Playtest Notes

As mentioned in the previous post, I joined Ian for a playtest session to refresh my fading memories on rules' development for his Rein-Bow Warriors (RBW) project.  Last time we gave the rules a workout was about 18 months ago.  What has changed, what do we remember, what have we forgotten, and what can be improved?  We will see.

Following is a collection of my notes, insights, and suggestions from this session on Thursday.  Next time I look for my notes, I will know where to find them.  All tables and illustrations are copyright Ian Russell Lowell.  Game photos are mine. 

Turn Sequence
The Turn Sequence from the last playtest back in March 2022 contained a total of nine steps.  I recall, at the time, that these nine steps were difficult to keep in mind.  Some of the steps seemed out of order and the sequence required constant referral during play.  Simplification, if possible, would be helpful to streamline the turn sequence.  When Ian sent an updated QRS, I noticed that the sequence had been reduced to seven steps.  That is good!  Seven steps are more manageable than nine.

Since Step 3 is a direct result of Step 2, Step 3 could be combined within Step 2.  Now we are down to six steps. 

Turn Sequence

Similarly, Step 6 covers completion of charge movement in addition to hand-to-hand combat.  With chariots making their final charge movement in Step 6, frontline foot units ought to take a Reaction Test here as well.   We ought to name these Reaction Tests from chariot proximity "Seeing the Chariot" Test.  More on this Reaction Test later.

To Grid or Not To Grid?
In last year's playtests, battles were fought on an open field with tape measure and protractor in hand.  With my game table already laid out with a hex grid from my recent Punic War games, I asked if trying the game on a grid was possible.  Ian, said, "Sure!"  Within a very short amount of time, a hex-based diagram arrived into my Inbox.  All missile ranges and movements rates were converted from inches (or IKU) to hexes.

Missile ranges and arcs of fire template

I replied that this looked terrific but my units face a hex vertex not the side.   No problem!  Within minutes, a new diagram appeared in my Inbox showing a quick switch to unit orientation.

Quick revision to unit orientation.

Now that a hex was in place, one other change I made from the previous games was to reduce a Basic Maneuver Unit (BMU) from two stands to one stand.  Each BMU would occupy one hex.   In the earlier version of the rules, one BMU comprised two stands.  The BMU had one Mettle Value but each stand within the BMU could shoot and melee independently but all damage was assessed against the BMU.  What this meant was that (two stand) BMUs had a lot of combat power but were very brittle.

As play began, I quickly realized that the switch to a grid-based, one BMU/hex design simplified much of the game mechanisms.  Mechanisms that were fuzzy or unclear in the earlier, open-table sessions became straightforward without ambiguity on a grid.   While the basic game engine remained intact, the fog was beginning to lift on how to actually implement Ian's design philosophy into a playable solution.

With Turn Sequence and playing area defined, how did the playtest session progress?  What else was surfaced during this session?

The Game
After a lengthy discussion trying to remember how all of the pieces worked and a refresher on the dice roll resolution (roll two dice and add the differential to the largest), we dived into the game.

Battle lines drawn.

With the fast-moving chariots heading out first, contact was quickly made.  The trailing dust clouds denote last path taken and represent a No-Man's Land to foot.  One tenet of RBW is that chariot pairs engage in dogfights in a swirling "joust" as chariots speed passed one another, turn-about, and re-engage in a series of bowshots.  No foot units dare enter this whirlwind of activity. 

Chariots race off to meet their adversary.

While in past games, this area was marked out with a series of ill-defined dust clouds, the benefit of a hex-grid was recognized immediately.  Play stopped and we discussed the notion of Zones of Control. In a follow-up email, Ian termed these no-go areas as Non-Chariot Exclusion Zones.  I think I will stick with EZOC. 

Non-Chariot Exclusion Zone

Back to the game.

As the chariot arms of both armies scream out in advance of the main battle lines, it is clear that the Egyptians are outgunned.  While two of the Egyptian chariots intercept two Hittite chariots and begin dogfights, the two Hittite chariots on the wings advance unopposed.  The third Egyptian chariot in the center of the Egyptian battle line moves off toward the Hittite main battle line.    

Chariots engage.

While the two pairs of opposing chariots dogfight, the Egyptian chariot in the center approaches the Hittite line triggering Seeing the Chariot Mettle Tests.  In prior iterations of the RBW, when this test was triggered, the entire battle line had to make the test using the Mettle Value of the highest rated unit in the battle line.

Again, play was stopped to discuss.

