Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Colonial Adventures => Topic started by: flatpack on January 08, 2021, 09:11:13 AM
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So we still have the pandemic, so how do we game ?
I’ve seen other people game remotely, so we are going to give it a go, for the first time tomorrow morning.
We’ll use Fistful of Lead, as we know the rules quite well.
I’ve bought webcams to film from both ends of the table, and I’ve made markers to put next to the figures, so that people can identify their own units.
We will use Discord software to allow us to get together.
We’ll have a couple of German and British units, encountering each other on the table.
The lads will play out the game, and I will be moving their figures and rolling their dice.
Let’s see how it goes, as it’s been months ago that we played our last game. In fact it was in the summer, and it was outside.
AAR will be posted here, along with and issues we encounter, playing a game this way.
Here is the layout for the game. All centred on the railway station.
(https://i.postimg.cc/8CsVNGNc/9-C01-C2-A9-CB66-464-F-8-FB1-0-F60075-FD0-FF.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/p9NSJg9M)
(https://i.postimg.cc/wjwdCMKn/44-F82393-0-E45-4378-B39-F-9-B14-C1644388.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/0zK3m8yC)
(https://i.postimg.cc/7ZHkt7Rg/BDC4-E45-A-9-EA2-49-FB-80-B4-FAEC896154-DF.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/PPR9PLTx)
Fingers crossed.
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Looks like a fab set up so it ought to be a fun game 8)
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Good luck lads! ;)
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That table layout is a beaut! Hope it goes well.
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Flat pack, I’ve run Zoom games for my mates every week since March. Mainly To the Strongest plus Black Seas and 2FL’s “What a Tanker”.
I act as umpire rolling most dice or drawing chits.
What I have found interesting is that the players don’t have “perfect situational awareness” as they do being in the room. They sometimes find it frustrating but I think it actually more realistic.
Enjoy the game and I look forward to reading an AAR.
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Great looking table :o
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Thanks for the nice comments.
Thank you for the advise on remote gaming.
Zoom could be another option, if we have problems.
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Great looking table :-*
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Looks good 8)
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Layout looks great Bob and your effort is much appreciated.
Looking forward to playing but at the same time apprehensive of the technology my success rate has been pretty abysmal so far :(
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Looks a good table - we have done remote gaming most weeks for ages now
We have the players roll their own dice and for FFoL draw their own cards. Keeps them involved!
We have found that having a slightly simplified terrain setup can help - as sometimes it can be hard to tell figures from small pieces of scatter terrain. But you can see how that plays - certainly markers to help with identifying the different players figures is good.
There can be the odd time where people need a bit of help in understanding what is where - but these are fairly infrequent. By having the host / umpire do all the measuring it helps remove a lot of the fiddling and checking with moves and ranges!
One bit that can take the players a while to get the hang of is giving instructions to the umpire on movement - especially with 2 cameras, as its not always clear which one they are looking at, so left and right are really confusing. If your buildings have names (church, canteen, station, it can help)
Have fun!
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Your table absolutely looks the part.
Are the buildings scratchbuilts, manufacturers' models, model railroad kits?
(Particularly like the train station wand wonder about it.)
The water tower is an absolute must in the scenarion!
20mm or 28mm?
Looking forward to the AAR(s).
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It’s interesting and since I read on Perry Brother s FB their report about a remote battle that I would like to have a try ...my only and not minor issue is that I do not know neither I like too much about mentioned dedicated softwares such as zoom ecc...I’m only able to use Whattsap, I own an IPhone (with Face Time of course but my mates don t) and I bought a tripod and a duck neck stand...so only one camera (my phone) at time ...could it be sufficient for a start ?
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The game is 28mm.
All buildings are commercially available from Sarrisa including the railway station.
I’ve added “corrugated metal” roofs to the buildings, as they are originally Russian buildings with wooden roofs. I thinks that’s more realistic for the African area.
I like the idea of identifying the buildings so that players can say which way they want their figures to move, so I’m just about to add labels to the rooftops of the buildings.
