Mincepie Pass

Two birds with one stone here - trying the Minceheim "mass battle" rules and finally getting round to the third scenario from Grant's programmed wargames. We'll be following up on my last Minceheim game, in which a dwarf mining team had a bad time with goblins. So the dwarves are going to go after the gobbos in force - which means they have to clear a pass.

Appropriately, the figures I'm using are from the old Warhammer Battle for Skull Pass box!

Three warrior units, two handgunner units, two miner units.
(one miner unit not shown)

Three goblin spear units, one archer unit, one spidercav unit.

The field of battle.

Gobbo light troops are up front, while the spearmen
won't appear until the dwarves reach the second third of the table.

Turn 1: The dwarves, limited to 2" movement due to heavy armor, shuffle forward on the center and left. (The miners on the flank are limited to 1" thru the trees.) The handgunners and archers exchange fire; the requirement for the gunners to reload a turn is balanced by +2 to wound.

Turn 2: The handgunners deliver another volley to the goblin archers - the survivor fails morale and runs.The spider-riders, however, line up for an attack on the forward miner unit, which faces left towards them.

Turn 3: The front handgunner unit turns to face the spiders, though at this point they don't really have line of sight with a melee about to start. The other forms column to get by them. The spider riders charge the miners, but in their heavy armor only kill one. However, only one goblin dies in return. Neither unit is under half strength.

Turn 4: The melee goes on, though the spiders now have dwarves approaching on both flanks. They take a casualty each. The surviving archer rallies and returns to the edge of the trees on the ridge for free sniping (the dwarves won't be able to shoot him in cover).

It occurs to me at this late stage that the dwarves shouldn't have been able to shoot the other archers either. Hm. Fortunes of war?

Turn 5: The miners eliminate the spider riders and the whole army lurches forward another two inches. Just 36" to go!

At this point we're close enough for the goblin back line to deploy - on the heights. I'm undecided whether to reinforce with another squad of archers; under the circumstances - right now the defenders are outnumbered two-to-one - it seems fair. The dwarves advance on a broad front; the goblins' programmed response is to "attempt to draw the enemy into the pass and envelop them." Well, it can do that with the warriors, but probably not the handgunners or miners.

Four turns later, the dwarven march is starting to straggle, while a clash looks ready to start on the goblin right and center. The handgunners will have to get thru the trees before they can assist, and by that time they might have to fire into melee to be of any help.

Turn 10: More maneuvering. The goblins are out of position to fight the handgunners now at the edge of the treeline, but at least they're on a lower level so can't be shot at yet. I draw the front-line dwarves up to avoid a goblin charge next turn; both sides are trying to gain positions where two units can gang up on one.

Turn 11: The first charge goes in. Let's see how this goes - the goblins get double attacks for their polearms. Two (!) of the attacks pass their armor saves, and eight of the fourteen resultant hits are kills (5+). The first dwarf unit is eliminated. Oh, and the lone surviving archer has been killed off.

Turn 12: A nice little scrum:

The dwarves are overwhelmed and broken, with three figures remaining.

I've just realized I'm not sure I'm doing melee correctly. In many games, both sides fight in a turn of melee - I've been doing it only on the side's turn, so that when a unit is broken, it loses its chance to fight. This has the effect of encouraging aggression.

Turn 13: And again:

Six more dwarf casualties.

Turn 14: The dwarves hold their own, as the forward dwarf regiment marches stolidly towards the goblin back line. Goblins assault, their spears proving key with all the extra attacks. One regiment of handgunners breaks, a warrior regiment holds its ground with but two dwarves remaining.

Turn 15-16: The handgunners are run down, but the second line fires a volley into the goblins and breaks them. Two survivors flee. One of the spear-gobbo regiments on the far side of the valley sees off its opponents, but the survivor meets up with the dwarf rear guard.

From victorious to sitting ducks.

Back-and-forth fighting but the dwarf reserves are hastening to the rescue.

"Where are we going, chief?"
"Away, young dwarf. Away."

