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The 1981 simulation game 'Jabro'
receives a 30th anniversary reprint by popular demand!
We bring back that old enthusiasm
with a three-part report!
⇒ For the newest info on Jabro, check out the
MegaHobby Blog!
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In part 2, we run through the a test play!
⇒ Click here for part 1
Before we start the game, let's compare the new units to the old.
▲ The old are above, the repro below. The units are slimmed down slightly.
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This slimming makes them easier to stack. |
All right, let's start with Scenario 1, on page 10 of the manual!
The victory condition is:
'Before Zeon's turn 8:'
'Destroy all enemy units. Otherwise the mission is a draw.'
So a winner is decided within eight turns.
Let's dive into the game while referring to the manual, just like Amuro first piloted the Gundam!
Turn 1
▼ First move: Zeon / Denim's squadron
1. Recovery phase
> No one is unconscious.
> No one is unconscious.
Until someone's wounded, we can skip this phase for both sides.
2. Advancing fire phase
> Gene's Zaku lacks line of sight and cannot fire.
> Denim's Zaku also lacks line of sight and cannot fire.
This simulation game's crucial decision is whether to move or fire! Whether to attack now or wait is the question!
3. Movement phase
> Gene's Zaku, with 9 movement, traverses fours Plains hexes at two points each.
> Denim's Zaku, which also has 9 movement, also traverses four Plains hexes at two points each.
Movement changes one's fate!
Being in the line of fire afterward invites a quick death!
4. Defensive fire phase
> The guided missile truck 1 cannot attack, as it has no line of sight.
> The guided missile truck 2 cannot attack, as it has no line of sight.
> The guided missile truck 3 cannot attack, as it has no line of sight.
After enemies move is your chance to attack. But if you don't finish them off, it's their turn next!
5. Advancing fire phase
> Gene's Zaku lacks line of sight and cannot fire.
> Denim's Zaku also lacks line of sight and cannot fire.
Line up a shot and move into position!
Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!
▼ Second move: Federation / Guided missile truck unit
~ Scene image ~
Amuro: Look at that, it's on!
Amuro: Amazing! This machine is so incredibly powerful!
Amuro: Can I do this?
Amuro: There!
※ Amuro's Gundam is not yet on the game map.
2．Advancing fire phase
> The WME 1 cannot attack, as it has no line of sight.
> The WME 2 cannot attack, as it has no line of sight.
> The WME 3 cannot attack, as it has no line of sight.
> They all advance!
Biding time. Patience is vital in this game!
3．Movement phase
> WME (1) uses its 13 movement to traverse six Plains hexes.
> WME (2) does the same.
> WME (3) follows.
With contact not yet made, the three WMEs maneuver against the enemy!
All to take out the Zakus with three static-firepower guided missiles!
4. Defensive fire phase
> Gene's Zaku cannot attack, as it lacks line of site.
> Nor can Denim's Zaku attack.
The WMEs sneak close, concealed by the forest.
5. Advancing fire phase
> The WME 1 cannot attack, as it has no line of sight.
> The WME 2 cannot attack, as it has no line of sight.
> The WME 3 cannot attack, as it has no line of sight.
The WME squadron holds back, in order to hit the Zakus with everything they have at once!
Turn 2
▼ First move: Zeon / Denim's squadron
2. Advancing fire phase
> Gene's Zaku will move, and thus does not attack.
> Denim's Zaku will continue to follow Gene's, and does not attack.
Gene and Denim are firm believer's in the Zaku's armor!
They choose to move into the line of fire.
3. Movement phase
> Gene's Zaku, with 9 movevent, moves three hexes
over Plains (2 points) and Hills (3 points).
> Denim's Zaku, with 9 movevent, moves three hexes
over Plains (2 points) and Hills (3 points).
The Zakus ascend the hills to corner the WMEs and make sure they don't move out of range!
4. Defensive fire phase
> The WME 1 cannot attack, as it has no line of sight.
> The WME 2 cannot attack, as it has no line of sight.
> The WME 3 cannot attack, as it has no line of sight.
