Been back at the Pine Cone Lodge for a week. Moved from one work farm to another.
Finally back to wargaming last night with Custer’s Luck. Purchased and wrote about this a few months ago, and was happy to finally get it on the table. Fitting, because I started setting up on the anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
This is a solitaire game, with garish map and utilitarian counters. The rules are…..well, let’s just say they provide a framework for playing the game. Lots of minor problems, but they can be pushed through with a little common sense. It’s a magazine game, right? Well, that’s harsh. Always liked The Wargamer, with interesting topics and, at times, interesting take on things.
The game covers the 1876 summer campaign. The Army’s objective is to kill as many Sioux as possible (shocking!). There are three cavalry commands; Terry/Gibbon, Custer, and Crook/Merritt. While it can be played multi-player, the mechanics are oriented for solitaire play. Sequence of play is Custer (move & combat), Terry/Gibbon (m&c), Crook/Merritt (m&c), “Hostiles” (m&c).
The Sioux initially set up face down with each stack having a leader, village and combat unit drawn at random. Rules say 12 stacks, I could only muster up 8. Hostile movement is dictated by a compass chart. They move on a 2D roll of 7 or less, and remain stationary on a roll of 8-12.
Army Scouts can be used to identify a hostile stack. Wagons and Mules are used for supply, with combat reducing supply capabilities. The Far West steamboat stooges around as per the whims/attention span of the US commander.
Combat is straightforward, with leadership, terrain, surprise, envelopment, and supply modifiers effecting column shifts, not unit strengths.
Decided to play the historical scenario. Crook/Merritt command does not move.
Decided to let Gibbon/Terry move south to pin Hostiles. Custer was ordered to exercise restraint….OK, this is not the (real) historical scenario.
Hostiles begin random movement. Gall heads straight for Custer. This time, it’s Gall’s Luck. His negative odds attack only results in a retreat. Again, Custer shows ahistorical restrain and does not pursue.
Stay Tuned…….