Dabbling in Civil War Games

These past few years I’ve dabbled with various games focusing on the American Civil War to varying degrees of success and satisfaction. Several games have caught my eye, with some acquired and played, while a few remain yearned-for yet too-expensive additions to my game library. My experience is in no means comprehensive, nor does it encompass the vast panorama of Civil War-related games available over the years; but a few come within my realm of experience and touch on elements I enjoy or admire in games.

I’ve always nurtured an interest in the history of the various places I’ve lived: Ridgefield, CT, site of the Battle of Ridgefield during the American Revolution; Honesdale, PA, birthplace of American railroading with the first steam engine to run (briefly) on rails and once the staging point of a vital canal system supplying New York City with coal; Williamsburg, VA, colonial Virginia capital and living history restoration; and Culpeper, VA, a central Civil War location between the Shenandoah Valley, Chancellorsville and Wilderness battlefields, and site of its own engagements at Cedar Mountain, Brandy Station, and Culpeper Court House. (I discussed the subject of local history a while back in another blog post.) My interest in some of these locations sometimes inspired my game-related activities. I’ve long hoped to find a system and medium to replay the Battle of Ridgefield (and might have found one in my Charge! rules under development). Living in Culpeper has certainly spurred me to find some means of playing out small cavalry engagements -- Buford’s crossing of Beverly’s Ford as the opening move for the massive Battle of Brandy Station, Mosby’s raid on a train at nearby Catlett’s Station, and, of course, Custer’s action against the artillery and cavalry guarding the Confederate withdrawal from Culpeper Court House.

Over the years I’ve acquired a meager collection of Civil War-themed games; now that I’ve lived in Virginia for more than 10 years and currently live in a nexus of many related historical sites, I’m drawn more to investigating this period of history through games. I regret I sold my boxed set of West End Games Civil War wargame titles long ago when money was tight; though I’ve rarely had the time, attention, or interest for indulging in complex “chit-and-board” wargames (despite owning a few).

My interest in Civil War games has ranged across several resources and titles, some I’ve acquired and played, others remaining on my “wish list” for future investigation, though the material I’ve seen so far intrigues me:

Junior General: The website offers Civil War gamers several scenarios for miniatures battles and a few other games (card and matrix/map battles) for the historical period. Scenarios for First Bull Run and two segments of Gettysburg (Little Round Top and Pickett’s Charge) provide very simple rules and well-researched historical notes (though a familiarity with  miniatures wargames can help understand some of the basic gaming concepts). Although the materials on the website seem intended for adults to find resources and run games to help students explore history, it’s a treasure trove of materials for wargamers dabbling in various periods. Browse the site’s vast archive of military units to print out, assemble, and muster on the gaming table using the well-researched scenarios. Junior General remains a great starting resource for wargaming any historical period.

Sundered Union: Several years ago a new game company, Gordon & Hague Historical War Games, published a full set and then a quick-start version of Civil War tabletop rules to support its line of 10mm period miniatures. Both versions remained available as free PDF downloads from the company’s website until recently; a full-color, soft-cover printed version was briefly available for purchase, and I’m thankful I managed to obtain a copy from a convention vendor. While far from perfect and nowhere near as comprehensively complex as other, well-established miniature wargaming rule sets for the period, Sundered Union provided a basic framework for Civil War battles and included rules for most of the generally accepted tactical elements for these engagements. The quick-start rules -- at a concise four pages -- streamlined the main game further and offered newcomers to wargaming (or those of us who prefer lighter games) a more simplified yet gratifying experience. Regrettably Sundered Union is no longer available as a free PDF download from the Gordon & Hague website in either the full or quick-start versions. The game served as a solid platform for the company’s short-lived line of pre-painted 10mm Civil War miniatures and could easily work with its upcoming line of pre-painted 15mm minis. The company recently concluded a successful Kickstarter campaign for a massive board wargame using accurately illustrated top-down counters or the pre-painted 15mm minis, both of which, alas, remain beyond my own rational budgetary allowances.

