*
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 28, 2024, 10:11:47 PM

Login with username, password and session length

Donate

We Appreciate Your Support

Members
Stats
  • Total Posts: 1686585
  • Total Topics: 118108
  • Online Today: 857
  • Online Ever: 2235
  • (October 29, 2023, 12:32:45 AM)
Users Online

Recent

Author Topic: A first game of Men of Bronze (update 4/5/19)  (Read 3865 times)

Offline Jeff965

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2637
A first game of Men of Bronze (update 4/5/19)
« on: April 28, 2019, 10:56:01 AM »
I recieved these rules last week and so me and Romark had our first game with them this week. I don't have any 28mm Ancients so I used my 15mm Xyston miniatures but the units had a similar footprint to the larger figures.
The rules are figure scale and base agnostic and you don't remove individual casualties so you could play with bits of card if you like.
We used two armies straight out of the book and played the first scenario which is a last man standing pitched battle and is ideal for learning the basics.
The Spartan forces consisted of two elite hoplite units, one drilled hoplite unit and two units of skirmishers.
They were up against a Macedonian force consisting of two pike Phalanxes, one light hoplite unit, two units of Peltasts and one unit of skirmishers.
I set up some really simple terrain on a 6x4 foot table consisting of a small farm and ploughed fields (difficult terrain) a small river (dangerous terrain) and the rest just consisted of rolling plain (open terrain).
« Last Edit: May 04, 2019, 08:53:48 PM by Jeff965 »

Offline Jeff965

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2637
Re: A first game of Men of Bronze
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2019, 11:14:05 AM »
Both forces deployed 6" into the table, I was the Spartan commander and Romark commanded the Macedonians.
My plan was to advance my line of hoplites and anchor their flanks on the two difficult terrain features. I deployed my skirmishers on the flanks as well hoping to hold off any attempts of the Macedonians to get around me and into the rear of my troops.
The Macedonians advanced in line off their ridge and by move two they were having to cross the river.
The game is broken down into turns and each turn has a couple of phases. The troops are driven by 'Aręte points' you get one point for each unit on the table plus one for your General (the Spartans therefore had 6 and the Macedonians 7).
You use these points initally to bid for the initiative in the turn, after that they are used for a number of reasons like rallying your troops, charging into contact, re-rolling dice and using special rules as well as trying to steal the initiative off your opponent.
I really like this system as it keeps both players involved and has you making constant descisions through the turn.

Offline Jeff965

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2637
Re: A first game of Men of Bronze
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2019, 11:30:34 AM »
Come move three my plan for the skirmishers on the right flank had changed, I decided to pay an Aręte point for them to use one of their special rules that allows them to shoot after moving.
They pushed forward and caught the Macedonian Generals pike phalanx crossing the river they threw their javelins and caused the Generals unit to lose a courage point.
The Macedonian General promptly snatched the initiative and charged his unit over the river hitting the skirmishers and wiping them out (oops).
The player with the initative activates his units one at a time, the unit may then move, shoot or fight, however some units have a special rule that allows them to shoot at the end of a move as long as they pay an aręte point to use the special rule.
The inactive player can pay an aręte point to snatch the initative (a simple roll off between the players using a d6, if the inactive player rolls highest then the initative becomes his)
You can probably see by now how the game makes you try to decide how to use your aręte points.
Each unit has a courage score which is reduced each time they take casualties, when it gets to zero they rout off the table.

Offline Jeff965

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2637
Re: A first game of Men of Bronze
« Reply #3 on: April 28, 2019, 11:44:29 AM »
My drilled unit of hoplites on my right flank would now have to do the job I had originally wanted the skirmishers to do (ahh well).
There was to be more grief for me as Romark got his Peltasts into cover on both flanks and started a shoot out with my remaining skirmish unit on my left who promptly downed tools and buggered off (oh no :-[)
He then had the audacity to shoot at my drilled hoplites on the other flank causing more casualties.
With my flanks in tatters it was time to take some drastic action in the centre.
There is an end phase to each turn which tidys up the battlefield with compulsory movement and tests for your army as it loses troops. Once this is done its time to dish out the Aręte points again and bid for the initative (one aręte point less for me now I'd lost my skirmish unit)

