Armchair Dragoons Forums
Wargaming => Age of Gunpowder => Topic started by: bob48 on December 02, 2018, 03:07:34 PM
-
I've been interested in this period for quite a while (plus the war of 1866) so I have just ordered GMT's 'At Any Cost'.
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/158815/any-cost-metz-1870
-
Nice. Maybe we could do a Vassal game sometime.
-
Yep - I already have the mod installed....er, have you got it out of shrink yet?.....................
sorry
-
ha. Out of the shrink and partially punched.
-
I'm impressed!
I already have played the 'lite' version - 'Position Magnifique' (Duel of Eagles) and downloaded the rules to AAC. There are some differences, but the system is basically the same.
I notice that Legion have a title on pre-order that uses a modified version of the 'Blind Sword' system that looks interesting. Its a period (Italian Wars of Unification) that don't get a lot of game coverage.
http://www.legionwargames.com/legion_AAB.html
-
Bawb, if you're really interested in the war, and the period, there's a great chapter in William McElwee's, Art of War Waterloo to Mons.
McElwee was a lecturer at Sandhurst, and from the book's structure, I'm fairly sure it was his lectures to the students on the history of war. lots of good anecdotes and insights.
-
Thanks - I'll look that one up, although my 'to-read' pile is almost as big as mirth's pile of un-opened games ;)
I have read quite a lot of stuff, but the book by the man himself, von Moltke, is hard to beat.
-
Welcome, besilarius! Glad you found us!
Bob,
Mark Johnson has a great podcast on BGG (Wargames To Go) and the episodes on the Franco-Prussian war are a great listen:
Wargames To Go 13.1 - Franco-Prussian War (Introduction) (https://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/68153/wargames-go-131-franco-prussian-war-introduction)
Wargames To Go 13.2 - Franco-Prussian War (Conclusion, with Charles Vasey) (https://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/69464/wargames-go-132-franco-prussian-war-conclusion-cha)
-
Excellent! Thanks, Mike :bigthumb:
-
Thanks, Mike.
Every party needs a pooper. The Dim factor is strong.
-
almost as big as mirth's pile of un-opened games ;)
have you applied for National Trust status yet as "largest pile of books to be read in the UK"?
-
haha. Most of my games have been opened.
-
Game arrived this morning :bigthumb:
-
Not yet punched
No idea why it turns the image 90 deg once its here, but it shows OK if you click on it!
-
No idea why it turns the image 90 deg once its here, but it shows OK if you click on it!
probably related to y'all driving on the wrong side of the road
-
Not yet punched
No idea why it turns the image 90 deg once its here, but it shows OK if you click on it!
You just described 60% of mirth's games!
-
Thank you for your pithy, objective and, dare I say it, helpful reply.
May the bird of paradise fly up your nose.
-
Counters now punched and sorted into a GMT tray :)
-
I'll assume they didn't need any clipping.
-
I use a scalpel to separate them from the sprue, and I'm actually engaged in clipping 'em at present.
Playing with untrimmed counters is much like playing mini's with unpainted figures! Not to be contemplated :biggrin:
-
:waiting:
-
'ello Vance, me old mate; how you keeping? Got plenty of snow where you are? keeping busy at work, etc? ::)
-
:blahblah:
-
8) >:D :ROFL: :groovy: :coffee:
-
Bob
If you can find a copy, The Franco-Prussian War by Geoffrey Wawro is an excellent history covering the lead up and execution of the war.
I am supposed to learn the rules to On to Metz but I haven’t done so yet. I wish there were a better operational level game. I’m tempted by Compass Games’ On to Paris but I don’t really need another game and Its received some mixed reviews.
-
Bison! Welcome to the monkey house! I knew you wouldn't stay off-grid for ever!
-
Bison! Welcome!!!!!
-
Thanks you for,the welcome gents.
-
Welcome aboard Bison!
-
Bison! Great to see you, man!
-
Hey Bison. Good seeing you around, man!
-
Hey Bison. Good seeing you around, man!
+100!
Delighted to see you here, Bison - Welcome :bigthumb:
Hope the family are all doing well .
-
Bob
If you can find a copy, The Franco-Prussian War by Geoffrey Wawro is an excellent history covering the lead up and execution of the war.
I am supposed to learn the rules to On to Metz but I haven’t done so yet. I wish there were a better operational level game. I’m tempted by Compass Games’ On to Paris but I don’t really need another game and Its received some mixed reviews.
Yeah - I can get a copy on amazon, but its rather expensive. I have it on my wish list though :)
-
Hey Bison. Good seeing you around, man!
