Just a wee update on our demo game of R2E at Partizan. I am really breaking some old habits these days by actually 'playing' games at shows!
That's what comes from being there with your mates.. I'd almost forgotten how nice that feels!
Dave O'Brien was Games Master and I must say, a very fine Sales Manager too! Endless patience and enthusiasm for explaining what R2E is, does and how it works.
For Jack Glanville, David Imrie, Kevin Calder, Adrian Howe and Colin Jack it was a chance to acquaint/reacquaint with the constatly revised R2E as it nears the market. I think those new to R2E picked up the groove pretty quickly and were reasonably comfortable with its broad principles after three or four turns. We did quite a lot during the game which was a section of Quatre Bras.
Interest was very high and many people took the time to stay at the table or return several times to check progress and ask more questions. We had many Naps Addicts and they did not seem to have any probles with the broad thrust of the rules which is pretty much about command and control.
I suggested to some clubs that when the rules hit the streets if they want to run a game day and I /we can make it then it may be possible to have such an event. There was actually a good positive response to this idea.
Even at these very very very late stages it is still possible to find a glitch.. we did that yesterday in was in the FIBUA rules and it has now been sorted!
I also had a fair contribution in terms of my Augsburg collection to the accompanying table which was Adrian Sheperd's very fine Malplaquet refight. As I know he has BLB I was a bit puzzled why the rules weren't being used for the game. A look at some of his table companions for the day answered that!.. it was the GW gang who were of course testing Black Powder! before its release. I managed to get a glimpse of it in its pre production form and it looks very nice. In my opinion far superior to the other 'big release' recently.
I do not intend to rush R2E onto the shelves in a sort of gazumping manoeuvre against Black Powder as the focus of both rule sets is quite different. R2E deals with 25 years of War 1790-1815 in a lot of detail. Black Powder covers the period 1700-1900. I see very little conflict and only limited cross over.
R2E is finished, the only things being done at the moment are replacement of certain place holder photographs and the contracting of a Printer. If incidentally anyone out there knows of a very reliable printer possibly with gaming industry track record please let me know at
wordtwister@hotmail.co.uk . I want to keep my options open to the last!
Other wise, the show was very good, if rather hectic..
