Saturday, June 30, 2012

Mini-Campaigns Re-born

Back in early February I issued a "Mini-Campaign Challenge" for short campaigns using Charles Grant's various Campaign Scenarios.  Today another mini-campaign has been added . . . so I am reprising the list so that all of us can re-visit them and give them a try.

The most recent offering (listed first below) is from Prince Lupus.

Below are links (in the blog name) to responses so far to my call for "Mini-Campaigns" based on linking scenarios from Charles Grant's "Scenarios for Wargames".

What I think strikes me most about them is how different their choices and paths are . . . they should provide much fun for those who play them.

I would ask that if you play them, please post feedback on the creator's blogs . . . again, the URL links are in parentheses below.

After the initial scenario, those following are not in order since most chose the "tree" format where the result of the scenario affected which scenario was played next . . . so don't look at them as being in sequence . . . in fact, depending upon the results of various scenarios, not all will be played in any one campaign.

Note -- I will continue to endeavor to add future "mini-campaigns" to this post as they arrive.



Prince Lupus (The Wars of Wine & Cheese) is our newest entry with his Imagi-Nation mini-campaign
  •  initial scenario -- #40 Dominant Hill
  • other scenario -- #6 Rear Guard
  • other scenario -- #19 Assault River Crossing
  • other scenario -- #1 Positional Defense
  • other scenario -- #14 Reinforcing a Town
Steve (Steve-the-Wargamer) set his three-scenario Mini-Campaign in 1705 during the War of Spanish Succession:
  • initial scenario -- #9 Attack on the Camp
  • next scenario -- #3 Holding Action (1)
  • final scenario -- #16 Reinforcements in Defense (2) off table
Peter Douglas (The Single Handed Admiral) set his "Barolo" campaign in an "Emperor vs Elector" setting:
  • initial scenario -- #20 Reserve Demolition
  • other scenario -- #21 Bridgehead Breakout
  • other scenario -- #13 Last Stand
  • other scenario -- #19 Assault River Crossing
  • other scenario -- #16 Reinforcements in Defense (2) off table
  • other scenario -- #18 River Crossing
  • other scenario -- #1 Positional Defense (1)
  • other scenario -- #15 Reinforcements in Defense (1) on table
Ross Macfarlane (Battle Game of the Month) set his "Comox Valley Campaign" in a Colonial (or Ancients) setting . . . but it could be played as Horse & Musket too:
  • initial scenario -- #30 Ambush (1)
  • other scenario -- #4 Holding Action (2)
  • other scenario -- #13 Last Stand
  • other scenario -- #3 Holding Action (1)
  • other scenario -- #34 Swampland Action
  • other scenario -- #32 Wagon Train
  • other scenario -- #33 Convoy Action (2) -- Evacuation
  • other scenario -- #42 Advance Column
Jim Pitts (Col Campbell's Barraks) has posted his "Linked Mini-Campaign" on his blog. Like most it has a flexible order, so don't take these scenarios as being in order.
  • initial scenario -- #41 Chance Encounter
  • other scenario -- #3 Holding Action (1)
  • other scenario -- #4 Holding Action (2)
  • other scenario -- #1 Positional Defense (1)
  • other scenario -- #2 Positional Defense (2)
  • other scenario -- #5 Rear Guard (1)
  • other scenario -- #6 Rear Guard (2)
Conrad Kinch (Joy and Forgetfulness) has posted his 1804 mini-campaign based on a British force in France trying to fight its way to safety with yet a different starting scenario.
  • initial scenario -- #42 Advance Column
  • other scenario -- #50 Horse and Foot
  • other scenario -- #8 Dead Ground
  • final scenario -- #6 Rear Guard (2)
Ed Youngstrom (Landgraviate of Hesse-Fedora) started his "Ladder" campaign using the "Table Top Teaser" from Battlegames Magazine, then used Grant's "Scenarios for All Ages" to complete his "ladder".
  • initial scenario -- (Mag) Pontoon
  • other scenario -- (Ages) Rearguard
  • other scenario -- (Ages) Assault on Prepared Position
  • other scenario -- (Ages) Hot Pursuit
  • other scenario -- (Ages) Chance Encounter
  • other scenario -- (Ages) Making the Best of a Bad Job
Dr. Vesuvius (The Axis of Naughtiness) used Grant's "Programmed Wargames Scenarios" for his "Continuing Diplomacy" mini-campaign for solo play!
  • initial scenario -- (PWS) #11 Crossroads
  • other scenario -- (PWS) #18 A Hasty Blocking Position
  • other scenario -- (PWS) #5 The Weak Flank
  • other scenario -- (PWS) #1 Hill Line Defense
  • other scenario -- (PWS) #7 Two Sides of a River
  • other scenario -- (PWS) #6 Crossing Point
  • other scenario -- (PWS) #8 Fighting Through
  • other scenario -- (PWS) #9 Island Stand
Ross Macfarlane (Battle Game of the Month) has also posted a Horse & Musket mini-campaign for solo gamers using Grant's "Programmed Wargames Scenarios". Interestingly enough it also starts with the same scenario as Dr. Vesuvius' mini-campaign above . . . although it then proceeds differently.
  • initial scenario -- (PWS) #11 Crossroads
  • possible scenario -- (PWS) #1 Hill Line Defense
  • possible scenario -- (PWS) #2 Broken Ground
  • possible scenario -- (PWS) #3 Pass Clearance
  • possible scenario -- (PWS) #5 The Weak Flank
  • possible scenario -- (PWS) #6 Crossing Point
  • possible scenario -- (PWS) #7 Two Sides of a River
  • possible scenario -- (PWS) #8 Fighting Through
  • possible scenario -- (PWS) #9 Island Stand
  • final scenario -- (PWS) #4 Holding Action
Conrad Kinch (Joy and Forgetfulness) has also crated a "Table Top Teaser" mini-campaign using Charles S. Grant's original "teasers" as published in magazines back in the late 1970's. Fortunately Steve-the-Wargamer has (with permission) posted these online so that anyone can use them without needing Grant's later Scenario books.
  • initial scenario -- (TTT) #3 The Advance Guard Action
  • second scenario -- (TTT) #5 The Dawn Attack
  • third scenario -- (TTT) #10 Rear Guard
  • possible scenario -- (TTT) #4 Hold Up in the Badlands
  • possible scenario -- (TTT) #8 The Hasty Defense and Relief of a Town Additionally Cesar Alfredo Paz has created another "Mini-Campaign" using "Table Top Teasers" which is available here.
-- Jeff