Battle Cry: Board games packed with hordes of pieces, dice, tiles, huge map boards, and cards seem the norm for everything from light wargames to Euro-style games these days; Battle Cry is no exception. It uses the Command and Colors system developed by Richard Borg for simplified wargames focusing on a deck of command cards and custom dice to determine the outcome in combat. I have no direct play experience with this game, though I’ve perused an old version of the rulebook. I have played Borg’s engaging Memoir ’44, a World War II Command and Colors game incorporating many similar elements: a large hex board easily customized for scenarios with terrain tiles; plastic pieces representing different units and their strengths; left, center, and right flank card-based actions; specialized dice to resolve combat; and an easy means of creating or playing historical scenarios. Like it’s World War II counterpart, Battle Cry comes with a box filled with the aforementioned goodies (board, terrain tiles, plastic soldiers, dice, cards) as well as the understandably high price tag of $60 retail.

Dixie: At the height of the collectible card game craze of the mid-1990s Columbia Games jumped in by adapting to card play mechanics the designers ported from the tactical portion of the Bobby Lee block wargame (which I realize in retrospect thanks to the Kickstarter campaign mentioned below). Each deck of Dixie contained enough cards to run a battle, with cards depicting infantry, cavalry, and artillery units -- each with an original illustration of individual soldiers in uniform -- as well as generals, terrain features, and special conditions to modify the battle. Like the tactical combat in Bobby Lee, players deployed units on their left, right, and center, with forces held in reserve. Units revealed themselves advancing against and engaging the opponent’s positions, resolving combat, and taking ground. I can’t recall how I acquired the few decks of this game I possess (two of the Battle of Bull Run edition and two Gettysburg edition); possibly as a giveaway at a game industry trade show, maybe purchased at a convention or game store. They impressed me as a basic, card-driven means of refighting battles using historical units and some degree of tactical accuracy.

Bobby Lee: In 1993 Columbia Games also published a wargame covering the Civil War in Virginia (including Maryland and southern Pennsylvania, to include Antietam and Gettysburg). What seemed like a conventional “chit-and-board” wargame -- complete with a nicely-rendered map-board, detailed rules, and numerous pieces for various military units -- actually moved beyond those bounds by including two innovations Columbia Games incorporated in its many wargames: pieces on wooden blocks and a tactical battlefield combat to resolve engagements between forces meeting on the larger strategic map board. Each block represents a unit, with the usual wargaming stat information on a sticker; when stood on its side, however, the blocks enable a fog-of-war mechanic allowing a player to see his own forces but hiding the opponent’s armies from view until encountered in battle. The game combines both strategic action across the campaign theater map-board and more focused tactical engagement resolution on a separate skirmish board utilizing gameplay similar to that of Dixie (and probably derived from games like Bobby Lee). Columbia Games is funding a revision of Bobby Lee through Kickstarter; the campaign ends on November 11, 2013. This looks like a good game -- with tighter rules than the original -- for someone dabbling in the period. The $75 price tag seems quite daunting, considering many high-end Euro-style board games come in around $50. Still, the components look good, the map is huge, and I’m very interested in the fog-of-war mechanic with pieces using blocks.

These titles are the ones that come to mind or have formed my experience playing Civil War games, though I know more exist and I’m sure the Hobby Games readership has its own favorites and suggestions

Comments....
Want to offer feedback? Start a civilized discussion? Share a link to this blog entry on Google+ and tag me (+Peter Schweighofer) to comment.

Games in Museum Gift Shops

Frequent readers know I’m an advocate for introducing games to non-gamers, both to grow the hobby and to share an entertaining pastime. I’m always amazed at -- and discouraged by -- the lack of games in museum gift shops, especially when so many games seem thematically well-suited to various museums.

I live near a number of museums of different sizes; all have gift shops, almost all cover periods or issues of history demonstrated by games I know, and none sell any of these games. They’re primarily filled with cheap souvenirs -- toys and trinkets that soon break, go missing, or are forgotten -- with a smattering of higher-priced “collectible” items appealing to (and affordable by) only a sliver of museum visitors; some provide a comprehensive offering of relevant books for research material and other inspiration for those playing games with related themes.

If they have any items one might classify as a “game” they tend to include themed playing cards, superficial trivia games, themed versions of Monopoly, and games designed from a purely educational perspective…not quite the contemporary board game fare with solid replay and production value we’re used to seeing.

Many games appropriate for museums carry a higher price point than most casual visitors might afford. Yet offering something previously unseen to visitors offers the potential for purchase and play; if a game isn’t on the shelf, people interested in the museum won’t know it exists and thus won’t become aware of the potential to further explore their interest through gaming. Combined with knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and personable volunteers, games might also provide the basis for in-gallery demos to further enhance the museum experience for interested visitors.

