Category: Wargames (Page 5 of 5)

I recently ran across a set of one-page starship rules called Orion’s Gate. It’s no longer supported by the author, but reading through it, it really seems to do all the things I really want in a lightweight ‘beer & pretzels’ style starship wargame, namely:

• Easy to pick up even if you haven’t read the rules in months.
• One-page handout is all you need to use during the game.
• Ability to stat out Star Wars, Star Trek, and other IPs.
• Ability to mix Capital size large destroyers alongside small squadrons.
• Potential to play a full game in 1-2 hours.

I also like A Sky Full of Ship for the above purpose, but I think Orion’s Gate might actually do the job more simply.

I do want to try this game out sometime soon. Here’s some Star Trek ships I stat’d out using the Orion’s Gate rules.

Constellation Class / Intrepid-Class Ship (Destroyer, 6 pts)

Range 18″, Accuracy 2, Strength 4, Evasion 9, Toughness 11
Components:

• ☐☐ Shield
• ☐☐ Photon Torpedoes (Canon)
• ☐☐ Phaser Bank (Missile Cluster)

U.S.S. Excelsior, Galaxy Class (Battleship, 12 pts)

Range 24″, Accuracy 0, Strength 6, Evasion 7, Toughness 13
Components:

• ☐☐ Shield #1
• ☐☐ Tractor Beam
• ☐☐ Shield #2
• ☐☐ Photon Torpedoes (Tsunami Canon)
• ☐☐ Shield #3
• ☐☐ Phaser Bank (Missile Cluster)

Klingon K’Vort Bird-of-Prey (Destroyer, 6 pts)

Range 18″, Accuracy 2, Strength 4, Evasion 9, Toughness 11
Components:

• ☐☐ Shield
• ☐☐ Photon Torpedoes (Canon)
• ☐☐ Phaser Bank (Missile Cluster)

Klingon K’t’inga Battlecruiser (Battleship, 12 pts)

Range 24″, Accuracy 0, Strength 6, Evasion 7, Toughness 13
Components:

• ☐☐ Shield #1
• ☐☐ Klingon Irradiated Photon Torpedoes (Plasma Canon)
• ☐☐ Shield #2
• ☐☐ Photo Torpedoes (Cannon)
• ☐☐ Shield #3
• ☐☐ Phaser Bank (Missile Cluster)

I’ll also work out some house rules, such as when you have no shield components remaining, you would announce your shields being down to X 10%.

Sometime soon I’ll also stat out a Star Wars fleet for use with my Star Wars Armada minis. Here are the ships I’ll stat out in a future post:

REBEL FLEET

• CR90 Corvette
• Nebulon-B Frigate

IMPERIAL FLEET

• Victory-class Star Destroyer
• X-wing Squadrons
• TIE Fighter Squadrons

Here’s an an analysis of several leading wargame rulesets for Ancient and Medieval wargaming, ranked from least complex to most complex.

Ancient and Medieval Wargaming (AMW) by Neil Thomas
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/32404/ancient-medieval-wargaming
2 hours playtime; Weight: 1.00 / 5
Buy at: https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Medieval-Wargaming-Neil-Thomas/dp/0750945729

Resources:
Ancient and Medieval Wargaming
http://theminiaturespage.com/rules/boards/msg.mv?id=1117
http://prufrockian-gleanings.blogspot.com/2013/01/ancient-and-medieval-wargaming-amw-with.html
http://timsbattles.blogspot.com/2012/08/first-play-test-of-neil-thomas-medieval.html

One Hour Wargames by Neil Thomas
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/170298/one-hour-wargames
1-2 hours playtime; Weight: 1.50 / 5
Buy at: https://www.amazon.com/One-hour-Wargames-Practical-Tabletop-Battles/dp/1473822904

Resources:
http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=351079

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1308184/quick-review-one-hour-wargame

Sword & Spear
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/161726/sword-spear-wargames-rules-ancient-and-medieval-ba
2 hours playtime; Weight: 2.50 / 5

L’Art de la Guerre
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/51429/lart-de-la-guerre
2 hour playtime; Weight: 3.00 / 5

Resources:
http://www.madaxeman.com/L_Art_de_la_Guerre_page.php
http://www.northstarfigures.com/list.php?man=179&cat=140&page=1
http://www.northstarfigures.com/prod.php?prod=6555

Field of Glory
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/31542/field-glory
3 hours playtime; Weight: 3.74 / 5

Discussion on Rules-Light Wargames:
http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=210533

Memorializing a note that when wargaming with Robert, we have standarized on 60mm frontages for bases. This works well with almost all rules for figures at the 25mm, 28mm, and 1/72 scale. 15mm scale would then use 40mm bases.

See a discussion here on 60mm and potentially using 25mm or 1/72 plastic figures as the scale for these frontages.

Here were bases Stan bought but that weren’t right scale.

Stan’s Litko Bases (not the right size, but shows example components).

To actually have the 28mm figure be attachable, here’s what Litko said:

Most customers use the magnetic base bottoms on the actual figure bases, then use the flex-steel base bottoms as inserts in the trays.

Your half way there, you can use the base bottoms you have and stick them into the tray. You just need to order the magnet base bottoms for your figures. Looks like your using the 25mm circle bases.

http://www.litko.net/products.php?product=Circular-Miniature-Bases%3A-25-mm

See pics below for Robert’s figures.