No exit strategy? Check out free stuff!

Well, OK, this bit is not yet ready but will be soon and will also be free! First scenario draft map for Brutal Simplicity 1940. Possibly "Not like a Stonne-Wall!". Based on OHW 18 but is being modified somewhat.

The real free stuff below illustrates that there is no such thing as a wargames industry, just wargamers who like wargames and are happy to give stuff away to cheer people up. The evidence is as follows:

1. Free C3i mag (#25) including Battle for Moscow game by Frank Chadwick! If you don't have this it is well worth it.

2. Free Yaah! mag (#8) including Race to the Sea 1914 game. Announced by Flying Pig but not as yet available from Wargames Vault.

3. Free Nordic Weasel game: Five Men at Kursk, be quick it ends today (US time). Nice game!!

4. Free Instant Thunder: An air game which looks like a simpler version of Wing Leader! The virtues of this game have been extolled by Kaptain Kobbold so look out for it here.

If the pressures of the day are causing stress and consternation, take some pleasure if you can from the following:

Bob Cordery has published this picture (and others) of his Portable Wargame as implemented by other people. This is a brilliant 54mm adaptation by Mike Lewis. Lovely, reminds me of Clive Lane's 20mm hex grid game.

Peter has started a new North Africa campaign which looks fantastic!

Disgruntled Fusilier is busy adapting Neil Thomas' Introduction to Wargaming WWII rules in an interesting manner.

And finally, PSC's Battlegroup Northag has hit the glossies this month so expect more action shortly (it was due to be released at Salute but this is now postponed so at some stage soon).

None of this makes up for Boris telling us that our loved ones are going to die but you have to take comfort where you can. Good luck to all!

Brutal simplicity

Bonjour, the above pic is a clue to current lines of thinking. France 1940 in fact.

I have been going round in circles with some ideas about bringing Simplicity in Practice into the 20th century. Unfortunately, I started at the very difficult end (Cold War). Not that I have given up on that subject area. In fact I intend to return to it shortly using a bigger map and more units than in the OHW scenarios I have been using for Simplicity.

Dropping down the complexity levels I have arrived in 1940 France. Interesting tanks (Char B1 bis in fact), great texture and difference between units (French Colonials, Foreign Legion etc) and opposing sides that have individual characteristics which lend themselves to some game type exaggeration.

Starting design parameters:

• Interactive player phases during each game turn with a really simple initiative mechanism
• Actions driven by initiative rating
• Units have one action per turn
• Combat is addressed by one die roll
• Scenarios taken from OHW using six by six hex maps
• Forces limited to six units per side
• Must be capable of being played with counters as well as on a table with models

To ensure this is really brutally simple we will be using crude measures for combat statistics:

• Armour rating based on hull front max: 30mm or less = 0, 31-59 = 1, 60 and over = 2
• Speed rating: 14 hp/mt or less = 1, 15 hp/mt and above = 2
• Combat numbers to be based on maximum penetration at 400m for hard targets

Lots to do but I'm hoping it will give a good game with some historical flavour.