| Flat Beer and Cold Pizza | 14 Aug 2010 11:06 p.m. PST |
While I sit here quaffing another Sapporo and planning my Sudan campaign Egyptians it occurred to me that I have a fixation with armies whose honor/competence on the battlefield has been disparaged over the course of time. I always tend to want to play the "troops wot suck!" Which hapless troops are you favorites? |
| La Long Carabine | 14 Aug 2010 11:50 p.m. PST |
Last convention I attended, one of the the game masters announced he had some British bobbies armed with foam rubber billy clubs and pop guns. They were going up against Doctor Who baddies like Cybermen and Daleks. I did succeed in finding the evil device that everyone was searching for before my glorious death. I enjoy the challenge of impossible odds and certain death. Good times.
LLC aka Ron
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| Pictors Studio | 14 Aug 2010 11:58 p.m. PST |
For troops that suck, you really can't beat the late Achaemenid Persians. They get an army wiped out, they build another one, that army is wiped out, build another one, that army catches on fire and then is wiped out, build another one. Improve the quality of the army? Nah, just make it bigger. |
| (I am Spam) | 15 Aug 2010 12:00 a.m. PST |
I used to really enjoy the odd armies under WRG 7th. I liked the Thracians (The Thracian Sensation!) with hordes of charging LC, Early Normans with JLS to skirmish and then charge, and Early Carthaginians with those nifty Reg B LCh with 4 horses. Loved 'em! |
| Mapleleaf | 15 Aug 2010 1:57 a.m. PST |
Neapolitan or Spanish Napoleonic era armies look so pretty but if the rules have any decent points covering "National characteristics" they sure do not stay around long enough to admire the colours. |
| Fat Wally | 15 Aug 2010 2:18 a.m. PST |
I'm the same. I really enjoy using underdogs. Amongst my favourites are Napoleonic Cossacks, early Eastern Theatre Union ACW, 1941 Soviets and Late War Japanese Air. |
| SECURITY MINISTER CRITTER | 15 Aug 2010 4:24 a.m. PST |
In Wrg 6th/7th, the Early Libyans. 15 LMI, and then a pot full
of Li. I tried to run it like Phil said in the list, but always had my face handed to me. |
| John the OFM | 15 Aug 2010 6:17 a.m. PST |
Speaking of WRG lists, Phil did a fine job talking smack about the might Pechenegs. "Stupid as a Pecheneg!", indeed! I play with two friends who regularly squeeze mighty victories our of the Italians in North Africa. I have always wanted to build an army of Bashi Bazouks for the Sudan, or the NNC. Improve the quality of the army? Nah, just make it bigger.
Right on! YouTube link |
| Martin Rapier | 15 Aug 2010 6:56 a.m. PST |
Favourite hapless troops (by era): Ancients: Persians Napoleonics: Spanish Late nineteenth century: Austrians Colonial: Egyptians (in proper white uniforms) WW1: 1916 New Army British SCW: Anarchist militia WW2: Rumanians, 1940 French, 1941 Soviets, 1944 German infantry, 1941 British armour Moderns: 1967 Egyptians and 1985 era Warsaw Pact |
| Coyotepunc and Hatshepsuut | 15 Aug 2010 8:10 a.m. PST |
I'm pretty fond of Early Libyans, and Skythians too. Anything that can regroup by fleeing is good in my book. If the regrouping happens to occur after fleeing off the table after the game is over, well, that's OK too. I prefer my fleeing to occur with units that are still reasonably intact. I hate it when remnants flee. What's the point in that? There's nothing left to ambush the victorious army as it marches homeward in column… |
| CPBelt | 15 Aug 2010 9:43 a.m. PST |
Which hapless troops are you favorites? Pretty simple. Anything I play.  |
| DJCoaltrain | 15 Aug 2010 10:48 a.m. PST |
For any game, I prefer the crappiest troops on the table top. Any success will be viewed as great gaming, while any failure will be viewed as inevitable. It's a win-win for me. And, I really like playing with the worst troops, they're far more unpredictable, which means dynamic planning and most times some very humorous results. If I can't laugh, it's not fun. Besides, I'm at the age where I hear "time's winged chariot hurrying near," and I want more smiles and fewer frowns. |
| Mulopwepaul | 15 Aug 2010 11:23 a.m. PST |
I cast my vote in favour of the Sumerians with their pointy sticks and their donkey-carts of death. |
| D6 Junkie | 15 Aug 2010 2:57 p.m. PST |
Napoleonic Neopolitians were my first army followed by Napoleonic Ottomans |
| quidveritas | 16 Aug 2010 2:15 p.m. PST |
Gauls! Gauls are always poorly portrayed based on a few battles they fought against Julius Caesar. It seems almost every rules system has the "they must charge" rule -- despite the fact that any reading about these guys shows they could and did use tactics and field fortifications where they did not always charge at the drop of a hat. Indeed the one time Vercingetorix beat Caesar, his army spent most of the day defending high ground. The Gauls are one of the most colorful armies in the ancient world. The Gauls served as mercenaries in almost every ancient army in the Mediterranean basin -- as far south as Egypt! Why did they hire these guys if they were so ineffective? Never mind the Gauls dominated the prime real estate in Spain, France, Southern Germany, the Balkans and the Anatolian Peninsula for a few hundred years. All this with no central government! These were bad dudes! Rules writers wake up! mjc |
| e4warde | 16 Aug 2010 2:18 p.m. PST |
Napoleonic Austrians, and WWII Italians. |
Uesugi Kenshin  | 17 Aug 2010 2:16 a.m. PST |
Burgundians of Charles the Bold. |
| COL Scott1 | 17 Aug 2010 3:09 a.m. PST |
Certainty of death. Small chance of success. What are we waiting for? |
