The Ups & Downs of a Wargamer

Saturday 10th June 2017 - Gt. Houghton

Another session in the games room - HotE & HiDA.

The first battle was Force Publique v Azande using "Hordes of the Empire".  We started out too far apart and it took a long time to get into action.  Neither of us were happy with the rules (the Imperialists won).

The second game we set up closer and used "Hordes in Darkest Africa".  This time the Brits were fighting the Azande.  Ian managed to throw an amazing number of ones and twos for movement while I danced all over the place. Still the music had to stop....and when it did...the Brits were annihilated. 

Under these rules the warriors could be re-cycled (like Horde) so only the Shooters were in any danger.  The Brit elements cost more (3 as compared to 2 for the Azande) so were fewer in number.

Nevertheless an entertaining game with the 'natives' coming close to breaking a few times.  Maybe some rule tweaking needs to be done!


Monday 12th June 2017 - WDW

An interesting set of games tonight:

"Horse, Foot & Guns" being used to fight some 19thC imagi-nations - Kingdom of Yorkshire v East Anglians.  Andrew's Easterners failed to make any real impression on the hubristic northerners.

"Baroque" - ECW clash with the Parliamentarian horse getting a pasting.

"The Men Who Would Be Kings" - a Crimean War fight between the Russians and the Allies (Brits & French).  The players were not happy with the rules as too many units were getting 'pinned' and unable to do anything.

DBM - Assyrians v Medes - three players aside.  Bob and I managed to hold onto the wings of the Assyrians (only just in my case) but the 'corporation dust carts' and their associated cavalry fell in the centre. 

In history the Assyrians were usually the victors but under DBM they are under-achievers.  The army list has precious few bowmen which seems out of kilter with the histories.  Oh well!


Thursday 15th June 2017

The hordes descended upon me today (all 2 of them) to clear my living room of its furniture.  Now everything is stuffed into any available nook or cranny.  Of course I have no idea where anything I want is right now.

Finally got my computer back up and running after much unprintable language being voiced.  I only moved it upstairs - why such a hoo-ha from the modem?

Anyway I'm now ready for the contractor to call and give me a final price.  No doubt I will need to partake of one uncovered treasure - one-quarter bottle of rum.  Maybe normal wargaming service can be resumed at some future date...but I'm not holding my breath.