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"Blood River with 800 FE" Topic


9 Posts

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1,039 hits since 11 Feb 2019
©1994-2025 Bill Armintrout
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Winston Smith11 Feb 2019 3:17 p.m. PST

We played an excellent game Saturday night of Blood River using 800 Fighting Englishmen.
Jim cobbled together every single wagon that could be cobbled between the both of us to form the laager. Then he used some "plashed wood" bits and barrels for between the wagons.

Everyone on both sides, Zulu and Boer, agreed that their own side didn't stand a chance. That's always encouraging. grin

The Zulus were commanded by a player who always charges, a guy who was adamant we didn't have a chance, a guy who will play any side any time, and me. I'm convinced that there is a proper strategy for playing Zulus. I just haven't found it yet, but I'm optimistic. This is basically letting the unit that rolls poorly in the movement phase fall back and be the intact "loins" reserve. It can work! Honest! It can!

The table had few terrain features, other than bags of potato chips that obstructed player line of sight, but not the figures.

We argued a bit over how many times the charging Zulus had to pass a morale test. We finally agreed that we were having to pass too many. Not completing a charge was simply a fall back. We had enough to worry about with testing every time we lost a stand in a unit, and having to close.

About rolling to close….
I'm going to give my Box O'D20 to ISIS. ‘Nuff said. Suffice it to say that if you close on 1-15, we rolled 16 or 17.

I did make it to the wall! But I had to roll off against a 10 year old, with him getting a +2. Roles and rolls were reversed, though. I rolled the 5s and 6s, while he rolled the 1s and 2s on D6. I was on top of the wagons! The cards favored me next Turn for movement. And my whole impi, all 3 units, were inside!
That thinned out the Boer defenders on the other wall sections.
We spared not, but slew.

What a great game. Looking forward to Isandlwhana soon. Jim has a firm grasp on running excellent TSATF and 800FE games.

Sydney Gamer12 Feb 2019 4:38 a.m. PST

Sounds exciting. Hope you will have some pics of the Isandlwana game!

7th Va Cavalry12 Feb 2019 7:16 a.m. PST

You are missing a Zulu player. It was a great game! You also failed to mention you and I had our asses handed to us by a dice wielding 10 year old. But I understand wanting to leave that out. Durban we do take pictures, but posting them is proof we exist. We prefer to remain aloof.

Winston Smith12 Feb 2019 8:27 a.m. PST

The real reason I don't post pictures is that Photobucket decided to actually charge for the privilege of hosting pictures, the blood thirsty capitalist scum!

Yes, the 10 year old was beating us with his dice, except for the crucial rolls with the U-kiddingme Regiment going over the wagons.
Had he rolled even, I would not be so sanguine about the results.
But yes, UNTIL I HEROICALLY BROKE THROUGH, he was shooting the snot out of us.
I can understand your bitterness, since you failed miserably. "grin*

Gone Fishing12 Feb 2019 3:31 p.m. PST

It seems there is division among the indunas. Somebody had better let Dingane know. Or was it M'pande?

And it's true you always need to watch out for those ten year olds.

Sounds like a lot of fun, notwithstanding. Thank you for sharing!

Winston Smith12 Feb 2019 4:22 p.m. PST

The "Trash Talk Phase" of our games has been known to drag on for quite a while.

7th Va Cavalry12 Feb 2019 4:49 p.m. PST

The kid shooting at me 95% of the time allowed you to remain intact for the most part, generously allowing you to get inside the fortification. I should have charged you in the ass to keep in the tradition of things.

Winston Smith12 Feb 2019 5:21 p.m. PST

And what is Trash Talk but exaggeration?

epturner15 Feb 2019 2:35 p.m. PST

Sorry I missed this one. Modern Army was soooo much more exciting…

Watching Winston charge to glory over the dead bodies of his allies is "a" method he uses….

Eric

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