First outing for The Men Who Would be Kings

[Arthur Chance]

We played our first game of TMWWBK last night, at our club - the Brackley & District Gamers (AKA The BAD Gamers). As big fans of Dragon Rampant, we had some high expectations of this new set of rules, and they didn't disappoint. The tweaks and additions have made the game different but similar to Dragon Rampant, in that it is its own game, but mechanics feel familiar to those who've played Dragon or Lion Rampant.

Full details and comments are on the inaugural page of the club blog; https://thebadgamers.com/blog/

[LCpl McDoom]

Many thanks for that blog report, enjoyed reading it, and it's motivated me to get the figures back out tonight so I can explore the rules further 

[Arthur Chance]

Pleased to hear we inspired you!

I played the Brits and have to say there was a real sense of doom heading my way as the mass of Mahdist's double timed it to get in contact.

Because of the figures being based for Patrols in the Sudan, we had eight bases per Mahdist unit, with each base counting as two men (giving the unit a game total of 16 men, as per the rules), but physically having three men on each base (as per normal in Peter Pig rules), giving a physical total of 24 men per unit. This was a happy outcome as it did add to the tidal feel of the Mahdist attack. And yes, the "Thousands of them" quote came out several times.

Next game will see a change in tactics - get the Brits into close order at the start so that they can volley fire, being a key one. Pinning a Mahdist unit wasn't difficult - which halted the unit for a turn. But pinning enough Mahdists units each turn was the challenge - I couldn't do enough to slow them while I tried to fall back. Maybe I should just have run for it from the start?

Also the game is made by the Leader traits - they made it quite personal as you wish well of the good officers and despair at the bad ones.

And perhaps the final endorsement for the game is that I want to add more troops - I'm going to go for 36 points of forces, which will give me a range of different troop types and a bigger game. Plan is to get them from Peter Pig at Warfare in November.

Good luck with your outing for TMWWBK - let me know how it goes.

[pauld]

I concur, a jolly fun game

I was the opponent and confess to a tear in the eye as I watched the daring tale of May Pasha, Hammond and Johnson meeting a suitably stiff upper death play out before my eyes.

Tearing the tattered colours from the hands of the grievously wounded Ensign May had stupidly bravely led his men out of the meagre cover of the dry wadi into the jaws of the jibbah'd horde never to be seen again.

"Maddened Mahdists massacre May in the scorching Soudan sun" screamed the headlines of the Illustrated London News later that month

Another legend is formed

... in a startlingly contemporary allusion Johnson made a lot of noise, backed off and did nothing before being destroyed. 

Game imitating life

There is a lot of fun to be had with these rules - as Frank said the traits add colour and a framework to hang a tale.

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