After an engaging discussion with a few anecdotes told, we decided to only test units that were actually within chariot bow range.  Any testing unit could still utilize the highest Mettle Value from the entire battle line.  Was a successful Mettle Test based upon less or equal to a dice roll or strictly less than?  Less than or equal was the decision.  Also, throwing doubles during a Mettle Test resulted in possible leader casualty in the earlier rules' iteration.  Now, doubles are treated as a regular Mettle Test (Pass or Fail) with the largest die used since differential is zero.  In this game, we used doubles as an automatic pass but think the test ought to remain within the standard framwork as outlined in the previous sentence.  

Hittites test for Seeing the Chariot.
Hittite skirmishes are close to breaking.

On both flanks, chariot dogfighting continues.  In previous games, ammo expenditures were tracked.  Chariots had four shots before needing to break off and return to camp to replenish.  In this game, constraints on ammo supply were lifted.  Those previous experiments demonstrated that by the time a chariot had expended its four shots, it was likely already badly damaged.  Compounding this, the battle was often decided before chariots could return to camp, replenish, and get back into battle.  In this one trial, lifting of ammo supply made no significant difference to the course of battle.  Why track something needlessly?        

Chariot dogfighting.

While the dogfighting continues, the Hittites maneuver to get around the Egyptian flanks.  The Egyptian foot on the right turn to discourage the attacker from continuing on.  The ploy does not work!  Despite receiving fire from the massed archers, the Hittite chariot bursts by the foot and heads toward the Pharaoh.  Note that the Engagement Chart showed no distinction between bow-armed skirmishers and massed archers.  After the game, Ian corrected that to give massed archers an advantage in fire over skirmishing bow.

Hittite chariot moves against the Egyptian right.

Egyptians turn to face

and give the attackers a volley.

Still, the Hittite sweeps around the flank
 and into the Egyptian rear.

Back in the center, rather than plowing into the Hittite line, the Egyptian chariot pulls up and begins a caracole into the enemy troops.  First, the Hittite skirmishers break and run.  As the effects of the caracole barrage mount, a unit of javelinmen breaks for the rear.  The Hittite line has been breached! Note that after some discussion, a unit of Mettle W1R1 must rout.  Otherwise, a unit with Mettle of R1 may remain in place and fight on (defensively only).  Earlier, a R1 caused a unit to retire.

Hittites break for the rear!

The Pharaoh is caught behind his battle line and engaged in a dogfight with the enemy chariot.  In a series of passes, the Pharaoh is forced to retire.  With the Pharaoh fleeing the battlefield, his army does likewise. 

Pharaoh is hotly engaged!

Victory to Ian and his Hittites!

This game produced a very interesting battle.  We succeeded in exercising many facets of the rules and clarifying a number of points.

I think we made good progress although my tactics need some work.

Back to Biblicals!

The dust had yet to settle over the plains of Ilipa when I received an email from the Society of Ancients.  This email contained an announcement for the upcoming annual convention in October.  Since I am unlikely to attend this year's convention at Madingley Hall near Cambridge, I was only generally curious of the content.  What really caught my eye was the inclusion of Ian Russell-Lowell in the program.  I have gamed with Ian for nearly three years now often seeing him in a weekly remote game.  Ah, the fun of shooting down Snoopy and his long line of succession in aerial dogfights over the fields of Flanders.  Phil Steele will be presenting at the convention as well.  Another of my weekly remote gaming buddies out and on tour.  Joining them this year sure would be fun. 

Back to the email.  My gaze was especially focused onto the content on offer.  First, Ian would be discussing the Late Bronze Age.  One of his specialties.  Second, Ian would be running a workshop on the latest incarnation of his Work-in-Progress Late Bronze Age rules, Rein-Bow Warriors (RBW).

Now, RBW is a ruleset that Ian and I have discussed much in the past and even got in a handful of playtests.  I have not seen rules' development since our last work more than a year ago.  Remembering that the rules still had some conundrums left to solve and streamlining to consider from the last playings, I wondered what had changed in the passing year and a half.

A quick email to Ian answered my question.  

Not much!  

Given that presenting a workshop for developmental rules having not seeing action in more than a year might be a challenge, I offered my services to help in refreshing both of our collective memories.  Ian cheerfully accepted!

In what will be the first of (I hope) several playtests, Ian and I will meet this week to discuss the current state of the rules, consult notes made during previous sessions, and push a few troops around my remote table.  Well, remote for Ian.  I will be broadcasting live from my game room.  Ian will be Zooming in from Cornwall.

Hittites ready for action.

While Biblical armies may be roaming around the table for a while, I figured why not get these armies in a game or two outside of these playtest sessions with Ian.  Why not indeed?  To that end, the plan is to pull Egyptian and Hittite armies from storage boxes and set out a pitched battle or two using Basic Impetvs.  One game is formulating for Monday.