I understand a long and difficult path exists between game manufacturers, their distributors, buyers for gift shops, and the museum gift shops themselves. There are three or four steps involved in bringing a relevant game to the right museum store, and few can take the time or effort to fulfill a few niche accounts and put potentially unsalable merchandise (as possibly seen by museum shop buyers) onto the shelves. Yet ideal games for many museum shops exist if game publishers, their distributors, and museum shop buyers did some research and made some contacts.

As a general rationale, I’d recommend games for museum stores fulfill several key qualities to make them as appealing as possible to potential customers. Games with basic, if not introductory, rules remain preferable to complex games without easier alternatives (I’m thinking games that offer basic and then advanced rules in the same set, a subject I’ve discussed before). The price point should remain within reason for the average museum-goer, yet high enough to include some key, relevant games…I’d say $50 is the upper limit for these kinds of purchase, though in reality the ideal upper end probably sits closer to $25 or $30. The game should be ready to play out of the box; no painting minis or other laborious preparation, a common obstacle to newcomers getting involved in historical miniatures games.

Here are several game recommendations for various museum types that engage my own interests (so these are by no means comprehensive or complete). Bear in mind not every museum theme has appropriate games, but given the throng of historically themed games, many museums could find at least one appealing, affordable title to add to their gift shop inventory:

World War II Museums: Most museums with World War II exhibits could benefit from offering some classic, well-designed games for that period. Avalon Hill/Wizards of the Coast’s Axis & Allies, both the board game and the various flavors of the miniatures games (most of which, I believe, have a non-randomized base set) work, though the main board game has a hefty price tag. Days of Wonder’s Memoir ’44, also at the high end at $50, stands out as one of the best battle games for the period with amazing replay value and online support. At $40 Battlefront’s Flames of War starter game, Achtung!, an introductory boxed set also works, complete with beginner-friendly rules, a few unpainted, and dice (and now with the digest-sized version of the Flames of War third edition rules). Certainly period-themed games like Wings of Glory World War II would also fit the bill.

Aviation Museums: I recently talked about the rich aviation heritage in Virginia, though I quietly lament the lack of solid aviation-themed games there. Chief among these is Ares Games’ Wings of Glory line (formerly Wings of War) covering both World War I and World War II. The game benefits not only from a solid, easy-to-learn game design (and one with basic and advanced rules) but from the fantastic miniatures that help enhance play. Avalon Hill/Wizards of the Coast’s Axis & Allies Air Miniatures: Angels 20 provides a similar experience with a starter set of fixed Battle of Britain-themed aircraft.

Civil War Sites: I’m not familiar with many Civil War games currently available, but I’ve heard Gordon & Hague Wargames is developing a starter boxed set of pre-painted, 10mm Civil War miniatures to accompany its Sundered Union rules (the quick-start and advanced rules, both available free online); I fear, however, the price tag might exceed what casual Civil War aficionados might willingly pay for such a diversion. Although Avalon Hill/Wizards of the Coast’s Battle Cry fills the battle game niche for the Civil War like Memoir ’44 does for World War II, its price tag remains slightly above the parameters I’ve mentioned above (though not prohibitively so for some).

Railroad Museums: America justly has a fascination with trains, and thus several regional and even national museums focus on our nation’s railway heritage…Steamtown National Historical Site in Scranton, PA, comes to the forefront. Gift shops for such museums would be remiss without stocking at least the basic Ticket to Ride game from Days of Wonder. Granted, it has a higher price point at $50 than most folks might afford, but it remains today’s premier railway-themed game. I would be remiss if I didn’t also suggest some of the railway-oriented games from Mayfair Games.

Art Museums: Any art museum with a collection of cultural art from around the world and throughout history could easily stock a healthy gaming section. (I’m thinking primarily, of course, about the prestigious Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, though any art museum worth its salt could customize its gift shop game offerings to its collection.) Reiner Knizia developed several appropriately themed games, particularly Ra, Samurai, and Tigris & Euphrates; I’d also add Carcassonne for medieval collections. Any museum shop buyer wandering into a well-stocked gaming store could easily find enough affordable, relevant titles to represent the gallery’s holdings.

As noted earlier this is far from a comprehensive list. I invite readers to suggest other offerings generally appropriate for museums with specific themes, especially ones in their own geographical area.