Turn 17-20: More internecine warfare. I did not determine an army breakpoint for the game, but there are now three decimated dwarf units remaining, and one goblin one (in a position to be shot at in another turn). The dwarves have carried the pass, but at grievous cost.

End game.

The rules are very simple, more so than the skirmish game - though I may have missed some subtleties. I did give handguns a bonus to wound, for example, but didn't do so for the dwarf axes. The table size and fighting down the length made it seem longer than it really was. Perhaps the army break point can be the same as for individual units - at half strength, roll a 5+ or retreat.

I also played turns "turn and turn about," rather than with an initiative roll. The fewer steps to recall, the better, and it would have made for a swingier, messier game anyway. I didn't play either side very well; one thing I've noticed with the Grant Programmed Rules is that the AI instructions must of necessity be vague. I ended up being more aggressive with the goblins than their instructions called for - though with their spears this actually didn't go too badly!

The "campaign," such as it is, is in stalemate, and I'd either have to have a truly massive battle (maybe not a good idea with this little experience at the rules) or start a skirmish campaign as the sides try to find a lateral path to victory. I look forward to trying it. "Please let's not go through Mincepie Pass again, milord."

A good game, but definitely something smaller next time. I did enjoy the speed with which it could be played, even if I overlooked a few steps. Til next time.

Minceheim in the Mountains

I haven't had much leisure for play lately - more interested in reading, and it also feels like a drag to pull terrain and minis out and set them up for a larger game. Having put together a Charge! Pocketmod, I was thinking of trying Blasthof Bridge. Then I spotted my copy of Minceheim, and realized I could do that even quicker.

Scenario: A dwarf mining team is in its base when goblins supported by monsters turn up. Can they hold out?

All the dwarves have light armor, two have shields, the foreman has a mining tool that is +2 to wound but can misfire like a gun.

The goblins have bows, one "prodder" with a spear, a Troll (Goliath) and a Giant Spider (Horror).

Lex wanted to play so badly, I felt guilty
shooing her off the table every couple minutes.
Amazingly, we managed to avoid disruption.

The trained miners head for the high ground, whilst their apprentices hold the camp. Their opponents also climb - the spider races over the crags, but one of the archers falls and is stunned for a turn.

The spider charges the one miner who's gotten up. He can only save, since he's effectively stunned (no move this turn) by the climb, and is wounded and killed. The others immediately return to the ruined building, and one is hastily exchanged for a handgunner (read: he found a gun in the team's baggage).

The bad guys have rested from their climb, and the one who fell recovers. They advance or climb as appropriate.

The spider charges again, clambering over the broken-down walls of the camp as the handgunner aims, not wanting to hit his mate.

Both miner and spider roll a 1 and recoil. The handgunner blasts the spider and wounds it, then the other dwarves charge from the ruin with earsplitting battle cries. The foreman causes another wound to the freakish monster.

As the Goblin climbers recover their breath, one archer reaches position to fire whilst the troll clambers down, ready for its turn. The spider wounds the foreman, whose armor saves him. He strikes back, but neither he nor his plucky fellow manage to wound the beast. The handgunner hurries to get into LOS of the troll.

At last the dwarves win initiative - the gobbos have been going first all this time. The handgunner settles his aim on the troll.

The spider parries an attack from the junior miner and retreats an inch, towards the troll. The foreman follows up, but fails to hit him. Uh-oh...

On the bad guys' turn, the troll can't reach anything because the spider is in its way. A tie causes both spider and foreman to back up - but the only way for the spider to go is over the troll. I decide this means they will fight each other on the gobbos' next turn! The handgunner switches his aim to the goblin archer and knocks him back an inch.

The dwarves win init again and clamber back into their nice, safe ruins. The spider stuns the troll - the dwarves have a breather!

The gobbos decide to fall back out of sight of the handgunner and wait for the titanic battle to resolve itself. So do the tired dwarves. 

The troll is bitten again by the spider, but its tough hide protects it. It rises again to its full towering height and on the next turn crushes the spider with its massive rock. Before it can celebrate its victory, a dwarven slug smashes into it. The foreman follows up with another charge, and would have wounded the beast but for its tough hide. The troll returns the blow, driving the foreman back, at which point a feathered goblin shaft strikes him and knocks him down. Back to danger!