With ref to the chap with just his iPhone as a camera, and not using the zoom or Discord software.....I don’t really know the answer. Maybe I’ll find out more myself when we play the game tomorrow.
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It’s interesting and since I read on Perry Brother s FB their report about a remote battle that I would like to have a try ...my only and not minor issue is that I do not know neither I like too much about mentioned dedicated softwares such as zoom ecc...I’m only able to use Whattsap, I own an IPhone (with Face Time of course but my mates don t) and I bought a tripod and a duck neck stand...so only one camera (my phone) at time ...could it be sufficient for a start ?
Yes.
An iPhone with a stand or tripod will be fine. It’s the camera that matters for the host. For the players a tablet or computer is better to give them a bigger screen.
Zoom seems to be a lot better now than it was 6-9 mths ago. Google Meet is another good option - especially if you already have a google / gmail account.
As the host all you need to do is position the camera in a good place to cover most of the table - we have moved to a lot of 4’x4’ games as it works better on camera than 6x4’. The occasional move of the camera to give a different angle can be useful.
We have occasionally used more than 1 camera, but it rarely seems more the effort, and gets in the way of the host running the game - the host has quite enough to do moving figures around!
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Thanks for your answer but my problem is uthat I don’t know zoom and I’m only able to use Whattsap .. :-[ :?...so my very good iPhone (a gift from my girl friend) is like a M16 in the hands of a zulu ...and I’m sure that my remote potential opponent is worst than me ..anyway East Africa WW1 is great
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Flatpack, I'd like to echo the previous sentiments regarding your table. Beautiful set up. You should be really proud of that.
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Many thanks. Fingers crossed.
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I am excited and I won't even be in it. Take lots of photos Bob. I am expecting a bloodbath ;D
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Absolutely stunning.
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One tip for gaming by Zoom on a 6 x 4 table. As has been said, gauging distances and sightlines can be challenging.....but IMHO more "authentic". I use gridded 6 x 4' mats and have labelled them alpha-numerically 1-8 and A-M ( omitting I to avoid confusion with 1). I also prepare a hand-drawn map of the battlefield which I e-mail to players in advance. It allows them to track what is going on plus ask me as umpire roughly where things are. Only takes a few minutes to do.
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So first game played on Discord yesterday.
Here’s the scenario -
The Brits are looking for a Tillotson valve. Without it the gunboat is stationary.
Unfortunately due to several radio enquiries (looking for such a replacement)
and lax security (conversations were not carried out in code) the Germans
know of the British quest.
We have an encounter battle.
Two British forces entering the town looking for the valve, and two German forces entering the town, for the same purpose.
Here are the initial deployments.
(https://i.postimg.cc/PfBgxJ1g/D527-F80-F-34-A0-4246-A9-AA-9-E66348-AC079.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/CdsPrFP7)
British sailors with the blue markers. British infantry with the pink markers. German infantry with the green markers.
At the other end of the town, the German sailors appear, with the red markers.
(https://i.postimg.cc/dDPjKzkf/1-ABA1-B2-B-606-C-44-B1-98-FF-24-EE5-ED3-F1-AA.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/QKmTQYqg)
The idea of the coloured markers, was to make it easier to the lads on line, to identify their units.
I had positioned five markers for possible valve locations, so we had the different groups approaching these five locations, then rolling to see what they find.
Because I didn’t have shock, wounded or out of ammo markers, I made my own from cheap wooden “flower” markers. You can see them painted red for wound, and yellow for shock, on the table.
Forces moved round the table investigating the possible valve locations, and to be honest, I ended up too busy to take some of the early photos.
We had technical issues with one of our players and he had to drop out, so we continued with three players, with them telling me where to move their figures.
They had their own packs of playing cards, and their own dice. This kept them involved and invested in the game.
Ultimately the game came down to a massive brawl between the British sailors and the German infantry, in the middle of the towns Main Street.
The German figure “Hans” was remarkable, kicking British sailors left and right.
