Once Upon a Dice in the West - Edition 3

Once Upon a Dice in the West - Version 3

The Rules

I really like 'Westerns', and a couple of years ago I wrote my own 'home brew' I called 'Once Upon a Dice in the West'. I've been playing it, and like the rules it as it gave a narrative game and a kind of cinematic feeling of a 'Western'. I've played so many other games since then, and I wanted to upgrade my 'house rules' with mechanics found in other games to it, and trying to get the whole thing on one page as well (as I'm also a fan of one page rules). So Once Upon a Dice in the West is now in it's 3rd edition.

I recently played Thor Sheil's OMOG - One Man, One Gun 19c with an Old West scenario, and wanted to try it out the same scenario with my recent version of 'Once Upon a Dice in the West'.

The Scenario

The scenario was vaguely inspired by the Dalton gang's robbery i Coffeyville in 1892; An Outlaw gang had to tie their horses slightly away from the bank, while a couple of the gang-members looks after them while the other members rob the bank. Can they rob the bank, get back to their horses and leave the town without getting caught??

The bank is further down the street from where the outlaws placed their horses

The 'Forces'

Playing the same scenario, I decided to use the same forces; 2 members of the gang are watching their horses while 4 other gang members has gone for the bank. These have been recognized on their way to the bank, so the town sheriff and 2 of his deputies are alerted and also on their way to the bank. 4 citizens have armed them self, and are ready to try to stop the robbers from stealing their savings. A small Army-detachment of 2 is also located in the outskirts of the town. Once Upon a Dice in the West is not entirely based upon 'units', but on 'characters' as well. I treated the Army-detachment as a 2-man unit, and all the others as characters. The Sheriff and one of the robbers I made 'special characters' just to give them more skills and advantages in gun-fights.

The Game

The robbers were totally ruthless and very offensive when leaving the bank, shooting in all directions....

...hitting severeal of their 'welcome party', including killing the sheriff and his deputies (!)... 

...but the robbers also recived some fire as all their hits wasn't all deadly, only wounding and stunning some of their targets. They got pinned outside the bank...

...and had to run for cover. The armed townsfolk exchanged fire with the robbers and proved that rifles are still more accurate than the smaller revolvers. -Even in the hand of an unprofessional gunman.

...and finally managed to kill all the robbers from the bank.

The outlaws looking after the horses tried to flee the town as all the other robbers got killed in the shootout and the loot was not in sight for him anymore, but was not quick enough and was killed in the escape.

The Conclusion

The outcome of this skirmish was not so different from the shootout I based this scenario upon.

I had a great time with my childhood miniatures, and the game lasting only 7 turns. 

I provide the Once Upon a Dice in the West - version 3 here on my blog, so you can have a try at it as well if you'd like to. Please feel free to post your comments or experiences here if you'd like to.

Link: Once Upon a Dice in the West version 3

OMOG 19c - One Man One Gun Wild West

OMOG 19c

The Rules

I've played and reviewed the OMOG-rules earlier in this blog. Then my conclusion were that I think it is a ruleset better suited for smaller games and scenarios and for earlier periods. When Steve Snark in the OMOG-Facebook group made a quick reference sheet for the OMOG 19c (which can be found in the groups file-section), I wanted to try it out for a small scale skirmish with only a handfull of miniatures in an early era conflict.

The Scenario

I'm very found of western movies, and decided I wanted to try out these rules and reference sheet in a Wild West gunfight, which is both a small scale skirmish and early enough to avoid automatic weapons (and templates). I was inspired by the Dalton gang's robbery i Coffeyville in 1892, and made a similar scenario: An Outlaw gang had to tie their horses slightly away from the bank, while a couple of the gang-members looks after them and the other members robb the bank. Can they robb the bank, get back to their horses and leave the town without being caught??

The outlaws horses closest, and the bank is located further down the street

The 'Forces'

A unit of 2 members of the gang are watching their horses while 2 other units of 4 gang members has gone for the bank. These have been recognized on their way to the bank, so the town sheriff and 2 of his deputies are alerted and also on their way to the bank. They act as a unit. 4 citizens (in 2 units) have armed them self, and are ready to try to stop the robbers from stealing their savings. A small Army-detachment of 2 is also located in the outskirts of the town.

