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WincebyPlay By Email Support Page |
This game is a gem, even if it can be a pain in the neck to play by email (as written). I've added a wrinkle to the published game sequence, which is pretty interactive to play by email, in the hopes that it might increase the flow of the game. Winceby is part of the Royalists and Roundhead series, published by the now defunct 3W game company.
The Royalist and Roundhead Game Sequence
ORDER PHASE
Players attempt to change orders by placing an order counter on the Command chart that
comes with the game (replicated in the gamebox file).
1ST PLAYER MOVE
1. 1st (Phasing) player checks command status. Place an OOC marker on all units OOC.
2. Move all eligible units
3. Non Phasing (2nd) player conducts cavalry charges during 1st Player's movement
1st PLAYER COMBAT
1. Fire Combat
a. Defensive Fire: All non phasing (2nd) player units conduct Defensive fire first.
b. Offensive Fire: All phasing units (1st Player) conduct fire attacks.
2. Melee
a) Attacker checks morale of attacking units
b) Defender checks morale of defending units (IF attacker passes step a)
c) Melee combat is resolved
D. 1ST PLAYER RALLY PHASE
First Player attempts to rally eligible routed units
E. 2ND PLAYER VICTORY CHECK PHASE
2nd Player checks to see whether a victory die roll must be made
Well, as you can see this is a highly interactive turn sequence. The main sticking points
are listed in italic. There are two choices
possible here to make this game playable in Cyberboard (well, maybe 3).
1. Defer Defensive Fire and Cavalry Charges for the current turn to the Next (2nd
Player's) turn, before he can do anything else, while at the same time keeping track
of "opportunities" for DF and CC with markers. Pro: provides the complete turn
in a sequential fashion Con: hard to track unit changes subsequent to combats.
| Charge | Def. Fire |
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Extra markers included in the game box.
2. Ignore deferring anything and add an email transaction for
every phase. Pro: Plays the game as the designer intended it to be played. Con: many
emails make for a slow game.
3. (possible?) conduct a part sequential, part simultaneous turn by having the orders
phase done by the 1st player, than have the entire movement/combat phase done as a
simultaneous blend of two players' moves, like how FWR is accomplished. Then after
that Rally and Victory checks can be done by the initiating player. Pro: Probably
the most accurate method. Con: many email transactions, tedious and confusing to
play. No fun!
I will be playtesting choice one for email play. Any comments or discussion you could add
to this effort would be appreciated. If I come up with a reasonable compromise, I
will update this page accordingly. I recently emailed Rob Markham, the designer, and
he states that the first edition of Royalists and Roundheads had a sequential game
sequence. Since I don't own a copy of R&R I, I'll have to research this.
If you own a copy, please email me
with the details.
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
WINCEBY is copyright, One Small Step, 1995.
Designer: Rob Markham
Development: OSS Staff
This screen shot demonstrates the forces arriving on the field of battle at the end of the Royalist player's turn. Eythin and Henderson place Charge Check counters on Manchester and Cromwell's men, as they are within range. At the start of the Roundhead player's turn, he removes the markers and charges (if desired).
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Natch, I include a turn track, as I do in most gameboxes.
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Winceby uses a Command Track to issue orders to troops. I created one for both sides. |
Download Gamebox:
Winceby Gamebox (zipped, scenario file included)
Related Links/Resources:
One Small Step Home Page (a source for this game: not available in magazine format anymore but still sold as a micro.)
Winceby Rules (from MagWeb: this is posted publically by agreement with OSS; I presume it's okay to link there)
Winceby Errata (publisher's page)
Winceby Historical Overview (from Magweb)
Chronology of English Civil Wars (ditto)
Old Bolingbroke Castle (archeological site for Lincolnshire, where this battle was fought)
Order of Battle: Winceby (for DBM, but interesting)
Another Battle History Page (this one in the UK... looks like a repeat of the Magweb/GF article)
Sir William Saville Bio Page (Royalist leader)
William Widdrington Bio Page (Royalist leader, same site)
Oliver Cromwell Bio Page (one of many... Parliment leader)
Cromwell Timeline (events of Ollie's life)
Sleeping Dragon (another source for this game... a little pricey)
All the King's Men Webring (fantastic source for British military history, reenactment, wargaming...)
This page content copyright, Walter O'Hara 1998