Ohio Frontier in South Carolina?

[mikedemana]

With the release of my French & Indian War rules, Song of Drums and Tomahawks, my friends and I decided to embark on an aggressive convention schedule to promote the rules. The first stop of 2015 was Siege of Augusta in Georgia (USA). I brought my "Ohio Frontier Aflame" scenario because it allows the greatest number of players. Thank goodness that I did, as I had all 8 slots filled and four people who scribbled their names below as alternates!

Check out the After Action Report on my Lead Legionaries site: http://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/2015/01/road-trip-to-siege-of-augusta-to.html

The trip was a great success. All the players seemed to have fun (most important)...I sold 10 copies of the rules (next-most important), and then there was the surprise and personally best moment: I got to meet another Lead Adventure Forum member. Valerik showed up and we spent several hours chatting as the game progressed. He paid me the huge compliment by saying the whole reason he showed up at the con that day was to see the Ohio Frontier layout. He bought a copy of the rules and had me autograph them -- probably the first time I have ever done that...!  I was quite humbled. It was great to meet him, though, and he was quite the help. He listened intently when I explained the rules and I saw him numerous times helping out players.

LAF member Valerik checks out the action

Here are some photos from the convention...check out more on my website linked above!




And of course, if you'd like to buy the rules, here's where you can get them from Ganesha Games and Wargame Vault:
Ganesha Games: http://www.ganeshagames.net/product_info.php?cPath=1_51&products_id=267&osCsid=r1dkch5705si1kpu56jn25h5p5
Wargame Vault: http://www.wargamevault.com/product/139714/Song-of-Drums-and-Tomahawks?term=song+of+drums+and+toma?affiliate_id=23711

Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com

[folnjir]

Sounds like success all round.

[Captain Blood]

Looks great Mike. Well done.

[Valerik]

Good thing there's a question mark on the title!!

Mike may be forgiven a geographic hiccup, what with the SC Militia wondering about in wool,
but Augusta is in fact in Gawga, not THE PALMETTO STATE!!

He's right, I went because of Mike, & his scenic goodies, I wanted to see that splendor!!

So I mustered my reserves, overcame health & indolence concerns, & drove 140 miles there.  

I was NOT disappointed in the least!!  No Siree Bob!!

Mike's figures are fabulous, easily equal to his gorgeous table(s)'s scenery.

I did expect those rocky bluffs to be taller, they looked so in all the online photos anyhow,
but then so does Mike...  
Not to worry, the cliffy bits served quite well, fully as functional as fabulous.

I must also say the ONE table I did see with really tall 'mountains' was 'Ehhh',
looked decidedly top-heavy, &, overall, unappealing.  

I'm actively rethinking my plans for verticallity in Pulp...

With that preamble outa the way allow me to offer a dilettante's AAR

(at least I trust the players, & Mike, thought me so, rather than simply a kibitzer)

A Bad Day to be British,
or
The Lackeys of the Lily Banner Triumphant

The wretched Rogers Rangers failed to exit the peaceful fishing village they had just pillaged, having butchered the old & frail, the women & children eking out a humble existence there, when they were accosted by a small party of  foragers returning to their homes.  Laden with loot the Rangers squandered their numeric advantage, and paid for their pitiless perfidy with their hair.  No survivors, British debacle.

The Stockbridge Indians fleeing the fishing village with the Rangers' hostages captives ran into a similar problem with a party of returning villagers preventing their escape.  They all died, prisoners were rescued, and the victorious Indians return home to lick their wounds.  British defeat, but close run to the end.

With French Indian warbands on the loose our Hardy English settlers retreated towards the beckoning blockhouse, and sanctuary.  Alas, twas not to be, as the brave defenders watched their women and children fall, almost at their embrasures, mere footsteps from safety, victim to the vicious vermin preying on their very helplessness.  Clearly another bloody setback for Britons in the colonies.

Our final foray involved a treacherous game of lacrosse, and a fort well defended, but ultimately overwhelmed.  Once again nary an English speaker survived to trumpet the treachery of the Lilly Banner's butchers.  This was the biggest British defeat of the day. making a clean sweep of all four fields matches for the visitors, the final score:

England 0
France   4

so much for the narrative, now for details:

Everyone had fun, except the  alternates who didn't play or watch.
The table was fulla smiles, except when the dice rolls went wrong

RULE No. ONE

Never, EVER play with Mike's dice, always bring your own.
(Mike's dice are cursed, all of 'em, every one)
Bring back-ups for yours, they Will let you down

Three's all ya need, D6s, so best bring 9 or 12

Even in abject defeat or Pyrrhic victory every player enjoyed himself thoroughly, & wasn't shy in saying so.  Me, I hadda blast!!  Wouldn't have missed it!!

From Mike's clear, lucid and logical briefing to the final scalp being lifted, twas a good day.
His overview of the rules & scenarios was just right, detailed where it needed to be, and always reinforcing the basic simplicity and commonality key to the game.

The game mechanics were new to me, an old IGOUGO or SiMove hand,
so the activation subject to immediate termination by "Crappin' Out" was a hoot!!

Movement & combat are logical, well reasoned, simple and satisfying.
Granted I watched a stripped down Convention version of the full rules in action,
but studying the full set at home I remained impressed, & dare I voice it, inspired...

Song of Drums and Tomahawks is a home run indeed for First Command Wargames.

Mister Demana is a gentleman & a scholar, to say nothing of fun to be around.

