Card-driven Narrative Wargaming (1)

Yesterday, Eddy, Jean-Pierre and myself tried out my experimental "card-driven narrative wargame". It is a further evolvement of some experimental games I ran a couple of years ago (see our page on narrative wargaming on this blog), but is completely card-driven.

The game was as follows:

- every player (we had 3 players in our game) gets 6 mission cards, which can state goals for both Red and Blue;

- in a turn, a player turns over a card from the scenario deck, an does whatever is on the card. The idea is to encourage inserting narrative elements in the game;

- additionally, a player can then do a player action (activate 1, 2 or 3 units from either side).

- combat is resolved by the "tactical rules", but these are somewhat orthogonal to the deck-driven nature of the narrative game.

I'll write a future, more detailed, post about the design of the game, but for now, simply some photographs (using my old Samsung phone, so quality could be better). We played the game using my collection of 42mm toy soldiers.

Initial lay-out of the table. Red (this side of the river) has to establish a bridgehead in Blue territory (opposite side of the river)

Some initial deployment, and as usual in wargaming photographs, we only see the upper legs of a participant ;-)

One cavalry unit dashes forwards.

The scenario cards emphasize narrative elements to be inserted. Jean-Pierre drew a card instructing him to name the river, and he came up with the "Bratwurst flood". The idea is that "named" elements or units are marked with a a small token - or in this case a small post-it label.

Full deployment. Deployment is also card-driven, and all players can add to the deployment of both sides.

View from Blue's side.

A named unit - the Goldsiebers, are dashing forward towards the bridge.

Another infantry unit is attacked in the woods by wild animals - another narrative element governed by the scenario deck.

Action around the bridge - the Teutoburger Zouaves (named unit) approaches the bridge.

Overal view of the battlefield. In fron you see the scenario deck, that guides the narrative elements in the game.

Jean-Pierre is looking for ... what exactly?

He's happy, so he found it!

A view from Blue's side.

Another view of the battle.

Eddy and Jean-Pierre pondering ... I was the third player, but obviously, not in the photographs.

Some more action as seen from Red's side.

Eddy gesticulating about one of his clever moves :-)

Another view of the table.

Desperate last turn actions, Red trying to cross the river (and succeeding!).

The final action in the game, Red's cavalry is taking a ot of damage tokens!