A rmed with a second cup of fresh, strong coffee, I messed around a bit this morning with artlist.io using its image to image function in an attempt to convert my hand-drawn map from September 2006 to something that more resembles an old map from the mid-18th century. And just like my experiments with Ninja AI in June, the results are mixed. The above map is pretty good, but Artlist keeps fouling up the place names and has trouble putting a faint overlay of hexes across the entire area. Hexes, admittedly, are not likely to be found on any genuine maps from the era in question, but there we are. Frankly, I prefer the appearance of the Ninja map, but there were problems getting it to correct its errors. Grrrr. As is the case with so much having to do with the various AI's out there now, the output generated is a direct result of the prompts entered. For text alone, and when you develop a lengthy, highly detailed prompt, it is...
The picture really says it all. Despite some early small triumphs, General von Drosselmaier rolled low again and again when it came to hitting his targets and determining the number of casulties.
The Zichenauer battery inflicted lethal damage on the Von Laurenz Musketeers throughout most of the game.
Stollen's 4th (Trakehnen) Dragoons did manage to disrupt a flank attack by O'Malley's Irish grenzers during Turn 6 and Turn 7.
In Turn 8, General von Drosselmaier finally committed his reserve -- the Leib (Grand Duchess Sonja's Own) Grenadiers. But it may be a case of too little, too late.
The same might be said of Stollen's Jaeger Corps, which messed around in this copse for most of the game without contributing much to the unfolding military action around them.
When last seen, the remaining Von Laurenz Musketeers were fleeing up the postal road toward the Stollenian capital Krankenstadt.
As they did at Zollamtstadt last December, "The Newts" under Colonel Gussie von Finknottle enter their hard won objective, in this case the town of Pelznikkel. If General von Drosselmaier is smart, he'll begin withdrawing what's left of his army in Turn 9 tomorrow.
Comments
How do you feel now after a good tabletop action, the first in some time?
How did things go with the Tactical Chance Cards? As a solo player I'm especially interested to hear if they added to the enjoyment of the game.
Thanks for sharing this magnificent setup so the rest of us can enjoy it vicariously!
Perhaps Sonja's Own will save the day . . . at least I hope so. But it appears that General von Drosselmaier has not managed his forces as well as he might have.
How will Irwin-Amadeus II react to this may be critical to the survival of Stollen.
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Stokes,
I hope that you will discuss what you thought of the rules in play. What you liked . . . or didn't care for, etc.
-- Jeff
(Excerpt from a dispatch sent to the Grand Duchy of Hetzenberg from one of its gentleman travelers, Colonel Freiherr Bertram von Wuster...)
Ian
fantastic and gripping to read. Keep up the good work.
Alan
p.s what do you undercoat your plastic figures with ? Some say plasticoate others acryllic spray - what are your thoughts?
best wishes
Alan
I, too, would like to know how the chance cards influenced things.
And what happens next.......
nice to see your superbly painted figs doing their thing on the wargames table.
So many nice pictures echoing those in Charge and the Wargame.
Hopefully Stollen will win ??
-- Allan