|
BattlewagonPlay By Email Support Page |
This game was published in two editions by Task Force Games, a micro and a larger folio version. The big difference between the two games is how they treat destroyers-- as a class in the micro, and as individual ships in the folio. I opted for the smaller game with this gamebox, because it meant less work! Some important things to note about this gamebox. I started to include ship charts but it got to be too big of a job, and there was no way to map the charts back to individual ships other than a numerical marker. Some folks complained about that approach with the FIRE WHEN READY box, so I canned the idea at the last minute in favor of using a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet file with the ship chart (1 class per tab). I think this is a much better approach for TFG's "nautical style" games like STARFIRE, SFB, and BATTLEWAGON. This box is still in its infancy-- I welcome your comments and suggestions on how to improve the flow of PBeM play. TFG "impulse style" systems are a little confusing at first and I welcome ideas on how to PBeMize their approach.
NOTICE: This Gamebox is created using Dale Larson's excellent Play By Email utility, Cyberboard (the poor man's Aide De Camp!)
Visit the Cyberboard website
by following this link
BATTLEWAGON is copyright, Task Force Games, 1982.
Designer: Stephen Wilcox
Editing/Development: R. Vance Buck, Stephen Cole
TURN SEQUENCE:
- Movement Determination Segment
- Movement Segment
- Fire Segment
- Damage Segment
My best guess on how to handle this sequence would be a Si-Move concept, as illustrated
on the PBeM Emporium main page.
The graphic above illustrates some of the features of this gamebox. A Battleship-heavy task force (4) encounters the van of the enemy (1) somewhere in the North Sea. A Destroyer lays smoke to obscure the task force's movements (3). The Enemy Force has had some bad luck, as indicated by the sinking ship marker. The Task Force has not gotten off lightly however, as shown by the Deck Fire on the lead Cruiser (2)
This is how I envision keeping track of the many maleable factors in this game. As you can see, the Jean Bart (French Battleship) has taken two floatation hits here, but hasn't suffered unduly.
NOT INCLUDED IN GAMEBOX
Download Gamebox:
Battlewagon Gamebox and Spreadsheet (zipped)
ZIP file contains XLS file BWChart, Battlewagon.GBX and a generic Scenario File.
Game Availability:
Rare to Mediocre.
Related Links/Resources:
The Battleship Page
Task Force Games Home Page (publishers of this game)
This page content copyright, Walter O'Hara 1998