Fistful of Lead: Bigger Battles Playtest for ImagiNations

This is the third iteration of the One-Hour Wargames scenario that we've been looking at as part of the playtest series for the ImagiNations campaign starting in July.
Using the Bigger Battles version of Fistful of Lead is just as fast and intuitive as the skirmish game. I think this will be the best solution.
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[@samb2052]

Fistful of Lead is a great game, deserves more coverage. You might want to consider bringing the reserves on earlier in the game, given that movement rates are greater than OHW. When I’ve used the OHW scenarios I’ve calculated the number of turns it takes infantry in that game to cross the table, then used that as the basis for reserve entries. I’ll look forward to seeing more soon.

[@WargameCulture]

Thank you for watching. That is a really good point. I left the scenario conditions the same for each iteration so that I could compare and contrast.

[@nERVEcenter117]

I do definitely want to try using FFoL Bigger Battles for some rank & flank, but I want to do ancient warfare. I'll likely convert inch ranges to centimeters to slow things down, and maybe allow for a more compact board. As for counters and tracking, I want to be minimalist: A red die for wounds, a yellow die for shock, and max 2 traits for normal units to keep cognitive load down.

[@petermillen6924]

Thanks for sharing- I enjoyed this straightforward game. Unit labels, playing cards and possible shock and ammo tokens makes a lot of “table litter” but I don’t see any easy way to avoid that.

[@WargameCulture]

Yeah I understand. the tokens are essential, the cards on the table are an artifact of this being a solo game. If you have an opponent generally you will hold your cards in your hand. For the campaign games I will probably have a unit card on the edge of the table, & I can put the playing cards there...

[@samb2052]

As I see it, the unit labels aren’t necessary, I’ve never needed them on the table. For shock, I use a casualty figure and mini dice. Depending on the period, I use a figure reloading or carrying ammo as a low ammo marker which all adds rather than detracts from the game.

[@samb2052]

As I see it, the unit labels aren’t necessary, I’ve never needed them on the table. For shock, I use a casualty figure and mini dice. Depending on the period, I use a figure reloading or carrying ammo as a low ammo marker which all adds rather than detracts from the game.

[@WargameCulture]

@@samb2052 Those are good ideas, using figures...I'll add that to my crafting list!

[@ThePinkPhantom]

If this specific scenario was in the carnival, would any blue wounded be considered captured since the red side had possession of the battlefield at the end?

[@WargameCulture]

That is an excellent question! If the scenario were part of an ongoing campaign I would definitely have the blue wounded be captured. In fact as part of a larger campaign I would also guess that the blue force would have been larger and likely would have left infantry on the hill to capture the cannon.

[@dalehurtt4586]

I don't understand why you and Jon Morrison change the card activation rules for FFoL Bigger Battles. Is it because you want it to take away one more decision for you as the solo gamer? To anyone watching that doesn't know the rules, you deal one card for each unit that the player has. When it is time to play a card you *then* choose which unit is activated. You do not deal cards to units, you deal them to the player.

[@WargameCulture]

I deal out cards in advance for a few reasons: - to lighten the cognitive load, as you mentioned, - to maintain a sort of Fog of War. - I have played it solo the "right way" and it just takes longer and is less fun