Summer Trip 2015

I have been away to Minnesota again this summer to visit with my wife's family.

Again I brought out a set of troops for my two nephews, I was most pleased that they had actually kept the other sets I have given them in good condition (some bayonets broken and a flag pole gone - all in all really well kept for a 5 and 8 year old).  When the younger one saw the four red boxes he knew instantly what they were and inhaled with excitement, what a joy to give to someone like that!

During our time there we played many games with the boys, the usual battleship and asked for monopoly (though the younger one was really not up to using the money, so we 'faked it' with just the cards and houses.  He likes to count the dice anyway.  I also played a few games of "Tower" defense (?), with orcs and goblins and rolling boulders in a team effort.  The young ones like it and it was silly fun.

We also traveled to a few craft places and some game/comic stores.  Since time was available on the return trip I made a stop at Imperial Hobbies, where I picked up the next book in the English Civil War series.

In Minnesota I finally got to handle the new Ares Games sailing ship models for Sails of Glory.  They are a good size in plastic, yet the coloring seemed off for what I was expecting, also there did not appear to be any way to switch out the masts to show damage to sails or no sails or striking of colors.  I am still torn on attempting to follow the game for just the models, I am sure that the system has its fans, yet the problem will be getting the ships I want, beyond the usual ships of the line and frigates, Xbecs and sloops or ketches and any other barges or inshore craft are what are needed to do justice to the other than main naval forces of the era, for it was near inshore waters where the SOL were vulnerable and not enough Frigates could be made to keep then all safe at all times...

Summer 2015 loot

More humble in budget for such things right now, so only a book and much needed Molding Paste along with a silver paint to replace the one that dried out a few months ago, the last tube lasted 10 years, maybe this one will also!

Stagonia and Alpia clash again in a Victory Without Quarter

A few weeks ago Bluebear Jeff hosted a Victory Without Quarter game.

Stagonia's lines

Once again it was Stagonia vs. Alpia.

Alpia's left and Center

The game was put on to show Rob, our new area game enthusiast, what forces Jeff could field for the 14th to 16th Century.

Jeff's wonderful cards set-up in support of the tabletop

This was also a chance to showcase the Victory Without Quarter game system.

My eldest son came out to command the left wing

For me the VWQ system is a non-starter.  I understand the concept of the cards driving the action on the table, I just do not agree with the tactical results in a face-to-face game. 

Jeff's models with their simple colorful pain jobs are fun to work with

Having played many games now via email, I have learned not to expect much from any one game turn and deploy my troops in much tighter formations with little or no expectation of really moving in any sort of co-ordinated fashion.

because of the card mechanics there is the possibility of key forces never moving

indeed it was not until turn 14 that my Commander in Chief got to do anything

Tactical objectives are kept totally limited and strategy is a waste of effort.

The game was another Victory for Stagonia, my eldest son was happy to have driven back cavalry with his foot units.  Yet the face-to-face experience was not what I like from tabletop play, again mostly due to the card driven randomness of all the tabletop action.

Still fun to push lead and chat.