There will be some markers for western. At the moment i am working on Vietnam stuff .
I prefer to keep markers to minimum (avoids clutter, confusion and effort). Markers are also good if they blend in with the aesthetic.
At present we are using temporary markers as follows.
hammered (?)= plastic yellow disc
veteran= 2p with gravestones on it
raw=base with dogs on it
dismounted= base of empty horses.
defence scenery piece= a wagon
partial cover= resin rocky pieces
What are players using for their markers?
What are your thoughts on markers in general?
martin
I like the markers for veteran and raw - saves confusion. However, I was wondering whether we also need one for Average, for the avoidance of doubt (in one game, the marker for a raw group got left behind in a previous square and caused me some momentary confusion).
I think the empty horses work well: of course, some folk may also wish to build up dismounted versions of their mounted units to clarify things even further. Although they will still need riderless horses too.
Defence scenery piece: the wagon is certainly clear, but perhaps a bit big (since there may well be buildings or a camp, as well as liabilities and a group to guard them all in the same square? I think something a little smaller might work well?
Partial cover: rocks are good, but I will also be using my cactus collection. The variety of options offered in the current draft is good for me.
There is such a wide variety of landscape in the north of the American continent that just using cactus is not always going to be suitable for partial. They are fine for down south in that dry dusty climate but not relevant to a game taking place say around the Great Lakes. So I think it is best to let people model these to fit in with whatever scenario they are playing. For another example with cattlemen a railway and rail head may be more appropriate with a train that say moves one square each turn along the track. (I actually like the idea of that.) It could change the cover from partial to full and back again as it progresses.
As for horses, yes I was thinking of just using a base with a few unmounted horses and a holder, I have some of these and have made two sets for each not my armies. You could easily make a pack of two to three horses with a couple of men from various forces. I think most people would be happy with this.
With regards to vets, raw, average etc, how about either doing models of specific grade leaders, sold as such and recognisable as such (As in Bloody Barons.) Or just having those little broom shaped markers with a unit in the same manner as in ECW (Defence, attack, moral markers, but with Raw, Average or Veteran.)
The defence bit of scenery, does it need anything? OK if people want to make a nice model then fine I don't have a problem with this, but otherwise it is not that hard to remember which two squares are the two defence ones. Having said that I think the concept of the defence squares is not always relevant, in a fluid game they can be unrealistic and not really suitable. For example in a game where Indians are fighting say cattlemen, or a posse why do we need one? The fight would be roaming over the landscape with the idea being to kill the enemy, holding onto a random rocky hill for no reason other than the game says you have to seems a bit obscure. I can however see that if you don't have a defence piece then maybe you should be made to have a liability. (A Sherrif of judge, or special lead bullock, a specific chief etc)
Anyway, just some thoughts.☺
Lots of interesting thoughts there, Duncan. To pick up on just a couple:
a) I like the idea of a moving train from a number of perspectives. How about making the moving train both a couple of defence pieces and the liabilities, as a special scenario? And maybe also allow one or two defending groups on the train itself? This would bring something new and dynamic into the game and be a good excuse to use more of Martin's toys. It always seems a shame if Mr Pig makes stuff that we can't easily field in a game. On which point...
b) .... PP already makes a marker set for Western. The "pinned" marker could be used for Hammered / Pinned / In the Dust (whatever is finally decided upon) units, while the "home" markers could be used to indicate defence pieces (unless of course they're trains)?