Ambush for OHW and OWSW

Has anyone come up with a realistic ambush scenario for wargames? I'm just starting to play solo and I wanted something I can't prepare for. Fog of war game. I hate predictability. Solo play has a lot of predictability. I'd like to overcome this, and I think I have but I'd like to hear what others think and have come up with.
Mike

Has anyone come up with a realistic ambush scenario for wargames? I'm just starting to play solo and I wanted something I can't prepare for. Fog of war game. I hate predictability. Solo play has a lot of predictability. I'd like to overcome this, and I think I have but I'd like to hear what others think and have come up with.
Mike

Hi Mike.  One thought I had was to make all of the ambushed side pursue a predetermined route - eg a supply wagon and escort following a road.  The ambushers can be deployed as required.   The supply wagon and escort must share out its APs as equally as possible to move along the road.  It must also keep together so stragglers must be given the APs first.  At the beginning of the phase for the supply column, a card is drawn for each ambushing group to see if it is spotted assuming there is line of sight..   The card required will be based on the range eg King only for 24" +, Queen for 18" plus etc etc.  Just a thought!

On the subject of scenarios generally, I am looking at some of the Fistful of Lead ones to see if they could be adapted.  I recently used the one about Pancho Villa's raid on Columbus and that seemed to work well.

Cheers

Simon

Has anyone come up with a realistic ambush scenario for wargames? I'm just starting to play solo and I wanted something I can't prepare for. Fog of war game. I hate predictability. Solo play has a lot of predictability. I'd like to overcome this, and I think I have but I'd like to hear what others think and have come up with.
Mike

Hi Mike.  One thought I had was to make all of the ambushed side pursue a predetermined route - eg a supply wagon and escort following a road.  The ambushers can be deployed as required.   The supply wagon and escort must share out its APs as equally as possible to move along the road.  It must also keep together so stragglers must be given the APs first.  At the beginning of the phase for the supply column, a card is drawn for each ambushing group to see if it is spotted assuming there is line of sight..   The card required will be based on the range eg King only for 24" +, Queen for 18" plus etc etc.  Just a thought!

On the subject of scenarios generally, I am looking at some of the Fistful of Lead ones to see if they could be adapted.  I recently used the one about Pancho Villa's raid on Columbus and that seemed to work well.

Cheers

Simon

This is what I came up with for ambushes: Ambushes
Overview
Ambushes introduce an unpredictable and thrilling element to the game, simulating the hidden dangers soldiers face on the battlefield. Here’s how ambushes work:
 
Setup and Trigger
At the beginning of the game, two "Ambush" cards are shuffled into a deck representing each 6"x6" grid on the board. After every player movement phase, a card from this deck is drawn.
 
Triggering an Ambush: If an "Ambush" card is drawn, it indicates the enemy has set up an ambush in the vicinity of one of your units. The enemy unit (a Heavy Machine Gun team in this case) will be placed within one grid square (6"x6") of any of your units that moved during the last phase. This placement simulates the enemy choosing a strategic position to launch their surprise attack.
Execution
 
Immediate Action: Once an ambush is triggered, the enemy unit starts firing immediately, representing the sudden and swift nature of real-life ambushes.
 
Rolling for Hits and Damage: You roll a d20 to determine if the ambush hits any of your units in the affected area. Let's assume you need to roll under a 15 for the ambush to be successful due to the surprise element. If successful, roll again to determine damage based on the specific weapon stats of the Heavy Machine Gun.
 
Heavy Machine Gun
Overview
The Heavy Machine Gun (HMG) is a pivotal unit in the game, offering high firepower that can suppress enemy movement and inflict significant casualties.
 
Setup and Use
Positioning: The HMG is typically set up in a strategic location with a wide field of fire. It's a crew-served weapon, requiring set-up time and a clear line of sight to the target area.
 
Firing: When firing, the HMG can target any visible enemy unit within its range. If used in an ambush, it fires immediately after being placed on the board. For its attack roll, you might need to roll a d20, with a requirement to roll under a specific number determined by range and cover to hit the target.
Impact
 
The HMG is especially effective at pinning down enemy units, making it harder for them to move or return fire. It can change the dynamics of the battlefield, forcing opponents to deal with it before advancing.

This is for solo play but could be adapted to two or more player games too. You'd have to have the defending player write down where his units are placed and keep them off the board. 

My board is 3' x 3'. Each 6" square is part of a grid of 36 cards covering the board for this scenario and to show start locations of the game. Each turn, a card is turned over for a grid and another for an ambush. The ambush card should be the two jokers in the deck.  An alternative could be splitting units, keep them off the board and if the ambush comes up, these units are brought into play. Otherwise they stay off the board. If they are brought to the board, they cannot be used for an ambush once in play and they can only enter where the defender's farthest square is located. No instant saves. 

Decisions have to be made. 
Anyways, that's one of the solo game rules I created for my own game.