"Well, that's an evening I'm not getting back" Topic

Last night I transferred the board game War Galley by GMT to the war game table for a battle using miniatures.

My AAR is here, and it doesn't make happy reading.

link

Oh well, onward and upward.

Sorry the game didn't work out but your ships are still gorgeous!

Was it better than a day at work?

Hmm, using war galley with a bunch of Hotz card models has long been on my to-do list. Might give that one a rethink – thanks for the heads-up….

Was it better than a day at work?

At the end of a day's work at least I have some cash to show for it.

The only thing I have from last night are the new counters I spent four or five hours making: they'll get used for another game, I suppose.

That is really too bad. The board and miniatures look fabulous.

agreed the ships look superb … you should get a nice amount for those on ebay :-)

agreed the ships look superb … you should get a nice amount for those on ebay :-)

The ships I'll keep, the board game will probably go on ebay. Someone will want it for their 'GMT collection'.

Shame about the game but an excellent and in-depth write up that made for n informative read.

So thanks for that.

John T

Some boardgames can give quite a nice "table" result with models – like for instance Wooden Ships & Iron Men. This one obviously doesn't, so just call it a lesson learned. With so much boardgames around surely there must be one that does work in this period ? People wiser than me should comment on this…

Good to see a colourful galley battle report.(maybe the air was blue as well as the table ? :) ) Shame it was not so much fun to participate. From bitter experience I know galley warfare is a difficult subject to make a good game which at the same time keeps the detail and flavour one wants.
I have recently been going the other direction with small models and minimal book-keeping or markers.
ramsravensandwrecks.blogspot.dk

Maybe better to start with ones own interpretation of what makes a good galley game rather than work with what another has already filtered through their own prejudices ?
But it is not easy.

Having learned from past experience "if the rules do not meet expectations then change the rules". You have the miniatures and the table which is the most time consuming.

Figure out what you didn't like about the rules and go and review older rules to see their approach. Then write a set of rules that meet YOUR expectations.

This approach is "old school" but when you get a game that you and the other players enjoy it is GREAT.

Then you put it online and I can try them!!!! :.]

Then write a set of rules that meet YOUR expectations.

I have done this already, kinda. I wrote a set of galley rules called Fleet of Battle which were published in WI #278. They are actually quite good fun, but I've always thought a hexed based system for such 'pell mell' battles might be less confusing / easier. I was hoping that War Galley would save me the trouble of conversion and a rewrite.

Writing rules is something I do (and get paid for) from time to time but I have so little time these days.

Great eye candy! Too bad it didnt translate--keep looking at other rule sets or modify/simplify. Who makes the ships--did someone say Hotz??

Those look like Xyston 1/600 to me – gorgeous models, and rather a fine paintjob…. :-) For huge actions there are 1/1200 and even 1/2400 ranges on the market, while the Hotz stuff is at the other end of the spectrum – 1/300 card models.

Hotz has a rule set for galleys, you may want to try

You wouldn't have known if you hadn't tried.

Check the Edinburgh Wargames Journal site run by Angus Kostam, they have been playing miniatures galley games of that era and having a great time of it, seems to be a big hit with their group.
Maybe it would be your cup of tea?

Oops, actually reading your blog now I realize your game is ancients and the one the Edinburgh group is playing is Rennaissance. Still many of the mechanics might work?

I know Angus K and have a set of those fine rules.

Tazmanetc., I think that sums it up very well.

Ships are Xyston. Very nice but a bit pricey now at £7.00 GBP – £10.00 GBP each. I was in the right place at the right time when I bought half of these. They were being sold at a shop promo for the manufacturer (?), two for one. I'd helped set up the shop and got a 50% discount on top – they were £5.00 GBP each back then, so they cost me just £1.25 GBP each. The rest I picked up on ebay over the next ten years or so.

Too bad about the game, but those ships are a thing of beauty. Wow!

suddenly I feel very insignificant….

Sorry you didn't like War Galley, I actually liked it myself. Your table was very inspirational though! I already have several minis for galleys from Langton along with his Naumachaie rules though I've not had a chance to try them yet, have you checked them out at all?

Couple of thoughts; consider using AH "Trireme" rules

Models look really good.

What's with all those "Chadwicks" the bead and cone clutter that is so distracting? Is that necessary to play the game?