Playing something different

A couple of weeks ago, I was reading some posts in the Napoleonic section of TMP and I was caught by a post from Steve who briefly described the main features of SNAPPY NAPPY with some enthusiasm.
Curious, I decided to buy it and give it a try.
Got the paper copy form Caliver, read the rules twice, and tried it (first solo then with my friend Diego).
The Solo Game

I quickly organized two armies: French and Russian. I took the OB of the Russian Campaign for the 2 French Corps and some random Russian Corps from the rules. Forces were unbalanced but that's what I wanted. I made a super-basic terrain (see above) took my measuring sticks in inches, and a fistful of d10 and I was ready to play this "Ultrafast" (as it says in the book cover) rules.
Well, before that to be honest I had to write down  the OB of both armies on a scratch paper, prepare some sort of markers for the orders, and identify all units on the battlefield with a number (or some color coding).
This is because one of the key of the game is a sort of fog of war caused by the fact that you mark off the "steps" of your units when you take hits (and fail Morale tests) but your opponent does not necessarily remember which unit is Firm, Disrupted or in Panic.
I will not describe the rules any further here, I'll just stress the second key of the game: the Morale checks.
When one of your unit takes a hit, you have to check its Morale until you pass or rout. This means that if you fail, you test again and again. That's why the game is said to be Ultrafast: in principle, you may lose a unit just taking a single hit (if you fail 5 times).

Above, the situation after turn 1: the armies are approaching each other. 2 quite big French Corps on this side of the table, and 3 small Russian Corps on the other side, plus a Cavalry Division and a reserve of grenadiers. With the exception of the 2 features mentioned above (secret OBs and Morale checks) all other game mechanics are quite standard (Command radius, Orders, linear movement, modifiers).

Situation after turn 2: armies are almost at Artillery range (9"). Units (Brigades) are made of 2 stands with the exception of Artillery which is 1 stand only. As I have no guns based individually, I improvised a bit.
A stand represent 2000 infantry, 750 cavalry and 24 guns.

Situation after turn 3: first gunshots, first blood. A Conscript Russian Units showed the ultra-fastness of the game, routing after a single artillery hit. First lesson learned: use Conscripts (and Militia, that is even worst) wisely.

Situation after turn 4: some musketry (1" range) and melee. Units that are charged may fire defensively, charging units may not fire. Note that in this game Cavalry fires musketry (but you need a 10 on a d10 to score a hit).

Situation after turn 5: Russians are in "All out Attack Mode", but French line holds. Russian losses mount. Orders (Attack, Probe, Screen, Maneuver, Defend, Withdraw, Rally) limit what your units may do on the battlefield but - as usual - they are a problem if you play competitively. The rules are a kind of guideline, but may be subject to hundreds of different interpretations.

  Situation after turn 6 (final): after 3-4 more Russsian units routed, I decided that it was over. General Barclay de Tolly called off the attack, and night fell. The rules do not specify any set of Victory condition.
Even considering that I played solo, often referring to the rules and that it was a first game, I did not feel this game to be ultrafast. Maybe the movement rules slowed the game down a bit: they are quite conventional, linear, with pro-rata modifiers for difficult terrain and 1/2 movement to about face (but only 1/3 to change formation !!!). One thing is for sure: once your units are engaged, they deteriorate quickly. And that is OK for me.
In general, a good set of rules if you play friendly games with low competition level players.
Many rules are simply missing (voluntary interpenetation, Generals movement, Victory conditions, Corps Morale), other are undefined at best (Orders).
A plus is that you can probably organize BIG GAMES with many players involved.
Comments are welcome!
Cheers

Rules I own

Making some order in my gaming room I decided to record the rulebooks I have.
Here's the list...