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Looking for a few more Followers



Advance token on the Reading Railroad to the Fife & Drum Miniatures Blog and sign up as a "Follower" on the blog. Each month I will make a random drawing from the list of Followers and the winner will receive a $50.00 certificate good for the purchase of any Fife & Drum Miniatures.

British Brigade of Guards on the march for Fife & Drum Miniatures




The elves are working on the moulds for the artillery equipment and crew, so it shouldn't be too long before they arrive across the pond from Old Blighty.

Next in the queue: Continental infantry in hunting shirts and tricorne hats (plus some head sprues so that you can make your own hat conversions).

Thursday, June 14, 2012

No time for crying

Almost simultaneously to the dramatical military setback experienced at Montblanc battle --whose two parallel scenarios were proxy gamed and thoroughly reported at MurdocK's MarauderS blogsite--, the authorities of our what-if Principality have already started the process of raising a new regiment. This will eventually fill the void left by one of the two veteran units destroyed at Montblanc --albeit partially, for there's no real replacement for a lost tough, battle-hardened regiment through conscription...
More details on the new unit in this posting. Comments and suggestions welcome!

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

3rd Montblanc AAR

General Bellver of Catalonia
The proxy battle for Defiant Principality has been played out and the AAR will soon be posted to MurdocK's MarauderS.

Montblanc AAR - Proxy Report

Spanish Guard (seen here - looking exceeding Russian) brush aside Catalonian Horse north of Montblanc.


For full report see MurdocK's MarauderS