The buzz in the room as things get underway during the September Game Night.
Our club recently (well, a bit over two weeks ago...) held its September Game Night. A blast of extreme weather came through the region and caused a few folks to not hazard the trip, so attendance was a bit down. Even with the lower turnout, there were still a few guests in the mix and enough players to support all three games (our club standard is to have three games to choose from on each game night). This particular game night had an unplanned theme, Civil Wars in America, with two ACW games (one naval and one land), and an AWI game.
George ran an ACW Ironclads game using Bob Cordery's Portable Naval Wargame system. The game ran smoothly and they were able to reset it and run it twice.
Charlie ran a robust Regimental Fire and Fury game (a club favorite): with plenty of troops and shooting to get stuck into!
AJ ran AWI game based on the Battle of Freeman's Farm using his innovative Electronic Brigadier system. For those not familiar with it, I would encourage you to follow the link to AJ's Electronic Brigadier Youtube channel. This is where I plopped myself down, so a brief game report follows...
(Left) The starting view from behind Randy's brigade on the American left: Morgan's Rifles and Dearborn's lights deployed followed by two battalions of militia and a light artillery section marching up. (Right) The starting view from behind my brigade on the American right: all marching in column: three continental battalions (of mid to low quality) and one battalion of militia.
Opposite me would be the British Left: Earl's Hessian brigade, seen at start.
Things get under way...
...and the Americans, Randy and I (in black shirt), watch the British/Hessian steamroller advance straight at us (Earl not being hindered in the least by my best evil eye).
The 2nd New Hampshire would lock horns with the 34th Foot, exchanging fire toe to toe, for the bulk of the game. Eventually, the 2nd NH would retire but rally back behind the NY continentals.
Randy's position on the American left: Kevin's British are pushing hard, and the American line is stretched one deep to cover the zone and block the British end run.
Mid battle, and the entire American line is engaged, with the British/Hessians pushing hard. A hard pounding!
...End game. Randy looks on with a sense of relief (shared by me, out of the picture), as the attrition finally catches up with the British/Hessians and several of their units fall back in disorder. The American line, battered and wavering at times, held in the end. A good game, indeed, and a near run thing! Another excellent game delivered by AJ and his Electronic Brigadier system!
An integral part of any game night, visiting with friends around the table afterwards: and looking forward to more games to come!
Excelsior!
Enjoyed your report Ed. The games looked great and a good time had by all. I'll have to look up the Electronic Brigadier system... I'm intrigued.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Richard. AJ is working towards putting a commercial version of his system online. If and when that happens, I'll be sure to drop a note here.
DeleteA very nice get-together!
ReplyDeleteThe Electronic Brigadier is intriguing. Am I correct in thinking that combat is handled electronically as well? After watching a few videos I could not see any dice bouncing about.
No dice. Each player inputs the actions of his opponent's using pulldowns on the table (which is loaded with the OOBs). Then you hand the tablet to the moving player to review the inputs. When all are ready, the game master runs the resolution program and reads out the results of the turn (morale, combat, retreats, and updated status of units). Quite smooth and renders a very good simulation of the effects of combat over time on a unit's cohesion.
DeleteNice. I am glad that this system has been accepted by the game group - long ago, when I tried to use a computer-moderated system for naval gaming I was almost run out of town! My group wanted to roll dice.
DeleteWell, we do still like the tactile satisfaction and "clunk" of throwing dice (goes with toy soldiers, as Jonathan infers, I think)--every now and again, though, eBrigadier gives us something else.
DeleteGood to see you getting in another monthly session of games. Nice to have a variety of games from which to choose too. I watched AJ’s videos on EB. I am not sure I see much benefit from going electric. Seems that there is less discipline and more time required than in a regular game where players actually roll dice and resolve combat on their own. Of course, the proof is likely in the playing.
ReplyDeleteHi Jonathan. The vids could give the impression that the main point is a tablet interface replacing conventional mechanics (as you suggest), but there is actually alot going on "under the hood" with the software using the inputs at a very granular level, to include counting losses by the individual man and tracking the cumulative effects of action on cohesion/morale. Anyway, as a player, once you get used to it, you actually do find yourself focusing on handling units as opposed to thinking about "rules" (per se). AJ has been running it at conventions now for the last several years, and they get through 15-20 turns, so it does flow once players get the hang of it. I may be protesting too much, but I thought I'd take the opportunity to clarify what may appear more superficial than it is. Having said all of that, point well taken: we don't see eBrigadier as a replacement for conventional miniatures, but as another system with another feel.
DeleteGood to see the club still getting good attendance, despite weather related issues. A nice mix of games too and of course always nice to catch up with friends for a chat, which is part and parcel of making our hobby so wonderful!
ReplyDeleteIndeed: even on a "bad" night we still had a nice range of options and enough players in the room to support all the games--given the nullification of my gaming space at home, I appreciate the club game night opportunities even more.
DeleteAn evening playing toy soldiers with your buddies…what’s not to like.
ReplyDeleteAll the best. Aly
It is, indeed, "all good."
DeleteA very nice-looking AWI game there Ed - just a pity about the result - though not for you, obviously! One of our friends has often remarked there must be a way to write a program that would do what it sounds like AJ's system does - not sure I would find it as much fun as rolling the dice though?
ReplyDeleteEven the baddies have to have their day every now and again :). A change of pace is good, and the advantages of tech in this case do deliver a different style of game, but we all still do love to "roll dem bones" (even if they sometimes don't love us back).
DeleteExcellent looking AWI game and sounds an intriguing system and of course a good result!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
It was so on all counts!
Delete