General Staff: Black Powder - AI Test & Gameplay

Proving that good things come to those who wait - Ezra Sidran has posted a very satisfying video showing off the AI and gameplay of the long-awaited General Staff: Black Powder. GS:BP looks to finally achieve my wish for a true kriegspiel computer game. Ezra's new video makes it plain just how true that is.

Ezra is now working on the Steam installer scripts for the editors. We should all soon be able to start creating our own scenarios soon!

Pub Battles Orders Beta

 It's been a while since I've looked at Pub Battles from Command Post Games. I have many of the games in the series but haven't played them for, well, years. That's less a comment on their quality than a comment on the number of games I have to play and my attention span. I have to admit that I was finding the game play a little shallow at times unless I could get a group together to play kriegspiel style, and then I was always having to act as umpire rather than player.

Command post has just released a beta of their new Orders rules that will prompt me to play these again. These rules add some necessary complexity, depth, and restrictions to play. The new orders system, especially when combined with the Fog of War rules (allowing players to keep actual unit positions on the map hidden until spotted by the enemy) will no doubt make for much more interesting games. The flanking movement at Brandywine becomes an actual surprise but also much more difficult for the American player to respond to quickly. I'm looking forward to giving these a try.

LVDA - 0930 19 April 1809

0930 19 April 1809.

Yes, we jumped two hours. We have a lot of movement, but no one in contact as of yet. Keep in mind that I may do two, three, or even four hour turns in the interest of moving the game to action. You'll want to write your orders from this perspective. Figure you're providing direction for the day, not hour-by-hour. When something happens, that then may trigger order updates. Otherwise, formations are moving to carry out their existing orders.

In that spirit, we'll have another turn Wednesday evening.

LVDA - 0730 19 April 1809

0730 19 April 1809

I only advanced time an hour. There were some important messages delivered this turn and I want to give players enough time to react to them.

I will send out status updates to everyone with current positions shortly.

LVDA - 0630 19 April 1809

As an aid to players, I will be posting updates to game progress here, as well as sending an email and updating the forum. For readers not involved - I am umpiring a PBEM operational Kriegsspiel of Napoleon's 1809 campaign on the Danube. We are using the Le Vol de l'Aigle  rules. 

Current time: 0630 19 April 1809

I am waiting orders from at least one player. Please send these to me ASAP.

I'm mulling some changes in turn reporting. Expect some additional information each turn.

I'll be advancing game time today or tomorrow (July4th/5th).

Speaking of Kriegsspiel...

Full map view of the start of a scenario

How Did War Become a Game?

Here's an absolutely fantastic video on Kriegsspiel from Invicta. If you've ever wondered what Kriegsspiel is, or where wargaming came from, watch this video. Hat tip to Rex Brynen at PaxSims for pointing it out.

Dispatch - April 21, 2019

I've spent the past couple of hours punching and clipping Joan of Arc's Victory 1429 and Harold Buchanan's Campaigns of 1777. I need to give my hands and wrist a break from the clipper.

I'm hoping to play both games in the next couple of weeks. Terri (my wife) seems interested in both. We've visited Brandywine, Saratoga, and Fort Ticonderoga in the past couple of years. The character of Joan appeals to her. She can relate to these games more than others in my collection.

Campaigns on the Danube - 1809

Rain will slow down my offensive. The last thing the Austrians need is to be slower!

In honor of "Spring in Munich," our 1809 campaign Kriegsspiel getting underway today, I've been playing the same campaign in the nearest thing to a computerized Napoleonic operational Kriegsspiel currently available.

Spring in Munich: Ready to Go

The armies are ready to place on the map. Final dispositions are due today. First orders are due tomorrow.

As much as I like Jim's Dalek stickers, I wanted to go with something more reminiscent of Berthier's chest of blocks. Conveniently, the width of one of these blocks equals 2km on the map, and the length equals 4km, the marching speed of the Austrian and French infantry respectively.

"Spring in Munich" An 1809 Kriegsspiel

Where I'll be spending many evenings for the next year and change

Kriegsspiel Blocks

It has to be a good day when a bag of Kriegsspiel blocks shows up in the mail.

Pub Battles Sharpsburg: Kriegsspiel Style

The Army of the Potomac poised to attack Lee's Army of Northern Virginia

Last weekend my children and my wife, and my son's fiancé indulged me with another multiplayer game of Pub Battles from Command Post Games. This time we took on the newest in their line up: Antietam/Sharpsburg.

Kriegsspiel, Pub Battles Style

Knyphausen's corps faces Washington's army across Brandywine Creek

This weekend we had my kids and my son's fiancee over and along with my wife, played a five-player game of Pub Battles: Brandywine using the "Role Playing Wargame" rules.

General's Staff Map Design Module

This, on the other hand, is down right exciting. I can hardly wait to get my hands on this computer Kriegsspiel simulator and designer.  Thanks for the shout-out, Dr. Sidran!

Gaming Sunday with Pub Battles Brandywine

For someone that doesn't get out much, I certainly had a busy gaming Sunday.

Pub Battles: Brandywine

My darling wife indulged me again. Perhaps my favorite present this year, Pub Battles: Brandywine from Command Post Games.