Simultaneous Versus Alternating Turn Rules

I’ve been playing around with Battefront’s Flames of War on the under-used basement wargames table lately to gain a better grasp of the rules; it’s helping me realize I like simultaneous movement and combat resolution in miniature wargames more than strict alternating turn systems.

I’ll admit my experience with Flames of War remains limited. I’m still painting up (and slowly collecting) elements for two companies to fight skirmishes in North Africa, a Panzer company and a British armored company (though light or heavy I haven’t decided -- I have a platoon of Lees and one of Crusader IIs, only one of which being painted and ready for action). Most of my forays into the game consist of pitting my disparate bits of painted units against each other on desert terrain trying to wrap my head around the comprehensive but often-times complex rules. Maybe I shouldn’t pit superior German tanks against British Cruisers and Crusaders, which, despite relatively equal point values, seem to simply fold up in the face of Rommel’s panzers, especially when they sit idly in their final movement position from last turn to let the panzers pound them into oblivion. Nothing says “You Lose” like an entire platoon of Crusaders wiped out under withering panzer fire in one turn. (Obviously this is a deficiency in my collection of painted 15mm figures; I must paint up some British Grant tanks and some anti-tank guns…or maybe I just need to collect an entire German panzer company and field it against some folks at the Friendly Local Gaming Store to really get my butt kicked.)

I recall a Flames of War demo run by Jon Baber of What Would Patton Do at a Richmond-area game day a few years ago. It was an all-tank battle (without infantry or artillery, which was fine since I prefer all-tank engagements anyway). He walked me through the basics of the rules and taught additional rules as I rolled a panzer company through some French village surrounded by fields. Aside from my natural discomfort learning a new rules system, I also experienced a great deal of frustration from the alternating turn progression. Granted, both players follow the same rules and both take turns acting while the other helplessly watches; but turns can take so long, especially for a novice, that the feeling of helplessness drags on beyond the hope of possible victory and ultimately the enjoyment of the game. One might argue since both players use the same rules each benefits equally from alternating turns rather than simultaneous resolution. At least for me the play experience seems far more frustrating. For one entire turn I can do nothing while my opponent maneuvers across the board and shoots at my pieces, possibly destroying them before I have a chance to respond.

Simultaneous Bias

Most wargames I’ve played rely on a simultaneous system where each player resolves movement and then combat at the same time, giving each a chance to act and have what feels like a fair chance to react to the opponent’s tactics without sitting idly and often helplessly waiting for the next turn. Whether or not it’s technically evenhanded, it gives the impression of being fair.

I particularly like the simultaneous mechanics of Wizards of the Coast’s Axis & Allies Miniatures games. While I’ve not played -- and have little interest in buying into -- the latest air combat game, I’ve enjoyed the land-based minis game and War at Sea, the naval version. In both games players each take a turn moving all their units, then fire at targets in turn (and in several different phases in War at Sea to simulate different kinds of ordnance); but damage inflicted by successful attacks doesn’t take effect until the end of the combat turn or phase, giving each player’s forces an opportunity to attack the other from their present positions.

I enjoy Wings of War/Wings of Glory especially for its simultaneous movement and combat system, particularly when numerous airplanes cover the board maneuvering, shooting, and steering clear of other planes. At the beginning of each turn every player reveals and executes his maneuver, then determines if any enemy aircraft are within the fire arc and range. The truly simultaneous movement and combat can lead to some really unexpected and entertaining moments, including two opposing planes shooting each other down in the same turn.

I’m a fan of The Sword and the Flame, the Victorian miniatures rules covering many colonial wars I enjoy fighting (primarily Egypt and the Sudan). Those rules offer an interesting modification of the simultaneous move and combat systems, allowing players to move forces based on the random draw of cards; the British player moves one unit if red cards are drawn, the “native” player when black cards are drawn, until the one with units left over moves remaining forces at the end of the movement phase. The ranged combat system works the same way, though casualties take effect immediately. (Close combat is handled differently and, of course, quite savagely, though still simultaneously no matter who closed to engage.)

When I run roleplaying games, regardless of the system, I tend to favor resolving actions in a round -- particularly combat -- simultaneously, with considerations for extraordinary circumstances or exceptional character initiative (i.e., “Mack tries shooting the Japanese officer’s hand before he pushes the plunger detonator....”). Keeping track of who’s doing what, whether they succeed, and what the opposition does can prove quite the mental and imaginative challenge, but it moves the action a little more from an alternating turn-by-turn game simulation toward a slightly more dramatic, simultaneously resolved scene.

