When I discovered remote gaming a little over two years ago, the thought of participating in a wargame on a weekly basis was a novelty. Some weeks would even see two games in one week. Unbelievable! Given that I was more accustomed to averaging maybe one game per month, this increase in gaming frequency was astonishing.
Times have changed.
Now, two games per week seems the default. Having three games is a regular occurrence. Weeks with four games are slipping in with more regularity.
This week's gaming activities made another step up to a level rarely seen. I participated in five games. Five Games!
As a recap,
Sunday: Battle of Consuegra 1097.
Matt returned to another Reconquista battle using Basic Impetvs on a grid in 28mm. Two player game. Although Matt had the chance to score the victory, he opted to call the contest a draw.
I hosted this battle using Fields of Honor on a grid in 15mm. Six-player game. This is a large battle and will require one more session to fight to completion. Well, hopefully one more session will wrap it up!
Tuesday: 1944 WWII skirmish using Ambush in 15mm.
Richard hosted this Normandy action as a five-player game. While the Germans (me!) could not fulfill the objectives, Graham deemed the result a draw as the Americans suffered heavy casualties. Is it odd that the only American in the game played the only German? All British players commanded American units.
Thursday: WWI in Palestine using Peter's OHW variant in 20mm.
Peter hosted this two-player fight. In a return engagement for this scenario, the Turks threw back the attacking EEF in another stalwart defense. I will get back to this one in a separate battle report when time permits.
Friday: AWI Battle of Hubbardton in 10mm using Loose Files and American Scramble.
Chris hosted this three-player game where David and I commanded the Rebels against Steve's attacking British. The Rebels were sent packing following a grenadier charge into skirmishers followed by the turning of the American line. Sigh.
Have I opened a can of worms? Perhaps.
Not surprisingly, little activity at the painting desk. Maybe some time for a meaningful painting session this weekend? I hope so.
A massive can of worms and a very understanding wife!
ReplyDeleteCorrect on both counts, Ray!
DeleteRay got there before I could. Mrs F must be a saint :)
DeleteKeep this up and she will start reading the blog.
DeleteHoly smoke, I didn’t play five games last year
ReplyDeleteGaming remotely has changed my gaming life.
DeleteNot just 5 games, but five very diverse games. You must be coming very adept at picking up different rulesets.
ReplyDeleteYes, great diversity in games. A good GM and a QRS makes it easy. I do get confused sometimes. Thanks again for offering up a very good game.
DeleteI am happy to get one game a week, well done
ReplyDeleteFive games in a week is unsustainable. I need to dial it back.
DeleteBe careful what you wish for and all that! The games all look great - I was particularly happy to read of a rare British win in an AWI scenario! (Sorry, I realise you were on the losing side in that one but it doesn't happen very often!) Re WW2 game, were all the British (American) players together in person with you joining remotely - that might explain the allocation of commands....or, it might just be your (presumably) German surname!
ReplyDeleteI am surprised you are still gaming with Peter in Oz, your bloody Turks have ruined his party in the Middle East, that's for sure :) (anything that anyone may be offended by above is a joke!)
Well, you cannot win them all, Ross, can you? At Hubbardton, the Rebel right held but the left collapsed in a dramatic fashion. Still, we had good fun and met two new players.
DeleteYes, the WWII game was set up to allow the remote player(s) to command the hidden German units. It worked well.
On the Middle East front, I am surprised Peter allows me to continue holding back his advance too! Another fun contest that came down to the wire once again.
Ross....who is Ross ??... 😀 This actually happens often at work in emails, I have never really understood why although obviously Ross can be either a Christian or Surname.....
DeleteWhoops! Senior moment, I guess. My apologies.
DeleteOh, my...
ReplyDeleteA long time ago, when I played tournaments in Warhammer, it was a maximum of 4 battles in a day :-)
Four battles in a day seems a heavy, heavy load, Michal.
DeletePlenty of goodness :-) You could formally start a virtual wargames club ….. I wonder if that would be a world first?
ReplyDeleteNorm, one could agree we already have started a virtual wargaming club...
DeleteBlimey, that is a full on week there Jon! Two games a week would be more than enough for me I think. Time for a holiday for you down in sunny Florida;).
ReplyDeleteFull week, indeed! Certainly, maintaining five per week is not sustainable for me but it was an action-packed week I will not forget.
DeleteSo jealous, 5 games a week! my wife would not be that understanding so quite happy with gaming at the club once a week
ReplyDeleteNeil, since most of the games kick off late morning US Pacific time, it is an easy sell to suggest it is akin to having a long lunch with friends.
