Jeux sans Minis?

 Here at Maudlin Towers January is always a bit of a miserable month, not least because it contains the anniversary of the birth of this blog's author. It's a time of reflection and one of the points being reflected upon is the dreaded D word - downsizing. The probability of moving in retirement (and not taking it all with us!) leads me to ponder the drastic reduction of the toybox (the horror, the horror). Just how small a "footprint" could a viable collection of toy soldiers be? 

Small figure size obviously helps, and replacing figures with 2D counters is another option (Jonathan Freitag's recent post on Boardgames shows that many Wargamers' are regularly playing 2D wargames), but even Boardgames take up space. Would it be possible to play satisfying games and run Campaigns without the need for the material props? For me, the important part here is "satisfying", because I think most wargamers would agree that the visual aspect of wargames is one of the key factors in the pleasure, however much they might enjoy the strategy, historical accuracy etc etc.

Playing wargames using digital tools is one obvious solution, and I have done this in the past to try out rules before moving them to the table.

Playtesting the "Matchbox" game Civil War!

 But could games played inside a computer replace the pleasure of getting figures out on the table? I suspect not, however I do already use a PC for recording games, map-making (largely) and other visual aids to Campaign play. The battles currently fought on the tabletop are part of a larger story after all. The "story-telling" aspect of wargaming has always been important to me, which is why I enjoy Campaigns so much I think; would games played without minis still make a good story?

To find out I've tried some, using very simple rules that didn't require any record keeping to keep them quick. A PC of course is 100% suited to record keeping...

Firstly, here's a simple Horse & Musket type game (figures have been snipped out of the Junior General site and the games played in Excel. 

Due to the simplicity of the rules, and some extraordinary random number generation it was all over rather quickly!

The next games were an attempt at running a mini-campaign without miniatures. Set in Hyboria (where else?), the backstory was as follows; 

Merchants traversing the Road of Kings through Zamora have come under increasing attacks from bands of brigands. Suspecting that this is orchestrated by the Governor of the Zamoran City of Shadizar (a City whose moniker is “the Wicked”), Corinthia has dispatched an army to ensure that the attacks cease and the road is safe for commerce. If possible the Corinthians would like to replace the Governor with a more pliable candidate and tear down the accursed Temple of the Spider God. 

The Zamorans react by sending their own force to push the Corinthians back over the border. 

Mechanics 

Three games will be played along the Road of Kings. If the Corinthians win two they will have reached the gates of Shadizar and achieved their goal.

Game 1

The Corinthian advance guard overwhelmed the Zamorian attacker in the first battle

Game 2

In the second battle, Zamorians attempted to block the road where it passed between two hills in an arid valley - they succeeded in slowing the advancing Corinthians.

Game 3

The Corinthians, forced to take a slower route cross-country, meet a final attempt to stop their advance on Shadizar

The Corinthian Army successfully arrives at Shadizar to find the Governor has fled (with most of the treasury) and establishes a puppet regime to keep commerce rolling.

As stated before, these games were played with simple rules to keep them quick. With more time investment some engaging games could be played using the Portable Wargame and variations thereof, inside a virtual world.

I currently don't think that, for me, virtual wargames could replace games with miniatures, however they can work in telling a story and are an option when the latter is not available. As long as the imagination is working, the only weak spot is the hardwear.

Beginning 2025

 We left the latest mini-campaign (in 2024) at the end of Turn 1; The Vardian Empire had invaded the Salarin Caliphate and taken control of Marhacan Province by defeating the Salarin's Army 1 that was stationed there. A counter-attack by Salarin Army 2 had also been defeated by the Vard's (seemingly) unstoppable Legion I.

On Turn 2 Legion I took a rest and it was Legion II that took up the baton. Taking the sea route from Palezaro to Harasta without incident (dice roll, see rules in the first post here), Legion II landed and began their advance towards the provincial capital. Blocking their way, however, was Salarin Army 3. 

Once again the Vard started the battle with an impenetrable forest on their left flank; the Salarin General took up position on a hill on his left.

Impetuous Legionaries rush forward and take casualties

The Vard General, an ex-Captain of the Imperial Archers, set up a relentless archery attack on the Salarin force on the hill, trying to encourage them from their defensive position. Meanwhile, his enemy attempted a flank attack on the other side of the battlefield.

With spearmen on the hilltop falling around him, the Salarin General mounted a charge to break the Vard Archers

The Vard were given a bloody nose but held firm and the Salarin retreated back to the top of the hill

The fighting on the rest of the battlefield took a pause as the remaining troops reorganized themselves. 

What was left of Salarin Army 3 congregated on the hill, surrounded by the Vard...