Alternating Defense

I believe alternating turn movement and combat resolution has its place in more traditional, war-themed board games. Obviously when one plays Risk, Stratego, or other such games there remains some element of frustration naturally inherent in the competition between players, but one isn’t left feeling quite so helpless while the opponent determines movement, hits, saves, damage, etc., often while consulting or explaining numerous rules and special exceptions. These turn-based games move far more quickly than often ponderous miniature wargames with comprehensive rules systems.

I enjoy “battle games” like Days of Wonder’s Memoir ’44 or the old TSR Sirocco; like most board games, these rely on alternating turns between players. For some reason -- possibly because of the smaller, board-game feel -- I don’t think my Memoir ’44 play experience is diminished by alternating turns. This might come from the games' limitation on player actions based on the command cards he holds, which can restrict his options to using troops in the left, right, and center (or some combination of those) or to particular troop types. Perhaps the feelings of helplessness in these games doesn’t coalesce as quickly given the quick turn progression and relative ease of the rules.

I was impressed by the Severed Union rules Gordon & Hague recently released for fighting American Civil War battles with 10mm miniatures. On the surface Severed Union seems to rely on an alternating turn system whereby one side moves, fires, and charges into close combat before the other player repeats those phases; except after movement and before long-range fire from infantry, any artillery on the defender’s side has a chance to fire at enemy targets. In fact artillery only fires on the opposing player’s turn, allowing for some degree of defense in the face of unrelenting combat phases.

In my own dabbling with miniature wargame design I’ve leaned toward simultaneous movement and combat resolution, streamlining rules for greater speed and ease of play with relatively few tethers to realistic simulation. Any designer -- for wargames, board games, card games, and roleplaying games -- struggles with a balance between complexity and playability. Historical wargames balance complex rules simulating realities of a period battlefield with ease of play. Some offer very realistic game engines simulating all aspects of warfare within a particular period, but they aren’t as accessible to general players due to their complexity. While some hard-core wargamers might downplay the importance of “battle games” like Memoir’44 and Wings of War/Wings of Glory, they serve as both entry games enticing newcomers into the gaming and wargaming hobby and worthy gaming pursuits in and of themselves offering in-depth play opportunities and solid replay value.

I’m no expert on wargames rules, and I’m certainly not familiar with even most of the popular systems so these remain broad generalizations reflecting my particular gaming tastes.

I’m drawn to the Flames of War “hobby” -- a term the company Battlefront Miniatures uses as a nod to the Games Workshop Warhammer “hobby” on which its modeled its sales and promotion structure -- primarily because it’s so ubiquitous these days among Friendly Local Gaming Stores that stock miniatures (much like its Warhammer forerunner). It remains perhaps the most popular World War II miniatures game today, with a vast, worldwide network of players, tournaments, and host game stores. I’ll continue learning the rules and painting my minis with an eye toward the day when I can field a full tank company at the Friendly Local Gaming Store’s regular Friday night Flames of War gathering, where I’ll fully expect to have my tanks burning on the field before the night’s out….

Sundry Game Ideas from across the Internet

I come across a lot of content in my wanderings across the internet in search of interesting game material; usually only the most relevant to me or the hobby (as I see it) receives mention here at Hobby Games Recce, sometimes in a full feature or as part of my discussion/exploration of a particular facet of the adventure gaming hobby. Which means I often overlook little gems I don’t really have time to explore or write about in depth, but wouldn’t mind bringing to the attention of readers who might not have discovered them on their own.

Here are a few notable little discoveries that can enrich one’s game experiences, most with applications for roleplaying games, but one from the wargaming front (with applications in roleplaying games, too):

Wargames on the Fridge

John Fiore over at the Solo Nexus blog recently posted “Rally Round the Fridge,” a piece about wargaming in his New York City apartment where space remains at a premium. His solution? Mount pieces on office supply store magnetic sheets and use the vertical refrigerator surface as his wargaming table! In his example Fiore uses top-down paper soldier pieces from Junior General (which I’ve featured before here at Hobby Games Recce), but one could mount three-dimensional pieces on magnets, assuming they aren’t too heavy for the magnets to stick on a vertical refrigerator serface: other stand-up figures from Junior General, pre-painted plastic minis (both for roleplaying game heroes and monsters as well as wargaming minis, like Gordon & Hague’s pre-painted 10mm Civil War minis), even Axis & Allies minis (I think anything for Flames of War would be too heavy to stick, though that would look cool). The idea would even work for roleplaying game skirmishes showing the location of heroes and monsters in a dungeon chamber. Fiore’s Solo Nexus blog remains a good resource not only for those interested in solitaire games of all sorts (from wargames and roleplaying games to board and card games) but anyone looking for innovative approaches to group gaming.

