"How many times will you refight one battle?" Topic

So, how many times?

a) zero
b) once
c) twice
d) three times
e) four times
f) five or more times
g) as many times as it takes to win
h) as many times as my opponents will allow it

F, if the battle interests me and my buddies.

We recently played our fifth game of Shiloh, not counting twice with other rules.

I've played Albuera at least 3 times and plan to again.

It depends.

Some (like Borodino), once is enough.

Others, many times. Waterloo and Market Garden/Arnem and Operation Crusader in particular lend themselves to replays, and for some odd reason I seem to have do (Caesers) Battle of the Sambre several times, while Montebello seems to be one of the most fought over places in Italy.

My standard rules playtest scenarios (Busaco, Elst and Agira) I have played many, many,many times.

I test new AWI rules with Guilford Courthouse. There is a wide variety of troop types in size and quality. I would say I've done it maybe 6 times.

I also do the Wyoming Massacre a lot, mainly because it is a local battle. It's never come out the same.

Quatre Bras, always entertaining!

A great scenario for which you have the figs is like a great movie. Worth coming back to every few years. Also useful if you have to quickly throw something together that is a known quantity!

F. I've done Gettysburg 5 times, Shiloh 8. 1st Bull Run 6, Lobositz 6, and Peiper in the Ardennes, 4

H

f

As many times as I get the chance!

Until I get it right?

I've set up replays of major battles 3 or 4 times.

F – up to a couple times a year till the end of time if it is interesting each time it is played.

F, but only with naval battles (for some reason even I am not too sure about).

H
My first gaming partner and I used to re-fight this same siege battle setup every Saturday week after week. Played that for a whole summer before moving on to a new setup. Probably twelve or so games.

i

As many times as I want to.

In Naval games I can't count how many times I've done Trafalgar or taken Constitution against her opponents or fought the Nile or even taken Lydia out against Natividad. And I've done it with all sorts of different rules.

f

Usually just once, though if I'm planning on running the game at a convention, we give it several practice runs. So b/e.

Grelber

Puebla? Every year til I'm dead. And occasionally on days other than the anniversary.

Various battles (as opposed to the massacres by either side) for Little Crow's war? All the time.

Tannenberg 1914? Tons! Lots of play in that one!

Many more examples … if it is a good battle, why only play it once? Would you only listen to a song once? Would you only eat a specific meal once? Do you not have a different experience the second time you read a book than the first?

I always used to harp on this for military training. If it is truly a game … if decisions interact with uncontrolled conditions to determine the outcome … then you want to practice it as many times as possible to see all the possible variants and outcomes.

Until I can beat John the OFM with both of his arms or I can convince Bill Nevins to come and play a game…

Eric

f

There is NO limit.

Outside of Waterloo, I've never done one more than three times.

F for some battles. Like Oriamendi, Plum Point Bend and the Nile.

The Genroku Akô Incident (Forty Seven Ronin) is great time after time! All the ronin players want to be the one to find Kira and the Kira side can always find new, weasely ways to escape!

F

I've played Shiloh, Stones River, Gettysburg, and Antietam several times each. We also played Aspern Essling, using Grande Armee, four or five times, and Waterloo two or three times.

Part of that is due to the labor of setting up the game. If we are going through the trouble of setting up a huge game, then we're gonna play the heck out of it.

Till it ends the way I want it to.