The last couple of days have seen some interesting Napoleonic wargames being featured on various online media. The first was one took place at the Shrivenham Wargames Club and was umpired and reported on by Professor Gary Sheffield. They refought the 'Porter's Ridge' scenario from THE PORTABLE NAPLOLEONIC WARGAME on a big (11 x 8) grid but relocated it to Russia.
It was a narrow victory for the Russians, who reached their Exhaustion Point after ten turns.
The second was what Archduke Piccolo called 'The Hundred Minutes Campaign', which he describes as being 'a cut down, laid back, bathtub in a shoebox version of the Hundred Days' Campaign'.
This is his second such 'campaign on a tabletop' game, the first being 'The Sluggard Valley Campaign', and both use a relatively small number of figures and deceptively simple rules that players should be able to memorise in a matter of minutes.
Like all great wargames, the subtlety comes from the play and not the rules.
The latter game has certainly got my rather jaded wargaming juices flowing, and I have already begun to wonder if I might be able to do something similar using a revised version of my Itchy & Scratchy combat system from four years ago.
It's certainly given me something to think about as I gradually leave the effects of my latest bout of COVID behind.
Please note that the photographs featured above are © Gary Sheffield and Archduke Piccolo.
The Archduke's Campaign on a tabletop is very intriguing - I'd definitely like to have a go at one of those!
ReplyDeleteMaudlin Jack Tar,
DeleteIt strikes me as being a great way to fight a campaign in an afternoon or evening. It’s almost like a large board game with 3D playing pieces … and with none of the drawbacks of having to use counters.
All the best,
Bob
Bob, I'd already seen and saved a copy of the Archduke's Waterloo campaign - an excellent idea that I shall certainly use when I next wargame the Hundred Days. The troops are so much more aesthetically pleasing than boardgame counters with tactical symbols, and remind us that battles are fought by men, not blocks. I think it might be a great way of introducing youngsters to the hobby as there is no need to collect and paint large numbers of figures to fight a large battle, unlike the 'traditional' wargame approach. I see no reason why this method could not be employed to game other 'Horse & Musket' campaigns.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes, Arthur
Arthur1815 (Arthur),
DeleteI must admit that after reading this I had all sorts of ideas whirring around in my head about the possibilities this concept could be used for. Like you, I think that it particularly suits the ‘Horse & Musket’ period … but might also work with the early part of the twentieth century.
All the best,
Bob
Bob -
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind comments. I recommend, by the way, that anyone looking up the 'Hundred Minutes' campaign to look through the comments - some thought-provoking ideas there, too.
I looked up your Itchy and Scratchy rule set, and I seem to recall trying them out, or something similar, several years ago. Particularly the combat system. The Vales of Lyndhurst was vaguely similar as I recall.
Speaking of which, Barry's original blogspot has long since vanished - a pity, as I had some notion a while back of renewing the narrative - in particular events to the west (around Bristol, or maybe Gloucestershire, I think) and a raid by the D. of Romney against Lyndhurst lands.
I agree that the game system for the 100 Minutes' Campaign would be suitable for any H&M. The Marlburian campaigns come to mind, and, recalling a blog 'Defiant Principality' seems to suggest something very much of interest there. Unfortunately I can't find the original blogspot. it seems to have been replaced (by the same author) with something of a sequel.
Having said all that, the next one I might try might be based upon Napoleon's first campaigns in northern Italy, possibly as a series, first at piedmont, then east around Mantua (which might have to be two separate campaigns). Just thinking out loud, you understand...
Cheers,
Ion
Archduke Piccolo (Ion),
DeleteIn some ways, your ‘Hundred Minute Campaign’ is another of those lightbulb moments, rather like Mark Cordone’s FP3x3PW concept. It’s the sort of thing that has been kicking around in one way and anther for some time, but you have set it out on paper and then shown how it works in practice. Just like any great idea, it is already sparking off other people to try it and play around with the concept. I know that I certainly am, and will be writing a report on my campaign later this week.
My Itchy & Scratch ideas are not a million miles away from your own dice system for combat resolution, and I like the SCRUD-like ‘pairing off’ combat system. (SCRUD = Simple Combat Resolution Using Dice, and it was developed many years ago by an old friend of mine, Tim Price.)
I think that Napoleon’s campaign in Italy would make an ideal ‘one day, one tabletop’ campaign, and I hope that you will take this idea forward at some time.
All the best,
Bob