Origins Game Fair 2024 – featuring the Wargame HQ with the Armchair Dragoons – will be held 19-23 June, 2024 ~~ More Info here
Recent Posts
11
Intel Dump / Re: Wargame Design Studio News Thread + Latest Sale Titles
« Last post by rahamy on May 17, 2024, 10:40:49 AM »Announcing the release of the 4.04 updates for our three NATO vs. Warsaw Pact titles in the Modern Campaigns series:
https://wargameds.com/blogs/news/cold-war-in-europe-modern-campaigns-4-04-updates
https://wargameds.com/blogs/news/cold-war-in-europe-modern-campaigns-4-04-updates
12
History and Tall Tales / Re: This Day in History
« Last post by besilarius on May 16, 2024, 06:00:44 PM »1152. King Henry II of England (age 19) weds Eleanor of Aquitaine (30), former Queen of France
1364 Bertrand du Guesclin's French defeated Charles the Bad's Anglo-Navarrese in the Battle of Cocherel. in the centuries following the fall of Rome, as both nations began to form, there was no conflict between them. It was not until the Norman Conquest in 1066 that England and France were brought into regular political contact, and that largely because the Dukes of Normandy, newly installed as Kings of England, were at best reluctant vassals of the Crown of France. Naturally, when the Duke had a problem with his overlord of France, he would often draw upon his resources in England. But these were essentially conflicts between a vassal and his overlord. Not for a couple of generations were there issues of substance between England and France, beginning with the importance of Norman lands to the crown of England.
From the early twelfth century until the early nineteenth century, England and France repeatedly went at it hammer-and-tongs.
the two countries seem to have been at war for about 230 of the 692 years between 1123 and the end of 1815, roughly one-third of the time.
Prior to the Hundred Years' War, the matter at issue between England and France was usually questions of feudal rights over the King of England's fiefs in France. During the Hundred Years' War the issue became a claim by the Kings of England to the throne of France, a matter that continued to be mentioned loudly as late as the reign of Henry VIII, and thereafter more politely into that of George III. After the Hundred Years' War, however, the issues between the two countries began revolve around the balance of power, control of trade, and overlapping colonial claims.
Of course, during some of those years there wasn’t much action, such as during long periods of the Hundred Years’ War, even when there weren’t truces or a "peace" in force.
Now this omits “unofficial wars” and proxy wars. For example, there were frequent hostilities between the respective colonies of the two countries, notably in India and America, which didn't quite escalate into full scale war involving the homelands, although the French and Indian War, which began in the colonies in 1754 did merge into the Seven Years' War in 1756.
And, by the way, on rare occasions, England and France did find themselves on the same side . . . usually because they were both at war with Spain, and, of course, over the last century or so, because of Germany, in the second of which there was a British-Vichy French War that lasted from June 1940 until November, 1942.
1412. Giancarlo Visconti becomes Duke of Milan (May 15-June 12, 1412), by murder
Duke Giovanni Maria Visconti I of Milan (1402-1412), 24, stabbed while entering the Church of San Gottardo
1691 Jacob Leisler (c. 50), Jacobite Governor of NY, and Jacob Milborne (c. 30), his son-in-law, half-hanged, then beheaded for treason
1803. Britain declares war on France and Nelson appointed Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet.
1845, the Regiment of Mounted Rifles acquired a distinguished record during the Mexican War, earning the nickname “Brave Rifles” from General-in-Chief Winfield Scott, which it still bears today, as the 3rd Cavalry, a redesignation effected in 1861.
Following the war with Mexico, the Mounted Rifles spent several years on frontier duty, distributed in small detachments across a wide swathe of southern Texas. For a time in the 1850s, regimental headquarters and about 200 riflemen were stationed at Fort Inge, near Uvalde, about 100 miles west of San Antonio, with outposts scattered across a “front” of over 200 miles. As on most of the frontier, this duty was characterized by boring, mind-numbing routine, occasionally punctuated by the need to chase bandits or stray Indians.
