Unboxing | BCS Valley of Tears (MMP 2023)

[@ThymeKeeper]

Dean does like to use less formal sounding terms (buddies, SNAFU) at times, but I don't recall him using "shit sandwich" :D

[@mikem668]

Gotta say, the timing is ironic and horrific. I lived the Yom Kippur war, discussing it daily with two West Point grads who were doing graduate work after several tours in Vietnam. Looking forward to a video of play. Hopefully the Sinai.

[@joeperez3520]

Looking at those Fortification Hexes, the Golan seems more like the Valley of *GEARS*.

[@caomhan84]

My copy finally arrived today after being stuck in the Washington DC sorting hub forever. I have to say that while it is a handsome product and there's a lot of game for the money, the box stock is surprisingly thin. I think it's going to bow and rip in no time flat. I think it should have been hardier/thicker stock.

[@JoseMartinez-wy8jb]

I got the al the games and have played must of them with the 2.0 rules and managed to "reproduce" historical results and had fun with it.. However, haven't played the Valley of Tears, quite curious how he system works with 1973 warfare and technologies of the times. On the dot, with your comments regarding the air warfare. In my opinion, the unit "blob" is what I like most. Hated when my opponent moved division/regiment/battalions from one theater to another without making the commanding office (division commander!) making a fuss or without consequences as in other many games. Keep the good work, being out of the scene for awhile, but as always the videos are quite relevant to me.

[@scottrowland2989]

Very nice unboxing, looking forward to playing this in the near future. BCS is definitely a favorite of mine.

[@Jezza_One]

Just ordered this. I hope its a good game better than the very disappointing Bar-Lev game (remake).

[@iwanhughes2965]

Timely, as I've managed to sneak in under the pre-order wire and snaffle a copy for myself. Looks good. Very much looking forward to getting my copy....it may be a while though as its the UK.

[@calvinboy24]

Israeli Display is same on both sides. Double printed (likely by printing mistake), but no impact on play. Pick your side, just don't flip it when you got markers on 'em!

[@ArnoVdVelde]

The 2.0 is a Panzer's last stand thing. Curious how this will fall on the manageability in comparison to last blitzkrieg and Panzer's last stand.

[@joeperez3520]

Might be a lot of Traffic Markers because a lot of units will have AV Values, there will probably be a TON of Engagements conducted each turn, and those adverse results add a Traffic marker to the Attacker.

[@ScandinavianGeo]

waiting for the gaza edition

[@NiceOneChameleon]

In his 5g4d interview Carl mentioned that he chose this war partly because the other major Arab Israeli wars were one sided. So I doubt you’ll get that edition. Maybe one day someone will make a COIN game about it though.

[@mikem668]

Questions - Do you know if there are pdfs of the BCS Rules (and also GCACW)? And where? My eyes aren't great. Secondly, do you think Valley of Tears and the BCS system in general is playable - without becoming a total nightmare - with old eyes? Thanks. For the unboxing video too. Nice job. You're a brave man doing it on the fly on an unfamiliar topic. I'm sure the bibliography will cite them, but there are great books written by Israeli commanders who were there. During the call-up, Sharon decided to send tank companies (IIRC, but a few tanks at a time, it was that bad) directly to the Sinai as soon as they were ready. Without using tank carriers. They drove tracked. If Fung takes that into account, it would be amazing.

[@ardwulfslair]

Yes. Here's some links: mmpgamers.com/gcacw-downloads-ezp-8 mmpgamers.com/the-gamers-archive-ezp-11 My eyes are... not great. Provided the lighting is good, I have not had any issues with BCS or Gamers games in general. But good lighting is critical.

[@ardwulfslair]

Note that the Valley of Tears game-specific stuff isn't up yet, but I'm sure it will be before very long. In general, The Gamers are excellent about this.

[@mikem668]

@@ardwulfslair Greatly appreciated. I couldn't find any of the rule sets on the MMP site, other than the one-off games.

[@calvinboy24]

There was a lack of overall tank transporters and indeed some units arrived on their own tracks. This occurred in both the Sinai and Golan fronts. The vast majority of the mobilized reserves arrived within 24 hours to their respective fronts and in semblance of their battalion, brigade, and most importantly in BCS for its activating formation - Division, with or without tank transporters and given the one day per turn in the game, showing what transportation used was not necessary. The reinforcements appear at the respective entry areas on the dates they arrive on the game map. I cite one example in the historical notes in the Game Specific Rulebook. So bottom line, yes, I know which units used what transportation, but it wasn't enough in game terms to explicitly model.

[@calvinboy24]

Regarding the bibliography. It is comprehensive with 48 entries. It includes personal memoirs like Adan's On the Banks of the Suez, Kahalani's popular Heights of Courage, as well as other memoirs from Ori Orr, Jackie Even, Emanuel Sakel, and Amnon Reshef's (his is only available in Hebrew). el-Shazly's memoir is listed but overall there is a dearth of Arab memoirs... just in general, and those available in English.

[@joeperez3520]

The 2-Sided Israeli Air Display was a mistake. Both sides are exactly the same. Dean has said so.

[@PrimarchX]

I order this maybe two weeks ago. Looking forward to it.

[@Stiglr]

Wondering at the assembly process that MMP used such that alternating maps, displays, booklets, and counters were tossed into the box in such seemingly random order...

[@calvinboy24]

It's purposeful to prevent counters snagging against other countersheets stacked on top of each other.

[@ardwulfslair]

Definitely not random. Remember, they collate in house.

[@joeperez3520]

You're pronouncing "Yom Kippur" correctly. It's a WAR not a FISH. 😉

[@mikem668]

Don't mean to start an argument over pronunciation, which is always a nightmare given dialect. I get confused myself having conversations with secular, religious and Orthodox friends, Israelis, and my own knowledge of Arabic, having been trained by teachers from all over the Middle East in both Modern Standard Arabic and Egyptian dialect. The following is from Wikipedia. If it's right and I'm reading the IPA correctly, the standard Israeli pronunciation is a mix of the English variants. The long O in Yom (close to Arabic) and long U in Kippur (as you suggested). The English phonetic system and prosody seem to make it easier for us to say by mixing them. Us being speakers of Mid-Atlantic English, which for better or worse is considered Standard American English. Canadians, Brits, Aussies, and Kiwis? Who knows. Yom Kippur (/ˌjɒm kɪˈpʊər, ˌjɔːm ˈkɪpər, ˌjoʊm-/ YAHM kip-OOR, YAWM KIP-ər, YOHM-; Hebrew: יוֹם כִּפּוּר‎, Yōm Kippūr [ˈjom kiˈpuʁ]

[@Stiglr]

Is "Shit Sandwich" an actual game/series term for a certain SNAFU result, or are you just having a larf? :D Nice to see COLOR in MMP Series rulebooks: the black bar of monochromatic madness on the cover was really getting old. Support Book: "Read This First" on page 9? A bit odd, no?

[@ardwulfslair]

That's me being funny.

[@Stiglr]

@@ardwulfslair I guess "SNAFU" needed a boost in The Funny, huh? 😄

[@Jezza_One]

Dogs dinner or the even older mares nest are more PC correct. 😂