FOCUS ON......................Command & Colours (C&C)

[bob48]

Focus On.......Command & Colours (C&C)

This month, I thought we would look at another popular game series, albeit one that I personally have never played. I am aware that the series covers multiple periods, but for now, I'd like to stick to games set in the18th and 19th  Century. My impression is that the Napoleonic period is the most widely played, but no doubt someone will correct me if I'm wrong! Whilst admitting to not playing the games, or, to be honest, being a great fan of the period, I have watched quite a few games run by Jim (Cyrano) for his wonderful 'Saturday Night Fights' using Table Top Simulator (TTS) It indeed looks like a fun system to play and the participants certainly seem to enjoy it. If you haven't visited Jim's youtube channel, then you are definitely missing out.

Here is a link, so you have no excuses!

However; I digress. Lets hear what you think about the game, be it good, bad or ugly.

[bbmike]

Great system. For me it's C&C: Tricorne all the way! 

[Cyrano]

Always pleased to hear of such a discussion.

I'm obviously a fan and have just about everything ever made for the system, the notable exceptions being the Samurai set (never a period that caught my fancy) and the Red Alert which I will seek on deep discount at some point.

Surely Memoir is the most popular and one of the most successful entry-level wargames in existence.  Say whatever you will of it, and I might well agree, but it has absolutely brought hundreds of people at least into the suburbs of the hobby.  "D-Day Landings" is an absolute, absurd classic of the form.

Battle Cry would have done much better had Hasbro not been the right goofs that they are and refused any attempt at expansion or supplement.  It's still insanely popular despite its profound limitations.

Ancients remains one of GMT's best sellers and is on, I'm pretty sure, its 12,000th edition.  In many ways, I find it to be the purest melding of the game as it is and the period it seeks to represent.  It's a "play anytime" game and regular SNF favorite.

And, yeah, considering my son and I played just about every Napoleonic battle there is over the course of a year, I'm a fan.  Can you knock the system, yes you can and I sometimes do.  I will never truly be a fan of hexes with my toys, but it is the best entry-level Napoleonic game in existence, introduces you to the principle players in the epic, and does at least offer a passing acquaintance with some -- note some -- of the challenges of command in the era.  I should also really never be played save in the epic or LGB mode.

I own all the AmRev, Jacobite, Medieval stuff and find them very fine, but won't really jump in until one of them goes epic.

Oh, and one should mention Battle Lore.  The second edition is rubbish and is not C&C.  The first one actually gives a very nice game of Agincourt, provided you keep the dwarves and monsters to the side...

And if Mystery Wizard comes out before the LGB expansion...I will be cross...

[thecommandtent]

I have Memoir 44, C&C Ancients, C&C Napoleonic's and Battle Cry all of which I enjoy. (Although I've never gotten my physical copy of C&C Napoleonic's to the table only played during SNF) Its hard to pick a favorite especially since Jim is doing his best to ruin all but the epic versions of these games for me 

In the season of life I find myself in now I have really appreciated how easy the basics of the system are to learn. I.E. three areas and cards that give you a chance to order troops in those areas. So easy in fact that I've been able to teach my 5 yr old Memoir 44 using just the orders cards. As he learns to read I plan to introduce the tactics cards to him. However, he is already starting to pick up on the basic concepts of attack and defense and how to use units together. I'm looking forward letting him explore some of the more complex games as he gets older.

[Bison]

Great game series. Memoir 44, Ancients, and Napoleonic's are the only ones I own. But I have played Battle Cry and wish it would get a fresh coat of paint. My only real gripe about the series is the stupid stickered dice. It's a poor decision IMHO that GMT does not produce and include an etched set of dice. The sticker dice feel so cheap. I am always worried when I play someone will pick and pull the stickers off the "dice". They are in the Yugo category of dice quality.

[thecommandtent]

Great game series. Memoir 44, Ancients, and Napoleonic's are the only ones I own. But I have played Battle Cry and wish it would get a fresh coat of paint. My only real gripe about the series is the stupid stickered dice. It's a poor decision IMHO that GMT does not produce and include an etched set of dice. The sticker dice feel so cheap. I am always worried when I play someone will pick and pull the stickers off the "dice". They are in the Yugo category of dice quality.

Agreed about the dice. Back when I first got ancients I got this nice set of wooden dice to replace the stickered dice. However, I don't think the company is in business anymore. 

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameaccessory/144322/commands-colors-ancients-wooden-dice

[Cyrano]

Great game series. Memoir 44, Ancients, and Napoleonic's are the only ones I own. But I have played Battle Cry and wish it would get a fresh coat of paint. My only real gripe about the series is the stupid stickered dice. It's a poor decision IMHO that GMT does not produce and include an etched set of dice. The sticker dice feel so cheap. I am always worried when I play someone will pick and pull the stickers off the "dice". They are in the Yugo category of dice quality.

Agreed about the dice. Back when I first got ancients I got this nice set of wooden dice to replace the stickered dice. However, I don't think the company is in business anymore. 

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameaccessory/144322/commands-colors-ancients-wooden-dice

I was up late one night and noted that someone was selling their Naps dice for something like $8 a set.  I bought five sets.

[Bison]

Very smart Cyrano. I wish I had jumped on an opportunity to pick up dice for them several years back.

[bayonetbrant]

Has anyone hacked together a minis adaptation for C&C:N similar to the M'44 figs?

It'd be a neat look, if nothing else.

[Barthheart]

Has anyone hacked together a minis adaptation for C&C:N similar to the M'44 figs?

It'd be a neat look, if nothing else.

You have seen SNF right?

[bayonetbrant]

Has anyone hacked together a minis adaptation for C&C:N similar to the M'44 figs?

It'd be a neat look, if nothing else.

You have seen SNF right?

Real figs, not copy & paste ones

[bayonetbrant]

You have seen SNF right?

What would be cool in SNF is to see the figs animated like many other computer games (or the Star Wars 'chess' game) but I'd settle for an oversize map (3" hexes?) and a passel of well-groomed minis getting pushed around the map

[bayonetbrant]

So, C&C:N players...


Riddle me this:   What are some things about Napoleonic warfare that C&C just doesn't do very well?  Cavalry ops?  Infantry in squares?  Bombardments?
Where does C&C fall apart based on what we know of Napoleonic battles?

[Cyrano]

Has anyone hacked together a minis adaptation for C&C:N similar to the M'44 figs?

It'd be a neat look, if nothing else.

Lots of folks.

Little Wars has at least two a year.  Usually PTO as the fellow who does it has an interest.

[Cyrano]

Has anyone hacked together a minis adaptation for C&C:N similar to the M'44 figs?

It'd be a neat look, if nothing else.

You have seen SNF right?

Real figs, not copy & paste ones

I shan't take offense, but your distinction here is deeply ignorant.  Avoid it in future.