The forests are blocking the shots again! Such terrible luck!
5. Advancing fire phase
> Gene's Zaku lacks line of sight and cannot fire.
> Denim's Zaku also lacks line of sight and cannot fire.
Even with the distance closed, the thick vegetation obstructs their barrels!
▼ Second move: Federation / Guided missile truck unit
2. Advancing fire phase
> The WME 1 cannot attack, as it has no line of sight.
> The WME 2 cannot attack, as it has no line of sight.
> The WME 3 cannot attack, as it has no line of sight.
They all advance again!
The decisive moment is at hand! The Zakus have cleared the forest and entered firing range!
3. Movement phase
> WME (1) uses its 13 movement to traverse Plains (2 points) and Hills (3 points).
It moves a total of five hexes.
> WME (2) does the same.
> WME (3) follows.
The Zakus are hemmed in by the forest. It's time for the clash!
4. Defensive fire phase
> Denim's squad seizes the initiative!
> Denim's Zaku Machine Gun fires.
> Range: 5
> The Zaku Machine Gun's targeting formula is:
> For targets 3-6 hexes:
> Base target 10
> Defensive fire: -1
> Moving target: -2
> Zaku Machine Gun accuracy bonus +2
> Gene's targeting adjustment -2
> WME mobility penalty -1
> Soldier's evasion adjustment 0
> The final target number is 6
> 6 or lower on 2d6 will produce a hit.
> But the dice come up 10!
> The Zaku Machine Gun fire misses WME (1)!
> Denim's shot is blocked by Gene's Zaku.
Rolling a six or lower could've knocked out a WME before it had the chance to fire!
Can Gene do nothing more!?
5. Advancing fire phase
> Now, the guided missile trucks attack!
> They each fire upon Gene's Zaku.
> WME (1)'s attack
> Range: 5
> WME's targeting formula is:
> Base target 10
> Advancing fire -2
> Moving target: -2
> Fixed armament bonus +2
> Soldier's accuracy adjustment 0
> WME mobility penalty +1
> Gene's evasion adjustment +1
> The final target number is 10
> 10 or lower on 2d6 will produce a hit.
> The dice come up 7!
> The attack hits!
> Now to calculate damage.
> Range: 5
> Firepower 7
> The dice come up 11!
> Terrain adjustment 0
> Zaku armor adjustment +1
> Gene's combat adjustment -1
> Soldier's combat adjustment 0
> The final total is 11.
> Looking up a roll of 11 in the Firepower: 7 row of the damage table...
> No damage is inflicted.
> WME (2)'s attack
> Range: 6
> WME's targeting formula is:
> Base target 10
> Advancing fire -2
> Moving target: -2
> Fixed armament bonus +2
> Soldier's accuracy adjustment 0
> WME mobility penalty +1
> Gene's evasion adjustment +1
> The final target number is 10
> 10 or lower on 2d6 will produce a hit.
> The dice come up 11!
> The attack misses.
> WME (3)'s line of sight is blocked by the forest and it cannot attack.
The luck of the dice abandoned the two WMEs, and neight inflicted damage on Gene's Zaku.
But next turn, Gundam rises!
At that moment, in the Gundam:
Amuro: Please! Will you just get up!?
Turn 3
Gundam appears
▼ First move: Zeon / Denim's squadron
2. Advancing fire phase
> Denim's Zaku Machine Gun fires at WME (2).
> Range: 6
> The Zaku Machine Gun's targeting formula is:
> For targets 3-6 hexes:
> Base target 10
> Zaku Machine Gun accuracy bonus +2
> Gene's targeting adjustment -2
> WME mobility penalty -1
> Soldier's evasion adjustment 0
> The final target number is 9
> 9 or lower on 2d6 will produce a hit.
> The dice come up 6!
> The Zaku Machine Gun strikes WME (1)!
> Now to calculate damage.
> Range: 6
> Firepower 8
> The dice come up 8!
> Terrain adjustment 0
> WME armor penalty -6
> Gene's combat adjustment -1
> Soldier's combat adjustment 0
> The final total is 1.