Hey Bison. Good seeing you around, man!
+100!
Delighted to see you here, Bison - Welcome :bigthumb:
Hope the family are all doing well .
Thanks gents.
-
Bob
If you can find a copy, The Franco-Prussian War by Geoffrey Wawro is an excellent history covering the lead up and execution of the war.
Yeah - I can get a copy on amazon, but its rather expensive. I have it on my wish list though :)
I had not realized it was an expensive book. :( But it may not have had a large print run. I don’t imagine the Franco-Prussian war is a big draw compared to other conflicts.
-
Its £22 for a paperback on amazon, which, for a poor old pensioner like me is expensive. ;) However, I keep checking for a decent used copy which will do me fine.
Mind you, its still hard to beat the von Moltke book.
-
i have read my fair of and about Moltke interesting stuff for sure.
-
Bob
If you can find a copy, The Franco-Prussian War by Geoffrey Wawro is an excellent history covering the lead up and execution of the war.
I am supposed to learn the rules to On to Metz but I haven’t done so yet. I wish there were a better operational level game. I’m tempted by Compass Games’ On to Paris but I don’t really need another game and Its received some mixed reviews.
Thanks for the book recommendation. Was able to find a Used/VG hardbound copy on Amazon for $13.
I got a good look at On to Paris at the Compass Con in November. I wasn't terribly impressed and passed on it even though I could have bought it for 50% off.
-
I have a couple of issues with Compass Games in general that makes me hesitant to purchase their games.
1. Counters - why do they have to choose such garish colors? I look at a photos of counter sheets and I’m just put off immediately.
2. Rules - This is really my issue but I just prefer the GMT style of 1.0, 1.1, 1.2...to more narrative type rules. I find it much easier for referencing during gameplay.
-
I picked up Korea: Fire and Ice and South China Sea while I was at the con. I'm happy enough with them having only paid half-price, but I would have been disappointed if I had paid the full retail. The maps and counters aren't great, imo. Definitely not up to a GMT level of quality.
I like that Compass is putting put a wide variety of games that cover many periods, but I'm a little put off by the production value vs cost.
-
Mirth, I did the same with On To Paris. Its based on the system used for the old Victory Games ACW game. Not bad, but I didn't find it that playable. personally.
Bison, I agree with you re the counter art. The map looks OK but the counters show a distinct lack of imagination!.
-
I like that Compass is putting put a wide variety of games that cover many periods, but I'm a little put off by the production value vs cost.
Completely agree. They have games covering a great range of periods, which is why I keep reading the news letter and browsing their site. However, the cost and production like you say gives me pause too. For example, I almost bought Raiders of the Deep. World War I u-boats interesting and unique aspect of the war to examine. It cost $100 after tax. I couldn’t do it. I had just got a copy of Fire in the Lake by GMT for much less and the components and production quality are just so much better. Now if I ever see a copy of Battle Hymn Gettysburg and Pea Ridge....I’ll most likely crumble.
-
Another book that's on my want list;
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Austro-Prussian-War-Austrias-Prussia-Italy/dp/0521629519/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1551541791&sr=8-3&keywords=wawro
-
I haven’t read that book yet. Added to the list. Thanking for the enabling Bob.
-
:bigthumb:
-
I haven’t read that book yet. Added to the list. Thanking for the enabling Bob.
+1
-
It’s the encouragement to empty my wallet I missed most about you guys. >:(
-
lol - since when did you need any encouragement from us...................
-
Don’t make me culpable for my actions bob. That’s not how codependency works.
-
:blahblah: :biggrin:
-
;D
-
look what came today
(https://i.imgur.com/HfmG0qr.jpg)
-
Awesome!
-
Not bad for $13
-
For sure. I’ll be interested to read you impressions.
-
Looking forward to starting it. I have several books going already, but this one is now at the top of the stack.
-
Excellent!
-
I've become more and more interested in that time period because it's fascinating how you can trace WWI and WWII back to Napoleonic times. Maybe further. It's like unraveling a string and getting surprise after surprise.
I'd looked a bit more into it when I bought At Any Cost. I admit I had utter ignorance that the Germans captured Paris. I knew they won but didn't know the circumstances nor how deeply that conquest ran.
-
Yep, the whole period from 1854 up to 1871 is indeed fascinating and i'm deeply interested in it. I now need to read a bit more about the Italian 3rd War of Unification.
-
I've become more and more interested in that time period because it's fascinating how you can trace WWI and WWII back to Napoleonic times. Maybe further. It's like unraveling a string and getting surprise after surprise.
