Quatre Bras again...

Revised map

I have had a few minutes away from the coal face today and have used that time, wisely I hope, to have another go at the QB map. Here is v2:

The real changes here are to the top right hand quadrant which I think now better represents the landscape. The Thyle sector is now more dense and offers less scope for flanking. The QB to Thyle road now much straighter. I have used some tree images adopted from one of the electronic versions of Bob Cordery's Portable Wargame (see the site here and have a play on your browser, these are really good little programmes!) to show the sunken road area. I'm not sure I like the way I have represented this feature on the map, the hex alignment felt better on the earlier version, but in game terms it should work out fine.

Still on the subject of QB, I am following the development of a new game by Dave Kershaw. A while ago (2012) he published a little game called Napoleonics: Quatre Bras as an Android App. I leave it up to you to try this one, the demo is free, and here is a nice screenshot. Unfortunately my phone is a little on the small side and I have not found it easy to get to grips with.

Dave is now building a paper version of the game (Battlelines Quatre Bras) and you can follow his development blog on BGG here. It will be interesting to see how this turns out as it looks very promising.

Try this........

Nice new solitaire game about the Reconquista

I've mentioned Dave Kershaw's work before. He has now produced a really neat, but quite fulfilling, little solitaire game for the BGG 2014 solitaire pnp competition. Well worth a try!

Reasons to be cheerful

More stuff on the horizon!

I mentioned recently the publication of FoW's Great War rules at the end of July, and given away free with WI 322. This will accompany me on the summer holidays which I await with great excitement.

However, there really is more stuff....

1. Norm Smith

Norm has been working on a hex and toys version of his Into Battle boardgame.  Norm is publishing rules and scenarios shortly and is packing his blog site with support materials and videos. 

Scenario map from Into Battle

2. Stalingrad Solitaire

A little further off but this game, to be published by White Dog, is due out later this year. Now, Dave Kershaw has designed a lot of solitaire games (Solitaire ACW, Caesar, Vietnam, Barbarossa, Irish Independence). Stalingrad is being designed by Steve Kling but it comes from the Dave Kershaw stable. Looking good....

Hopefully the soft furnishings aren't included.

3. Alfred the Great

Out now and published by Red King Games. Available as a full board game or as a set of 1/72 miniatures rules (using two boxes of plastic soldiers). This first game looks at the battles with the Vikings in AD871. I haven't examined in detail but for $7.50 it looks a bargain.

There we go, reasons to be cheerful 1, 2 and 3!