Mini-Campaigns & Games via Email

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Bluebear
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Mini-Campaigns & Games via Email

Post by Bluebear » Tue Dec 18, 2012 10:55 am

The various Charles Grant "Scenario" Books are a great resource for the type of military actions that often took place. They are (for the most part) NOT "even battles" . . . but both sides have a chance to accomplish their goals.

A while back I challenged members of the "Emperor vs Elector" group blog to create some "mini-campaigns" by tying a number of these scenarios together . . . creating a "scenario tree" depending upon who wins a battle as to where they go next.

Several responded. Here is a link to a summary page of the various mini-campaigns. Click on the "brown" links in parenthesis to go to each author's full campaign description:

http://saxe-bearstein.blogspot.ca/2012/ ... lenge.html

Now, as some of you may know, I am going through a serious medical situation that prevents me from playing any face-to-face games . . . but I have found a solution (using one of the above mini-campaigns) that allows me to play at a nice leisurely pace.

I am playing games "solo" but not in the usual way. A couple of "net friends" (one in Nova Scotia; one in British Columbia), are acting as the Generals of the two sides. They send me their general orders and then I play them out on my table.

Then I post an account and photos to a blog ( http://alpianwars.blogspot.ca/ ). They then send me new orders and so on. We are now well into the second game of this particular "mini-campaign".

I happen to be using Clarence Harrison's "Victory Without Quarter" rule set because the card movement allows for lots of surprises . . . and suits my need for frequent rest breaks.

Unfortunately I do NOT have any ECW troops . . . but I do have some late Renaissance figures that are properly based, so I'm using the rules as is even though the fight is between two fictional 16th century armies.

You, however, may use any rules that you want . . . VWQ isn't required but it works very well.

For those interested, the two armies I have are "mirror images" of each other. Each consists (at maximum) of the following:

1 x C-in-C General
3 x Brigadiers

6 x Pike & Shot -- 1 veteran, 2 trained, 3 raw
1 x Commanded Crossbow -- trained
1 x Swordsmen -- raw

Knights (cuirassier) -- 2 squadrons -- trained
Cavalry (trotters) -- 2 squadrons -- veteran (trotters)
Cavalry (trotters) -- 2 squadrons -- raw

2 Light Artillery OR 1 Foot Artillery -- trained
1 Artillery Guard -- veteran


Before each battle I dice for which units are available (as guided by the scenario). The opposing Generals do not know the quality of the opposing troops . . . but they are learning that some seem tougher than others.

I'm also using the "maddening subordinates" optional rule . . . with each General always having at least one such Brigadier.

Try it out, you might find it a great way to play . . . I do.


-- Jeff
Rob Herrick
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Re: Mini-Campaigns & Games via Email

Post by Rob Herrick » Thu Dec 20, 2012 12:16 am

I like the idea very much. Keep on keeping on with how it turns out!
With Gen'l Custer Down in Mexico: Yes, one of the goals is to see how many times one can get him killed.
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Bluebear
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Re: Mini-Campaigns & Games via Email

Post by Bluebear » Thu Dec 20, 2012 9:10 am

Rob,

We're moving a bit slower than normal right now because of Christmas. One of my generals has a house full of relatives and the other and myself just have a lot of Holiday commitments.

Besides my "Alpian Wars" blog; there is a thread here on LOA concerning the mini-campaign:

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=4506

And I should stress again that while I'm using VWQ rules, that you can use whatever rules appeal to you (in whatever period) to use the mini-campaigns and/or playing by email.

But as the person playing out these battles, I'm quite delighted with the unexpected order of Clarence's rules. And the link to my blog is here:

http://alpianwars.blogspot.ca/


-- Jeff
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