(https://i.postimg.cc/J4LpvkNz/041-F43-A4-6779-47-FD-84-C3-DFDA2-EC6-A538.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/3WtjDWfs)
Hans at play!
After investigating four of the five valve locations, all players realised that the valve must be in the railway station, so the British infantry, and German sailors closed on it.
(https://i.postimg.cc/7LdVVGPD/E9-C9-EA21-F5-DC-4-DFB-8-B85-CC18-BAE32-E9-F.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/XZKdNvyD)
German sailors crossing the railway lines to close in on the last possible valve location.
We ended up with a firefight in the railway forecourt.
(https://i.postimg.cc/pXJsHLCY/B28-A9-AE3-C811-47-A6-B91-C-47-D81717-C9-EC.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/QHVQgsRH)
The British officer gallantly trying to fight off three German sailors for the valve, but to no avail, as he was finally gunned down.
(https://i.postimg.cc/6Q2VyWrP/D64-C5032-5-F85-4-C54-A996-F8-DB24-C20-CEF.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/cKWtzN57)
So, a win for the British forces. The valve was found, and the gunboat could be fixed.
It kept us busy for fours hours playing a game. The last game we played was in the summer.
We had, discord issues, internet issues, camera issues, bandwidth issues, and lost one man along the way.
We will learn from this, and give it another go.
The important thing is.....DICE WERE ROLLED.
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Great looking game!
Impressed you remembered to take photos while having to do all the moving of figures.
Despite the issues you got through the game, sounds like it was fun, and you can tweak things for the next one.
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Yup, big thanks to Bob for setting up and moving all the pieces, not easy trying to guess everyone’s intentions but did a fine job. Setting definitely felt like East Africa to me!
Thanks too to Pete for sorting scenario and Jamie for technical nous!
Once we figured out multiple cameras were stretching the bandwidth, and pictures became sharper, it became less frustrating and quite enjoyable (despite my pants dice!).
Poor Brits were handed their backsides with one Sailor and one surviving soldier deciding to take their chances in the bush rather than push their luck.
As Bob says though, yes, we threw dice and had a game. We my be a little late to the table, with others running on line games for a while now.....but to be fair, most of us are old Luddites!
Again FFoL is probably the ideal, simple mechanic for this kind of remote gaming I feel, as I think trying other more complex systems may prove a little frustrating.
Can’t wait to try again!
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So, a win for the British forces. The valve was found, and the gunboat could be fixed.
Bob, slight problem, us Brits didn't win! I don't think we even qualify for the top two sides.
But we did get a game. The idea of e-mailing players a labelled map is a good one.
Looking forward to another, before too long.
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Oh heck.
How did I cock up the end piece ?
Has.been is right.
It was the Germans that won the game.
Finding the valve and running off into the jungle to hide it again.
Hide and seek in East Africa...there’s another game.
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So that's what it looked like! lol lol
There always has to be one who struggles with the technology and this time it was me :(
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Second remote game coming up tomorrow.
After Ian’s recommendation we will be using zoom, with just the iPad camera showing the table and an iPhone camera showing any “fly-by” shots.
We had a trial run last night to see if the comms worked, and it did in the end.
Ended up chatting for a few hours, which I think, helped everyone.
Table will be set up, as shown.
Can’t say too much about the scenario just now, as the participants don’t know what they will be up to yet.
AAR to follow.
(https://i.postimg.cc/3J57xMg3/9-A4-A6-D57-6-C79-43-B1-A8-D9-FE69-FCA5-D8-F8.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/mhwKm5Xn)
(https://i.postimg.cc/4N6GK85V/E1-D196-FF-67-C0-40-D5-8-AEB-60-BD9-D862404.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/ZC522xX5)
(https://i.postimg.cc/L4Z2S4gy/BB01-A26-F-5888-4-C16-B1-D2-3-E9-FFAE2-C2-AE.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/jCKGQbXN)
(https://i.postimg.cc/SKsbvmpf/715-A0-FD4-A8-C7-45-A9-AF1-B-258555-FECB5-D.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/zy9QLZvy)
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Great effort on your part.