Offline Jeff965

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2637
Re: A first game of Men of Bronze
« Reply #4 on: April 28, 2019, 11:58:47 AM »
Throwing aręte points around like confetti I formed my two elite hoplite units (one containing my General) into Phalanx and charged his Generals pike phalanx catching him in open order.
My Generals unit was supported by one other hoplite unit whilst his Generals unit was supported by another pike phalanx and a light hoplite unit.
When fighting you get extra dice for being in close order (phalanx) charging, and being supported by other units.
Despite his numerical superiority I was in close order, he countercharged (another special rule you pay aręte points for) and so it was a pretty even fight.
Trouble is I rolled really poorly and he won the Melee depleting my courage score and pushing me back. Whatever happens to the fighting unit happens to the supporting units as well so they were pushed back with me.
You can see a number of markers in the photos, the micro dice is keeping track of courage and the red discs show that a unit is wavering and needs to be rallied (for which you need to spend an aręte point, are you getting this now? Lol)

Offline Jeff965

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2637
Re: A first game of Men of Bronze
« Reply #5 on: April 28, 2019, 12:13:49 PM »
Things were not looking good for the Spartans now, my Generals unit were down to one courage point and wavering, the drilled hoplites were out on a limb, my only consolation was that his Generals unit was in a poor state as well.
Romark decided to form his Generals unit up into close order and then moved the pike phalanx and hoplites supporting him to attack my drilled hoplites who were also being shot at by the Peltasts and psiloi on the other side of the river (they really were up shit creek without a paddle).
They managed to fight off the attack from the front but were broken and routed by shooting from the light troops (shiiiiiiiiiiiit)
Ahh well in for a penny.... I broke my Generals unit down into open order and had them run out of the way which allowed my last elite phalanx to again charge his Generals unit which now was unsupported and vulnerable. We rolled off and I won killing his General.
In the end phase of the move the Macedonians had to take collapse tests which is basically a test of their discipline only if it's failed the unit immediatley routs and is removed. Cutting off the head to remove the body was my plan all along (yeh right) and Romark had really bad rolls for his collapse tests (about time).
At the end of the turn all the Macedonians had routed bar one phalanx (he must have been a really popular General lol)

Offline Jeff965

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2637
Re: A first game of Men of Bronze
« Reply #6 on: April 28, 2019, 12:26:23 PM »
There were only three units left on the table now, my two elite hoplites and his remaining pike phalanx.
One charge did for them and I held the field and won SPARTA!!!!!!
I enjoyed this game and will be playing it again in the future.
I had read the rules once and my opponent hadn't read them at all so it was a bit of a slow and clunky first game, but I definitely see the makings of a very enjoyable set of rules here.
The only thing I'm not keen on is how supporting infantry are deployed. You have the two units that are fighting in contact obviously but you can support your units if the officer figure from other units is within 3 base widths (inches in my case) of the unit in Melee. If he is you move the unit that is going to support directly behind the fighting unit and you effectively end up with a queue of units which just doesn't look right.
In future games I'll see if just having the officer close enough and not moving the supporting unit works and still having the results of the Melee effect both units (I've just read that back, I hope it makes sense)
Anyway if you are still with me this far, I got these rules off Amazon for under a tenner and they are worth a tenner of anyone's money, I hope there will be supplements covering other periods as I don't think that would be to difficult to do  :)

Offline seldon

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 444
Re: A first game of Men of Bronze
« Reply #7 on: April 28, 2019, 01:03:19 PM »
That is a:

1) great battle report
2) fantastic looking table
3) great example of how the rules play...


thank you for posting!

Offline Arrigo

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1074
  • errare humanum est, perseverare diabolicum est
    • Forward HQ my new blog where you can laugh at my crappy photos!
Re: A first game of Men of Bronze
« Reply #8 on: April 28, 2019, 02:26:39 PM »
great battle, I was rooting for the Macedonians, sorry, I hate Sparta!  lol

Your issues with the support systems are worth to explore, considering Eric is a member of this forum, it would be nice ot hear his thought about the system.

