tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73863366517320484732024-03-25T20:08:19.701+09:00Here's no great matterA wargaming blogPrufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.comBlogger668125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-59808813492865358412024-03-02T22:01:00.004+09:002024-03-02T22:04:33.548+09:00Testing out Memoir 44<p>Over the last few weeks SP and I have caught up for a couple of nights yarning and gaming with Memoir 44. I'd picked up a secondhand copy within NZ through a facebook page connection and ordered some expansions from Amazon following an introduction to it during a fleeting visit to Japan.</p><p>We tried out the Pegasus Bridge scenario (won both times won by the Allies) last week and Hellfire Pass (both times won by the Allies) tonight.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGO1vfMgbRQrGX1CNqweSIqMgRGEU5-xmH63zkcSLonlUrqrPNrv5SnhteCoqYKmWw2pubboiNAG2JrYQB-__p2e8wEh8yIOUGUzuUWggVpymeGn_tE-9Khg4Ak7fD_OsUCjBdtMCobmucA6JrlIjQvgHhNOKj1vhS0MANTZFGqRFjhf2OVrH6p3t-YA/s4032/Hellfire%20pass.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGO1vfMgbRQrGX1CNqweSIqMgRGEU5-xmH63zkcSLonlUrqrPNrv5SnhteCoqYKmWw2pubboiNAG2JrYQB-__p2e8wEh8yIOUGUzuUWggVpymeGn_tE-9Khg4Ak7fD_OsUCjBdtMCobmucA6JrlIjQvgHhNOKj1vhS0MANTZFGqRFjhf2OVrH6p3t-YA/w400-h300/Hellfire%20pass.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hellfire pass, from the German side</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcQQNhO4BOC_-31hZeHJ4cnvd-aIgeZR1Is4W1vx8kLD-AR1Ze6iH24ahfI-IJxJ3rj5qSA46rRDpVg3uXZMvCCUzxriO5FfAXVUydGxixhJVUENaL0nTFyA14kVmgxEQS37G1i4ozgcrBwUp4LUxE7t8g74YyVOm3f08R2qDKpcpTkWIs0NIjIKPyA/s4032/IMG_1314.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcQQNhO4BOC_-31hZeHJ4cnvd-aIgeZR1Is4W1vx8kLD-AR1Ze6iH24ahfI-IJxJ3rj5qSA46rRDpVg3uXZMvCCUzxriO5FfAXVUydGxixhJVUENaL0nTFyA14kVmgxEQS37G1i4ozgcrBwUp4LUxE7t8g74YyVOm3f08R2qDKpcpTkWIs0NIjIKPyA/w400-h300/IMG_1314.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pegasus Bridge from the perspective of the Allies</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>It's simple but effective and we think we can probably get our young lads interested in a game as well. It may turn out to be a good purchase for that alone.</p><p>I'd initially thought I might be put off by the out of scale miniatures the game uses, but in fact they remind me of the maps I used to pore over in the Purnell History of the Second World War zines my grandfather collected.</p><p>The scenarios require some pleasing strategising, but as with all the C&C family of games there is plenty of potential for things to go awry. Overall I'm pleased I bought into it, and there is a lot of scope for ongoing play.</p><p>It's not going to replace heavier games in my collection but will probably get more play.</p><p>We also gave Twilight Struggle a go, but that is for another post. </p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-9397575281488504852024-02-29T22:07:00.005+09:002024-02-29T22:11:49.904+09:00Society of Ancients Battle Day: Ilipa preparations.<p>As February draws to a close thoughts naturally proceed to the <a href="https://www.soa.org.uk/joomla/battle-day" target="_blank">Society of Ancients' battle day</a>, which this year is Ilipa, a battle I have all the necessary figures for, and which will be held on the weekend of March 23rd/24th.</p><p>I have been a sympathetic participant in several other battle days, these being the refights of <a href="https://prufrockian-gleanings.blogspot.com/2022/03/society-of-ancients-battle-day.html" target="_blank">Pharsalus</a> in 2016 and <a href="https://prufrockian-gleanings.blogspot.com/2018/04/paraitakene-317-bc.html" target="_blank">Paraitakene</a> in 2018. I also did a solo boardgame version of <a href="https://prufrockian-gleanings.blogspot.com/2021/08/three-battles-of-bosworth-field.html" target="_blank">Bosworth</a> in 2021, but it hardly counts. I had grand plans to do Mantinea in 2023. Unfortunately, I got into a funk and didn't get the figures painted.</p><p>The general idea for battle days at my end is to get together with likeminded individuals and play the same battle as the Society chaps, on more or less the same date, and see about submitting a report on it to the Society's journal<i> Slingshot</i>. Can we manage all of that this year? I'm not sure, but it's worth a try.</p><p>Ilipa. </p><p>I have a bit of a soft spot for both commanders, the brilliant Scipio and the hapless Hasdrubal. Of course, Hasdrubal's haplessness was largely down to his having to face Scipio every other battle. He seemed to do mostly all right otherwise, was an organiser a union would be proud of (he raised new armies after massive defeats and got Syphax to commit to the Carthaginian cause), while to further commend him he was the father of the magnificent Sophonisba.</p><p>How to do the battle.</p><p>My best battle day effort by far was the Pharsalus game. Six players, myself as umpire, bespoke rules, and a report for Slingshot. I won't be able to do all of that this year, but would like to get as close as I can.</p><p>I've been thinking of using either <i>Commands & Colors: Ancients</i> or Simon Miller's <i>To the Strongest!</i> for the rules. My table layout means that for the former I would need to adjust <a href="https://www.commandsandcolors.net/ancients/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=554" target="_blank">the scenario</a> to fit suit my space limitations (the wargaming equivalent of converting iambic pentameter to trochaic tetrameter...); for the latter I could just about use the superb James Roach's <a href="https://olicanalad.blogspot.com/2018/07/the-battle-of-ilipa-206-bc-using-to.html" target="_blank">scenario</a> as it is. My favourite rules, <i>Lost Battles</i>, could be used at a pinch, but they are are not an easy ride for first-time gamers.</p><p>Much depends on how many players I can muster. My offsider SP will be away for a few weeks in 'Nam (cue various Rambo-era jokes) fulfilling work commitments. This means that we will not be able to play on the designated weekend, but I think we can get away with that. Between now and then I will try to drum up another few participants and decide how best to so things.</p><p>It's good to have a little project on the go.</p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-75557101320209446702024-02-18T22:34:00.004+09:002024-02-18T22:37:26.339+09:00On wargames campaigns (after Polemarch)<p>The excellent blogger Polemarch has recently put up a couple of thought-provoking posts on campaigns. <a href="https://ancientrules.blogspot.com/2024/02/the-campaign-paradox.html">The first</a> talks about types of campaigns, concluding that they are often better in the idea than the execution; <a href="https://ancientrules.blogspot.com/2024/02/the-campaign-paradox-revisited.html" target="_blank">the second</a> offers further reasoning about why that might be. </p><p>In the ancients era that I usually game and with the types of large set-piece battles I most enjoy, campaigns tend to not have much value. In this era, campaigning was (with one or two notable exceptions) essentially about bringing one's enemy to battle in circumstances least advantageous to them. The battle was had. If the winner was the home team, the invaders were dispersed and the game, so to speak, was up; if the invader was victorious, terms would be reached and the thing was over (unless of course you were fighting the Achaemenid Persians or the Romans, who would [eventually, or fairly immediately, respectively] raise another army and make you do it all again). </p><p>The interest then in this era is to try to get battlefield advantage. That is not usually best expressed by manoeuvrings over a campaign map, but by some sort of pre-battle system which modifies morale, numbers, terrain, deployment or leadership to the benefit of one or the other side.</p><p>If one is to do this, it is quite useful (as indeed it is for just about any circumstance!) to read Caesar to see the kinds of things he considered important when choosing if or when to give battle. </p><p>To me it seems that ancients campaigns work best at either the grand strategic or the tactical level. You can follow the fortunes of nations over years or decades, where competing powers look to prise provinces or regions from one another, or you can follow the fortunes of smaller entities raiding or subduing neighbours in lower intensity local conflicts.</p><p>I tried a solo campaign of the latter type set in tribal Iberia. I put quite a bit of time into it, but it simply wasn't exciting enough. It turned out I'd rather refight Zama for the tenth time than try to sustain interest in endless minor encounters between similarly equipped neighbours over local concerns.</p><p>For the former type, you can't beat boardgames. If you want to replay the Punic and Macedonian wars, it's far better to do it in a boardgame in one sitting than to stretch it out with questionable bespoke rules to take up three months' worth of miniatures battles, trying to involve players whose chance of winning was, after the first week, only slightly better than nil.</p><p>I remember that the time I was most excited about campaigns was back in the Warhammer Fantasy Battle days, when I was young, had oodles of time, and thought that defending a pass against a tidal wave of Orcs was the perfect way to spend a Sunday (and the week before it mulling over army choices!).</p><p>The difference here is the difference: you could have Orcs, Goblins, Elves, Dwarves, various humans, all with different characteristics and fighting styles, and all within a realm's distance of one another without doing violence to backstory. Celtiberian tribal dominion versus Celtiberian tribal dominion does not offer quite the same opportunites for variety.</p><p>For me, if I want to get six people involved in a game, there are two choices: a boardgame, or a multi-command set-piece battle.</p><p>But it's good to be open to being convinced otherwise!</p><p><br /></p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-52870327740328823002024-01-31T20:48:00.004+09:002024-01-31T20:48:48.866+09:00You can't fight the Borg<p><i>Richard</i> Borg, that is. Following on from my last post, featuring the Borg board game Memoir '44, it turns out that this game I was definitely not going to buy (and on which point I essayed argument), has shown up secondhand. </p><p>I couldn't stop myself. </p><p>I now find myself wondering whether I need to get some expansions, and if so, which ones. Such is the gaming life.</p><p>In other, more miniatures-gamery news, I had to make another quick trip to Japan late last week to bring the kids back as a family situation has meant that my wife has had to stay on longer than we expected. On the last evening (of three) there I popped into a local hardware store and found, for about $2.30, wire enough to fit out a dozen pike armies. The beauty of this stuff is that it's stainless, cheap, and dead straight. 35cm sections, with one bend in each. A person of wargamery inclination can get seven to ten pikes per section. This lot should see me right for the rest of my (un)natural life!</p><p>I also snuck into the suitcase a few other bits and pieces I'd not previously had room to bring back. 1/72 Zvezda Samurai (could be used for another Borg-inspired project?), some WWII books, and not yet in my suitcase but will be in my darling wife's when she returns, a giant stash of my absolute favourite guitar picks, which can only be found in one shop, and then only if you are lucky. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEho-qkI1dpyKJ3Rqo08pC_VQ4E4WbYgsg9Y0QZ4K6hqkulIq5s8pqgh_4_fluOI7O0g6hwdNViHQUZ6hSBA1sOeYZ0c0sG96z2HAI4GlL0f-a8CRQ72-Lw3b5NzeoRwFraT_ajk6I9ykInGtyQUcQeaFdjTzPOwiwnyqvtI3a24hqnS_0u6coXITNU75A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="372" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEho-qkI1dpyKJ3Rqo08pC_VQ4E4WbYgsg9Y0QZ4K6hqkulIq5s8pqgh_4_fluOI7O0g6hwdNViHQUZ6hSBA1sOeYZ0c0sG96z2HAI4GlL0f-a8CRQ72-Lw3b5NzeoRwFraT_ajk6I9ykInGtyQUcQeaFdjTzPOwiwnyqvtI3a24hqnS_0u6coXITNU75A" width="257" /></a></div><br />Not ideal circumstances, but sometimes you can still get your pikes and picks.<p></p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-11758566170306233732024-01-17T22:00:00.006+09:002024-01-20T08:34:36.455+09:00December WWII gaming<p>Before Christmas I was lucky enough to be able to head over to Japan with the family for a short trip to catch up with some people and spend a bit of time back in the old haunts. We had various trips planned and things to do, but as fate would have it two of the young ones (not so young really, given they are now sixteen and fourteen!)* caught influenza which kept as mostly housebound for about half of the time I was over there (the family is staying over there a bit longer). </p><p>Still, I managed to catch up with some old friends in our old town, one of whom has become quite a collector of games. One of his favourites is Memoir '44. I asked if he had anything he wanted to play, and this was what he was most keen on. At the age of 49, therefore, I got to play my first games of Memoir '44.</p><p>Memoir is not a series that I had ever been particularly interested in. It looked like toys in a box, the tanks are out of scale to the figures, and I played Commands & Colors: Ancients. </p><p>There did not seem any need.</p><p>Well, what do I know. It turns out it was great fun. Trust Richard Borg!</p><p>Ben quickly ran me through the rules. Of course, the mechanics were familiar from C&C:A, but the tweaks oozed class and induced that nodding satisfaction that comes when you encounter something, know where it came from, and can see how it has built upon earlier iterations.</p><p>We played a desert scenario called Sbeitla, Tunisia, which was part of preprinted pack, saving the need to set up the terrain on the map. </p><p>I played as the attacking Germans first up. The tactical position was interesting. The field was dominated by strongly positioned US artillery in the centre, a forward left flank of infantry and armour, and a refused infantry-heavy right flank with anti-tank capability. </p><p>To face this I had a centre of infantry complemented by mixed infantry and armour on the flanks, with my left, bolstered by a veteran (four tanks rather than three) unit, stronger than my right.