Really enjoy the thread, please keep posting.
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Looking forward to the game mate...another fine set up!
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Cheers, should be fun.
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So here we go, remote game number 2.
Using zoom, with 4 players and me moving the figures on the table.
Great news was that zoom worked.
All 4 players were able to stay online all the way through.
Zoom - got to be the way forward for our games.
The scenario -
The stand at Kra-sching Halt.
Capt. Mainwaring looked yet again at his pocket watch. 9:45am & it was already hot.
He was promised Naval support yesterday! Still no sign of it.
The Germans attacked yesterday & had been repulsed only after a fierce fire-fight.
He was worried about the ammunition. Another attack & he felt sure it would run out,
then what? Where the heck were the Navy?
Lt. Albert Weber (little Al to his men) peered out of the jungle. The British were still
there, at the railway halt. He had hoped against hope that they would have pulled out
during the night, but no such luck. The attack had to go in. Scouts had reported a
Royal Navy force heading towards the Halt. He couldn't wait, he had to attack now.
Eric Von Torson proudly stepped onto the wooden bridge. Yesterday's attack had
been a black mark on his proud military career. He was determined today to
expunge it. His men had been ordered to shoot to kill. The British must be driven out.
Mr Philips reread the wireless message. 'Cor lummy' he said to no-one in particular.
It should have been decoded & passed to him hours ago. The instruction was brief,
'You must come to Kra-Shing Halt right away. Army in dire need of Naval assistance'
'Better late than never' chirped up Petty Officer Pertwee, trying to cheer things up &
soon after (definitely late) the Navy set off along the jungle trail.
Game notes.
Bob will be drawing a card from a special deck at the end of each move.
The first joker drawn = Royal Navy is getting near.
The 2nd joker drawn = Royal Navy arrives on table.
Mainwaring (David) Throws of a 1 OR 2 = Out of ammo. When the 1st
joker is drawn this changes to 1,2 OR 3 = Out of ammo. When the 2nd
joker is drawn this changes to 1 OR 2 = Completely out of ammo.
Lt. Weber (Jamie) Has ordered his men to 'Fix bayonets!'
One way or another Germany will take control of the Halt.
Von Torson (Ian) is looking for a medal & he intends to make the Tommies
pay for it. Another repulse will be an absolute disgrace. It would be almost
as bad as victory being achieved by the Imperial Navy.
Mr Philips (Peter) Upon Bob drawing the first joker it will be announced
that the Royal Navy is approaching the Halt. Upon the 2nd joker being
drawn they will be placed on the table (on the jungle road leading to
the bridge.
Overall view.
(https://i.postimg.cc/rydFpC3N/36-EA8-AD3-73-F1-40-E3-99-D2-A04-E1022300-A.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/NLcwJTgK)
Here you can see the German infantry advancing towards the radio mast, over the bridge.
So, the British are holding out, and praying for reinforcements.
They assemble next to the radio mast.
(https://i.postimg.cc/CKLwpjbD/DBE0-A82-E-3-B53-4359-A94-A-1-B6-AD3518230.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/NKV312Jf)
The German naval unit appears from the jungle.
(https://i.postimg.cc/Y2J2LLwK/B846-C30-D-9-CC0-40-C2-B383-A7-D95-E5-B97-D0.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/8smgq55t)
Initial fighting happens between the British and the German sailors, with the sailors occupying the British trenches either side of the railway.
(https://i.postimg.cc/76XzzXtm/2-ED61920-F6-FA-45-B9-AD8-D-8-D1839-AD395-F.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Fdd15b4L)
The German sailors then advanced on the British infantry, taking casualties all they way.
(https://i.postimg.cc/wMCjRmzw/E068-E2-BE-507-D-4-BBA-8971-8-EC079-DDBD8-F.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/GTjCZ9HD)
The German infantry had done well. They advanced over the river and were attacking the British from the other direction.
