Mulling While I Gather

While laying out the troops for the last game I was reminded that I only had 3 out of the planned 4 Westmen spear units finished. Since the plan was to use 2 unit spearblocks this was a bit awkward but these things happen. The 8 new figures to finish the 4th spear unit are now primed and ready to go.

However, the shortage also led to another twist. In order to fill the table a bit more I had doubled the number of units. Before I put the game away, I went back and replayed it using the original smaller forces. To my dismay the game with fewer units was a little shorter but just as interesting. It would be easier to add depth to the rules without using rosters if the units were larger and using fewer larger units would keep the over all numbers the same.  However, bigger units would not fit inside the existing grid. It would call for multi square units or mega squares.   I had to stop and think a bit.

When I started working on the rules I was looking at classical ancient armies many of which had largish formal units. Now that I am looking at a fantasy medieval setting is that an appropriate approach? Looking at Robert E Howards novels it is, but looking at 12th to 15th C European armies, small companies grouped into large, hard to control blocks seem to be more typical. In either case the current version seems to allow too much tactical freedom.

I haven't  got much farther than that but rather than any fundamental changes I'm just going to add back some bonuses for large multi-unit infantry blocks and leave the cavalry and skirmishers alone. The hardcharging barbarian (sic) light infantry need more thought.

Awakening the Hosts

By the time I had 1/2 the units laid out on the table the main question was answered. The Great & Shiny War has not eclipsed all other hobby interests. Phew!

However, I can also confirm confidently that my days as an Historical Ancients Wargamer are over. Oh I'll still play when invited. As recently as Thursday I found myself playing a test game of DBA3 to my great surprise. They are as torturous and confusing to read as always but adapted to hexes, they provided an enjoyable game to my even greater surprise.  (There might be a future post on this) But playing when invited is not the same as building and maintaining armies and designing rules and scenarios.

Sir John Ravenswood and his Black Company led the column forward. At the sight of the somewhat disorganized Westlands army, he ordred the Van to deploy and led his knights forward in an attempt to sweep the enemy away before they could block the road with a solid hedge of spears. Unhorsed and wounded, his loyal knights covered him while his squire got him safely away to have his wounds treated. 

Nope, by the time I found myself Thursday knight painting Jupons onto some plate armoured early 16thC pikemen to help them fit in with the more usual 12th to 14th C ones to be found in a Midlish army, and found myself debating arms for what must be dismounted Lothian knights, it was clear that last year's decision was right. What I want is 1 fantasy/medieval setting for my  25mm Ancient/Medievals that I can explore and invent.

One outcome of this is that when rewriting the rules, I won't need generic potential troop types to cover 2,000 years, I can write troop capabilities and stats for a small/number of know units using the building blocks chosen. I am looking forward to this!

Both armies continue to deploy. The Earl of Cowcross decides on a push forward while the Woodland Queen leaves the Western spearmen to block the road while she sends her tribesmen to threaten the enemy's flank. 

Raids and counter raids are common on the Western Border of the Midlands so no backstory was required to replay this scenario with these armies. Since the advancing army is the only one with cavalry it seemed best to give that role to the Midlands. They are pressing forward intent on passing through the woods before dark. After all few Midlanders will willingly risk a night in a Western Wood. The westerners are gathering for a raid and with their cavalry off scouting, they have been caught napping. I made units roll an orders die to awaken but they were  up in a jiffy. The Midlish column on the other hand lagged.

The Earl took his time to organize the attack and ignored the flank threat beyond a minimal guard. The Westerners had few forces which could stand up to a frontal assault but honour demanded that they try. 

It was nip and tuck at times with the advantage shifting and I'm afraid I was guilty of neglecting duties by the time it was due but it was enough fun that I played again on Saturday. That game had a different start with the Black Company riding down 2 units of Spearmen but despite my midgame opinion that the Westerners had no hope, once again they held at the end. The turning point was the repeated refusal of the Lothian spearmen to advance. Since they made up 1/3 of the Midland army, it deprived the Earl of the men needed to exploit the lack of close combat troops in the enemy army. I wonder about potential political fall out.

The clash of spears was long and bloody as expected but when the Earl and his Household swept down the hill towards the Queen with her big cats and Amazon guards, he expected to sweep them aside. Instead, the heavy halbards of the burly guardswomen cut down the knights despite heavy losses due to their lack of armour (not to mention clothes). When the dust settled the wounded Earl was dragged back to his army  while the Queen's cat crouched spitting over her bloodied form. As soon as the Midlanders were well on the road, the Westmen faded back through the woods to bind their wounds and sing songs of victory about another invasion halted.  

The partially rewritten draft  is available but probably not worth looking at yet. To summarize, I have decided on dicing for initiative each turn with a sequence of A moves, B shoots, melee. reverse and repeat.  After an experiment with going back to counting noses for combat and casualties highlighted the non-viability of 4 man cavalry units I have gone back to stands having a set number of dice and hits. A bit Rough Wooing ish actually but it works. There should be a better and longer draft by the end of the month.

Before I end, this is the 2nd time that the late John Robertson's Amazons have appeared in a game on my table (see http://gameofmonth.blogspot.ca/2012/04/viewer-discretion-is-advised.html) so here's a shout out to Tim and to  John's memory.

Border Suprise

A Midlands army hurries down the road, hoping to pass through the Forest before night.

Unbeknownst to the Midlanders, a force of Westmen has passed through the woods and is camped in a gulley.

It felt like time to get the 25mm Ancients/Medievals out. Since the table was all set with a suitable scenario, I went with it. The prescribed armies looked a little thin on the ground so I decided to double them only to find that I did not have enough Midland units refurbished and ready to go. A slight delay ensued but the game will continue on Saturday.

