By Shot, Shock and Faith allows the simulation of religious wars that occurred in France from 1562 to 1598. This civil war opposes, in a first conflict phase, protestants- otherwise known as Huguenots- to catholics, then royalists to League members after the accession of Henri IV to the throne in 1589.
The art of war during this period of the Renaissance is rapidly changing. The great feudal landlords, steeped in morals, fight alongside mercenaries motivated by sole cupidity. The diversity of the weapons that are used offers great tactical possibilities, based on impact and fire. Gendarmes, cuirassiers, reiters, harquebusiers, lansquenets and Swiss mercenaries confront each other in a merciless fight.
By Shot, Shock and Faith is a grand tactical game which, for the first time, allows the simulation of five battles of that era :SAINT-DENIS (November 10th, 1567) [...]JARNAC (March 13th, 1569) [...]LA ROCHE L'ABEILLE (June 25th, 1569)[...]COUTRAS (October 20th, 1587)[...]ARQUES (September 21st, 1589) [...]
This is a classic game system ; « I go, You go », of average complexity, including, during the active player's phase, a sequence of reaction from the passive player, such as fire, counter-charge or tactical backstep. The maps are whith areas from 300 to 500 m by side. A color code allows to easily determine the costs of movements and the line of sight. The scale of the game is one unit for 100 to 500 soldiers or one or two guns. One game turn represents a duration of 20 to 30 minutes. A corps represents either a vanguard or a rearguard, or the main body called battle.
The combats allow to simulate charges « in wall », the merciless shocks between pikemen, the artillery fire and highlight, by a support system, the combination of iron -shock- and fire -shooting. The optional rules- caracoles, orders, lost children, looting- add even more realism to the era's battles. The rules and the five battles offered are based on a thorough bibliography and researches made into books written by (non???) contemporary authors, specifically François de la Noue for the Protestants and Blaise de Montluc for the Catholics, and also on precise topographical plans of each battlefield that is still accessible, except for Saint-Denis... Are you ready to put on the Prince of Condé's, the admiral of Coligny's, the constable of Montmorency's, Anne de Joyeuse's or Henri of Navarre's armours and to fight your enemies « By Shot, Shock and Faith » ? P3F, the new HEXASIM opus offers you this option with an innovating and elegant game.
Components
Ligny 1815, Last Eagles in the 3rd game in the Eagles of France series, following Waterloo 1815 and Austerlitz 1805
Rules have not evolved since Austerlitz, only including a few precisions.
The focus is on morale, attrition and commitment of formation (division & corps) at the right time, rather than tactical chrome. The detailed order of battle and the scale of the game allow players to really see the action and the game system provides a quick but realistic resolution.
This system is a mix of well-known concepts and new features to maximize playability and realism of outcomes. Formation are given simple orders than limit their ability to freely react to any sudden change of priority. Orders take some time a while before being changed. Units are classically rated for size, quality and movement. Formations activate one after the other at player's choice but have to follow the order they received at the beginning of the turn or even before. Game features offensive fire, defensive fire, opportunity fire, charge and counter charge, retreat before combat and melee. A lot of classical "prohibitions" are transformed into options: for example, cavalry can move from ZOC to ZOC but risk counter charges or more opportunity fire. A ZOC of a strong unit is therefore not the same as the ZOC of a weaker one.
The game turn has a random ending procedure and players are never sure to have time to move all their formation reflecting the command control issues of any battle. Also, the fatigue and friction factors are built in a potentially shorter turn length in the latter stages of the battle. Focus on morale and attrition is a testimony of a battle which was a test of will of two densely packed armies fighting head to head. Players will have to choose which unit will "lead" the attack and take the first fire. Failing a key morale test can make the difference between a stalled attack or a promising breakthrough.
Game includes 3 historical scenarios :
Each short scenario is played on its own map with enlarged hex, while the full battle is playd on the full map.
