Dave Kershaw
@davekershaw
Middle-aged man living in Belfast, Northern Ireland. I like wargaming, miniatures and boardgames. Even GW things, especially Blood bowl. I've published boardgames with White Dog Games and Dietz. Own chickens and sighthounds. Foodie. Autistic kids.
Egypt, May 1801, banks of the Nile. The French army, abandoned by Napoleon and ravaged by the plague, halts to block the Anglo-Ottoman advance on Cairo. In reality, they just skirmished and retreated. In our game they made a real fight of it and paid the price with virtual annihilation. #wargaming
I played Bretwalda twice as 2-player and it didn't really work, once someone nosed ahead they were unstoppable. However, as a 3-player the game was so much improved and I'd love to play it again. It is very thinky and your decisions often need planning turns in advance. More Euro than Wargame.
If anyone is looking for good Filipino food in #Belfast, the best, of what is already a good selection, is probably Platito. I went to the one on the lower Springfield road yesterday and it was amazing. Really want to try their seafood boil now... Also, it's BYO.
SCW playtest map, made by me. I'm getting quite good at graphic design! #wargaming
Two very different games about WW2 in North Africa. "Gazala, The Cauldron" is a chit pull where you might not get to move all your forces in a turn. "Bloody Kasserine" is a more conventional IGO-UGO wargame. Both are good, although I think the latter is a better simulation.
You'll want to read the Ottoman point of view in Erickson's book. Also the official Australian history is free online and a good read.
The French (me) lose the battle of Borodino when the Guard, attempting to storm the grand redoubt, are routed instead. Victory Point Games Napoleonic 20 series: only takes about an hour to play a game. #wargaming
4 player game of "Alien, the fate of the Nostromo". It's a clever co-op with an uncertain end game. My character, Lambert, kept getting hit by the alien and we only achieved 2 of the 5 objectives before losing. Was challenging and engaging. We all enjoyed it.
So I went out and bought the rice wine and made it. Served it on wild rice mix. Pork is cooked great. Next time I'd add more ginger (or grated rather than slices) and maybe a bit of chilli.
2mm game of the battle of Media de Rio Seco, 1808 using some experimental rules designed to give a game that fits an A3 piece of paper.
Played Survive the Island at the Boundary pub boardgame evening. This is not a game for making friends as you direct sea monsters, sharks and Godzillas to eliminate your opponent's struggling meeples as the island gradually disappears. It is great fun though!
Played L'Art de la Guerre and reminded again what an awfully fiddly and complicated experience it is. Don't do ancients much, but there must be better rules for a casual player?
5 player game of What A Tanker. Very silly game that tends to result in tanks chasing each other around obstacles. We did 1941 Russia. The 2 German players (including me) lost. Good fun!
2 player game of Burning Banners, this time using the advanced rules which add monsters, magic and heroes. Adds a bit more uncertainty to the game, and also a bit of length. It's not too complex though. I won as the Fjordlanders against the army of night.
Some of my chickens begging on the window sill while others look on hopefully.
2 more games of Burning Banners. These were 3 player scenarios (numbers 11 & 15), both 2 factions versus 1. I was on the losing side in both but still had a great time.
Played 3 games of Burning Banners. Intro scenario and then the first 2 scenarios (there are over 20). Basic rules only. It is excellent, highly recommend it.
Finally achieved victory against the fascists! 3 player game of "Una Vittoria Impossibile: Le Barricate di Parma del 1922". Very clever little co-op game about managing resources to block off fascist attacks and shoot them too.
Played "imperial struggle" yesterday. It's about the worldwide conflict between Britain and France in the 1700s. However, it feels more like a soulless abstract game: you basically spend your time picking a tile and matching its shapes on the board to dominate regions or patterns of commodities.
Krotzka 1739. Black Powder rules. Austrians lost this historically and therefore war against the Ottomans by getting bottled up in a valley and shot to bits. In our game they have got through the valleys and the battle is much more even... To be continued. #wargaming
1807 Danube campaign continues. This was a very brief battle where the Ottomans tried to break my Russian siege lines around a fortress by the river. They quickly realised they had no hope and gave up after duffing up some Cossacks and receiving disciplined musketry in return. 6mm. #wargame
I'm still trying to learn battle commander. This time was Rivoli and I was the French. Discovering more of the rules, which are voluminous and have many exceptions and complexities. The game was better, although a bit dull towards the end as the front stagnated. This really needs a developer.
6mm Blucher rules 18th century variant. Its the battle of Teplitz 1762. I am the Prussians and a big hill in the middle of the table is the objective. I've got it, but the Austrian cavalry has done a lot of damage and my right flank is in some danger. To be continued...