“Escalating” Solitaire Adventure

A while ago Crystal Star Games released the Chronicles of Arax, a basic fantasy roleplaying game system geared toward solitaire play, available free on DriveThruRPG and its affiliates. The game introduces a new format for solitaire adventures; rather than relying on a series of “programmed” entries with choices (“If you defeat the goblins, go to 27; if you run away, go to 12.”), it presents a series of numbered entries from 1 to 20 without any “if/then” choices in the text. Each turn the player rolls 1D10 and goes to that numbered entry, confronting a challenge, evading a trap, or fighting the inhabitants. On subsequent rolls the player adds +1 to the die roll for each previous turn, increasingly escalating the numbered encounter; if the die roll indicates a encounter already visited, the player moves upward to the next new encounter. Obviously the earlier entries represent easier challenges and locations one would encounter first in a dungeon, with the later entries covering more difficult obstacles and ultimately the adventure climax. This design offers inspiration for a non-programmed solo adventure format with an intuitive escalation mechanic; it seems to work well for dungeon-delving scenarios, though it might prove an interesting challenge for more story-driven adventures.

Sharp-Looking Risus Supplements

S. John Ross’ Risus: The Anything RPG remains one of the more innovative, free roleplaying game offerings on the internet, with a huge online fan following that regularly contributes free source material for the game. One of those contributors, Brent Wolke, recently released We the People -- a Revolutionary War with magic setting -- to his library of sharp-looking, free Risus supplements available through his engine of thwaak blog. These additional offerings include Axe, Hammer & Rune (dwarf-oriented fantasy), Call of the Wild (animal-mutant post-apocalyptic), and Future Imperfect (near future sci-fi). They’re all short and sweet -- in the spirit of the original Risus rules -- but manage to impart a solid sense of the setting, all within a very engaging graphic design. Wolke’s engine of thwaak blog is definitely worth watching for his latest innovative and graphically sharp developments on the Risus front.

Zak’s Drop-Die Instadungeon

Need a quick dungeon for tonight’s old-school hack-and-slash game? Check out Zak’s drop-die “instadungeon” on his Playing D&D with Porn Stars blog. The two-part process consists of grabbing some polyhedral dice and rolling them on one square-segmented chart with location notes, drawing “rooms” around the dice and connecting them; then rolling each die on a particular chart to determine what adversaries or other challenges inhabit each room. The “instadungeon” concept is a neat idea one might customize (both locations and die-roll results) for one’s particular game, setting, character levels, and general difficulty level. Check out Zak’s blog entry for the more-or-less complete process, as well as someone’s more legible online interpretation (an easier-to-read chart, with the ability to randomize and customize its contents, then print). Warning: If you couldn’t tell from the title, Zak’s blog sometimes contains Not-Safe-For-Work material; and while his style and subject matter range quite artistically all over the place and are sometimes difficult to follow, there’s some real gaming genius at work here.

DungeonTeller

Over at game designer-illustrator Doug Anderson’s Blue Boxer Rebellion blog I’ve been following his posts about developing a new iteration of his DungeonTeller roleplaying game for kids. The current, free version relies on success-based dice pool rolls, offering the usual menu of roles and races with some original touches, like different “powers” players can choose for their characters. The presentation’s very basic, as it’s obviously a first draft to get the system on paper to share with others and use as a personal reference in games; but the approach and mechanics show a great deal of promise, especially when one sees Anderson’s artwork and graphic design ideas, such as his “Into the Unknown” piece, his nicely organized and illustrated weapon chart, and the concise yet innovative “Rumor Mill Premise-Maker for Dungeon Adventures.” I’ll admit I’m getting more interested in roleplaying games oriented toward children, both as a parent (of a toddler who has a few years before I subject him to my gaming interest) and a game designer dabbling in a project of his own. Anderson’s blog is worth following for developments on the next version of DungeonTeller, his crisp, old-school-style artwork, and his insights on old-school D&D.

