Welcome to my blog, the story of my continuing journey into the World of Zombie Wargames.

Monday 22 October 2018

The First Hunt

       The Hunters
So I'm still awaiting the order from Steve Barber models and although it's not been quite three weeks I did think it was time to put some effort into getting my head around the rules with what I have available.  Just in case you're thinking I haven't started on what I already have, I have managed to slap some paint on my cavemen figures, but it's been a very slow process (and not just because I hate painting) as I hadn't realised just how poor my eyesight has become. It's become an even greater problem, not just mentally but also now, physically ! Be that as it may, I have been putting back in place my  regime of an hour's painting each day!
The table, my four intrepid hunters will set up on the top edge.
As substitutes for the "real" I've used four Pygmies, two spear-armed and two club-armed as the Hunters and an elephant as the target, reflecting the first scenario in the Palaeo rules as it's meant to be a beginners scenario.
having thought I'd got a handle on the rules I set out the table, clearing away the remnants of my last Jimland expedition and using the same layout, more or less.

My mat is about 40" square, and as the game states a 36" square, it allows a 2" set round the central area.
Two spear-men on the left, the two club-men on the right
So how did it go ?

Here's the photograph record, mostly with dice left on the table as a reminder to me about what happened as I wasn't taking notes! (I really should have).
The plan was to get as close to the elephant (the target) by flanking it on two sides and attacking all at once.
I decided to only use a single die until the "moment of truth" when I would increase to 2 dice.
Selecting figures from left to right, the first two hunters moved  fast whilst the first club man 'failed his activation die with a one, luckily the Elephant stayed 'grazing, resting or whatever.
It wasn't until after the game and I had re-read the rules that I realised that I probably got this bit very wrong and it was a mistake that continued throughout the game!
The target being bored, awaiting the inevitable attack
Several turns later the hunters were flanking the immobile beast.!
 My mistake in allowing the club-man that had failed his die roll to continue with his movement!
Rolling two dice with a chance of nearly a third in failing one of them seemed to be huge odds against the hunter, hence my use of only a single die until they'd closed the range somewhat.!
A hunter closes to attack the Elephant with two dice!
The elephant takes umbrage to the hunter's intrusion into it's personal space!
And wounds the hunter !
With his second activation die the hunter wounds the beast in return \
The elephant moves off a short distance. (take one)
The elephant moves off a medium distance. (take two)
I think now, that I got the elephant's reaction to the hunter's hit wrong, but nevertheless had another problem to figure out.  I normally measure from front of base to front of base moving figures about, but when the elephant had to get (iirc) a medium distance of 120mm from the hunter that attacked it, measuring as I said above, meant the beast was still in close range of the hunter! I determined that I had to get it the correct distance away and therefore measured from distance first, then placed the beast.
I imagined the beast to have turned on the spot then measured!
Better view (possibly, maybe, ish) , showing the beast now at some distance from all the hunters!
The club-men tried to close and ...
...the elephant remains oblivious to them
All the hunters are now in position,  ready to strike next turn...
..but the elephant is having none of this and retreats...
The retreat continues off the table, ending the hunt!
So no food for the hunters today.
The whole thing took well less than an hour to play out, it took more time finding dice, tape measures, figures and setting up the game!
I'd obviously made a lot of mistakes interpreting the rules - a failed action die means no action (duh!), forgetting dice modifiers (+1 to the animal's reaction for being wounded) and probably a lot more.
The experience was nevertheless enjoyable but I must re-read the rules again and have another go, so it hasn't dampened my enthusiasm for the game. I'll be repeating this scenario and try to get the rules right!

Apologies for any typos, but currently everything looks OK to me whether it is or not!

That's it then for this week, thanks for taking the time to visit and as always your comments are both welcomed and appreciated!

20 comments:

  1. Good for the elephant , well played!

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    1. Thanks AL, I must admit that I thought folk would be cheering the cutesie Pymmies on.

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  2. Always expect to make a few mistakes on the first run out of a rule set, looks like fun though!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thanks Iain, I knew from the start the game would throw up things I wasn't ready for, but like many others I suspect, only by trying to play a game do we learn how to play a game.

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  3. Great start, Joe. I've bought the rules too, so I can follow your games with added interest and hopefully learn more about their mechanics as you post :-)

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    1. Thanks Blaxx, I take it that I now have multiple folks keeping an eye on my mistakes!

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    1. Well said sir, but the Eleohant did have home advantage!

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  5. Elephants rule OK. Well a good start, look forward to seeing the cave clan on the table. Presumably you are using magnifying glasses to help with seeing to paint, I know I have to now :(

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    1. Thanks Vagabond, I'm looking forward to finishing the cave gys too! I've had to did out a large magnifier, but stilllooking for something better, probably a head and light one from Hobby Craft. My old light-fiited heavy magnifier seems to have gone walk-about.

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  6. Ha! What a great Elephants! Fantastic report as always!

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    1. Thanks Michal, for a very cheap buy (£1), the Elephant did good.

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  7. So the tribe go hungry. Well that sounds fair. As you play more, just as in real life you will learn more and hopefully be more successful. Maybe the tribe will eat mean again in a few weeks. But until then nuts and berries should suffice.

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    1. The tribe, don;t go hungry, they go vegetarian imo.
      Righting what rules I got wrong is importnt at this stage and I kow I'll personally get better when I understand the inticacies of what are very simple rules. Even I'm not so old I can't learn !

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  8. For me Joe I find the only way I can learn rules is to play the game & make the mistakes & then try to learn the rule, nice report non the less & as the hunters are now hungry I'm sure they'll get it right the next time, or the time after that :)

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    1. Thanks Frank, reassuring as always. I was quite surprised at just how many mistakes I made. When I kept feeling "that didn't seem right" I knew something was amiss. The reaction tables are partly to blame as they don't mention an animal's reaction to being attacked, it is included in being pelted and only found in the first explanation of animal reactions. When I make up my own QRS I'll include the "being attacked" in the relevant column.

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  9. It's much easier to learn a new set of rules when you are playing with someone else; they will have a subtly different interpretation that can help everyone to arrive jointly at the author's intent. Much harder when you're the only one involved.

    Still, it doesn't seem to me that your mistakes made a huge difference to the outcome. Most inconsiderate of the elephant to not just stand still and be butchered, I think!

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    1. Thanks C6, I've always valued input on rules I've written or games I've played in and you're spot on that others contribute immensely. I'm in the unfortunate positiom of having numerous gamers on my doorstep so to speak none of whom are seriously interested in contributing to what I do.
      You're probably correc too, the elephant may well have still not been interested in hanging around in any event !

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  10. Nice report. Poor hungry hunters eating leaves for dinner! I am sure you will get the hang of the system.

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    1. Haha, thanks Brummie, the hunters are probably slowly turning vegetarian but that may all change with a re-read of the rules.

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