Off to China with an old friend

We had a visit this week from Martin Wallace, who had been at UK Games Expo, promoting his latest game, namely a card based reinvention of the "Warlock of Firetop Mountain". This is a series of five adventures set in the famous "Fighting Fantasy" gamebook world created by Livingstone and Jackson, that play as a campaign. I haven't played it yet, but it looks absolutely terrific, with really beautiful artwork. Martin is hoping it will be in retail outlets soon. I hope so, but he is being be-deviled by the whole US tariffs business. I don't want to make a fuss about this, but I had a long conversation with Martin about the issues and they do pose an existential threat to the boardgame industry as we have come to understand it (if you don't want to bother with this bit, skip the paragraph below in italics, and get on to the game stuff)

It is a fact that the modern boardgame explosion has been made possible because of investment in China in production techniques that did not exist anywhere else in the world. The ability to produce sophisticated injection moulded pieces that we have come to accept in games does not/did not exist in Europe or the US (Germany is tops at producing games with wooden pieces and its production capability hasn't expanded in line with the demands of the modern boardgames industry). The simple calculation that the US has a trade deficit with China as stuff is made there and imported into the US ignores that this production capability enables US game designers, artists and so on make their living from it. Of the board game cover price of something like $35, the cost of production will be $6. Shipping will be another few dollars, so the vast majority of the box cover price for US companies is being retained in the US and is driving economic growth there. Tariffs are going to be instrumental in destroying the boardgames industry as we know it. Here's an interview with the guy who runs the company who makes "Scythe" and "Wingspan", and HE'S worried: CNN interview 

We played a whole load of Martin's designs, some that are out there, and some that aren't, but part of the deal is that he has to play one of my figure games. This time round I put out the 1st Opium War stuff with a different scenario. I'm looking at the capture of Chinkeangfoo, to see if it will work for a COW game. The battle features a lot of city fighting, and I'm not sure how this will work with "Taiping Era". So I needed to spend some time with the battle to look at what works, rather than wedge it in to an evening game.

I had to make a couple of extra gates for my version of the city, and I'll need to make one or two more. It gave me a chance to use one of my big wooden puzzle buildings as a sort of centre piece for the city. The top right corner is the segregated "Tartar City", where the Manchus lived away from the native Chinese. I also need more small Chinese buildings.

Martin had the British. As always with these battles it starts with a riverine landing. In the distance is a Manchu fortified military camp. General Gough had done a recce, and was aware that a significant number of defenders were outside the city. These two brigades were tasked with dispersing the forces in the camp, and also attacking the main gate, off to their left. These were commanded by Major-General Lord Saltoun and Major-General Schoedde respectively.

A third brigade (complete with newly constructed assault ladders) were landed near the city "river gate", with orders to make a demonstration to distract the defenders. Permission was given to the commander to turn this into a real assault if things went well. These were commanded by Major-General Bartley.

One of the brigades was sent up the road to attack the main gates, whilst the other moved to take up positions to cover their advance.

The main gate has to be approached over a large bridge across the Grand Canal. This has to be broken through, and then there's a defendable area which protects the inner gate. 

The diversionary brigade move up, carrying their ladders. The jingal gunners await their arrival.

Astonished by the lack of advance in their direction, the Imperial forces move off their hill top positions and look to envelope the British forces.

The River Gate force hit the gates with a 32lb rocket. Much smoke ensues and parts of the wall also crumble.

The diversionary forces form into attack columns and rush the walls through a hail of jingal bullets (note to self: I need to look at exactly how I want this to work).

The main assault units advance up the road. Major-General Schoedde consults with his sapper Officer.

Under the watchful eye of General Gough, Saltoun's brigade starts to form a defensive line.

The 2nd Madras Native Infantry storm over the walls, and start to fight their way through the city.

As the 6th MNI rush through the gates, M-G Bartley takes a bullet to the head, and dies at his moment of triumph.

The 55th Regiment are also over the wall, and are pushing on towards the palace complex.

Saltoun's brigade has formed a defensive "corner", whilst the Manchu cavalry readied itself for death or glory charges.

The British were now in range of half of the massed Chinese artillery, which thundered out.

The 55th storm the steps of the palace.

The 2nd MNI drive forwards through the city. The 6th MNI are facing stiffer opposition, and are finding progress harder.

The sappers try to blow the gates, but they hold firm. Schoedde's assault columns must wait for their chance.

The 55th enter the palace. Looting may be taking place.

The main gate finally succumbs, but progress is hard fought.

Led by M-G Schoedde, the British push the defenders back. 

The photo record ends here. The inner gate is opened by the 2nd MNI, and the defenders are routed.

Elsewhere the Manchu cavalry fails before the massed musketry to the British forces. The game ends with the city in British hands, but the majority of the Manchu forces are undisturbed in their fortified camp. They will either retire in good order overnight, or the British will have to drive them out the hard way tomorrow.

Most of the game went well. I need to just consider exactly how to apply the rules to street fighting. They were never intended for anything on this scale, with mostly attacks on single square walled villages being tested. I think that the mechanisms will work perfectly well. I just need to decide how I want the cover rules to apply when both sides are in the built up area.

The scenario isn't a lot of fun for the Chinese player(s) as all the running is made by the British. I probably need to give them achievable victory conditions in a losing fight (e.g. break two British units) but even then I don't think it is a game for more than one Chinese player.

The area round the city was covered by suburbs and shanty buildings, which didn't seem to slow the advance much and whose main importance is that the British were able to make use of the shade to keep out of the sun. The British suffered a lot of casualties from heat stroke, including fatalities.

Now. Where can I find a lot of cheap 19th century buildings. Probably not 15mm - 1/100th. Probably smaller than that.

I'm off to do some Googling.