Squarebashing

[SimonC]

I'm not one to grumble, but....

I really like Squarebashing, but the countdown to battle?  really ?  It seems to me that no matter how you distribute your dice you cannot influence whether you are defender or attacker. Especially when you opponent has a flat distribution of dice across the days.

I'd like a quicker system where you have more influence on what disposition you take in the battle. 

thanks
Simon 

[martin goddard]

Maybe we can make something quicker for tea next edition!!

[DorchesterBede]

I have never had a great problem with the countdown to battle. It is difficult to influence whether you are an attacker or a defender but I think it is designed to be like that, that way if you design a killer attack or defend only army you might get caught out. I like the fact you never quite know what will happen it  forces you to think a bit, and of course gives me the perfect excuse for my poor decision making. I would have won if it not for that darn countdown.

I think those that attended the last squarebashing day had an alternative countdown but I might be wrong.

Chris

[SimonC]

This is by and large sorted now by using Ray' Stick method (an opposed single dice off with a couple of quirks and determining the number of events in 1 go). I haven't seen anyone at our club using the rules method of a long time now.. and there is a SB game on most weeks and has been for the past couple of years.

It was born out of necessity to complete a game in the time we have available on a club night (3.5 hours), and the countdown never felt like it contributed the the experience. If it contributed to 'the story' then I'd be more inclined to do it.

Some of the PP pre game phases are better than others ! :-) I can just get on with the RoF /PBI types... but the BAIT one don't sound too great from what I see   

I'm not bashing PP rules here - just honest commentary on actually playing the games  I hope it is taken in the spirit in which it is intended.

[Leman (Andy)]

Funnily enough I prefer the pre-game system in RoF I compared to RoF II, which reminds me of the Blucher campaign system, which I cannot abide.

[SimonC]

there is a lesson here for all of us! 

[Stewart 46A]

I like the days to war, quick and simple and can be funny if you load a day and still lose or roll low on the points.

[DorchesterBede]

Simon I think your comments were taken in the spirit they were intended. The pre game in a lot of the RFCM cause debate but I have always thought the strength of the rules Martin writes is their adaptability and it sounds like you have come up with an alternative which works for you and those you wargame with. The rule writer holy grail is a set of rules that can be played to conclusion in three hours (turn up, set up and play to a conclusion) so if your alternative pre game assist and encourages more gamers to try WW1 all the better.

Chris