2018 k/spiel game schedule

Hi folks

Here is a first peek at the schedule for games at Little Gaddesden in 2018.  In a break with tradition, we are intending to run a series of 3 linked large Napoleonic battles in the Spring.  We traditionally offer a wide range of scales and topics, and will probably revert to that for the autumn schedule.  


*  Sunday 22nd April – Army level Napoleonic battle 1, followed by Club AGM.  

Xoyondo poll here https://xoyondo.com/dp/4pmEA4gk8fhmwIY


*  Sunday 20th May – Army level Napoleonic battle 2

Xoyondo poll here https://xoyondo.com/dp/AaWFf3LABpLV0Cf


*  Sunday 24th June – Army level Napoleonic battle 3

Xoyondo poll here https://xoyondo.com/dp/Ql8EHHjk410ACkS


SUMMER BREAK


* Sunday 23rd September – Topic TBA

* Sunday 21st October – Topic TBA

* Sunday 25th November – Topic TBA


More details of specific games will be posted as they become available.

Martin (J)

It has been necessary to move the date of the May game from 13th May to Sunday 20th May for reasons beyond our control.  It apparently clashes with a plant sale at the village hall

Fear not, the K/S committee will not take this insult lying down, and crack SWAT teams have already been dispatched to Little Gaddesden with enough weedkiller to terminate every lupin, dahlia and delphinium in the village.

Martin (J)

As previously mentioned, the idea is to run a series of large Napoleonic-era battles in April, May and June.  

The basic unit of manoeuvre will be the brigade, consisting of a varying number of infantry battalions or cavalry squadrons.  Most brigades will be organised in divisions of two or more brigades, and the divisions will be grouped in corps.  In these games, most players will be corps commanders.  

The essence of the game is on managing the battle effectively.  The system recognises that armies are complex (and to a degree bureaucratic) organisations, and that it takes time for orders to be implemented.  Thus a simple single brigade advance or attack, without artillery preparation, might take place with only a small delay.  A big attack involving several divisions with cavalry support etc is likely to take a long time to organise, due to the need to plan and communicate with the many commanders involved.  It gets worse - a brigade or division which is planning its part in an attack, will be forced to abort its preparations if it becomes engaged.  Its senior officers cannot do two things at once, and the current fight will always take precedence.  Either the whole attack will need to be postponed or called-off, or it will need to go ahead without the participation of these particular formations.

Of course the big complex prepared attack is likely to be more effective, but only if it’s not overtaken by such events.  So there is a tension between taking the initiative and proper preparation.  In this game you really can get inside your enemy’s decision loop; perhaps by putting them off-balance by launching a succession of minor attacks.

One of the advantages of playing large scale battles is that it is possible to provide each player with a visual display of the battlefield, with all known troop positions marked.  See below for an example.  Apologies, I think I got the camera a bit out of focus.....



The idea is that each succeeding game will flow naturally from the results of the first, so players have a campaign context for each scenario, rather than just playing 3 separate battles.  That said, the games will only be linked in the sense that they form part of an evolving story.  They are all independent battles and it will absolutely NOT be necessary to play in all 3.  We will not be using fixed teams, and indeed we would like to rotate at least some players between playing and umpiring from game to game.

The first game is on Sunday 22 April at 11 am.  If you are interested in coming and have not already registered, please do so here https://xoyondo.com/dp/4pmEA4gk8fhmwIY

The autumn schedule is likely to include a more eclectic mix of games.  One of the strengths of the group is the willingness to try new scales and periods, and we don’t want to lose that.

Martin (J)