Last Saturday I got together with a good mate Iván, who's been a gaming buddy of mine for many years. Unfortunately we hadn't been able to get a game in together for quite some time until now.
Iván said he'd like to put together a scenario and I did the part I most like, setting up the gaming table.
The scenario consisted of a Chindit type operation, two groups entering the table with a mission to locate a bridge being constructed at some point on the far edge of the table.
It's the first time the sand table's been used for a jungle setting and ended up consuming practically every plastic plant, tree, shrub, and palm I own.
We were originally going to game using the Bolt Action rules, but as Iván was bringing his young son to game too, he put together some simple rules to accompany the scenario.
There were various points of interest that had to be reached before the bridge could be located, and each point coincided with an event occurring based on a pre-prepared table and dice throw.
Some of the events meant an encounter with indigenous jungle dwelling tribesemen, discovery of important information, an encounter with crocodiles when crossing a swamp, a Japanese patrol that had to be avoided at all costs, discovery of a compound with allied prisoners being used to build the bridge thanks to information from one of the tribesemen, recovery of airdropped supplies, and finally the location of the objective that had to be blown.
Iván used a "gamemaster" roleplay style together with the simplified rules so his son could take full charge of one of the Chindit groups.
An encounter with local indigenous tribesmen, looking suspiciously like Revell Sioux warriors
One of the dangers lurking in the swamps.
A Japanese patrol through the jungle.
One of the groups locate prisoners thanks to help from the tribesman and overcome the guard.
The guard's companions (drinking sake in an Airfix Jungle Outpost) hear the commotion and sound the alert.
One of the group separates and leads the liberated prisoners away to safety
The two groups meanwhile locate the objective and begin the attack. A firefight ensues, the guards are overwhelmed and the Chindits place their explosives and BOOM !
The Chindit commander celebrates victory !!!!
An entertaining afternoon, the roleplay style and simple rules meant a fast, smooth and enjoyable game, The young lad had a whale of a time, which is the most important and is what memories are made of.
Hope you enjoyed the pictures, I should have taken more, but at the time it wasn't feasable. I had in my mind ideas about maybe taking reposed shots and put together a more detailed report or story, but no doubt I'll end up sidetracked... too many projects :-)
By the way, I´ll finish by giving a plug for Iván. He's an illustrator for board games and has also
designed and produced his own boardgame based on Nelson's failed attack on the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife here in 1797. You can see some of his work on the links below :
