Monday 4 January 2010

Order cards in action.

I'm on a week's holiday so set up a version of a Table Top Teaser to try out the order card idea.
The Eisenburg-Essling forces arrive in marching columns.

The Altsteiners arrive to contend the pass.

The order cards are placed.

Von Essling advances boldly.

The cavalry clash.

The Jagers enter the town.

The Eisenburg Dragoons are routed by the Hussars! and the Jagers make an outflanking move.

The Grenadiers clash.

Von Essling is becoming cornered.

The Essling Grenadiers triumph but are still in danger.

The noose tightens.

Charge!, the guns are taken and the Essling Grenadiers defeated. Fritz von Essling is forced to surrender.
I reckon the order cards worked OK, on the downside they clutter the table till the moves are taken, but on the upside the planning of the moves seems more realistic with the limited options than just moving each unit where I wish.
I need some more for Fall Back Facing The Enemy, Fall Back In Haste , Rally Back and Rally In Place.

I'll try them again soon.
It may be better just to write an order roster after all .

6 comments:

  1. Fine looking armies. I see your point about the visual clutter of the cards. CD is on my brain a bit since I played a game last week (only 3rd time ever) The order chits are old fashioned boardgame counters, small and relatively unobtrusive. For movement, the have an arrow which you point in the intended direction. They have a bold arrow for a rapid advance, and an outline one for cautious advance. Some other orders are a single letter or abreviation. If I try this myself, I may use some small green bingo markers that one can buy here in dollar stores. They are about the size of a Canadian penny and can be marked with an indeliable marker.
    With the state of my memory these days, I wonder if I laid out orders for one side then went for a cup of tea, if I'd forget what I had ordered? :)

    Anyway, an enjoyable game report,
    Ross

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  2. Great pictures, and pretty armies. I seem to recognise the Revell "Prussian Infantry" figures there (which are/will be the backbone of my army of Altmark-Uberheim). Plastics, in my view, well reward the effort placed upon them. I am a little curious about the artillery. 30YW Revell? They look good, though...
    I like the order card concept...
    Cheers,
    Ion

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  3. A very enjoyable scenario; thanks...

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  4. An interesting idea, although I'm not a fan of clutter on the table. I do like the appearance of your figures, they make a good advertisement for plastics.

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  5. I use plastics for reasons of economy mainly but I'm very pleased with the way they've turned out. I have used a very basic block painting style and a good dollop of Future/Klear to give them a "Toy Soldier" look and feel.
    Have a look back at "The Armies" posts to see what I've used to make the units.
    Thanks for all your comments,
    Paul.

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  6. Paul,

    I sort of like Ross' idea of using Bingo chips . . . although the ones I've seen are red . . . of course color could be used for different types of orders.

    Another idea is to use flocked pennies with a loose musket or pike or such to indicate by the way it is pointing the direction a unit is to move (and the weapon for the speed/type of movement).

    The advantage of this is that it virtually disappears into the surface and merely looks like battlefield debris.

    Other bits of "debris" could indicate other orders.


    -- Jeff

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