(https://i.postimg.cc/PxqxgHKQ/BD1454-B6-0-B28-47-BD-8-D75-EB0489993917.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/xkWnmWwX)
The British were desperate for those reinforcements to turn up, fighting on, and defending the position to the last man.
Mainwaring finally bit the dust as the German infantry stormed forward, gunning him down in his sandbag enclosure.
(https://i.postimg.cc/tRwTML6F/1-E024161-0-C2-C-4743-988-A-F72997-F338-A6.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/DmQnWpBz)
With the final Tommy going hand to hand with the German Naval officer, it was a duel to the death.
(https://i.postimg.cc/g2P0Y8NJ/89100-B21-FDA3-444-A-897-A-F9-C8-CFF16681.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/rKQTj06X)
Then, as the sun set, and the British were down to their last figure, the British naval detachment arrived over the bridge.
(https://i.postimg.cc/W48zYzm4/020785-C5-18-A6-4123-9-BDD-77929-EE07285.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/0669b8Bg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/sDWXdwPq/E907-BBCF-25-AE-4115-A868-9-B522-BAAB0-F0.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/F79m0bBV)
So to sum it all up, it was a marginal British victory, but only down to the timely arrival of the British naval unit.
Mainwaring and his troops held out valiantly.
The German naval unit struggled to survive.
The German infantry did well, advancing on the British position.
The British naval unit, rode in and saved the day.
Overall, a good game, played to the end, with the tech all working.
Hopefully we have happy gamers ?
Next plan is another game in a couple of weeks time.
We will start earlier in the morning, so that another player, James can hopefully play before he goes off to work.
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That was hard fought! My poor Brits managed to bag a few with well placed rifle shots but my ammo ran out very quickly. I was surprised the Germans dithered a little. They knew I was outnumbered and in hindsight maybe should have just rushed me head on.
The first casualty inflicted on the Germans, took out Hans, the brave hero from the last encounter.
My own casualties started mounting, and I lost Mainwaring and another trooper as they tried to hold the sandbags to the North of the tower. Things started looking bleak with no sight of the Sailors....probably still asleep in their bunks.....
The other three, fared a little better in the compound, despite the rapid German advance to the dug outs. As their ammo ran out, they each fixed bayonets knowing the end would be bloody. One held behind the door and skewered the first German (Knees) to come through it. Another German fell approaching the compound (Bumps-a-daisy!) but I was quickly down to my last fellow as the wounded German officer sprayed pistol shots though the open door.
The last rays of sunlight were sending long shadowy fingers across the battlefield and my last “hero”, thinking any chance of rescue had past, decided to charge out of the compound and at least take the Hun officer with him. The officer, already fallen to his knees from his wounds, knelt transfixed as the angry looking Brit, bayonet gleaming charged purposefully toward him. Rolling a natural 10 before modifiers, the fight was extremely one sided as the German was stabbed........but a 1 on the wound table probably meant I’d stabbed him in his pocketed bratwurst!!
Finally, I could hear the sound of boots clattering over the bridge as the sailors charged over, some with cutlasses in hand. The German officer made one last effort to stand but the effort proved too much and he bled out. My guy, exhausted from the days efforts stood and watched on as the sailors started to pin the remaining Germans.....
Great game Bob, thoroughly enjoyed it. Technology worked a treat and can’t wait for the next one!
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It was an epic stand by the Brits at the start. They were deadly to any that approached.
The timely arrival at the end did indeed win the day mopping up the Germans as they stormed in nice and fresh.
It was a really good game and a successful method of gaming. Thank you all.
Jamie.
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A very enjoyable game, well at least from my (Royal Naval) perspective.
All players seemed to think they had it very hard, which is most likely true.
It was, as Wellington said, 'A close run thing'.
The British Infantry were, quite literally, down to the last man & last bullet.
The Imperial German Navy were wiped out & the German infantry had lost two
of their five men.
It was generous of the German players to agree on a (very narrow) British win.
