Thursday 12 October 2017

Hannut scenario for Rommel

I haven't even played a game of Rommel yet but I have helped to draft an historical scenario, a demonstration of chutzpah that even I find a little embarrassing! It's based on the Battle of Hannut in May 1940.

It all started with the need to decide what to buy and paint in the model area, but with the encouragement and substantial input from RobH this curiosity grew into a draft scenario.

It's a work in progress. You can download all the current files here and follow discussion on the Rommel board of the Honour forum here.

It basically reflects our best attempt to create an historically based map, historical OOBs (mostly the work of Rob) and the historical circumstances. The scenario is completely untested for game balance but we have some ideas in reserve.

Given a map, OOBs and some understanding of a battle, designing a Rommel scenario is straightforward if a little fiddly. Using generic OOBs would have been a lot more straightforward but I have absolutely no regrets about going historical in the detail.

Besides the historical research and game-creation  aspects, this project has also involved resuscitation of graphic and database skills, the latter being utilised to create a set of unit cards. I don't have much free time during the day but insomnia is a great aid to productivity.

3 comments:

  1. The Rommel game looks to be my kind of thing on paper but the steep price is putting me off buying it on a whim- hopefully I'll see a demo of it at a show sometime soon.

    Cheers,

    Pete.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The book does have high production qualities and I'd say the price compares favourably with board or computer games, but in the end it's a decision that only you can make! I usually spend a lot more on figures than I do on the rules for which they are bought. And then there are all the books bought for reference or background reading. And finally there is all the time and effort spent painting which is even more of a burden than the financial costs. And this is one of the things I do for enjoyment...

      Delete
    2. I agree with all of your comments- if it is a rule set that I like I'll certainly get my money's worth from it. I spend a lot on books as it is. I'll make a decision when I see a copy in my hands probably.

      Cheers,

      Pete.

      Delete