Armchair Dragoons Forums
Wargaming => Age of Gunpowder => Topic started by: judgedredd on February 05, 2020, 11:04:05 AM
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I've always had a soft spot for the ACW - so this looked like a reasonable choice.
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/236931/battle-hymn-vol-1-gettysburg-and-pea-ridge
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Dude, did you win the lottery!? You buying more games than my wife buys shoes and clothes. :bigthumb:
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He's the new BC :2funny:
But that does look good. I'm not too into ACW that I'd buy a board game of it (I have a few from way back, including Fury In The West, one of my favorites actually).
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Dude, did you win the lottery!? You buying more games than my wife buys shoes and clothes. :bigthumb:
I've been selling some games I wasn't playing so much - or even tried and thought (on second thoughts) I probably wouldn't play. For example, Target for Today, DVG Hornet Leader, World at War Blood and Bridges etc etc...also sold a camera that's been kicking around the house doing nothing.
So I've not been so much making new purchases as swapping games :biggrin:
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He's the new BC :2funny:
But that does look good. I'm not too into ACW that I'd buy a board game of it (I have a few from way back, including Fury In The West, one of my favorites actually).
I do believe I have a way to go. Out of the 19 games I currently have, there's only 3 I haven't actually played as yet - and ALL have been unwrapped, punched and clipped :applause:
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Brother, if you lived closer, I'd be more than happy to up your count and gift you a thing or three. Though I understand space is at a premium in the UK, not just from your and Bob's pics/posts, but from experience. Plus shipping costs are about at the same level as I might as well fly over there and bring them with me. ;D
Out of the 19 games I currently have, there's only 3 I haven't actually played as yet - and ALL have been unwrapped, punched and clipped :applause:
You definitely have me beat there for having them all out of their wrappers and prepped for play. I wish there was a hat-tipping emoji. ;)
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I really don't have the space. What's left is probably going to be filled with the World at War game I've got coming. And Combat! isn't there (as it's on the table) and Battle Hymn isn't there yet!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49493722398_92885fe85b_b.jpg)
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Nice. Do you like Silver Bayonet? I've almost bought that a few times.
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I have almost that many on my kitchen table :P
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:ROFL:
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Nice. Do you like Silver Bayonet? I've almost bought that a few times.
That's one of the ones not played yet. I don't recall why. I think it's because at the time I was working on Heroes of the Falklands and the Solo expansion from LnL.
But it's opened, punched and clipped :-)
I do have to add (probably for my birthday) Heroes of the Nam. I think I might stop after that (until perhaps another Compass Games ACW game comes along).
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:bigthumb:
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Nice. Do you like Silver Bayonet? I've almost bought that a few times.
I'll sell you mine if you want?
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I really need to try some civil war games. I live close to so many battlefields and have visited them, and playing the games would add another layer to the experience.
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Nice. Do you like Silver Bayonet? I've almost bought that a few times.
I'll sell you mine if you want?
Maybe we can trade. PM me if there's anything particular you like or have wanted and I'll see what I have and send you a list.
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JD, you need to move to a bigger house - or build an extension :-)
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That's IN my extension ;D
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An extension to the extension then :-))
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Nice. Do you like Silver Bayonet? I've almost bought that a few times.
I'll sell you mine if you want?
Maybe we can trade. PM me if there's anything particular you like or have wanted and I'll see what I have and send you a list.
Sure, what have you got? I've lost track of all your purchases. ;D
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This is exactly why I ask what you're interested in. Too many things to list!
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Found a pic of your closet on FB. :nerd:
I'm interested in Air war games like B-17 Leader, Corsair Leader, Skies Above the Reich.
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Found a pic of your closet on FB. :nerd:
...
(https://media.giphy.com/media/1uD8wkJ4tpS1y/giphy.gif)
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Oof. LOL
Ok, though I've been wanting to get back to those. I might consider it...not sure I want Silver Bayonet that bad to give up Skies Above the Reich :D
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LOL. No worries, I'm open to counter offers.
I know you have "more hidden from view" ..... :whistle:
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I need to get back to my storage unit where my boxes are. I can't say what I have there, too many boxes. All in A/C climate control though so they're in excellent shape.
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I'm in no rush... gots lots to play. :bigthumb:
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An extension to the extension then :-))
Yeah
Me "Sharon - can we extend the extension?"
Sharon "Why?"
Me "I need more room to store the games I hardly play"
Sharon "Buy less games - boom!"
Ain't gonna happen. I could probably clear out part of the wardrobe though
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I could probably clear out part of the wardrobe though
Pants are overrated.
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I could probably clear out part of the wardrobe though
Pants are overrated.
