"The Great Amish Rake Fight Games of 02/03, a retrospective!" Topic

You know, sometimes you just feel like writing all this crap down before you forget it. In 2002 and 2003, I designed and ran the Amish Rake Fight game with Bob Giglio (and tons of help from Neil Brennan, Chris Johnson and others). Here is the complete and unblemished history of the Great Amish Rake Fight games of 2002 and 2003 (Cold Wars). This will be of limited interest to rigidly historical gamers, I'll warn you in advance. LINK --> link

Again, thank you for your interest and time,

Walt

PS: If you by ANY chance have photographs of either of these, please get in touch. I'll add them in and give you photographer's credit.

Now I know how the yellow peanut M&M guy feels.
"They DO exist!"

I remember seeing pics of that game WAY BACK WHEN…

It looked like it would have been HOWLING great fun!!

Wish I could have been there…

Yep, brings back memories. I enjoyed reading about it then and now.

Hmm, has the statute of limitations passed?

video version:

YouTube link

I was there! (But only watched the carnage)

I have that con shirt!

It still fits!

Y'know, I bet you could make the gamers and golfers nowadays from the sets of plastic zombie survivors . . .

Grelber

I thought it was Co-ed Naked Amish Rake Fighting.

Loved the Star Trek fight music in the background.

I recall in 2003, the folks at the Society of Daisy presented us with the Daisy Medal for our efforts at adding a little levity into wargaming. I'll put that up against a PELA any day of the week! :-D

Walt

I remember seeing the ARW at Cold Wars. I did not play but it looked like a ton o' fun. My kind of war game.

Walt,

I'll help where I can on the background of the game, and such, and dig out some old write-ups of the ARF handouts.

Suffice to say (quickly) that this really did develop due to Del's insisting that we *must* figure a way to get the HMGS cons marketed better. So, in the back-n-forth email on the Marketing Yahoogroup (at that time), you and I just spun it into quite a lot of fun (sort of like my liking the 9 Nazgul to the BoD's desire back then to expand the HMGS BoD from 7 to 9 members ;-).

Regardless, it became the game ARF, and we're all just happy it did in fact happen.

A few things, for your to revise, or add, to your blog.

I clearly remember you saying how you were very down in the dumps about how you did not finish terrain things, etc., when you showed up at my house for the playtest. But, upon seeing the table, you then realized "hey, this can work!", and complimented me on it. Thanks.

The Poop-a-Flinga was the creation of Chris Johnson's fertile(?) mind. It was an outhouse with a large Y-branch in front of it (for the slingshot base) with two long rubber bands stretching into the door of the outhouse, from which the "projectile" would be fired. I think it was on wheels or something, so it could pivot accordingly, to "acquire" a target. Very creative, to say the least -- good show Chris!

Also, you mention about the terrain for Route 30 done by someone else. Nope, all done by me, including the first ever Lapp's with the sign that said "We have Lap Dances", well before MBA had created one. ;-)

Also remember, one of the "abilities" we gave the Amish, with a nod to "Children of the Corn", was that they could go into any cornfield and take a turn to "teleport" to any other cornfield on the board (with a chance of a mishap, naturally).

One thing not in your blog for the 2003 game. Was that we also had players in costume for that one. If you recall, two guys dressed in overalls, straw hats, and barefoot, etc., came down the stairs and we just laughed, as they were two of our players. Also, and most importantly, the 2003 game saw an Amish family come by, look at the game (and have a long chat with Neil Brennan), and smiled very, Very wide (and wickedly), as they "got it", and laughed at the "fun" aspect of it. That for me, was priceless!

Lastly, both the 2002 and 2003 games were in the ballroom foyer (not in the ballroom). Remember, we wanted maximum visibility, so they could not be missed (er… for marketing!). Thus, both games were placed at the table that was against the wall as you came down the stairs to enter the ballroom -- you couldn't miss it, or anyone dressed up -- pricless!

Ok, possibly more later (and I'll see if I have some other photos as well), as some things come back from days gone by. Suffice to say, a fun time was had by all.

