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Author Topic: VOLLEY FIRE in Muskets & Tomahawks 2  (Read 994 times)

Offline Pan Marek

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 218
VOLLEY FIRE in Muskets & Tomahawks 2
« on: July 26, 2021, 08:01:02 PM »
I played my third game of M&T 2 this weekend.  I was an enthusiastic player of the first version.

Volley fire has become rather fiddly, hedged with all sorts of qualifiers and completely separate ways of
determining casualties and effects of the fire.  I find it distracting, overly complicated and too restricting
of volley fire, which is the main reason one would want to field regulars in a game.

I'm thinking of going back to the +1 modifier of the original set.  Anyone out there have any thoughts
about whether doing so would "break" the new version?   Or have any thoughts about the new version's
handling of volley fire?

Offline TacticalPainter

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 590
    • The Tactical Painter
Re: VOLLEY FIRE in Muskets & Tomahawks 2
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2021, 10:47:55 PM »
It seems they have come to the conclusion that the main effect of volley fire is its impact on morale, hence a different mechanic for handling it, although I’m not convinced they have got it right. It probably works best when targeting Irregulars, I’m not convinced they have it quite right for targeting Militia. If you look at the AWI, it would appear rebel militia feared a bayonet charge more than a volley (which is not to say a good volley wouldn’t break them, but it’s my understanding that it was fear of the bayonet that most unnerved them).

But then M&T2 appears to get a few other historical things wrong, for example the treatment of light infantry. Why British light infantry has the same aggression level as American militia is bizarre. Light infantry were trained for speed and aggression, closing with the bayonet was just as important as a skirmishing type role. Not only that but American militia rarely had bayonets and were generally expected to stand their ground rather than go on the attack and yet in M&T2 they are considered as good in hand to hand combat as the lights.

Offline Pan Marek

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 218
Re: VOLLEY FIRE in Muskets & Tomahawks 2
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2021, 03:40:56 PM »
Tactical-
I noticed that too, as our game this past weekend included British lights and American militia.  Might need some tinkering there
too.  My overall impression of the 2nd edition is that its given "more choices" (more "gamey"?)  to players, but I'm not sure that its made the game better.  Some changes, like volley fire, seem to apply complexity for complexity's sake.

My thoughts on the new version are still very much in flux.

Offline TacticalPainter

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 590
    • The Tactical Painter
Re: VOLLEY FIRE in Muskets & Tomahawks 2
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2021, 09:34:35 PM »
I think it makes for a very playable game but the emphasis is on the game more than anything else. I find Saga to be the same.

If you look at the card activation in a game like Sharp Practice it’s about activating leaders who then order their units. You can argue how well it does that but it’s clear to see what it’s trying to represent. I’m not sure what the cards in M&T2 are trying to represent other than a game mechanic for randomising activation. Why do all the Regulars suddenly activate at the same time? What does that represent?

Having your opponent’s cards in your hand forces some interesting choices and decision making (which are fine if you look at it from a purely ‘game’ perspective) but once again I’m not sure what that represents, why and how do I know when all the enemy Regulars will activate and why is it under my control? It allows for some gamey play to prepare for that occurring which gives you a level of intelligence and battlefield awareness that seems out of place.

If you’re prepared to ignore the implications of that then there’s no doubt that there’s an enjoyable enough game to be had, I’m just left unconvinced it’s a good representation of command in the black powder era. 

 

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