The Beaver Wars in Ohio <-- updated 7/6/15

[Marine0846]

Thanks Mike for the link.
I did not think of Native American.
Tried about every other name.
Also ordered your rules, look forward to trying them out.

[mikedemana]

I did not think of Native American.

Ha, ha...I had that problem when I used "Indian" too...

Also ordered your rules, look forward to trying them out.

Thank you sir! Hope you enjoy them...!

Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com

[mikedemana]

We got together last night for turn 2 of our playtest of the Beaver Wars in Ohio. Once again, angry weather threatened, and I had only 4 of my 6 players able to attend. The others sent in their turns by email, though, so we were able to play it out. The turn resulted in another tabletop battle. The Miami tribe invaded Illinois territory to attempt to seize control of one of the villages. Meanwhile, many of the other tribes were taking bundles of beaver pelts to the trading post for muskets and other European goods their tribes are coming to depend upon.


Turn 2 map

For a full report, along with explanation of how the campaign system works, check out my Lead Legionaries blog. Lots of photos of the battle, which was fought amidst the longhouses and palisades of an Indian town. Check it all out here:
http://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-beaver-wars-turn-2-report.html



Enjoy! And feel free to ask questions about how it all works, or make comments.

Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com

[Marine0846]

Great report.
Nice photos.
A question, when players are playing their cards, do they lay them face down and turn them all over at once?
Or do they play them one at a time.
It looks as if warriors are the best all around troops.
Youths had a hard time of it.
How do Youths move up to warrior?
Also, are all the games even points on both sides?
Can't wait for the next report.

[mikedemana]

Great report.
Nice photos.
A question, when players are playing their cards, do they lay them face down and turn them all over at once? Or do they play them one at a time.

Thank you! It is sequential, one after another with cards played face up. I have fudged it a bit with absent players sending in email card plays, though.

It looks as if warriors are the best all around troops.
Youths had a hard time of it.
How do Youths move up to warrior?
Also, are all the games even points on both sides?
Can't wait for the next report.

Yes, youths are having a tough time of it. Rightly so, at 1 AP vs. 2 AP for a warrior. Of course, as players, we need to learn to get the hang of what they can do and can't do. You should see the lively discussion on our shared emails after each sunday evening of battle! The player roster, where they keep track of surviving figures with XP, is meant to be simplified and abstracted. Currently, I don't have a way for them to graduate to "Warrior" status. Of course, any player can simply declare that -- for color's sake -- a new warrior bought this turn is the old youth, and simply not play that youth anymore.

This is still in the playtest stage. So, if we feel after completing it that there should be a provision for graduating youths, then I'll add it in.

Thanks for all the nice comments! Have you checked out my Miami player's blog on the playtest? It is very well done, I think:
http://orcafinnbasement.blogspot.com/2015/01/game-reports-song-of-drums-and.html

Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com

[michaelsbagley]

I see that you live in Central Ohio..... Any chance any of the Columbus area brick and mortars are carrying these rules? Or is online order and/or PDF the only easy way to get them?

I've really enjoyed some of the other Ganesha Games rules, and thought since I enjoy F&IW as well, these might be a nice thin addition to the rules shelf.

[mikedemana]

Heck, if you're here in the area, I'll sell you one from the stock on hand! I'm a school teacher, so work Monday-Friday up in the area of Polaris Mall area. I live very close to Ravenstone and The Soldiery.

We haven't hit them up to carry them...probably should get around to doing that!

PM me and we can arrange to meet, and I'll toss in one of my full-size QRS...

Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com

[Marine0846]

Really nice to point out the Miami's player blog.
Nice write up about the battle.
It will be fun to follow both yours and his write ups of what is happening.

[Marine0846]

Hey Mike,
My rules came in today.
After a quick read they look good.
Funny, I ran a F&I War game today.
Just a friend and I.
If the rules had come in a little sooner,
I could have played them.
But will have a game soon.

[mikedemana]

After a quick read they look good.
Funny, I ran a F&I War game today.
Just a friend and I.
If the rules had come in a little sooner,
I could have played them.

Thanks! Hope you had fun and are inspired to do more!

Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com

[mikedemana]

Hi everyone! I am a couple weeks late in posting the turn 3 update to the Beaver Wars in Ohio campaign playtest we are doing. We generated 3 tabletop battles in this turn from our six players representing the Ojibwe, Miami, Wyandot, Ottawa, Seneca, and Potawatomi players. The playtest is going well. I am making tweaks to the rules, but the players are having fun and seem to be excited about the next turn.

Read analysis, battle reports, and photos and map on my blog:
http://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/2015/03/beaver-wars-turn-3-report.html

Feel free to post questions and comments. At the rate we are going, I foresee publication towards the end of this year.

Seeya!
Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com

[Marine0846]

Great write up.
Thanks, I needed my Beaver War fix.
Lots of action. Sounds like your played had lots of fun.

[mikedemana]

Hi everyone,

In preparation for this coming Sunday's next installment of the Beaver Wars campaign, I thought I would crunch the numbers and figure out how the tribes are doing. Wow! It is a close struggle. The Ojibwa, Seneca, and Miami are all within one point of each other according to the rules' scoring system. I think once the players see the scores, things are going to get even bloodier! Check out my blog below for the full score report and commentary:
http://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/2015/04/beaver-wars-scores-after-3-turns-of-play.html

Expect another update from this weekend's action early next week. Thanks for reading...!


"Let us in...we have beaver pelts to trade! Oh, and don't mind the warpaint..."

Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com

[mikedemana]

It was warfare inside Indian towns this turn of the Beaver Wars playtest -- with five battles to resolve!

My guess was that we would see a lot of battles this turn. The campaign seemed to be heating up, and players were getting into the swing of things attacking each other's villages. I had no idea we'd have more battles than we'd be able to resolve that evening, though! Somehow, six tribes combined to launch five invasions this turn. Of course, two of them involve the likely, soon-to-be-eliminated non-player Illinois tribe. Once their towns are conquered, my guess is it will settle down to no more than 3-4 per turn at the most. Still, games of Song of Drums and Tomahawks are quick enough we could have fought out the other two. However, the players were content to save the others for another evening.

Read the first part of the turn four report on my blog:
http://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/2015/04/beaver-wars-playtest-turn-4.html

Enjoy!

Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com

[nervisfr]

Great Report Mike !   

But that's give you a lot of work to deal with all these events at the same time...

Keep going. Hope that's will give us an excellent rules supplement if any.....   

Cheers
Eric