Guess all of us should get together to have a beer or three and share some laughs about all this, at one of the conventions in Lancaster, soon. I'm sure we'll have tears in our eyes from laughing so hard!

Regards,
Bob Giglio, ARF Co-Creator & GM

Walt,

Forgot to add, about the never run third game of ARF (i.e., ARF3).

Since I did the bulk of the terrain for these, and since the idea was to have the Amish "assault the Lancaster Host" during the time one of the conventions was being run, I would have had to have a decent model of part of the Host in 28mm. Not to mention all the gamer figs, golf carts, etc.

Now, unknownest to you, I found the gamer figs at one of the GenCons/Origins I attended. They were all from the Knights of the Dinner Table range in miniature. This range was perfect, and had gamers in all body types, from pointy nosed to very wide bellies, and even in a wheelchair. Just what I needed and priceless! However, they were very expensive (about $3 USD or more per figure). I also found a golfcart that fit perfectly, but never went back for more (I think these were in the toy section of WalMart, Target or Toys R Us way back).

However, I never painted the figures, as I stopped on the fact that I had to model the front part of the Host. If you recall, I wanted to have the front gaming area, the staff area where registration was, the lobby, and of course the bar, plus some of the parking lot with bits of golf course. Not a lot to model, but I wanted to do it right (kudos to the guy that ran the Hall Pig Going Bad game recently at Cold Wars -- Bravo!).

Anyway, just wanted to add the above. However, if you want the gamer figures (unpainted), then let me know and we can come to some arrangement for them. They really are one-off types.

Regards,
Bob

Correction, the 2002 game was in the ballroom, but the 2003 game was at the foot of the stairs.

Walt,

Send me your email that you want a bunch of photos sent to; I have a number of them from the Cold Wars 2002 game, for you to post on the blog and such. Also, I'll send along the Player's Background (handout), plus a sheet of Amish flags that was created for the game, etc.

I might have photos for the Cold Wars 2003 game, but have to really look for them; might not be scanned in, if I have them at all.

What follows below, was the write-up for the game as it appeared in the Cold Wars 2002 PEL. Enjoy!

Regards,
Bob

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Title: AMISH RAKE FIGHT (ARF) – The Battle of Lancaster!

Hosts: Brother Robert Giglio & Brother Walter O'Hara (NOVAG)

Prize: RLBPS (Bob Bowling) – Prizes TBA, but overall winner gets a Shoo-Fly-Pie (No substitutions!)

Scale/Period: 25mm Skirmish (man-to-man) / Modern (i.e., 2001 to everyone but, the Amish, it's 1842 for them!)

Rules: "Hold Still, Brother, While I Must Smite Thee" (adapted Bootlegger rules by Steve Barber Models – Modified)

Time & Game Length: Sat. Noon, 4 hrs
8 Players

Special Requirements: Adults only; must be willing to live with the idea that someone, somewhere, for some reason in our overly PC culture, may be offended by this event! Intoxicating beverages will facilitate admission to game!!

Game Description:

The local Brothers of the Staw Hats & Highwater Pants have had enough of taunts, slights, and insults, and are walking amok! Armed to the teeth with all sorts of farming implements, join them in their righteous fight against local youths, yahoos, and tourists. So grab your rake and come on down for another reminder that "War is Heck". This will be a war between the Lancastrians and the Yorkists (US style) – "Thee be careful amongst deem English!" [PC Advisory: It's a game, stupid! A very politically incorrect game! Deal with it!] Line up and grab your rakes, pards, it will be (I promise you) an event not to be missed.

Theme music: Weird Al Yankovic's LIVING IN AN AMISH PARADISE.

Walt,

Ok, I found the write-up for ARF2, which was the Cold Wars 2003 game, as follows.

Regards,
Bob

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Game Title: ARF2 (AMISH RAKE FIGHT) – The Wrath of Lapp!