</p><p>Five banners were needed to win, which could be achieved by occupying key positions and/or eliminating enemy units. </p><p>My main concern initially was the artillery, and early moves were focused on neutralising it. While working to this end I was hit by a couple of devastating special cards which destroyed one of my infantry units immediately. Gradually however my armour got into advantageous positions that, in combination with good cards, created opportunies to take enemy units in a crossfire and threaten the terrain objectives. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8E0jIPRGs-Ys7cj3tamn63HPZAO6EJnaCt1lrg633QujN57DUph9tbAbwZQalHBv1-UXpY80KRwXcVycUgnqZfXC9ABNkAF6KxabEsYdlNiLl116-itziGhhv86jOPTORNzYDHf4eH0i-NKi5vGu-pJJKzhVWtXsNQ11s7_lh4NGwmujdNMulcwcjDQ/s2016/IMG_1226.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8E0jIPRGs-Ys7cj3tamn63HPZAO6EJnaCt1lrg633QujN57DUph9tbAbwZQalHBv1-UXpY80KRwXcVycUgnqZfXC9ABNkAF6KxabEsYdlNiLl116-itziGhhv86jOPTORNzYDHf4eH0i-NKi5vGu-pJJKzhVWtXsNQ11s7_lh4NGwmujdNMulcwcjDQ/w400-h300/IMG_1226.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mid-game from the German side. Three banners scored each, but with some excellent opportunites for German armour... </td></tr></tbody></table><p>As it happened, the Germans were able to squeeze out a win by hunting down the vulnerable infantry on the US right. </p><p>We switched sides and played again. In this game the Germans took an early lead and appeared to have the game for the taking, but a US fight back with a special armour assault card combined with lucky dice allowed the double-whammy of destroying units and taking objectives to snatch a victory. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_8gb3024ZbLgxt7hDNo6Ckp6apeCsAQfE_OkS14m210mdHf9FneeSpb6bObVu5ryUzWdhviK34EPKoyYLAFck30muP8rj0Ulj9lYyqYya3N680xsTvSamQt3tqnR2bNe4nsV9RkyZbGOAzZkEq9CGiTC253LSsNmv_zUC9uDpoe4VQwuTTwxLcKfeQ/s2016/IMG_1228.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_8gb3024ZbLgxt7hDNo6Ckp6apeCsAQfE_OkS14m210mdHf9FneeSpb6bObVu5ryUzWdhviK34EPKoyYLAFck30muP8rj0Ulj9lYyqYya3N680xsTvSamQt3tqnR2bNe4nsV9RkyZbGOAzZkEq9CGiTC253LSsNmv_zUC9uDpoe4VQwuTTwxLcKfeQ/w400-h300/IMG_1228.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Game two in progress, from the perspective of the US.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I was impressed enough by Memoir to research its availability in New Zealand. The boy though is not interested in wargames at this stage. If he were, it would be a great option. But the fact that he would rather do other things and that the subject of the original game is Normandy, which I already have plenty of gaming options for, means that I will likely hold off. Unless of course I find a secondhand copy going, or just change my mind!</p><p>When I got back home just after Christmas I took advantage of the 'bachelor life' to get in a game of Undaunted Normandy with SP, just before he took off to go on a cruise with family.</p><p>As always, it provided a good game with numerous tactical challenges. I forget which scenario we played, but it was one from the base game that we'd enjoyed first time round. Playing as the US I had a corner position on a hill trying to take objectives in the middle of the battlefield, but with not much cover around. SP as the Germans played an excellent game, presenting multiple threats that forced me to respond. While attempting to prevent my troops being massacred I worked on setting up a machine gun fire base to first neutralise his mortar and then dominate the centre. In doing so I was distracted from what I needed to do to win, which was take ground. SP gave me too much to do and while I was stuck in a reactive cycle he advanced into jump off points. I tried to respond in kind, but it was a little too late. He punished my infantry as they tried to contest the centre, took the objectives from his forward positions and won in handsome style. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJbQaK51yjLSxAS2-__C3bR4-O5m7FOMBZvtzqPCtH2rcbFr92JFy_bieC-Yi8QMFP3gZB63qgh-3huoAJpXZYrikd1XQuvvKmkk4Y80cRpnv5CC8R3hLv-fW6UfGvgXhqTTwQAvXdjd9vmYK7E_Ln-0J36lo5u3ylMa56S2aF5tjtU_5jcar5rHjwQA/s5184/IMG_3330.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJbQaK51yjLSxAS2-__C3bR4-O5m7FOMBZvtzqPCtH2rcbFr92JFy_bieC-Yi8QMFP3gZB63qgh-3huoAJpXZYrikd1XQuvvKmkk4Y80cRpnv5CC8R3hLv-fW6UfGvgXhqTTwQAvXdjd9vmYK7E_Ln-0J36lo5u3ylMa56S2aF5tjtU_5jcar5rHjwQA/w400-h300/IMG_3330.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The field at game end.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2HHyXfopdyePCobJ324Aq1gTMgQxjOcdTNo12XF3ZfkF79MvzTaZoOvrEQJ-X60y1NBH3eBLlnqFpO2NkBNmn6lqAbRMPvedqnAq_LJQW0zkAroS9AdoJ6R5TLgAEE4vsnYGvFc4DwAVoACmIk2mq7ZhwDiBduU32XKKAUfcnm1V9I-wWj4seuLg-HA/s5184/IMG_3329.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2HHyXfopdyePCobJ324Aq1gTMgQxjOcdTNo12XF3ZfkF79MvzTaZoOvrEQJ-X60y1NBH3eBLlnqFpO2NkBNmn6lqAbRMPvedqnAq_LJQW0zkAroS9AdoJ6R5TLgAEE4vsnYGvFc4DwAVoACmIk2mq7ZhwDiBduU32XKKAUfcnm1V9I-wWj4seuLg-HA/w400-h300/IMG_3329.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And they've done it!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>It really is a fantastic game, and such a good option to pull out on a week night. Plays fast, is engaging all the way through, and you can have a couple of beers and a yarn beforehand and still have time to get through a game or two.</p><p>Anyway, happy new year to you all, and hope it's a good year for everyone. </p><p>*<i>Where did those years go?!</i></p><p><br /></p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-42613284652189580002023-11-28T19:59:00.006+09:002023-11-28T21:06:33.627+09:00Tying up a loose end<p>Back in 2007, when I was living in Japan and my passion for <i>Commands & Colors: Ancients</i> was at its height, I took a 'partscaster'* version of the original back to New Zealand on holiday with a view to<a href="https://prufrockian-gleanings.blogspot.com/2010/04/two-weeks-with-dad.html" target="_blank"> introducing the old man</a> to it. </p><p>He loved it. So much so that he ordered in copies of the original game and the first expansion from the US. He bought a folding table sized just right and sourced some large plastic containers to store the blocks in orderly, easy-access fashion. When I went back to NZ thereafter we would play his copies and we roped one of my brothers in to play as well. There were some great times, with that good-humoured banter that you get when playing games with members of your family. </p><p>That was before the <a href="https://prufrockian-gleanings.blogspot.com/2015/09/fathers-day-in-new-zealand.html" target="_blank">old man got sick</a>. After he got sick, we went back to playing <i>Catan</i>, and later <i>Carcassone</i>. When he got really sick we moved back to New Zealand to spend time with him. Well, strictly speaking, I moved back to find a job and house so that we could bring my wife and the kids over, but things moved too fast for the family to get here in time. One of the last things I did gaming-wise with him was paint up some 20mm figures to make a 'partscaster' version of the <i><a href="https://catan.fandom.com/wiki/The_Western_Raiders" target="_blank">Desert Raiders of Catan</a></i> variant. He was proud of the figures but I think we only got to play about three times before it became too hard for him to muster the concentration needed to play.</p><p>When he passed away things were pretty raw for a while. I asked Mum if I could have his <i>Commands & Colors</i> games and a couple of other things. They've sat on my shelves for about four years.</p><p>My brother, who lives in Australia, every now and then gives me a video call for a catch up and a few drinks when he is back on shore (he skippers a fishing boat). Earlier this year he mentioned C&C:A and we talked about how much fun those games had been. He said he'd love to play again. I said I'd kept the old man's copies and would get them to him.</p><p>It turns out that Mum is heading over to Australia to visit Stu and his family for Christmas. Miracle of miracles, she has a bit of room in her suitcase and is happy to take the games over to him. I packed up everything in the original box and left the expansion box empty so Mum can see if she can fill it with socks or something and squeeze that in as well. She reckons she can.</p><p>The old man's giant plastic storage boxes are too big to send so I am keeping them here. I put all my blocks into them tonight.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWX648qRbroaGJIKKe7poTRohhLmHn46PdSjCB5WN_nuJYvWa2QvNNEZJLJCeU-OIs0Y3cMKWZkeTrdW1kY-7evn_iNBQx_1AymrN1GUBSEtSKt_MkUa5CNfcZlw-CJ7AsYwIErXYTN_XUFua6l27HfTy9UQLfx_qaG4vyKA0ZUUdHw-lMiXFgMOkZGw/s3875/IMG_3323.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3616" data-original-width="3875" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWX648qRbroaGJIKKe7poTRohhLmHn46PdSjCB5WN_nuJYvWa2QvNNEZJLJCeU-OIs0Y3cMKWZkeTrdW1kY-7evn_iNBQx_1AymrN1GUBSEtSKt_MkUa5CNfcZlw-CJ7AsYwIErXYTN_XUFua6l27HfTy9UQLfx_qaG4vyKA0ZUUdHw-lMiXFgMOkZGw/w400-h374/IMG_3323.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My C&C:A collection now stored in the old man's containers.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>It's a strange thing, but it feels like a bit of a weight off the shoulders. I guess it has resolved something that was perhaps more important that I had realised. </p><p>Anyway, I've got us tickets to see Iron Maiden in Auckland in September, so we will be able to talk it through in person!</p><p>* <i>for the non-guitarists out there, a 'partscaster' is an electric guitar you put together out of bits from different guitars, or that you assemble yourself from a kit.</i></p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-179392103022375922023-11-11T22:32:00.002+09:002023-11-11T22:35:57.143+09:00Zama with Lost Battles<p>Old school mate SP was free tonight so we arranged to play a wargame. Being a bit tired of the various iterations of Undaunted, it seemed like a good opportunity to set up a game of Lost Battles, and Zama an excellent choice to blood my new Carthaginian elephants. </p><p>Simon took the Romans. They are more straightforward to manage when it has been some time between games, and I was quite happy to have some nellies under my command again!</p><p>We used the historical scenario rather than the free deployment version to speed things up. To briefly describe the situation, both armies have a core of veteran infantry, but the Romans have significant cavalry superiority, and the Carthaginians have had to bring in less able troops to make up numbers, these not being a match for the veteran legionaries. </p><p>Carthage hopes to hold out on the flanks as long as possible, damage the Roman veterans to score points, and maintain a bit of flexibility to respond to circumstances as they develop. For Rome the plan is to negate the elephants with light infantry, hold with the legions, win on the flanks, and grind the Carthaginian infantry down. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLwv-XQ2yu6-R1X3mVCHwnzjGVPmLPY-Xe2X75WhsxCjkQ5xG56BI7eGQUQVhvISCHVveN9qsMihh0MO2KC0xAZnTYOQ4ZO4rw1pv6DUcJDL9anKGCapY9ve-_XeO5RJHrRoFXI2A21LMwJGrZiKaW60azO1TXqEXqqehqvbA3qo5Jjx3TdX9moZxEQ/s5184/IMG_3304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLwv-XQ2yu6-R1X3mVCHwnzjGVPmLPY-Xe2X75WhsxCjkQ5xG56BI7eGQUQVhvISCHVveN9qsMihh0MO2KC0xAZnTYOQ4ZO4rw1pv6DUcJDL9anKGCapY9ve-_XeO5RJHrRoFXI2A21LMwJGrZiKaW60azO1TXqEXqqehqvbA3qo5Jjx3TdX9moZxEQ/w400-h300/IMG_3304.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the Carthaginian right during turn 2.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBq-hvcBrRv6tCwRPVtQfdausuUi3CU8ZMkcWNod9YcAS-qYfu0VhKugH1ZXVnD9AT8t3TMXT5Het_eJWN6HKfaCQuMxVoVRvAeC2hUpwhMl3G1DtejbHG3l0iAG79YbVustnwuAIUW8u7s1P-8Y1ylha_J7oQ7WLoDMI-3Rc-Yt7eI1RC5YMtvO4kRg/s5184/IMG_3305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBq-hvcBrRv6tCwRPVtQfdausuUi3CU8ZMkcWNod9YcAS-qYfu0VhKugH1ZXVnD9AT8t3TMXT5Het_eJWN6HKfaCQuMxVoVRvAeC2hUpwhMl3G1DtejbHG3l0iAG79YbVustnwuAIUW8u7s1P-8Y1ylha_J7oQ7WLoDMI-3Rc-Yt7eI1RC5YMtvO4kRg/w400-h300/IMG_3305.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And view from the left.</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br /></p><p>It begins well enough for Carthage - a smattering of successes as the elephants and cavalry engage. Hannibal, feeling the pressure to hurt Rome fast, attacks with desperation; by contrast, Scipio, whose initial anti-elephant tactics prove wickedly adept, relaxes into a watchful and measured prosecution of the battle.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBmugWXqyfmicD-RWKhESmBAX45xxcuPyiXu0s3zo1vKlSQAZDTQcJBlcNzpQRODD1Vb_iTzo4WSHdR9T6ou3yoLDn4BhSDnJS-9gxffZaZT4Mmkdot9xy591L-6oTmQBuct-LWM7WrEpm6D_j80iwRG0QmqG8SnBWrBj6JrlLhYAgMMCrzGMfjjYtg/s5184/IMG_3307.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBmugWXqyfmicD-RWKhESmBAX45xxcuPyiXu0s3zo1vKlSQAZDTQcJBlcNzpQRODD1Vb_iTzo4WSHdR9T6ou3yoLDn4BhSDnJS-9gxffZaZT4Mmkdot9xy591L-6oTmQBuct-LWM7WrEpm6D_j80iwRG0QmqG8SnBWrBj6JrlLhYAgMMCrzGMfjjYtg/w400-h300/IMG_3307.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The elephants have been beaten back, injurious to their own side, by the Roman skirmishers.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The battle develops a pattern - ambitious Carthaginian efforts thwarted by careful Roman response, then countered by Roman riposte. In this way the Carthaginian right wing is bested. The Roman line, tested in the centre and on the right, holds. The Numidians on the other wing, countrymen matched against one another, circle and feint. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbzvyNeGi0lD0tgQfK1W83YZksc9MZV03FAr5yjBxCuFOjsCrrsA9bhag_UGUB1VQIgbmJ9KiXvmuTGxxPDoYk1mSXakx6AVipDBROmGMZOYG7GhcXiSxCIGvqEGMgzPuF2A3G3DK9PG8BeFQfQyzzxqGR_hcp4GIoqG6iVhZS_pXGC3pSSeWb3W6ag/s5184/IMG_3308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbzvyNeGi0lD0tgQfK1W83YZksc9MZV03FAr5yjBxCuFOjsCrrsA9bhag_UGUB1VQIgbmJ9KiXvmuTGxxPDoYk1mSXakx6AVipDBROmGMZOYG7GhcXiSxCIGvqEGMgzPuF2A3G3DK9PG8BeFQfQyzzxqGR_hcp4GIoqG6iVhZS_pXGC3pSSeWb3W6ag/w400-h300/IMG_3308.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Roman heavy cavalry breaks through.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Carthage pulls infantry from the line to prevent cavalry encirclement at the very moment Rome presses with the legions. The cavalry breakthrough is contained, but the line buckles. Everywhere Carthage strives for effect, but everywhere it is held just short of success.