SPAM coming soon

SPAM stands for Siam Pronti Alla Morte (We're Ready to Die, from the Italian national anthem) and it is a kind of basic/beta version of Smooth&Rifled.
Rules are simplified but give an idea of the mechanics of game.

SPAM will be available in the forthcoming issue 45 of Dadi&Piombo (out in around a week) and for those who are not interested in purchasing the magazine, the pages of the rules will also be available as a separate pdf (at 3.5 euros).


Though written for the Italian Wars of Independence (Risorgimento), SPAM works for about every other 18th-19th Cent. conflict, once you have the right troop statistics.

The release of this playable "draft" is to allow us to share the general mechanics of the game so that we can develop it also with your help, above all for the making of the lists. Contributes are very welcome in the FORUM.

Keep tuned. SPAM will be available very soon!

Maori Wars

The major ...impetus to develop Smooth&Rifled is in the possibility to discover and wargame a lot of obscure and neglected periods.
One of this is the Maori Wars. Honestly the last period I ever thought to wargame, but have a look at the new range from Empress. Simply superb!!!

The British


The Maori

Figs are sculpted by Paul Hicks.

If you want to know more and share ideas on this period, there is also a yahoo group.
You can join the group HERE

From Wargames Illustrated website you can aslo download this very interesting
ARTICLE

French Indian War

The French Indian War seems to be one of the most popular period for skirmish games in the age of musket.
I have a good collection for the period, a mix of Redoubt and Front Rank figures, with some French regulars that still have to take their first action... and will do with Smooth&Rifled!
In the picture some Indians and settlers from Redoubt. The house is from Abbiati Wargames.

Smooth&Rifled at Hellana 2011

Here a small report of the first "official" demo of S&R.
The game (ACW) was run at Hellana 2011, the second major Italian wargame convention (in its 11th edition). It takes place in Tuscany close to Pistoia the first sunday of April.

I prepared a 120x80cm board (6 panels of 40x40cm) and developped the scenario along the longer side. I used 12 figures per side (28mm Perry).
Actually a 3feetx3feet board with that number of figures can work as well.

I made a couple of games, of about h1.30 each, including explaination on how the game works. Beeing the first public demo, players we totally ignorant about the mechanics and of course tactics were somewhat cautious in some cases.


Giuseppe (an Impetus player) is the first to try Smooth&Rifled

Confederates had an advantage in attack (charging into melee), while Unionists were classed as Veterans, a quality that gives an advantage in Saving Test (Saving Test is just for fire, so this gave more sense for Confederates to solve the affair at the bayonet).

The next test will be with some more figures. The game should work fast enough both with a few figs (10-12 per side) as well as with say 30 figs per side, with a greater use of "group actions".

First demo test

This sunday at Hellana 2011 (one of the major Italian wargames conventions) I will bring a play test demo of Smooth&Rifled. It will be based on the basic version that will be published in Dadi&Piombo 45.

It will be an ACW game, with just a dozen of figures per side on a 120x80 board.

A small report with some pics will be published next week, so keep tuned.