I'd looked a bit more into it when I bought At Any Cost. I admit I had utter ignorance that the Germans captured Paris. I knew they won but didn't know the circumstances nor how deeply that conquest ran.
You can even trace it forwards up to The Four Years War!
-
It's a fascinating period. Gaming FPW has stoked in my interest in learning more about it.
-
I've pointed this out to Bob in the past but it's worth repeating. I recommend Mark Johnson's Wargames to Go podcast episode on the Franco-Prussian War (https://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/68153/wargames-go-131-franco-prussian-war-introduction) if you are interested.
-
I've become more and more interested in that time period because it's fascinating how you can trace WWI and WWII back to Napoleonic times. Maybe further. It's like unraveling a string and getting surprise after surprise.
Back in college, the prof I had for my ancient history class used to joke that the cause of WWI was that Crassus fell off his horse during a Roman campaign.
-
One thing I love about this hobby is, there's always new stuff to uncover. Even after you THINK you couldn't possibly read anything more that'll reveal new ways of thinking about it, you come across that kind of thing.
Makes the whole "Nazis started WWII" statement kind of, "ehhhh, well...there's a few layers to it, like Ogres and onions." ;)
-
This, in case you have not read it, is an excellent book;
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Road-K%C3%B6niggr%C3%A4tz-Helmuth-Moltke-Austro-Prussian/dp/1909384968/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=road+to+koniggratz&qid=1551966336&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull
As is this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seven-Weeks-War-Austro-Prussian-Conflict/dp/1782820108/ref=sxbs_sxwds-stvp?keywords=road+to+koniggratz&pd_rd_i=1782820108&pd_rd_r=6b1c337d-2281-450b-9085-069b1f2d2b75&pd_rd_w=YKwVD&pd_rd_wg=FvWg3&pf_rd_p=96416462-6ec5-42ef-a70a-1613ca6d0693&pf_rd_r=ZWGRWKJCY0ZQCGM7B85S&qid=1551966401&s=gateway
-
If someone is interested in reading about Moltke's thoughts on war and military operations, this is a good translation of his actual writings.
https://www.amazon.com/Moltke-Art-War-Selected-Writings/dp/0891415750
-
:bigthumb:
-
If someone is interested in reading about Moltke's thoughts on war and military operations, this is a good translation of his actual writings.
https://www.amazon.com/Moltke-Art-War-Selected-Writings/dp/0891415750 (https://www.amazon.com/Moltke-Art-War-Selected-Writings/dp/0891415750)
yer killin me ;)
-
The more I read about him, the I realise what a remarkable man he was.
-
If someone is interested in reading about Moltke's thoughts on war and military operations, this is a good translation of his actual writings.
https://www.amazon.com/Moltke-Art-War-Selected-Writings/dp/0891415750 (https://www.amazon.com/Moltke-Art-War-Selected-Writings/dp/0891415750)
yer killin me ;)
This one will only cost you about $7 for a used copy. See I'm already saving you money in an indirect sort of way. :D
-
The more I read about him, the I realise what a remarkable man he was.
He made some pretty significant contributions but was not with out fault. For example, he had a pretty narrow view about the relationship between political policy (think strategy) and military operations.
-
If someone is interested in reading about Moltke's thoughts on war and military operations, this is a good translation of his actual writings.
https://www.amazon.com/Moltke-Art-War-Selected-Writings/dp/0891415750 (https://www.amazon.com/Moltke-Art-War-Selected-Writings/dp/0891415750)
yer killin me ;)
This one will only cost you about $7 for a used copy. See I'm already saving you money in an indirect sort of way. :D
I need to get through the book I just bought before making additional purchases :idiot2:
-
I need to get through the book I just bought before making additional purchases :idiot2:
Who are you and what have you done to Mirth?
-
You should see the stack of books I already have going.
-
Yeah I have a shelf of need to read too, but having too many books to read is not the worst problem to have in life.
-
Truth
-
You should see the stack of books I already have going.
bigger or smaller than the stack of games?
-
The game stack is always bigger
-
If you can find a copy, The Franco-Prussian War by Geoffrey Wawro is an excellent history covering the lead up and execution of the war.
I'm only 65 pages into this, but I can already say it is fantastic.
-
I'll borrow your copy when you've finished it :-)
-
you got it :bigthumb:
-
If you can find a copy, The Franco-Prussian War by Geoffrey Wawro is an excellent history covering the lead up and execution of the war.
I'm only 65 pages into this, but I can already say it is fantastic.
:bigthumb:
It really is a very good history.
-
Bismarck played Napoleon the Little like a violin.