Reject Big Lee recently recounted an occasion where serendipity struck, guiding him gently into a new project (see When Serendipity Strikes).

While I have no pull from a new project, the stars may have aligned to give me a nudge toward fielding my Biblical armies and trumping my move toward a War of Austrian Succession battle.

Why?

1. Five-inch arid hex system used for 28mm Basic Impetvs is already laid out onto the gaming table from Ilipa.
2. I started creating more five-inch hexes including hills last week.
3. I undercoated a handful of 28mm Babylonian archers even though most of my painting activity has been focused on 15/18mm figures.
4. Receipt of Society of Ancients convention email.
5. Correspondence and acceptance with Ian for more playtesting. 

Convinced?

Tomorrow I begin setting out the armies.  He will be watching...

On the Table Today Is...

Egypt (foreground) v Hatti 

Biblicals.

After clearing off the gaming table from a multiple week engagement of the SYW Battle of Moys, the table is set for a return to Biblical gaming in the Levant.

Late last fall, the Biblical armies saw an increase in exercise as playtesting for Ian's Rein-bow Warriors commenced.  "Increase in exercise" is a vast understatement.  These Biblical armies had rarely been seen on the gaming table and the newly-raised Hittites had never seen action.   My recollection is that at least a half-dozen games were seen in fourth quarter.  That is a lot of concentrated gaming in one period.  Necessary, though, to get me up to speed on the rules and design philosophy.  We made good progress in refining the mechanisms and processes.  Last seen on the table in December, we return for a few more playtests this week.  

Battle lines drawn up

The upcoming playtest session will focus on skirmishers and their interaction with other troop types on the battlefield.  In prior battles, skirmishers tended to hang out on the extreme wings, skirmishing with one another.  Being relatively weak, skirmishers typically are not long for this world.  Other topics to test include Commander's Mettle and Army Breakpoints.  

In this battle, skirmishers are deployed front and center as a screening force to the main battle line.  Since skirmishers interact with chariots differently than close order units, will the skirmishers be able to muster an effective screen or will they be run down where they stand?  I suppose we will find out.  While these are relatively large armies deployed for battle, the testing session may not make it to the point of contact with the two main battle lines.  Handling more than a half-dozen chariots takes time and finesse.  Since the session will be played remotely with two UK players, I must remember to take some game photos in the heat of battle.

In other gaming news, Commands & Colors: Ancients in 6mm hit the kitchen table this past weekend. The Battle of Caralis was refought twice with Rome losing both battles.  Game 1 was a close win for Carthage.  In Game 2, Carthage came roaring back from a 4-0 deficit to win handily at 8-4.  Miraculous.  The Carthaginian heavy infantry advanced in the center and destroyed much of what lay in their path.  Shocking to witness this well-coordinated attack.  Oh, I played Rome in both games.  I went 0-2 for the weekend on my home field.  I think Kevin has been practicing.

On the painting table, continued work on SYW French, Samurai archers, and the sight of a few more Sumerian battle carts.

Rein-Bow Warriors: Another Test

Ian and I convened for a Friday session with another round of playtesting of his Rein-Bow Warriors rules.  Ian would take command of the Hittites while I commanded the Egyptians.  Orders of  Battle would remain as in the previous gaming session.  Thrown into today's mix was a trial of the pre-battle scouting routines. 

The Egyptians committed more resources to scouting activities than did the Hittites.  With luck, the Egyptians discovered the Hittites' camp on Day 1 of scouting and out-scouted the enemy.  This meant that the Pharaoh could detach a portion of his army to try to outflank his opponent.  The Pharaoh promptly committed three units to these activities and these troops disappeared from the Egyptian battle line. 

While the Egyptian flanking force would arrive at some point during the battle, no one knew exactly when this group would actually appear.  After assessing the situation (the Egyptians rolled a high flank arrival target number), it looked like the battle may well be in full swing (or over) before any Egyptians would appear on the Hittite flank.  

Let us see how the battle developed.

Battlelines drawn

Chariots race out.
Chariot on the wings are opposed
but the Hittite chariot in the center is unopposed.

Failing to break the Egyptian bowmen in the center,
 Hittite chariots begin caracoling into the enemy archers.

Meanwhile, chariot dogfights continue on the wings.

The Egyptian bowmen are putting up a solid
defense against the caracoling chariots.
Casualties mount.

Out of arrows on the wings, chariotry
from both combatants head back to restock.

Hail of arrows continues in the center
while infantry close on the left.

Egyptian chariots return to restock their arrow supply.