"Put Grant straight in"

for pretty tanks and troops: http://forwardhq.blogspot.com

Offline Irregular Wars Nic

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 940
    • Visit the Irregular Wars blog:
Re: A first game of Men of Bronze
« Reply #9 on: April 28, 2019, 03:10:36 PM »
Aye, a great report. Looking forward to getting my first game in soon!

Offline Emir of Askaristan

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1790
    • My Blog
Re: A first game of Men of Bronze
« Reply #10 on: April 28, 2019, 08:25:28 PM »
Good report. Nice terrain and figs too.

I agree with the support thing...3 bases doesn't quite seem to be enough. Likewise Evading D3BW doesn't seem to be enough either.

But these are wee niggles and I agree with you. Well worth a tenner and well worth a try .

Offline Wiegraf

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 301
Re: A first game of Men of Bronze
« Reply #11 on: April 29, 2019, 02:57:21 AM »
Looks like it was a great game! Well played.

Offline Ethelred the Almost Ready

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1083
Re: A first game of Men of Bronze
« Reply #12 on: April 29, 2019, 05:35:44 AM »
Good report. Nice terrain and figs too.

I agree with the support thing...3 bases doesn't quite seem to be enough. Likewise Evading D3BW doesn't seem to be enough either.

But these are wee niggles and I agree with you. Well worth a tenner and well worth a try .

First of all, great looking game and figures.
I also tried a game on the weekend with Saxons standing in for Hellenes and Vikings as non-Hellenes.  My psiloi got hammered as charging hoplites can move 12 BW (double normal movement).  Psiloi need to be within 6 BW to shoot and can only evade 1-3BW, so were caught every time.  Possibly just doing something wrong here. 
The support system doesn't work for me either.  Lining up behind the supported unit doesn't fit my idea of hoplite warfare. Again, I may be misinterpreting the rules.
There is a lot to like in Men of Bronze but I wish there was less historical information and more explanation of game mechanisms.


Oh, and to be a pedant (sorry  :-X), in case there is a second edition, the hoplite shield is not a hoplon, it is an aspis.  Possibly just snuck through the proof reading. 

I am keen to give things another go this coming weekend, especially after some clarification of the rules.

Offline Romark

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Galactic Brain
  • *
  • Posts: 4473
Re: A first game of Men of Bronze
« Reply #13 on: April 29, 2019, 08:32:42 PM »
Nice pics and write up Jeff,just as I remember it ! :'(

 lol


Offline Easy E

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1930
  • Just some guy who does stuff
    • Blood and Spectacles
Re: A first game of Men of Bronze
« Reply #14 on: April 29, 2019, 08:49:50 PM »
Truly a What "If" scenario.... a little Laconic humor there!   lol

First off, great battle report! I enjoyed the heck out of it and really liked the force choices.  A great summary of how the game plays.   

I am glad you noticed that shooting with javelins is 6 BW (archers and slingers 12 BW)  but a Phalanx can possibly charge 12 BW with an Arete point.  You really need to think hard about how you want to use those missile troops.  The temptation to move and shoot can lead you to make a move like you did in this very battle report that ends up losing you a unit for small reward.  You need to get the Peltasts/psiloi to the right location to "support".  After all, the Men of Bronze are the stars, not the shepherds throwing sticks.

The game requires more careful deployment and maneuver than a first read might lead you to believe.  Hence the 3 and 1d3 Base widths for Support/Evade.  If you are poorly deployed to support and maximize your troops.... you are going to have a tough time making that up. 

Now, how you align the "support" units was completely a choice I made as a designer to clean up the board continue to have space for some maneuver outside of the melee but still allow quick visual management of what units were doing what on the table.  In my play tests, it got way too "clunky" and "confusing" on the board so these mechanics were developed to reduce that.  They are not essential.     

Choices and friction are the name of the game.  That being said, I will be the first person to say these rules are not perfect.  If you prefer 1d6 BW for Evade/Pursue or 6 BW to support, go for it!  I am eager to read about it!       

I am super excited to read more battle reports!           

 
Support Blood and Spectacles Publishing:
https://www.patreon.com/Bloodandspectaclespublishing