Horse & Musket Experiment

After looking for some new rules this week, I started jotting down some ideas. Essentially these involved a 2D6 dice roll to determine if the attacker or defender wins the round. The loser takes a morale check.

I didn't have time for a full game so I set up an abbreviated engagement. With two units of infantry and one of cavalry, Red advances on Blue's position.

Blue's artillery opens fire. The Red infantry's morale falters.

And then breaks!

Meanwhile, a cavalry clash ensues as the sound of musketry begins to echo off the hills.

A couple of thoughts:

• Long range artillery seems too powerful. I'll need to weaken it.
• In my initial version, the attackers can suffer morale loss if they roll too low. I think this makes it very difficult for the attackers. I don't want to making attacks too hard - then there won't be much incentive to advance vigorously and games will drag. I'll probably change the rules for long-range fire so that the attacking unit cannot lose morale on its turn.

On a side note, I really like how the "smoke" looks in the pictures. 

Rules of Engagement

Now that I ordered some new miniatures, I need a set of rules for them. Over the past few days I have been perusing various fast-play big battle horse and musket rules.

From https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BattleofLongisland.jpg

In the past my H&M rules were a derivation of the Command & Colors series but I want to get away from those. So what am I looking for?

1. Simple, intuitive mechanics without too much math
2. Uses or can be adapted to a grid - I'll be using an 8x10 gridded battlemat
3. 1 unit = 1 stand - I don't want to deal with stand removal
4. Minimal record-keeping - I don't mind using markers but I don't want to track a large number of hits per unit. I'm thinking of 2 hits per unit.
5. For horse & musket but potentially adaptable to ancients/medieval - I like using the same framework across eras
6. Free or not too expensive - I don't want to spend too much (preferably under $10)
7. Available in PDF - I prefer my rules in PDF form
8. Roll multiple dice but not too many
9. Designed for solo play

I've been searching on Wargames Vault, Free Wargames Rules, TMP, Google, etc. What have I found?

One Hour Wargames - I have the book already. However, the combat system violated requirement # 4 as each unit can take 15 hits.

Simplicity in Practice - Another Neil Thomas set. Found a copy and read through it. I found the combat system to be a bit fiddly. First you rolled a number of dice; the number to score a hit varied depending on type of unit. Then you rolled saves if the target is in cover. Finally, you roll one more time to determine if the target gains a demoralization point; the necessary roll depends on the number of hits. I don't mind a roll to hit followed by a save, but this system was too much. Simplicity in practice it wasn't.

DBA/HoTT - A definite possibility, but I go back and forth on the opposed die roll mechanic. Sometimes it feels like it violates requirement # 1 (I have to divide?!). For now, I am looking for something different.

Portable Wargames - I've dabbled with them before but haven't given them a full trial. I need to revisit them. I am concerned that reducing hits to 2 (from 4) will harm the game.

I'm increasingly of the mind that I will end up writing my own rules. However, I like perusing other rules for ideas. I'll keep this blog posted with my research.

Quite Irregular

Irregular Miniatures, that is.

Late last year I abandoned my various miniatures project and created some generic block armies. Here we have two of those armies standing in for Wellington and Napoleon,

Of course, I'm never satisfied for long and recently decided that I wanted to use some small-scale miniatures in lieu of blocks, So now I have placed an order from Irregular for some packs of their 2mm line.

For a start, I'm planning 3 generic armies - red, white, and blue. Each army will consist of the following:

• Infantry - 4 units of regulars, 4 militia, 2 elite, and 2 light
• Cavalry - 4 units of light, and 4 heavy
• Artillery - 2 units field guns
• Commanders -1 command stand

Each unit will consist of 1 strip on a 20mm x 10mm base - very minimalist. I still plan to draw the terrain using markers (as shown above).

Something Old
I've gone through my old miniatures inventory and bagged up most stuff; most likely I'll donate it (don't know where yet). I did keep a few airplane miniatures, my 2mm sci-fi from GZG (Germy), and a some 6mm fantasy and sci-fi minis I want to use for skirmishes.

A New Vegas Distraction

I had a few free hours this morning so I planned to get some miniatures-related stuff done. I wasn't feeling a game so I thought about doing a little painting.

However, as I sat down for a little breakfast, Onyx our video-addicted cat started scratching at the TV. That's his way of telling me he wanted it on. All right, maybe a little of my current gaming craze - Fallout: New Vegas (yes, I know it is a bit old).

As I was playing, one of my other cats jumped in my lap, curled up, and went to sleep. OK, I wasn't going anywhere soon. I just kept playing. Two hours later I finally got free, and am jotting this down before I begin my errands for the day.

Of course, I need to keep the TV on for Onyx. Right now I have it tuned to Fallout Radio on YouTube.

Click HERE to listen

If you like 40s-50s music, give it a listen.

Roaming the Rodent Wasteland

While on vacation last week I took the opportunity to try out some simple rules for adventuring in a post-apocalyptic wasteland (see my previous post for some background).

Here is a picture of the campaign map.