The Game

To terrify the staff and any curious bystanders, the robbers start shooting when leaving the bank. This alerts the sheriff, his deputies, the armed citizens and the army detachment...

The robbers are shooting in all directions when leaving the bank...

...but get surprised by the sheriff and his deputies who are on their way towards the bank.

The shootout starts and an outlaw and a deputy is immediately taken out. The rest of the outlaws runs for cover outside the bank... 

...and gets divided. One of the bankrobbers get pinned outside the bank while the others starts shooting their way towards their horses.

Only one bankrobber makes his way thru the city to the horses, closely followed by the posse.

One of the outlaw looking after the hoses tries to give cover, but are taken out by the army. One robber from the bank actually manage to get away on his horse, with the loot as well. I think the sheriff will arrange a posse for him very soon...

The conclusion

I think the OMOG rules worked a lot better for this small, early period skirmish with a handfull of miniatures. The quick reference sheet by Steve Snark made this a really fast and enjoyable game. I think the pistols have a little too short range to give it the Western cinematic feeling to it thoug. This game is best played with rifles.

I had a great time with my 40 yrs+ old miniatures from my childhood, and some background Ennio Morricone just for ambiance. 

Holiday Wars

Holiday Wars

Many games claims to be 'Beer and Pretzels games', but with this theme I think this is a 'Chrismas brew and cookie game'

After doing the same scenario and setup several times this year to try out different free downloadable, easy wargame rules for regular army men, I felt it was time to do something else. Since the Holidays was coming up, I decided to to a 'Holiday-themed' game this time.

Creating armies for the game

A new theme, scenario and 'period' meant that new armies needed to be created.  I decided I wanted to make them to 'true 54mm scale'. To find suitable miniatures I searched on Thingiverse, where I actually found some free downloadable files that could be 3D-printed. I rescaled them so they cold be printed to exact 54mm-scale:

These figures are 3D-printed to exactly 54mm height

The paintjob didn't require much studies, except for in the Mrs' cookie jar, and the paint-sceme was pretty easy as well.

Classical gingerbread man

It takes at least 2 armies to create a battle, so I needed to find some suitable oposing forces for my new army. That wasn't very difficult either as there is a typical old Norwegian Christmas baking called 'Hvite Kakemenn' and translate into something like 'White Cookie Men'. They are made by wheat flour, butter, milk and sugar and deviate from Gingerbread men by being white or very light in color, usually with red 'trimmings'.

'Hvit kakemann' aka '(white) cookie man

And some 30+ hours later, I had 18 printed troopers, enough for two small armies; The Gingerbred Men Vs. The Cookie Men. Now I needed to paint them and decide a scenario and which rules to use.

The Gingerbread Army

The Cookie men army

The Rules

I've been playing a lot of different free wargame rules this year, and they all have different pros and cons. After playing Thor Sheil's OMOG - One Man, One Gun wargame, I concluded that this was probably a better ruleset for smaller gaming tables and scenarioes, for periods not including automatic weapons (and templates). One of the pros for this game was that Thor Sheil designed it for a lot of different periods, including ancient and medieval. I think OMOK - One Man, One Knight would be suitable for my tabletop Holiday Wars as my cookie-troopers are armed with swords, polearms and bows. Steve Snark has made a quick reference sheet to this game, which could be found in the file-section in the Facebook-group Shambattle and OMOG Toy Soldier Games.

The Battle

The Gingerbread-Army and The Cookie Men-Army both wants to be this year's favourite cookie, and the best way to do that is to take the cookie jar and fill it up with them self. On their way to the cookie jar, they meet the other cookie-army on the table. Only the victorious army will have the cookie jar...

The battlefield, and their aimed goals in the background

The Gingerbread army had arranged their different weapons in own units, while the cookie men had units with all the weapons in it. Which would be best in the first 'clash'?

