Read the book - play the game!

 

 

Started reading Goldsworthy's "The Fall of Carthage " and thought I should play through the the battles using C&C Ancients , I have played most of the scenarios before but it will be interesting reading along . The first is The Battle of Akragas - 406 BC between the Carthagians under Himlico and the Syracusians commanded by the Tyrant Daphaeus , historically the Carthagians lost badly. I will be using the clever solo adaptation by "Stuka Jo" .

Gentlemen that lunch .

We have found that C&C gives a quick decisive game in about an hour , so 'A' dropped in for a game during his lunchtime (being his own boss helps) I had set up a scenario ready to play whilst we ate our lunches .

The scenario was Gaugamela 331 BC , Alexander the Great versus Darius lll , 'A ' played the Macedonians and myself the Persians (nearest the camera)

The battle was at times a close run thing with the Persians doing great damage to the Macedonian light troops , but in the end the pike blocks pushed through the Persian centre and claimed victory . The whole event worked very well and we plan to make these lunchtime battles a regular occurrence playing a series of battles and keeping the scores from each battle to form a campaign .

A change of pace .

'A' called for a game this week and we decided  on a game of Command & Colors Ancients . One of the problems in wargaming is finding time to actually play games and fit them into peoples busy lives ('A's not mine) and C&C fits the bill very well indeed . Here we see 'A' pondering his masterstroke . 

We decided on the Battle of Mantinea 418 BC between the Spartans and the Greek Argive city state . We have both got into C&C in a big way and have been selling off figures on eBay which we were never going to use again and spending the money on C&C boxes . This battle is from the Spartan expansion box which allows you to play battles of the Peloponnesian wars .

The battlefield , Spartans on the left Argive on the right . It was a tight run thing and I managed to win in the end through tactical genius (sic) . The one thing that appeals to us both is being able to fight the big historical battles which wargaming with figures would struggle to cope with , let alone buying and painting all those figures and the game was set up and played within an hour and a half - even with the usual wargaming chit chat . I have sold on my 28mm Ancient figures because I never used them - not having a set of rules I liked and find C&C works better for me and I get to play the BIG battles of Ancient history . 

Confessions of an addiction .

Sits down uncomfortably in the support group - "I'm Tony and I'm addicted to Command and Colors Ancients" . It started with the easy option 'The Great War Centenary' Edition and before I knew it I was doing C&C Ancients - I need help ! .

Must admit I'm very impressed with the C&C Ancient game , the rules are simple - once you are au fait with the system it easily transfers to the other periods covered by the various boxes  , the difference being added by the card deck and the scenarios . I've found a system used on You Tube for playing it solo and games can be played in about a hour or so .  The only effort is attaching the little stickers to the 345 wooden blocks which are used to portray the forces in the various battles in the scenario book , but I found the task rather therapeutic .

 Games are set up using the scenario book and the blocks laid out as per the map , shuffle the cards - deal them out to both sides and your up and running .I am half way through the scenarios from the core game which covers the Punic Wars , it seems the ideal way to play the big historical battles of this era which I think figure games and rules could not cope with . It will not replace my toy soldiers but it scratches my itch for historical Ancients .