Mega doodle for Xmas & New Year Scourge of War MP games

UPDATED 23RD DECEMBER

Our next confirmed game is on Friday 27th December.  Time to be decided, depending on doodle responses

All other dates starting with Saturday 28th December are still open however!  If we have the numbers, we will run a game, even on successive days.  So please use the following mega doodle to express preferences for the whole period up to and including the New year.

A number of new players and old hands have been in contact to say they would like to join us for MP games. Now's your chance   

http://doodle.com/s8rtdns5ptd8sbwt

All games will use HITS and couriers.

Martin (J)

A reminder that our next MP game is this Friday at 20.30 UK time.

We may also run games on Saturday and/or Sunday, so please use the doodle in the previous post if you're interested.

Martin (J)

We appear to have enough players for games for the next 3 days - ie today, tomorrow and Sunday.

Today's game will definitely start at 20.30 (UK time).

Have emailed anyone who has already doodled, to agree times for the following 2 games.  But we can always fit more players in, so get doodling if you're interested.

Martin (J)

I'll be there but be kind to me, Kevin. Just come off nights and am down on sleep  .

Last week;

Grog- " So, Kevin. Which direction can we expect the enemy to come from?"

Uncle Billy- " ermm...hmmm...Generally, from the south"

Not a liar, but a nasty man, all the same  

Well Kevin's just asked me to do today's scenario. Whether your in safer hands must be questionable though, Mike.

We have enough for 2 teams, so I'm thinking Napoleonic. Any objections to that?

Martin (J)

Design something that doesn't assume I'll be there. Don't know if I'm going to make it. Sorry.

Well he did make it, and we had a tough 7 player ACW game.  

As dusk fell, Mitra's Reb corps had been prevented from securing their objective of Gettysburg, but were still holding out on high ground S of the town.  Uncle Billy's Bluebellies were now pressing hard from the south, but had suffered heavy losses themselves.

The Union had 4 divisions to the Confederate 3, but the Confederate infantry were overall of better quality.  Also one of the Union divisions was under independent AI corps command, and began the game far apart from the main body.  I was interested to see how this division would act.  In the event, it decided to move to join the main Union force.

We have decided to run our next game tomorrow (Sunday).  If you can make it, it's not too late to sign-up on the doodle.  Can I also ask anyone who has already registered to update their entry if necessary.  We appreciate that Xmas is approaching and arrangements have a tendency to change.  Also we have not yet agreed a time, so please also check what time(s) you can make.

http://doodle.com/s8rtdns5ptd8sbwt

Martin (J)

We still have 4 signed up for Saturday at 2030BST. We can have games on both days.

Uncle Billy wrote:We still have 4 signed up for Saturday at 2030BST.  We can have games on both days.

Absolutely we should, if we can get the numbers.  

I can only speak for myself here, but I cannot play today.  I originally registered for all 3 days over the Friday-Sunday period.  That did not mean I could play all three, just that I could be available for a game on any one of the 3 days.  I was actually hoping for two games, which may or may not occur.  There may be others in the same position.

Now I know this is not an ideal system, and it would be good if we can think of a better one.

Ultimately it would probably be best if we end-up with a set day for each of the weekday and weekend games.  That would certainly provide complete clarity, but I'm not sure that any consensus has yet emerged on which days & times we should go for.  We are still building numbers after the long lay-off over the summer.  But we cannot expect that over Xmas/New Year anyway.

All suggestions welcome on how we can organise things better.  And yes, if there are sufficient ready to play, let's have as many games as possible!

Martin (J)

Martin wrote:

Uncle Billy wrote:We still have 4 signed up for Saturday at 2030BST.  We can have games on both days.

Absolutely we should, if we can get the numbers.  

I can only speak for myself here, but I cannot play today.  I originally registered for all 3 days over the Friday-Sunday period.  That did not mean I could play all three, just that I could be available for a game on any one of the 3 days.  I was actually hoping for two games, which may or may not occur.  There may be others in the same position.