Like many regiments, the Mounted Rifles had their special drink, the “Mounted Rifleman’s Slug.” According to former Rifleman August Cline, the recipe was quite simple:
three fingers of whisky
a spoonful of honey
water, optional
1364 Bertrand du Guesclin's French defeated Charles the Bad's Anglo-Navarrese in the Battle of Cocherel. in the centuries following the fall of Rome, as both nations began to form, there was no conflict between them. It was not until the Norman Conquest in 1066 that England and France were brought into regular political contact, and that largely because the Dukes of Normandy, newly installed as Kings of England, were at best reluctant vassals of the Crown of France. Naturally, when the Duke had a problem with his overlord of France, he would often draw upon his resources in England. But these were essentially conflicts between a vassal and his overlord. Not for a couple of generations were there issues of substance between England and France, beginning with the importance of Norman lands to the crown of England.
From the early twelfth century until the early nineteenth century, England and France repeatedly went at it hammer-and-tongs.
the two countries seem to have been at war for about 230 of the 692 years between 1123 and the end of 1815, roughly one-third of the time.
Prior to the Hundred Years' War, the matter at issue between England and France was usually questions of feudal rights over the King of England's fiefs in France. During the Hundred Years' War the issue became a claim by the Kings of England to the throne of France, a matter that continued to be mentioned loudly as late as the reign of Henry VIII, and thereafter more politely into that of George III. After the Hundred Years' War, however, the issues between the two countries began revolve around the balance of power, control of trade, and overlapping colonial claims.
Of course, during some of those years there wasn’t much action, such as during long periods of the Hundred Years’ War, even when there weren’t truces or a "peace" in force.
Now this omits “unofficial wars” and proxy wars. For example, there were frequent hostilities between the respective colonies of the two countries, notably in India and America, which didn't quite escalate into full scale war involving the homelands, although the French and Indian War, which began in the colonies in 1754 did merge into the Seven Years' War in 1756.
And, by the way, on rare occasions, England and France did find themselves on the same side . . . usually because they were both at war with Spain, and, of course, over the last century or so, because of Germany, in the second of which there was a British-Vichy French War that lasted from June 1940 until November, 1942.
1412. Giancarlo Visconti becomes Duke of Milan (May 15-June 12, 1412), by murder
Duke Giovanni Maria Visconti I of Milan (1402-1412), 24, stabbed while entering the Church of San Gottardo
1691 Jacob Leisler (c. 50), Jacobite Governor of NY, and Jacob Milborne (c. 30), his son-in-law, half-hanged, then beheaded for treason
1803. Britain declares war on France and Nelson appointed Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet.
1845, the Regiment of Mounted Rifles acquired a distinguished record during the Mexican War, earning the nickname “Brave Rifles” from General-in-Chief Winfield Scott, which it still bears today, as the 3rd Cavalry, a redesignation effected in 1861.
Following the war with Mexico, the Mounted Rifles spent several years on frontier duty, distributed in small detachments across a wide swathe of southern Texas. For a time in the 1850s, regimental headquarters and about 200 riflemen were stationed at Fort Inge, near Uvalde, about 100 miles west of San Antonio, with outposts scattered across a “front” of over 200 miles. As on most of the frontier, this duty was characterized by boring, mind-numbing routine, occasionally punctuated by the need to chase bandits or stray Indians.
