Whilst the virus that upset my stomach was in full spate, I had a couple of very disturbed nights of sleep. The fever that was one of the symptoms made it difficult to sleep, and I was lucky if I slept for a couple of hours at a stretch. It was during one of these periods of sleep on Friday night that I had a dream about a wargame ...
Funnily enough, I can remember some parts of that dream quite vividly. It was set on the Eastern Front during World War II, and used Hexon II terrain and 20mm-scale figures on individual bases. The rules were not – however – my PORTABLE WARGAME rules, but something similar. The main differences that I can remember related to the firing rules, and were – as best as I can remember – as follows:
Funnily enough, I can remember some parts of that dream quite vividly. It was set on the Eastern Front during World War II, and used Hexon II terrain and 20mm-scale figures on individual bases. The rules were not – however – my PORTABLE WARGAME rules, but something similar. The main differences that I can remember related to the firing rules, and were – as best as I can remember – as follows:
- Infantry were organised into units of four figures, only one of which could be armed with a light or heavy machine gun.
- Except for Infantry armed with heavy machine guns (which could move OR fire each turn), Infantry could move AND fire each turn.
- Infantry figures armed with submachine guns had a range of 1 hex and threw two D6 dice for effect.
- Infantry figures armed with rifles had a range of 3 hexes and threw one D6 die for effect.
- Infantry figures armed with light machine guns (i.e. machine guns mounted on bipods) had a range of 3 hexes and threw two D6 dice for effect.
- Infantry figures armed with heavy machine guns (i.e. machine guns mounted on tripods) had a range of 3 hexes and threw three D6 dice for effect.
- The number of dice thrown by a unit therefore depended upon the range and types of weapons figures in the unit were armed with.
- Casualties were caused by any D6 die score of 6 if the target was in the open and a double 6 if the target was in cover.
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They sound promising !
ReplyDeleteThe Good Soldier Svjek,
DeleteI thought so; all I need now is some time to try the rules out.
All the best,
Bob
Bob, only you could write a set of wargame rules in your sleep :) Hope you are feeling better now.
ReplyDelete'Lee,
DeleteFeeling much better today ... but not still writing rules in my sleep, I'm afraid!
All the best,
Bob
Mr Cordery [in middle-European accent], your dream is most interesting, but I regret to say, most disturbing, so I am very glad you have consulted me. You have, I understand, spent most of your professional life controlling pupils in academic establishments, enforcing rules for their behaviour, but have now retired and have no one over whom to exert your authority. Your deep-seated need to control others manifests itself in your increasing obsession, bordering in my opinion on monomania, with armies of toy soldiers, which you wish to command in battles, but these tiny tin troops can only be 'animated' as it were to follow your orders by constructing rules to determine their behaviour using dice... This suggests you feel the world to be a threatening, inexplicable place, governed only by random chance - hence your subconscious desire to impose order by controlling your imaginary world and armies by rigid rules...
ReplyDeleteI am certain I can help you - may I suggest we commence with twelve sessions at eighty guineas per hour?
Excellent! Please make your cheque payable to Professor Igor Strabismus...
Professor Strabismus,
DeleteYour analysis of my deep psychological problems is outstanding, and full of insight.
The rubber cheque is in the post.
All the best,
Bob
PS. Arthur, I thought that this was hilarious ... and probably not that far from the truth in parts!
Hi Bob,
ReplyDeleteThese 'Dream Rules' seem most playable. I don't usually remember Dreams as they are usually totally forgotten upon waking up. I tend not to have 'Dreams' so much but tend to have night-mares and I guess it is a good thing I don't remember them. Hope your OK for Sunday and the Convention. Cheers. KEV.
Kev Robertson (Kev),
DeleteI've always dreamed, sometimes quite vividly, but I don't always remember what I have dreamt. In this case, the part of the dream that covered the rules (in my dream I was reading a page from the rule book) occurred just as I was waking up, and I was able to remember what I had seen.
The most prolonged dream I ever recall having became the basis of my sole novel. Every night I would dream the next section of the book, and every day I'd write down what I had dreamt. This took place during our last cruise to North America, and by the end of the cruise, 75% of the book was written. Then the dreams stopped ... and it took me months to finish it.
All the best,
Bob
The fevered brain never really sleeps.
ReplyDeleteBut they do have echos of some old school rules, Featherstone in particular.
Ross Mac,
DeleteDreaming is our brain's way of sorting our our experiences and ideas whilst the normal functions are in powered-down mode.
The rules are very Featherstone-like, and I am half expecting someone to tell me where the original rules I dreamt about can be found.
All the best,
Bob
Like the icons of science brilliance comes to you in the form of dreams
ReplyDeleteBetter than waking up in a cold sweat shouting "Not double one again!"
I hope you are not disturbing the wife ;)
Geordie an Exile FoG,
DeleteIt's amazing what our brain can do when we are not consciously trying to use it!
If I'd disturbed my wife, you can rest assured that she would have told me ... at least once!
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob
ReplyDeleteI can't remember having a dream about wargaming, but I often use the current wargame campaign to put me to sleep. When unable to get to sleep I either consider a current problem, or strategic options for the current campaign.
It always seems to work, but I cannot remember actually remembering any of the solutions when I wake up!
regards
Paul
Thistlebarrow (Paul),
DeleteIt sounds like an excellent way to help oneself drift off into sleep. I might give it a try myself.
I'm sure that if I hadn't woken up when I did, these wonderful rules would have disappeared without trace in the vast back-up files in my head.
All the best,
Bob
Dear Bob,
ReplyDeleteYou had a nightmare where NQM did Sci-Fi. Glad to hear that you are feeling better now :-)
Regards, Chris.
Chris Kemp,
DeleteNow that would be a nightmare!
I'm feeling a lot better now.
All the best,
Bob