What a great name for a podcast... oh wait.... :P
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Me "Sharon - can we extend the extension?"
Sharon "Why?"
Me "I need more room to store the games I hardly play"
Sharon "Buy less games - boom!"
JD's Wife: "it's me or the board games"
JD: "sorry to see you go, lass"
;D
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What a great name for a podcast...
ikr?!
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I could probably clear out part of the wardrobe though
Pants are overrated.
Kilts take less space than pants.
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Ouch ;D
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I’ve spent half my life’s earning on wargames, women, and drink. The rest I wasted.
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I’ve spent half my life’s earning on wargames, women, and drink. The rest I wasted.
I approve of this message :bigthumb:
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Mirth and trailrunner 2024!!!
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Kilts take less space than pants.
I mean, it really depends on what's in there, no?
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I’ve spent half my life’s earning on wargames, women, and drink. The rest I wasted.
;D That needs to be your signature line.
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Yeah - good one :-)
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;D That needs to be your signature line.
;)
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I’ve spent half my life’s earning on wargames, women, and drink. My wife wasted the rest.
FTFY
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That's a vast improvement...LOL
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It came today....
A nice box with an apparently famous picture on it...
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49502218603_32e09dc6f8_o.jpg)
5 x 10 sided dice
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49502217688_6716d8074a_o.jpg)
Double sided errata
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49502943817_348107509b_o.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49502943757_febc693f70_o.jpg)
A Standard Rules book of 20 pages (very refreshing)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49502218413_de50798a60_o.jpg)
And a 27 page Special Rules book
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49502722566_21ee7088a6_o.jpg)
2xdouble sided Gettysburg Player Aid Cards
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49502943602_c378a44a4f_o.jpg)
2xdouble sided Pea Ridge Player Aid Cards
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49502722441_1f45561a13_o.jpg)
2xdouble sided Miscellaneous Player Aid Cards
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49502943472_8b1c6f9eb5_o.jpg)
3xCounter Sheets - I honestly expected more given how big Gettysburg was - but this is a Brigade level game
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49502943392_da892cbf38_o.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49502943332_ec3b67ce77_o.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49502722046_aa496b09bc_o.jpg)
The Gettysburg Map - one of the many reasons I decided to get this game - the map art is beautiful
It's a pit it's too big (again) for my folding game cover.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49502217813_895fe5d61c_o.jpg)
The Pea Ridge Map
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49502943077_10b0878090_o.jpg)
This game looks stunning. I'm so glad it's only a 20 page Standard Rule book. It's decent paper stock and has lots of illustrations in it.
The Special Rule book has 11 pages for Gettysburg scenarios and 4 for Pea Ridge scenarios, 1/2 a page of Optional Rules, 5 pages of examples for Retreat and Combat, just over 1 page of Game Terms, 2 pages for Gideon Smith's Battle Report of Pea Ridge and 1 and 1/2 pages of Designer Notes
I was a bit suspicious that the rule book was only 20 pages and was thinking (and kind of dreading) the Special Rules book to have more rules - but it doesn't seem to have much more. It's more scenarios and information than other, more complicated rules.
I am very much looking forward to getting tore into this
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:bigthumb:
Looks pretty good to me.
I saw 'Dummy' counters - is this strictly a 2-player game or is there an included solo mode? Or, more likely I'm guessing, would this just be play-each-side-as-best-you-can?
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It's certainly geared for two players (what with 2xplayer aid cards etc). But the store I bought it from listed it as
Solitaire Suitability: High (due to variable activation system)
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Ahhh, interesting. Chit-pull activation I'm guessing. Sounds like it will be fun.
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merging this thread w/ the other one :)
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The information provided about the maps is wrong.
The foldable unit I have for my board games is roughly 36" x 26"
The Second Chance Games website says
2 22” x 34” maps - 5/8th inch hexes, period style
- they are not. They are considerable bigger
Dammit...the Compass Games website says
2 39” x 25" maps - 5/8th inch hexes, period style
I mean I wouldn't have not gotten it because of the map size - but I was excited that I would have a game that would fit in my foldable play area. Combat! doesn't fit either and every time I have to fold it away to stop the cats messing with it, I'm folding about 4" of map over.
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merging this thread w/ the other one :)
Thanks...I just realised tonight when I came to post it should probably have been in this forum.
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It's okay. Brant lives for these mergeable moments.
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Ahhh, interesting. Chit-pull activation I'm guessing. Sounds like it will be fun.
The chit pull system was interesting for activations and one of the other reasons I wanted this.
I've read the Dummy Units section and it's to do with an Optional Rule of Hidden Units.
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It's okay. Brant lives for these mergeable moments.
