I was told already a few years ago to have a Vassal module for the game… About a year ago I took a look at it and quickly left – it just looked like too much at the time. So, here I am again, taking another shot at it and now it’s kind of moving forward. Vassal isn’t the easiest thing to get into, but I am slowly getting the hang of it.
A draft of the module with some counters thrown into the July 8th battle.
The first objective is to facilitate testing of the still unfinished game, and the second one, is obviously to have a Vassal module for the game.
My first problem was really to get the counters imported into the module, but that turned out to be a fairly straightforward task – I asked ChatGPT to write me a couple of scripts to make individual image files out of the large files I get from my artist. A few python scripts and some tweaks later, I had them. Not perfect, but good enough to use in Vassal.
There are many more advanced functions I still struggle with but ultimately, I hope to have a digital helper – and not the full game.
Adding some logic, like taking step losses took some time to figure out. I ended up doing most of this manually as importing a data file looked like a messy option.
I am also adding some of the necessary components into the module.However, I still need to find a way to add some counters to these minimaps.
It’s been a lot of work to add all game counters with their traits.
Once I have the main components in the game, I’ll start testing myself and perhaps with a small circle of “testers”. Obviously, I’ll need less desk space and can also save the game, “put it away” for a while, and continue later. This is always an issue with kids, dogs and a spouse in the house…
In February, I attended the Friendly Fire de Luxe wargame event in Sweden. I had signed up in advance to test the new Great Northern War Battles (GNWB) game system, a project by Roger Sjögren that he originally started in the early 2000s. After encountering issues with the mechanics, the game was shelved and remained forgotten for nearly two decades—until his friend Mikael Rosenqvist asked if he had an old project that could be revived and refined. Roger obliged, handing over 20-year-old Illustrator files, which Mikael then reworked and revitalized.
In the original movement mechanics, it had been difficult to position units according to historical research. Roger revisited the available sources to determine whether new findings had emerged or if the same information remained valid. He soon discovered that a wealth of new research had reshaped the understanding of the Battle of Poltava, the event that initially inspired the project. Notably, in addition to the well-known Russian T-shaped defensive line, two other competing formations—labeled E and V—had been proposed, based on recent field studies.
The game system is still under development, and our playtest was only the second “public” trial. In the background, a map of the 1709 Poltava scenario could be seen.
Now, a couple of years later, the project has reached a stage where two battles are playable as prototypes: 1709 Poltava and 1710 Helsingborg. Most people are likely familiar with the first battle, either from the popular works of Peter Englund or from general historical knowledge. Personally, I wasn’t well-versed in the events between Denmark and Sweden, so Helsingborg was an entirely new discovery for me. Of course, there is even a Finnish Wikipedia article on the battle, but a quick read doesn’t leave much of a lasting impression.
The Battle of Helsingborg stemmed from Denmark’s attempt to reclaim Skåne (southernmost area in Sweden), which it had lost more than 50 years earlier. Sweden’s crushing defeat at Poltava in 1709 emboldened Denmark to declare war and launch an invasion of southern Sweden. On the last day of February 1710, Sweden—having hastily assembled and trained an army—advanced toward Helsingborg, where the invading Danish forces, numbering around 14,000 men, awaited them.
Danish commander Jørgen Rantzau had expected the Swedish troops to approach from a different direction than they did, emerging instead from the morning fog. This miscalculation left the Danish formation somewhat unprepared, forcing Rantzau to adjust his strategy on the fly. To complicate matters further, the Danish commander-in-chief, Reventlow, had fallen ill just before the battle, leaving Rantzau in charge at a critical moment.
This is the starting point of the game.
Initial Situation: The red Danish forces are slightly misaligned as they await the approach of the blue Swedish troops, who are advancing diagonally across the map along the road.
The battle begins at 11 a.m. and progresses in 10-minute turns using the traditional alternating IGOUGO model. The troops are organized into regiments, typically divided into two battalions and an artillery piece. Each hex can hold a maximum of 18 strength points, with one strength point representing approximately 33 men. Given that each hex represents 110 meters, a full-strength infantry battalion can fit within a single hex in a standard line formation. If necessary, the front line can extend across two hexes, though this disperses the unit’s strength.
During a turn, several key actions take place: executing commands, engaging in combat, or attempting to regain control of panicking troops.
We played with four participants, split into two per side. One player commanded the entire army and infantry, while the other led the cavalry. This structure allowed us to divide the game into four logical parts, enabling smooth execution of commands in a kind of “Agile Games” multitasking approach. My role was to command the Danish cavalry on both flanks. To my surprise, some infantry regiments were also mixed in with the cavalry.
Mikael, the graphic designer behind the game’s visual elements, took on the role of army commander. He had designed the map and game pieces, ensuring a clear and cohesive aesthetic. Roger had crafted the game pieces himself, while the map was printed in Germany.
Below is a picture of the Danish command structure. At the top was Rantzau, with my cavalry commanded by (von) Dewitz on the left and Rodsten on the right.
