Sergio's blog: hints, ideas, pictures and news about SDS (and more) from the author

Monday, July 18, 2011

Another playtest for DS LB

Last saturday, Diego came from Rome with Massimo for another playtest of Drums & Shakos Large Battles. While we played in my gaming room, Andrea and Massimo did the same in another room with SSS (Song of Spear and Shield). I used again the scenario set up for the previous playtest with Antonio and based on the small battle of Retschow (august 1813, Nothern Germany): a Franco-Danish Division against an Allied Division made of 1 Swedish brigade and a brigade from Mecklemburg. Above, a French Battalion in march column during the early stages of the Battle.
Being the second time I play this scenario I wanted to compare both the outcome and the playing time, as I'm trying to get a game finished in 2,5 hours. Diego already knew the rules, so this was a good possibility to verify my assumptions. Above, march columns of the Allied side, with undeployed skirmishers following their parent battalions.
The Brigade Disruption rule worked well: after some maneuvering, Diego launched his attack (he was playing the French) on my right wing. My Swedish brigade - after a fierce fighting - slowly gave way, and I sent in the Leib-Battalion (in the picture above road marching in column), but to no avail: my losses mounting, I tried to form a second line on a hill, but a fresh "Legere" battalion came out of a wood and hammered my Indelta battalion almost routing it.
That was the end chapter: my Division reached the Break Point and I could do nothing in my subsequent initiative. Playing time was exactly 2.58 hours. Still a bit too much for me, but Diego keeps saying that a game like this is OK in 3 hours or less. If possible, I'd like to play a third time the same scenario (score is now 1:1 between Franco-Danish and Allies) with another minor adjustment that could bring game time down to the 150 minutes I am pursuing....

6 comments:

  1. can you say something about base size and models for unit?
    thanks
    Alessandro

    ReplyDelete
  2. Any basing system will work. My armies are based as follows:
    - infantry 3 x 1,5 cm 3 figures
    - cavalry 3 x 3 cm 2 figures (3 if HC)
    - artillery 6 x 4 cm 2 guns or 2 bases 3x4cm (1 gun)

    Battalion is 4 bases, Cav. Reg. is 2 bases, Art battery 1 big base or 2 small (see above)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sergio, is this the base sizes you'll be recommending in the published rules?

    Thanks,
    Abel

    ReplyDelete
  4. soooo...is that a yes or a no?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yes that is the recommendded basing. Sorry I did not notice your comment...
    Sergio

    ReplyDelete
  6. Excellent! I don't like the 20mm x 25mm bases on which my armies are based.

    Thanks,
    Abel

    ReplyDelete