Early morning writer | 12 Sep 2015 11:31 p.m. PST |
…as in games with lots of figures. Why do you like games with lots and lots of figures? (If you don't like games with lots and lots of figures that is your right but if you are in this thread to tell us that you are in the wrong thread) So, for those who DO like big games, sound of as to why. That is all. |
ochoin | 13 Sep 2015 12:08 a.m. PST |
Spectacle. Generally, they take too long to set up & game but once a year we put on a demo game at a local show: two days of bliss. This year, Ligny.2000+ figures. link |
gunnerphil | 13 Sep 2015 1:54 a.m. PST |
Because for some battles and some periods is what works best. Trying to do say Waterloo with 12 units per side in under 2 hours might be possible. But it would not for feel right. With large number of troops on table not only do you get spectacle, you also get some idea of problems involve. But each to his own, that I enjoy big battles does not make it any more correct, than those who do not. |
Martin Rapier | 13 Sep 2015 1:55 a.m. PST |
Clearly, because they look grand and give plenty of opportunity to coo over figures. Because they take so long to set up and play, they also usually involve a boys day out or weekend away with all the associated shenanigans. What is not to like? They do take a bit too long to set up and take down for a club night game, so take a degree of planning. Going to see Big Audio Dynamite in Brixton in the middle of game, as we did in the huge Waterloo game in the late 1980s, probably isn't a good idea. |
Mr Elmo | 13 Sep 2015 4:21 a.m. PST |
These are what I call "coal shovel" games. There are so many figures jammed on the table you need a coal shovel to remove the casualties. |
Dynaman8789 | 13 Sep 2015 4:50 a.m. PST |
Who doesn't like a big game? The only reasons not to make every game a big game are space and time. The sheer spectacle of thousands of troops on a huge table draws me in every time. |
Skeets | 13 Sep 2015 5:19 a.m. PST |
The spectacle and the gathering of old friends. We usually have two each year, one in early summer and another in late summer. |
Who asked this joker | 13 Sep 2015 5:30 a.m. PST |
Big games are great! I don't have the figures for a truly huge game but they do provide all the pageantry that many gamers are looking for. If the rules can support* huge amounts of figures, then why not? John *ie are fast enough
|
Early morning writer | 13 Sep 2015 6:57 a.m. PST |
John's point is highly pertinent, the trick to large games are fast rules, faster the better – easy and simple without descending to simplistic (my choice is Rank and File but I'd go even simpler if I found something that worked). |
Cosmic Reset | 13 Sep 2015 7:27 a.m. PST |
Visual appeal, large scope allowing more unit variety and more complex situations/interactions, visual appeal, more players creating more diverse and dynamic order interpretations/interactions, and visual appeal. Plus, it just looks cool. |
Jcfrog | 13 Sep 2015 7:36 a.m. PST |
I like big games: space, visual effect, looks more like a battle. Also as more units, reserves etc. hardly can a couple of dice roll all by themselves be the cause of your demise. |
jurgenation | 13 Sep 2015 7:51 a.m. PST |
I painted the figures ,by God they are going to be played with. |
Extra Crispy | 13 Sep 2015 8:06 a.m. PST |
My "ordinary" game is a 6x9 table with the appropriate number of figures. So not sure any game I play is "big" by these standards. I've played in a few big games at cons – 10,000 figures over 20 tables or what have you – and not enjoyed them. Not because of the size or the rules. Rather, there were no really interesting decision to make. As a brigade commander all I could really do was go straight ahead. Granted, this is what most commanders did most of the time in battles, but not much fun as a game. |
Saber6 | 13 Sep 2015 8:38 a.m. PST |
Number of figure is a function of rules and scenario. To play significant historical battles you need lots of stuff. You also need enough commanders to push the troops. I like scenarios with 3-5 commanders per side, so 6-10 players. With the rules I use that tends to be a couple of hundred figures per player (32-60 figures per unit of infantry) |
wrgmr1 | 13 Sep 2015 8:43 a.m. PST |
Big games are a lot of fun, but a lot of work. Our group has done Wagram, Austerlitz, Borodino, Eylau, Ligny and Waterloo. Not to try and outshine Ochoin's Ligny, here is ours from the Enfilade convention. 6000+ 28mm figures. [URL=http://s219.photobucket.com/user/tjm3/media/Ligny%20and%20Waterloo/Plancenoit%20205.jpg.html]