The Gingerbread army made a successful polearm charge, and almost whiped out a cookie unit.
At the same time the Gingerbread archers almost managed to do the same by accurate fire.

...So in hand to hand combat the cookie man didn't have a chance against the 3 archers even being armed with a +1 pole

Despite having more armour with chainmail and a shield, the cookie man didn't have a chance against 2 from the Gingerbread army. The cookie-unit in the rear tried to come to his relief, but was too late...

...and got caught and surrounded in a melee they were quickly outnumbered in. The Outcome was given... 

After 6 turns and 30 minutes, 5 members from the Gingerbread army could claim the victory...

...and enter the cookie jar without competition of other cookie (-men).

The Conclusion

OMOK - One Man, One Knight by Thor Sheil works really well for such small battles with limited of ranged weapons and more melee. It looks like it is an advantage to arrange units with the same kind of weapons to gain more 'fire power', than to make a unit which contain some of all the weapons but in less numbers.

To all fellow wargamers out there; enjoy the rest of the Holidays and I wish you all a Happy New Year!!

Wargame In a Bag 2 - The Second Battle for Lumbaya

 

Wargame In a Bag 2 - The Second Battle for Lumbaya

The rules

It seems that 'Murphy's Law of Combat' also goes for wargames, because right after I played and reviewed  the last game, 'Wargame In a Bag' in the previous post, I found the written 'Wargame In a Bag' rules by Nick Grant. I don't think the document is searchable through Google either, so this might be the only place that its link is published as far as I know. This is the same written rules as in the description-section that earlier followed the demonstration-video on Youtube, and contains the optional rules for 'Wargame In a Bag'.

And as I vaguely remembered, it it had optional advanced rules for covering heavier weapons like HMG, bazooka, mortar and hand grenades. So with the addition and support of these heavier weapons, would the outcome of 'The First Battle of Lumbaya' been different for the UN forces? There was actually just one thing to do, and that was to make another similar setup and have another try in 'The Second Battle of Lumbaya' to find out.

The scenario

The UN have already tried to take the Katangese Stronghold of Lumbaya once during operation 'Grand Slam', but the operation was unsuccessful. Therefore The ONUC HQ orders another UN platoon to have go in 'The Second Battle of Lumbaya'.

Forces:

• After the first battle of Lumbaya, the Katangese forces has been reinforced, and are back to:
• 2 rifle-squads each of 10 soldiers, a LMG and and a bazooka/flame thrower. Each squad can operate as 2 fireteams independently. 
• 1 HMG-detachment of 3 soldiers
• 1 sniper
• HQ-section with platoon-leader and 2 medics
• After turn 12 if rules include vehicles or skilled troops: A QRF consisting of 1 truck with a HMG and a section of 10 'veterans' with a LMG and a bazooka arrives from the next village. Only if Lumbaya is still held by Katangese forces. Since these rules doesn't support vehicles, the QRF enters the village at foot.
• The UN use an identical strengthen platoon of:
• 1 Platoon of 3 rifle-squads each, of 8 soldiers and a LMG. The squads can operate independently.
• 1 Light mortar-detachment of  2 soldiers and an observer
• 1 bazooka-detachment of 3 soldiers
• HQ-section with platoon-leader
• 1 Jeep with HMG and 2 soldiers. Since these rules do not include vehicles, the Jeep stayed stationary with the HMG at the deployment-area acting as 1 unit.

Mission:

• Katangese: To hold the strongpoint of Lumbaya. Can request QRF-support as mentioned in the force-section from turn 12 if still holding whole or part of the strongpoint.
• UN: To take and hold the strongpoint of Lumbya, preferably within 12 turns, and take control on as many Katangese gendarms located there as possible.

AAR

Time:    1 hour and 50 minutes

Turns:   9

Result:  UN victory

With these (written) optional rules, the UN support-weapons made a better effect supporting the advancing squads...

...and kept the Katangese rooftop HMG under constant heavy fire. This made it less effective...

...and the UN squads managed to advance from cover-to-cover closer to Lumbaya, meeting only light fire.

