Chain of Command: Countdown to Release Starts

Richard Clarke just announced that CoC's playtesting phase is over and the final editing of the rules is now at full throttle. I expect the publised version out in the second half of July, as initially marked by Lard Island. Personally, this was my first game-testing experience and I have enjoyed it all-over these months, even if during this last lap I reduced my activity substantially due to conflicting personal/profesional and gaming schedules. I'll now concentrate in reading version 6 of the playtest pdf to try spotting any typos, contradictions, etc, as a way of helping the TFL team. I'd also like to thank Richard for the opportunity to work in this exciting project.    

Playing Chain of Command in an open terrain

I'm a true believer now!...if I ever had some doubts (which wasn't my case anyway).
This morning, Richard Clarke and Nick Skinner had undertaken the supreme test to the Chain of Command rules system, by playing a game in a basically open flat terrain (think Holland for example...) to show (1) that an attacking force (British) doesn't need a table full of LOS-breaking obstacles to win; and (2) that using historical tactics renders good results (you know, playing the period and not the rules).

I strongly recommend reading the detailed post at the Lard Island blog today describing phae by phase the debvelopment of this very intresting game. Not only illustrative of the rules mechanics but also a lesson in good tactical handling a force (.... I bow to your tactical genius, señor Clarke)    

More Chain of Command Fun

I'd like to call your attention to this entry in the TooFatLardies official blog, detailing step by step a game with Chain of Command, the incoming skirmish IIWW rules by Richard Clarke and Nick Skinner. It provides new insights about the game mechanisms (the armour section has suffered dramatic changes and been significantly improved in the latest draft version of the rules) and a better understanding of the historical background supporting the game design.

An excellent battle report (including an interesting debriefing), outstanding photos and wonderfully painted 28mm models. Hope you enjoy the show

Wargamer Taxonomy - How would you rate yourself?

A very interesting discussion topic brought by Itinerant Hobbyist in a recent post... and I bet it will go viral sonner than later. Why do you play wargames? What drives you in this hobby?.  Ans use the following classifcation categories to put yourself in teh picture. Directly taken from Itinerant, as the explanation is crystal clear... and his English is of course much better than mine :-)

Immersion - You really get into the fluff/universe/world/history of the game  you play.  It's the reason you got into gaming.  If I never play another game I will continue reading your favorite period books.  Similarly, a Warhammer/Battletech/whatever player can immerse themselves into the history of their chosen game with books, fan fiction, painting certain factions, etc.

Social - relationships are what's important.  You look forward as much to the dinner/drink afterwards as you do to the gaming itself.

Showcasing/Modelling - You really like to show your work and see the work of others. Modelling and painting are what give you the most energy.

Strategy - You like to read forums, listen to podcasts, work on lists, etc to improve your game.  You like the mechanics of how a game works.

Competition - you like testing your play style and abilities against others to come out on top.  Or, to test your strategies against the best. 

Battle for Werth - Germany September 1944 (An IABSM AAR)

After a relatively long wargaming break, the Hell's Highway article in the last TFL Summer Special worked  miracles, waking my appetite to play this campaign with IABSM, the WWII company-sized rules of the TooFatLardies factory. An email exchange with my pal Alex at Club Dragón on Thursday and we were set to do some warming exercises with a small encounter scenario, taking place in Germany in September 1944, before attacking the campaign.

Location: Germany 1944
US forces have broken the Sigfried Line and penetrated West Prussia in the Eschweiler-Weisweiler area; all German available forces are sent to try stopping the gap. The German commander Werth and mission is to maintain control of two small villages (Werth and Scherpeensel) with a   hastily collected group of infantry forces supported by some armour and AT guns operating in the area.