A bit Chile in Shedquarters

With temperatures plunging after the unseasonably warm start to November it was a coincidence that we revisited "It's Getting a Bit Chile" this week. It has been four years since they last saw the table top, and even that was a refresh before their delayed outing at COW brought about by COVID.

Why the interest now? Well, I've always liked the rules, and I'd been wondering about their utility in respect of the Anglo-Sikh Wars project. "Taiping Era" might not suit, and there are some mechanisms in IGABC that might fit the bill. There are several unique mechanisms that give it a different flavour to conventional rule sets.

We had a full house for the first time in a while. Tim and Chris hadn't played the system before. Steve had (he may even have a copy) and Phil also. However, with Phil the game would have preceded his stroke so his recollection of how to play had a good chance of being imperfect.

Phil partnered Steve with a Bolivian and Peruvian division, respectively. Chris and Tim had a couple of Chilean divisions, to make it an evenly matched contest. We're up on the Atacama, with orders to take control of the two nitrate mines, and possibly the llama farm. (Headlines in the papers read "Llama Farmer Drama").

Turn one, and Tim (on the right of the Chilean line) marches boldly forwards. Chris has sent his cavalry out wide to the left, as he knows Phil will do the same.

Steve moves up tentatively at first.

The race for the llama farm is well and truly on.

Tim is well ahead on occupying the mine ("oficiana") nearest the camera. Phil is closer at the far end of the table.

We're getting to the business end of things at last, as armies deploy into firing lines. Age has withered my memory, and the units are overflowing the squares as I told people to lay them out incorrectly. Firing lines should have a notional skirmish line in front, then two bases in line and finally a support stand.

The cavalry at the far end have charged each other. They're evenly matched, so it's a crap shoot.

In the bottom left of the picture you can just see that Tim has occupied one of the oficianas.

The firing lines are well and truly established now. Phil is in the far oficiana, but is being pressed hard by Chris. BTW Chris is winning the cavalry crap shoot. People are playing fast and loose with the scenery items.

Tim may have occupied one of the objectives, but Steve now has a numerical advantage in the centre, and the Chileans are taking a lot of hits from their fire.

The Disorder markers are stacking up. Chris' assault column is banging its head metaphorically and ineffectively at Phil's troops in the buildings. Annoyingly a biscuit box has crept on to the table.

A view from behind the Peruvians, shows they're being clobbered too. Phil has driven off Chris' assault on his oficiana. Several Chilean units are heading for the baseline, so it looks like a win for the Alliance.

A bit rusty on the rules, but I soon warmed up. The scenario was a bit basic, which didn't do the game any favours as the artillery never got in a position to deploy effectively. However, it meant everyone got a work out on the core systems and how the game works. 

There's certainly something there that would probably translate to the way that armies performed in the Punjab in the 1840s. By fiddling around with commanders' role in rallying troops and removing disorder I can probably simulate the terrible level of casualties that the British Army took, yet still kept going. Whether players are prepared to give the development enough time when the occasion arises is another matter.