In a recent visit to Melbourne, I couldn't resist dropping by one of the Model Shops, even though I didn't have any particular need. In the shop I came across an Airfix Cromwell tank which seemed like the perfect opportunity to kickstart my painting, which has been rather slow or non-existent lately.
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| Recent purchase |
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| The completed Cromwell tank |
During the week I been playing some quick American Civil War games using One-Hour Wargames rules. I have made a few tweaks to the elimination mechanism, modifying them to test unit morale instead, with the aim of avoiding outright eliminations. Instead, when a unit fails their morale test, they are forced to retire, enabling them to be potentially redeployed for defence or regroup to make attack again.
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| A game in progress using my old Minifig 15mm collection. |
I use the One-Hour Wargames American Civil War as written with the elimination section replaced by a moral section with the following rules.
Any unit that took hits during the shooting phase must test for moral. The procedure is as follows:
- Roll 2D6 and double the score.
- If the score is equal to, or greater than, the number of hits a unit has taken, the unit passes the morale test.
- If the score is less than the number of hits, then the unit must retire 12” directly away from the enemy. The unit will pass through any friendly units and must be placed facing away from the enemy.
- Units are only eliminated when they are forced off the tabletop.
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| The tabletop setup for an ACW game. |
I am planning to do some more gaming with these ACW armies. I will also be adding a few more cavalry and infantry units to them. Using some Minifig miniatures I had purchased 40 years ago but never got around to painting. They have been sitting in storage for all these years, but I'm now motivated to finally put some paint on them and get them on to the tabletop.
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| A few Minifigs finally see the light of day and will make there way to the painting table. |
Nice work on the Cromwell.
ReplyDeleteOn your ACW front, I can see influences of your recent modifications finding their way into these rules. Retreat after a failed morale check is a good direction. Should the Morale Check be using 1D6 doubled rather than 2D6 doubled?
The Cromwell tank was a fun distraction and not too fiddly to make. I am using 2D6 when using the OHW rules with 15 hits, so once units get towards the 15 hits they become less effective, often retreating. I am also looking at using D3 (D3-1, D3, D3+1) for hits and 2D6 for moral.
DeleteUnderstood.
DeleteThe current game on the tabletop is using the D3 approach and will hopefully get posted this week with a report of the game.
DeleteOne of the benefits of being an older gamer is being able to dig out some miniatures you knew would come in handy one day.....
ReplyDeleteSome people call it hoarding, but I prefer to think of it as akin to laying down fine wine until it is truly vintage......☺
Neil
I am with you on the fine wine approach as all good things get used - eventually. Although these are the last of my figures kept from when I was a youngster.
DeleteGreat work on the Cromwell.
ReplyDelete40 years ago! At least that will now constitute cheap units.
Thanks. Yes, those figures would have cost a few pence per figure when purchased in the early 1980’s.
DeleteWe wuz robbed! I thought we were going to get an AAR of the 'Flank Attack' ACW game set up in the last post...
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed by how your long-time hoarded figures do eventually get called up to the table to.
My only excuse is I got distracted. I will be doing an ACW report as I am enjoying using these old miniatures and pushing them around the tabletop.
DeleteThose little numbered tabs behind the units are smart thinking. I'll have to do that with mine.
ReplyDeleteI have seen on another blog (I cannot recall which one) where they had used tuffs of grass to represent the numbers. So the 4 had 4 tuffs of grass along that side. In the centre they had a wounded miniature.
DeleteI shall have to remember that method of denoting hit points. I like several 1-fig-1-man games but have mostly multibase figures.
ReplyDeleteI originally used card, but that can be fiddly, and cut MDF board is easier to pick up and flip to the other side for the remaining numbers.
DeleteI do love me some pics of ACW games. Nice!
ReplyDeleteI can’t believe you’ve managed to hold onto miniatures for 40 years. There had to be at least a decade in there were you forgot you had them. 😀
I cannot remember :-)
DeleteWow...that's a bit of a blast from the past Peter. An Airfix model kit (which has painted up very well, by the way!) and then the still-bagged Minifigs 15mm troops....reminds me of my late teens!
ReplyDeleteI too was surprised they were still bagged. All purchased in the early 1980’s. I do like doing the odd Airfix kit as it brings back so many memories.
DeleteNothing better than finding a current use for long neglected lead! I look forward to seeing your ACW rules evolve!
ReplyDeleteIt is always a joy seeing some long unused armies on the tabletop, and the rules are already evolving.
DeletePeter, MiniFigs and an Airfix tank - take you right back 😊.
ReplyDeleteYour Cromwell looks heaps better than the ones I have lurking in a box.
Interesting idea for the morale rules.
Certainly both were a blast from the past. The Cromwell had hard plastic tracks rather than the old flexible black plastic tracks which were always frustrating.
DeleteOh - now that's a good innovation! I did an Airfix panther about 3-4 years ago and it had those God-awful rubber tracks!
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