Mike is  also a great figure painter, and scenic artiste supreme,
yet freely shares these gems with the unwashed & unworthy amongst us.
I will cheerfully admit to hating his obvious talents & coveting his toys

Was Mike's table (& him along with it) worth the drive?  HELL Yes!!

Thanks for your kind words Mike, means a lot to me, & I had so much fun!!

I encourage everyone who can get to one of his upcoming public appearances to do so,
be prepared for a swell experience, enchanting toys & gore galore.

and bring yer own dice!!

Valerik

Did I mention the man has SCALP markers??!!??

EDIT:  my miserable spelling

[mikedemana]

Wow...I'm overwhelmed by your compliments, Valerik! Thank you very much.

I admit to the geography oops....being focused on South Carolina because that is where I stayed while visiting my friend Jason. I think I managed to get it right on the Convention announcements thread...ha, ha!

Oh, and I think the Stockbridge may very well have prevailed if the players didn't decide to call it. In my books, it went down as a draw in that scenario, but an overwhelming native victory, 3-0-1.

Thanks again....
Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com

[Froggy the Great]

I don't suppose you're bringing this to Charleston, ever?

[Marine0846]

It looks like your trip was a big success.
Lovely table, would love to play on it.
Am waiting for your rules to come in the mail.
I am looking forward to trying them.

[mikedemana]

I don't suppose you're bringing this to Charleston, ever?

Charleston, WV, or SC? If WV, then I really should head down one of these days to Charcon. It has been too many years since I attended one of those! If SC, what convention would you be referring to...?

Flattered by the interest, though...! 

Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com

[oabee]

Hey Mike:

Don't know where to ask this, so this looks like as good of a place as any.

Having never played Song of Drums and Tomahawks, I am never-the-less having trouble with charging 2 actions to reload a firearm, as the Task chart states. I'm then confused by the paragraph that says, "One action may be....moving..., shooting, reloading, fighting in hand-to-hand...."

So, is the Task chart right: 2 actions to reload? Or the paragraph of examples that lists reloading under one-action tasks?

I guess it bothers me that a player could potentially have his entire turn ended prematurely by a single figure failing to reload his musket! Rolling two dice to attempt it...and if it costs 2 successes to reload you have to roll at least two dice...for the typical figure out of command range, has a 1/4 chance of ending your entire turn, or a 1/9 chance if he's in command range. Rolling three dice increases the chance of successfully reloading, but carries a 1/2 risk  of ending your turn if outside command, or 1/4 risk if in command.

Again, I haven't yet played the game, so I haven't seen the Activation system in, well, Action! My natural inclination would be to make reloading a one-action task. But I truly would appreciate your comments on the matter.

Mike O

[sespe]

Yes, it is 2 consecutive actions - that is 2 actions in the same turn. 

My take on the reloading: I have a love / hate relationship with this rule.  On the one hand, it can be frustrating as hell when a Q4 rifleman only gets 1 shot off in a game, because he keeps fumbling the reload.  On the other hand, it does make you think about realistic tactics like one volley and then close combat.

I keep flirting with the idea of allowing 2 actions non-consecutive to reload (risk less for a safer but slower troop), but that would require some sort of half-loaded marker.

[mikedemana]

I understand it may be hard to wrap your head around the concept of needing both actions in the same turn to successfully reload. It is an intentional design mechanic, though. These rules simulate skirmish warfare in the Eastern woodlands -- not pitched battles where firing lines may blaze away at each other for long periods of time. For example, Song of Drums and Tomahawks is not intended to stage Braddock's Defeat. Instead, it better simulates a hypothetical action between the advance scouts of the English force contacting a small warband in ambush. After the Indians and French shoot their muskets, are they going to spend precious moments reloading their firearms, thus letting the English slip away? Or are they going to whip out their tomahawks and charge? The latter is more of a feature of this period of warfare in the skirmish scale.

I recommend playing the game "as is" a few times before instituting a fundamental change like this. As the rules state, in the dim half light beneath the forest canopy, you don't always know how badly (or if) you've wounded your enemy. You also don't know how far away his friends (if any) may be. You know he went down, though. Do you take the time to reload, or do you rush in before he has a chance to shake off the effects of your shot? These are the crucial decisions players make, and further reinforced by the chance of "crapping out" with the activation system.

A friend of mine likes to restage historical refights for every game he hosts (other rules, other periods). He sets up the terrain and usually deploys our troops for us. Often, this leaves us little more to do other than march forward and roll dice. Although some may enjoy this type of game, for me it is missing one critical element: Players making decisions that affect the game's outcome. One of the reasons I love the "Song" rules engine is you are constantly making decisions. Which character should I activate first? How many dice do I try to activate? What should I do with the activations rolled? This adds for a tenseness and makes you react with the game in emotional ways that "who rolls better dice" systems do not always do.

That said, if you've played it a few times and it still sits wrong with you, then feel free to modify anything you like. When I play the Fantasy/Ancient version of these rules, Song of Blades and Heroes, for my Dark Ages games, I take out the "Gruesome Kill" mechanic. It is the Dark Ages...EVERY kill is gruesome! 

Good luck, guys, and keep us posted on your feelings about how your games are progressing...

Thanks again,
Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com

[NickNascati]

Mike,
         Everything looks great!  The French and Indian War as well as the more irregular aspects of the American Revolution, are among my favorite genres of gaming.  With Wargames Factory soon to release plastic Indians, I may be plunging in once again.
                                                                       Nick