More returning chariots.

The Hittite infantry line stands firm.

Clash of spears in the center!

Restocked, chariots return to battle.
Center chariot runs out of ammo and returns to restock.
The Egyptian bowmen breathe a sigh of relief.

Melee continues as each grinds away.
Casualties mount.

The main Hittite battle line remains firm.

Finally!
  Egyptian flanking force reaches the battlefield.

Chariots on the wings resume their dogfights
while Egyptian bowmen find the range to the Hittite line.
On the Egyptian right, infantry clash.

The infantry fight in the center is teetering in balance.
Both combatants are ready to break. 

The Egyptians in the center melee break first
but fortune smiles upon the Pharaoh.
The Egyptian flanking force drives off a chariot
 and the Hittite left collapses!

Nubians run to the rear.

The Hittite army in flight as the Egyptians press home.
The Hittite King sues for terms.

Hoorah!  A resounding victory for Pharaoh!

Adding in the pre-battle scouting phase increased the tension as first we attempted to out-scout one another and having completed that, waited for the flanking force to arrive.  I began to wonder if the Egyptian flankers would ever arrive.  The flankers arrived but the battle was nearly decided since the Hittite left was wavering from the Egyptian archery.

The keys to this engagement falls on the Pharaoh putting his emphasis in his archer line.  Both units of bowmen were upgraded to Elite status at the expense of downgrading his chariotry to Veteran.  In the end, the Veteran Egyptian chariotry outshot the Elite Hittite chariotry so that was a wise gamble by Pharaoh.

My recollection is that the battle was decided in under three hours.  More questions surfaced and more questions clarified.  Post-battle, I sent off another battery of questions for review.  Good fun and thanks to Ian for allowing me to get my Biblical armies back out onto the gaming table for another fine scrap.  I learned a lot about Hittite history too!

Another Test of Rein-Bow Warriors

Ian and I convened for another remote playtesting session of his developing Rein-Bow Warriors rules.  There were a few changes to the QRS emerging from our last playtest and subsequent group game but no radical changes.  Orders were introduced into this game for the first time.  

Movement rates for chariots were reduced, turn sequence clarifications made, and troop quality and status saw minor adjustments.  Overall, the core concepts remained relatively stable.  That is good.  Rules' stability allows one to begin testing and refining tactics.

Our session lasted about two hours and we fought through six turns with a winner declared.  Again, Ian commanded the Hittites and I took the reins in the Pharaoh's chariot.

Let's see how the battle unfolded.

Arrayed for battle. 
Egyptians in the fore.  Hittites in the distance.

Battle begins with a clash of chariots. 
 The chariots on each wing are opposed but the Hittites
 in the center find no chariot opposition.
Trailing dust clouds mark barriers to entry for foot.

Egyptian chariots are gaining the upper hand on the right

but are evenly matched in the chariot clash on the left.

Hittite chariots in the center pull up and caracole
 into the line of Egyptian bow.
Already one Egyptian bow is wavering.

And it breaks.
  Running toward the rear and safety (it hopes).

Chariot clash on the right sees the Egyptians
wearing down their opposition.
With chariot inferiority, it would be useful to take out
 a Hittite chariot or two to even the odds.

On the left, each pass of chariots causes more damage to both.
How long can this continue?
Not long.  All quivers are empty.

Hittite chariots exploit the gap
in the center of the Egyptian line.

On they storm but their quivers are almost depleted.
Pharoah looks on with concern.

Following up in the Hittite spearhead, infantry clash.

With quivers empty, Egyptian chariots return to resupply.

Battle continues in the center. 
 The Egyptians look to have the upper hand!

Seeing Egyptian chariots converging on the Pharoah,
the Hittite charioteers skedaddle out to safety.

On the far right of the battle line,
 enemy skirmishers are heavily engaged.

Resupplied, chariots return to the fray.

Another infantry clash as enemies pound one another.
  Who will break first?

Actually, the battle is breaking up all along the line
as troops flee to the rear.

When the dust settled and the bodies were counted, Battle Honors rest with the Hittites.  The battle was hotly contested and the Hittites won narrowly by forcing the Egyptians across their Army Breakpoint threshold one unit before the Hittites did likewise.  Congratulations to the Hittite King for a well-deserved victory.

A lot of action packed into a two hour session.  Play moved along at quicker pace as we both become familiar with the capabilities of the troops under command and the rules, themselves.  A number of questions arose and notes taken.  Clarifications and discussion occurred on the fly.  I have unanswered questions out to Ian for further clarification.

Great fun especially to see my Biblical armies out on the table in an almost regular fashion!