From: Cremona Luca Subject: Boards vs Miniatures Sorry, guys, I am, as usual, late on this argument : reading Consim-L digests every 2-3 days is a little long, even when you discard a lot of arguments that do not interest you (but I would like to spend few words here : too many of us still use the REPLAY routine just to send a message to someone else and DO NOT CHANGE the SUBJECT, so that very often a message has nothing to do whith the initial subject). I have also to say that my wargaming "career" started with miniatures : first were AIRFIX 15mm wars (Cow-Boys and Indians, then Blue and Gray ...) played against my cousin using home made rules. Then I discovered some "real" rules and we went to ANCIENTS battles, with hundreds of legionnaires, hordes of barbarians, elephants, chariots, etc. It was one of my best gaming periods, but then I had plenty of time and a garden where to set up our battles. Finally I discovered board-wargames and I was hooked forever : I still like to play some miniatures, very rarely i must admit, but board wargames gave me the OPERATIONAL and STRATEGIC feel that I missed in miniatures. This is, in my opinion, the REAL difference between thes two ways of playing historical battles, even if , recently, with card games we probably have a THIRD WAY at hands, unless card manufacturers will go on speculating on the COLLECTIONIST syndrome. Think about AH/COLUMBIA's NAPOLEON game, for example : it is still one of my favorite games, easy to teach also to newcamers and not too long to play (2 hours between experienced players is a maximum). But COLUMBIA now published EAGLES, it's card game on Napoleon last battles and the rules say that you may combine strategic game (using NAPOLEON) and tactical battles (with eagles cards equal the number of the remaining CV of the blocks). Another good example is REK's game HEROIKA, that most of our US friends probably do not know : this is definitely a "board" game, but you play it with MINIATURE AND HEXES. In effect you may "build" freely your battlefield using giant hexes of different types, and if you buy additional hexes you may have a battlefield as big as you want for your miniature, without beeing obliged to use meters or other measuring devices. For those that do not know at all HEROIKA it may be usefull a short desciption : as some of you already wrote to me that they are interested in knowing what is produced on the GOOD side of the Ocean ... I use this opportunity... HEROIKA : SERIE 1789 (LE PREMIER JEU DE STRATEGIE MILITAIRE OUVERT A' TOUS = i.e. "the first strategy game for everybody) This game is published by REK, a small French Company based on the Channel border : you may contact Mr.CHLOUPEK (123 rue des Mesanges - B.P. 21 62155 Merlimont - FRANCE) and it is quite "big and heavy" when you take it (same size as the MB wargames). It includes 120-140 large painted hexes (120mm whide,2mm thick) with all sort of terrain : plain, rough, roads, lakes, rivers, etc. You also have 5 sheets od pre-cutted counters (back printed) to form two armies (French and Austrian) : you have Infantry (45x18mm), Cavalry (53x42mm), Artillery (45x50mm) and some special counters of different sizes (additional counters for other armies may be purchased separately). Those counters are fitted into wooden basements of different sizes and must stand up (similar to AH's PLATOON counters) : they are used in effect like miniatures and if you have painted armies the look is even better (I had the chance to see a very big battle at a demonstration and I was really impressed). Finally you find a serie of big cards depicting single actions (Infantry/Cavalry movement or fire, Attillery fire, load/unload, melee, bridge building, rain, fog, etc.) The rules are printed on three booklets : - the *first level* book explain the basic rules (please note that they are a mix of miniature and boardgames : you find formations and ZOCs, parabolic fire and charges, etc.) - the *second level* book give you more datails - the *third level* book introduces the Engineers, better fire rules, etc. The three booklets are full of examples and drawings to introduce new players to the FIRS EMPIRE battles. Finally you have the first FOUR scenarios : In reality it shall be better to say the first 4 maps, as you have to arrange first your hexes (as specified in the map of each battle) and then prepare your armies. You have VALMY (20 Sept 1792), JEMAPPES (5 Nov 1792), FLEURUS (26 June 1794) and ARCOLA (17 Nov 1796). I *mounted* (?) those maps and I must say that the effect is beautiful (you may also use extra layers to simulate the different levels, if you wish) : I also tried (solitaire) a game of ARCOLA and I liked it, althought is not so funny as, I think, with a *living* opponent. In my opinion this game (labor of love, of course) is an excellent possibility to introduce to our hobby some potential gamers that seems too intimidated by the size of our games' rules : they read those *first level* rules in 15 minutes and they immediately go to the battlefield, manipolating *carton soldiers in full colours*. AQnd for those who love ASL a final word : have you ever dreamed to play ASL scenarios on big hexes and with miniature soldiers ? Well, I have done it usind HEROIKA hexes and some REVELL soldiers. As usual, I am available for any further information you may need. Ciao Pietro **************************************************************************** ********* * Pietro Cremona * * "Old hand" Wargamer * * Mail Address : CP 136 - 47023 Cesena Centro (FO) - ITALY * * E-Mail : asterix@linknet.it * * Phone : ++ 39 547-335121 * **************************************************************************** ********* //// / ^ \ ( o o ) -----oOOO---( )---OOOo--------------------------------------------------------------- Pietro Cremona - Old Hand Wargamer Mail Address - CP 136 - 47023 Cesena Centro (FO) - Italy .oooO E-Mail - asterix@linknet.it ( ) Oooo. Phone - ++ 39.547.335121 ---------------( )------------------------------------------------------------------