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Author Topic: After Show Report: The Men Who Would Be Kings at Hereward Wargame Show  (Read 11429 times)

Offline guitarheroandy

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Well, we had a great day at our first ever wargame show in Peterborough today! We played two games of The Men Who Would Be Kings to almost universal acclaim! One chap even said it was the best participation game he'd played at a show in years (thank you, kind sir!) Most players loved the rules and those who came along to just watch seemed to like them too, so I suspect that we may have gained Osprey a few sales !!

The scenario was well balanced, as we had one British victory and one Pathan victory. Basically, the British were part of a punitive expedition sent into the Tandoor Valley to chastise the Jalfrezi clan who had been provoked into rebellion by over-zealous mullahs. 3 companies of infantry (a standard 24pt field force) had burned a village and were withdrawing when 3 rifle-armed and 2 sword-armed Jalfrezi units (again, a standard 24pt force) attacked - typical Pathan tactic - harass the withdrawal!! The British had a second force of artillery, Bengal lancers and Punjabi infantry who could advance to their comrades' aid as soon as they heard firing or as soon as the hills came alive with the enemy and the Jafrezis also had a further 2 units each of rifle-armed and sword-armed warriors to enter the table (random deployment according to a D6 roll). The stage was set for a jolly spiffing scrap!!!

Pics below:

The set up and deployment:




The Relief Force leaves the camp...


The raiding force starts the long withdrawal...


Pathans skulking




The Gurkhas screen the withdrawal


The village burns


Midway through game 1 - the British have formed a firing line that poured death into the Jalfrezi ranks



The lancers midway through their devastating surge through the Jalfrezi attack


Game 2 under way...the British are advancing/withdrawing confidently


The lancers advance


Jalfrezis mass on the right, threatening the Punjabis


They seem rather outnumbered!!


The Jafrezis tighten the noose...


It's not looking good...


The Ghazis catch the lancers on the hop and charge them...this didn't go well for the horsemen!!!


The Punjabis taste Ghazi steel! This didn't end well either and with that came the British defeat in game 2!



Thanks to all who played today and to Andy MacTaggart for helping to both prepare for it and umpire it today. We hope to bring it to a couple of other shows in 2016, so watch this space for news in the new year!!

Offline Diplomatist

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Re: After Show Report: The Men Who Would Be Kings at Hereward Wargame Show
« Reply #1 on: November 01, 2015, 09:23:24 PM »
I was lucky enough to watch some of the action, and can assure everyone that it looked as lovely in the flesh as in the pics!   :D

Offline FifteensAway

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Re: After Show Report: The Men Who Would Be Kings at Hereward Wargame Show
« Reply #2 on: November 02, 2015, 01:30:41 AM »
Nice to see all the troops carrying around their own camouflage in that dry climate.  Ain't getting figure bases right for varying terrain a bitch!?  Gorgeous game.  And not bad figures, neither.

Offline Argonor

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Re: After Show Report: The Men Who Would Be Kings at Hereward Wargame Show
« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2015, 05:30:37 AM »
So, are the rules similar to Lion Rampant, or are the mechanics different?

I gather as much as the force sizes are similar.
Ask at the LAF, and answer shall thy be given!


Cultist #84

Offline guitarheroandy

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Re: After Show Report: The Men Who Would Be Kings at Hereward Wargame Show
« Reply #4 on: November 02, 2015, 07:16:30 AM »
So, are the rules similar to Lion Rampant, or are the mechanics different?

I gather as much as the force sizes are similar.

Yes, very similar. Most of the parts that people don't like about Lion Rampant aren't in these rules (i.e. if you fail a unit activation in these rules your turn doesn't end; no mandatory 3" gap between friendly units) and obviously some mechanisms are tweaked to allow for a 500+ year difference in time period. If you like Lion Rampant it's a safe bet you'll really enjoy these rules.

Offline dexey

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Re: After Show Report: The Men Who Would Be Kings at Hereward Wargame Show
« Reply #5 on: November 02, 2015, 10:26:32 AM »
I schlepped acros to Peterborough for the show and thought this was a particularly interesting game.
A nicely displayed table and fantastic figures. Not a period I am interested in but I do like LR.  :)
I didn't have time to play but I spoke with one of the chaps and he was an enthusiastic advocate of 'Kings'

Offline Dalauppror

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Re: After Show Report: The Men Who Would Be Kings at Hereward Wargame Show
« Reply #6 on: November 02, 2015, 11:05:15 AM »
Stunning looking game !!!

Offline Midpoint

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Re: After Show Report: The Men Who Would Be Kings at Hereward Wargame Show
« Reply #7 on: November 02, 2015, 12:13:23 PM »
Any chance of Force lists/unit sizes?

Looks great.

Want! Want now!

Offline Tas

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Re: After Show Report: The Men Who Would Be Kings at Hereward Wargame Show
« Reply #8 on: November 02, 2015, 03:23:15 PM »
Brilliant.  How could one see such a game and not be inspired?
Perhaps its for the best I wasn't there  :D

Looking forward to playing this and dragging my old 15mm colonial figs out of retirement

Offline guitarheroandy

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Re: After Show Report: The Men Who Would Be Kings at Hereward Wargame Show
« Reply #9 on: November 02, 2015, 05:43:53 PM »
Any chance of Force lists/unit sizes?

