A simple activation modifier for One Hour Wargames

I came up with a makeshift solution to play larger battles using the One Hour Wargames Pike and Shot variant.

As you may know the original rules have a strict IGOUGO turn system and use six units per side. With this variant, we can add a bit of friction to each side's activations, and the scope of the rules can be perhaps extended to up to a dozen per side without bogging down the game.

It works with a card or chit drawing system:

- assign a colour for each side

- put tokens in a bag or mix a deck of cards with the values below

- start drawing, the player whose colour was drawn can activate as many units as on the token/card

- when both side's tokens/deck run out, end the turn

For 6 units per side, add the following values to each side's tokens: 1 2 3 

For 7 or 8 units, add one or two more '1' value tokens.

For 9 to 10 units per side, include 1 2 3 3/4 per side.

For 11 to 12 units, use 1 1 2 2 2/3 3 per side.

If the number of units is uneven between sides, include the same amount of tokens but increase the value for one side.

You can use aces or other non-numbered cards to represent '1' value when using cards.

The same unit cannot be activated twice during a turn, so in that regard the IGOUGO system remains.

Remove units at the end of the complete turn as per the original rules.

Thirty Years War - Pikeman's Lament test game

I bought the PL rules many years ago but did not play much with them. This is mostly due to the first playtest foundering and misunderstanding the rules somewhat.

Lately I came to appreciate PL as an excellent choice for quick games with a medium-size collection, somewhere between a skirmish and a full-scale battle. Another good option would be Sharp Practice, they are practically at the same level. I'm thinking of using SP for the period as well. I used it for my Nova Hungaria games before so I have fond memories of it (the original, I never touched the second edition).

Anyway, it just struck my mind that I actually have enough figures now to play another initial test game, so I created a Swedish and an Imperialist TYW Company, at the suggested 24 points, put some terrain on the table and went at it. I read the rules thoroughly and made some notes, including quick references to unit stats.

I'm putting this post on the miscellaneous blog because I did not take any photos.