Well, its finally over.
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| Climax! |
When I decided to get the ACW lads on the table, I was thinking that I had the rules all squared away. Didn't take long to remember what a mess I'd gotten myself into when I decided that while I had enjoyed the 'Regiment as unit' games, they took too long to play. I had experimented with various different approaches, but a quick scroll through the past ACW posts informed me that I had put the lads away without a new faster playing set of rules.
So. over the last 2 weeks, I've been using any free time with energy to work on the design and then play a test turn or two then get back to the design when I had time and energy. Getting something, fast playing, at least as "right" feeling as many movies are, and which didn't outright give the lie to most of the memoirs I've read, wasn't easy. I'm not sure I'll ever manage all of that but I'll settle for a set of rules that will allow me to fill the table and play to a conclusion in 3-4 hours for a simple scenario.
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| A minor victory for the Federals. |
Well, today, I played the last turn. The current version of the The Plastic Army of the Potomac rules are more a devopment of my old Hearts of Tin rules han anything else. I need to pick a suitable old favourite scenario, reset the table, and play through without an interruption. Not sure exactly when that will be, but soon.
I like the look of your battle, Ross - and the action itself must have as such been pretty satisfactory.
ReplyDeleteI have just had a quick squizz at your PAotP rule set, and I'm prepared to give them a go myself. I've taken the liberty of printing out a copy, and I'll give them a crack soon on my 4'x4' table. Hope that's OK. From what I've seen, they should go pretty quickly - quicker than my own ACW rule set, and that's not exactly a slow set!
Cheers,
Ion
Thanks Ion. No point in sharing rules if no one reads or plays them or borrows an idea! If you don't blog it, let me know how it goes. Suggestions, ideas and criticisms always welcome.
DeleteIf another game or 3 here go well, I'll do a full 3 or4 page version and a 1 sided QuickRef.
Great to view your Airfix ACW Collection- some of my all time favorite plastic figures- indeed the Union Infantry box was my first ever Plastic Soldiers- that was a long time ago!
ReplyDeleteIndeed! Something like 60 years since my first box!
DeleteI was just about to say that I love what you've done with the Airfix figures. I'm almost wishing I'd bought more boxes at the time!
ReplyDeleteColkitto
At the time I rarely had more than 1 box of anything! It says something about them that I've had donations from various people who don't want to use them but want them to be used.
DeleteNot sure when I got my first Aifix figures but certainly had sizeable foces by 1964-5. I still have a fondness for them.
ReplyDeleteYup.
DeleteThe pictures are fantastic. I am pretty firmly resolved not to figure game the ACW but those pictures definitely set my resolve wobbling.
ReplyDeleteCould be be Napoleon III in Italy, Italian Unification, or any war to be honest. You can fit a lot of 1/72nd plastic on a small table. :)
DeleteI do enjoy seeing photo of your plastic ACW collection and I like the way the rules deal with morale, very effective.
ReplyDeleteIts quick and simple, I've started using it early this century, wander off and come back.Its notmobvious but the inspiration came from Joe Morschauser.
DeleteAlways inspiring to see your figs in action. Tinkering with rules in search of that "golden mean" between playability and simulation (as one interprets it) seems to be a unifying motivation--a source of both enjoyment in it's explo4ation and vexation in its elusiveness..
ReplyDeleteAlmost a hobby in itself. or maybe just a way to spend hobby when not up to painting or playing another solo game when no opponents are available?
DeleteThe sight of so many Airfix soldiers makes the eyes all misty for some reason!
ReplyDelete