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibOab2sn4q8HbGvkCgr46dBDQaHfQa0Q_WL7MT48-kN1qWst0n-XgJ6OzGbWEQXuW-Ek6TdTvTwbEqlOUfqx-qUF5tXsnrJcE3kd5vgH0KQpHMo_sEb2dnyt5q_kPmku-aSTogMrdfBw23mhpkvJzeRSttVJkgaZPYoprTbs0cBxcq1z1V-K_92Ta19A/s5184/IMG_3309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibOab2sn4q8HbGvkCgr46dBDQaHfQa0Q_WL7MT48-kN1qWst0n-XgJ6OzGbWEQXuW-Ek6TdTvTwbEqlOUfqx-qUF5tXsnrJcE3kd5vgH0KQpHMo_sEb2dnyt5q_kPmku-aSTogMrdfBw23mhpkvJzeRSttVJkgaZPYoprTbs0cBxcq1z1V-K_92Ta19A/w400-h300/IMG_3309.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hannibal urges the men on.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Carthage's last infantry reserves are thrown in - the veterans of the Italian campaign. Again, Rome holds. </p><p>But on the left there is success at last - Masinissa is threatened by Hannibal's Numidians. One more hit will bring the wing to crisis. The hit does not come.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoevyZLzONNYteFLkS19Cy92bKKMuATwWTmYn9tgf0JlMYa8a6Bnz0_jnN-xqEmaENLAwc9llXbqm1GHrmKcoP72AWhLXwzwvOHeIElYJ8-gattWinBJhDvzckPfps3tDUueDIla1HgLBRwLn2-Ni9LluchjuPViqa26HaalzkkzXepEZ-bIdeA39ybw/s5184/IMG_3311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoevyZLzONNYteFLkS19Cy92bKKMuATwWTmYn9tgf0JlMYa8a6Bnz0_jnN-xqEmaENLAwc9llXbqm1GHrmKcoP72AWhLXwzwvOHeIElYJ8-gattWinBJhDvzckPfps3tDUueDIla1HgLBRwLn2-Ni9LluchjuPViqa26HaalzkkzXepEZ-bIdeA39ybw/w400-h300/IMG_3311.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fight on the Carthaginian left.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>All along the line the pressure mounts. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMAZoMjL-1xOtOvtVYL5SrHvICdP116heUH0YaivQ7igfOm41Kd4eNynrY8SqaWwyzTDZgF6S8UJsIWGnA23DEuwhmVA94RO3Cgr1rroVtsKWM_9zIwQ1mPB9IZOmouurTMRvdqWraeJoEProO14oAbpU1vHArHNnERLJGjTdoUhgtQ_7T-CufvRvtw/s5184/IMG_3315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMAZoMjL-1xOtOvtVYL5SrHvICdP116heUH0YaivQ7igfOm41Kd4eNynrY8SqaWwyzTDZgF6S8UJsIWGnA23DEuwhmVA94RO3Cgr1rroVtsKWM_9zIwQ1mPB9IZOmouurTMRvdqWraeJoEProO14oAbpU1vHArHNnERLJGjTdoUhgtQ_7T-CufvRvtw/w400-h300/IMG_3315.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rome outlasting Carthage in the infantry fight, but there is hope on our left.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Abruptly, Masinissa breaks his opponent. He is through! Hannibal pulls elephants back to head off the victorious horse.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUL4QiLWI-j2j28tt_Wc-TQoaVKK44FVEfuRTWtVg-CZpIo06TI1AKayCIMsQ0nlmZuZrJNAdHiOV8OZ6xghL9rUfVH-lyIwZvQu_NEdkfduv5X_pOc6qvRUEItmzQkJc2WS5nGFtSahnQN6KRNoGLL57JDEgBbvAXkNTE-epYU_VFZY47RQ4MQBnkyQ/s5184/IMG_3316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUL4QiLWI-j2j28tt_Wc-TQoaVKK44FVEfuRTWtVg-CZpIo06TI1AKayCIMsQ0nlmZuZrJNAdHiOV8OZ6xghL9rUfVH-lyIwZvQu_NEdkfduv5X_pOc6qvRUEItmzQkJc2WS5nGFtSahnQN6KRNoGLL57JDEgBbvAXkNTE-epYU_VFZY47RQ4MQBnkyQ/w400-h300/IMG_3316.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cavalry is contained - just - but the main line is weakening.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Rome remains steadfast. Hannibal rallies his troops under pressure. On the right, there is a chance to see off the Roman cavalry.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGe7J_61O-PPNc_N1EnajDPhCShRoMfixi_W_mimeOHK_qDMyJEbsv9K5AFegd2j3PJW4o3GlDAINFlZuitrPsUMWomMK1gRpTGKgW0zFpXmIbov4cqoiktWvTKVrErFK2O0_iuALT1iBavBiRv-4NHJUKJJxVg1Iioqbc_MlIKzdo23Il3_Hvho2Rg/s5184/IMG_3318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGe7J_61O-PPNc_N1EnajDPhCShRoMfixi_W_mimeOHK_qDMyJEbsv9K5AFegd2j3PJW4o3GlDAINFlZuitrPsUMWomMK1gRpTGKgW0zFpXmIbov4cqoiktWvTKVrErFK2O0_iuALT1iBavBiRv-4NHJUKJJxVg1Iioqbc_MlIKzdo23Il3_Hvho2Rg/w400-h300/IMG_3318.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One chance! But Rome passes the test.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>And with that, the line collapses. Multiple hits in multiple locations have driven the Carthaginian army to breaking point.</p><p>The left and right centres have been denuded of troops. The collapse starts on the right, and all run.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRO5KJiYO3HbdvaceZj3UcMnn3Mz00_IWkO9bmOu3qt7SVDLM1LATC_VB0REb35yf70TCu9TYrlC4AvOrPTPKxBunlYcBKGaO8-AsGWIDZfHJW_hCeU9khxzIHzQj6p86IFSuCtQff1D4mvGyUWhWRMuQZZ4LzdWjKdGFhyphenhyphenz5TV5Hu3GnWI_I7gGZllA/s5184/IMG_3319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRO5KJiYO3HbdvaceZj3UcMnn3Mz00_IWkO9bmOu3qt7SVDLM1LATC_VB0REb35yf70TCu9TYrlC4AvOrPTPKxBunlYcBKGaO8-AsGWIDZfHJW_hCeU9khxzIHzQj6p86IFSuCtQff1D4mvGyUWhWRMuQZZ4LzdWjKdGFhyphenhyphenz5TV5Hu3GnWI_I7gGZllA/w400-h300/IMG_3319.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The moment just before Carthage is swept away.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>And Scipio takes the battle and the points, 116 to 83. A clear victory.</p><p>Well done to SP. He played a strong, calm hand. He used favour of the gods rerolls judiciously, aiming to reduce potential damage over pressing for success, and kept giving himself chances to hurt me until eventually he did.</p><p>It was a tense, exciting game throughout. I felt I was just one good turn away from doing some serious damage, but SP made sure that that turn never came.</p><p>Really good to play Lost Battles again, and SP is keen to go again as soon as we are able.</p><p></p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-30466373250506030822023-10-21T18:15:00.004+09:002023-10-21T18:18:42.759+09:00First figures painted in five years<p>There is a minor celebration underway at house Prufrock - we have painted out first figures for, as the title suggests, five years. It doesn't seem that long, but it is. </p><p>Anyway, the figures are from the Fighting 15s (old Black Hat) Punic Wars range: their Carthaginian elephants and crew. </p><p>The painting is a bit rough, and although I have glasses now, four years working with computers eight hours a day has taken its toll, and I just don't see the detail as well as I used to. These photos do show me that washes are going to have to be even more of a friend than they have been previously! I might also have to look at contrast paints. I can still 'paint between the lines' but I don't see well enough to highlight in a way that is not blobby. That may improve with practice, but definitely some technical adjustments are in order. </p><p>Anyway, I'm glad to say the duck has been broken, and I will now have enough Carthaginian elephants to be able to stage Bagradas in Lost Battles. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgevEFlDV2ToVphB0J_MZmSvWADtxVQy-Ho7LfomNgomghbCpeYNnam96ONCJiNDHuQJimJ81-OCdxXODVbWmd5dwN1gkyGZ0gj7Ha2tMLYEKATz26KYIGE8gnKv-NwxD1BGy5eWFKfHilzvNSXRRMgR9ige5tpxQ_BDZ5Pm33AFxMbro_oNvEDlz3yaw/s5184/IMG_3296.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgevEFlDV2ToVphB0J_MZmSvWADtxVQy-Ho7LfomNgomghbCpeYNnam96ONCJiNDHuQJimJ81-OCdxXODVbWmd5dwN1gkyGZ0gj7Ha2tMLYEKATz26KYIGE8gnKv-NwxD1BGy5eWFKfHilzvNSXRRMgR9ige5tpxQ_BDZ5Pm33AFxMbro_oNvEDlz3yaw/w400-h300/IMG_3296.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><p>The next picture really shows the 'blobbiness' of the face highlight I did post-magic wash. I will be able to improve this by adding another wash to bring out the detail. Possibly more damning, it also shows my failure to properly file off the seams in the models, which I will have to watch out for in future.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitddppsJ2hbfcO-uwvw08rssCmskteiSROYQIsL7CohJ0vIuY0W-9jE14njFexwaL9c6hNgOCGc9-KYHI3-vKHRcMMSFUQ3SIswXp-aRCLx6tRe0giP2Z-JBw1eoU3dBWf-hQK7G4FTrP_xKZWuIktxejz-o2echBNKQYwFmFPScGQRPxHUa3t7x15bw/s5184/IMG_3292.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitddppsJ2hbfcO-uwvw08rssCmskteiSROYQIsL7CohJ0vIuY0W-9jE14njFexwaL9c6hNgOCGc9-KYHI3-vKHRcMMSFUQ3SIswXp-aRCLx6tRe0giP2Z-JBw1eoU3dBWf-hQK7G4FTrP_xKZWuIktxejz-o2echBNKQYwFmFPScGQRPxHUa3t7x15bw/w400-h300/IMG_3292.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And a comparison to a Chariot 15 Hellenistic jumbo painted some years ago. Size works well, but you can see the difference in the painting. The old painting was not especially good, but the more recent ones are clearly less carefully done.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItaWB7a8U61O-i6Dh53xgM8vcpTrAt7cUYEKTwkBjZ11mLHf2giX7TC6Wi1JvPzJWtxEFODl1xMzTtLn6gkiGmglzJSHfgKL6skh2UOS1W_8qmfFTZHPG_z7rTqc1-g1ODdMLuL-b5lZT2OXiNhv6EdI6eEzIMebuIDcmWqS3rhZithw9NGzA4ri4zQ/s5184/IMG_3299.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItaWB7a8U61O-i6Dh53xgM8vcpTrAt7cUYEKTwkBjZ11mLHf2giX7TC6Wi1JvPzJWtxEFODl1xMzTtLn6gkiGmglzJSHfgKL6skh2UOS1W_8qmfFTZHPG_z7rTqc1-g1ODdMLuL-b5lZT2OXiNhv6EdI6eEzIMebuIDcmWqS3rhZithw9NGzA4ri4zQ/w400-h300/IMG_3299.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But, to be honest, I don't really mind. Given that my painting output has been zero for as long as it has (and for a while I wondered if I would actually paint anything again at all), I'm just pleased to be back on the horse - or elephant, if you prefer.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While I was rummaging around I also tidied up a few other figures that had lost shields or spears in the move over to New Zealand. My next plan is to look at the Numidian horse and bring those bases up to standard. I painted them a very long time ago and they never got a coat of varnish. Some paint has flaked off, and the mixture of matt, satin and gloss finishes from the various paints used is not very pleasing. The idea is to patch them up a bit, give them a bit of the magic wash, and then hit them with a matt spray. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As for what's after that, we'll see what happens. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-51598462148729124772023-10-03T17:11:00.002+09:002023-10-04T20:44:39.201+09:00If I could turn back time...<p>JWH, in his Heretical Gaming blog, recently put up <a href="http://hereticalgaming.blogspot.com/2023/09/minimalist-gamingor-if-i-had-know-then.html">a post</a> - inspired by the late great Peter Young - on the advice he would give to a wargamer just starting out. It is a post worth reading and as an added bonus leads naturally to a person wanting to put up something of their own on the same topic. </p><p>So what would I tell a younger person starting out on their wargaming adventures?</p><p>1) Do what you enjoy. Obvious, but harder to keep to than you'd think. There are times when a person buys into something for some other reason: because it's good value; because you feel you should; because you make a plan with another gamer or group; because it might be good for a rainy day. You really don't want to waste time and energy into armies or periods or rules that you won't enjoy. Life is too short.</p><p>2) Build both sides. Wargaming is often a solitary activity, so don't be reliant on others. People move; people get busy. Keep your independence. Make sure that you can use those figures solo.</p><p>3) Expand on what you have. Easy when you play ancients or WWII, but it applies to other periods too. Why build Romans and Britons in 2mm when you already have part of what you need in 15mm? If you have Carthaginians, you're not far off being able to field an army of Spanish, Gauls, or Numidians. Have Marian Romans? Build a few more units of legionaries and you'll be able to play out Roman civil wars till the end of your days. But see point 1 - choose your expansions wisely!</p><p>4) Make wargaming friends who know more than you. I was fortunate enough to make the acquaintance early on of a couple of grizzled wargame veterans. They show you the standard, give you good practical advice, and help remove mental obstacles. Invaluable. </p><p>5) Get things while you can. You have to be sensible (well, maybe not all of us!), but work on the principle of get what you need when it's available. Vendors close down, lines disappear, prices go up, and personal circumstances change. If you can afford to get what you need now, do it. You can paint at your leisure, but you may not be able to pick up 240 Macedonian phalangites from that manufacturer at that price ever again...</p><p>6) Push yourself to paint hard while your eyes are good. Once they go, you'll wish you had painted more when it was easy!</p><p>7) Invest in making your table look good. You can have the loveliest armies in the world, but they only look as good as the terrain they are situated in.</p><p>8) Be as consistent as you can with your basing and painting styles. Try to do things in such a way that what you produce now will work with what you will produce in ten years. </p><p>9) Find some board games you like. They are easy to set up (provided you have some space around the home) and they offer a different perspective. You can game when you don't feel inspired, they are portable, and they are a great way to introduce non-gaming friends to the hobby. </p><p>10) Take things seriously, but not too much. You need a certain amount of fire and motivation to get projects underway and finished, but we're only playing with toy soldiers. It's not worth making enemies over and some of those rants a person can go off on don't always look so righteous five years down the track!</p><p>11) It's a big hobby. You will have times when you're on for certain aspects of it and times when you're not. Make the most of it all - writing, blogging, rules-writing, painting, researching, playing, youtubing, terrain-building, podcasting, and whatever else. Enjoy the variety and don't stress when you're having a fallow period.</p><p>12) Be aware that your gaming will go through different phases. Life will intrude. You will have times when there are funds to use and times when there are not. Use the former to help you get through the latter!</p><p>13) Have a big idea to work towards. </p><p>14) Have fun!</p><p>Thanks for the inspiration JWH (and many others at different times), and anyone reading please feel free to add comments or link below to your own takes on this.</p><p>Cheers, and hobby on!</p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-87114983539956878732023-09-20T23:21:00.006+09:002023-09-20T23:23:15.600+09:00Magister Militum<p>When I decided to take up wargaming seriously as a hobby I started by buying two 15mm army packs, Romans and Carthaginians, from Richard at Magister Militum in the UK. Naturally, those two army packs were soon supplemented by additional figures, and the collection expanded by other armies. It quickly became necessary to purchase from other ranges and manufacturers too, but the figures that began it all for me were those Chariot Miniatures from Magister Militum.