Now I know this is not an ideal system, and it would be good if we can think of a better one.

Ultimately it would probably be best if we end-up with a set day for each of the weekday and weekend games.  That would certainly provide complete clarity, but I'm not sure that any consensus has yet emerged on which days & times we should go for.  We are still building numbers after the long lay-off over the summer.  But we cannot expect that over Xmas/New Year anyway.

All suggestions welcome on how we can organise things better.  And yes, if there are sufficient ready to play, let's have as many games as possible!

Martin (J)

I'm still not sure about Sunday evening, the 23 is still working day, I hoped in a peaceful working day with few people around but some turkish accountants of our subsidiary and the new billing system of turkish govt. worked against this. So the perspective is of a hard day. I shall prefer to go to sleep soon tomorrow.

Today's game

Can Uncle Billy or someone else who's intending to play suggest a time?  Then if sufficient turn-up in T/S, a game goes ahead.  Hope you get one, guys.  Wish I could be there too.

Tomorrow's game

Mitra's last post illustrates the problems with trying to arrange games on an ad-hoc basis.  Our Italian brigade prefers a 20.30 start, for quite understandable reasons.  I on the other hand can play at 15.30 but no later. At the moment, we think there are enough for a game at either time, but cannot say when it will be.  So anyone else thinking of signing-up for it, is not in a good position to negotiate with spouse, partner etc [a challenging process I have just experienced!].  It's no-one's fault, but it is no way to run a ballroom (weird English expression   ).

Not sure what the solution is, but in 2014 I think we need to move to fixed days & times as soon as we can.

Martin (J)

Well.... How about 2030 today and 1530 tomorrow as it sounds as if the Turks have spoiled things for Mitra on Sunday.

This evening I can, I'll be in TS for the 20:30

Sounds good to me.  Have a good game tonight, and I'll see as many as possible of you at 15.30 (UK time) tomorrow.

Martin (J)

We‘ve just completed a game, but there will now be another at 20.30 (UK time).

Uncle Billy (Kevin) will be there and is ready to play if at least one other player shows up on TeamSpeak   .

Martin (J)

We ran two games yesterday in the end.

The next game will be this coming Friday.   Time to be agreed, depending on doodle selections.

The doodle has been modified to include a possible 20.30 (UK time) start for future games.  To finalise the change I had to complete selections for the new slot on everyone's behalf.   To be on the safe side I put "No". If you have already completed the doodle, could you therefore please review your selections, and if you can make any of the new slots, please edit accordingly.

http://doodle.com/s8rtdns5ptd8sbwt

Martin (J)

Next game is tomorrow (Friday)

We are aiming for two games – at 15.30 and 18.30 (UK time).

Martin (J)

Here's a correction to the above.

There will now be just one game today (Friday), and it will be at 20.30 UK time.

We are hoping to run games both tomorrow and Sunday.  It would be helpful to have more names on the doodle to firm-up on times for those two days.

http://doodle.com/s8rtdns5ptd8sbwt

Martin (J)

Friday's game was great fun. Mitra along with Suchet and Berthier took command of the Confederate corps, while Hays and myself each had a small corps of two division. The objective was to control the ground south of the W. Patterson farm.


The Union plan was for Niall's corps to advance from the west and threaten the objective, drawing the rebels towards him. My corps would cross the round tops, pivot and strike from the south.


Thing went well for the north. We were rapidly reaching our initial positions unmolested.


The rebels saw the approach of my corps and reacted to it. But overall, the federal juggernaut looked unstoppable.


The bulk of the rebel force aligned to defend against the southern Union corps. I thought Niall's corps would have a walk in the park. All of a sudden I receive a message from him saying Berthier's division was striking his left flank. That was very unsporting of them to ruin a perfect plan.   


The battle turned into a long grind. I finally broke the rebel right flank, but Niall was still being bothered by that division on his left. When nightfall came, the rebels were still in control of the objective.


Excellent play by all involved.

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