What the last rules set you played in 2021

Started by Steve J, 06 January 2021, 02:15:30 PM

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steve_holmes_11

1) What ruleset did you use in your last game? - Dungeons and Dragons 5e
2) What armies were confronted? - The order of banished sun against some kind of evil necromantic apocalypse cult.
3) Did you feel comfortable with the ruleset? - Yes, but wish they were shorter.
4) and... was this the first time you used this ruleset? - No, have been doing this for a couple of years.
5) How many players were in the game? - Three.
6) What went well? - Excellent combination of online virtual tabletop, while gathered face to face around the same table.
7) What could have been improved? Probably need a longer session with a coupe of extra breaks.

FierceKitty

1) What ruleset did you use in your last game? - IACTA ALEA EST.
2) What armies were confronted? - Normans and Vikings again
3) Did you feel comfortable with the ruleset? - Very
4) and... was this the first time you used this ruleset? - Not at all
5) How many players were in the game? - 2. Lee had the Norsemen
6) What went well? - A few good rolls at critical moments; Lee tried the off-table outflanking move again and they arrived too late.
7) What could have been improved? - We overlooked an important rule until the damage could  not be remedied.
I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.

Steve J

1) What ruleset did you use in your last game? - Post of Honour
2) What armies were confronted? - Prussians vs Austrians
3) Did you feel comfortable with the ruleset? - Sort of, but helped by the author being the umpire.
4) and... was this the first time you used this ruleset? - No.
5) How many players were in the game? - 4 + umpire
6) What went well? - The Austrian die rolling for shooting and for the cavalry attacks. For once the Die Gods were with the Hapsburgs!
7) What could have been improved? - The Prussians die rolls!

steve_holmes_11

1) What ruleset did you use in your last game? - Honours of War
2) What armies were confronted? - My late Prussians against Westmarcher's Austrians
3) Did you feel comfortable with the ruleset? - Fairly, it had been a while since their last outing, so we missed a few things.
4) and... was this the first time you used this ruleset? - No, 3rd or 4th game (I think).
5) How many players were in the game? - Two
6) What went well? - Combat was sporadic, and more decisive than I remember.
7) What could have been improved? Scenario made life very difficult for the Austrians.


Westmarcher and I set about a public scenario.
The Austrians were matching through forest in force to intercept the exposed Prussian supply train.
The Prussians had carelessly left their supplies in an oxbow of the river, with only light infantry and cavalry nearby.
Their main infantry force had crossed the river.
Could the Prussians extract their wagons before the trap sprung shut.
The Austrians had an Avantgarde and main infantry body pushing through woods toward the wagon train.
Across the river a large heavy cavalry regiment and a crack foot grenadier regiment were marching hard to intercept any fleeing wagons.

Honours of War has activation based on commander quality.
Units in a brigade may advance twice, once or not at all.
This had some impact on the scenario.

Prussian Light infantry delayed the Austrian build up in the woods, this resulted in a massive traffic jam while the wagon train dashed to the river word.
Across the river, the outflankers tangled with the Prussian infantry, and were driven back, taking several turns to rally.
It really looked as through the wagons would be away and safe before the Austrians cleared the woods.

Then the dice took a hand.
The wagons stalled for two consecutive turns, and the light infantry screen rolled impetuous command results, which left them exposed in front of the Austrian firing line.
A little later the Austrians cleared the woods, as their outflanking grenadiers broke one Prussian infantry battalion.

Things were in the balance, but the Prussians rolled two double moves for their wagons on consecutive turns which sealed their escape.
All was not well though, as the Prussian light infantry and cavalry brigades rolled impetuous results on the same turn and dashed themselves against the lines of fresh Austrian infantry that had just emerged from the woods.
There were few survivors form such rash behaviour.

We ended the game with the Prussians achieving their objective, at a cost of 2 of their 3 fighting brigades.

Lessons:
1. Scenarios involving "racing to the objective" often struggle when rules have variable activation systems.
2. Dashing generals may entertain the journalists (and the ladies), but they can be a liability during a controlled withdrawl.


Many thanks to Westmarcher for hosting a great game, with beautiful 10mm figures.


 

Westmarcher

Thank you for the game, Steve, and well done for winning the scenario with the smaller force (thanks also for the complimentary remarks on my 10mm figures - wish my eye-sight was still as good to replicate that standard).

What could have been improved? (aka what should I have done to win the game?  ;D  ). In this respect, I was the author of my own misfortune:-

My paperwork for a start - I forgot I had upgraded my light infantry! #-o  Even now, I can't recall if I made them a larger unit or higher quality - that extra edge might have been handy in some of the failed combats.
I totally underestimated how much the forested area would slow me down.  I should also have organised the advance better - instead my main force got snarled up in a traffic jam.
I should have got my artillery forward and into action a lot sooner - things started to happen when the enemy got "a whiff of grape."
My CiC should have been up there sooner kicking the a*ses of the two brigade commander's to get them moving. 
Perhaps I should also have selected Light Cavalry for my Advance Guard and not the heavier Dragoons who struggled to move through the forest.

Am I disappointed? No. It was great to get my toys on to the table again, throw some dice and have a face to face chin wag with a fellow wargamer.
I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.