The 1815 campaign is famous for the “what ifs” related to reinforcements arriving in time that could have changed the outcome. The inability of D'Erlon's I Corps to join the battle for the French on June 16th might have saved the Prussians from a complete defeat. Besides D'Erlon, Mouton's VI Corps was not far behind and arrived too late to take part in the battle. On the Prussian side, there are some historical “what ifs” as well. Thielmann's III Corps could have been delayed. On the other hand, even if the probability is lower, Bulow's IV Corps may have also arrived if the Prussians had been better at anticipating Napoléon's moves. A fourth scenario allows the reinforcements to get into play without players knowing their exact time of arrival or even if they will show-up or not. In this alternate battle scenario, players will get their chance to change that. While diverging from the actual battle, players will be closer to the mind-set of the generals of that day, who had no certainty as to their final order of battle!
Finally, in a fifth scenario, the action starts earlier in the morning, letting the players decide to fight around Ligny or elsewhere, or to let the Prussians attempt a delaying action against the French instead of a head to head fight.
This game will link up with a coming release Quatre-Bras 1815: Last Eagles to provide an ultimate experience at this scale of the 16th of June 1815 battles that could have decided the campaign before Waterloo.
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Rising Eagles is to be the the second volume of the « Eagles » series. Following on from Fallen Eagles (The Battle of Waterloo), Rising Eagles covers another of history’s most famous battles - Austerlitz.
Game scale is regiment level for units, 250m per hex and one hour of real time per turn. The map has been produced by the combined efforts of Rick Barber (topography) and Sebastien Brunel (graphics, as in Fallen Eagles). The game will include at least three short scenarios, together with a full battle scenario, offering alternative options to simulate the ‘fog of war’ and battle plans.
The order rules In Rising Eagles will have an even greater impact than those in Fallen Eagles. The ability to change orders will be reduced and it will be more difficult to “recall” formations, once launched. Initial planning will be an important feature, as befits a Napoleonic battle of such a scale.
In addition, ‘fog of war’ has been further developed and will be part of the main rules. Players will share some of the uncertainty experienced by the actual commanders, as to what precisely they are facing.
Initial play tests have shown that Rising Eagles continues to provide a tense and exciting game play, with strategic battle planning assuming a greater significance than the ‘slogging match’ of Waterloo.
With Japan torn by war for decades, Oda Nobunaga, the first unifier, succumbs to the blows of his own vassal, Akechi Mitsuhide, in 1582. This event is an opportunity for Hashiba Hideyoshi, who defeats Akechi at the Battle of Yamazaki.
Hashiba Hideyoshi must then confront Tokugawa Ieyasu, another vassal of Oda at the Battle of Nagakute. Hideyoshi then becomes the second unifier of Japan under the name of Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Bound to the status quo, Tokugawa Ieyasu awaits Hideyoshi's death before returning to the pursuit of his ambition. His accession to power is decided in the gigantic battle of Sekigahara. He will force the heir to Hideyoshi to commit suicide at the end of the siege of Osaka. This time, the unification of the country is final, and Tokugawa's heirs will lead Japan for 250 years.
Tenkatoitsu is the sequel of Kawanakajima 1561. Tenkatoitsu means "Unity under the Sky". That was the name given to the era during which one Clan was victorious over the others, which in turn led to the end of the war (Sengoku Jidai).
Tenkatoitsu simulates 3 battles of the end of Sengoku Jidai : Yamazaki (1582), Nagakute (1584) and Sekigahara (1600)
The game emphasizes orders assigned to each army's Clans as much as the inertia of the battle. A game turn is divided in activation phases drawn from a recipient containing Clan chits and obligatory chits (for combat, movement, etc.). The game system is also remarkable for the battle plans that each players may choose before starting the engagement.
Sieges played a key role in the battle of Yamakazi, and as such have their own specific set of rules.
Players scores victory Points by destroying enemy units or controlling key locations.
