"5th New York - at Big Bethel (game WIP)" Topic

Hi Guys,

A game in prep pic here…..Duryee's Zouaves press forward at Big Bethel -

Mostly Perry plastics vs. lurking N. Carolina skirmishers (Perry metals)

Great photo, lovely figures, FlyXwire! It does make me think there is a case for dividing our open areas into ploughed or closely mown fields, which provide no cover of anu sort, and fields like this one where a fellow could lie down and not be seen.

Grelber

Looks good

Very nice.

Grelber, 35thOVI, and Tigerfsgt – thank you all!

Hey Grelber, it is interesting sometimes what the terrain can "open up" as possibilities, or more to your point – obscure perhaps.

Btw, this fur mat above was one of my first made, and I probably left the pile way too high – and for sure too high for keeping most of the game group's figures upright during play (and this fixing requiring my move to sabot basing recently, and mounting the skirmishers on double washers).

When we first played on this mat, the guys hated it! Many of their light plastic figs on MDF bases, individually-mounted went "limp"…. flopping over in the fur this way and that. It did look bad, and was way too much of a hassle trying to dress the lines.

Not a fan of plastic but beautifully painted.

Disco Joe, I'm right there with you – metals always much preferred.

Here's some pics showing my current progress, with the featured units organized for the 1st running of the scenario, and the game board is designed (next task is to get the printed handouts ready).

Handouts completed, and the Union example.

The scenario's design, inspired by this early war clash at Big Bethel, is drawn from the dispositions and units involved in the 2nd Union assault made upon that day. I've made some balancing adjustments, such as having the Union gun sect. of Lt. Greble just arriving, and screened by the 7th NY, so it can unlimber masked initially from the Confederate cannon fire (having decided to eliminate the 1st and 3rd Union attacks, and combining the saliant battle features into this one scenario encounter – it's a game after all).

There will be play-balance discoveries gained after a 1st-running of the game, and I usually try to have at least one more hosting of a scenario (to get some 'return' on the effort involved in putting each together).

Hosting games for me, is almost as much fun as doing the historical research, and then trying to translate that into an interesting situation that players might enjoy fighting out on the table.

I do put presenting what I think will turn out to be a competitive game experience, as high priority on my list of "why we fight"……and how a GM might encourage players to come back for more too.

(people do have different reasons and rewards they get out of this multifaceted hobby – just some of mine)

Near-to-last last prep act…..the force boards packed and ready for the game's debut.

The terrain pieces will have to fit into the rest of the carrier space here (looks like that's going to be a tight fit).