Battle report: Blackpowder Pike & Shotte rules

[Sven Lugar]

The event: Gamestorm 2012, Portland Oregon, Saturday March 24, 2012
The scenario was based on the early 60's SF classic book by H. Beam Piper: "Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen". The story revolves around a Pennsylvania Statetrooper who gets carried crosstime into a world that is very similar to the 30YW. In this battle we fielded fairly balanced forces. Very slight rules modifications were made to correspond to the book.

My writeup on my blog is here: http://viking-wargamer.blogspot.com/ I've reported on the convention in general & about the blackpowder game at the end. A few pictures are included.

My impressions: Blackpowder Pike & Shotte gives a very good, easy to teach game with a very period flavor. Artillery does little as you would expect. Cavalry is a hammer, but Infantry is the deal closer. I highly recommend the rules to any gamer. Be sure to preorder the rules - they're worth it!

Skol,
Sven Lugar
website: http://sites.google.com/site/vikingjarl/
blog: http://viking-wargamer.blogspot.com/

[Chilledenuff]

Good to see a positive review. Did you find the size of table constraining? I only ask this as people keep telling me black powder needs bigger tables (I've yet to use BP or any of it's variants in anger )

As to the game you played. It looks good, loving the pigsty! It's amazing what good themed scenery does to 'make' a game. Even the best painted armies look naff on a naff table (by the way, the armies in play look wonderful!).

i also like the wound marker. Great idea, i guess the number touching the unit depicts the number taken. Consider this idea stolen... 'yoink!'

[Sven Lugar]

Actually the 4 by 6 area made for a fast game which was especially good as a demonstration game. There were enough units to keep 4 gamers busy and playing quickly. Also because of the time period I felt it actually had a more realistic feel to it as most battlefields were not that large. Admittedly if I was playing Napoleonics I would want a much larger area unless I was focusing on smaller actions. Yes if I was doing some of the really large actions of any period I would need bigger, but for a game amongst friends or for a demo it was perfect.

I will be posting more pictures on my website later today (Pacific coast time) and a disc with a complete write up & about 6 dozen photos will be sent to Paul Sawyer as soon as I get the Major's write-up. I live in a very remote part of the Pacific Northwest Rainforest (they filmed the "Moon of Endor" near my house) & my internet connection is too slow to send them all, so I must brave the bears & cougars to snail mail them. (I bet you think I'm joking, LOL)

As to the wound marker - you are correct as how I intended its use. For the temporary casualties above & beyond we just set out some dice to accumulate them then picked them up & set the wound marker back to 3 or what ever as needed. You can't steal what is freely shared to one & all to use. I came up with it for my 6mm armies & cast little 20mm bases in resin that I put casualties on. It looks better than chits (which in Southern India, I'm told, is pronounced with an "Sh" sound).

I hope my report encourages people to go out & get the book - be sure to read the frontispiece credits carefully & write the authors & tell them how you appreciate their work. I know I have.

Skol,
Sven