My mind is now reasonably focussed on the early 18th century project. As betokens a shift to the rules just being for Jacobite games, the name has changed to "Tricorn & Bonnet". Okay, it isn't quite correct if I'm including Killikrankie where they were still wearing floppy hats not tricorns, but I thought it was quite catchy as a title.
The last game or two have been a bit...fuzzy...there's too much going on and too many things I need to keep in mind. Three or four months ago I made a change to the way firing was calculated and I got obsessed with early 18th century firing procedures for red coated infantry. I was trying to force players into certain behaviours through rule mechanisms whilst trying to encompass large scale European warfare and also the smaller scale domestic battles. It wasn't working. So I stripped it back to the original design concept and started to rebuild, and decided to focus on the Jacobite risings.
For this game the Jacobites are on the right, and the Crown forces on the left. The Jacobites were handled by Jon, Phil & Tim, whilst the Government army was in the capable hands of Richard and Chris. The scenario was loosely based on the battle of Clifton in the '45. It didn't take long.
The Government forces immediately pushed their cavalry out to widen their frontage, but otherwise held their ground. Their Coehorn - half the crew size, half the guns of the last game - opened up and immediately acquired the target.
Whipped into a frenzy by their clan leaders, the Highland line surged forwards a square. The unit by the cottage are local Jacobite militia. They don't surge anywhere.
The Highlander's slightly timid approach sees them taking one square moves to get into position, except for Phil's kilties in the distance who are zeroing in on Richard's cavalry.
Some firing breaks out. Richard's left hand infantry fire in support of his cavalry. I'm not sure whether I like diagonal fire or not. Phil's Highlanders also fire at the cavalry in the distance, to soften them up, as do Tim's chaps nearer the camera.
The clans start to charge. One smashes right through the right of centre. They will be joined by the clan to their right. The cavalry near the camera will also break this turn.
In the centre, the remaining two red coated battalions hold their ground and blow away one of the clans, but alas the Duke of Lincolnshire is killed in the fight. Otherwise it's all over, with a massive Jacobite win inside two hours. More like 90 minutes.
I learnt a lot from this game. The Intimidation system is a great idea, but recent changes to give it bite have broken the game. No worries. That can easily be fixed. After the game at my request Jon made some comments on how the process might be improved. I don't agree with what he suggests, but he has cracked the problem open for me with his comments and proposals, so I'll be back at the keyboard over the weekend to revise the QRS and get ready for the next try out.
Diagonal shooting in square grids -
ReplyDeleteI can think of a number of approaches starting with 'Nope!' and ending with 'By all means!'. But there's plenty of in between. One I would be tempted to try is to permit half the unit only - the respective wing - to shoot into the corner-adjacent diagonal. Then one asks oneself, what is the other half doing? Nothing if there is no target available; both halves (mandatorily) shoot at the same target if there is one to the direct front; the other half may shoot at a target to its diagonal flank if one presents itself. Of course, the permitted missilery range is a consideration.
I like the look of these Jacobite battles. Were I to resurrect the suspended 'Vales of Lyndhurst' story, I'd be tempted to give them a go!
Cheers,
Ion
I think I'm coning round to yes, but at reduced effect. If I calculate ranges without diagonals then it'll mean that they'll be firing at long range.
DeleteI have played quite a few squared games which disallow diagonal firing and it can produce some really odd results. It partly depends on how you visualise the units in the squares, and partly what facing options are available. Conversely, diagonal fire can produce some really ahistorical ganging up in the absence of target priority rules. I like Ions suggestion of partial diagonal fire though, I'd not thought of that.
ReplyDeleteThere are games when it has seemed right, and games where it really hasn't. I think reduced effectiveness if not firing directly to the front is the way to go. In practice it is no worse than most tape measure games, and whether you have arcs of fire.
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