DeleteAs I someone who is partly to blame for this, I don't know whether to apologise or not. Ref @irishserb above, I think that was you when we first started to talk about remote gaming. I think it is hard to call yourself a wargamer if you don't play wargames, but it might be time to think whether you have a problem. We don't want you being interviewed in a documentary in silhouette saying "I thought I had it under control. I thought I could give it up any time I liked".
ReplyDeleteGraham, yes, you and Matt were instrumental in moving me down this path. I can dial it back any time I wish. Honest.
DeleteBut do you want to?
DeleteTremendous diversity Jon and as always impressed by you maintaining such enthusiasm. It would be too many for me…🤔
ReplyDeleteA lot of diversity, for sure. One can have too much of a good thing. There are trade-offs. No painting this week.
DeleteThat's a busy schedule. It sounds brilliant and exhausting in equal measure! Looking forward to pt2 of Montebello on Monday.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant and exhausting. Check and check! I look forward to reconvening Montebello too!
DeleteCongratulations Jon, now you probably deserve a rest! Great to ( virtually ) meet you, sorry my impetuous skirmishers lost us the AWI game! Lessons learned, indeed..
ReplyDeleteGreat to meet you, too, David! No need to apologize for the Hubbardton outcome. Had it worked, we would have rejoiced at your bravery.
DeleteWell done there, maybe you need an auto pilot?🙂
ReplyDeleteWith a good GM, the GM is the autopilot as players make decisions and watch the battle unfold.
DeleteWhat a week! My better half is lovely, but I'm not sure that I would get away with that many games. For a number of reasons are a very lucky boy!
ReplyDeleteWhat a week, for sure. Next week will see a much-reduced activity level. Only two games are on the schedule. Maybe I can get some painting in?
DeleteThat is amazing, Jon. That much gaming would certainly strain marital harmony on my end, even after retirement, though. It helps that there is no drive time for remote games, and that when you are participant instead of the host, the set up time is on someone else's clock as well! :-)
ReplyDeleteYou are exactly right on remote gaming. No commute time. When not hosting, you simply pull up a chair, login, and watch the battle unfold. Not unlike sitting down to watch a movie in about the same time. Easy! With host rotation, the heavy workload of creating, setting up, and GMing the game is shared among many.
Delete5 days, 5 games, 5 periods, armies representing 10 countries, set on 3 continents, involving players from 3 continents. That's some week Jon.
ReplyDeleteIt sure was The Week That Was. The gaming week capped off nicely with your fun AWI contest including the introduction to two more potential, remote opponents.
DeleteFive games in a week--now that's what I call redefining the five day "work"week :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, me too!
DeleteI would imagine there are very few anywhere who would get close to this total Jonathan. It really is an amazing record and a great way to get in a variety of games with opponents who you would otherwise not get to game with. I have noticed over the past couple of years that if I have to sit in front of my computer for more than an hour at a time I start to feel restless, but work and study is no doubt the cause of that.
ReplyDeleteThere is no competition. I am simply chronicling the games I managed to enjoy this week. Five games in a week is a lot. I doubt I repeat this feat soon. Sitting at the computer for a few hours to attend a game is nothing. Time passes so quickly there is no time to become restless. Perhaps once work and study are behind you, you can enjoy a remote game?
DeleteThat's really impressive one or two games in a week is a lot but 5! The AWI is a period which is a bit more interesting for me, as we are in the 1770s on some of our events for 2023.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I hope to return to WAS/SYW gaming again soon. Most of the work at my painting desk are for these periods.
DeleteSounds like a fun week. Remote gaming has certainly opened up a whole new world for you. Do you feel gamed out?
ReplyDeleteI can do something like that at a convention. Game in the morning and one in the evening over 2 and a half days. Great fun. Probably less of a toll to spread it out over a week like this.
Sometimes I think that talking about the number of games we play is kinda like talking about how many times we have sex. One guy is like “I game all the time like twice a month “ and the other is like “I hardly ever game, like twice a month!’ It’s all a matter of available time and willing partners. 😀
Stew, you are so funny. I should have expected the conversation to drift toward sex…
DeleteYes, remote gaming has turned my gaming frequency on its head. Remember, though, that comparison is the thief of joy.
Lucky you ! But difficult to keep on top of everything, I've definitely run out of time recently for everything!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
This is a fine juggling act at times.
Delete