He often has the urge to merge.
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The painting on the box is likely one by Don Troiani
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https://fineartamerica.com/featured/battle-of-gettysburg-mountain-dreams.html
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It was actually painted by someone called Thure de Thulstrup (1848-1930)
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Why thank you bob :applause:
The only reference I found was the link...sounded odd - Mountain Dreams!
The only reason I said it was apparently famous was because one of The Player Aids guys said so...
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No worries - I'd not heard of him before, but he has painted some amazing pictures. The guy I mentioned before is also very well known for his paintings, especially those with a ACW theme.
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Yeah. When I went looking, I couldn't believe the paintings he'd done. Very impressive 👍
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This game has a kind of sliding timescale. Turns in the first day are 1hr 15mins, turns on the second day are 1hr 30mins and turns on the 3rd day are 1hr 45mins
Apparently the designer responded by saying it's a simple way to introduce fatigue!
I've heard lots of people talk about the simplicity of the combat system in this game. I have to say, after watching some videos (that didn't really go into the nuances of combat) and reading the section on combat, in the manual probably 3 or 4 times, it eventually clicked with me last night. I think if I'd went through it practically, it may have clicked faster...and it does look like a pretty simple and effective implementation of Civil War combat
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If I remember right, Fury in the West had a fantastic way of dealing with the length of the day and exhaustion. Each unit (Brigade, I think) had a Strength Point track. Casualties would move from one end while every hex/few hexes (can't recall which) you moved, you'd move another point tracker from the other side of the track. This way if you moved a unit too much, they'd lose a lot of stragglers; but if you kept it in place after it had moved a lot, it would regain some of them. I think day lengths were variable too, and the game (which depicts the Battle of Shiloh) is played over two days. The first day, the Rebels had the Northerners on the run, but got too weak to press their advantage; the next day, Grant appeared with reinforcements at Pittsburgh Landing, and that was the end of the Rebel attack.
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Anyone who wanted to give this a try, there's a Vassal module
http://www.vassalengine.org/wiki/Module:Battle_Hymn_Vol.1:_Gettysburg_and_Pea_Ridge
And the rules are here
https://issuu.com/consimworld/docs/bh_rules.09_020518_r?e=9869527/58100155
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And - here we go :bigthumb:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49600798576_0bd3070f12_b.jpg)
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Pickets Charge
I may have picked a complicated start scenario!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49600697203_8bc1086e62_b.jpg)
Divisions turned at an angle are non-moveable
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That looks so good...someday I’ll come across a copy.
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I have to say, I found combat very confusing. It was my first time - so I imagine (and I'm hoping) it gets easier
The issues I came across are...
- Determining Engagements
It's a little complicated and in my example above, the forces west of the Baltimore Pike are one engagement
What that means is that the attacking side performs it's attacks and assigns hit markers (unless it's Approach Fire where the defender gets to attack free with a -3 modifier on their To Hit chance), then the defender attacks (ignoring hit markers) and assigns hit markers...then each side (starting with the defender) checks morale and assigns SP losses and demoralisations. They also have to retreat - and that in itself is a pain
Look at Cutler (I think) in 16:06...if he's forced to retreat, the unit behind him has to do a morale check first and if he fails, he gains 1 demoralisation and the unit behind HIM would also have to do a morale check...if the unit behind Cutler passes it's morale, then Cutler moves into that space temporarily (he can't stop there for good because there's no stacking) and the unit behind (for Shaler or Wainwright) has to perform a morale check etc.
Then there's advance after combat!! - SP Losses
The designer has made it so that the SP counters show how many SPs the unit has left. My problem with this, is the demoralisation chits act in the opposite way - they show how many SPs cannot fire.
In my opinion, the SP counters would've been better suited to show how many SPs were lost, rather than how many were left...that way, when tallying demoralisations and SPs, you'd simply add both together and remove that value from the firing units designated SPs on it's main counter rather than ignoring the unit's designated SPs and removing the demoralisations from the SP counter under the unit - they just seem to be counter to each other. I'm not the only person to specify this - SPs and multiple combats
I had a situation last night with one engagement that had something like 8 CSA units against 6 Union units. It turned into a mess. I just completely lost track of where I was...
You have to split SPs between units. So lets say I have a CSA unit with 3 SPs and he's firing against 3 Union units. BUT - he's lost an SP so I have to check the counter below him and see he's only got 2 SPs. I then have to roll a die to determine who he's NOT attacking (he can't attack 3 units with only 2 SPs as SPs have to be split evenly between enemy units)
So he's attacking the unit in front of him and the one to the right. I'm trying to remember that he's NOT to attack the one to the left.