The Troll furiously drives down upon the fallen foreman, and only his heavy dwarven armor saves him. The handgunner, finding his LOS blocked by the troll's bulk, fires into it, but its 6+ hide saves it again (for at least the third time this game!

Two of the dwarves hasten to save their master, exposing themselves but still too far to reach. The goblin archer takes his opportunity, but his arrow snaps on the dwarf's stout armor. The goblin spearman leaps from the heights to confront the junior dwarves. Since he has to recover from his jump, he cannot avoid a hammer-blow that knocks him off his feet.

The troll aims another fearsome blow at the winded foreman, whose armor protects him. Then he and the other dwarves have their own go. One dispatches the fallen goblin spearman, but the others are driven back by the wildly swinging troll.

The hammer dwarf clambers up the stone face to confront the goblin archer, who shoots and stuns him. The dwarves on the ground are more successful (for once!). They charge the troll and stun it twice.

Next turn, the troll cannot parry, only roll a 6 to save against more dwarf blows in his flesh. He makes both saves! The third dwarf survives a blow from the goblin archer. The handgunner risks a shot into the archer, but his gun jams... the other goblin archer chances a shot into the melee below but hits the troll instead - and wounds!

(Hits are automatic, but I randomized the target 1-4 dwarves, 5-6 troll and rolled a 5.)

The frustrated dwarf handgunner tosses his gun aside and scrambles to help his equally frustrated comrades. It is his blow that at last slays the frustrated troll.

The goblin archer dispatches the brave but foolhardy dwarf on the heights. Staring daggers at his abashed companion, the surviving gobbos fade back into the hills. The dwarves have defeated two monsters, but at grave cost - there will be a new grudge inscribed into the annals.

A Bit More Minceheim

 It's been a very long while since I tried Minceheim. I turned up the Warhammer minis I intended to use it with, and just received a Battlefield in a Box forest, so let's get started.

I entered into ChatGPT: "I am playing a small skirmish wargame. Create a map of a 2x2foot table that includes hills, a forest and a ruined house."

I was hoping for a map, but I guess that's only for the AI art prograns. Instead, it gave me quite a detailed description. In addition to a forest in the center, with hills and house in the corners, it also suggested using scatter terrain, craters around the house, and a stream or pond "if your wargame has rules for bodies of water." And it provided suggestions as to whether certain areas should be difficult terrain or partial cover. Not bad.

Next, I asked for deployment of six goblins and three elves. I got units instead, but it should still work.The deployment, unfortunately, was a bit odd - Elves to SE, center and NW, Gobbos to NW, center, SE and SW. (Sort of criss-crossing each other.) This will need a little modification. I'll put the Elves all to the center and NW (largest hill) and goblins at the other three corners.

That's better...

The sides are:

Elves: Two Swordmasters of Hoeth (sword, medium armor) and a Lothern Sea Guard (spear, bow, medium armor).

Goblins: One Night Goblin Shaman (counts as handgun - it can misfire), one with sword, one with sword and shield, one with spear and shield, two archers. All with light armor.

Turn One: Elves go first. Everyone with a bow aims at a target, everyone else moves towards the enemy.

Turn Two: Gobbos go first. The Seaguard on the hill is hit twice, but passes both saves. One of the Swordmasters is hit, and even a better save for being in the forest doesn't save him from being stunned. The Seaguard fires back at the shaman and knocks him back an inch.

The central conflict.

Turn Three: The uninjured Swordmaster steps between his stunned comrade and harm, while the Seaguard climbs down out of the Shaman's view, but falls (rolled a 1) and stuns himself. Well, he was already going to be technically stunned from the climb.

Turn Four: The sides continue to approach each other. A goblin launches an arrow and would have killed an elf but for him passing his 4+ save.

Turn Five: Elves meet Gobbos in the forest, but the Elves pass their saves. In return, one Elf stuns his opponent.

Turn Six: The elf hits his stunned opponent again, but only rolls a two (pushback). I think it's fair to upgrade that to another turn of stun. The other, following up his goblin, is hit in the side by an arrow which pushes him to the side, towards a third goblin that has made it at last to the forest.

