Belgian Chocolates & Ludus Gladiatorius

I do like Belgian chocolates, but some years ago when offered some, I was taken with the box as much as the contents.

The contents were scoffed pretty quick and I claimed the box and have been holding on to it ever since to be refashioned into an arena for my 15mm gladiators.  However, like so many planned projects, nothing happened for years but recently when clearing out a cupboard I came across it again and decided it was time to do something about it.

So, here it is.

The images, including the Ludus Gladiatorius board were all found on the net and printed out on A4 label paper, cut out and stuck onto the box.  The playing area has a layer of ferro-sheet underneath and all the figures (and pillars) are based on magnetic tiles.  There are a couple of layers of foamboard in the box lid such that the inner sits up higher to create that nice amphitheatre look.

The figures, IIRC, are 15mm Chariot Miniatures that have been painted and waiting years for somewhere to play.

I am making record sheets for players and cards for use as a QPS, the latter can also be used for dealing out gladiator characters.  The card designs, see examples below, will be printed out on label sheets cut out and stuck on playing cards.

Well?

Half a Hex, Half a Hex, Half a Hexon-ward

Using hexes for movement has the advantage of removing any fiddly measurements to determine what moves our table-top units can, or cannot, perform on the table-top.  Converting wargames rules to use hexes does require a number of choices to be made and when it comes to unit facing I for one am firmly in the ‘face the vertex’ camp as shown in the diagram below.  Facing the vertex as opposed to the ‘flat’ works well for defining frontal arcs, flank and rear zones but means forward movement follows a zig-zag course with units staggering forward like drunkards.  

One of the rule-sets I have re-jigged to work on hexes is DBM using 15mm figures on 4cm wide bases, which gives two elements side by side in the 10cm-wide Hexon tiles that I use.  One day while wrestling with zig-zagging units my opponent, Martin, pointed out that as elements only occupy half a hex why not let them move straight ahead, elements in the right-hand side of the hex advancing into the left-hand side of the hex ahead (see diagram below).  The simple elegance of this solution was immediately apparent and why I had been unable to see it before escapes me – sometimes it can be hard to see beyond customary practice.

I think this system works well but clearly, it’s dependent on relative unit/element width and hex size.  However, 4cm is a fairly standard 15mm base width and Hexon is one of the more common systems (I have no connection with the company that makes it).  I doubt this has not been thought of before but I haven’t seen it being used elsewhere so thought I’d share it.

Old & New Games - Day 1 of 2

I've spent the last two days gaming with three friends who came round to my cabin for some miniature action.  

On the first day, three of us refought the Battle of Barnet Chit game, described in an earlier post (13-Oct).  This was followed by a quick gunfight using the Too Fat Lardies' (TFL) 'What a Cowboy' rules after which we set up for the following day's game and adjourned to the pub - Hic!

Battle of Barnet, 1471 - DBM

The Barnet game, using DBM rules modified to work on a hex grid, started with the Yorkists (nearest the camera), groping their way through the fog.

When they bumped into the Lancastrians, they found their right wing (Gloucester) was overlapped while their left wing (Hastings) returned the compliment to the Lancastrian right.  The photo below shows how Hastings' troops had gained a free pass to outflank the Oxford's command on the Lancastrian - indicated by the yellow arrows. 

Before the Lancastrian's could respond - courtesy of the randomised turn sequence - Edward IV's battle, which he led in person, slammed into Montague's command in the centre of the Lancastrian line and started to wreak havoc over several turns.  

 

Warwick, the Lancastrian commander, faced further setbacks as Gloucester, throwing some excellent dice, inflicted several unexpected losses on Exeter's command largely negating the Lancastrian advantage on that wing.  Warwick valiantly tried to shore up both wings by feeding forward troops from his reserve but was thwarted by a lack of PIPs and a capricious random turn sequence.  The inevitable sequel to all this was the collapse of both Lancastrian wings and the subsequent flight of the Nevilles in the centre.  So, this time the Yorkists managed reverse the result from the last time we played this game.  

A Fistful of Dice - What a Cowboy

After packing away the Barnet troops and terrain, we moved on to play our first game of What a Cowboy using some old Foundry figures and my nearly completed Wild West town.  Unfortunately, I don't have a decent mat to place on this so we made do with a sand-coloured length of cloth.

The scenario was based on 'A Fistful of Dollars' with two gangs trying to run the town while a mysterious stranger tries to play off both sides against each other.  As my first game with these rules, I got well and truly sucked into the game and forgot to take photos.  The game started well for my gang and our opposition was soon pretty much down and out and the 'Clint' character kept in check.  Unfortunately, Steve, playing Clint, made his move but was embarrassed by a steak of poor dice.  My mirth was short-lived when some bystanders (non-player characters) who the scenario allowed to back him up had no such problem and my gunmen came to a sad end...

Day 2 to follow later...

Quick-Tip: Pinning Down Hexon Hexes

Grids, square or hexagonal, are it seems are a 'Marmite' option amongst wargamers.  Personally, I like them as doing away with measuring and subsequent debates, they speed up games.  However, having bought some hexagonal terrain tiles (Hexon by Kallistra) I found fitting the clips that hold them together both fiddly and time consuming.  

Inspiration came to me in a ‘Pound-store’ of all places!  There before me was a rubber pin mat – the penny dropped!  I bought one, took it home, and cut out a 4x4 array of the rubber pins and it was a perfect fit for the tiles – see photo showing half the pin may connector projecting from a tile.  Now, an adjoining tile firmly placed down next to the one with the pin-mat connector is firmly held in place – what could be easier!  

To show more clearly how it works, see the photo below with the tiles turned upside down with a connector in place joining them together.

I quickly cut up the rest of the mat which provided me with enough connectors for the perimeter of any layout I might require.  I admit I may have been lucky getting the right size by chance but you could either take measurements or a hex-tile with you when you go shopping.