</p><p>I don't imagine I am the only person in the world who got their introduction to the delights of miniature wargaming in this way.</p><p>At that time of course you didn't order by filling an online shopping cart: you looked at the catalogue, emailed the company with the packs you wanted, waited for them to confirm with a price and shipping estimate and a means of payment. If I remember rightly, I might even have had to call Richard up from Japan to give him my credit card details over the phone.</p><p>At any rate, there was contact with a human, there were pleases and thank yous, and all those other little interactions that you almost forget were commonplace before shopping carts and secure online payment systems. </p><p>It is therefore with some sadness that I see Magister Militum is closing up shop and putting their ranges on the market. </p><p>I'd like to quickly take the opportunity to thank Richard and all the other folk who may have worked at MM, and hope that life after MM treats them well.</p><p>For those to whom MM closing up is new news, I think you still have a couple of days to get a last order <a href="https://www.magistermilitum.com/" target="_blank">in</a>.</p><p>I guess the most appropriate thing to do at my end is get those Romans and Carthaginians out on the table for another game....</p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-47451703215239661082023-07-04T21:40:00.007+09:002023-07-05T19:04:10.201+09:00State of the wargame nation<p>It's been quite some time since I've posted here. We've been through a busy period of house renovations, kids developing social lives, work secondment opportunities and various other things. Earlier in the year I was invited to join a band, so we've been working quite hard learning songs and getting match fit for shows. Things are rolling now - we made our live debut last weekend - and it has been a lot of fun. The last time I played in a live band (apart from attending the odd open mic night) was 1998. I'd reconciled myself to the fact that it may never happen again, so it was a VERY good feeling to get back up on stage in front of a crowd and blast out a few tunes.</p><p>We hope to be able to get three hours' worth of material together to allow us to start gigging regularly. There is still some work to be done to get to that stage, but the challenge has been set!</p><p>Hobby activity has mostly been confined to looking at my shelves and deciding it's too late to play a game or browsing local boardgame options and making the occasional purchase. So far this year I've picked up Seastrike, Undaunted: Stalingrad, Caesar! Seize Rome in 20 minutes (if you're thinking of getting it, don't bother), Twilight Struggle, and Mare Nostrum. It's an eclectic mix; overseas shipping being prohibitatively expensive means I'm confined to opportunistic nabbing of things that are already in the country. Caesar is a bit of a dog, but the others all look promising. </p><p>In regards to figure gaming, I haven't done any painting since 2019, and I also fell out of love with the Society of Ancients. As this was the avenue I tended to use to present 'serious' hobby pieces, I don't currently have any motivation to put together that sort of structured hobby writing for public consumption. The figures already painted are always there waiting to be used, but whether I will make any further dents in the lead mountain or get back to being the kind of contributor on matters ancient that I used to be is a bit doubtful.</p><p>It's been a bit of a depressing period hobby-wise, but you never know when that will change.</p><p>So there we are; that's about the state of it. Hope all others in the blogosphere are doing well!</p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-86752479536675908662023-02-26T20:18:00.002+09:002023-02-26T20:18:24.839+09:00Edgehill with Pat<p>Following a couple of weeks of preparations, old Japan mate Pat H and myself got together online last Thursday using VASSAL for the board and Discord for chat to start a playthrough of the Musket and Pike scenario of Edgehill. </p><p>For those that may not know <a href="https://www.gmtgames.com/c-5-musket-pike-series.aspx#[PageNumber(0)|PageSize(50)|PageSort(Name)|DisplayType(Grid)]" target="_blank">Musket and Pike</a>, it is a series of hex and counter boardgames put out by GMT focusing on battles of the English Civil War / Thirty Years War era. It was originated by Ben Hull, but has an obvious progenitor in the Berg/Herman Great Battles of History series. Like the GBoH series before it, it is a grand tactical treatment of each battle, with a specific map, named counters, and various scenario options for each battle.</p><p>The system tracks morale, attrition and formation at the unit level, while command and control rules require orders to be set at the wing level and communication traced between commanders and the commanded.</p><p>Command counters have special functions which allow units they are stacked with or in some cases are adjacent to to perform orders (rally, reform, etc) which their wing stance (charge, make ready, etc) may not ordinarily allow. </p><p>It is one of those systems that I thought would allow a battle to be worked through over a a week or so of casual after-dinner play. Unfortunately, to this point I have not yet <strike>been motivated enough</strike> learnt the rules well enough to manage this. Hopefully this Edgehill game with Pat will change that. </p><p>But on to the game. The scenario sees the Royalists (Pat being an inveterate Royalist I had to be very careful not to mention Harry or Megan in the course of the evening - it could have got nasty!) with charge orders itching to have at the Parliamentarian menace. As commander of the said menace, I got to sit back and watch as Rupert surged forward on my left. </p><p>His initial activation saw all right wing cavalry, dragoons and musketeers forward. Pat then rolled for a continuation and was successful, leading to controlled carnage as his wing engaged with mine. A remarkable run of luck with my reactive shooting saw Pat's wing take considerable casualties in the charge, but ended with my commander driven off the field. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi04PKD7HCAOSDHoj4cKxJ5OP0o8BPi9xN9qqys1JQvyH0MidmEQbmxgYC3AEmhIiijkslUvM0_30NWFro8E5K1y8UIulDQTDxPIVKxPcfne3U_ud2QRqTVw_F2A3yUy0N1fpUIsJQ3LoRxvPalZm1ffg6nvwNIJ9L__liwXFU4TOYFw5AqhUnUp2g/s1076/end%20of%20second%20activation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="1076" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi04PKD7HCAOSDHoj4cKxJ5OP0o8BPi9xN9qqys1JQvyH0MidmEQbmxgYC3AEmhIiijkslUvM0_30NWFro8E5K1y8UIulDQTDxPIVKxPcfne3U_ud2QRqTVw_F2A3yUy0N1fpUIsJQ3LoRxvPalZm1ffg6nvwNIJ9L__liwXFU4TOYFw5AqhUnUp2g/w400-h295/end%20of%20second%20activation.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Battle map after two activations of Rupert's wing.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>It remains to be seen how we can come back from this. On the positive side, we were not routed in our entirely, and all of Rupert's units have suffered some kind of attrition. <div><br /></div><div>It has been enjoyable. It took about 90 minutes of play to get to this point in the game, but I expect things will speed up. The advatange of rules which are so procedural is that once you get those procedures down, things start to take care of themselves. The disadvantage of course it that it takes a bit of time to familiarise oneself with those procedures. </div><div><br /></div><div>It seems though that we are well on our way.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-55146223335312912592023-02-07T20:56:00.004+09:002023-02-07T20:57:54.451+09:00Undaunted once more<p>SP and I reconvened for another game of Undaunted Normandy last night. It was scenario 12, the last of the originals, so we have worked our way through the box. The Germans snuck it. But when asking SP what he would have done differently I realised that I'd not seen the Allied control marker on the zone I took to win, and that I had declared a victory prematurely. Red faces all round!</p><p>Never mind, the game was secondary to the chat anyway. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWLNWBsucoEPRk9x34paEHmwrXWnfXdFt322sOMe1oQeEge4dyDDUjG72qy_KUNQYITg7zV1m9GP12_00VEUiBEVxnFT8B2O6e-Cv2sd7br5VA8mA5Ump8t-u0yIMD0Fr_yGi6v4JNuVNjTjRuGmVhfCBLZz9ApD4iWcGkczxzzfQejl6QYF6uKQ/s1280/Undaunted.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWLNWBsucoEPRk9x34paEHmwrXWnfXdFt322sOMe1oQeEge4dyDDUjG72qy_KUNQYITg7zV1m9GP12_00VEUiBEVxnFT8B2O6e-Cv2sd7br5VA8mA5Ump8t-u0yIMD0Fr_yGi6v4JNuVNjTjRuGmVhfCBLZz9ApD4iWcGkczxzzfQejl6QYF6uKQ/w400-h300/Undaunted.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>The game itself continues to shine. As an indication of how much I am enjoying it, I have a few ideas for house rules...</p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-18404713577291548932023-01-12T20:38:00.005+09:002023-01-12T20:38:56.127+09:00Rumours of war(gaming) and the kindness of strangers<p>It's been a long time since I've rock n rolled, as the song goes. While a neat little intro, it's not strictly correct: I have played a few games, but nothing worth blogging about.</p><p>Sadly, that seems to have been the case for most things at the moment - not worth blogging about.</p><p>But that has all changed today. Two things happened. First, I caught up with my old mate SP, who assures me he is keen to get a game underway as soon as we can; the other is that a kind denizen of boardgamegeek has gone to considerable trouble to look out and send me the rules for a vintage game I bought recently that arrived sans booklet.</p><p>It would be very rude to get it to table given the lengths the fellow went to to scan the paperwork, so playing it has become mission number 1. </p><p>While speaking of kindness, I should also mention a first class instance of it from the folks at the Plastic Soldier Company. I ordered some plastic Carthaginians from them a few months ago but the pack arrived two figures short. I emailed to let them know about it and they promptly sent me replacements along with an extra figure or two for good measure. </p><p>They are damned good too, being of the Corvus Belli 15mm range.</p><p>So there we are. I hope 2023 will treat all readers well (or if not well, at least a good deal better than it's treated Jeff Beck), and that your dice roll what you wish for a decent portion of the time.</p><p><br /></p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-57228904709890724802022-10-11T18:11:00.003+09:002022-10-11T18:11:32.141+09:00Notions of (Phil Sabin's) Empire<p>Faced tonight with a sudden hankering to play a game, I trotted downstairs, surveyed the shelves, and settled upon Phil Sabin's <i>Empire</i>. As something that takes an epic subject, could be set up without too much rules review and can be got through in an hour, it was the obvious choice.</p><p>Covering the period 350-150 BC, the game takes in the Mediterranean world (stretching as far east as India) and its Persian, Macedonian, Carthaginian and Roman inhabitants. Each of the twenty game turns starts with a rebellion roll which turns one occupied territory neutral, and then the four powers get to take a turn attempting to expand. Usually a power gets one attack per turn, but in a great captain turn they will get five (so they best make the most of it).</p><p>There is not a lot to the game tactically: you are pretty much at the mercy of the dice. To successfully conquer a territory on <i>Empire</i>'s point-to-point game map a power needs to roll 4 or better on a d6. There are modifiers at play, and with certain territories worth more for victory point purposes, it is usually clear what the best attack is, and then you have to hope the die (or dice when attacking across a sea route) will cooperate.</p><p>It's all very straightforward - even bearing in mind a couple of special rules - and with two victory turns (VPs are counted on turns ten and twenty), everyone knows what they are aiming at.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguYAekf8j5n2MgI7v5PobG1zuqi6l8Fw-rYlvTRApHcMn6XTIsftYWJycIbzTvphhs5IUCrD_H9hh2n5NnVSpSU--zUzof6dMd3YTjf-PrvgOyz8sggHytsg_KCsVhFl_lQlaEa_SYaa2C2ZlZGq7E83Pi61gFgeU0o7Nni47OIm8a4jzL0Olb6bU" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguYAekf8j5n2MgI7v5PobG1zuqi6l8Fw-rYlvTRApHcMn6XTIsftYWJycIbzTvphhs5IUCrD_H9hh2n5NnVSpSU--zUzof6dMd3YTjf-PrvgOyz8sggHytsg_KCsVhFl_lQlaEa_SYaa2C2ZlZGq7E83Pi61gFgeU0o7Nni47OIm8a4jzL0Olb6bU=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Opening situation: Carthage blue (3 territories), Rome red (1 territory), Macedon yellow (1 territory) Persia green (8 territories).</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></p><p>In our game Macedonia started gloriously, winning Graecia on turn one and then watching Alexander wreak absolute havoc on turns two and three, wiping out the Persians and being on the doorsteps of both India and Aegyptus.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8MVEPx9KS1aN9Hne9ZpHY9aBl-z-IDPlY-yMovK-cquGof2TMmxyC8IyJB7UQKB1HtY-rdzKAwmDb96AnNmg2pZLw-WcErfUqCnrE6mFG6WAf35n3Vm1xiBp5xBXBlaDDinajzja7sq6ZT_SuQ0mAo1-dz4420HIVE4sTDL9gog_uKJkvlp9zUUo" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8MVEPx9KS1aN9Hne9ZpHY9aBl-z-IDPlY-yMovK-cquGof2TMmxyC8IyJB7UQKB1HtY-rdzKAwmDb96AnNmg2pZLw-WcErfUqCnrE6mFG6WAf35n3Vm1xiBp5xBXBlaDDinajzja7sq6ZT_SuQ0mAo1-dz4420HIVE4sTDL9gog_uKJkvlp9zUUo=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Alexander's conquests.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></p><p>Neither Carthage nor Rome could make much headway in the first century of play, but Persia / Parthia reclaimed its homeland just before the first victory turn was up, and with both Carthage and Persia receiving handicap assistance, the scores at 250 BC were recorded as Rome 5, Macedon 13, Persia 14 and Carthage 16.</p><p>Carthage and Rome squabbled over Gallia until Hannibal's entrance saw Rome's influence temporarily squashed. Two turns of great captains for Rome began promisingly, but perverse sea assault rolls and some untimely revolts meant Roman expansion was stopped at Sicily, Iberia and Macedonia. </p><p>All game Alexander's successors held on grimly to his conquests in Asia, but the Parthians (the Persian replacements) began to reclaim some of the eastern territories. