From: Pietro Cremona Subject: CRY HVOC-SIEGE-OUTREMER (long) To Doug and Danny I do not know if my preceeding message passed on the ML, as I still have some problems with my provider (I will change it next year), but for you and the eventual others interested in that series please find some general notes about the game. GAMES PUBLISHED. Standard Games (a British firm) was the original designer/publisher of the games : they produced 1 - CRY HAVOC (7 scenarios and 2 maps : the Village and the Crossroad) 2 - SIEGE (11 scenarios, including campaign, and 2 maps : the Camp and the Castle) 3 - OUTREMER (3 scenarios and grand Strategic game. 2 maps : the Olive Grove and the Watering Hole) 4 - VIKING RIDERS (6 scenarios and 2 maps : the Coast and the Sea) 5 - SAMURAI BLADES (6 scenarios and 2 maps : the Temple and the Village of the white Dragon) 6 - DARK BLADES (fantasy game : I do not own it) 7 - OTIONAL MAP : the Forest 8 - ADDITIONAL SCENARIOS : 2 booklets were also published by Standard Games, the first with 8 scenarios for Cry Havoc (two of wich linked for a mini-campaign) and the second with 32 scenarios for the three games (CH+S+O) Then the french company EUROGAMES jumped on the series and re-published it in France (and in French) changing a lot of rules (and thus giving us a SUPERB tactical game on the Middle Ages) and maps, and counters (same marvelous personalities, but different values), etc. 1 - CRY HAVOC (as above) 2 - SIEGE (as above) 3 - CROISADES (completely different, a part for the tactical maps : rules, strategic map, cost for DYO scenarios, etc. have been redesigned. 6 scenarios) 4 - VIKINGS (completely different, including tactical maps, of wich you have now 6 : the Coast, the Sea(2maps), the Tower, the Abbey, and two mini-maps called le promontoire. Rules for naval combat have been redesigned, the counters have new values, etc. It is a completely different game from the original). 5 - SAMURAI (as the original, but with new rules and values) 6 - DRAGON NOIR 1 (inspired to DARK BLADES, but mostly redone : I do not own the English version, so I cannot compare them, but the French one has 4 maps and different scenarios, including linked campaigns) 7 - DRAGON NOIR 2 (is the follow up of the first, with new counters, another 6 maps and a lot of scenarios). 8 - LE CHATEAU DES TEMPLIERS (This box include the Siege counters and two new maps of the Templar castle) 9 - LA CITE MEDIEVALE (this box include the Croisades counters and 4 new maps of a fortified medieval town). 10- EXTRA MAPS : you may also but two new maps (the Plain and the Ford) 11 - ADDITIONAL SCENARIOS : not less then 60+ new scenarios were published by different french 'zines, most of them using CH+S+O and other (I played once a big campaign with Robin Hood, using also the Dragon Noir counters and maps) In general all the maps are geomorphic, so you may combine them to have endless scenarios, but you need the new value in order to calculate the points to purchase your armies. Your dream of a complete war between two medieval Lords became true : first battle in open terrain, then the loser may retreat in a border castle and fiht again while he waits for reinforcements, then you may retreat towards your fortified town and, if necessary, back to the last hope : the Lord's main Castle. HOW IT WORKS ? Having played SQUAD LEADER, ASL, SPQR, etc. I have to say that CRY HAVOC has much easier rules (you also may learn them step by step as you progress with the new boxes) but the advantages are different : first you play "single" personalities (you may be one of the Barons), second you do not need to go back to the rules every 10 minutes, third you just need 1-3 hours to play a single scenario but you may play a campaign in many weeks, if you wish, as you just have to link different scenarios (and, of course, adjust the new forces according to the results of the predeeding results). Cry Havoc has become, during the years, one of my favourites games at the point that I translated all the rules in Italian, including different summary tables and personalities lists : having two kids I also secceeded in teaching the game to them without many troubles and , more important, now I can play with them as any other veteran wargamer. If the question was :may CRY HAVOC become a "classic" ? the answer is clear. IT IS A CLASSIC. Probably we (europeans) may appreciate better this game than overseas fellows, expecially when we may take a sunday afternoon trip to a famous castle and breath ... the medieval feel, but I am sure that all wargamers should have a copy of this game in their book shelf. SEQUENCE OF PLAY All that said lets go to the game sequence : 1 - Player "A" missile fire (all missile units that are not in contact with the enemy may fire : shortbows, longbows and crossbows have, of course, different possibilities) 2 - Cavalry charges and counter-charges are announced 3 - Player "A" moves all his men (with penalities for missile units that fired in 1) and Player "B" missile units may fire to the advancing ennemy 4 - Melee : player "A" announces and resolve all the combats (please note that beeing fights between single men, bonus are given to attacks were two men attack one, or if one is mounted, or if one wear armour, etc.) 5 - Stunned men of player "A" now are returned to the "good" side. 6-10 : now it is player "B" that repeat the same sequence. As you see this is a very interactive game and when you move your men in the open you must be very carefull, as an arrow may hit him when you do not expect it. Also you must always think twice to use your crossbow now, for example, as you will not have the opportunity to move after ... etc. Each personality is reproduced in different counters and attitudes. A normal warrior will have two counters , but knights may have up to 4 of them and 8 different drawings : a - mounted at full strenght (double hex counter with a sane horse on the back) b - mounted and wounded (double hex counter with a dead horse on the back) c - dismounted at full strenght (single hex counter with stunned man on the back) d - dismounted and wounded (with the man dead on the back) Of course you also have women, peasants, animals, etc. each with his own colours and caracteristics. Terrain has influence in movements and combat, and you have a complete range of siege engines, towers, repairs, etc for your campaigns. There is no Z.O.C. and you need to watch carefully your retreating path if you do not wish to pay extra penalities (wounded instead of retreating, etc.) : but passing near an ennemy is not completely free : you must roll to see if you are touched in the pass, with advantages for knights and armoured men. Well, I do not wish to abuse of the patience of the consimmers not interested, but the game is full of options and interesting features and if you have extra questions or if you wish the lists of personalities (and you have EXCELL for windows) you may contact me directly. Ciao Pietro //// / ^ \ ( o o ) -----oOOO----(..)---OOOo--------------------------------------------------- Pietro Cremona - Old Hand Wargamer Address : CP 136 - 47023 Cesena Centro FORLI' - Italy .oooO E-Mail - asterix@linknet.it (..) Oooo. Phone - ++ 39.547.335121 -------------------------(..)----------------------------------------------