650 points, 2.5 hours - great format

nikgaukroger · Post by **nikgaukroger** » Sat May 31, 2008 8:22 pm

Just got back from the Birmingham (UK) 1 day comp at Games Expo. Three games each of 2.5 hous (including set up) with 650 point 15mm armies on a 5' x 3' table was a great format, great fun and I'd recommend it to anyone. Probably a really good intro format as well.

Took Mithridates and his Pontic mob. Played 3, won 2, lost 1, all games finished in the time available as were most others

KingHassan · Post by **KingHassan** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 1:38 am

Nik, it sounds good but I can't think of anything I would rather be doing instaed of playing FoG.

WhiteKnight · Post by **WhiteKnight** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 8:08 pm

Have to echo Nik's sentiments 100%!

The whole day was well organised ( thanks Hammy for that!), all played in excellent spirit and the format made for interesting games that were likely to be fought to a finish. The mixture of experienced FOG players, experienced tournament players and people like me who would call himself neither of the above was also good. I played three armies I have never encountered before in a scale (15mm) I haven't really used for FOG ( the advent of FOG has encouraged a few of us down here to dig out troops in 25mm we'd all but forgotten about!) but it's a great format for quick games like many have to play on weekday club evenings.

I'll do a fuller AAR in the correct spot but like Nik, it was won 2, lost 1 for me too...... and an intention to come back next year to Birmingham!

Martin

durrati · Post by **durrati** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 8:37 pm

Sounds like it would give basically the same game as 650 points, 25mm on a 6x4 table. As I have cheerfully been telling anyone that is interested (and probably a few that are not) I think that this on the whole gives better games that the 800 / 15mm / 6x4.

Intersting to here that all games were finished in 2.5 hours - as my games in 25mm were all over in definatly less that 3 hours. Apart from the ones aainst LH type skirmish armies like Parthian, were you do get the run around, 2.5 hours would probably be to little for such games.

miffedofreading · Post by **miffedofreading** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 10:41 pm

I really struggle with 800 point games, time is always my enemy.

Think I will suggest 650 points to my friends and see what they think.

huwpy · Post by **huwpy** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 7:53 am

Agree - a very good day out and a fun time.
Many thanks to Hammy for organising the event, I'll for sure be back next year.

nikgaukroger · Post by **nikgaukroger** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:38 am

durrati wrote:
Intersting to here that all games were finished in 2.5 hours - as my games in 25mm were all over in definatly less that 3 hours. Apart from the ones aainst LH type skirmish armies like Parthian, were you do get the run around, 2.5 hours would probably be to little for such games.

Not all games finished in the 2.5 hours but, I think, a majority (certainly 6 out of 8 in the first round) - I'm sure Hammy can provide the actual details.

As for skirmish type armies, well 1st and 2nd were mounted shooty armies - Skythian and Seljuq

daveallen · Post by **daveallen** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 11:00 pm

I really enjoyed the format although I found the pace very intense in an effort to get to a finish in two and a half hours. I'm used to nice relaxing 25mm games at home with no time constraints.

Using Indo-Suren Parthian my first game was against Simon Green's Alexandrian Macedonian where I edged the draw and might have won inside another ten minutes. Second saw Adrian Downey's Graeco-Bactrians routed but I took a lot of losses doing it. Finally, Hammy gave me a masterclass in the use of Skirmishers and Shooty Cavalry where the only things that saved me were the clock and having 13 BGs.

Shame I didn't get to play Simon Clarke's excellently painted Gauls in the last round but somebody had to drag Hammy down

couldn't have him win his own comp could we?

Many thanks to Hammy for organising it so well and to the Expo team for letting us play there.

Dave

ianiow · Post by **ianiow** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:00 pm

This sounds like a fun format.

I have a question.. Did you have to alter the rules in any way, especially with regard to terrain placing and deployment areas?

Cheers,
Ian

daveallen · Post by **daveallen** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 10:46 pm

Did you have to alter the rules in any way, especially with regard to terrain placing and deployment areas?

Hi Ian, the only change was to reduce the maximum non-compulsory terrain by one.

Dave