A Mention in Dispatches

Cory Ring sent me this yesterday.  Apparently some folks are using my Santa Anna Rules for the American Civil War.  Santa Anna Rules was written for the Mexican American War.  It’s always neat to hear about folks having fun with rules I wrote.  Too often the only feedback an author gets are the slings and arrows of outrageous reviewers on places like TMP, blogs, and glossy gaming magazines.  At the end of the day, the reward for developing rules is not cash (there’s little of that), but knowing that folks are having fun with rules I wrote.

G.A.M.E.R. Science Fiction

The initial setup.
The initial setup.

Several of the HAWKs assembled this Saturday to paint figures for our Armies for Kids project.  After about three hours of painting, we set up an impromptu science fiction game using G.A.M.E.R.  I am still wrapping up development of G.A.M.E.R. for WWII, so it wasn’t quite ready for a science fiction game.  Chris had recently finished his Bones science fiction figures, and we wanted to get them and my science fiction figures on the table.

Chris' forces in their initial deployment area.
Chris' forces in their initial deployment area.

The biggest things that I need to address for science fiction are how to account for body armor and stats for science fiction weapons.

Eric's purple squad advances.
Eric's purple squad advances.
My platoon leader and "machine-gun" team
My platoon leader and "machine-gun" team
Eric hammers one of my teams with HE fire from his tank.
Eric hammers one of my teams with HE fire from his tank.
Ouch!
Ouch!
My Colonial Marines advance toward a rocky outcropping to seek cover.
My Colonial Marines advance toward a rocky outcropping to seek cover.
My Colonial Marines take up a good firing position.
My Colonial Marines take up a good firing position.

My anti-tank rifleman took out Eric's tank after several unsuccessful shot.

Chris consults a subject matter expert for tactical advice.
Chris consults a subject matter expert for tactical advice.

The game was a near-run affair.  At first it looked bad for our side when Eric took out half my infantry in the first turn.  Then it looked better for us when I took out Eric’s tank and Dave started to engage Chris’ infantry who had entered the compound we were trying to capture.  It looked even better for us as Dave and I chopped up Eric’s infantry.  Chris sent one of his corporals to try hand-to-hand combat against one of Dave’s infantryman, but the corporal lost the melee and fell into a file of poisonous ooze.  But then Duncan arrived with some additional infantry.  Chris and Eric cut up one of Dave’s teams.  Then Chris moved around Dave’s flank.  I was in a strong defensive position, doing damage to Eric and Duncan, but I was not going to be able advance into the compound, so we called the game a victory for Chris, Eric, and Duncan — the “bad guys.”