Heretical Gaming is my blog about my gaming life, featuring small skirmishes and big battles from many historical periods (and some in the mythic past or the far future too). The focus is on battle reports using a wide variety of rules, with the occasional rules review, book review and odd musing about the gaming and history. Most of the battles use 6mm-sized figures and vehicles, but occasionally 15mm and 28mm figures appear too.

Friday, 20 December 2019

Europe in Agony

A little while ago, I asked the collective wisdom of The Wargames Website for a recommendation for a boardgame that would be suitable as a campaign engine for re-fighting The Thirty Years War.  After some consideration, I went for the Thirty Years War: Europe in Agony.  It seems to tick all the boxes I wanted:

Comprehensive (I wanted to do the early and late stuff, not just the Swedes tear the others to pieces - I am quite interested in the adventures of Frederick and Christian)
Easy to convert between tabletop and campaign map
Has a VASSAL module (experience from previous campaigns has convinced me that this is much the easiest way to keep records and blog it)



I haven't played a full game yet but I have played a few turns and it seems very suitable. 






I still have some preparations to make.  Not least, I want to paint up some command stands for each of the armies so I can get each factions glorious flags out onto the table!  Most of the troops will just be my ECW figures, but it won't quite feel right if I have too many St. George's crosses on display...but I am not too far off, so after a few more scenario games using Twilight of Divine Right to get back in the swing of the period, I should be ready to get going.  I need to paint up a few Eastern European cavalry types too.  After that, then I will play a full game or two just as a boardgame to bottom out my understanding of the rules.  So, very hopeful this will get started in 2020...
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3 comments:

  1. Steve J.21 December 2019 at 07:45

    Nice idea to use a board game map for the campaign and strategic movement etc. A period I've always fancied gaming, but frankly have too much other stuff on the go/1

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    Replies
    1. JWH21 December 2019 at 09:03

      Thanks Steve. I think I first the read the suggestion in a magazine article a few decades back but practical experience has taught me that it is one of the best ways of doing campaigning, especially for the bigger campaigns.

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    2. Martin Rapier22 December 2019 at 08:53

      I quite agree. My WW3 campaign is run using SPIs "BAOR" and I rely heavily on Victory Games "Hells Highway" for a lot of my Arnhem games, especially as it has a 1.25km grid.

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