La simulazione storica per rivivere il passato e gestire il presente

Boardwargame School

Definizione di boardwargame

Un boardwargame (gioco di guerra da tavolo) è una combinazione di gioco, storia e scienza; esso è una macchina del tempo di carta. Chi non conosce la simulazione storica può pensare al gioco degli scacchi come una mappa più complicata e una maniera più complessa di muovere i pezzi e risolvere i combattimenti. (“La simulazione storica” di Gian Carlo Ceccoli).

Il boardwargame – un hobby “multitasking”

Il diagramma di Philip Sabin (Simulating War) che pone al centro di varie attività il boardwargaming.

Storia del boardwargame

• Il boardwargame ha una lunga storia; tutto iniziò probabilmente nel 3000 avanti Cristo, in Cina, con un uomo chiamato Sun

Tzu, un generale, il primo filosofo

conosciuto dell’arte della guerra, che creò pure il

primo wargame conosciuto. Il Wei Hai.

Le finalità del boardwargame

a) Interattività b) Competitivitàc) Abilità nel pianificare, prevedere e adottare le necessarie contromisure.d) Conoscere

I componenti del boardwargame – la mappa

- Il piano di gioco consiste in una mappa che riporta l’area dove si è svolta la battaglia.- Si ricorre a ricerche storiche su atlanti e resoconti.- La natura del terreno viene rappresentata come sulle mappe geografiche e stradali.

I componenti del boardwargame – le pedine

Ogni pedina rappresenta una specifica unità.

Su ogni pedina sono riportate tutte le informazioni necessarie per il gioco.

Forza

Movimento

Tipo

I componenti del boardwargame – le pedine (2)

Ecco alcuni dei tanti esempi di pedine che potete trovare nei boardwargames

I componenti del boardwargame – le pedine (3)

Nei boardwargames che useremo le pedine al contrario sono rappresentate da dei blocchetti di legno.

I componenti del boardwargame – le pedine (4)

Le unità di gioco per le battaglie dell’antichità

I componenti del boardwargame – le regole

• I boardwargames hanno le loro regole create appositamente per meglio simulare l’episodio storico argomento del gioco.

• Regole su come muovono le unità, su come combattono, su come vincere.

• Una partita è suddivisa in turni di gioco prestabiliti.

Storia e boardwargame – Alessandro Magno e Napoleone

Vi troverete a comandare eserciti e a cercare di seguire passo passo quelle che sono state le battaglie che hanno caratterizzato la storia dell’umanità. Si potrà così rivivere la storia sulla mappa, muovendo unità e cercando di sopraffare l’esercito avversario.

Waterloo 18 giugno 1815 – l’evento e il gioco

La battaglia di Waterloo (cittadina del Belgio) si svolse il 18 giugno 1815 durante la guerra della Settima Coalizione fra le truppe francesi guidate da Napoleone Bonaparte e gli eserciti britannico del Duca di Wellington e prussiano del feldmaresciallo Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher.Fu una delle più combattute e sanguinose battaglie delle guerre napoleoniche, nonché l'ultima battaglia di Napoleone, e segnò la sua definitiva sconfitta con il conseguente esilio a Sant'Elena.La battaglia in realtà ebbe luogo nel territorio del villaggio di Mont-Saint-Jean, situato alcuni chilometri a sud della cittadina di Waterloo, nella quale si trovava il quartier generale del Duca di Wellington.

Waterloo – 18 Giugno 1815 (11am to 3pm)

All’alba del 18 giugno il tempo era sereno, ma il terreno ancora zuppo di pioggia rendeva le manovre della cavalleria e artiglieria difficoltose, così Napoleone ritardò l’inizio della battaglia, aspettando che il terreno si asciugasse.

Wellington disponeva di:- 50.000 soldati- 11.000 cavalieri- 150 cannoniPosizioni: il castello di Hougomont, il villaggio di Papelotte e la fattoria di La Haye Sainte.

Napoleone disponeva di: - 48.000 fanti- 14.000 cavalieri- 250 cannoni.

Commands and Colors Napoleonics La simulazione per i giovani generali

Commands and Colors Napoleonics - playing Waterloo the map

The battlefield game board has three sections by two dotted lines : where the dotted line cuts through a hex, the hex is considered to be part of both sections.

Commands and Colors Napoleonics Units and Leaders

Each unit is composed of several blocks. A leader is represented by one block. Two units may never occupy the same hex. Two leaders may not occupy the same hex. A leader in the same hex as a friendly unit is considered “attached” to the unit and must move along with the unit unless the leader is ordered to detach. The three main types of units are : infantry, cavalry and artillery.