> Looking up a roll of 1 in the Firepower: 8 row of the damage table, it's an instant obliteration. The WME (2) vanishes without a trace.
> Denim's Zaku moves rather than attacking.
3. Movement phase
> Gene's Zaku has already fired.
> Denim's Zaku traverses three hexes
over Plains (2 points) and Hills (3 points).
Denim's Zaku mounts the hill to shield Gene from Feddie fire.
4. Defensive fire phase
> WME (1)'s attack
> Range: 3
> WME's targeting formula is:
> Base target 10
> Defensive fire: -1
> Moving target: -2
> Fixed armament bonus +2
> Soldier's accuracy adjustment 0
> Zaku mobility penalty +1
> Denim's evasion 0
> The final target number is 10
> 10 or lower on 2d6 will produce a hit.
> The dice come up 9!
> The attack hits!
> Now to calculate damage.
> Range: 3
> Firepower 7
> The dice come up 9!
> Terrain adjustment 0
> Zaku armor adjustment +1
> Denim's combat adjustment 0
> Soldier's combat adjustment 0
> The final total is 10.
> Looking up a roll of 10 in the Firepower: 7 row of the damage table...
> Knockout
> Denim's morale is 7.
Roll above a 7, and he's out like a light! 7 or under, and he's safe!
> The dice come up 6!
> Denim braces against the shock.
> The WME 3 cannot attack, as it has no line of sight.
> Amuro's Gundam lacks line of sight and cannot attack.
Amuro: He's right in front!
For some reason, Lady Luck is smiling upon Zeon today.
5. Advancing fire phase
> Gene's Zaku has already fired.
> Gene's Zaku has already fired.
> The muzzle of Denim's Zaku Machine Gun points at WME (1), and he pulls the trigger.
> Denim's Zaku Machine Gun fires.
> Range: 3
> The Zaku Machine Gun's targeting formula is:
> For targets 3-6 hexes:
> Base target 10
> Advancing fire -2
> Moving target: -2
> Zaku Machine Gun accuracy bonus +2
> Denim's accuracy adjustment 0
> WME mobility penalty -1
> Soldier's evasion adjustment 0
> The final target number is 7
> 7 or lower on 2d6 will produce a hit.
> The dice come up 5!
> The Zaku Machine Gun fire strikes WME (1)!
> Now to calculate damage.
> Range: 3
> Firepower 8
> The dice come up 7!
> Terrain adjustment 0
> WME armor penalty -6
> Denim's combat adjustment 0
> Soldier's combat adjustment 0
> The final total is 1.
> Looking up a roll of 10 in the Firepower: 7 row of the damage table, it's an instant kill.
WME (1) is vaporized.
Zeon's first strikes have already eliminated half the Federation forces!
If the Gundam doesn't live up to its reputation, it's going to be in a world of hurt.
Gene: Look out, Chief Denim! The enemy's mobile suit! It's started to move and fire back!
Denim: What!? But I thought it was all just unassembled parts!
Gene: Chief Denim, it doesn't seem to be functioning very well. I'll get it.
▼ Second move: Federation / Guided missile truck unit
2. Advancing fire phase
> Amuro's Gundam awaits the enemy's approach.
> WME (3) has moved and cannot fire.
Amuro's Gundam wants to replicate the famous scene, so it hasn't moved yet.
The WME passed on attacking in favor of coordinating with the Gundam.
3. Movement phase
> The WME (3) moves toward the Gundam.
> The Gundam still does not move.
Amuro chose not to move in order to not be caught in the enemy's defensive fire phase. The WME continues to move toward to Gundam to focus Federation firepower.
4. Defensive fire phase
> Denim's squad attacks.
> Denim's Zaku Machine Gun fires on the Gundam.
> Range: 8
> The Zaku Machine Gun's targeting formula is:
> For targets 7-12 hexes:
> Base target 9
> Defensive fire: -1
> Immobile target 0
> Zaku Machine Gun accuracy bonus +2
> Denim's accuracy adjustment 0
> Gundam mobility penalty -1
> Amuro's evasion bonus +2
> The final target number is 11
> 6 or lower on 2d6 will produce a hit.
