Revisiting Rules Requirements

Last week Rob and I finally managed to coordinate a chat about our fantasy massed battle project aimed at a convention game later this year (if all goes well). We appear to be in sync about the goal and about not being particularly happy about how the current rules draft fits the aim.

 

Dragon's Eye view of a test setup. The Midlish infantry hold a gap against a much larger Turanian army. 

The basic requirements are that:
- each 60mm wide base  is a "unit" and that there must be no firm connection between the number of figures and what it is,
- it has to also accomodate individual characters (heroes, magicians etc) in addition to characters which are part of a base,
- it has to be quick to learn (as in minutes) and quick to play esp in a multi-player convention setting,
- record keeping and tracking things like whether or not a unit moved has to be minimal due to the convention setting,
- as far as possible mechanisms should be ones that were in use by wargamers by the 1970's.


While I was pondering old school techniques and trying not to copy newer rule systems it occurred to me that I have to think more about fantasy novel battle descriptions from books available during the 70's and less about historical research. Oh! Not one of my strong points really, some refresher reading needed probably, and of course it would be best to pick just one reference but that's not an option either.  I need to be more universal in approach.

We started off with a Morchauser base because of the stand=unit concept but I am now leaning heavily towards Featherstonian saving throws and some sort of combat result beyond  "dead or not dead", possibly a push back or morale throw for a group of units. I also want to tame missile fire a bit though saving throws might help there.  I'd also like to incorporate Featherstone's roll for 1st move system but I've come to realize that that really benefits from mutual shooting and melee phases.

Then there is the whole monsters and magic aspect and trying to keep the agreed upon bits of that. Work, work, work...........

And here comes the cavalry!

So no battle report or decisions, just having fun trying to sort an ongoing muddle.

New Year, Old Figures, Rejuvenated Plan

Its a good thing I played that little game last week. There was a lot right, or going in what I thought was the right direction, and yet, there was also something wrong. The obvious course of action was to rush ahead, change everything and see how that felt but I put the brakes on.

I had been so sure that I was on the right course last year that the matter needed thought. So, I fiddled for a few days with minor rules bits and how they affected the feel of the game and of the armies, and I looked at the miniatures and pondered their stories, both real and fictional. After playing with rules for a bit I realized that I had come back to a place where to get the battle to feel right I needed to start grouping stands into temporary multi-unit formations which in turn meant more miniatures per army. I was also seeing that I needed more troop definitions and group morale rules and ....well, from there it was all off course. (Heading sort of DBM vs original HOTT if you will) This is the third time this decade I have started out to do a campaign involving a number very small medieval/ancient/fantasy armies and twice, almost thrice, have ended up working towards two largish armies designed for pitched battles and then wandered off to do something different.

Having a bunch of small forces for small games is not a new idea but despite various forays, for me it is an as yet unrealized goal and largely an unknown country that I have been slowly exploring. It is also something that seems to grow in appeal with each toe dipped.

 All of which is a long winded way of saying I'm back on track, 5 "kingdoms", small armies of no more than 24 stands/elements with rules designed for quick games averaging 12-18 units and several characters whose roles in the game will grow as I find my feet. Should I feel the need for bigger battles taking up more time and space then I can always field alliances. Since part of the fun will be discovering the backstory, part of the plan for this blog is to add a page for each kingdom looking at its background as well as its army. So a bit of painting, a bit of writing and at least 12 games over the year.

It also means another couple of hundred surplus painted 25's who don't fit into the desired setting to my satisfaction will be discharged and hopefully sold even as I paint new units.

Last Game of the Year

Nothing quite says "non historical" like Scots fighting lizard men riding on a dinosaur. No battle report I'm afraid but lots of "stuff" to come in January.

Highlanders are a mix of converted Minifig, Partha and Prince August figures. No idea who made the lizard stuff, late '70's I think.

The rest of the table. The Midlish resist a Turanian invasion.

Happy New Year to all!

The Re-awakening of Hosts

I was wrong. It's not easier putting all posts on 1 blog, its harder! So the 25mm medieval fantasy campaign is coming back here.

Garrison Saxon Fyrd being recruited into the Northern Confederation as peasant levies.

Early next year I will be sorting out my 25mm figures and making final decisions on how many troops and kingdoms are needed for this venture.

