With all the enthusiasm that is springing from my recent venture into the Age of Reason period, I feel I have been ignoring my colonial project. I mentioned a while ago that one of my top priority over the summer would be to offer some play-testing to my good friend EB, who is working to an exciting new edition of a set of rules I love. Since this is a work in progress, I need to remain vague - those who know me also know perfectly well what I am talking about...
My assignment is to work on the rating and the order of battle for the Italian campaigns in Abyssinia, 1887-1897. While I read quite a bit about the period (mostly Italian sources, most of them not available in English), I found always challenging to bridge the gap between the books and the tabletop, especially when it is for a work which will be commercially released.
Fortunately, wargamers have a fantastic resource to the period: the scenario booklet published by Mark Fastoso a few years back, "Colonial Campaigns -- Ethiopia 1887-1896." I'd love to provide a link, but I am afraid Mark doesn't have a full website to support this work anymore; you can peek at the contents at Brigade Games, among the other places, or even enjoy one full scenario made available here.
As I browsed through the booklet, I was of course thinking how to adapt those scenarios, written for "The Sword And The Flame," to our rules under playtest, which feature 4-stand units. Fortunately, the conversion seems to be pretty straightforward, and after doing some math and a few checks in the miniature closet, it seems I will be able to game most, if not all, the battles in Mark's work with my existing collection, once some of units in the pipeline will be completed and upgraded to "battle ready" status. Not surprisingly, I spent some time today mounting a few purchases from Historicon on craft sticks, so that I may catch up with this painting work soon. Exciting as it sounds, this should really take a short time. I do not do forecasts, but I would say: soon, hopefully very soon.
Merry Christmas!
1 hour ago
1 comment:
I'm quite fond of the Colonial period myself . . . I suspect because most of the rules that I've played are essentially "skirmish" games (at least in style).
I long ago discovered that the best cure for getting weary of one period is to play something very different in style.
For me, Colonials is a wonderful change from the Tricorn period . . . and vice versa.
Please keep us informed of your painting and other Colonial adventures.
-- Jeff
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