Sunday 1 September 2019

More Maurice - Speyerbach 1702

This game actually started out as a trial for the 3rd edition Warfare in the Age of Reason, which I picked up recently, though after set-up, and the realisation that despite the wonderfully traditional turn sequence, the chain-of-activation was based on a random card draw, we decided to abandon all hopes of trawling through rules that would boil down to a card draw to activate a random unit, and play the scenario with Maurice instead!

So, the set-up is based on the Battle of Speyerbach as featured in the WitAoR rule-book, but as I couldn't be bothered learning the rules, we regressed (read - 'advanced') back to Maurice.


Takeaways for this superlative rule-set include:
  • The Lethal Vollies national characteristic is either too lethal, either that or I seem to 'luck out' with the English each time we play hehehe; though I can see how, if used sparingly, it can be representative of platoon fire and British troops during AWI battles.
  • A la Baionette N.C. is adequately foiled by the Steady Lads N.C., even if the French get their charges in early.
  • Every time we play this set, the battlefield gets split!
Some nice classic Minifigs.

  • This game is about not having enough resource to do what you want! Period! Show me another set that does it as well. Granted, we see it in C&C but perhaps with a little more randomness. Only Field of Battle seems to grant the same degree of battlefield chaos.
  • By learning how to manipulate these rules, you inevitably learn how to fight on the C18th battlefield, because the design is so good - there, I said it!
Standard setup, little terrain.





This is where it gets weird, yet logical. French cavalry move on their right, foiled by a 'that's not on the map' card, that planks terrain in the way of the French charge, yet this slows things down really, as the French irregular cavalry (we're experimenting with how to classify dragoons) can get through. Predictably, this did foil the French flanking plan - which had repercussions later.


In response, the allies make cavalry moves on their right, which never quite amount to anything, whilst holding the French left in check throughout the battle. This is what I mean by forcing you to think in C18th terms. You simply can't do everything, but you can make the enemy think through non-engaging, 'classy' maneuvre.  



 The French centre maneuvers to adapt to the threat on their left, which started via their attack on the right.
 
 As musketry kicks in, the cards are flying.

Historically, we have been very bad at positioning commanders during their part of the turn. We now realise how critical it is, unless you want to waste away your best cards. The commander needs to be where the action is hottest so that he can use crappy cards to make a difference.

French still have high hopes of breaking the thin red line, (ok so it's a little early for that).

 ...but not with firing rolls like this...

Breakthrough? ...or will French hopes be focused on other areas of the battlefield for the balance of the game? (It's a rhetorical question...)

 The French can shoot well too, mind you.

 French/Irish mercenaries charge into the flank of Allied cavalry - but this splits the battlefield, and removes the focus from the French assault on the centre.


 ...allowing Allied units to snake round the flank and pour deadly vollies into the French, whose charge had been pushed back.


 




 Some nice classic MiniFigs and Dixon French.

 It's all gone to hell in the centre.

 The Allied right - where it's a stalemate; neither side wanting to risk a charge, as morale is wearing down.


 'I'm all over the place here,...'

 They think it's all over...
 

 ...it is now! Victory snatched from the proverbial jaws of being trounced...
 
 A great game. Each time we play this, there are more nuances and subtleties in the rules. You have to watch army morale, whilst pooling resources and pushing in the right place. It's a beautiful design, and each game seems to reveal a little more of the nuance of the game design.

24 comments:

  1. Great to see Maurice in action especially for a historical scenario.
    Re WOR you do know that the card draws activate whole Brigades not individual units ?
    Those new troops ??

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    1. Yeah - got that for the brigades - just seemed very arbitrary when I read it. We'll come back to it, I guess.
      The minifigs are new - from ebay last year.

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    2. Oh yeah, and there's some Old Glory French infantry and cavalry in there - also ebay (Hinds Figures).
      Truth be told, I traded some old 80s/90s figures for most of it.

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  2. Our group's feeling is that Lethal Volleys is a bit over-powerful for the cost, but we've never come up with an adequate 'fix'.

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    1. Thanks KK. I guess the only fix might be to increase the cost of the card, and thereby reduce the number of units in some way.

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  3. Really enjoyed your analysis of Maurice. Good looking table too! I have not had these rules out in years. Perhaps I should?

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    1. Thanks Jonathan. I've always liked them. The cardplay works well, the rules support the cardplay, and it just works as long as the number of units are as recommended.

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  4. Looks spectacular Duc. Lovely minis.

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    1. Cheers Jack. I particularly like the Old Glory French cavalry that I picked up earlier in the year. Old Glory have a way of sculpting that makes every guy look as if they are permanently surprised...or horrified.
      (Clearly they have been looking at my tactics...)

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  5. Your battles always look so epic!. I think we all have that set of rules we gravitate to, kink of a dice based pair of dog eared old slippers!

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    1. Nah mate. I prefer 'kink of a dice based pair of dog eared old slippers'. That is the name for our podcast!

      ...or perhaps 'The Witch Queen's Kinky Dice' - now we're getting somewhere.

      (I have to ask - was that your phone auto-correcting, or is kink of a dice a thing?)

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    2. You, me 'n' Jack need to get this Podcast thing sorted.

      'The Witch Queen's Kinky Dice'
      'A podcast about, wargaming without rules, toy soldiers without paint, and grown men without sense. (oh...and some old skool D&D)'

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    3. With your list of podcast themes, you really eliminate all barriers to entry!

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    4. HaHa. Thank you sir!
      I think you should be on the podcast too Jonathan, representing North America.

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    5. I would like to say it was auto correct but in truth it was sausage fingers striking again!. That podcast could be gold, the world needs a podcast light on rules (and paint!). Just one question, would who's turn it is talk be decided by card activation or purely stat based?.

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    6. I feel that talking would be on the basis of who had had most alcohol, or indeed tea, prior to recording.
      Or, everyone just talks over each other. That seems to work on other podcasts.

      Should I get Le Duc's skype account set up, and a copy of GarageBand for editing? Wait, there won't be any editing. Wart'n'all I say!

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    7. Sounds like a terrifying idea the world will never truly be ready for, in other words a plan and a half!!. How about a feature on turning a popular set of rules into a drinking game?. We could call it something like ' the Witchqueens tipsy kinky slightly wonkey dice rolling rules mods....OF DOOOOMM!!!.

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    8. This is a great idea. Ideally, we should be highlighting rules like your's and Jacks and talking about blogs and stuff.
      Of course, we might not take things too seriously. I don't know how difficult it is to do a podcast though?

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    9. no idea frankly, i have a P.H.D in twatting about the place but no actual technical aptitude. If you dig a bit i reckon there has to be a podcast about podcasting that may help?. I will bang it in youtube in the morning to see what it throws up if you want?.

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    10. Oh yeah. Ideal time is a Friday night - the podcast can then coincide with a beer.
      I find this helps the creative process...

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    11. Sage advice sir, we could encourage others to 'drink along with the Duc', create a sort of global virtual gaming pub or something, A sports bar for gaming.

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  6. I have played games where cards work but in the main I am not a fan. Great game and report.

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    1. Thanks George. I know what you mean. There was a time when I would have run a mile rather than shuffle a card deck, though now I find the chaos a card draw can bring, with a good set of rules, can add that much needed (controlled) unpredictability to the game - and make for exciting turns.

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