And the encounters:

1. Old Folks' Home - Red shoots down 1 decrepit zombie before it reaches them
2. Mall - Red and Dog are both wounded in a fight against 2 raiders
3. Old Fort - Red is badly wounded as they are driven off by mutants
4. The Fountain of Youth - very timely discovery allowing both to recover their full health
5. Swamp - They fight off 2 razormouths (radiated alligators) and find a stimpack
6. Mall - Dog is wounded as they defeat 2 zombies. Red uses the stimpack on Dog and finds armor
7. Wasteland - Dog takes more wounds, this time against two radguanas (radiated iguanas)
8. Swamp - Another bloody battle against 2 razormouths. Red uses the last 2 bandages and finds a gun
9. Settlement - relief! The settlers provide aid to our heroes, who heal 1 wound each
10. Old Folks' Home - Our hero retrace their steps through the Old Folks' Home, killing another zombie
11. Mall - fortunately they previously cleared this out
12. Wasteland - They defeat 2 raiders but take more wounds. Red upgrades to a heavy gun
13. The Magic Castle! - After much wandering, they find it at last. There is an epic battle against 3 rodent warriors. They take more wounds and both Red and Dog are on their last hit point. They kill 2 of the warriors before the third flees.

All in all, a fun diversion. Although I used a different combat mechanism, it felt very similar to Four Against Darkness; essentially it was a random dungeon crawl. I'm debating just using 4AD's combat mechanisms.

Rodent Warriors

Introduction
Generations after the Conflagration, the survivors’ descendants have formed scattered settlements and are rebuilding civilization, sometimes using the technology of the Old Ones. Your village is one of those, filtering out the glowing waters with the Cleansifier.

Yesterday, the Cleansifier broke, leaving the village with a limited supply of clean water. The village elders have met and have decreed that one of the village must go forth into the wastes, searching for the fabled Magic Castle, where we can find another Cleansifier. They have selected YOU to take on this quest. With your bow, knife, and trusty dog, you set off to find the Cleansifier and save your village.

The Concept

My wife and I have been playing a lot of Fallout lately, prompting a desire to play some post-apocalyptic skirmishing. I had a spark of inspiration and am jotting down ideas. Above is my intro to the game.

Ever since I started playing Fallout I wondered what a Florida setting would look like. I just have visions of mouse-eared minions dominating the peninsula from their castle in the middle of the state (hence the name Rodent Warriors).

So far I have a bunch of Florida-themed locations - radiated swamps, an old Spanish fort, a rocket center, shopping malls, retirement homes, the Fountain of Youth, and finally the Magic Castle, home of the Mouse King!

Rules

I'm creating the rules on the fly. So far, I have a table to generate the location / encounter. In my first experiment, I used my latest 2D6 sci fi skirmish rules. I need to make some loot tables, so the hero can upgrade armor and weapons.

Experiments

For my initial foray, the hero Red and his dog set out from the village and ran into some zombies in the wasteland.

The zombies (black tokens) started at long range. Red (green token) tried to shoot them down with his bow, but he missed.

Red's failure allowed the zombies to rush into close combat. 

Red took a wound, but after a short scuffle he and his dog eliminate the zombies.

Searching the rotting corpses, Red discovered that one was wearing light armor. Red donned the prize!

Red then found the Old Fort. However, it was inhabited by mutants. After a long battle, Red and his dog emerged battered but victorious.

Thoughts
The battle with the mutants dragged a bit. Red and his dog kept missing but they kept making their saving throws. I'm looking for ways to speed up combat.

Revolution Gone Awry

For a few years now, I've wanted to game a Revolutionary War scenario for the USA's Independence Day. I just never got past the planning stage because I could not decide what battle to do. This year I decided to do a fictitious battle in a fictitious invasion of my home state - Florida.

Just a little background. During the Revolution, Florida was a British colony (actually 2 - East and West Florida) with a heavy Tory population. Prior to the British capture of Savannah, the Patriots (or rebels if you prefer) staged a few unsuccessful attempts to conquer East Florida. The Spanish were more successful in West Florida, capturing Pensacola in 1781.

Now on to the fictitious part.

EAST FLORIDA - November 1777

Empowered by the Georgia legislature, Col. James Endicott has launched an invasion of East Florida in an effort to liberate the colony from Tory tyranny. As he advances towards St. Augustine, his artillery becomes mired in some swampy ground. He sends the bulk of his infantry forward to capture and hold a strategic hill.

Major Heyward, with 3 companies of regulars from the British garrison of St. Augustine and a company of Ranger, marches to meet Endicott's invasion force.

Two companies of regulars advance on the British right.

Company B of the Georgia militia drives the British back. In their excitement, the militiamen recklessly pursue.

And then get routed by a counterattack.

The sharpshooting of the Rangers force the militia off the hill. The Rangers gain a foothold.

But Company A holds firm.

A company of Continentals arrives and drives off the British right.

More British advance on the hill and stop the Continentals.

Finally driving them off.

A unit of Overmountain Men rush from the woods upon the rear of a British company,

But they are also routed.

With only one effective company and some artillery, Endicott realizes that he cannot retake the hill. He calls for a general retreat. Heyward is quite pleased with the day's work

Game Notes

• Rather than work up a historical scenario, I used a random one from Neil Thomas's One Hour Wargames. I rolled for scenario 29 - Shambolic Command. Sounds about right for the Patriots.
• In this scenario, the blue side (Patriots) can only activate 2 units per turn while the red (British) can activate all 4. Because I like random activation, I modified the rules a bit. The Patriots can roll for 3 units per turn while the British can roll for all 4. In general, the less experienced Patriots need to roll 4+ while the British need 3+.
• In a nod to American mythology, the Patriots shoot further. However, the British get a bonus in close combat.
• As for rules, I used the same ad hoc rules as for my Waterloo scenario last month. I think I need to write them down.
• I find that I rather enjoy playing quasi-historical battles in my home state (such as today's battle and this one). Now I'm thinking of extending this battle into a complete campaign.