11.2018 Elite Canadians II: Manitoba at War

Publisher/Date:
Winnipeg ASL Club (2018)

Product Type:
Mini-Scenario/Map Pack

Country of Origin:
Canada

Contents:
4 scenarios (ELC01-ELC04) on cardstock

Commentary:

Elite Canadians II: Manitoba at War is a tiny scenario pack–only 4 scenarios–featuring the actions of Canadian military units with a Manitoban connection (Manitoba is a province of Canada, sort of like North North Dakota).

The scenarios have a somewhat primitive production value, printed in color on cardstock, but featuring  crude, VASL graphics for the OBs that rarely ever look good in print.  The layout is also somewhat crude. The scenario cards oddly do not provide locations for the 4 actions, but they seem to be in Normandy, France, 1944 [2 scenarios], Germany 1945, and the Netherlands 1945. All scenarios feature Canadians vs. Germans, though Dutch partisans pop up in one and French parachutists drop down in another (see below).  All scenarios are designed by Jim Suderman, who seems to be the motivating force behind this mini-pack.

Boards required to play all the scenarios include 14, 57, 63, 70, 1a/b, 4a/b, and 9a/b. Three of the four scenarios use board 57. None of the scenarios use overlays. The scenarios tend towards the small in size.  Two of the four scenarios utilize OBA; none use Air Support or Night rules.

ELC01 (You Say Potato, I Say Putot-en-Bessin) may have the worst ASL scenario title ever, breaking a tie previously held by almost every single Schwerpunkt scenario. It’s quite hard to find it on the scenario card, but the Canadians set up first in this scenario, while the Germans move first.  The Waffen SS attackers have 11 squads and 3 Mark IVs to kick the Canadians out of a village. The Canadians have 10 squads and 2 AT guns, but get an Achilles tank destroyer and a platoon of infantry as reinforcements.

ELC02 (Rolling out the Carpiquet) features a few men on a large map area. The attacking Canadians (once again, who moves first and who sets up first is kind of hidden) have 12 squads and 4 AFVs, including two Sherman Fireflies and one Crocodile. They have to chase Germans away from a runway; the Germans have 5 Waffen SS squads, some mines and wire, and 2 Mark IV tanks. They also get to choose either a module of 100mm OBA or an 81mm MTR and crew.

ELC03 (Kangaroos in Louisendorf) is a scenario with quite significant errata that should be obtained before play. It can’t really be played without this errata. This scenario, in which the Canadians seem to move first, features a Canadian attack with 13 squads (with tons of SW), 3 Churchill tanks, and 8 Ram and Priest Kangaroos. Facing them are 7 German squads and three AA guns (20L, 75L, and 88L).

ELC04 (Dragoons, Parachutistes, and the Dutch Resistance) is the most unusual of the lot. Once more, the scenario features a Canadian attack. Four Canadian squads, 4 light armored cars, and 4 halftracks enter from offboard, while 6 Free French half-squads descend from the sky in an Air Drop (on turn one???). Meanwhile, Dutch partisan half squads can possibly pop up whenever the French or Canadians are in or adjacent to a building not occupied by a German.

This small scenario pack may be mostly for completists or those who love Canadian scenarios.

 

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