Phil Olley's Vanguards Collide, Command & Colours style, from Issue 1 of the Classic Wargaming Journal
We had a games night on Thursday, which went rather well. We played the Combat at Aire scenario several times and also gave my version of Phil Olley's "Vanguards Collide" scenario an airing. I didn't get many pictures as I would have liked, though something approximately a battle report will no doubt raise it's ugly head in the next few days.
As it happened we had two players a side with me umpiring. The players held cards in common and played one per turn after a certain amount of bickering. Perhaps the best moment we had was when Savage decided to use a little psychological warfare. For those of you unfamiliar with the Command & Colours system - each player has cards which they play to activate units. Part of the game is not knowing what cards your opponent has in hand - Savage decided to try something a little different.
General Gorman takes his subordinates suggestion with
the calm and stoic manner typical of the man.
I had amended Phil's scenario somewhat to take account of the card based activation mechanic. Essentially each player had a hand of five relatively low value cards (scouts and probes) which he played to bring his troops onto the table. He had to play his entire deployment hand before he could play any of the cards that he drawn. The players found this an interesting wrinkle and certainly one that made them think about deployment in a way that they didn't usually when playing C&C.
Unfortunately we had such a good time that we managed to knock a whole in the floor and by we, I mean Dave. The floor wasn't in great nick, but I hadn't planned on replacing it before Christmas. In fact Mrs Kinch had promised me a new floor as a Christmas present. We may have to step that plan up a little. On the brighter side, I realised that this is the perfect opportunity to add a trapdoor to my study. Ostensibly this is because it would allow for extra storage, but really, I just want a trapdoor.
One of my fave tv shows too - superb narration by the late Willie Rushton..,
ReplyDeleteAn opportunity for some 1to1 scale modelling- with the trapdoor and papermache models contained within as a conversation piece for dinner parties!
Enjoy
Alan
My games room has a trap door... but my games room is in the loft so it's kind of necessary... :o))
ReplyDeleteI'm agog (what *is* an agog?) - what do you have under your floor that would allow access via a trapdoor?? Pls tell us... I have visions of a hihterto hidden cellar, with just the remains of half case of Chateuf Neuf '49 and a rusty, cobweb strewn radio transmitter with a book of instructions in German next to it....
A trapdoor would be cool. The House of Seven Gables, which Nathaniel Hawthorne the author actually did live in, has secret stairwells, and very well hidden. I would say make lemonade from the lemon, and build the trapdoor. I'm guessing it's away from the table, and if it could lay flat, would be least obtrusive.
ReplyDeleteA trap door ... to where, I might ask? An underground bunker? A secret chamber where you can commune with the Dark Forces? Or to a cellar that win contain your secret wine store?
ReplyDeleteWell, the plan is to replace the whole floor, so I think the trap door will go in the middle with a rug over it.
ReplyDeleteAnd based on past experience, I think secret wine store and hiding place for figures I haven't told Mrs Kinch I've bought are likely uses for the storage.
You might want to consider an escape tunnel as well then - she's going to find out, you know she is...
ReplyDeleteI reckon you should have a trapdoor triggered by a hidden mechanism, so that you can dispose of unwelcome guests. Just press the button and the crocodiles (or whatever nasties you desire) can do the rest! I dream of one of these for the library to dispose of troublesome borrowers. Who says customer service is dead?!
ReplyDelete