Wargaming via video link (in the 1690s)

 Despite being subject to a lack of face to face games since the start of the current Covid unpleasantness I hadn't previously taken part in a remote access wargame.  Mainly this was due to my already sitting in front of a computer screen all day while working from home and so needing a break although other factors crept in.  So once I was no longer required to work on the computer following retirement I eventually took the plunge this week courtesy of the Monday Night Gamers (who meet on a Tuesday).  Graham (Trebian of the Wargaming for Grownups blog and writer of interesting wargames rules) has been running virtual games in lieu of meet ups in the Shed of War since pretty much the start of the first period of lockdown and has things down to a fine art.  So on Tuesday evening I logged in via Zoom to try out the brave new world of virtual wargaming!

The game was set in the 1690s as part of the Williamite Wars in Ireland, a period I know relatively little about and was a playtest for a set of rules Graham is fine tuning at the moment.  These are based on earlier work he has done on the Jacobite risings along with continental wars all set in the period 1685 to 1745.  I commanded three battalions of Anglo-Scottish Williamite Infantry the rest of the army consisting of an artillery battery three battalions of Dutch Infantry and two regiments of dragoons.  The Army being split between myself and two other players.  Facing us were the Jacobites consisting of four battalions of infantry a battery of artillery and a single squadron of Dragoons.  The Jacobites had to prevent us getting three Battalions off their table edge and we of course had to achieve that outcome.

I didn't take any pictures of note what with learning new rules, a new video conference system and chatting!  No doubt the game will be covered in more detail on Graham's and other's blogs.  In brief we went for the throat from the get go.  Pushed forwards with the Dragoons on the flanks while advancing steadily in the centre with the foot.  The key decisions in the game are when to deploy into line from column, as columns are much more manoeuvrable and faster than lines, when to fix plug bayonets and timing moves to try to gain first fire advantage (the game is IGOUGO so it becomes a bit chess like in trying to force the other chap to be the one to advance into musket range in their turn).

I enjoyed the game and especially the social part of playing both with and against flesh and blood opponents.  The rules are looking pretty good although there were a couple of play v accuracy discussions during the debrief but Graham will sort those out .... he has ideas and concepts up his sleeve.

Two screens are better than one!

For my part the technology worked well once I worked out how to switch screens and pin them so I could choose which end of the table to view the action from.  There was no noticeable lag and given that one of the participants Was Jonathan Freitag who was logging in from one of the rebellious colonies that was a bonus.  My home office set up helped a lot as I could have the game on one screen and the QRS on another so i could avoid tedious switching back and forth.   I'm looking forward to another session and will definitely be buying the rules and building forces when they are ready to roll.