[/URL] |
Der Alte Fritz | 13 Sep 2015 10:38 a.m. PST |
What's not to like about this: AMG game at Partizan May 2015:
Battle of Kolin:
Mollwitz:
|
Frederick | 13 Sep 2015 11:11 a.m. PST |
I love big games – spectacle, lots of action, great cameraderie The only down side is they are a lot of work |
ColCampbell | 13 Sep 2015 12:22 p.m. PST |
Like others, big games are a spectacle and a lot of work. But they do look grand, don't they. Besides, when you have collected, painted, and based hundreds of troops, then you want to show them off. We just did a Franco-Prussian War game on Labor Day with 10 players and over 3,400 28mm figures on three tables. It was a lot of work getting everything organized among the four troop contributors, but to me it was worth it. link And I still have to edit and post the rest of the pictures, whew! Jim |
TamsinP | 13 Sep 2015 1:23 p.m. PST |
Why big games? Well, I've got the figures and – dammit! – I'm going to play with them! |
vtsaogames | 13 Sep 2015 1:40 p.m. PST |
I ran a 200th anniversary game of Waterloo that was big by my standards, well over 1,000 figures on my 6 X 4 table. It took two sessions to play the game and I had to switch sides between sessions due to a guy not showing. Thought I was Blucher, turned out I was Bonaparte. But the guy who then played Blucher used my deployment to murder me. Everyone thought it looked great. Maybe I'll do another big one every year or so. Lot of work though. |
MajorB | 13 Sep 2015 2:51 p.m. PST |
Trying to do say Waterloo with 12 units per side in under 2 hours might be possible. But it would not for feel right. Really? Try this: link |
MajorB | 13 Sep 2015 2:53 p.m. PST |
My "ordinary" game is a 6x9 table with the appropriate number of figures. So not sure any game I play is "big" by these standards. My usual table is less than 1/4 of that size so AFAIAC all your games are "big"!!! |
vtsaogames | 13 Sep 2015 6:55 p.m. PST |
Major B, just got W1815. It's pretty good, gives a feel for the actual battle in 15 minutes and a hard row to hoe for the French. |
Decebalus | 14 Sep 2015 8:49 a.m. PST |
|
wrgmr1 | 14 Sep 2015 9:16 a.m. PST |
Some beautiful looking games posted gentlemen. Thanks DAF, ColCampbell and Decebalus! |
christot | 15 Sep 2015 1:13 p.m. PST |
I tend only to play in large, organised games, probably a dozen times a year at least for weekend games, and usually at least 1 (sometimes more) week long extravaganza. To para-phrase Grahame Greene: "I much prefer the occasional orgy to a nightly routine". |
etotheipi | 16 Sep 2015 5:49 a.m. PST |
A proper civilian mob should be a mob. |
Old Contemptibles | 17 Sep 2015 12:54 p.m. PST |
All of the above. I want to play as much of a battle as I possibly can. The bigger the better. I don't care how long it takes. If everyone leaves then I will stay and finish it alone. |
Stew art | 17 Sep 2015 2:20 p.m. PST |
i also like big games, but i tend to skip them in conventions unless they have some basic requirements that i think make the game fun. mainly: the right number of players: usually around 6-8. any bigger and there is too much down time unless everyone knows to rules very well, or the rules better be real simple. do players have the standard 4-6 'things' to control? if not then i tend to avoid them at cons gameshows, but will do it at homes or club venues. i don't care though how long the game is, if it takes 8 hours then cool. so i love big games but i am more critical of thier structure and set up, as it's a bigger commitment. myself, i want to be the one that hosts the 'big' game. currently i think i am a 'medium gamer.' i can host a medieval battle on an 8 x 5 table with around 400 figures. usually for about 6 players. |
By John 54 | 18 Sep 2015 1:02 p.m. PST |
I love the look and spectacle of the occasional big game, we call it the me factor! I've put on some big 54mm games at Salute over the years, from D-Day, with a 3foot, scratch-built LCT, Trebbia, with over 700 figures, up to The Behemoth that was Market Garden, 76 foot long, two countries, over 1000 54mm figures, 200 vehicles, 3 large bridges, about half a ton! It was nearly two years work for a one day show, but, it looked amazing, if I do say so myself! I wouldn't try to top it, no point, but i am now in the process of selling the lot off! John |
Early morning writer | 18 Sep 2015 4:35 p.m. PST |
200 54 mm vehicles! Wow. That must have been some spectacle – and I'm not really into WWII – but I'd have loved to see that one. |