It's difficult to explain - it reads very easy and one of the things I was blown away with was how clear the rules were, how well laid out they were...but gawd - in practice, it's really, really difficult to see where you are in combat.
It's making me dread the full Gettysburg game because there are sooooooo many units and I'm having nightmares thinking how deep I'll have to go checking retreats and morale and demoralisations to see where a unit ends up retreating to....and then going back to the original firing unit and performing the same on the other units it attacked and are adjacent to...
It's a cracking looking game and the rules (with some typos) are excellent - but practically, with no chits to show who you are currently dealing with, it's an absolute nightmare.
Like I said, it was my first time and I hope it gets better. I've seen people mention using tile spacers to show who you are dealing with and those may help.
The SP thing for me caught me out alot last night. When I rolled for morale and had to assign a hit, I was automatically assigning an SP chit with the number 1 on it (signifying 1 hit) rather than taking 1 from the units SP value (say 5) and placing an SP counter of 4 underneath.
The other thing that caught me out - and in fact I didn't even do - was advance after combat. I had done all my morale checks for the defender and then the attacker and had forgotten who had retreated so couldn't work out who would've advanced and where...Thing is, the rules specify performing all morale checks (defender first then attacker) and then performing advance - I just can't see how you are meant to remember who can advance...
Anyway - just a couple of things to be aware of. I will of course report back if I find a better, organised way to do it or if it gets easier.
For what it's worth, I thoroughly enjoyed my wee playthrough last night. I would like to say though it made me wonder if the dice were loaded in Combat!. In Combat! a 10 sided die was used to check hits, TQs etc, etc...I was regularly rolling 1s and 2s....last night, the whole Union front shooting down at the CSA coming up didn't make a single hit. Looks like Picketts Charge may work this time (though no...probably not as I didn't perform any advance after combat!)
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That does look extremely nice.
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It looks nice and it plays really well. I really could envisage lines of Union soldiers and CSA infantry attacking in lines...especially when retreating.
The idea that units behind retreating units might rout as well because a unit is fleeing through your lines is really clever. I haven't come across that before.
It just takes alot to remember where you are and what's next
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That's why I always use a notebook when I play wargames.
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https://twitter.com/Battlefields/status/1236347160637181953
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I remember having the SPI game of the battle; it was one of the GBACW series.
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Oh man I thought Bob was going to recall being at the battle of pea ridge!
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No, he was still in mourning after Nathaniel Lyons death at Wilson's Creek.
Those long years Manning a stockade on the prairie observing the Cheyenne can be very disappointing.
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Oh man I thought Bob was going to recall being at the battle of pea ridge!
I'll have to check my diary - there was a lot going on that year :-)
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I
Oh man I thought Bob was going to recall being at the battle of pea ridge!
I'll have to check my diary - there was a lot going on that year :-)
I’m awaiting your epic autobiography detailing so many important events lost in the mists of time. 😀
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And I so would do it, but unfortunately, all the good stuff is, as you say, lost in the mists of time.
I have, however, loads of boring and mundane stuff I can regale you with ;)
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It’s the best sort of history to chat about over a cup of tea and a board game.
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:bigthumb:
I'll put the kettle on, what do you want to play?
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Grabbed this for 61.49 on Amazon.. there's one left
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DJ47WCZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DJ47WCZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
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Grabbed this for 61.49 on Amazon.. there's one left
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DJ47WCZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DJ47WCZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
That's a really good price for a Compass Games title. They're usually up around $90-110 or more.
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Awesome!
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Finally got my hands on a copy. Rules are on the nightstand and hope to have on the table next weekend.
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Excellent. I hope you enjoy. Most of the rules were fairly simple. IIRC combat threw some niche (I've not come the) mechanics in along with advancing after combat. But I thoroughly enjoyed my play through of the smaller missions.
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I admit that I have been critical of compass games components but really like what they have done with Battle Hymn. The maps are works of art and the counters are really nice too.
So far the rules are really accessible. I’m really looking forward to playing. I find the single attack chit intriguing. It should make Unit movements and limited attack options hard decisions. I also like the non-leader focus of the game.
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Waylaid by life but finally did a first read through of the rules. Hope to punch and clip counters this week.
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:bigthumb:
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Started clipping the counters for Pea Ridge...the oldest said she wants to play...so no more leisurely clipped counters for me. :)
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Its a very interesting battle - the game looks excellent!
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Yeah I’m pretty stoked to get it to the table and teach one of the kids a wargame.
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I loved playing it. It's a cracking system. There were a couple of things that I had to take a second glance at and make some posts about - but overall, it was pretty simple and a really slick game.