Friday Grab Bag #8 – More Odds and Ends

I went to the local hobby shop and was determined to buy  a can of primer knowing very well that it would likely be GW and the cost would be $14.  As it turns out, GW primer has become prohibitively expensive at $19 for a 10oz can!  I remembered a friend of mine was using a primer called Krylon Brite Touch.  It is an automotive primer but can be used on metal or plastic.  The cost is a whopping $3.50 for a 10oz can.  It can be had in the USA at most autoparts stores or even W

Friday Grab Bag a day early

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these posts but I do rather like writing them.  Mainly, it’s been time, life ad the complete lack of energy that’s been keeping me from writing these as well as other items.  My back/leg is feeling much better.  I still have a small amount of numbness in the bottom of my foot but each day, the feeling has returned more and more.  Most of the time I can walk without a limp.  I’m pretty happy about this.

PCS has a game and line of miniatures called Mortem et Gloriam for pre-order.  The first release will include a line of miniatures that will cover the failing Roman Empire of c450AD.  Romans and Goths and Huns! Oh my!  The figures look quite nice from the couple of photos I’ve seen.  They are plastic so maybe they won’t be for everyone.  The associated game seems to ustilize cards and chips.  It is not really my thing but may be of some interest to someone.  The miniatures, while I have no desire to pre-order, are of interest to me.  One day, I’d love to put on a game of the Battle of Chalons.

Hunnish Nobles, I presume. Courtesy of PSC Games.

I think I’ve figured out a way to keep a project from stalling.  It requires 4-5 projects to be going at one time.  For instance, I’ve stopped painting AWI right now and have been painting some ships for the Russo-Japanese war.  Well, I am a little tired of that too.  So, I do have a bunch of Elves and Orcs I’ve been planing on using for the Battle of Five Armies.  I think I shall bring those fellows out and paint them some.  When I get tired of that, I still have my WW2 Western Desert project.  That one  is close to being usable for small game scenarios.  Then, if my instinct is correct, I’ll circle back to one of the other projects, hopefully the AWI.

 

 

My Favorite Rules Pt2

In my last post about my favorite rules, I said that I would work on combat in the next post.  Well, I generally like to write rules in order of sequence of play.  Movement comes next, so today I shall talk about movement.

Like everything else, I like to keep my rules short and sweet.  Infantry can move 6″ and cavalry can move 12″.  Remember, this can be modified by morale results.  Sometimes, a morale result can allow only a half move or even no move at all.  Other times, the unit might fall back or route 1 or two moves, which counts as the unit’s move for that turn.

Formed units typically turn about the center  with a turn consuming half a move.  Skirmish/light units may turn about the center up to 45 degrees for free.  Optionally, a unit may wheel and spend movement for each inch moved measured from the outside corner.

A formation change costs a unit a half move.  Formations can be line and column.  Columns can be march column or field column.  March column is 3 figures wide with multiple ranks lined up behind.  Field column is 6 figures wide with multiple ranks lined up behind.

As mentioned, infantry moves 6″ and cavalry 12″.  A unit in column gets a bonus move of +3″.  A unit in march column may gain an additional bonus of +3″ if it moves entirely on a road or path.   Finally, skirmish/light units get +3″ for being in skirmish formation.

It should be noted that a unit that is afforded a half move because of a morale result would only be able to move, change formation or turn as it only has a half move available to do one of the three.

As a final note, morale plays heavily on a unit’s movement ability.  A player may typically move their units as they see fit, within the rules of course!  When a unit starts taking casualties, morale rolls are typically required and this can slow a unit or even force it back.

So there it is!  Short and sweet!  Next time, I shall provide rules for combat.  This time I mean it!