So I did a thing.... and I think it's safe enough to finally talk about it.
I had fate offer me an invite to play in an online wargame... with a twist.
Tim from Saskatoon from Tim's Miniature Wargaming Blog invited me partake in a Back of Beyond Campaign that was an interesting mix of Diplomacy and Tim gleefully killing himself each weekend.
While the full rules are here, here's the low-down. Each player was a faction in Central Asia. White Russians, Red Russians, Western Interventionists, and local warlords ruled the day, with the goal to obtain more territory, grow your armies and eventually dominate the region. After spirited communications to each player, or the group as a whole, orders were given by Friday night, and Tim would resolve all battles and sieges over the weekend, using One Hour Wargames, and a write-up by Monday. Outside of a weekend with an aging man and his ukulele, things ran smoothly.
THE MAP
I ran a group of White Russians, based in Bakunin... with the adjacent cities as my territories. Lodged between both Bolshevik players guaranteed constant battle... and despite not knowing who was playing a particular side, I believe the referee may harbor Bolshevik sympathies. Ultimately, I was forced to dissolve my army, but not before sending my traitorous units to their deaths and finding my loyal Cossacks a position under an independent emir.
Despite getting ground down into a fine powder I enjoyed the campaign and its rules. Tim did an excellent job administrating all the communications and even throwing some 1's in combat for the Bolsheviks to keep the appearance of impartiality (I kid... I kid.)
Once I work on my map-fu skills, I can imagine myself setting up a Gnome Wars campaign, or even a planet/kingdom based Planet 28/Brutal Quest game.
Here's hoping self-proclaimed Tsar-in-the-East Yvegeny Lytton can enjoy the quiet life in an oversized apartment in Tashkabad, enjoying warm creations from his ancestral samovar during the cold winters.
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| Artwork by Tim from Saskatoon |
I had fun running it. Hope you have fun playing.
ReplyDeleteThose two Bolshevik players were definitely the most coordinated of all the factions. They were constantly in communication with each other and trying to make deals with the other armies on their flanks. Everyone else's messages were filled with sabre-rattling, demands and (largely) empty threats.
No one ended up having to face armies attacking on two fronts so early in the game as you did. If they'd had any luck at all, they'd have rolled over you in the first year... But those counter-revolutionaries under your command sold themselves dearly - and I do recall the artillery under your command being particularly murderous - their officers trained at the best of the imperial academies.
So badly mauled were BOTH of those Bolshevik forces after Phobos Space Marines were finished with you, the Chinese and Western Interventionists on their respective flanks just walked over them.
The map, I have to admit, was not well thought out... if the two Chinese warlords cooperated - as they did - they only had one front to deal with - whereas everyone else really had two. Learned a lot from it. Hopefully the next one will be better!
Tim,
DeleteI, for one, had a blast. I was just happy to saber-rattle and get my orders in on time, but that was far more personal on my side and nothing to do with administrations of the campaign.