One Hour Skirmish: Capture the Cannon

We are back with more of John Lambshead's excellent little card-driven skirmish game, "One Hour Skirmish Wargames", and this time we've got it almost entirely licked. Thanks to the commenters who helped me understand what I did wrong and how I can level up my skills.

[@lucysblade]

You only fight once per model as attacker. But you can send in a second man…….great review…thank you

[@TheJoyofWargaming]

Lookitat! Straight from the Lambshead! Thank you, brother!

[@lowercentenary]

So, for example, a cavalryman cannot charge a figure, dispatch him, then use a second move to attack another nearby figure?

[@cavtroop50]

Another great game. I ran a solo game last week using the rules and I like them a lot. A fun quick game and some good results. I had a Swedish artillery unit and 8 infantry deployed along a hill and some woods. The Russians ended up losing the game after losing 9 casualties to the Swedish 1 casualty. Fun fast game!

[@jamesl3214]

I thought it played well, least of all because the clear objectives directed movement (instead of just a smash in the centre like some skirmish level games can sometimes go). The increased number of figures from the earliest games also give you room to get more tactical. Only note of dissonance is I might have called it a draw because both sides broke? Featherstone apparently said that there’s no perfect rules set because of writer and player and research biases but I actually think solo games are pretty low on bias (if not a desire for an exciting outcome) by virtue of having to remember everything! I’m really keen to try the Men Who Would be Kings because it apparently has quite a fun ‘AI’ for solo play…

[@Vlad65WFPReviews]

I use small red and blue bingo chips (or use small coloured wooden tokens from a dollar store) to track Activation points; blue chip is 1AP, red chip is 2AP - or any combo for more points. This is an easy way to remember who has already activated and how many action points have been used.

[@TheJoyofWargaming]

That's smart.

[@AA-pd7xf]

The rules are a bit unclear about a couple of points, but I think you got nearly everything right here. Muskets do not need a "reload" and fire with one AP. Rifles Fire with two AP [which represents their slow reloading time]. I find it easy to track the weapons needing a reload, so prefer your method [or misinterpretation, as the case may be!]. Overall, the friction of slow loading weapons makes black powder skirmish a great period, so why not double-down on it and say that all BP hand weapons take an AP to reload, and a rifled one 2 AP to reload? A bow and a tomahawk have no need to reload... This is an unusual set of rules, and I playtested the heck out of it, as well as engaged the author who was very approachable.

[@andrewbeasley]

Interesting - I'm normally set against cards (partially due to the space they take up) and TBH prefer the idea of selecting the card to play (if playing face to face) but I was pleasantly surprised by the way they drive the action during this game compared to the dice of SOBH.

[@PossumMedic]

I like how you play war to find out who wins a fight! 😂 Thanks for the vid! Going on my wish list!

[@lexi_9995]

Great fun very enjoyable.

[@samb2052]

Great game! Plays much better when you follow the rules! 😀 Good to see a return to historicals, hope to see more soon. And Black Ops.

[@TheJoyofWargaming]

A guy could get used to following the rules, but let's not get too crazy here, fellas.

[@samb2052]

@@TheJoyofWargaming never let the rules get in the way of a good game.

[@johnscarr70]

@@samb2052 they are, afterall for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men!

[@johnwatts4755]

I have One Hour War Games. After watching, I will definitely purchase One Hour Skirmish Games.

[@TheJoyofWargaming]

You won't regret it. A different feel - they feel like bigger games, even with fewer units of maneuver per side.

[@betterthancomputers]

track points with a penny on the card and move it left to to right down as you use action points. love your "lets get stuck in and play" attitude.

[@TheJoyofWargaming]

That's a great idea. Will have to remember when I run this set again.

[@dartmart9263]

Awesome game. I miss the dice though. They reset the odds after each roll. Is it me or is that a whole lotta chiefs and way too few Indians? Lol

[@jjs3863]

Did you draw a joker at 16:00 when you were testing casualties?

[@joelgonzalez2723]

Nice video, have you tried the portable Wargame???

[@andrewhopkins]

Nice bat rep. My understanding of the shooting rules for nepoleonics period is that there is no reload action. One assumes the men automatically reload as part of their shoot action. To take account of rifles historically taking longer to reload, the rules state you need to spend 2 action points to shoot the rifle (as opposed to 1 for the musket). Action points are not used to for a separate reload action. Is that your understanding?

[@TheJoyofWargaming]

It is now. I like it. Nice and streamlined.

[@lowercentenary]

How would you resolve two against 0ne situation or just one at a time attacks only?

[@bobiojimbo]

Are those 15mm minis or 28mm?

[@TheJoyofWargaming]

Fightin' fifteens!

[@bobiojimbo]

@@TheJoyofWargaming Cool. They just looked a little bigger in this video and the 5 minute one.

[@TheJoyofWargaming]

It's the ha-MAZE-ing painting on them. Looks detailed enough for 28mm because the only thing I'm better at than being humble is painting.

[@johnscarr70]

@@TheJoyofWargaming I think you seem to wring the very best out of colours. I know there are limits in the historical genres, but still. They "pop" as the cool kids say.

[@TheJoyofWargaming]

@@johnscarr70 The smaller the scale, the more you turn up the saturation. Those redcoats are just the brightest red contrast pain I can find. Ditto for the bright blue on the French.