This game isn't quite as bloody as it might be.

Turn Six: One Swordmaster continues to stun his opponent. Maybe there should be a coup de grace rule? The other loses a duel with the Boss and is stunned himself.

Turn Seven: I remember thinking that shooting can be too powerful (no roll to hit) and here it is: two elves are killed by shooting. The stunned Swordmaster makes his save...

Turn Eight: ... and is back on his feet, ready to exact revenge. He hacks down his opponent! He's charged in the side by another, but this time the rolloff is a tie (+1 to the Gobbo for his shield).

Turn Nine: The Shaman, who has been waiting for this, fires off a sorcerous blast at +2 to wound. The hapless Elf is stunned and charged. He fails his 5+ armor save and a slash of the Gobbo's jagged blade ends his centuries of life.

Short but sweet again, with only one wound to the Goblins who more than held their own. Perhaps the Elves should get +1 to everything for, y'know, being Elves. Or perhaps I should have chosen an objective rather than an all-out brawl. Or maybe the rules just need a little more complexity.

Still, the rules are fun. Check 'em out! I may try his pencil-and-paper Manor House game next.

Escape from Minceheimikov

The raiders from last post have a ways to go through the mountain passes back to the safety of their tribal holdings.

The beacons have been lit, and opponents gather to trap the raiders who robbed Minceheimikov. The raiders still have four swordsmen, a horseman and a musketeer; against them are five unhappy locals, three with projectile weapons.

As suggested by the venerable Major General, I've "lengthened" the board using hill pieces to make a V-shaped road for the raiders to escape by. 

Then I realized I'd used the back of my rules sheet as the "board" and had to move and replace the pieces...

Several turns in, the raiders are mostly intact on the way to the other end of the pass. Though their leader is afoot now, having been knocked from his horse, the jezzailchi shot one of the enemy archers from the cliffs above. Unfortunately, this means he's straggling, and is shot down by another vengeful defender before he can reload. Shooting is more effective so far this game than last.

The raiders round the bend;
the archer at the point of the V
leaps down to attack with his spear.

Starting to get exciting.
The spearman at back tries
to stop a raider getting by,
one defender comes down from the hill,
and a raider climbs up to attack the musketeer.

Close combats are at first inconclusive, but the raider atop the hill is knocked off by the defender's shot and stunned! Then the lead raider is killed in close combat.

The fellow at back tries to 
escape the spearman, while
the rest form a wedge to break
through the defenders in their way.

Forgot to roll armor saves for much of the game, and also forgot the climbing rules - the raiders could have tried to take a short cut and hack down the pesky shooters on the way.

The spearman stuns and then kills his opponent, as the second defender climbs down. The three surviving raiders are about to be in the fight of their lives!

Two beleaguered raiders remain.

They head for the hills. Only
his shield keeps the straggler alive.

His companion shot down,
the last survivor limps towards
the finish.

But the enemy clambers after him.
He has a chance... but an arrow
cuts him down before he can jump
down into cover.

An exciting little game that came down to the wire for the last man. None will return home to the Afghan peaks to tell of the battle; only vengeful yells echo in the pass.

Thoughts:

• Shooting was huge in this game - I couldn't believe how many sixes I was rolling for wounds. In the previous game, I learned that it wasn't necessarily a "win button," but it sure was here. There were a few critical stunnings, too, particularly the leader who took two in the same turn, which I decided meant his horse was dead.
• Moves were slightly faster - I took a shortcut by using baselengths as the measure, which (with 15mm bases) meant 50% greater moves. But the game went faster this way, with less measuring.
• I didn't remember until late that the raiders could also climb the hills, which could have afforded a short-cut. Climbing in Minceheim effectively stuns the climber - they can't move for exhaustion for a turn afterward.
• I left out the 6+ "armor" save for quilted robes, which might have made a difference given how many sixes I rolled, but maybe not.

All in all, it makes me want to try again.

A teaser for next time.

