Yesterday at our first club meeting for 2018 I took in the sailing ships and ran a Suffren v Hughes inspired scenario using Kiss Me Hardy from the Too Fat Lardies.
Devon Wargames Group - Kiss Me Hardy in the Indian Ocean
As mentioned in my annual review for 2017 I intend to do some work on my age of sail collection and the game gave me an opportunity to reassess KMH as a contender to use as a rule set for the larger games, twenty to thirty ships aside, that I have in mind.
That said I am not convinced that KHM are the most appropriate to use for that size of game and I intend to showcase an alternative option going forward but I think KMH are excellent for the smaller game with just a few ships involved and where the card play involved in KMH really comes to the fore.
Another aspect discussed in the DWG AAR was that of command and control, something I am keen to develop with the larger type of game and the added friction such additions could add.
As mentioned in the AAR I have put together a PDF of the scenario played yesterday and have posted it to My Scenarios library also available in the link below.
Kiss Me Hardy in the Indian Ocean - Scenario PDF
Lastly, thanks to Steve L we were able to play our game on his newly acquired Tiny Wargames Sea Mat, one of which I have on order as part of a club deal to equip members with the right kind of mats to add that bit extra to the kind of games we play. I think you will agree it looks pretty cool.
Have you been reading "The Mauritius Command?" It looks like great fun! I have Kiss Me Hardy and some 1:1200 Langton models in their little baggies. As you do not think the rules suited for fleet actions, what is a good size for a Kiss Me Hardy game?
ReplyDeleteWhat is "The Mauritius Command"?
DeleteI don't think you would want to go much bigger than the game illustrated. We had two players on each side running a couple of squadrons.
I have used KMH for frigate actions with the additional cards to cover movement and I think they are an excellent set for that kind of game.
Ah, it's a Patrick O'Brian book, one of the Aubery-Maturin series, where Aubery fights several fleet actions in the Indian Ocean.
DeleteI know the one, I read that years ago and yes it is a ripping good yarn, I believe based on the actual events.
DeleteGood looking game, we use Blood, Bilge and Iron Balls, also card driven, (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Bilge-Iron-Balls-Tabletop/dp/1848845340) for our age of sail C18th/C19th naval battles. Played the Battle of the Nile using these and gearing up for Trafalgar. Our ship man has a blog at http://modelandwargame.blogspot.co.uk/
ReplyDelete"Mauritius Command" is one of Patrick O'Brian's excellent "Aubrey/Maturin" series of novels. I must say it does have the look of the sort of action O'Brian describes. He is very good at capturing life and battle in the British navy, or he seems so, to a non sailor like me !
ReplyDeletePretty ships as usual JJ. The mat makes the whole thing look very good.
Vince