Key: Title (year) Publisher Language

AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

Texas (1986) Ars Militaris Italian

Sixty One Sixty Five (2010) Ganesha Italian/English

A Union So Tested/Look Sarge no charts (2009) LMW Works English

ACW Rules (1988) Active Service Press English

Steam, Iron & Tin [naval] (1990) Minifigs English

Fire & Fury (1990) Quantum Printing English

Regimental Fire & Fury (2010) Fire & Fury Games English

ACW Solitaire (2007) David Kershaw English

ANCIENTS

Hex Command: Ancients (2006) ? English

Ancients Battle Cry (?) ? English

Skjaldborg (2000) Shieldwall Games English

De Bellis Renationis (1997) Wargames Research Group English (+3 Army lists books)

De Bellis Antiquitatis (1995) Wargames Research Group English

De Bellis Multitudinis (1995) Wargames Research Group English (+1 Army list book)

Impetus (2008) Dadi & Piombo Italian

Anticamente (2010) TB Line Italian

FANTASY/SCI-FI

Nemesis (1997) Oberon Italian

OG (1997) Oberon Italian

Battlevacch (1997) Oberon Italian

Song of Blades & Heroes (2007) Ganesha Italian/English

Fear & Faith (2009) Ganesha English

Song of Wind & Water (2008) Ganesha English

Song of Deeds & Glory (?) Ganesha English

Song of the Splintered Lands (?) Ganesha English

Song of Arthur & Merlin (2008) Ganesha English

Song of Gold & Darkness (2007) Ganesha Italian/English

Mutants & Death Ray Guns (2008) Ganesh Italian/English

MISCELLANEOUS

Section d’Assault (1999) Vae Victis French [WW II]
Flames of War (2009) Battlefront English
Operation Squad WW II (2010) Overlord Italian

Maurice (2012) Sam Mustafa Publishing English [SYW]

Form Line of Battle (2007) A&A Game Engineering English [Naval Age of Sail]

Fields of Honor (1994) Pinnacle English [Colonial]

Beyond the River Don (?) Red Actions English [Russian Civil War]

Blue Max (1995) GDW English [WW I Air Combat]

Steel Giants (1990) House Rules [WW II Tank combat]

NAPOLEONIC

Empire V edition (1990) The Emperor Press English

Cold Steel and Canister (2008) Decker Games English

Die Fighting! (2011) Repique Rules English

Shako (1995) Quantum Printing English (+ Fields of Glory Supplement)