When the UN mortar finally got a direct hit and eliminated the Katangese heavy-weapons, they also managed to poke a hole in the Katangese line of defence.

The way to Lumbaya was now practically open, but the UN-platoon advanced carefully with fire and maneuver, letting the squads cover each other.

The last defenders of Lumbaya tried to slow down the UN attack, but came under heavy fire and started to take a toll.

This made it possible for the UN squads to finally enter the village of Lumbaya.

When the UN entered Lumbaya, the last Katangese defenders tried to retreat to another cover, but was hit and taken out before entering their new possitions.

And in turn 9 UN entered the village with almost an intact platoon.

So at the second attempt the UN managed to clear the Village of Lumbaya in the UN-Operation 'Grand Slam'. The UN mission in Congo was to last for many years, and there would be further clashes for the UN-troops to come in this conflict...

-Some of them might be covered in this blog.

Off course mostly of the Pros and Cons are the same, as the rules are practically the same as previously reviewed for this game. So therefore I'll mention the Pros and Cons only related to the optional rules not covered in my last battle report.

Pros

• Units gets a -1 for each time getting shot at in a turn, when they're shooting back. I think this represents suppressive fire in a good way, as it will make them keeps their heads down and not being able to fire back as efficient.

Cons

• Even being optional rules with heavier weapons, these rules still don't cover other special weapons like flamethrowers, sniper rifles or light machine guns.
• I think the rules are a litte contradictory about how to calculate the mortar fire, but I choosed to play it as mentioned in the example.

Conclusion

These rules seems to fill in some missing parts I called for in my first review of 'Wargame in a Bag' (based upon the YouTube-clip). Even if it stills lack some other heavier weapons, I think these optional rules makes this game even more playable showing the importance of cover, the effect of suppressive fire and the danger running from one cover to another. Both my reviews have to be read for a complete overview of the Pros and Cons for this game.

If you read this, I hope you do so because you have followed my series of test-playing various easy and free downloadable wargame rules for regular toy-soldier or army men this year. If so I hope you have found it useful and got inspired to try some of them out yourself.

There are a lot of more free, simple, playable and fun wargame rules out there, but I think I have found the rules that pleases me and I hope you found these play-throughs useful. Use the games that suits you and make you happy and have fun!

Wargame In a Bag

 

Wargame In a Bag

The rules

I found the 'Wargame In a Bag' rules by Nick Grant on a demonstration-video on Youtube. Earlier it was followed by a link to the rules, but the link now seems inactive.

The scenario

I've placed this skirmish to the United Nations largest mission in both scale and operational scope during the Congo Crisis 1960-65, when UN troops 'peacekeeping' was more offensive 'peace enforcement' with force.

Situation:

This skirmish is finding place in fictional place of Lumbaya in the early January of 1963, when the UN during operation 'Grand Slam' are turning their attention to the remaining Katangese strongholds in Southern Katanga after after securing the Katangese capitol of Élisabethville.

Place:

Lumbaya is a very small village located 80km south west of Élisabethville, and are made into a stronghold by a small platoon of Katangese Gendarmes. The village is one of several strongholds in the area to trying to hold the UN off while trying to keep the self-proclaimed president Tshombe by power of the self-proclaimed Katanga state.

Forces:

• Katangese:
• 2 rifle-squads each of 10 soldiers, a LMG and and a bazooka/flame thrower. Each squad can operate as 2 fireteams independently. 
• 1 HMG-detachment of 3 soldiers
• 1 sniper
• HQ-section with platoon-leader and 2 medics
• After turn 12 if rules include vehicles or skilled troops: A QRF consisting of 1 truck with a HMG and a section of 10 'veterans' with a LMG and a bazooka arrives from the next village. Only if Lumbaya is still held by Katangese forces. Since these rules doesn't support vehicles, the QRF enters the village at foot.
• UN:
• 1 Platoon of 3 rifle-squads each of 8 soldiers and a LMG. The squads can operate independently.
• 1 Light mortar-detachment of  2 soldiers and an observer
• 1 bazooka-detachment of 3 soldiers
• HQ-section with platoon-leader
• 1 Jeep with HMG and 2 soldiers. Since these rules do not include vehicles, the Jeep stayed stationary with the HMG at the deployment-area acting a 1 unit.