Gordon & Hague Releases Civil War Minis, Rules

Gordon & Hague Historical Wargames, a relatively new company, recently released a line of 10mm, pre-painted American Civil War miniatures along with free PDF rules, Severed Union. For those of us with limited time and talent for painting miniatures, the Gordon & Hague minis provide a pre-painted mini option; Severed Union offers a basic rules set incorporating many factors that affected Civil War engagements, perfect for those dabbling in miniature wargames (beyond “battle games” like Avalon Hill’s Battle Cry) without overbearing complexities of more detailed rules. Gordon & Hague has provided me with a good customer/player experience, both with quality of the product and its customer service. The miniatures offer a good way to introduce newcomers to miniature wargaming through a popular period and relatively easy rules set, and they mays entice established wargamers to try the period or use the pre-painted minis with other rules.
  
Pre-Painted Miniatures

   
The Gordon & Hague pre-painted miniatures offer a solid selection of Civil War units, including infantry, militia, infantry command, cavalry, scouts (representing both skirmishers and dismounted cavalry), artillery, and generals. At the 10mm scale each base is 1” x 0.75”, small for fighting a skirmish, but ideal for recreating a battle with many units marching across the tabletop. Each base contains a varying number of individual figures (each figure representing 10 men each) depending on the unit: six figures for infantry, militia and their command units, two for generals, three for cavalry and scouts, and four (three gunners and a cannon) for artillery. Typically one stand represents a company of men, while one stand of artillery represents three cannon.
  

While some miniature wargaming connoisseurs might balk at pre-painted minis and the limited detail one might see in that, the paint jobs look fine at that scale and are better than what I could manage with such tiny miniatures. Gordon & Hague’s website encourages hobby enthusiasts to customize their units with additional paint details and base modeling. The website also offers plenty of photos featuring the minis so potential customers can get a good look at the individual units, modeling, and painting.
  
Although the minis originally came in single-base blister packs, the company has since moved toward offering complete boxed armies; the remaining, limited stock of individual blister packs are on sale through the site at 45% off, or $2.19 each until supplies run out. According to the Gordon & Hague website, the reason the blistered minis were on sale is they were the original paint schemes, which apparently were not as well-painted as the more recent minis offered in the army boxes. As long as they last, the single-base blister packs offer gamers the option to purchase specific units (remaining a much more affordable for those of us trying out the period). Civil War miniature wargaming enthusiasts probably want to invest in Confederate or Federal starter army boxes (41 units for $139.99) or grand army boxes (68 units for $249.99); that’s about $3.50 per based unit. The initial army boxes were so popular they sold out, and the company expects a new shipment in early March 2012. Purchasing an army box at those prices remains a serious financial investment for wargamers; one hopes Gordon & Hague looks at other ways of offering boxed sets, such as a starter skirmish set with enough units from both sides to fight small skirmishes.
  

For those without much time, the pre-painted minis offer an alternative to purchasing and painstakingly painting minis, especially when one wants to get them onto the wargaming table to try new rules or scenarios as soon as possible. I don’t have much time; despite being a full-time Stay at Home Dad (SaHD), my toddler and a schedule of housework/home projects doesn’t give me much time for frivolous pursuits like miniatures painting, especially for a gaming genre (miniatures wargaming) and a historical period (American Civil War) in which I only dabble.
  
Free Severed Union Rules
  
Gordon & Hague designed and published the free Severed Union rules available as a PDF download from the company website. Obviously the company would like gamers to use the rules with Gordon & Hague pre-painted minis, but they’d work well with other minis and scales with a little tweaking.
   
The full-color rules include diagrams demonstrating various game concepts (particularly formations and movement), period illustrations, and photos of the pre-painted miniatures on the tabletop. They also include templates to determine fields of fire, flanking, and artillery blast radius, plus counters for various unit conditions from jammed and limbered artillery to units moved at the double quick, marched, or exhausted.
  
The rules begin with overviews of wargaming in the period, including explanation of the different unit types, organizing and building an army, and setting up a game. Turn sequences alternate between players, with steps for rallying retreating troops, movement, a reactionary artillery phase for the other player, firing at range, and close quarters combat. The rules finish with a discussion of terrain and its effects and a summary special rules for different units.
   