Commands and Colors Napoleonics – Victory Banners

The object of the game is to be the first to capture a set number of Victory Banners gained for each enemy leader or enemy unit entirely eliminated.

Commands and Colors Napoleonics Sequence of play (play a card, move, combat and draw)

1. COMMAND phase: Play a Command card.2. ORDER phase: Announce all units and leaders you

intendto order, within the limits of the Command card just played.

3. MOVEMENT phase: Move all ordered units and leaders, one at a time (it only costs one command to order a unit and its attached leader to move and/or battle together). A unit or leader may only be ordered to move once per turn. A unit or leader that is ordered does not have to move.

4. COMBAT phase: Battle one ordered unit at a time and each unit’s combat must be fought to completion including any additional combat actions before another combat. A unit that is ordered does not have to battle. You may switch between ranged combat and melee combat from one unit to the next.

5. DRAW phase: Draw a new Command card.

In short: play a card, move, combat and draw!

Commands and Colors NapoleonicsRanged Combat

Only infantry and artillery units may engage in ranged combat. The target unit must be within both range and line of sight. A unit adjacent to an enemy unit may not fire on another, more distant, enemy unit. The line of sight is blocked only if a hex between the battling unit and the target contains an obstruction.

Commands and Colors NapoleonicsRanged Combat (2)

The artillery can fire up to 5 hexes

Commands and Colors NapoleonicsRanged Combat (3)

The horse artillery that uses lighter guns may fire up to three hexes

Commands and Colors NapoleonicsRanged Combat (4)

How many dice ?

The number is equal to the number of blocks

Are you moving? You roll ½ the number of blocks

You can round up or down. It depends on the unit

Commands and Colors Napoleonics Melee Combat

When your units are adjacent enemy units, you are engaging them . That situation is called melee. In melee combat, the attacker scores 1 hit for each troop symbol rolled that matches the target unit and 1 hit for each sabers.

Commands and Colors Napoleonics Melee Combat (2)

For each hit scored, 1 block is removed from the target unit. When the last block in the opponent’s unit is removed, you collect a Victory Banner block.

Commands and Colors NapoleonicsRetreats

A flag does not cause a hit, but may cause the unit to retreat. For each retreat flag rolled against a unit, the unit must move

one hex back toward its own side of the battlefield.

Commands and Colors NapoleonicsLeaders casualty check

When a leader is attached to a unit and

the unit loses at least one or blocks, or is

eliminated, there is a chance that the leader may also be hit. Make a leader casualty check by

rolling 2 battle dice. If the leader is not hit, the

leader must retreat 1, 2, or 3 hexes.

Commands and Colors NapoleonicsMorale

A unit may disregard one flag when a leader is attached to the unit or when supported by two or more friendly units on any hexes that are adjacent to the unit.

Commands and Colors NapoleonicsBattle Back

In a melee combat, the defending enemy unit

may Battle Back against the attacking unit if one

or more of the defending unit’s blocks survived the melee combat attack and

the defending unit did not retreat from its hex.

Commands and Colors NapoleonicsAdvancing

A victorious attacking infantry unit may advance onto the

vacated hex when the defending enemy

unit/leader is eliminated or retreat. A square or

an Artillery unit may not Take Ground.

A victorious attacking cavalry unit may advance onto the vacated hex, and after advancing onto the

vacated hex, the cavalry unit may then move one additional hex.

Commands and Colors NapoleonicsCavalry Breakthrough

Commands and Colors NapoleonicsCavalry Retire and Reform

When being attacked in melee by an enemy

infantry unit, a cavalry unit may choose to

Retire and Reform (2 hexes toward its own side of the battlefield)

instead of fighting in the melee.

Commands and Colors NapoleonicsInfantry forming square

An infantry unit at any strength may choose to form square during the

opponent’s turn before a cavalry unit is about to

melee attack the infantry unit. If the infantry unit

does not choose to form square, the cavalry melee

attack is resolved normally.

Commands and Colors Napoleonics Infantry forming square (2)

When the infantry unit chooses to form square, the attacking cavalry player selects one card at random from the defending infantry player’s hand of Command cards. The card is placed face down on the defending player’s Infantry in Square TrackWhen a cavalry unit has caused an infantry unit to form square, the infantry unit in square will battle first with 1 die,

Commands and Colors NapoleonicsCombined Arms Combat

When an ordered infantry or cavalry unit

is about to attack an enemy unit in melee, one ordered artillery

units may combine their battle dice with the

attacking unit.

