David Bickley's Wargames Blog

The occasional ramblings of an average gamer, journeyman painter, indifferent modeller, games designer, sometime writer for Wargames Illustrated and host of games in GHQ.



Wednesday 29 January 2020

No Plan Survives Contact With The Enemy...

...but nevertheless Phil and I have been working on a plan for our games in GHQ this year. It's a two pronged plan we have arrived at after much deliberation. In the first part of the year we plan a series of battles set in North America from the AWI via the War of 1812-15 to the ACW, all linked by being fought over substantially the same terrain layout. We shall use Black Powder as the rules driver, including scenario based specifics for the armies deployed and our usual in-house rules here in GHQ,  in the handling of routs for example.
In the second half of the year we are hoping to play out an ACW campaign inspired partly by following one on the web and partly by revisiting Sam Mustafa's ideas on campaigns in his Longstreet rules. As we will be using Black Powder for the games then a certain amount of 'development' is called for based on his use of Character,Campaign and Terrain cards in the system so we shall see where that takes us. I also hope to incorporate my own Random Event cards which I developed for use in Bull Run to Gettysburg. We shall , once again, have to wait and see where that takes us. In the meantime, here are some pictures from earlier games in all three periods to whet your appetite ~




The last two pictures are my 28mm alter egos, the head was sculpted by my son Matt for a Christmas gift one year and cast by Trevor at Dixon Miniatures. A vanity project if ever there was one, but who amongst us doesn’t yearn to be down amongst the little men leading them to glory? The horses by the way are by Dixon Miniatures and the figures’ bodies are from Redoubt Enterprises. The Reb, ole Jubal E Bykleigh, captures my look in the 1980’s and the Union figure, Useless S Bykleigh, a more contemporary, and sadly stouter, look!


16 comments:

  1. Excellent set of pics and very much looking forward to seeing the future games at GHQ!

    Christopher

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We will endeavour not to disappoint too often Christopher.

      Delete
  2. Looking forward to our tussles in the Americas. I remember when you had that .

    ReplyDelete
  3. We are playing an ACW campaign with BPII, so am keenly looking forward to seeing how yours pan out.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sounds like some good planning. Looking forward to both campaigns. I can’t quite get my head around ACW as a campaign but I think a series of linked battle such as Jackson in Shenandoah would be most entertaining, food for thought. Anyway bring on the battles....

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sounds like a plan! Good looking pair of generals, stout fellows!
    Best Iain

    ReplyDelete
  6. I can see the likeness David, whats that saying about a camera putting pounds on one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sadly I do not need a camera's help Roddie!

      Delete
  7. A wonderful 'tache on Jubal. I got an Essex figure modelled into Robert Bruce, very chuffed but he is gone now sadly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think Matt somewhat over emphasized the tache, at least if memory serves.

      Delete
  8. I look forward to following your American adventures...

    All the best. Aly

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. One can only hope you will have a nice day!

      Delete