scale 1 to 10): I would say it is about a 9. Remember, just about any game can be played solo. This one is no different and is how I played it, still fun and without the bother of having to supply the beer and chips to an ungrateful guest complaining about using cards.
Addenda: Yes, just a couple of lines. And here it is -
Operation Fustian
Addenda, November 2023
Addenda, November 2023
2.2.1 Paratrooper Landings (correction): A Paratrooper unit is unaffected if the CD is less than or equal to 4 (the underscore beneath the less than sign is missing).
3.0 Activations (correction): Disregard case “d” as this is holdover text from the play test version of the game that should have been deleted. Rule 4.1 is correct and the only way by which the Low Ammo markers can be removed.
3.2 Entrenchments (addition). Units in Fortified Terrain may not entrench.
Player asked Clarifications: Several questions have been asked these past few years concerning the game. Here are the answers.
1. Per 4.0 the modified CD result is compared to the attacking unit's CF. If the modified CD is less than or equal to the attacking unit's CF the target is reduced; if greater then there is no effect (attacker missed).
2. Per rules 1.0 and 3.0 each unit activates individually. When activated an activated unit can do ONE of the listed actions in rule 3.0. Per rule 5.1 an activated attacking unit can have its CF increased if stacked with an armor or AT unit (and/or Engineer unit).
3. Since units activate individually, multiple units can attack the same target but each requires its own activation and each of their attacks are resolved individually.
4. Per rule 4.1 the low ammo markers are removed as soon as any British reinforcement unit enters the game. There is no other way to remove a low ammo marker.
4. Per rule 4.1 the low ammo markers are removed as soon as any British reinforcement unit enters the game. There is no other way to remove a low ammo marker.
5. Per the rule 3.1, one British tank unit stacks for free, so it can stack with 2 units (making 3 to the hex).
Not part of the errata (sorry, I mean "addenda") is just something to be aware of - there are CD modifiers, meaning a "card draw" modifier (such as "entrenching") and there are CF modifiers, meaning Combat Factor modifiers (such as "Low Ammo") and a Die Roll modifier (such as the "Arty, Naval and Air support" attacking an entrenched unit DR) in the game.
Airborne operations were always risky and problematic affairs and this game, though small in size, is bigger in stature than many games that are larger and cost a hell of a lot more, shows this in detail.
It is a very intense game and using the card draw system for activations (movement and resolving combat) combining said activations with entrenching (digging in), rallying (recovery), low ammo, having certain units able to improve the attack and defense, plus the landing of the paratroopers (which was an actual mess for the battle), make for a daring game of cat and mouse. I found it fun, easy to understand, and a hoot to play.
Soapbox time: Why use playing cards for activations? This is a question I am asked from time to time, as really there is no simple way to show the frustrations or the chaotic nature of combat. Minutes seem like hours, seconds seem like minutes, everything speeds up or slows down, at least from what I remember. Some parts of a unit may attack or not. I remember there were several people in the platoon during combat, who even when they fired their weapon, didn't aim for people and some folks hunkered down without firing their weapon. Many a time, one could hear rifle fire after the battle, just incase Gunny did a weapons check.
Pulling chits (as some of HFDG games use) is one way. But what if one doesn't really have the entire OOB of units or doesn't want to have tons of chits? Right!!! Using a card draw system allows a designer to show the stop-start motion of combat, without resorting to having more pull chits for leaders or other rules than necessary. I really do like this way of gaming. It allows a good play without having an umpire.
Will I play it again? You bet. Right now it is my game of the month, just edging out "A Scourge of Stone and Spirit: The Siege of Harfleur, 1415". I haven't had fun like this in a while and I actually owe it to "Guarding the Land", a PBG for getting me back into playing games.
Let me know how you like this game in the comments section. I would appreciate knowing your thoughts on the game, what you may or may not like. And of course if you find anything wrong in my review.
Happy Thanksgiving 2023,
-ab
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. Also, this is my opinion, right or wrong.