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-BptNwGKsEVPmrj4J-zL1cLn0pG6wWukX6SHVZeBj1Cm3tlMHej1E015t5BL-Q1unHhuq-QHjhZ12dL6FrAJ0QtJcdEfyARJGqrdoqODEWfERn0upoZryxVVezRjFEKOWgzdDfZ8Znn-6r3StPxzTYlrla4XS4oFtKAvFuLhAvfe5LqM_nGabWAY" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-BptNwGKsEVPmrj4J-zL1cLn0pG6wWukX6SHVZeBj1Cm3tlMHej1E015t5BL-Q1unHhuq-QHjhZ12dL6FrAJ0QtJcdEfyARJGqrdoqODEWfERn0upoZryxVVezRjFEKOWgzdDfZ8Znn-6r3StPxzTYlrla4XS4oFtKAvFuLhAvfe5LqM_nGabWAY=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Parthians reconquer some of the ancestral homelands.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></p><p>Carthage and Rome continued to squabble ineffectually over Iberia, and at game end, the points were tallied thus: Rome 12, Persia / Parthia 20, and Carthage and Macedon tied for first place on 21. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivWcvlOBwyN0KjJKPM5vFAZqoK9wQCK9Hg2LwOaJjkP-0zeqRhMbUtKULk-C8z5Vc0xXA-LxRuIYYVCUpMBIHFg2QQPDVx0AS1D852XcQyS2SP0Joh2yHFiO3VLswx7wW7fD_4AM5Dso1QJ8mvMb5PRJOKsSdSAFa_5OiNEnWEpfcjLDmKVAsLdLM" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivWcvlOBwyN0KjJKPM5vFAZqoK9wQCK9Hg2LwOaJjkP-0zeqRhMbUtKULk-C8z5Vc0xXA-LxRuIYYVCUpMBIHFg2QQPDVx0AS1D852XcQyS2SP0Joh2yHFiO3VLswx7wW7fD_4AM5Dso1QJ8mvMb5PRJOKsSdSAFa_5OiNEnWEpfcjLDmKVAsLdLM=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Board at game end, 150BC.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></p><p>It was a nice little historical interlude, and left me with one or two ideas for future play.</p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-89483820970584328722022-09-29T21:06:00.003+09:002022-09-29T21:10:03.911+09:00The changing face of wargaming<p>One of the things that has impressed me most in the time I've been wargaming is the way that game design has progressed. </p><p>When I started it was with <i>Diplomacy</i> and <i>Warhammer Fantasy Battle</i>, both of which required a certain time investment to play. <i>Warhammer Fantasy Battle</i> 3rd Edition was massively fun at the time, but it took an evening to cost out your army, took all day to fight, and the amount of dice rolling was phenomenal. <i>Diplomacy</i> required eight people (seven if you could get by without an umpire), and by the end of the game your relationship with at least one of those players would be damaged almost irreparably. </p><p>That said, each game was a genuine event, and would be remembered for years.</p><p>When I got into wargaming again in the post-university years, it was with process-heavy historical miniatures games - seemingly cut from similar cloth to WFB - and sprawling hex-and-counter games such as those from The Gamers. </p><p>Enter card-driven games - <i>Hannibal: Rome versus Carthage</i> and <i>For the People,</i> for example - which used point-to-point movement instead of hexes, based victory around control of blocs of territory, and made card play the central decision mechanism. Able to be used in a variety of ways, each card gave players the choice to trigger an event, use the card to perform an action, or try to bury it so that it could not be leveraged to advantage by one's opponent. </p><p>Then there were <i>Commands and Colors: Ancients</i> and <i>Lost Battles</i>: both hybrid developments of earlier miniatures and board game types. <i>Commands and Colors</i> used cards for unit activation, employed custom dice, and provided generic units with customisable battlefields. <i>Lost Battles</i> used a square grid with a lead (as in front, not metal!) unit model to allow tactical match ups, a handicap system to afford outmatched armies a chance at a game win, and followed a uniquely academic approach.</p><p>In the meantime both eurogame and wargame designers had been coming up with interesting new takes on old game mechanisms, such as tile drawing, deck building, trick taking, dice hoarding, chit pulling, and bluffing. <i>Friedrich</i>, <i>Maria</i>, the Simmons titles and <i>Sekigahara </i>all helped bring some of these interesting intersections into the world of wargames. </p><p>Then along came <i>W1815</i>, the strikingly innovative map game on Waterloo, which featured static forces, and an action card for each commander, not only designating possible actions as in other card-driven games, but also - brilliantly - functioning as individualised combat results tables. This game on its own has led to an entirely new 'static battle' genre that is being explored by designers to take on previously hard-to-game situations, and its influence is felt almost everywhere. </p><p>Ian Brody's groundbreaking <i>Quartermaster General</i> series has been another landmark modern design. In terms of how cards can be used to introduce player options, create gruelling battles of hand and mind, while also reducing large conflicts to key elements playable in ninety minutes, it is hard to overstate its importance. Who would have thought in 1980 that you could take World War II and play it out as a six-player game in recognisable and satisfying fashion in less time that it takes to complete a game of Risk, and without a die in sight? Certainly not Milton Bradley!</p><p>The <i>Quartermaster</i> series has broadened the definition of wargame.</p><p>And the dance continues. The <i>Undaunted</i> series has added new layers of depth to map, card and dice combinations in wargames. Solitaire games, using bots, are plentiful - and designers are retro-fitting older games for solitaire play using these new concepts. We are seeing an explosion of impressive fast-playing, decision-centric, bot-soloable, war-themed crossover games that bring in ideas put together in fresh ways by young(ish), crafty designers who are not afraid to defy wargame convention, who have wide gaming experience in different genres, and will borrow and refine from anywhere in the service of the game. </p><p>It seems, at the moment, that possibilities are legion.</p><p>What a great time to be a wargamer! </p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-76907093162255510342022-08-05T22:41:00.002+09:002022-08-05T22:41:31.766+09:00Painting, Gettysburg revisited, and a musical diversion<p>For the first time since perhaps March 2019 I have picked up a paintbrush. The objects of my attentions were not the Greeks for Mantinea signalled earlier this year, but Carthaginian elephants and crew so that I can play Bagradas without co-opting Macedonian jumbos, and as a way to ease back in with reasonably rapid additions for the table.</p><p>Unfortunately, it was quickly apparent that in the three years since I last painted my eyesight has deteriorated significantly. In short, I couldn't see what I was doing. </p><p>I tried again the next day in natural light and I could see details better, but it's still a long way from what I am accustomed to and it has come as a bit of a shock.</p><p>I knew that moving from teaching into constant computer work had taken a toll on my eyes, but I put a lot of it down to general tiredness. I didn't realise it had become quite this bad. </p><p>The situation I am now in is that unless I get some glasses sorted, painting will only be possible on sunny days. As I used to do most of my painting at night in my old hobby room, it will take a serious readjustment to make much progress in terms of reducing the 15mm lead mountain. It is clearly time for some re-evaluation.</p><p>In happier news, I got Eric Lee Smith's Battle Hymn on the table again. Goodness me, it is a beautiful game.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6VH1E8Int3MmU5036F6qqTogjzQx6PFsVBfASq2O6UbLbJc-DLTpccJ_th_NIvcWE_8avbLvkftFk6ksG30o7BMOsgAkSl6jLUvfU7I-bIbMOGv1Vno87FmlX3kb_29S3i-3602Z1wmntrHBFO0P7cNZDUq2JLaAa92rhgYEZQFmWwJdm-7tqGyI" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6VH1E8Int3MmU5036F6qqTogjzQx6PFsVBfASq2O6UbLbJc-DLTpccJ_th_NIvcWE_8avbLvkftFk6ksG30o7BMOsgAkSl6jLUvfU7I-bIbMOGv1Vno87FmlX3kb_29S3i-3602Z1wmntrHBFO0P7cNZDUq2JLaAa92rhgYEZQFmWwJdm-7tqGyI=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heth's boys on the march.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>And I also bought myself a new guitar, a Telecaster copy. After the kind of work week when I thought of starting to apply for other jobs, I was told to have a drink and chill out. I did, and did. I'm looking forward to it arriving and cranking up the volume in the den!</p><p><br /></p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-50249535712131601322022-06-30T14:41:00.006+09:002022-07-31T21:11:27.956+09:00Entertainment in a time of COVID<p>The bell finally tolled for me on Sunday. I'd had a minor sniffle come on Friday night and thought nothing of it. It then progressed to sneezes on Saturday, so on Sunday I decided to get a test before heading out anywhere other people might be. I was sure it was just a bit of a cold, but the RAT test immediately clanged out 'COVID!' </p><p>With the wife and kids away in Japan visiting family, I did not have to worry about passing it on to them, so I just got in touch with work, ordered some food to be delivered from the supermarket, and settled down to wait it out for a week.</p><p>In my favour was the fact that there was a cricket test on. Sadly, we were getting royally thumped, so it was a slightly blue Prufrock looking out the window on Monday who saw a package had been delivered. </p><p>Wouldn't you know it, it was Mike Lambo's <i>Battles of Medieval Britain</i>, for which I'd put in an order about six weeks previously and almost despaired of ever seeing. As it turned out, its arrival couldn't have been better timed. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWLsM4ZRvbD3Ovrg1D8r6ein23EQ9Xuu6euqwP3ZE8rc1E427QK0b3dAae6FLwSMiik2lQpQe8EVcRab17BAktfTttPyO3S5la-H-xXatVxZLvsu9zhLFYFfA_yVvMCebjnFvbznqhFu_9OF4UOEZB-eUSjJgemCanPm5CFHqGkWTzgwbW8XzkgkQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4936" data-original-width="3642" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWLsM4ZRvbD3Ovrg1D8r6ein23EQ9Xuu6euqwP3ZE8rc1E427QK0b3dAae6FLwSMiik2lQpQe8EVcRab17BAktfTttPyO3S5la-H-xXatVxZLvsu9zhLFYFfA_yVvMCebjnFvbznqhFu_9OF4UOEZB-eUSjJgemCanPm5CFHqGkWTzgwbW8XzkgkQ=w295-h400" width="295" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>The book includes ten pages of rules and solitaire game representations of twelve British battles. These being:</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Brunanburh, 937</li><li>Fulford Gate, 1066</li><li>Stamford Bridge, 1066</li><li>Hastings, 1066</li><li>The Standard, 1138</li><li>Lewes, 1264</li><li>Evesham, 1265</li><li>Orewin Bridge, 1282</li><li>Stirling Bridge, 1297</li><li>Falkirk, 1298</li><li>Bannockburn, 1314</li><li>Shrewsbury, 1403</li></ul><p></p></blockquote><p>Each battle comes with a one page full colour hex map and an accompanying description of the information necessary to play out the battle. The rules are clear and simple, need only d6s, and contain nothing that could cause (or exacerbate!) any headaches.</p><p>Set up is not fixed: the defending units are positioned by dice roll, as are any reinforcements when they arrive. With only five types of units, you can retain all the unit characteristics in your head and just focus on beating the game. The order generation mechanism is quite neat, and combat is of the 'score <i>x</i> on 2d6, with various +/- modifiers' type.</p><p>Turns work as follows:</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>- mark off turn on turn track</p><p>- roll for and place any applicable defender reinforcements </p><p>- activate each player unit one by one by rolling a number of dice to generate orders. Use (or don't) orders as desired</p><p>- when all player units have been activated, defending units attack all player units in range</p></blockquote><p>And that's it. Defending units don't move (although defending reinforcements will appear during the battle), so it is up to you as the attacker to calculate the best way to defeat the enemy in the number of turns available. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHeCofJBKbO6RBRO6-5XGtV2ab0QPiXhqFXG1R4wC0jqfGUgDxFMJ_b-2YXRjvrJVR9XlCbQnXaoknDS37gjSmR4MgruF6pNHaXbugt8jMmLh4ZRfhLIgj0Ic5n77CicYsQGL-9nxapO97yCIFcUx2EI0vekcwhA2D3WOf5UUONh_29KOXYpDp8LQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHeCofJBKbO6RBRO6-5XGtV2ab0QPiXhqFXG1R4wC0jqfGUgDxFMJ_b-2YXRjvrJVR9XlCbQnXaoknDS37gjSmR4MgruF6pNHaXbugt8jMmLh4ZRfhLIgj0Ic5n77CicYsQGL-9nxapO97yCIFcUx2EI0vekcwhA2D3WOf5UUONh_29KOXYpDp8LQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Fulford Gate using Commands & Colors terrain and 15mm figures.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>The battles are essentially military-themed interactive puzzles, somewhat akin to chess problems, but with variable set up and random elements to consider. To make it easier you can give yourself an extra turn to achieve the objectives. To make it harder, give yourself one fewer.</p><p>I've played through the first two scenarios already, and they are a cool way to pass a bit of time. Simulations they are not, but if you want to spend a half hour exercising the brain and rolling a few dice, you could do a lot worse. </p><p>And as for providing entertainment while isolating with COVID, it does the job!</p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-39455757670910555552022-06-25T17:11:00.001+09:002022-06-25T17:17:07.896+09:002nd Day of Gettysburg, with Table Battles<p>With some Civil War reading on the go at the moment I had a hankering to play an appropriate game. As most titles of that ilk on my shelf are of the 'need to stay set up for a week or so' variety, I betook myself to Table Battles from Hollandspiele for a bite-sized chunk of action, namely the 2nd day at Gettysburg. Whether that was the right call or not will be elaborated on at the end of the post. </p><p>Table Battles owes a heavy debt to the excellent <a href="https://prufrockian-gleanings.blogspot.com/2018/01/waterloo-in-20-minutes.html">W1815</a> by U&P Games, and while the former has the advantage of coming with lots of scenarios, it does not have the lovely map that accompanies the latter. In fact, Table Battles does not come with any maps at all: battles are represented by unit cards placed side by side and sticks as strength markers. </p><p>The lack of geographical setting takes away much of that 'we're playing a battle here' feeling I value in my wargames, so I decided to set out the unit cards and associated strength markers in the rough shape of the battlefield in an attempt to give more of a connection to the historical event.