Westmarcher

QuoteMy CiC should have been up there sooner kicking the a*ses of the two brigade commander's to get them moving. 

"commanders"  :-[

[ ... in case Fiercekitty appears ...  ;)  ]
I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.

pierre the shy

1) What ruleset did you use in your last game? - For King & Parliament
2) What armies were confronted? - Scots Royalists against Covenanters
3) Did you feel comfortable with the ruleset? - Very!!
4) and... was this the first time you used this ruleset? - No, used them many times, best War of the 3 Kingdoms rules ever used. 
5) How many players were in the game? - Two
6) What went well? - We managed to play two games in two hours! :)
7) What could have been improved? Some pretty horrific activation chits pulled out the bag by both sides meant neither sides plans worked exactly....

Paul came round and we played a couple of versions of the very small Battle of Carbisdale (27 April 1650) scenario which I had put together. I was trying out how effective small (1 hit) units work in FK&P.

The first game used five 1 hit troops of horse for the Covenanters, these proved quite brittle even with veteran status and attached shot makers added. The single Royalist troop of horse was easily disposed of when it failed an activation and one Paul's troops charged it in the rear. The Royalist rabble units actually performed quite well and managed to withdraw to the comparative safety of the rough ground. However Paul used his two units of highlanders to good effect and the rabble and Danish mercenaries proved no match for them after a breif encounter on the hillside.

For the second game we "brigaded" four of the Covenanter horse troops into two 2 hit units and dropped their Victory level to just 25% of the total Victory Points (4 VP), so Paul had to be a lot more careful not to loose units in the second game. The Royalist withdrawal to the hills this time was somewhat stiffled when Montrose drew 1 on two sucessive turns when trying a brigade move. While one unit of rabble was put to the sword early the remaining rabble unit and the Danes put up some stout resistance to the highlanders before surcoming once again. We thought the second game played much more evenly and was as close to being evenly balanced as could be expected.

Good way to spend a couple of hours on a showery Sunday afternoon.

       
     

   
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
we are not now that strength which in old days
moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are.

steve_holmes_11


QuoteThank you for the game, Steve, and well done for winning the scenario with the smaller force (thanks also for the complimentary remarks on my 10mm figures - wish my eye-sight was still as good to replicate that standard).

What could have been improved? (aka what should I have done to win the game?  ;D  ). In this respect, I was the author of my own misfortune:-

My paperwork for a start - I forgot I had upgraded my light infantry! #-o  Even now, I can't recall if I made them a larger unit or higher quality - that extra edge might have been handy in some of the failed combats.
I totally underestimated how much the forested area would slow me down.  I should also have organised the advance better - instead my main force got snarled up in a traffic jam.
I should have got my artillery forward and into action a lot sooner - things started to happen when the enemy got "a whiff of grape."
My CiC should have been up there sooner kicking the a*ses of the two brigade commander's to get them moving. 
Perhaps I should also have selected Light Cavalry for my Advance Guard and not the heavier Dragoons who struggled to move through the forest.

Am I disappointed? No. It was great to get my toys on to the table again, throw some dice and have a face to face chin wag with a fellow wargamer.


Indeed: Great to meet up and push the little men about for a while.
I fear we had both forgotten a few critical details of the rules since our last game.


Duke Speedy of Leighton

4 games of MEG Biblical. :D
And I won all 4.  8)
With a 10mm Pebdraken Fantasy Egyptian Undead army.  :d
You may refer to me as: Your Grace, Duke Speedy of Leighton.
2016 Pendraken Painting Competion Participation Prize  (Lucky Dip Catagory) Winner

paulr

Lord Lensman of Wellington
2018 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
2022 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
2023 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

Steve J

Blimey Will, that's brilliant! Time to retire while atop the crest of the wave so to speak ;)  :D .

DecemDave

Quote4 games of MEG Biblical. :D
And I won all 4.  8)
With a 10mm Pebdraken Fantasy Egyptian Undead army.  :d

Congratulations!  I was hoping to see them in the flesh (??) but timed my visit to that room just in between rounds and then got diverted by the many other sights in the enormous (and posh) souk venue. 

fred.

Good work Will

What was the reaction of the other players to a smaller scale fantasy army in the competition?
2011 Painting Competition - Winner!
2012 Painting Competition - 2 x Runner-Up
2016 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
2017 Paint-Off - 3 x Winner!

My wife's creations: Jewellery and decorations with sparkle and shine at http://www.Etsy.com/uk/shop/ISCHIOCrafts

Steve J

1) What ruleset did you use in your last game? - Honours of War.
2) What armies were confronted? - Red vs Blue using basic Austrian stats.
3) Did you feel comfortable with the ruleset? - Very despite a while since I last used them.
4) and... was this the first time you used this ruleset? - No.
5) How many players were in the game? - Solo
6) What went well? - The rules all came back to me which was good.
7) What could have been improved? - The scenario didn't really work to be honest. More details in the AAR which will follow.

Duke Speedy of Leighton

Quote from: fred. on 29 November 2021, 02:21:29 PMGood work Will

What was the reaction of the other players to a smaller scale fantasy army in the competition?
Rolled eyes and rolled dice!
You may refer to me as: Your Grace, Duke Speedy of Leighton.
2016 Pendraken Painting Competion Participation Prize  (Lucky Dip Catagory) Winner