Over recent weeks, Maudlin Jack Tar has been developing the Hare & Hounds campaign board concept and has actually managed to fight a mini-campaign between two Ancient imagi-nations. His mini-campaign board looked like this:
Maudlin Jack Tar's Hare & Hounds mini-campaign board.
His campaign saw troops of the Vard Republic (whose Legions are indicated by green pins on the following photograph) taking on a confederation of tribes (whose positions are shown by red pins).
The opening positions of both sides. The location of the Vard legions are shown by green pins and positions occupied by the tribal forces are shown by red pins.
The course of the campaign
- The first battle saw the Vardian Legion II attack the Anacondi tribe ... and resulted in a decisive win for the Vardians.
- In the second battle the Vardian Legion III fought the Coronithi tribe and the result was far less clear.
- The third battle involved the Vardian II Legion and the as-yet-untried Brocolii tribe. The result was close to a draw, with both sides suffering casualties.
- Whilst this battle was being fought, the Vardian Legion III had advanced towards the Coronithi's main town and attacked and captured it.
- Things were beginning to turn in favour of the Vard republic, especially when they were able to mobilise a new Legion, the IV.
- Seeking revenge for the loss of their main settlement, the Coronithi engaged the Vardian Legion III but were forced to fall back.
- In the meantime, the Vardian IV Legion advanced as did the Legion III, who now reached the capital of the tribal confederation. This was garrisoned by Coronithi troops, and in the final battle of the campaign the Vardian forces destroyed the defenders and won the campaign.
Maudlin Jack Tar's battle reports can be found on his blog, Projects & Procrastination here, here, here, and here.
Maudlin Jack Tar has written a simple set of campaign rules that build upon the ones that I wrote back in September. He has also begun to look using a larger version of the Hare & Hounds board. One example that he has shared with me includes stretches of sea along the top and bottom edges of the board, which also bigger than the original design.
An example of Maudlin Jack Tar's expanded Hare & Hounds mini-campaign board.
Interestingly, I had been thinking along similar lines, but my ideas are still confined to a few pencil sketches in a notebook and are nowhere near as developed as Maudlin Jack Tar's.
Please note that the images featured above are © Maudlin Jack Tar.
Thanks for sharing my games with a wider audience Bob!
ReplyDeleteMy current line of thinking for a larger Hare & Hounds style Campaign involves a board that has a peninsular shaped land mass with Sea on three sides as I'm interested in trying a Combined Operation (I've been re-reading Featherstone's Naval War Games!). The setting would be a Horse & Musket period. I just need to build some ships....
Maudlin Jack Tar,
DeleteI was honoured to be able to spread the word about your blog and Hare & Hounds mini-campaign.
I look forward to seeing how your next Hare & Hounds mini-campaign evolves. Donald Featherstone's Naval War Game book is a really great source of ideas and inspiration and I based the combined operation wargame featured in my GRIDDED NAVAL WARGAME book on the one in his book.
All the best,
Bob
Thanks for the post, Bob - an excellent précis of MJT’s very engaging campaign.
ReplyDeleteIt’s been a great one to follow, and a fine demonstration of what can be achieved with a clever map system and an effective set of battle rules.
Martin S.,
DeleteCheers! Maudlin Jack Tar has really moved this concept along and turned it from a basic idea into something that works … and works very well indeed!
All the best,
Bob
Tell you what, Bob -
ReplyDeleteWere I not busy with my teeny-tiny navies, I'd be giving Mr Tar's H&H campaign system a bit of the 'Byzantiad' treatment, I reckon. Great concept! That extended system with the large waterways I'd like to know more about, too.
I'll be keeping an eye out.
It was whilst typing this out that I was assailed by the faint glimmerings of an idea - the Byzantiad campaign as a radiating set of H&H campaign 'pistes'. Possibly the size of what I had in mind would be prohibitive. I'll have a bit of a think about it.
Cheers,
Ion
Archduke Piccolo (Ion),
DeleteI think that the Hare & Hounds system has lots of potential and I am looking at how it can be developed further.
I think that the Byzantiad campaign would make an ideal candidate for the Hare & Hounds 'treatment' ... and the idea of a radiating number of campaign 'wheel spokes' sounds very attractive. It's certainly something to think about.
All the best,
Bob