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Wednesday 20 June 2012

Giving way to temptation

I am not a joiner or follower of fashion by inclination ... but this does not preclude me from being a member of an international fraternal organisation, a 'friend' of several military museums, a subscriber to quite a few military history and wargames magazines, and a founder member of Wargame Developments. What I am is someone who likes to consider his options first ... and then make a decision to join or to follow.

Sometimes something comes along that really does appeal to me, but I always try not to rush in before thinking seriously about what I am doing. That said, I have recently been seriously tempted to buy a wargaming system for an historical period that has previously never been of great interest to me ... the era of Napoleonic warfare.

What tempted me was Richard Borg's COMMANDS & COLORS: NAPOLEONICS. I already own several of his other games (BATTLE CRY! and MEMOIR '44) and like the way that they work. I also know a lot of people who have tried COMMANDS & COLORS: NAPOLEONICS, bought it, and love it ... and their enthusiasm for it overcame my reluctance to give into temptation.

I ordered a copy of the basic set ...


... and the Spanish Army Expansion Set ...


... on Monday afternoon from Games Lore Ltd, Telford ... and it arrived this afternoon, which I think is pretty good service!

I have already opened the boxes and looked inside, but as yet I have resisted the temptation to start sticking the labels onto the wooden blocks. I plan to take my time doing the labelling so that I don't make any mistakes, and once I have I hope to give to begin play-testing the rules.

14 comments:

  1. The labelling takes hours

    Geat game though.

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  2. Phyllion,

    So I have heard! I intend to take it nice and steady, and once the labelling has been completed I can look forward to fighting a battle or two.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  3. It's a cracking game. I can't say enough good things about it. Just thinking - if I FaceTime you from my iPhone to your iPad, there's no reason we shouldn't be able to play a game using my setup.

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  4. I've always been the same about the period, it just never seemed to offer anything other than marching stoically into inaccurate gunfire and getting blown up by cannons.

    Then Conrad Kinch sold me on this pretty handily at Leprecon last with his giant collection of ranked troops just looking fun to push around on the table. Even though I didn't get to play it just looked shiney.

    Although the small collection of Napoleonic mans is sitting on the sprue awaiting suitable storage for me to start working out how to base them....

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  5. Hi Bob,

    Glad to see you Oscar Wilde moment arrived safely and have fun with the labelling!

    "I can resist anything except temptation"

    I would echo the sentiments of Mr Kinch as well.

    All the best,

    DC

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  6. Conrad Kinch,

    One of the reasons why I decided to buy C&C:N was you blog reports about the battles you had fought using them. The enjoyment you were experiencing was difficult not to see.

    The FaceTime link-up sounds like a good idea, and once I have got my stuff labelled and have some idea how the rules work, I will get back to you to give it a try.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  7. Arquinsiel,

    I must admit to having shared your opinions about Napoleonics for many years ... but C&C:N (and the obvious pleasure and enjoyment that everyone I know have expressed with the system) convinced me to give it as try.

    You never know, but I might even get my collection of 25/28mm Napoleonic figures out of their boxes once I have got an understanding of the rules!

    All the best,

    Bob

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  8. David Crook,

    I only hope that I have not opened a can of worms and find myself with yet another major project in a 'new' historical era on my hands as a result!

    All the best,

    Bob

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  9. I have this and also the command amd color ancients set the most tedious bit is putting on the stickers

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  10. Johntheone,

    I have heard that labelling the blocks can be quite a time consuming job ... but I will need to do it sooner or later.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  11. I didn't bother with any labelling - just went straight to playing the game with figures on Hexon. You know it makes sense.

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  12. Tim Gow,

    If I had enough Napoleonic soldiers, that is what I would do ... but until I do, I will have to do some serious labelling.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  13. I have thoroughly enjoyed all the scenarios from the C&C:N sets and the Ancients core and first expansion. There is a lot to be said for setting up and playing a battle in an hour, either face to face or solitaire. I hope you derive as much enjoyment as I have.

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  14. Steven Page,

    Thanks for your very encouraging comments. It supports the views of other people I know who own and/or play one or other of the C&C games ... and I am looking forward to using my C&C:N in due course.

    All the best,

    Bob

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