Like many regiments, the Mounted Rifles had their special drink, the “Mounted Rifleman’s Slug.” According to former Rifleman August Cline, the recipe was quite simple:
three fingers of whisky
a spoonful of honey
water, optional
13
The Modern World / Across The Pacific
« Last post by bayonetbrant on May 16, 2024, 04:31:22 PM »#UnboxingDay! Across The Pacific
https://www.armchairdragoons.com/articles/unbox/unbox-acrosspacific/
https://www.armchairdragoons.com/articles/unbox/unbox-acrosspacific/
14
Age of Gunpowder / A Dutiful Fight
« Last post by bayonetbrant on May 16, 2024, 04:29:54 PM »#UnboxingDay! A Dutiful Fight
A Dutiful Fight: The Battle of Châteauguay, October 26, 1813, from designer Paul Rohrbaugh at High Flying Dice Games, is the latest game in the Battles for Canada series. As volume 8 in the series, A Dutiful Fight covers the United States offensive during the War of 1812 to capture Montreal. The game gives you a chance to rewrite history and push the US forces through British, Canadian and First Nation forces or confirm historical events by frustrating the US battle plan.
https://www.armchairdragoons.com/articles/unbox/unbox-dutiful-fight/
A Dutiful Fight: The Battle of Châteauguay, October 26, 1813, from designer Paul Rohrbaugh at High Flying Dice Games, is the latest game in the Battles for Canada series. As volume 8 in the series, A Dutiful Fight covers the United States offensive during the War of 1812 to capture Montreal. The game gives you a chance to rewrite history and push the US forces through British, Canadian and First Nation forces or confirm historical events by frustrating the US battle plan.
https://www.armchairdragoons.com/articles/unbox/unbox-dutiful-fight/
15
The Modern World / All Bridges Burning
« Last post by bayonetbrant on May 16, 2024, 04:28:32 PM »#UnboxingDay! All Bridges Burning
This was the Finnish civil war of 1917-1918, between Communist Reds and their conservative White opponents, with local moderates somewhere between.
https://www.armchairdragoons.com/articles/unbox/unbox-abb/
This was the Finnish civil war of 1917-1918, between Communist Reds and their conservative White opponents, with local moderates somewhere between.
https://www.armchairdragoons.com/articles/unbox/unbox-abb/
16
The Modern World / Re: Goose Green, upcoming TCS game on Falklands
« Last post by bayonetbrant on May 16, 2024, 04:27:08 PM »another look at it
#UnboxingDay! Goose Green
https://www.armchairdragoons.com/articles/unbox/unbox-goosegreen-2/
#UnboxingDay! Goose Green
https://www.armchairdragoons.com/articles/unbox/unbox-goosegreen-2/
17
Age of Gunpowder / 1714 Case of the Catalans
« Last post by bayonetbrant on May 16, 2024, 01:44:45 PM »https://devirgames.com/1714-the-case-of-the-catalans-the-war-of-spanish-succession-1701-14
Played this one at BGF
semi-cooperative as everyone is playing at the anti-French coalition during the War of Spanish Succession
The players (Austria, Portugal, England, etc) have a market of cards to choose from each turn, in a variation of the ops/event format. If you take the event, you play it and move on to next player (some cards are "must play" but certain players might try to grab those for their own advantage). If you take the card value, it's added to your overall resources, and then you can take an action, that's a COIN-like setup such that once someone 'claims' an action no one else can take it, and you can't take it again the next turn.
Additionally, you have to another consideration when you're grabbing your card from the market, b/c which card you grab determines the order you act next turn, too. So you can grab the exact card you want, but it might mean you go last the next turn.
Some cards/events reinforce or move your forces, others are battles where you can attrit the French & their allies. Some force you to put more French forces on the map, and that's where the 'competitive' part of the game comes in, b/c you can place them such that it denies another player a certain locale, or control of a VP spot, or just blocks their movement. So you're all after the French, but you can manipulate them to stifle your opponent
Game ends when either Barcelona falls, or 30 French units are killed
Our game didn't have near enough negotiating, horse-trading, etc between the players to gang up on certain places, swap victory cards, or muck with other players, largely bc we were all still getting a handle on the rules
And that's the key downside: the rulebook is an unmitigated disaster. It's not a translation issue, it's a total rewrite from scratch. As of now, there are plenty of times where you just need to make a ruling on the table everyone can agree with and keep moving, b/c if you go looking for an answer in the rules, or the online FAQ, you won't find it.