More Colours and even a Few Commands

I have been rather remiss in posting to this blog. Rather than falling off the edge of the world again (this is an ancients blog remember) I have actually done a few relevent things.

Rossius Juniores snapped by a fan with a smartphone while he gives a rousing speech under bright lights.

Firstly I painted up a Garrison Tribune and guard (lovely figures, in different circumstances I would have loved to have an army of these tramping across the table.) some Celtic slingers and a British chariot cobbled together from spare bits. Being just a little devious these are now cluttering up Ron's shelves, not mine.

Lightly converted RAFM scythed chariot with OG crew off to join my nearly 40 yr old converted Garrison scythed chariot. My only actual Celtic chariot, a Minifig S range one,  is missing a wheel and temporarily shelved.

The Romans defend a ridge against an attack expected from Thisaway but which actually arrives from Thataway.

Not only that but we have played 3 more games, all interesting, 2 of them real nail biters.

The Romans redeploy while light troops dash around pelting each other with slings and arrows not to mention javelins. 

We are still experimenting with adapting the Grant scenarios to the system as most involve a lengthy approach march at 1 hex per turn, trying the patience of both sides. Since Ron has, by luck of the draw, ended up with either reinforcements or an approach march in every game, it is almost incomprehensible to me that I as Roman have been able to put aside my celtic rashness and exhibited stern though not faultless discipline in holding my armies together while watching the enemy approach in fits and starts as the cards allow.

In what turns out to be the decisive attack of the day, the barbarian light chariot and light cavalry  swoop into a gap in the Roman line cutting off the retreat of a cohort. Rossius Junores is severely wounded for the 2nd time in his short career  but all 3 barbarian units were destroyed either by battle backs or next turn's counterattack. Surrounding people can be deadly for the enemy when it works and deadly for you if you have to sacrifice your own line of retreat to do it.

During the 2nd of the 3 games, Ron actually managed to maintain his entire army (apart from lights) in a continuous line even when moving it in segments. Fortunately for me it was dark by the time one end of the line hit mine, throwing it back. It was one of those time limited scenarios and we had agreed to play once through the deck with no reshuffling. whew!


The other games had no time limit and each ended with losses almost even, a few die rolls away from a reverse decision.

At the end of the day, after a bloody struggle between warbands and cohorts, the Roman cavalry attacks up the left flank and seals the victory.

Now that there are chariots and slingers, there is talk of a Roman invasion of Britain before October is done.

Resuming My Roman Ways

On Wednesday Ron & I made our 2nd attempt at C&C ancients. This time we used miniatures and points armies in a Grant Teaser.

The scenario was Broken Ground. I drew defend and Romans. From the available forces I chose 8 Medium infantry units for my legions, 2 light archer units and 3 commanders. The overall commander was once commander of my Armati Romans, the rest were Ron's.

Ron selected an enormous, uncountable horde of warriors, light infantry and light and medium cavalry which might have totaled 17 or 18 units in all under 3 chieftains. The figures were a mix of those painted by Ron and by myself under commission.

Each road exit was worth a VP to whoever controls it.

I posted a small force of 2 infantry and an archer under a Tribune to hold the left road which was
screened by bad going. The rest of the army straddled the center/right line which was close to the line. Ron's line stretched across the table from edge to edge as far as the eye could see with warriors flanked by cavalry and light troops.

Mid-game, with losses even, the lines reform and I remember to haul out my phone for a picture..

The game began an advance by light troops on both flanks. I tried to score hits on his warbands to remove the warrior bonus while he tried to draw me forward and disrupt my line as his warriors started forward on his right.

I had really good cards for doing something other than what I was doing but managed to bring 2 units over to strengthen my left and then a 3rd. Unfortunately I didn't quite get my battleline reformed and my initial volley of pila had limited success. His small group of warriors hit my line like a tidal wave and rolled over it before my men could even draw swords. Luckily I was able to extricate myself and form a new line and between bow and pila broke up his and scored a few hits on some of his units as his cards ran dry. Given a brief respite, I decided that with 4 of my 5 cards being for the other flank, I should try to chase off his light troops if for no other reason than to let me build a better hand. As his lights fell back and I advanced, I kept reminding myself that I would need to look sharp and fallback at the first sign of his remaining warriors advancing. After all, no one wants to be 'that guy' who let the enemy's light troops draw him out of position.

By now the deck had pretty much run out and despite my early losses I was slightly ahead on units destroyed and still controlled both strategic points. As I watched his line roll forward I did a quick calculation and decided I had one turn's grace. Since the start of the game I had held a card giving a combat bonus to units fighting without having moved (in other words in a continuing melee). I had never managed to stay alive and in contact but now I had a cohort in contact with a damaged light: infantry unit and decided to go with the chance of an elimination. He naturally evaded but I still had 6 dice so 2 hits were possible. Briefly I thought "not worth it, should have pulled back my line on the right." But the card was played. I missed. Then Ron laid down a doubletime card, crossed the space and over ran 2 cohorts without pausing to wipe the paint chips from their swords. Shaken but not wounded, the Tribune on that side bolted back to his reserve and deftly moved it back out of harm's way. There were 2 more cards to play but the game was over. I had held on to my edge in victory points, but just barely.

So what did I think after 4 tense hours? Like most decent ancient rules, it manages to get the troops to behave in what feels like an appropriate fashion with that typical scissors/paper/stone feel. At the army level, relating the cards to how things really work is beyond me. Recreating an historical battle would be as much a matter of luck as of intent. However if one believes that generals made very basic plans and then just did their best to manage the chaos  then this represents that well enough.

The main thing was that the game was both exciting and mentally stimulating, in other words, Fun, with the capital F. We will play again.