Thanks must go to Bob (Flatpack) for yet again putting on a feast for the eyes,
(he even sent an image of a bacon buttie, but when I licked the screen it didn't
taste as nice as the real ones) as well as doing all the running around for us.
Zoom worked much better for us than Discord had, but the credit for that belongs to
Jamie, Bob & one of Bob's sons. I do not do technology.
Looking forward to the next game.
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Good to hear you chaps have sorted the technical details out - sounds like a great game.
Looks really good - I’m impressed with the look of the table - very nice.
For the next game, perhaps try without the numbered counters for the figures - hopefully the players will have the hang of the remote gaming, and won’t need these to help them know where their troops are.
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Great looking table! Looks like the games have been fun.
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Wonderful scenery and table setup.
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I was glad Zoom worked after having winged and swore about Discord lol
Yes as the German infantry I should have closed quicker but I'm more of a flank attack guy and anyway it paid off until the bloody British navy turned up at the end :(
What I have found interesting is that when Bob posts the pictures I go "oh so that's where we were!" The table does look very different at a distance (not a complaint) and so you do end up fighting differently to when in the physical presence of the table and others.
The pace of the game is a little slower I think, probably due to one person doing all the physical work on the table and another overseeing the rules plus the attendant delay in "can I see the other guy?" or "is that a......?" Can't be helped and it was a fun Saturday morning and sure as shit beats doing no gaming at all :) I wonder how well a bigger game would go given the restrictions of the technology?
Thanks again Bob for the organisation and indefatigable enthusiasm and thank you Pete for being rules master.
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The pace of the game is a little slower I think, probably due to one person doing all the physical work on the table and another overseeing the rules plus the attendant delay in "can I see the other guy?" or "is that a......?" Can't be helped and it was a fun Saturday morning and sure as shit beats doing no gaming at all :) I wonder how well a bigger game would go given the restrictions of the technology?
We’ve tended to move to smaller games over video links over the last 9 mths or so. We started just trying to play 4 player games on a 6x4’ table. But found this wasn’t great. And have moved far more to 2 or 3 player games on 4’x4’. The smaller table works better on camera, and fewer players means less waiting between turns. With a face to face game there is plenty of chance for side conversations, but these are much harder on a video link.
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For the next game, perhaps try without the numbered counters for the figures - hopefully the players will have the hang of the remote gaming, and won’t need these to help them know where their troops are.
As Ian says, it’s a struggle to view the game from just one or two cameras, so I think the markers do help.
It means the remote lads can have a chance of identifying their figures, and from my side, down on the ground and moving the figures around the table, I can confirm which figure the players want to move, by calling their number/colour, and once the figure has done its movement/firing, I turn the marker over to signify it has completed its move. I then turn the markers back over to show the number, at the end of the move, so it’s something that helps for remote gaming.
I would agree it doesn’t make nice photos for the aar, but I’m in this to get my mates a game that puts a smile on their face, as there aren’t many other games in town at the moment.
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Absolutely getting a game in is the key bit. On our remote games we have certainly simplified the terrain a fair bit to make it easier for the remote viewers.
I was just sharing our experience of FFoL and the players have generally managed to track their figures OK. But I can definitely see the benefit of the numbered counters, and flipping them down when activated is really helpful in knowing who is left to go.
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Cheers Fred.
Anything that helps the remote gaming is a benefit to all.
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What a beautiful table! I’m enjoying your AAR’s and pictures. As like most face to face gaming is lacking here. I’ve played in one very large NWF game over video link that took us 3-4 sessions to complete but was awesome. I’ve also played a couple of TSATF remote games where the GM sent pictures and situation reports, we would reply with Move orders, the GM would move the troops, and we would react for Fire & Melee. It gave a heightened excitement level due to not knowing everything on the battlefield, it was big fun.
Keep Calm And Keep Rolling Dice.
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Looks like our games are going to grow, as we are planning a 28mm ACW game using Patriots and Rebels in a couple of weeks time, using the same zoom method. We will have to see how it goes.
Just waiting for more Perry figures to turn up, then straight on with the building and painting.