The battle of Minceheimikov

In the mountain cold of January 2, 1723, a raiding party of Afghans pounces on a tiny village somewhere on the Oxus River.

With the start of the new year, I decided to try a couple rounds of Minceheim, because it ought to be easy to run quickly and on a small scale. Let's find out!

The invaders, armed with swords and a single jezzail...

Are met by a returning hunting party with bows and swords!

Everyone is assumed to be in light armor. The field is a sheet of paper with three biodegradeable plant pots for huts.

Turn 1: After three (!) tied initiative rolls, the locals go first, surprising the raiders in their ransacking. All units move forward, meaning no-one can attempt to shoot next turn. (They must spend a turn aiming.)

Turn 2: The Jezzailchi aims as his riding commander dashes forward, and two swordsmen move around the buildings. The locals duck into cover.

Turn 3: The locals activate first and move towards the raiders. A second archer moves into view as his companion aims.

The jezzailchi fires! His target is wounded and out of the fight, as the other raiders advance, their mounted leader urging on his mount. (Hits are automatic, but armor saves and an injury roll keep this from being a series of one-hit kills - as you'll see shortly.)

Turn 4: Luckily the locals activate first again, and the surviving archer aims his bow at the hastily reloading jezzailchi. The two local swordsmen gang up on the rider, but only one of them can reach. Will this be a one-sided fight? The local rolls a 3, but the rider rolls a 2 (+1 for parrying with his sword). A tie, and both figures recoil one centimeter.

Turn 5: This time, the raiders get first go, and the rider, assisted by a swordsman on foot, lunges into the hapless locals. The fights are inconclusive; one local loses his fight but is only pushed back one cm. The jezzailchi steadily aims at the archer he's been duelling with all game, and the other swordsmen dash towards their foes.

In response, the archer lets loose - but it glances off as the jezzailchi makes his 6+ armor save! The local swordsmen try to gang up on one of their opponents, but one doesn't quite have the move. The scores are tied, but the raider parried with sword and shield for +2, and the local is pushed back. Things aren't looking good for our villagers...

Turn 6: Raiders go first. Swordsmen charge, screaming wildly, towards the cool but beleaguered archer, and the two locals on the far side of the building take more charges. The melee is again inconclusive, and the locals are outnumbered...

Turn 7: The locals go first. Our heroic archer looses a shot point blank, but again it is only a glancing blow. One of the local swordsmen races to help, while his compatriot holds off the enemy - but the horseman thunders after him and pushes him further back. The jezzailchi has no target with his friends around the archer, so switches targets and aims between the buildings at the standing-off swordsmen.

Turn 8: The raiders go first, and the jezzailchi fires. His target is stunned! The horseman charges, but is held off. The stunned man is attacked, but his light armor (thick robes, rather) save him. In his turn, he has no action, while our archer takes a bead, hoping to go first next turn before the charging swordsman gets him. The third man manages to hold off the horseman another round.

Turn 9: Raiders go first again, managing to stun the downed man for another turn. Other combats inconclusive, whilst the Jezzailchi reloads. Ignoring his peril, the archer holds his ground and draws the string to his ear...

Turn 10: ... and stuns his opponent with a point-blank shot. Huzzah! The poor stunned villager is also put out of his misery. At this point, I think our desperate locals will slip away and leave the raiders to loot their find... but might they gather others to ambush the enemy on their way home?

A surprisingly exciting game. Shooting isn't quite as powerful as it looks, and close combat was often worryingly inconclusive (or maybe that was just my rolling). Only the active side attacks, unlike in Warhammer, and I kept rolling 1s and 2s on the wound chart, ties to hit, or beating the attacker's roll with a parry roll. In all of these the opposing figure is only driven back 1cm. So in the next turn, there were a lot of countercharges. Perhaps I would make horsemen a little more powerful, or provide a bonus for outnumbering. Though in the event, outnumbering sides could simply make multiple attacks.

The game went quickly, even with writing and photographing. I think I'll try again tomorrow as the angry villagers pursue the raiders thru the hills. They'll need reinforcements, but the raiders will have a wounded man to carry... All in all, a very nice simple ruleset. Would play again!