Sunday, September 21, 2025

Playmobil with Bear




The convoy sets out. 

The Kinchlets and I were gifted a rather magnificent 18th century Playmobil set by my friend Stefan.  We've been playing games with them on and off for the last few years.  These tend to be fairly anarchic affairs with rules that are somewhat malleable and rather off the cuff. 

In this case, Bear and I had an hour while the LadyBaby was at her drawing class, so I grabbed some figures and quickly threw a game together. 


Lord Bear advances in a somewhat foolhardy fashion

The idea was that Lord Bear and his redcoats would have to get a treasure chest in a wagon across the board.  


The wagon train sets out

We used a spring loaded cannon for musketry, one shot for every two men.  Melee was a straight die roll off, with the side with the advantage getting an extra die. 


French hussars advances - though one of their number was felled by a lucky shot 


We used 6x4 inch cards to adjudicate movement 


The hussars charge in to isolate Lord Bear 


The French infantry arrive


Another hussar slain by some good shooting


Allez les Bleus! 


Lord Bear managed to survive via some fancy sword work

In actuality, each hussar rolls a die and Lord Bear rolled one as well. Any score that surpasses his would have killed him, but he managed to roll a five and while the hussars managed a crop of twos and threes. 



Some trick shooting

Bear's plan to get out of this predicament was to get some of his musketeers around to the right and then lob a shot at the hussars.  He managed it on his second shot and sent all the hussars crashing domino like to the floor. 


Ebullient after his lucky escape Lord Bear launched another charge into the French infantry. 

Who promptly shot him down like a dog. 




The game ended with Bear getting the caravan off the board edge that he needed to, but being somewhat nonplussed by the defeat of Lord Bear, who has managed to survive all other battles on his feet. 

No doubt it was merely a flesh wound and he shall return to the field once more. 

Though I was nonplussed myself when I examined the wagon to discover that the treasure chest had mysteriously disappeared!  Bear began to giggle at that point.  He shuffled around to my table edge and removed the chest which he had cunningly concealed in his sock. 

The louse had snuck it out of the wagon while I wasn't looking, so that it couldn't be captured. 

What say you blog readers? Shabby ursine trick or legitimate ruse de geurre? 

 

20 comments:

  1. Regardless of any ursine subterfuge, a splendid affair by all accounts.

    Kind Regards,

    Stokes

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  2. That is a truly splendid set of figures! Wagon was an obvious decoy.

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    1. A school boy error on my part to fall for such an obvious ploy.

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  3. What a wonderful wonderful game! Brings back memories of reading Little Wars more than 50 years ago.

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    1. Short quick and to the point, it did not overstay it's welcome.

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  4. Cracking looking game with just the right amount of rules .

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  5. "Shabby ursine trick or legitimate ruse de geurre?"
    I suppose it depends on who writes the history books...

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  6. Crafty. Very crafty - especially if he managed to arrange an alternative route to its destination (e.g semi-circumnavigating the table on foot...)

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  7. I would say all is fair in war and a very clever ruse!

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    Replies
    1. He's a cunning little blighter. Though usually his schemes revolve around finagling another biscuit.

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  8. Bad form, what!
    Terrific fun all round.
    Alan Tradgardland

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  9. Great stuff! It's got everything; derring do, disaster, deception.
    Bill.

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  10. What an excellent game … and well done Lord Bear for making sure that the treasure was secure from the French .

    Perhaps you here is an article about wargaming with Playmobile that needs to be written?

    All the best,

    Bob

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  11. Fantastic by all means, and the unexpected final turn makes a fair point for new narrative!

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