The Narrows
A downloadable game
The Narrows tells the story of 3 days of naval operations precluding the Allied landing in the Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915.
This post card solo game is self standing and doesn't require any additional item (except a pair of scissors).
Game components:
Map board, 5x Damages (Dmg) tokens, 1x Mission/Victory Point token, 1x Ship marker, 3x Squadron (Sqd) double faced markers, 21x double faced resolution tokens.
Download
Development log
- Revised version April 2023Apr 04, 2023
- The Narrows Update 1.1Dec 17, 2022
Comments
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Hello Dr. Yves, Hissy and I were hoping to see if you'd like to talk about your games in the Postcards from the Front Podcast. Please let us know, thank you!
Many questions:
- So if I go with 1 ship, I get 5 tokens. In the Turn Description it sounds like I should draw all of them at once and then decide what to do with them in the next step (pick a token from the 5 that were drawn?). It would feel more realistic to just plan on 5 (or 7) tokens to make sure I spend at least one at each FP, decide when to fire as I go and pull a token from the cup as I go.
- I assume I can take 2 Squadrons on one FL. When the batteries fire back, who do they shoot at?
- Each Squadron has one number (7 or 6). This number is both attack value and defense value, right? The desription mentions "Sqd defense value" and "Sqd attack value".
- Which Battery is repaired after day 1? Will a disabled battery be repaired or is it dead? Ships that are hit twice can't be repaired I assume? Is anything repaired after day 3?
- On the black, spades FL at FP 3, the ship gets shot at 3 times. I assume once from each Battery? Would be interesting if they had individual names.
- Victory points: To get 2 VPs from damaging Seddul Bahr you would have to get it to "D"isabled, right? Only then the 2nd black bar counts as 'hit'?
- In Turn Description #7: "less favorable" means from player POV? If one of the 2 symbols on a token has the Battery's symbol, then it fires I assume?
- I used the blue arrow token to mark the damage on the first Battery I dealt with. For the 2nd one I started using the "Dmg" markers. Not sure how to really do it right.
- When do I put the pulled tokens back into the cup? After finishing one FL?
- Balance-wise going the spade-FL is kinda suicide and costs 2 VP for loss of a Squadron, as the Batteries have at least 5 attempts. On the other hand, 4 VPs can be gained by taking out S and K Batteries which seems not too hard. Is that right?
Thanks!
First, thanks for trying The Narrows :)
Now lets go for the questions:
- So if I go with 1 ship, I get 5 tokens. In the Turn Description it sounds like I should draw all of them at once and then decide what to do with them in the next step (pick a token from the 5 that were drawn?). It would feel more realistic to just plan on 5 (or 7) tokens to make sure I spend at least one at each FP, decide when to fire as I go and pull a token from the cup as I go.
Your reading is correct. The idea was to balance the random pulling of chits with the necessity to give a choice to the player.
- I assume I can take 2 Squadrons on one FL. When the batteries fire back, who do they shoot at?
Yes, the 2 squadrons are following the same line. Originally the rule was that the battery is shoting at the strongest one, and then to the damaged one. I’m now introducing a revised rule stating that one of the 2 sqdn should be designated as “Leading Sqn” and will concentrate all the fires.
- Each Squadron has one number (7 or 6). This number is both attack value and defense value, right? The desription mentions "Sqd defense value" and "Sqd attack value".
Yes, the value is used for both.
- Which Battery is repaired after day 1? Will a disabled battery be repaired or is it dead? Ships that are hit twice can't be repaired I assume? Is anything repaired after day 3?
The battery repaired is the one with the lowest value after damaged.
A disabled battery can’t be repaired
Ships hit twice are out of combat (too damaged or sunk)
No repaired after day 3.
- On the black, spades FL at FP 3, the ship gets shot at 3 times. I assume once from each Battery? Would be interesting if they had individual names.
Names will be added.
- Victory points: To get 2 VPs from damaging Seddul Bahr you would have to get it to "D"isabled, right? Only then the 2nd black bar counts as 'hit'?
Yes indeed, black bars indicate the VP earned
- In Turn Description #7: "less favorable" means from player POV? If one of the 2 symbols on a token has the Battery's symbol, then it fires I assume?
Yes it is always referred “less favorable” for the player.
- I used the blue arrow token to mark the damage on the first Battery I dealt with. For the 2nd one I started using the "Dmg" markers. Not sure how to really do it right.
The dmg marker can be used immediately after the 1st hit, since the marker display an arrow pointing to the current level of the battery
- When do I put the pulled tokens back into the cup? After finishing one FL?
yes
- Balance-wise going the spade-FL is kinda suicide and costs 2 VP for loss of a Squadron, as the Batteries have at least 5 attempts. On the other hand, 4 VPs can be gained by taking out S and K Batteries which seems not too hard. Is that right?
I know, but to be honest the 18th of March, when the Spade FL was followed, 3 Battleships were sunk.
Thanks for the update. I'll head to the local printer to get a better quality version in color before I give it another go.
I like the limited scope, the idea to ultimately "solve" a small game by exhausting its possibilities, the historic theme in general and the naval theme in particular.
I didn't get the damage marker part. So there is one unlabeled arrow that can be put on one Bat, indicating the strength, like put it on Battery "K" point it to 7,6,4 or Disabled. But you can have several Batteries damaged, so don't you need several arrows? And where do the Dmg markers come in?
Also, if a Sqd is damaged, instead of "flipping" it you'd swap it for the low damage version, right? If Sqd A is damaged it has 3 Att/Def left instead of 7, correct?
I may take some picture of the Dmg concept, seems that it is not that clear ;)
Yes, you swap (theoretically the 2 sides have to be glued back to back) after being hit, and then the value if , for instance 3 for both att and defense.
Game plays different with a nice color printout.
- I assume I have to play the FLs in the right oder red-blue-green-black?
- can I send 2 squadrons on the same FL during the same day? Probably not
- can I send 3 squadrons on one FL, getting 9 tokens?
- In a squadron of 6 and 7, can I use the sweet 7 as base damage for all my tokens? Or should I take combat value from the lead sqd is (from your revised rules above)?
And, uh, walking to the munitions storage and having the ship shaman put his hands on the shells to tell me which shell does what damage to which battery makes it quite a bit easier.
In fact there is no right order, you can even start immediately with the Black one ;)
In fact the 2 Sqn are going together on the same line, one supporting the other one. For that reason you dont pull 10 (2x5) tokens.
Yes you can have 3 Sqn and 9 tokens.
No the leading Sqn is the one that inflict the Damage. I you want the 7, it has to be the leading sqn.
Let me know if I play correct :-D
Firstly, thanks for doing a video of your play test, I really apppreciate.
For the set up, the ship markers are double faced.
For the whole rules, you got everything correct. Concerning the damage token shows an arrow that points toward the current status of the Battery, ie one of those numbers indicated around the battery square on the map. Ex : Kim Kahle has a value of 8. Once hit, you place the marker in the square, pointing toward the value 7. Another hit and the marker is turned to point toward 6. And so on till you ends up on Disable.
Updated with the right Victory Points track