Several rules nicely represent tactical elements that figured prominently in Civil War battles. The movement section includes rules for marching in columns and deploying to battle lines, marching at the double quick, mounting and dismounting cavalry, and limbering and un-limbering artillery. After the active player takes his turn maneuvering his troops, the other player has a chance to fire cannon in the artillery reaction phase, giving him some ability to respond during the main player’s turn. Although the close combat rules present the most complicated mechanics in the entire system, they do a good job of simulating the brutal aspects of charges and close action while offering the defending player options in how troops receive the charge.
  
Having used the rules to test out a short scenario, I noticed a few areas that weren’t always clearly defined; but Gordon & Hague seems dedicated to receiving suggestions and adjusting the rules, having offered at least one revision since Severed Union’s initial publication.
  
Online Support
  
The Gordon & Hague website functions primarily to promote and sell the minis, but it also offers resources for Civil War gamers to enhance their experience, particularly with the pre-painted minis. Numerous links promote the free Severed Union rules. The “Hobby Center” page provides several tutorials relevant to miniature gamers but focusing on those using the pre-painted minis, including enhancing them with individual details, adding base flocking, attaching flags to command units, and crafting a customized terrain board; it also provides a listing of websites for scenery and supplies. A brief “New to Wargaming?” provides a general overview of the hobby for newcomers.
  
Given that Gordon & Hague is just getting started, one looks forward to seeing the website offer more articles and tutorials to serve as a focal point for miniature hobbyists.
  
The website’s “About” page offers some insight to the company’s approach, but also hints that it’s looking to expand its pre-painted mini offerings to different periods; many in online scuttlebutt have suggested minis and rules for fighting skirmishes from the American War of Independence as well as other conflicts, and it seems the folks at Gordon & Hague have their sights set on this period next.
  
Personal Experience
  
I’ll admit I’ve had a good customer experience since discovering Gordon & Hague, buying some minis, and playing around with the Severed Union rules.
  
After exploring the Gordon & Hague website and downloading the free rules, I decided to splurge and order a small assortment of miniatures tailored to the local historical skirmish I wanted to re-fight; the Battle of Culpeper Court House -- specifically Custer’s charge of Lomax’s troops defending a departing supply train -- required a unit of mounted Union cavalry (six minis), a unit of dismounted Confederate cavalry (represented by six of Gordon & Hague “scout” minis), a Confederate cannon, and one general stand for each side. The sale on blister packs made this extremely affordable for two reasons: at $2.19 individual blisters weren’t such a huge financial commitment as an entire army box; the blisters also enabled me to purchase only the units I needed to fight this particular engagement, since the army boxes have six stands of cavalry but only three stands of scouts. I was pleased I could order the exact minis I needed at the discounted blister pack price.
  
When my order arrived I found I’d received six Confederate mounted cavalry minis instead of Union cavalry; a quick e-mail to Gordon & Hague fixed the problem and the new minis arrived in the post within two days. The prompt and friendly customer service on the part of Brian at Gordon & Hague -- and subsequent pleasant communications about the rules and minis line -- has made it a pleasure dealing with the company and provided a very positive mail-order experience.
   
Playing around with the rules and tweaking the conditions for my Battle of Culpeper Courthouse scenario I realized the Severed Union rules offer some intuitive gameplay concepts while still accounting for detailed elements that affected Civil War engagements. Die rolls representing the “fog of war” uncertainty elements still determine much of the outcome, though probably more so since this particular engagement focuses essentially on two units facing off with some artillery bolstering the Confederate defenses.
   
I’m often tempted to dabble in new games, though doing so with miniature wargaming rules frequently seems daunting because of the cost in time and effort buying and painting new minis as well as the complexity of different rule systems. Gordon & Hague’s pre-painted Civil War minis and the free Severed Union rules worked well together to draw me into this wargaming period.
  
As an addendum, I’m encouraged to hear the company’s looking to develop pre-painted miniatures for the American War of Independence -- another of my casual-interest wargaming periods given that I grew up in a town with its own Revolutionary War engagement, the Battle of Ridgefield. I’m assuming Gordon & Hague will follow its earlier model by selling miniatures and releasing a free PDF rules set for the period online, a generous strategy that helps boost interest not only in the company’s product but the historical period.