Several (bloody) dice rolls later it was over

Once again the Vard Legions had conquered. The Salarin were invited to become a client state under the 'protection' of the Empire, with all the taxes that such support involves. 

Mark C's Peloponnesian War campaign concept worked well for me as a mini-campaign system and will definitely be used again. The 10mm Ancients will take a break now as I hope to be regaining a little space for painting, post-Christmas. Best wishes for 2025 everyone!

Reply

 The Salarin Caliphate's reply to the Vard Invasion appeared with the arrival of Army Two in Marhacan Province. By then, Legion I had been reinforced and resupplied and was prepared to defend the newly acquired territory. 

Situation Turn 1 Salarin move.

The Second Battle of Marhacan

Emboldened by his previous success, the Vard General set out aggressively, personally leading the early moves...

The Armies face each other

The Vard General rushed forward but was quickly in trouble

The Vard Cavalry charged the enemy archers
In the Centre the Infantry was reinforced but still struggling

All troops from both sides were soon engaged 

The Vard Infantry were pushed back at last,
but now their flank was no longer exposed

The Vard Cavalry reformed for another charge 

Having swept the Salarin Archers from the field,
The Vard Cavalry smashed into the rear of the enemy infantry

After a very shaky start, Legion I was again victorious

Situation at the end of Turn 1

Next!

Having read and enjoyed Martin Rapier's recent post (see here) where he played Mark Cordone's Hoplite! game, I thought I'd have a go too. Not having a sufficient number of Ancient Greek types to play the Peloponesian Wars, I thought I'd create a couple of ImagiNations and play a Campaign (slightly adjusted for context) with them.

Campaign Setting

A few centuries after the expansion of the Vard Republic (see here) absorbed its nearest neighbours (barbarians all), the old elected Tyrants have been replaced by a tyrannical Emperor and the border of the Empire has reached the Northern most extent of the Salarin Caliphate. 

Campaign Rules

This is the first draft of my version of Mark C's original which can be found somewhere on the Facebook PW page. Battles will be fought using the 3x3 Portable Wargame variant. 3x3 grids will be diced for using a d20 and the following (top left is 1 read left to right, brown square is a hill, green a forest and grey a settlement)

First Campaign Move and battle

Starting position of the Armies

The Vard won the initiative roll and Legion I attacked Marhacan. Legion III moved into Salanthi province.

The Vardian Empire's first moves

First battle of Marhacan (apologies for the poor lighting)

Salarin cavalry attack the Vard left flank

The Salarin in full attack! The Vard begin to take hits

Mid point of the battle - the Salarin's 3rd rush at the hill

The Vard's reserves are all now committed 

The Salarin begin to falter

The remnants of the two armies fight to the finish

The first victory goes to the Vardian Empire

The first battle demonstrated that the Vard have found a worthy foe in the Salarin. The next battle will feature the response of the Salarin Caliphate to the Vardian invasion. 

Massacre!

 

Play testing the 3x3 PW game in a Wee Matchbox  produced a surprising result, so that ticks a box (pun unintended).

Before reporting the game I want to point you in the direction of Roger's Matchbox game which is a really very brilliant Cowboy shoot-out, featuring thematic dice!! Please visit here.

The Game (see the last blog post for the rules)

The grid squares were shuffled (blank side up) and 9 picked and placed between the Reserve Areas

The two sides diced for ends. Red scored highest and chose North.

Army Red looked smugly at a very defend-able town between two woods (the Lake is impassable too).

Initial positions - Red had 4 Infantry and 1 Artillery, Blue 3 Infantry, 1 Cavalry and 1 Artillery (positioned on the hill to get a bonus).

Simultaneous Artillery fire saw red lose an infantry unit on the first throw!

Army Blue attacked the town and moved up a unit from the Reserve Area. Army Red replaced his lost Infantry unit with a reserve.

Turn 2 saw another Red Infantry unit destroyed by Artillery fire!

Blue's attack on the town continued without success. Red brought his final reserves into action (not illustrated)

Blue's Artillery fumbled on Turn 3 allowing Red to rush out of the woods and attack them. The attack on the town saw a Blue success with a natural 6 rolled - Red were now down to two units!

Blue moved up more forces on Turn 4. Red was now attacking both the town and the hill, desperate to damage Blue somewhere!

Disaster for Red! Turn 5 saw the Red Army reduced to one unit which was looking likely to get surrounded!

The horror show was completed on Turn 7 - a complete massacre of Red's Army and a resounding success for Blue. Not at all as I expected things, mainly due to the powerful (rather too powerful) artillery that wiped out two units of Infantry at the beginning of the battle blunting Red's defence.

The playing pieces, in case anyone wants to have a go...