Shako II (2008) Quantum Printing English

Warfare in the Age of Napoleon (2009) On Military Matters  English

Le Feu Sacré (?) Two Fat Lardies English

General de Brigade (2006) Partizan Press English

Snappy Nappy (2009) On Military Matters English

Napoleonic Command (1997) Crusader Games English

En Cul a les Anglais (?) ?? Italian

Wellington in India (1995) CSG Publications English

Napoleonic Wargaming (2009) History Press English

Sharp Practice (2008) Two Fat Lardies English

Piquet – Master Rules for Wargaming (2004) Piquet English

Piquet - Les Grognards (2004) Piquet English

Polemos Napoleonic General de Division/General de Brigade (2008) Baccus English

Corps Command (2008) Hoplite Research English

Song of Drums & Shakos (2008) Ganesha Italian/English

More Drums & Shakos (2009) Ganesha Italian/English

Drums & Shakos Large Battle (2012) Ganesha Italian/English

Lasalle (2009) Sam Mustafa Publishing English

Black Powder (2010) Warlord Games English

Short Attention Span Napoleonics (2003) Arthur F. Ross English

Marching to Glory (2001) Chris Leach English

Grognards & Grenadiers (?) Rudy Geudens English

Napoleonic Master II (2006) MB Hildreth English

The Age of Eagles (2004) Wilbur Gray English

En Avant! (2007) Jim Wallman English

En Avant! En Masse (2008) Jim Wallman English

Marescialli di Napoleone (?) Riccardo Affinati Italian

Cannoni, Sciabole e Moschetti (?) Home Rules Italian

Legion d’Honneur (?) ARSM Italian

Napoleonic Fury (2001) David R, Bush English

Elan Deluxe (2004) Phillip A. Jones English

Capitàn (2012) Capitan Games English

De Bellum Napoleonica v1 (2001) KISR English

De Bellum Napoleonica v2 (2002) KISR English

Napoleon’s Battle (authorized translation) (2007) Avalon Hill/Luridoteca Italian

Muskets & Moustaches (?) Lord Ashram English

L’Ombra dell’Aquila (?) House Rules Italian

Fast Play Grande Armèe (2005) Sam Mustafa English

Paintingshed Napoleonic Rules 3.0 (?) ?? English

Aquile per l’Impero (?) ?? Italian

Vive l’Empereur! (?) ?? Italian

Old Campaign Map

Several years ago, when I lived in Bologna, I used to organize many Campaigns (from 4 to 8 participants).
I managed these Campaigs with basic methods and devices (written orders on paper, sporadic use of e-mail) but it was more than 10 years ago...
Moving some pics from my smartphone to Dropbox, I found the pic below.

It is the only pic I have from the last Campaign I organised here in Terni (when I had a group to play with): it shows the master map I used (yes, it is 1812 in Russia :-). As far as I remember, 6 players took part in this game. I conceived a nice and easy system for orders transmission, a system that allowed me to participate and not only Master the campaign. Once a week we met on Skype (chat) and we declared our orders, starting with myself. Three turns (approx. 6 days of campaign time) had to be planned and declared, so that the fog of war was still quite high (it was impossible to change the orders once written and shared on Skype).
When 2 Forces met in a point, a battle ensued.
We used a simplified combat system (DBN like) and fought the battle during the week, so that on the next monday we were ready for a new strategic phase (orders).
This was - and still is - the only Campaign played by my - former - group and the only long term activity that was finished (with a Russian Victory btw.....).

Some pics from last sunday playtest

As announced, we had another playtest session of "100 dice" last sunday. Unfortunately, Massimo could not come, so I played against Diego a full battle. I had some Armies ready, and Diego wanted to try the Russians: I took the Prussians and we secretly deployed.

The battlefield from behind the Russian baseline. Bottom left are Diego's reserves. My plan - after seeing the enemy deployment - was to maneuver round his left flank, trying to envelop his entire army. It was a simple plan (the kind of plans that generally work) but it was quite expensive in term of dice, and it heavily relied upon the early entry of my reserves.  Anyway, I decided to try.

My right wing: the burden of the attack was on these soldiers. Behind them my reserves, that I needed from the second or third turn to reach the desired effect on the Russian left wing. The initial phase of the plan was OK: I successfully added 2 clear hexes on Diego's left and my light cavalry was ready to exploit them, but the test for the reserves arrival was a failure both on turn 2 and 3.

 Several turns later: my offensive was a disaster, reinforcement did not arrive on time, and my right wing was cut to pieces. I had to use the Reserves not for the final push on a wavering enemy, but to avoid complete disaster. Add a couple of unlucky die rolls and - voilà - you have a smashing defeat just behind he corner...

Sixth turn: my dice are over and night falls. I barely keep my baseline with a couple of Grenadier units, Diego's losses are minimal, and we proceed to count Victory points. With a stunning +36, the Russians got a smashing Victory.
The game seems to flow smoothly, it is quick and furious and players have to take a lot of decisions. I noted just a few details to be modified.

Another playtest day for "100 dice"

Next sunday, my friends Massimo and Diego will come to Terni for another playtest session of 100 Dice.
In the meantime I'm writing......
The structure of the game is finished, now the details.....

Who knows? I could release it next summer.

DS LB available now from Wargames Vault

http://www.wargamevault.com/product/99109/Drums-and-Shakos-Large-Battle--Napoleonic-Divisional-Level-Rules

DSLB is now available in HC, SC and pdf+print bundle.The quality is very good. This is our most  complicated book, graphics-wise, so far. We hope to increase the art/layout quality in the next ones even if it so much work.

Off Topic (but delicious)

My low 'n' slow - oven baked - drunken spare ribs.

3-2-1 method with liquid smoke (too cold yesterday to use my outdoor smoker).
Literally falling off the bones.