Mission:

• Katangese: To hold the strongpoint of Lumbaya. Can request QRF-support as mentioned in the force-section from turn 12 if still holding whole or part of the strongpoint.
• UN: To take and hold the strongpoint of Lumbya, preferably within 12 turns, and take control on as many Katangese gendarms located there as possible.

AAR

Time:    1 hour and 40 minutes

Turns:   9

Result:  UN defeat

In the initial phase of the UN attack on Lumbaya, their (stationary) armed jeep came under heavy fire. Luckily they didn't loose it at this point though:

The fire ranges seems pretty generous with these rules, so being in some kind of hard cover will benefit your troops, even if they are receiving enemy fire and gets a -1 on their own shots. This gave the defending Katangese forces a benefit being positioned in a rapidly fortified defense line:

The UN-forces advanced by using firing and maneuver and tried to give each other covering fire. This wasn't enough for the UN forces as they met heavy enemy fire both when advancing and when under cover. In the outskirts of the village they had to seek cover and used several turns to just exchange fire with the opposing forces:

After several hits, the UN also lost their armed jeep, and was a unit less. Now the Katangese could focus their fire on the remaining UN forces...

...The repeatably and intence Katangese fire started to take a toll on the UN forces, and it soon became clear that they couldn't break through the Katangese defense lines. Even though these rules doesn't have mechanics making units to retreat at some time, it seemed reasonable for the few remaining UN troops to start retreating by turn 8. 

Despite trying to give each other covering fire during their retreat, the Katangese forces just finished off the few remaining retreating UN troops. The Katanges on the other hand had minimal losses.

Pros

• It's simple and can be played with easily available and cheap army men or toy soldiers from a lot of different periods.
• Units getting shot at gets a -1 when shooting back. Naturally they'll keep their heads down and don't expose them self too long by aiming.
• Units not moving,can target enemy units anywhere along the path the enemy squad has moved.
• If more than a "6" is needed to hit, the game mechanics let you roll a "6" followed by a re-roll of either 4, 5 or 6 to get "7", "8" or "9".

Cons

• The (free) written rules don't seems to exist any more; Neither in the Youtube-description or online elsewhere.
• The game actually require unit-tokens which is or was for sale, but I used some 3D-printed flame-tokens instead. Any substitute will do.
• It's just too simple and doesn't have rules for dividing different weapons by their damage-potential. I think the written rules had some advanced options regarding heavier weapons.
• It' doesn't have any rules for vehicles.
• I think the hand-to-hand fighting is way to like the board game Risk, and not one of my favorites to resolve melee.
• A +1 for cover behind barbed wire seems too generous. Barbed wire fences don't provide much cover.

Conclusion

These rules seems to have no limits regarding firing ranges, so a gaming setup should offer a lot of covers, so the units just can't be stationary and exchange fire across the tabletop. I also like the idea that covering fire gives an effect of -1 on shooting for the forces being shot at. Just too bad that the written rules doesn't seems to be available anymore neither in the Youtube-description or online elsewhere. If you decides to try out this game, you can just substitute the tokens with anything else, as they don't seems available anymore either. If you try out a similar scenario as mine, feel free to give a feedback if you were more lucky with fighting dug-in enemy troops with these rules than I was.

Hang on; There are more wargames to be played, and more battle reports to be written.

Close Wars

Close Wars

The rules

I wanted to try some really oldschool wargaming, and I think Donald Featherstone is considered to be one of the inventors of simple rules for wargaming with toy soldiers. On the excellent blog of 'The Man of Tinblog' I found a blogpost with a copy of Donald Featherstone's Close Wars. These rule are very simple and aren't exactly made for this size or modern battles, but I wanted to have a go at a 'classic' and see if it was playable with the scenario I've used in my recent games.

The scenario

I've placed this skirmish to the United Nations largest mission in both scale and operational scope during the Congo Crisis 1960-65, when UN troops 'peacekeeping' was more offensive 'peace enforcement' with force.