> The dice come up 4!
> The Zaku Machine Gun strikes the Gundam!
> Now to calculate damage.
> Range: 8
> Firepower 8
> The dice come up 3!
> Terrain adjustment 0
> Gundam armor penalty +3
> Denim's combat adjustment 0
> Amuro's combat adjustment -2
> The final total is 4.
> Looking up a roll of 10 in the Firepower: 8 row of the damage table... It's another instant kill.
Amuro: Wah!
The Gundam isn't rising this time.
The Federation player's dice rolled nothing but high, like they were borrowed from Tei** Group's Oh***** underground,
and the game ended with him abandoned by the dice.
But on another play-through, Gundam could have rose just like in the TV series!
In this game, even miracles like a single WME winning can happen,
but we've failed our own morale checks so we're stopping here.
You have the general feel of things now, right?
Thirty years ago, Japan was in the midst of a board game boom.
Things like Life, Monopoly, High & Low, and Shacho Game were popular.
I had a big family, so once a month we had a game night.
My favorites were Pay Day and Petropolis; Pay Day taught me about taxes and credit cards from a young age.
Among those games were 'SLG's, 'simulation games'.
I was just in elementary school, but I was immediately hooked.
I played against classmates—there were five of us.
And then, in '83, came the fateful mistake.
One of my friends bought Tsukuda Hobby's Aura Battler Dunbine game, thinking it was a model kit.
In the box were beautiful gridded maps which looked like aerial photography, a folded sheet of combat tables, and two dice.
We began to play as we read the manual.
And we all absolutely loved it.
We picked up all of Tsukuda Hobby's anime games.
We ended up being like a club.
The boy who bought the first one was especially hooked, and brought home one a month.
So once a week, we gathered at his house to play Jabro or Fortress.
Our infatuation grew deeper and deeper, and as we read Kazuhisa Kondo's MS Senki and MSV series, we began to make up our own custom rules.
Our favorite Mobile Suit Gundam game was Last Fight—Since it was played on paper, you could always use your last opponent's moves to play solo.
We fought the Battle of Jaburo over and over.
When we could get our hands on word processors, we began to make something like character sheets, and soon fought the One Year War with out alter-egos.
Doing this inspired me to take a closer look at the Mobile Suit Gundam movies, and eventually to become a writer.
My SLG focus came to a peak with '87's 'Gundam Senshi', after which I shifted to Gundam RPGs.
I met a high school teacher nicknamed 'Mr. Otaku', and borrowed his tapes of First through ZZ, taking copious notes for my games.
But back to Gundam SLGs.
In middle school and high school, I was such a fan that I'd play with anyone.
I went to local conventions and played with college students.
Once I was invited to a scattered group of kids my ahe, and we played Dakar at the civic center.
These Gundam games were a formative experience for me.
Jaburo, reprinted now, was especially fabulous.
It's just like the old days.
Even the map printing is the same.
I suppose some points have been improved.
The units have been slimmed down for easier stacking.
The dice are a little bigger.
I hope this leads to other reprints, and even to new games.
Continued in Part 3
Next time, we interview designer Atsutoshi Okada!
Look forward to it September 2nd!
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At Chara-Hobby 2011 in Makuhari Messe tomorrow,
you can pick up a copy of Mobile Suit Gundam Jabro in advance!
Seize the opportunity to catch the legendary board game's reprint before anyone else!
Hurry to the Megahouse booth!
⇒ For the newest info on Jabro, check out the
MegaHobby Blog!
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Photography / Inoue Studio
Cooperation: Hobby Japan |
Board simulation game 'Mobile Suit Gundam JABRO'
[Set contents]
Three map boards, piece sheets (Federation, Zeon, pilot,) quick reference, rulebook, piece tray, white die, black die
Price: ¥7,630
Shipping: Arrives within 5 business days of order
On sale: 5:00 PM, August 29, 2011
Retailers: Megatrea Shop、Premium BandaiA limited edition will be released in advance at Chara-Hobby 2011 on August 27th and 28th. |
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