</p><p>I'm sure most if not all readers will know the general picture of the dispositions of the Union and Confederate armies on July 2nd 1863, but as a reminder here is a map from wikimediacommons, and the <a href="https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Battle_of_Gettysburg?file=Gettysburg_Battle_Map_Day2.png">Military History Fandom</a> site.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckyB8l1rAgHmNF9rl6jMn_bv8Oro-Y2CgORvcfygUOJUWvT9U_bL63CdNkhW538IXvlvwIHyD7Gv5MELPJpDOhbMW1ueCAlPYEufyYSyXR2LcFRpQVKGex-JivfP5koWa8Ym7s86ov8BAJZfg3B1U6DLRbDPVlgGEYH-yEQ5gb-VhrwdBovTvnT0/s1450/1000px-Gettysburg_Battle_Map_Day2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1450" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckyB8l1rAgHmNF9rl6jMn_bv8Oro-Y2CgORvcfygUOJUWvT9U_bL63CdNkhW538IXvlvwIHyD7Gv5MELPJpDOhbMW1ueCAlPYEufyYSyXR2LcFRpQVKGex-JivfP5koWa8Ym7s86ov8BAJZfg3B1U6DLRbDPVlgGEYH-yEQ5gb-VhrwdBovTvnT0/w276-h400/1000px-Gettysburg_Battle_Map_Day2.png" width="276" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>The Table Battles scenario, moving from the Union left around the Union right, has two strength sticks on Little Round Top, opposed by Hood's division with four strength points. Sykes has four strength points to use to replace (absorb, in game palance) any Union losses suffered on Little Round Top. </p><p>Moving back to the main battle line, Sickles, with six strength points, is faced by McLaws, with five. Hancock, at strength eight, is the heart of the Union line, and he is matched against Anderson at strength five. Howard with six strength holds against Early with five, and at the extreme end of the line Slocum, at a strength of just two, faces Johnson with four. </p><p>Meade is present as well, with the ability to allow Union units from the main line (i.e., excluding Little Round Top) to absorb losses for any other unit on the main line. Two damage scored on Howard, for example, could be transferred to Hancock, who may be better able to take the losses at that particular juncture. </p><p>This is what my set up looks like (forgive the poor approximation of the battle map!):</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJm-p0RIU9ZEMge3zn48ZvRSPXF5uCZ6TJ6WguEEoGqivW7K1Oum8bR_QF6qPmq_E-sIF5W7wfD3WNYBQVyeRvr29LEsq886V25QfTHpvMjwe6-9xgZlzYhOYQ9BtZGnbqpBk-MuZf6rRqLtrmbONkE2UrM4Wobl41gZaSBQtb11gSd7Wupxqp-A4" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJm-p0RIU9ZEMge3zn48ZvRSPXF5uCZ6TJ6WguEEoGqivW7K1Oum8bR_QF6qPmq_E-sIF5W7wfD3WNYBQVyeRvr29LEsq886V25QfTHpvMjwe6-9xgZlzYhOYQ9BtZGnbqpBk-MuZf6rRqLtrmbONkE2UrM4Wobl41gZaSBQtb11gSd7Wupxqp-A4=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Confederate wings are red and pink; Union ones light and dark blue.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />In Table Battles each side has a pool of six dice, which are rolled and assigned to unit cards to allow those cards to activate on a subsequent turn. Limitations are that dice can only be placed on one card of any particular colour per turn, and in the case of the Confederates units must wait for dice to be loaded onto first Hood then McLaws before they can be added anywhere else.</p><p>The Confederates have their best attacking opportunities with Anderson, then McLaws, then Hood. Every attack will also reduce their own strength, but the more dice per card the more damage can be inflicted on the Union troops. The Union, for their part, have the ability to counter-attack, which will increase the damage on any Confederate assault, and reduce the damage they take themselves. The trick for the Union is to load dice on the correct cards at the correct time to use the counter-attack ability, and use Meade's absorb feature to spread losses across the line so that no one unit becomes vulnerable to defeat. Union attacks, particularly against Johnson and McLaws, can help to break up the Confederate charge. </p><p>Without further jawing, let us move to the battle itself. </p><p>After dice build up on both sides, the action commences with McLaws attacking Sickles. McLaws does two damage and takes one himself, reducing strength to four and four.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9wHfhyNB9h1_I57fYDMA-Ilxi5xx8hO3DufuVOBPJIOMEG7jhuMHf9foj9CG8T4at2PHLWqqt5T37xV44uetCGgiA-R63_UHaE-mmN82ENcL3OGaxz_mDQz9Yp5SB3qJzMvSlOBAKMy-1Ipelm0PCdcegqBAfLstEd3iaah1esXuad9qXW9FQnU/s5184/IMG_3185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9wHfhyNB9h1_I57fYDMA-Ilxi5xx8hO3DufuVOBPJIOMEG7jhuMHf9foj9CG8T4at2PHLWqqt5T37xV44uetCGgiA-R63_UHaE-mmN82ENcL3OGaxz_mDQz9Yp5SB3qJzMvSlOBAKMy-1Ipelm0PCdcegqBAfLstEd3iaah1esXuad9qXW9FQnU/w300-h400/IMG_3185.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>Howard then attacks Early, for one hit to himself, two to the enemy, leaving five and three blocks respectively. <i>Unfortunately, I can see that I made a mistake here and did the hits the wrong way round - one off the Confederates and two off the Union!</i> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrzDeMDUnhtBhMrErlXHa5EiHp7IhhC8g52I1CrQLW53cfVdMmT2wAsY1bW7P1XF91NwP5oI_tdSGaV2b-rqcHEJeQvca4B48ElyLOQScQCRHX2J2-8lJ5MVxuxUkC-BMZXY-3mh9ODjCJwbL5e0hcZEWUXh3krydpL5s_0apRTlV4BoZtSgq7i0g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrzDeMDUnhtBhMrErlXHa5EiHp7IhhC8g52I1CrQLW53cfVdMmT2wAsY1bW7P1XF91NwP5oI_tdSGaV2b-rqcHEJeQvca4B48ElyLOQScQCRHX2J2-8lJ5MVxuxUkC-BMZXY-3mh9ODjCJwbL5e0hcZEWUXh3krydpL5s_0apRTlV4BoZtSgq7i0g=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>Another attack from McLaws sees Sickles in strife and down to one block. The counter-attack ability has however taken two blocks off McLaws. Any further attacks by McLaws on Sickles can be transferred to another unit by using Meade's absorb ability.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikB0cQ1rOEawHreuCtN4SGEfp2jkFPns3V6yczBMLb2XZCxAYdHIAQqGn-SLbl5Rn1AR9q-kHqcsRH9S505KdjBaWMt1lNecasVgC-vDjmAgYNcra7dTku9awaqGjIEoAZ9p13yF05FKIdVXUWglZQPokX1XrIUT5Wkm3UWMoRulaA4_FyHdcJziI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikB0cQ1rOEawHreuCtN4SGEfp2jkFPns3V6yczBMLb2XZCxAYdHIAQqGn-SLbl5Rn1AR9q-kHqcsRH9S505KdjBaWMt1lNecasVgC-vDjmAgYNcra7dTku9awaqGjIEoAZ9p13yF05FKIdVXUWglZQPokX1XrIUT5Wkm3UWMoRulaA4_FyHdcJziI=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br />Already it is clear that the Confederates have few good attacking options: they can wear the Union down, but to do this causes so much damage to themselves that breaking the line will become almost impossible. Nevertheless, they persevere.<p></p><p>Anderson now attacks Hancock, but the counter-attack means both sides lose two strength.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgZ7xTkdIKBXZUVmWe0JSerPIfaQ2WvkAYq_kzhzmpD1U0vOAryed6H3GLRH2bp_4hX7CCuMe6KCqTBV0PIHmq8pJO3FLvu574K_kS7FYCGBl5e9xnnFNjTWXdYZQLqgNuDw9Mo_pSQMkhp0IN0x1im5jvFD2A6t0-rSHUSXggTKmtK145ly91Ag/s5184/IMG_3188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgZ7xTkdIKBXZUVmWe0JSerPIfaQ2WvkAYq_kzhzmpD1U0vOAryed6H3GLRH2bp_4hX7CCuMe6KCqTBV0PIHmq8pJO3FLvu574K_kS7FYCGBl5e9xnnFNjTWXdYZQLqgNuDw9Mo_pSQMkhp0IN0x1im5jvFD2A6t0-rSHUSXggTKmtK145ly91Ag/w300-h400/IMG_3188.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /> Johnson batters himself against Slocum.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjP7-PQh1VmWBYhhrg9Gj4E4gqqEa8g0EjYeBpVHTRXt6EtN1xIYum-ClY0NPWmhmElWRIE75fexyrU8RpbhFjrjAWw6mQe0qNeFuY_WscMdLiXG2QTYqmy4huItLPL9L_FLj_ff204VOxA3t0eBVbyOYwjUX0tQ_x8SM_N_IgUAlh9fcMhFG84uzc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjP7-PQh1VmWBYhhrg9Gj4E4gqqEa8g0EjYeBpVHTRXt6EtN1xIYum-ClY0NPWmhmElWRIE75fexyrU8RpbhFjrjAWw6mQe0qNeFuY_WscMdLiXG2QTYqmy4huItLPL9L_FLj_ff204VOxA3t0eBVbyOYwjUX0tQ_x8SM_N_IgUAlh9fcMhFG84uzc=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br />Early attacks Howard, but Hancock takes the damage.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhizvJN48mT_Sqa-ZO_mwIZ-qUswOhUVQnd0WSYZpYREoGdmbbjwXUN7S_8c1GRumWQmDppJXFLOGUxpLl_x01Hk3mYj8vyYPeOmXyH64ocNlK6uuW7VqohHoqplixg78MGgQ323eVi7RmJr5ZB5pc9ZXZcYg3g7TRVOL85FU6xBz_x9ICT26fvq2E" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhizvJN48mT_Sqa-ZO_mwIZ-qUswOhUVQnd0WSYZpYREoGdmbbjwXUN7S_8c1GRumWQmDppJXFLOGUxpLl_x01Hk3mYj8vyYPeOmXyH64ocNlK6uuW7VqohHoqplixg78MGgQ323eVi7RmJr5ZB5pc9ZXZcYg3g7TRVOL85FU6xBz_x9ICT26fvq2E=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br />These no-advantage attacks by the Confederate are required to force the Union into counter-attacks. If the Union gets a free turn (i.e., they are not forced to counter-attack), they will be able to attack McLaws with Sickles, exhaust both units, and prevent any further dice being added to Anderson by virtue of the special rule that dice can only be placed on Anderson if there are dice on McLaws. For this reason the Confederates must keep attacking and hope against hope to get good enough rolls on their allocation phase to load up on Anderson and deliver a killer blow. The Union however need only sit tight, absorb losses, and wait for the opportunity to hit McLaws.<p></p><p>Johnson self-immolates for the cause.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwQ3yMAOymTB4vpkKrhbQy3jgkQGT17UChyytCT4g-njlvE0h3JkVde023cu2Br24Vf82lAwBDEwlAvoYXjF1ZkqDc4A4Io6-q7pqDu-tukFrP1IRSgmabkUpvntxtJkRjye8LY6qwZSXbArRBDzios_XTPQxyWaiqufe9wllvGUvNwGkFsGWFlBw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwQ3yMAOymTB4vpkKrhbQy3jgkQGT17UChyytCT4g-njlvE0h3JkVde023cu2Br24Vf82lAwBDEwlAvoYXjF1ZkqDc4A4Io6-q7pqDu-tukFrP1IRSgmabkUpvntxtJkRjye8LY6qwZSXbArRBDzios_XTPQxyWaiqufe9wllvGUvNwGkFsGWFlBw=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>Then Early attacks.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWrPeEQ6nTBZaYhR0kZQVDNP25CKjqVJjb9saXEhL4x9nLxsjJGL43vXyRVkD5N7UTjydS9CBG4cH96SOJ3j4mr-9WFLmF9Vt5HEG9uMp9ekaNgM_KYLJMn9r1rlAefYBn38ws0t1yWPxYu7Lg5Bq7D8_hpnUywG5EwqWrj5AXXWe2ODdb6XZ0E2M" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWrPeEQ6nTBZaYhR0kZQVDNP25CKjqVJjb9saXEhL4x9nLxsjJGL43vXyRVkD5N7UTjydS9CBG4cH96SOJ3j4mr-9WFLmF9Vt5HEG9uMp9ekaNgM_KYLJMn9r1rlAefYBn38ws0t1yWPxYu7Lg5Bq7D8_hpnUywG5EwqWrj5AXXWe2ODdb6XZ0E2M=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br />No counter-attack is forced, and the Union is now free to use Sickles to attack McLaws.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeVPTWoWSunGhhYbYfyUdpNEXfzaw1IdZI9f80K_Kk9ydTzAavUG0jgUbBHH5TlXSNvzaB1LqFmT-uygQ-ZtHUg1lFEib3ufughmp9k0saFEG_7owmSfjOPNrgtWk2kPh_BLhavCGCq-gXGgNgKOvd0nPkD4U9T-hYq-eRzZLuRGR3UlirQMmg-G4/s5184/IMG_3194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeVPTWoWSunGhhYbYfyUdpNEXfzaw1IdZI9f80K_Kk9ydTzAavUG0jgUbBHH5TlXSNvzaB1LqFmT-uygQ-ZtHUg1lFEib3ufughmp9k0saFEG_7owmSfjOPNrgtWk2kPh_BLhavCGCq-gXGgNgKOvd0nPkD4U9T-hYq-eRzZLuRGR3UlirQMmg-G4/w300-h400/IMG_3194.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />And that is effectively the battle decided. It is now over the Union to clean up as they will. The troops on Little Round Top attack Hood twice in succession.<p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhc1s-DL3W2C3ohpnV9kgIRfTjmTF7XQO8vR6SP7Mskf4Z7SliB4SWNNKgBwWP2MIFBFEU2eVArq2_iyCyxW_Ep-VfrHkGMtuuWjAlwMST3pbSlS8jZD9ry1LRBXTllp_g-uIhi2SzWZOk_W-CMaExnJzH7NpzCzcOyjtkFJr2cuK7e27L1QC_yz-U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhc1s-DL3W2C3ohpnV9kgIRfTjmTF7XQO8vR6SP7Mskf4Z7SliB4SWNNKgBwWP2MIFBFEU2eVArq2_iyCyxW_Ep-VfrHkGMtuuWjAlwMST3pbSlS8jZD9ry1LRBXTllp_g-uIhi2SzWZOk_W-CMaExnJzH7NpzCzcOyjtkFJr2cuK7e27L1QC_yz-U=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheipoIgFWaF2fv7p8JW4bBZIXyEM6JesRt8E8fnmNSXi2RE7gm__FW_Sbk1KO13OIJYF58RE8Dvd9DNmmI9z0JbxonDFc7sXZiiOlJdtjXEchsVb5QcehQrcvhvkysqYcDbsuWXPyobx-ytc8I7z99MgvNYXkMcWxkcp3eQF2ulPiP34d3x1xbrKs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheipoIgFWaF2fv7p8JW4bBZIXyEM6JesRt8E8fnmNSXi2RE7gm__FW_Sbk1KO13OIJYF58RE8Dvd9DNmmI9z0JbxonDFc7sXZiiOlJdtjXEchsVb5QcehQrcvhvkysqYcDbsuWXPyobx-ytc8I7z99MgvNYXkMcWxkcp3eQF2ulPiP34d3x1xbrKs=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>The Confederates are no longer able to place dice anywhere but on Hood, and it is just a matter of time before the Union administers the coup-de-grace.</p><p>It comes against Early and the Union has held the high ground. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWpiBoZ930JbmOrdy8x7dPZJUhfrT1JXJlB7LvhmKg_q1wX0SABpRnsF540TDKig-2iT5C0bpFEpc0jKkGYKTEsqh2hbg-wz0fjDOEUahy3Qck9XL_P0TnfgPhNomCNfaUAK3cX7GmG1HER38QirqqcYN1ChvQjDk8fRlgt-_xc_BilgoYtYHJAtc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWpiBoZ930JbmOrdy8x7dPZJUhfrT1JXJlB7LvhmKg_q1wX0SABpRnsF540TDKig-2iT5C0bpFEpc0jKkGYKTEsqh2hbg-wz0fjDOEUahy3Qck9XL_P0TnfgPhNomCNfaUAK3cX7GmG1HER38QirqqcYN1ChvQjDk8fRlgt-_xc_BilgoYtYHJAtc=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjF3LGeX4V9EoNXqgFxbcZrkwzZL79sLl508_Fn3scelFZjqpbD1oz-_-kxeoaytBSZbxfn9qGBE2y6WPhIjxTuhH4i8fX_3QMJCEsNSxZxV2f8uTDoBz7dsscvvM1SAui3LiJnDOsKwtMCxeOGoM3OakWtUOAYcc0qk4zOK7LLab1tVAkdKTF4H1I" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjF3LGeX4V9EoNXqgFxbcZrkwzZL79sLl508_Fn3scelFZjqpbD1oz-_-kxeoaytBSZbxfn9qGBE2y6WPhIjxTuhH4i8fX_3QMJCEsNSxZxV2f8uTDoBz7dsscvvM1SAui3LiJnDOsKwtMCxeOGoM3OakWtUOAYcc0qk4zOK7LLab1tVAkdKTF4H1I" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div>The casualties favour the Union by one. The Confederates have expended themselves to no good end. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOiV024zBuu98bD2Pvk7FDNqZvxZ86GKeXatEiKw3ZZXn7ryI-NBi3K2Y_fxCiIBqXXa8TBFA5FxxAnnKywCdU9QYD4u9AcRothD7uIUC-kks3I-Hw_nGnlKWloiymNltlkatzpSGwtGYXGkTgKv7LPr0Afx3wtGrkryCUI3LCYMuwZyd0frT2Jd4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOiV024zBuu98bD2Pvk7FDNqZvxZ86GKeXatEiKw3ZZXn7ryI-NBi3K2Y_fxCiIBqXXa8TBFA5FxxAnnKywCdU9QYD4u9AcRothD7uIUC-kks3I-Hw_nGnlKWloiymNltlkatzpSGwtGYXGkTgKv7LPr0Afx3wtGrkryCUI3LCYMuwZyd0frT2Jd4" width="320" /></a></div><br />And so the battle is over. <p></p><p>As I am increasingly finding with Table Battles, the effort expended to play the game (much less write a report) is out of all proportion to the reward. The game only approximates the battle it purports to represent, and is more like a hand of cards than a wargame. </p><p>The central difficulty with Table Battles is that, unlike with W1815, the dice rolls come before the decision. In W1815 you make your decision and take your chance; in Table Battles you take your chance and make your decision. Once dice are allocated to a unit they cannot be removed until an action or reaction is taken, so there is no flexibility in changing the point of attack. When an opposition card has a counter-attack die on it, you can see the situation is hopeless ahead of time but must do an attack anyway to free up dice to roll for more activations on the off chance that you might roll, say, two fives to put on a powerful unit, and then hope that the enemy will roll something less useful. </p><p>Some scenarios such as this one are heavily skewed towards one side or another, and there is no way to assess one result against another over a series of games to find a winner. It is zero-sum win or lose. You cannot, as you can in, say, Commands and Colors, keep track of victory points scored by each side and compare after a game apiece to find a winner. You could assess casualties, but casualties themselves are not the focus of play - the focus of play is scoring casualties in the right place, so that you can break the enemy formations needed to get victory squares - so to look at inflicting casualties in total is to deviate from the path to victory. </p><p>Playing Gettysburg with Table Battles was one way to get a Civil War game in, but it is not one that I can take any satisfaction from. The more I play this game the less I like it. I liked it more when I was playing the rules incorrectly.