Looks great.

Want! Want now!

Sure!

British raiders (24pt standard field force):

1 x 12 Queen's British infantry - upgraded firing stats to represent the Lee Metford rifle
1 x 12 Sikh sepoys - upgraded melee stats
1 x 12 Gurkha sepoys - upgraded to allow them to cross difficult ground with no penalty

British relief column:

1 x 12 Punjabi sepoys - no upgrades
1 x 6 Bengal lancers - lancer upgrade (fight with more dice when they charge)
1 x mountain gun with 5 crew (well-drilled - use more dice when shooting!)

Jalfrezi Pathan Attackers (24pt standard field force):

1 x 16 Ghazi fanatics - no shooting ability, but enhanced melee stats and gaining 'attack' as a free (i.e. no leadership test required) action
1 x 16 swordsmen - no shooting ability, but enhanced melee stats
1 x 12 marksmen - upgraded to allow them to cross difficult ground with no penalty and to kill British leader on any double (not just double 1)
1 x 12 riflemen - upgraded to allow them to cross difficult ground with no penalty; downgraded shooting stats to represent poor rate of fire
1 x 12 jezzails - upgraded to allow them to cross difficult ground with no penalty; downgraded shooting stats to represent poor rate of fire

Jalfrezi Pathan reinforcements

1 x 16 Ghazi fanatics - no shooting ability, but enhanced melee stats and gaining 'attack' as a free (i.e. no leadership test required) action
1 x 16 swordsmen - no shooting ability, but enhanced melee stats
1 x 12 riflemen - upgraded to allow them to cross difficult ground with no penalty; downgraded shooting stats to represent poor rate of fire
1 x 12 riflemen - upgraded to allow them to cross difficult ground with no penalty; downgraded shooting stats to represent poor rate of fire

We feel the upgrades/downgrades really give a good NW Frontier 'feel' to the forces. When we tackle Sudan, we'll tweak things differently to suit that theatre (we plan to do Egyptians vs Mahdists...)

Thanks very much for the positive comments! We had a blast!! :D

I am already planning an alternative scenario for shows next year involving relieving an attack on a British outpost (purchased at the show from trader selling Unfeasibly miniatures stuff - I bought their French Foreign Legion blockhouse which will make a fabulous fortified British signalling station!!!)

Offline Argonor

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Re: After Show Report: The Men Who Would Be Kings at Hereward Wargame Show
« Reply #10 on: November 02, 2015, 09:30:48 PM »
Yes, very similar. Most of the parts that people don't like about Lion Rampant aren't in these rules (i.e. if you fail a unit activation in these rules your turn doesn't end; no mandatory 3" gap between friendly units) and obviously some mechanisms are tweaked to allow for a 500+ year difference in time period. If you like Lion Rampant it's a safe bet you'll really enjoy these rules.

OK, thanks!

I am just about deciding what rules to construct some Zulu War forces for (and what figure scale I want to use - depends a whole lot on miniature count for a playable force).

Offline guitarheroandy

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Re: After Show Report: The Men Who Would Be Kings at Hereward Wargame Show
« Reply #11 on: November 02, 2015, 09:56:05 PM »
OK, thanks!

I am just about deciding what rules to construct some Zulu War forces for (and what figure scale I want to use - depends a whole lot on miniature count for a playable force).

Off the top of my head, to get 24pt standard field forces, you'd probably need 5 or 6 units of 16 Zulus (depending on whether you choose to add upgrades or not.) British would be 3 or more units of 12 infantry depending on whether you add upgrades and whether you deploy irregular allies such as Natal Native Contingent (the latter obviously cost fewer points)

So 36 - 48 Brits and about twice that number of Zulus. Small unit actions rather than true skirmish.

Hope that helps a bit.

Offline Argonor

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Re: After Show Report: The Men Who Would Be Kings at Hereward Wargame Show
« Reply #12 on: November 02, 2015, 09:59:50 PM »
Thank you!

Offline Marine0846

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Re: After Show Report: The Men Who Would Be Kings at Hereward Wargame Show
« Reply #13 on: November 03, 2015, 08:33:30 PM »
Sweet looking game.
Looks to be an interesting set of rules.
May have to check them out.
Semper Fi, Mac

Offline Trooper

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Re: After Show Report: The Men Who Would Be Kings at Hereward Wargame Show
« Reply #14 on: November 03, 2015, 09:22:41 PM »
As one of the players in the 12.30pm slot, I can honestly say that the guys set new high standards for running a participation game at a UK show. The table was very well presented, excellent toy soldiers and charmingly and informatively umpired. They both did the rules credit in their presentation and kept four experienced gamers happily entertained for nearly three hours, no mean feat. Top job fellas, I shall definitely be investing in a copy when the rules are published next year. Thanks for your hard work and for creating a very positive experience. All in the finest traditions of this forum.   
They will not force us,
They will stop degrading us,
They will not control us,
We will be victorious!!

 

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