Game Hosts/GMs: Brother Robert Giglio, Brother Walter O'Hara, and Brother Cornelius Brennan (NOVAG)

Sponsor/Prize: RLBPS (Bob Bowling) – Prizes TBA, but overall winner gets a Shoo-Fly-Pie (No substitutions!)

Game Description:

It's back…by very popular demand…ARF! When the smoke finally cleared from last spring, the Lancaster Valley stood safe from greedy, unscrupulous developers. Now a new threat looms, as the Lancaster tourism craze hits a new low, and the truce the local Brothers of the Staw Hats and Highwater Pants signed with the Board of Development (BoD) isn't worth the cow patty it was written on. So grab your rake and come on down for another reminder that 'War is Heck,' just "thee be careful amongst deem English!"

[PC Advisory: It's a game, stupid! A very politically incorrect game! Deal with it! Special Requirements: Adults only – must be willing to live with the idea that someone, somewhere, for some reason in our overly PC culture, may be offended by this event. Recommended – players with Amish clothing – to facilitate enjoyment of game!] Theme music: Weird Al Yankovic's LIVING IN AN AMISH PARADISE.

Scale: 25mm Skirmish (man-to-man)

Rules: "O Brother, Hold Still While I Must Smite Thee" (Home Rules modified from – Bootlegger Rules by Steve Barber Models)

Period: Modern (i.e., 2003 to everyone but, the Amish, it's 1842 for them!)

Players: 8

Game Time & Length: Saturday Noon, 4 hrs

Bob: this is invaluable. I will amend accordingly tonight. For any omission or error in my first narrative, I apologize, one of the reasons I wanted to write it all down was *twelve years* starts to play tricks with your memory.

Many, many thanks. Emailing separately.

Walt

No problem Walt; glad to assist. It was fun going back into the Way-Back Machine! :-)

Regards,
Bob

Walt,

Nice to see the additions to your blog on this. Thanks!

It really was a fun adventure!

Bob

This game and story are brilliant! Well done lads.

I am reminded of a road trip to Historicon many years ago and on the way back, we devised a Cowboy & Indian 1999 game. The pioneers were going to drive cross country in RVs instead of covered wagons, the Indians would be riding motorcycles, some with side cars, instead of horses. The Indians were going to attack the RV Convey. The Pioneers would eventually retreat back to a road side ice cream stand run by a certain Mr. Custer. Yes, Custer's Last Soft Serve Custer Stand.

As happens with many road trip home ideas, this one died a quick death once we got home, but it sure provided a lot of laughs along the way.

My project of doing an ARF game has stalled. I have the figures painted and all the necessary farm animals and buildings. Now comes the hard part, the rules. Here's a sample of some things we came up with.

* Random acts of God. Yes he will bring in uncontrolable events.
* Flexable action tables that allow you to fling heavy objects at people.
* Prayer circles. Yes a group of Amish can form one and bring on an act of God.
* Horse and buggies used as mobile fighting vehicles.
* The use of flaming swine to run amuck!
* Cattle stampedes.
* The not as effective sheep stampedes. Yes you can flame them for added effect.

I'm so looking forward to this.

You need to take it to the next level.

Beyond the Amish Rake Fight.

Doug

The next step is obviously Amish horse carriage racing with rakes!

1) Really? Not one groan for my bon mot?

2) Bashy, Old Bean, that would be AWESOME!

Of course, as soon as it was done, I'd have another suggestion. In a word: canoes.

Doug

I submitted some old documents from the two games in 2002/2003 to Walt to upload to his blog. Those being the player's handouts of the two games, a map of the tabletop layout of the first game, and the info on Amish Secret Weapons. Walt will announce it soon, after they are uploaded.

Enjoy,
Bob Giglio

Me, in my bonnet, hitting a helicopter with a cow…

I'm grateful for the praise, but I cannot take credit for the Stoolflinga--that little beauty was made by Matthew Grove (45th Div), whose imagination is every bit as "fertile" (if that's the word) as mine. I should know, I step in it all the time…

Chris Johnson