I've borrowed ideas from from Lost Battles, Commands & Colors: Ancients, Unhappy King Charles, Friedrich and no doubt other places as well and tried to put them together into something that resembles an interactive card game using miniature and gridded terrain.
The first playtest showed that the building blocks work, but that there are plenty of improvements to be made and puzzles to be solved, so I'm pleased. The test game was just looking, in isolation, at how combat between two lines of infantry might go. Here are some shots of the test in progress, showing different stages of the turn.
1) Command phase. Orders are sent out.
2) Attack phase. Cards are played.
3) Combat phase. Combats are resolved and hits allocated (only one in this example).
4) Reinforcement phase (further along in the game) where commands can be used to feed in fresh troops.
5) And back to the start (this about eight turns in).
There we go. It's all a bit messy at the moment, but hopefully things will improve as it gets more streamlined.
Anyway, time to go and watch the All Blacks play the red rose of England.
I know the feeling...writing your own rules is something everyone should have a go at, just to see how much work is involved. But it sure is fun for some of us.
ReplyDeleteThanks Shaun; while I've tried writing rules before this is the first time I've really had a clear idea of what I wanted to achieve and some idea of how to do it. I'm finding that it can become quite all-consuming...
DeleteHi Aaron, I've nominated you for the blog award thing that's doing the rounds just now:
ReplyDeletehttp://caliban-somewhen.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/liebster-blog-award.html
I think that your heroic efforts in the Land of the Rising Sun need to be appropriately honoured...
Many thanks, Paul! I'll look into it :)
DeleteCheers,
Aaron
Aaron,
DeleteI got nominated for a Liebster award and included you in one of my five nominations to pass it on to. I do know you already have one, obviously.
Many thanks, Shaun! I must get round to doing a post on it one of these weeks :)
DeleteVery interesting Aaron, we'll have to swap notes, as I'm up to something broadly similar with my draft rules (although my approach is somewhat different). I do like the dense battle lines, in your photo, which look very much how I picture an ancient battle.
ReplyDeleteCheers, Simon
Using a grid is mainly for convenience, but also because it allows me to build up from the (IMHO) very solid chassis that Lost Battles provides.
ReplyDeleteI like grids, but making them look nice on table can be a problem, as you well know from previous projects.
I'll be following your rules with interest, and would look forward to sharing ideas if it weren't for the fact that I'm sure mine will prove far more derivative - and amateur into the bargain - than your own!
Cheers,
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
ReplyDeleteI think you are doing the same thing as I am, which is going for a more tactical-scale game than Lost Battles. Mine is a relatively conventional table-top wargame, just simplified by the grid. I hate measurement!
I find the look is OK if the boxes are made a bit bigger than the units, so there is room for terrain and a gap between the units.
Cheers, Simon
Yes, I like having a bit of room to move as well, and the convenience of not having to bother with measurement is a big plus, allowing you to concentrate more on the tactics rather than on whether someone has managed to position themselves 5mm out of charge range or has you barkered or whatever!
ReplyDeleteRegarding the rules, the main idea is give players the ability to influence combat results. As they take on a firmer shape I'll post more details...
Cheers, I appreciate your thoughts, and good luck with all that painting you have to do, har har!
Aaron
Thanks re painting.
ReplyDeleteWith mine, it's more about manouvre decisions; once the two sides hit, it's down to the dice!
Cheers, Simon
Well, nothing wrong with that! Will be keen to see how it develops, and most especially how you handle the manoeuvre aspects. I'll no doubt be along with questions for you!
DeleteCheers,
Aaron