I have already decided that the some or all of the Scots from the Westfolk will rejoin the Midlands army. This will make the Westfolk untenable as a power so I am looking at the old Valdurian Dalriada alliance or in other words merging the wilder parts of the Westfolk with elements of the Northern Confederation, including some non- human ones and also wondering if the Scythian types should again fight for the Great King.

That would leave me with 3 very different armies for gaming and a slightly greater leftover figure pile but also  fewer OS 25mm figures to paint or refurbish allowing me to focus on other things.

Stay tuned!

A Smaller Gathering

For those who don't follow my main blog, I have decided to downsize my permanent table in order to make room for a work table.  Before I decide on a final size I have been playing some short test games. Today I tried a 25mm Gathering of Hosts game on a 40"x56" table using 2" lengths for moving and shooting.

The last tale of the Westmen was their rescue of a captured priestess. Obviously the ensuing negotiations did not go well since we find a force of Westmen holding a gap between a forest and some broken ground against the Earl of Cowcross. Both armies had 18 units or 1/2 the planned maximum.

Early on. The Midlish archers and cannon have already hammered the Westmen spear blocks.

After the last game I was happy leaving most troop types to factor their armour into their melee effectiveness, only noting especially well armoured heavy troops such as knights on foot or riding barded horses etc. After this game I'm still happy with that.

The 2 things I still wasn't happy with was the new rule to encourage cavalry to rally back and carry out multiple charges rather than getting stuck in a scrum like heavy infantry and the pikes/spear rules which did nothing to encourage traditional phalanx/schiltron etc blocks.

The cavalry rule should reflect traditional tactics based on the shock impact of cavalry and their vulnerability if mobbed by infantry in a melee so should be built into the rules rather than being the player's choice. For these rules, it also needs to be simple, straight forward and not require markers or a good memory. The 2 leading contenders were to explore the idea of introducing a melee resolution rule that includes pushbacks or to just rule that cavalry that attack and don't destroy their enemy immediately fallback facing the enemy. It worked well and easily to give the right sort of result.

The spearmen were harder, they have a slight degree of protection against cavalry but are otherwise just slow light infantry that can't handle bad terrain and they have no more reason than any other unit to huddle in mobs. I decided to borrow and adapt a support rule I played with in the gridded GofH. The simpler version I tried here was to allow spear units of the same Division which are touching and aligned to shift hits from unit to unit. This makes the spear phalanx somewhat clumsy as it tries to maintain formation but makes a block of them hard to eliminate. When they do finally reach their limit with all or most at 3 hits, they break in a rush. Just right.

Mid-game. The Westfolk cavalry have won the fight on the flank, b6t the first assault by the Wildmen has been repulsed with heavy losses and reserves on both sides have been committed.

The armies were as follows:
Generals have 2 SP, other commanders 1, no magic or special abilities were used. All commanders were marked by flags except the Lion Queen who was a last minute addition to make up numbers.

Midlands

Left or Imperial Division.

3 x pikes 1 inc Imperial Tribune

2 x heavy cavalry

1 x artillery

Center or Main Battle.

Earl of Cowcross, general and household knights on barded horses

2 x heavy cavalry

3 x archers

Right or Van

Lord Ravenwood with Black Company, heavily armored knights (barded horses)

1 x crossbows

3 x spearmen

1 x mounted crossbows

Westfolk

Right

The Hill Lord with bodyguard of light infantry
3 light infantry
1 archer
3 light cavalry

Centre
Red Captain with spearmen
2 spearmen

Left
Gold Captain with spearmen
1 spearmen
1 archers

Reserve
Lion Queen, General with Body Guard
Gurt Hairie Beastie
2 light cavalry.

End Game. After pulling back behind the hill to shelter from the Midlish archers and draw them forward, the Westmen Spears supported by Tha Gurt Hairy Beastie counter attacked and drove back or slaughtered the archers and the Knights that tried to save them. A final desperate charge by the Wild folk led by the Lion Queen herself broke the left hand Midlish Division and won the day even though the Queen's escort was wiped out and she herself slightly wounded. 

Most of the Westfolk center and right, inc the general, were down to 1 hit by the end so it was darned close despite losses of 8 units and a leader vs 4. Most of the remaining Midlish units were in good shape as was the small Westmen left. Possibly a retirement by the Imperial pikes and an assault by the remaining heavy cavalry would have been wise but the pikemen defeated the first attack so handily that the general might have gotten a bit cocky, or maybe he just didn't think of it. 

Next step, a Gathering of the Nothern Confederates.