"Very special wargames" Topic

In this thread about Ancients, TKindred described a Diplomacy game that made me jealous:

My old club made up a new 4'X8' board and replaced the wooden pieces with WWI type minis on special bases. We'd play with teams for each country, usually 3-4, and expected all the players to have formal wear. Rent it for the evening if you didn't have it. Guys would make sashes and add all sorts of fake awards, etc. Had an umpire to take all the written orders, and read each aloud before moving the pieces accordingly. It was a blast.

We had wine and hors deuvres, and afterward, retired for Brandy and cigars. I always thought it was the way that wargames ought to be played.

Gaming experiences like this are pretty special, kinda rare, and tend to be temporary or unique.

Let's hear about some more! Chime in with a description of some of your favorite and unusual gaming experiences.

- Ix

Right at the top of my own list of Best Wargames Ever is the long-running "Midnight Massacre" by the Rogues, at Historicon. I'm sure many here played at least once and know exactly which game I'm talking about, but for those who don't, the Midnight Massacre is a giant game of Fire and Fury with a few special rules:

1. Yes, it really starts at midnight (or 11pm sometimes)
   
2. Anyone could get a +1 to a close combat die roll by taking a shot of whiskey
   
3. The mid-game sing-off; the Union players would sing "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and the Confederate players "Dixie", and the side that did the most convincing job would get a DRM that turn (I think usually +1 to command die rolls, but it's all kind of fuzzy now…). For the record, the Confederates won the sing-off every time I played…
   

As a serious wargame the Midnight Massacre was mediocre at best – it was too big, too busy, too noisy, had too many players with too little F&F experience, and alcohol does no favors for mental acuity. However, I've never had more fun. I last played in 2006 (I don't get to Historicon all that often), and I still treasure the memories – even the crawl back to the hotel room in the early dawn twilight, and the hangover the next day. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

I've also never seen players more engaged. Big charges typically became drinking contests, and even players taking egregious casualties were often having a good time. In the 2002 game my unit was manning a huge breastworks, and I think that's the only time I've ever enjoyed defending a wall in a wargame.

This game actually introduced me to F&F in 2000, and I had so much fun I launched my own ACW collection and started running big F&F games in my local area. It also encouraged me to memorize the lyrics to the Battle Hymn of the Republic (the "terrible swift sword" version, not just "John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave" repeated over and over…), the lyrics to Dixie, and just to stick it to the Confederate players one year, the lyrics to "Marching Through Georgia". Heh.

- Ix

Both events sound awesome.

Quite a while back I participated in a large weekend long ACW game where the huge table was modelled on a nearby site.

Friday night before the game the players for each side took turns reconnoitering the actual "battlefield" by horseback. Sitting in the saddle making grand gestures of "our cannons will go along this hill here and have a clean line of fire" stays with you.

Once went several times to what was locally called a drinking club( with also overwhelming dishes etc.) with a wargaming problem.

I've been privileged to have played with The League of Gentlemen Wargamers. These guys meet up three or four times a year and play big games in a rather more sedate environment.

I've only been to two of the Gentlemen's events but their games are some of the best I've ever played in.

Steve R put this game on, a "Kingmaker" WoR game made real on a huge table.

And then Charles G put on a series of Napoleonics games earlier this year, this being one

There is nothing better than playing in games with like minded enthusiasts. The LOGW are among the best bunch of chaps any wargamer could hope to meet.

I can't wait until next year……..

Quite a while back I participated in a large weekend long ACW game where the huge table was modelled on a nearby site.

Friday night before the game the players for each side took turns reconnoitering the actual "battlefield" by horseback. Sitting in the saddle making grand gestures of "our cannons will go along this hill here and have a clean line of fire" stays with you.

That's an awesome idea.

Was this game modeled on a real battle?

It occurs to me that this would work for hypothetical battles too. Just find an area you can explore outdoors and model the table on it. If you have any LOS arguments, well… just go look.

- Ix