Situation:

This skirmish is finding place in fictional place of Lumbaya in the early January of 1963, when the UN during operation 'Grand Slam' are turning their attention to the remaining Katangese strongholds in Southern Katanga after after securing the Katangese capitol of Élisabethville.

Place:

Lumbaya is a very small village located 80km south west of Élisabethville, and are made into a stronghold by a small platoon of Katangese Gendarmes. The village is one of several strongholds in the area to trying to hold the UN off while trying to keep the self-proclaimed president Tshombe by power of the self-proclaimed Katanga state.

Forces:

• Katangese:
• 2 rifle-squads each of 10 soldiers, a LMG and and a bazooka/flame thrower. Each squad can operate as 2 fireteams independently. 
• 1 HMG-detachment of 3 soldiers
• 1 sniper
• HQ-section with platoon-leader and 2 medics
• After turn 12 if rules include vehicles or skilled troops: A QRF consisting of 1 truck with a HMG and a section of 10 'veterans' with a LMG and a bazooka arrives from the next village. Only if Lumbaya is still held by Katangese forces. Since these rules doesn't support vehicles, the QRF enters the village at foot.
• UN:
• 1 Platoon of 3 rifle-squads each of 8 soldiers and a LMG. The squads can operate independently.
• 1 Light mortar-detachment of  2 soldiers and an observer
• 1 bazooka-detachment of 3 soldiers
• HQ-section with platoon-leader
• 1 Jeep with HMG and 2 soldiers. Since these rules do not include vehicles, the Jeep stayed stationary with the HMG at the deployment-area acting a 1 unit, but due to short firing ranges never come close enough to enter combat.
• Since these rules doesn't include any heavy weapons, I just rolled a dice for any weapons and let all of them have the same range.

Mission:

• Katangese: To hold the strongpoint of Lumbaya. Can request QRF-support as mentioned in the force-section from turn 12 if still holding whole or part of the strongpoint.
• UN: To take and hold the strongpoint of Lumbya, preferably within 12 turns, and take control on as many Katangese gendarms located there as possible.

AAR

Time:    1 hour and 40 minutes

Turns:   18 (!)

Result:  UN defeat

Due to the short weapon ranges and not including any heavy weapons for support, this was a rush for the UN forces to get to a cover close enough for the their short weapon range:

The UN forces made initially some successful hits in the Katangese line of defence, and used the opportunity to try to brake into their defensive positions...

...and managed. But from this point on the Katangese Gendarmerie fought real well, and the UN didn't make any further advancement into the village.

This was the situation for so long time and so many turns, that the Katangese QRF arrived in turn 12:

This was finally what made the UN advancement come to an definite halt, and those few UN soldiers left who managed to enter the village was either killed or taken as prisoner of war after heroic street fighting. But they didn't give up very easy.

Impetus Bonus!!

Pros

• Impetus Bonus gives a +1 for surprising when emerging from cover and achieved an ambush
• It's simple and can be played with easily available and cheap army men or toy soldiers from a lot of different periods.
• Retreating forces (due to a moral check) have to dice to see if the're routing or can go back to battle.
• Really fast playing

Cons

• It's just too simple and doesn't divide weapons into groups by their damage potential.
• It doesn't include any vehicles.
• The turn sequence seems unclear. I played it I Go, You Go.
• What really happens to  wounded; hits that makes a save also seems unclear. I let them just fight on.

Conclusion

Due to lack of rules for different weapons with longer range and higher damage-potential, this was a very uncomplicated, interesting, intense and very fast playing game. With the limited weapon-ranges this is truly 'Close Wars'. As mentioned, I don't think these rules are made for modern battles or this scale, but I'm surprised how extremely well they worked for such after all. I would consider to play this in a smaller scale than I did (with my 54mm soldiers). Perhaps 20mm would be more suitable? And perhaps a period and units without a lot of hevy weapons. If you have only time for a quickie, consider this game.

Please follow this blog for some few more AAR on free wargame-rules to come...