Overall it was a good time, and I'd want to play it another time or two with players who already know the game and aren't just trying to figure out the rules.
BGG images
:strip_icc()/pic2277097.jpg)
:strip_icc()/pic2275513.jpg)
Our game at BGF, with me as the Austrians trying hard not to finish last
Played this one at BGF
semi-cooperative as everyone is playing at the anti-French coalition during the War of Spanish Succession
The players (Austria, Portugal, England, etc) have a market of cards to choose from each turn, in a variation of the ops/event format. If you take the event, you play it and move on to next player (some cards are "must play" but certain players might try to grab those for their own advantage). If you take the card value, it's added to your overall resources, and then you can take an action, that's a COIN-like setup such that once someone 'claims' an action no one else can take it, and you can't take it again the next turn.
Additionally, you have to another consideration when you're grabbing your card from the market, b/c which card you grab determines the order you act next turn, too. So you can grab the exact card you want, but it might mean you go last the next turn.
Some cards/events reinforce or move your forces, others are battles where you can attrit the French & their allies. Some force you to put more French forces on the map, and that's where the 'competitive' part of the game comes in, b/c you can place them such that it denies another player a certain locale, or control of a VP spot, or just blocks their movement. So you're all after the French, but you can manipulate them to stifle your opponent
Game ends when either Barcelona falls, or 30 French units are killed
Our game didn't have near enough negotiating, horse-trading, etc between the players to gang up on certain places, swap victory cards, or muck with other players, largely bc we were all still getting a handle on the rules
And that's the key downside: the rulebook is an unmitigated disaster. It's not a translation issue, it's a total rewrite from scratch. As of now, there are plenty of times where you just need to make a ruling on the table everyone can agree with and keep moving, b/c if you go looking for an answer in the rules, or the online FAQ, you won't find it.
Overall it was a good time, and I'd want to play it another time or two with players who already know the game and aren't just trying to figure out the rules.
BGG images
Our game at BGF, with me as the Austrians trying hard not to finish last
18
The Modern World / Operation Holland and S&T #347
« Last post by bayonetbrant on May 16, 2024, 10:17:58 AM »#UnboxingDay! Strategy & Tactics Magazine #347
"Alternate Battles of the Bulge" - counterfactual histories of WW2
https://www.armchairdragoons.com/articles/unbox/unbox-st347/
"Alternate Battles of the Bulge" - counterfactual histories of WW2
https://www.armchairdragoons.com/articles/unbox/unbox-st347/
19
Pre-Gunpowder / A Gest of Robin Hood
« Last post by bayonetbrant on May 16, 2024, 09:57:17 AM »#UnboxingDay! A Gest of Robin Hood
It’s part of GMT’s “Irregular Combat Series” so it’s sort of COIN-adjacent. There’s been a few Robin Hood games floating around for a while now, from publishers as diverse as Worthington and Kosmos and Spin Master, and now we get one that’s also infused with the political sensibilities of designer Fred Serval. Leaving the gameplay and design philosophy aside, let’s take a look at what’s in the box.
https://www.armchairdragoons.com/articles/unbox/unbox-gest/
It’s part of GMT’s “Irregular Combat Series” so it’s sort of COIN-adjacent. There’s been a few Robin Hood games floating around for a while now, from publishers as diverse as Worthington and Kosmos and Spin Master, and now we get one that’s also infused with the political sensibilities of designer Fred Serval. Leaving the gameplay and design philosophy aside, let’s take a look at what’s in the box.
https://www.armchairdragoons.com/articles/unbox/unbox-gest/
20
Pre-Gunpowder / Re: HISPANIA wargame on Gamefound
« Last post by DracoIdeas on May 16, 2024, 05:09:21 AM »Last hours to get Hispania!
New update published on Gamefound:
https://gamefound.com/en/projects/draco-ideas/hispania/updates/15
Thanks for the support!!
New update published on Gamefound:
https://gamefound.com/en/projects/draco-ideas/hispania/updates/15
Thanks for the support!!