</p><p>Anyway, I will stop my rant there, but suffice to say I'm annoyed with myself for having bought four expansions!</p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-10583892710914518132022-06-21T22:06:00.006+09:002022-06-21T22:21:13.501+09:00More Undaunted Normandy - it's a winner, folks.<p>Well, to follow on from my previous posts on this game, I have to say that both myself and SP are sold on it. We've had, I think, three sessions playing it now, and have progressed through to scenario seven of twelve. All the bells and whistles are now in play - riflemen, scouts, snipers, machine gunners, mortars - and the mix of card play, board movement and dice rolling keeps you engaged throughout. I have not had this much fun with a boardgame since the early days of <i>Commands & Colors: Ancients</i>. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhv531pR9zDdchno_mXkwDW9Q0qzZUZaJqgYFSXeJ3bxo18c2QR3dyNwG0RPEwV-RjdXVHNArIyF3MsrL2VOdAnsdzjRJJCBTPGfOasXMUTDRw0VakfCiQZc0quKJxSOXUWqYIMmBO_pRQutMOA-_ovgmuFv24_azLfG8qspZ-c1WMf0uYqG522UR0" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhv531pR9zDdchno_mXkwDW9Q0qzZUZaJqgYFSXeJ3bxo18c2QR3dyNwG0RPEwV-RjdXVHNArIyF3MsrL2VOdAnsdzjRJJCBTPGfOasXMUTDRw0VakfCiQZc0quKJxSOXUWqYIMmBO_pRQutMOA-_ovgmuFv24_azLfG8qspZ-c1WMf0uYqG522UR0=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Plenty of meat in scenario seven.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />It seems simple, but as you work through the scenarios and more elements are added you start to see how well designed it is and how smoothly all the parts combine to create an immersive, easy to learn / hard to master game system. </p><p>I have tried platoon and company level WWII wargames before and really wanted to like them, but as with most of my games, they have ended up on the shelf gathering dust. They take too long for dimishing returns, the enthusiasm wanes, the decisions pall. This one however just begs to be played. </p><p>The mix of luck and planning is complex. The initiative comes and goes, fortunes ebb and flow, and you finish a scenario thinking about all the things you could have done differently, wondering whether they could have changed the result. There is a lovely tension between active and passive play, and because the scenarios are so tightly contested there is room for that wonderful thing 'player morale' to do its part. You can bluff your opponent and be bluffed; out-think and be out-thought; take the risk or defer it; make the play or resist it; drive for the win or deter it. </p><p>In a part of the world where I routinely have to pay well over a hundred dollars for a boardgame, the games in this series cost about seventy. It is astoundingly good value. Not only on price but, crucially, on gameplay and enjoyment. I have gone ahead and bought both Undaunted expansions (<i>Undaunted North Africa</i> and <i>Undaunted Reinforcements</i>) and will no doubt get the upcoming Stalingrad set as well. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhI5fTN7WXmkqIjNhzZJD3TURI_enoE4UWhvYfh5bLEKmo-2nW0CxJM2GUWkOY-2gwsV2Rj0zKnGNFA54Z89FLv--4kbd-DbbhaCguoGD9ue3H9A8DyZjKB_lCDWmtnptNl3D8hkTht8RM4rgl3Hdx62n2yB_-LiqJzhlKQh2OsWM-lrf3XHxCSfJM" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhI5fTN7WXmkqIjNhzZJD3TURI_enoE4UWhvYfh5bLEKmo-2nW0CxJM2GUWkOY-2gwsV2Rj0zKnGNFA54Z89FLv--4kbd-DbbhaCguoGD9ue3H9A8DyZjKB_lCDWmtnptNl3D8hkTht8RM4rgl3Hdx62n2yB_-LiqJzhlKQh2OsWM-lrf3XHxCSfJM=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mortars are introduced in scenario five.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />As I say, for me it is the best game since <i>Commands & Colors: Ancients</i>. As with C&C:A you can find your own style. By the time you get to the meatier scenarios you find you can switch the point of focus, find different ways to upset your opponent's play, try different ways to win. Skill is important, but it goes not guarantee victory. Undaunted sets up fast and moves fast, but packs a lot of decisionmaking into that time. It does not grind on or overstay its welcome. You do not come away thinking 'well, that was a bit pointless' or - worse - pack it up unfinished because you can't be bothered continuing. It is a light player, but a very good one, and that suits me down to the ground at the moment. </p><div><br /></div><div>It looks good on the table, the cards feel fine in the hand, and as you come to be able to read the board and the situation, the options become almost delicious. </div><div><br /></div><div>I recommend it without hesitation. </div>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-73044574485729224362022-06-15T21:33:00.000+09:002022-06-15T21:33:19.725+09:00Legion: Chaeronea with Phil Sabin<p>A couple of months ago I was fortunate enough to have Phil Sabin offer me another game using his Legion II rules. The battle was Chaeronea, and the victory was Phil's - playing the Greek coalition! </p><p>Yes, I managed to charge Alexander into danger, get him killed almost immediately, and then attack in uncoordinated fashion with my phalanx until, being put to the sword, I was forced to retreat what I could of the army. Phil won the battle convincingly, and a rather rueful Prufrock was left to absorb the lessons of the day!</p><p>It was a great experience, and an excellent opportunity to try out Legion using the VASSAL module that has been put together to allow online and distance play.</p><p>For those interested, the module is downloadable <a href="https://vassalengine.org/wiki/Module:Legion" target="_blank">here</a> from the vassalengine.org site. You need the Legion rules to play, and they are available from the Society of Ancients. </p><p>Here are some screenshots from the game.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh14WnWAQpRw0TOmrnK5ljcO7eZ2W0RD6EmBjmH11BxA2ziQ5oQ0wbKzAwhBokpCbY4n7nGH7l2QxF8z6o1Wi4piEgbKhop8LOj0Tnng8YCpHwMsVfSAOU2cxqdx9tDEEq146R8SagPKXn_IXaoP2KYTZGl0ADx1y8zpxn2rMv_cQuAGT2_F0m8q3w" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="1466" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh14WnWAQpRw0TOmrnK5ljcO7eZ2W0RD6EmBjmH11BxA2ziQ5oQ0wbKzAwhBokpCbY4n7nGH7l2QxF8z6o1Wi4piEgbKhop8LOj0Tnng8YCpHwMsVfSAOU2cxqdx9tDEEq146R8SagPKXn_IXaoP2KYTZGl0ADx1y8zpxn2rMv_cQuAGT2_F0m8q3w=w400-h173" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Macedonians, with Alex on the left, full of confidence.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5G0k2ZnMxbwzGhu2_7m_ord-E6fvKmafdpwLQHqZtzG60S9D5I2H-5cSNOmyfhoBbqoFeiv6KJ9sFqZTnJ7PVGJPJnjs_pKE731aadU4XDbQgkYkGhFwtkJo0pF27zha6KBNI-WpM-NUbmp56RdaQsDuYPt6CRn_JRo1IqqvKtEPw9uZFO_cfazI" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="1590" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5G0k2ZnMxbwzGhu2_7m_ord-E6fvKmafdpwLQHqZtzG60S9D5I2H-5cSNOmyfhoBbqoFeiv6KJ9sFqZTnJ7PVGJPJnjs_pKE731aadU4XDbQgkYkGhFwtkJo0pF27zha6KBNI-WpM-NUbmp56RdaQsDuYPt6CRn_JRo1IqqvKtEPw9uZFO_cfazI" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phil's Greeks, waiting for us.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqKq3r5GEOqt5eHrlgYkVkYVy_CUA_xyZiqRnkhoaWmbeBxQ1zuOd9Z1SRFZNgXuIwKTwykLPcFunRiINZhOdV0QHRwzKCe3OvXzA03Bq4Mk9uHJIN-6glscNXGgGZewwjldvmbiUmzFzjFJ1TW2_vkr9RJ99un0hdaEBpky1ndRJeva1L9UEuik8" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="1165" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqKq3r5GEOqt5eHrlgYkVkYVy_CUA_xyZiqRnkhoaWmbeBxQ1zuOd9Z1SRFZNgXuIwKTwykLPcFunRiINZhOdV0QHRwzKCe3OvXzA03Bq4Mk9uHJIN-6glscNXGgGZewwjldvmbiUmzFzjFJ1TW2_vkr9RJ99un0hdaEBpky1ndRJeva1L9UEuik8=w400-h215" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My initial attack didn't look <i>too</i> bad to my untutored eye...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkDqDY2v9Gs3dI6NWZMNSuln16d8TtfSnzLebJBUlz2Xv1iF-hZg0eXb6yY-jHCnnHCgQo6Fxw_aBqbjjT7q-7ibCJFHDoAQHDT2GiEaMqQ96WlsXg8Ca8PmuCRyc6x-dTAKVhyPTCgQ5HfOzPNjl2IuthW0gcq-EQJRuVhMMKo5OnR6XWsJnkmMc" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1199" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkDqDY2v9Gs3dI6NWZMNSuln16d8TtfSnzLebJBUlz2Xv1iF-hZg0eXb6yY-jHCnnHCgQo6Fxw_aBqbjjT7q-7ibCJFHDoAQHDT2GiEaMqQ96WlsXg8Ca8PmuCRyc6x-dTAKVhyPTCgQ5HfOzPNjl2IuthW0gcq-EQJRuVhMMKo5OnR6XWsJnkmMc=w400-h210" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But the Greek response showed me what a mess I'd made!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKmaC9YKEK6-QTSd42KhRlnf_a-EKCzDNo8jfpU_bwRU4kPhskabKwqhy_bu6QKOT6m7kwwBPBFn2M_xXYboRHXH8QW0fsCNAPrV5mBuTXJiWEHX9nwuYyjj_4Vlqs8gPmeVqdOT2TIZWiiWrDnGqF6REG_B5jaMn0pxx7uELCs5GCyd5IvibWkW8" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="124" data-original-width="262" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKmaC9YKEK6-QTSd42KhRlnf_a-EKCzDNo8jfpU_bwRU4kPhskabKwqhy_bu6QKOT6m7kwwBPBFn2M_xXYboRHXH8QW0fsCNAPrV5mBuTXJiWEHX9nwuYyjj_4Vlqs8gPmeVqdOT2TIZWiiWrDnGqF6REG_B5jaMn0pxx7uELCs5GCyd5IvibWkW8=w400-h189" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The place where Alexander was killed.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGSCweA_XPA-MgFnc6-L5m56aL0u2INwqznzeUiECzH4GJQOodo8TDGaXbq28tClxurrUYrylZtlJYmSITrMH55gzx_QriU3q_1l1-YJKM9tZLU5BKXDPjGmWBb38R0atxf_7BHZH_tjgjM1VLRFsm19pDSh2y59qPLPMp2PwS4D2SZK-FoiOaKPk" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="1185" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGSCweA_XPA-MgFnc6-L5m56aL0u2INwqznzeUiECzH4GJQOodo8TDGaXbq28tClxurrUYrylZtlJYmSITrMH55gzx_QriU3q_1l1-YJKM9tZLU5BKXDPjGmWBb38R0atxf_7BHZH_tjgjM1VLRFsm19pDSh2y59qPLPMp2PwS4D2SZK-FoiOaKPk=w400-h198" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And here we are, getting in our own way, while the Greeks create superior attacks.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />And our battle line only degenerated from there as Phil pressed on. </p><p>As I hope readers can see, the VASSAL module makes Legion easily playable, even for people on opposite sides of the globe.</p><p>Highly recommended. </p><p> </p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-59936573667220394002022-06-05T15:30:00.001+09:002022-06-05T15:30:21.382+09:00Short reviews: Undaunted Normandy<p>I had the chance to play through the first two scenarios of <i>Undaunted Normandy</i> with an opponent last night and (as promised) thought I would share some observations. See <a href="https://prufrockian-gleanings.blogspot.com/2022/04/back-on-horses.html" target="_blank">here</a> for initial thoughts. Note that we have not used all troop options yet - only scouts, riflemen, machine gunners. There are still mortars and snipers to come.</p><p>1) Deck building. When opportunites arise you can add cards to the deck. It seems like quite a good way of stacking future options in your favour. In your turn you draw a random limited number of cards out of the deck you've built and play with what you draw. Once you know what's in your drawn hand you (obviously!) can plan and play accordingly. </p><p>2) Card activation. Both games were won against the board position by runs of cards which gave the opposition no ability to interfere with the winning outcome. With no real time 'opportunity fire' deterrent, it gives certainty to actions which perhaps real life wouldn't.</p><p>3) Card removal. An interesting way to simulate casualties by removing activation cards.</p><p>4) Bidding for initiative. As per 1, 2 and 3, you can calculate odds, decide whether it's an action or holding turn, and bid based on that.</p><p>5) Line of sight. There is always line of sight, no matter the terrain. Rolling a ten is always a hit on the enemy, no matter how skewed the shooting odds. Intervening terrain matters only for range, and cover is only for the terrain the target is in: i.e., it is not cumulative.</p><p>6) Victory points. VPs are gained by controlling certain areas on the board. Scenarios and sides have differing objectives, but winning on VPs only takes into account the territorial objectives, not casualties sustained in achieving them.</p><p>So far it is proving to be an interesting light war-game. We are both keen to play more, but the game has its problems as does every other tactical game of its type. So far the fact that both games were won against the run of play by good immediate card hands which the opposition was powerless to interfere with once initiative was determined is a potential negative (but may turn out to be a strength). </p><p>It certainly has something. Again, I came away with an urge to pick up the expansions but am still resisting until I see whether I really like it or not. At this stage I would rate it a 7 out of 10. More to follow once we get further through the scenarios.</p><p><br /></p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-44449929319623149872022-05-17T15:57:00.004+09:002022-05-17T16:02:34.796+09:00Pharsalus - the return match<p>To continue the game series <a href="https://prufrockian-gleanings.blogspot.com/2022/05/pharsalus-with-sp.html" target="_blank">started last week</a> SP and I got together Saturday for round two of Pharsalus. You can read about the first battle on the link above, but to recap, while Caesar won the battlefield victory after surrounding and routing the Pompeians, SP did enough damage to Caesar's veterans to win the game 106 to 101.</p><p>For round two we swapped sides - this time SP would take Caesar. Pompey's cavalry wing again commenced the fight with a successful charge, and again Pompey refused his right. Caesar advanced judiciously, took the flip flop on turn three, but failed to make much headway in the initial exchanges. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0BYo1r7SBKYqyiXTKPYa0oavwXSZRJoNeBffqRtmYZEqSIeQzXMQgtj5wlXguuY-itaM958SUa9M1F--h_Mcd1q1lhyu0K_krI0EUsDmLPxClknbynbzMPK73gw-SfpOGrHJMZwUj8EyD1XIXRwD4GPyiG2GsZBVK_Uvb_QK_mf37BVBXhSmxYYA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3209" data-original-width="5153" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0BYo1r7SBKYqyiXTKPYa0oavwXSZRJoNeBffqRtmYZEqSIeQzXMQgtj5wlXguuY-itaM958SUa9M1F--h_Mcd1q1lhyu0K_krI0EUsDmLPxClknbynbzMPK73gw-SfpOGrHJMZwUj8EyD1XIXRwD4GPyiG2GsZBVK_Uvb_QK_mf37BVBXhSmxYYA=w400-h249" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The initial clash of cavalry (Caesar's to the left; Pompey's to the right). The prize, the Washbourn Trophy, sits in all its glory in the background. </i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />This changed on turn four, where a succession of successful attacks against Pompey's wing and centre caused nervous flutters on the other side of the table. Pompey's men replied in kind and by the end of the turn both sides had lost a unit in the cavalry fight. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtZhQnq5RlNIUKTRWuaVdFdfqYtVkRbSLhUlkeJSq8lZnHrMiOWukQWijiFhRDMt0TXvObMTfmAO7ojQYAn8cRXv0UP4HhmtLoC-i_J9G0MSaNHz77VXWpY9PyVaGilXYHUykRTZ4hJxji4V5ltd0Fyh5H1eEb2pkgem1TY7zU8V9NLwnTRX6xJlM" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtZhQnq5RlNIUKTRWuaVdFdfqYtVkRbSLhUlkeJSq8lZnHrMiOWukQWijiFhRDMt0TXvObMTfmAO7ojQYAn8cRXv0UP4HhmtLoC-i_J9G0MSaNHz77VXWpY9PyVaGilXYHUykRTZ4hJxji4V5ltd0Fyh5H1eEb2pkgem1TY7zU8V9NLwnTRX6xJlM=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The lines meet.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><i><br /></i>From turn five onwards Caesar's veterans began to exert their dominance. Pompey's troops suffered mounting attrition, but were able to manage to inflict some damage of their own. </p><p>Pompey's wing gave way on turn 6, allowing Caesar to get in behind the Pompeian line and lower the morale rating of Pompey's own zone, which routed soon after. Elsewhere, Antony struggled to make much of an impact against the determined resistance and ferocious attacks of the Pompeian right. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYuWJZhjI2sW6IToFrLlGkPgKlyp8X8C8pLvV5ijLOcraS3kYNPM2nHQPl_hIHrSp-DeFjVbB_YKFPDdPpBOwHVe90_8HZBtUsTqszg7_Onjyb-Ugw6ygdXN75K4qFXjxQB5z73HmLJ9vzrJ9ns41HMZNaN-mWr7YQeR4-64ek-tCnZX9wL5dZwyg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYuWJZhjI2sW6IToFrLlGkPgKlyp8X8C8pLvV5ijLOcraS3kYNPM2nHQPl_hIHrSp-DeFjVbB_YKFPDdPpBOwHVe90_8HZBtUsTqszg7_Onjyb-Ugw6ygdXN75K4qFXjxQB5z73HmLJ9vzrJ9ns41HMZNaN-mWr7YQeR4-64ek-tCnZX9wL5dZwyg=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pompey's zone about to rout in the foreground.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>With time almost up, the Pompeian centre routed, leaving just the right on the field. But they were still largely untouched, and fighting a wholly spent Antony. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIhA_1uEDXyvfMjejTiEceubLJANVY59oWKKOeZMvvbrX-vq6oM69x0zpjk16rv_GARmvRgU2YGgW7EIvEd6NpyCz9izGlzQ0Y_bGCL3CqCpYFRmEj9mwQY1QggWEwbJm_dxrZnUt36W6a_GHzufPctAd3b4XBL8ytt1BxDP8VHPNm1LyNRoB8LGE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIhA_1uEDXyvfMjejTiEceubLJANVY59oWKKOeZMvvbrX-vq6oM69x0zpjk16rv_GARmvRgU2YGgW7EIvEd6NpyCz9izGlzQ0Y_bGCL3CqCpYFRmEj9mwQY1QggWEwbJm_dxrZnUt36W6a_GHzufPctAd3b4XBL8ytt1BxDP8VHPNm1LyNRoB8LGE=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The end is near for the Pompeian centre.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Antony lost a unit shattered and was only saved for further embarrassment by a determined attack on the part of the veteran cavalry into the flank of the Pompeian legionaries on the final turn of the game.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgN2OHnHaCir3jV9H6DeS3XBJ70Iu4Er8H_wCZV8hlCFbX44nch1p58mp-AsGzIE5UX9JwpCMPPfByf3QWUrtzXWO_p0eAeaBWhY1Y2G7olSI81KfkalqDoy5gIATAQ4gL5KwoXgpMJ8DA5wxLf7lGsNB4PrHoOkEEdxOa6txur4upXCI3TfHAPk2c" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgN2OHnHaCir3jV9H6DeS3XBJ70Iu4Er8H_wCZV8hlCFbX44nch1p58mp-AsGzIE5UX9JwpCMPPfByf3QWUrtzXWO_p0eAeaBWhY1Y2G7olSI81KfkalqDoy5gIATAQ4gL5KwoXgpMJ8DA5wxLf7lGsNB4PrHoOkEEdxOa6txur4upXCI3TfHAPk2c=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The fighting by the river is vicious.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />At this the remaining Pompeians routed and it was time to check the scores.</p><p>Caesar had done 96 points of damage to 72 by Pompey. When the handicap was added on, it was found that Pompey had won the game by 102 points to 96. </p><p>When the scores of the two games were summed, it turned out that SP had managed 202 across the two battles to yours truly's 203, meaning that the Washbourn Trophy came back to its rightful home by the closest of margins. </p><p>I was a little surprised to win a game victory here. We only shattered two units, but the difference was that we routed after eight units were shattered, whereas in the first game Caesar had shattered ten units in his win. This seemingly minor difference was reflected in the points scored, and shows how tight the margins can be under the Lost Battles handicap system.</p><p>So, a fine pair of games, and a good way to introduce SP to brilliant generals. </p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-78510817783648696432022-05-15T09:16:00.006+09:002022-05-15T18:30:54.381+09:00Pharsalus with SP<p>The figure gaming drought was broken last weekend with a refight of Pharsalus using - you guessed it - Lost Battles. The family has gone back to Japan for a visit now that the borders have reopened somewhat so with the house to myself it has been a bit easier to use the hobby space (i.e., I can set up the computer on the dining room table rather than on one of the hobby ones!).</p><p>SP is still learning the rules, so I thought it was time to bring in a brilliant general so that he can see the affect of a 'flip-flop' on the tactics of the game. In a flip-flop, the brilliant general once per game can reverse the turn order, effectively allowing him to position himself for a more lethal attack, reinforce a zone, or else to exploit a breakthrough.</p><p>Pharsalus, when using the historical deployments, is a fairly straightforward affair in Lost Battles. The main choice is about when and how Caesar is to reinforce his right wing cavalry, and then it's about rolling dice and intervening with attack bonuses at appropriate times. Crucially, there is also the matter of when to employ 'favour of the gods' (essentially a re-roll for either an attack you've flunked or one that the enemy has prosecuted a little too vigorously for one's liking). With favour of the gods, once one side has used it, they cannot use it again until their opponent has. As you can imagine, it leads to some difficult decisions in-game and, during the post-mortems, moments for reflection when you consider the coulda, woulda, shouldas. </p><p>SP wanted to take up the cudgel for Pompey, so we started the action on turn two (turn one being taken up by the historical deployments).</p><p>As I'm sure most readers are aware, Pompey and the Optimates have numerical superiority in both horse and foot, and have concentrated the cavalry on the left under Caesar's old Gallic War lieutenant Labienus. To counter this cavalry supremacy, Caesar used a 'fourth line' - veteran legionaries supposedly re-armed with long spears and tasked with reinforcing the wing once the cavalry battle had commenced. To reflect Caesar's qualitative superiority, all his troop units are rated veteran, which gives them high morale, better manoeuvrability, and cheaper access to attack bonuses (i.e., +1s to attacks which are paid for with excess command points). </p><p>Pompey's army has a fighting value of 77, and Caesar's 92. </p><p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaWCx69Yc4GcDtanrncdwj_CfA_NIGZBSmfilOjAszNzQWdQptlsKxKHGldbZapFMhyCll6F24IVILzljaSLl4eenoxrPv9ZUwCo1-J2B6LOxoMFWFAOr3Z0usTui7o3Nn3D387UIxUip3d8kdVamTKSM0QML_ZKnEaGTFXVShlsBrMWdl3TL53N0" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaWCx69Yc4GcDtanrncdwj_CfA_NIGZBSmfilOjAszNzQWdQptlsKxKHGldbZapFMhyCll6F24IVILzljaSLl4eenoxrPv9ZUwCo1-J2B6LOxoMFWFAOr3Z0usTui7o3Nn3D387UIxUip3d8kdVamTKSM0QML_ZKnEaGTFXVShlsBrMWdl3TL53N0=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The battlefield at start.</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p>Pompey began with a powerful cavalry attack. He scored three hits across two attacks, spending one unit of Caesar's cavalry and shattering the other. Caesar elected not to use FotG to call for a re-roll. Elsewhere, Pompey advanced in his own zone and the centre, leaving his right refused.</p><p>Caesar employed the flip-flop immediately to reinforce the cavalry with the fourth line, and advanced Antony into contact on his left.</p><p>The serious fighting now commenced. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeCKkM3DcClaPV3jwYNN5jvhIxwvouszqjvmnKjwYscAYO35Wi4ZGyU-6ue5SZC3GUnOei9e1mSWinDGcdBiFRXjmKrRMJZ9OAevpP5WYbilM4339abNvPqvZUtO251jBfOS1Q33gGc4CRMONyqEDm2xWZe1w7ggTY5T1fQQcLdTkkteXx10oQpq4" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3679" data-original-width="5183" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeCKkM3DcClaPV3jwYNN5jvhIxwvouszqjvmnKjwYscAYO35Wi4ZGyU-6ue5SZC3GUnOei9e1mSWinDGcdBiFRXjmKrRMJZ9OAevpP5WYbilM4339abNvPqvZUtO251jBfOS1Q33gGc4CRMONyqEDm2xWZe1w7ggTY5T1fQQcLdTkkteXx10oQpq4=w400-h284" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mid battle, with the cavalry fight still undecided.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Both sides experienced rising attrition in in the infantry fight. As units became spent they were recycled from the front line to avoid being shattered. Caesar eventually won the cavalry battle (but not without another fright or two) and got in behind the Pompeian line to reduce the enemy's morale. With both sides almost entirely spent and a corresponding reduced ability to recycle, units began to shatter. </p><p>It was at this time that Caesar's veterans came into their own. Utilising their superior manoeuvrability, Caesar was able to shuffle fresh units from one zone to another to increase the overall resilience of the line. Pompey, having no such capacity, began to lose units sooner.</p><p>It was his right that came under pressure first, as Antony pressed the attack remorselessly. Before long Pompey's own zone began to falter as well.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF0iAfF6wA3CeRKH5ym_JYbRz--tYNoa4faUOHIAo9PJeSN9dyuN72UEZTM5HtWs2Z6P3mFXSmfZWwKi6Ou6oq0K8qgzNvfbnCQPyg-TkXYR9a3q7R8bEBo6w2-2fQNsTdG-RfIQiGdHOWMMExoYQfqrQS55vuJ_6w-yvxENTsVgf4KUuln4r8T7k" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF0iAfF6wA3CeRKH5ym_JYbRz--tYNoa4faUOHIAo9PJeSN9dyuN72UEZTM5HtWs2Z6P3mFXSmfZWwKi6Ou6oq0K8qgzNvfbnCQPyg-TkXYR9a3q7R8bEBo6w2-2fQNsTdG-RfIQiGdHOWMMExoYQfqrQS55vuJ_6w-yvxENTsVgf4KUuln4r8T7k=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Final moments.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />At last the Pompeians, with eight units shattered and two zones surrounded, collapsed, but not before having inflicted significant damage on Caesar's own zone. </p><p>In the final accounting we found Caesar had inflicted 101 points of damage on the Pompeians and suffered 76 himself. When the handicap was added (double the difference in fighting value between the two armies), Pompey had scored a narrow game victory of 106 vs 101. </p><p>Caesar was left to rue a couple of moments - not using FotG to deflect the first charge of Labienus and his cavalry, and not attempting to rally a unit that shattered in his own zone being particular examples - but the result was a fair reflection of the battle. After that initial attack on the cavalry I always felt I needed to be doing more damage than I was managing to.</p><p>It was a close-fought, nerve-wracking fight, just as Pharsalus should be. SP played with his usual cool head and aversion to excessive risk-taking, both attributes serving him well in pulling off the game victory.</p><p>Round two, to decide the holder of the Washbourn Trophy, will be fought today with sides reversed.</p>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7386336651732048473.post-11388009397524299412022-04-20T19:22:00.005+09:002022-04-20T20:59:33.790+09:00Bruce Catton I was browsing <a href="http://thebookdepository.com" target="_blank">thebookdepository.com</a> the other day looking to see if they had the new Gettysburg Solitaire book from Worthington Games. It turns out they didn't, but somehow or other (as one does) I ended up going down an internet rabbit hole. This time it led to Bruce Catton. I'd owned one of his books and loved it (I forget which one - <i>A Stillness at Appomattox</i>, perhaps?) but had lent it to someone and not got it back.<div><br /><div>Since that first reading I've always checked secondhand book shops just in case they have any Catton on the shelves but I've not had any luck so far. I imagine it would be a bit different if you were shopping in the US, however!</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, by roundabout means, I came across the website of a secondhand book store in Wellington called Haven Books which had a copy of the Army of the Potomac trilogy. I ordered it and it arrived today, well-thumbed, yellowed, and obviously much-read. Just how a book should be.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>But my search also turned up another gem - a C-Span video of a <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?316358-1/career-civil-war-historian-bruce-catton&fbclid=IwAR1W2L8FM_dyi-xJMDPc_ZNMSqooWkm5J9EKiGXl_hf0VOJ1S6N7i0lhQeQ" target="_blank">lecture on Bruce Catton</a> given at Gettysburg by David Blight. I won't spoil it with an inadequate introduction, but if you have an hour and fifteen minutes to spare, you might find it worth your time. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>To close, the Gettysburg movie, Catton, Foote, and Burns have no doubt been the catalysts for many a Civil War obsession. Do readers have any other particular books, videos or lectures that got them interested in the ACW? </div><div><br /></div></div>Prufrockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659918463589870423noreply@blogger.com7