While the next English Civil War game is on the tabletop, and should be posted as a game report this coming weekend.
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| ECW game in progress |
I have been thinking about a mini project to refight the
St. Nazaire Raid. The idea for this has been prompted through reading the book "Battle Notes for Wargames", and I say mini-project as creating the tabletop of the docks and surrounding buildings will take a bit of work. Or as the author writes - "It is not one that can be knocked up in an odd hour before the game starts, because it requires buildings, docks, etc."
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| The source of the idea |
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| Plan of attack |
Not wanting to spend money on this, I plan to create the motorboats, destroyer Cambeltown, docks, factories, and warehouses using some old cardboard packing boxes which are lying around in the attic.
One challenge will be to somehow squeeze it all on to my 6x4 foot tabletop. The second challenge for this game will be creating rules for the British boats and destroyer HMS Campbeltown as they move to their landing areas and under fire from the harbour's defence guns. Then rules for the destruction of targets (submarine pens, docked ships, and supply tanks) and arrival of German defenders.
Very interested to see how you go about this, as much the construction of the board as anything else.
ReplyDeleteThe book provides a map for an 8x5 foot tabletop. I will have to see how to reduce that to my smaller table.
DeleteLooking forward to both your next ECW battle report and your St. Nazaire Raid project. As Norm notes, your table development will be very interesting to see.
ReplyDeleteI suspect with the St Nazaire project there will be a few test buildings.
DeleteFascinated to see what you come up with for the 'Raid' - your rules are so cut down to bare essentials but produce convincing games that play fast!.
ReplyDeleteA few additional rules will definitely be required for the amphibious parts of the game. Whether the rules are incorporated into the existing rules or treated as a separate rules set will have to be determined.
DeleteSounds like a great project. Looking forward to seeing the results.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteNothing like a challenge to get the juices flowing and the little grey cells humming.
ReplyDeleteIt is certainly a project I am looking froward.
DeleteSee if you can find a copy of the old Avalon Hill game 'Raid on St. Nazaire'. It was a solitaire game and covers both the approach of the boats and the actual commando actions on an absolutely gorgeous map.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip. I have been able to get a copy of the rules. Once upon a time did own the game and vaguely remember playing it. Agree with your comments on the map.
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