Commands and Colors Napoleonicsterrain chart and units reference cards

Commands and Colors Napoleonicsquick reference card

Gaugamela – il trionfo di Alessandro

La battaglia di Gaugamela (conosciuta anche come battaglia di Arbela) fu combattuta da Alessandro Magnoo il 1º ottobre 331 a.C. contro l'Impero Persiano di Dario IIISecondo Arriano Macedonii e Tessali, comandati da Alessandro: 7.250 cavalieri e 40.000 fanti.Persiani, comandati da Dario: circa 35.000 cavalieri (la maggior parte con armatura pesante), 200.000 fanti (inclusi 10.000 mercenari greci), 200 carri da guerra (carri falcati Sciti) e 15 elefanti da guerra indiani.Il numero esatto dei Persiani è sconosciuto ma è ragionevolmente certo che fossero molto superiori alle forze di Alessandro. Dario scelse un'ampia pianura molto regolare (secondo alcuni resoconti provvide lui stesso a farla levigare) dove avrebbe potuto dispiegare la sua cavalleria, più numerosa di quella del nemico, e i suoi carri da guerra.

Dopo la battaglia Dario fuggì ad Arbela (l'odierna Arbil situata a circa 100-120 chilometri ad es

Battle of Gaugamela

Commands and Colors Ancients Le battaglie dell’antichità sul tavolo da gioco

Commands and Colors Ancients è molto simile a C&C Napoleonics. Chi sa giocare a C&C Napoleonics, potrà giocare senza bisogno di imparare nuove regole anche a C&C Ancients. Le differenze si limitano alla presenza di diverse unità combattenti.

Commands and Colors AncientsLe unità

Nella foto a fianco le varie tipologie di unità presenti in Ancients. Troviamo cavalleria, fanteria e qualche volta elefanti. Le unità leggere sono verdi, le unità medie sono quelle blu, quelle pesanti sono invece rosse.

Commands and Colors AncientsSequence of Play (play a card, move, battle and draw)

The War Council notes state which player goes first. Players then alternate taking turns, until one of

the players reaches the number of Victory Banners indicated in the scenario’s victory

conditions. During your turn, follow the sequence shown below:

1. Play a Command card2. Order units and leaders

3. Move4. Battle (combat between units)

5. Draw a new Command card Note that all movement must be completed before

any battle (between two units) is fought, and that each battle

must be fought to completion before another battle is begun

In short: Play a card, move the units, battle and draw

Commands and Colors AncientsVictory banners and object of the game

The object of the game is to be the first to capture a set number of Victory Banners (usually 5 to 8), depending on the selected battle scenario’s victory conditions. A Victory Banner is gained for each enemy leader or enemy unit entirely eliminated. When the last block of a unit, or a leader, is eliminated, collect one Victory Banner block. In some scenarios, additional Victory Banners may be gained by capturing certain terrain hexes or other battlefield objectives. Victory is decided the instant the last banner required is gained

Commands and Colors AncientsOrders units and Leaders

After playing a Command card, announce which eligible units or leaders you choose to order. Only those units or leaders chosen to receive an order from the played card may move, battle, or take a special action. A leader in the same hex as a friendly unit is considered to be “attached” to the unit. If the unit is ordered to move, the attached leader must move with the unit. An attached leader must move to the same hex as the unit. Note that it still costs only one command to order a unit with an attached leader. Units or leaders on a hex with a dotted line running through it may be ordered from either section.

Commands and Colors AncientsMovement mounted units

Commands and Colors AncientsBattle – Ranged combat Fire

Ranged Combat (Fire) Procedure

1. Announce firing unit2. Check Range

3. Check Line of Sight4. Determine terrain battle

dice reduction 5. Resolve Battle

6. Score Hits7. Apply Retreat

Commands and Colors AncientsClose combats

Close Combat Procedure1. Announce Close Combat

2. (possible) Evade (defender choice: see Evade rules)

3. Determine terrain battle dice reduction (if any)

4. Attacker rolls battle dice5. Attacker applies hits

6. Apply Retreats 7. Possible Momentum Advance and bonus

Close Combat (see Momentum Advance)8. Battle Back. The defender in some

situations may Battle Back. If Battle Back occurs, the defender applies

any hits and resolves retreats on the original attacking unit

Commands and Colors AncientsElephants in close combats (advanced)

Commands and Colors AncientsTerrain Chart

Commands and Colors AncientsUnits Chart

Commands and Colors AncientsUnits Chart (2)