In the game, leaders receive orders that they execute to the best of their ability. Players have only limited opportunities to react to changing situations.
At the heart of the game is a command system in which players literally write down the army commander’s orders on paper. This mechanic has been present in war games for ages, but I had never played a game that used it before. My inspiration comes from the CWB (Civil War Brigade) series and other similar games.
The image shows the initial orders issued by the Danish commander-in-chief, which were executed immediately without confusion or delay.
At the start of the game, a few orders can be issued without interference—two for Denmark and four for Sweden. The two Danish orders were both directed to me:
Rodsten’s right-wing cavalry was ordered to advance toward Källtorp farm.
The left-wing cavalry was tasked with defending a gap on the western edge of Rinsgtorp farm, as the enemy was approaching from an unexpected direction.
I assume the intention here was also to pivot the front line, although the commander-in-chief didn’t explicitly communicate this—despite being just a few meters away…
Unit Objectives at the Start of the Game
In a movement command, a unit leader must advance toward their assigned objective using all available movement points. Units follow their leader, who operates within a command radius—the larger the leader’s influence, the greater the radius. If a unit falls out of range, it must take the shortest possible route back to reestablish contact.
Rodsten’s supporting infantry attempted to keep pace with the cavalry and managed relatively well. However, the first major obstacle was the streams and swamps of Ladugårdsflon. While frozen, southern Sweden’s mild winters meant the ice was unreliable. Any unit crossing these obstacles had to roll a die to determine how many movement points remained and how many swamp hexes they could traverse that turn. A good roll allowed for steady progress, while a bad roll could halt movement entirely. As units advanced one battalion at a time, they naturally became dispersed.
A key aspect of the game is the limited player control—once a unit is set in motion, it follows orders, engages the enemy, and reacts as best it can. The player must anticipate events rather than micromanage every move. For example, avoiding an oncoming enemy without triggering a dice roll often means the original plan doesn’t unfold as expected.
Meanwhile, Dewitz’s division, tasked with a defensive command, attempted to move westward (left). However, the artillery on the road partially blocked the advance, forcing the division to stay in place once it reached its designated defensive position—unless issued further orders. Since defensive units can only move one hex per turn, their progress was frustratingly slow, a limitation that would later prove costly.
At the same time, the Swedish army launched a full-speed cavalry advance toward the eastern edge, heading for the same farm that Rodsten and his forces were targeting. Swedish infantry and artillery followed the road directly toward the Danish position. I could almost hear the thunder of hooves as the blue mass charged forward, skillfully maneuvering around obstacles like forests and buildings at breakneck speed.
The Swedes advance rapidly as the Danes attempt to realign their front. We marked the objectives with blocks.
Since a new command can be issued during a turn, at 11:10 a.m., an order was sent for von Hesse’s infantry wing to reposition. A messenger was dispatched to deliver the instructions to the German mercenaries. However, receiving a message takes time, depending on the distance—and even then, its acknowledgment isn’t guaranteed. A roll of the dice determines whether the order is delayed, misunderstood, or even ignored, ensuring that nothing in the game is ever truly certain.
While Rodsten and Dewitz urged their troops forward and the Swedes thundered toward them, von Hesse appeared to be delayed—perhaps enjoying a bit too much aquavit. The message failed to prompt any movement, and when the army commander, Rantzau, personally rode to investigate, he found his troops still motionless.
Once per turn, a player can attempt to use an initiative roll to break a commander free from a stalled or unfavorable situation. However, there’s always a risk that the commander acts independently—and the dice decide the outcome. For instance, an aggressive commander may choose to attack even when a retreat would be wiser.
Below is the battlefield situation at 11:30 a.m. The Swedes begin organizing their infantry into battle formation, while both cavalry forces advance toward each other on the right side of the image. The Swedish horsemen carefully navigated the wet, difficult terrain, ensuring their formation remained intact. The blue and red blocks in the image indicate unit objectives. Since this session was a playtest rather than a competitive match, secrecy wasn’t necessary.
The battle unfolds as the troops close in, soon within striking distance.
At this point, tension was mounting in the Danish camp. Von Hesse’s German-Danish group remained completely stationary in the center—apparently still bogged down in the swamps. I suspect Rantzau may have had a sip of the famous aquavit himself, as even after an hour of trying to get his men moving, nothing was happening.
Meanwhile, part of the Danish artillery had been left far behind the front lines. To bring them into action, the Danes needed a successful dice roll to limber the guns, but luck wasn’t on their side. The infantry and cavalry escorts had already advanced well ahead, leaving the stranded artillery unable to influence Swedish movements in any meaningful way.
From that point on, action and chaos took over. The first clash came on the left flank, where Swedish cavalry probed the Danish defensive line, searching for weaknesses. Dewitz’s formation was not yet fully in place when the Queen’s Life Guard horsemen, led by Ascheberg, surged forward, already reaching the front lines.
The Swedish cavalry tests the Danish flank defenses.
And they rout the Danish cavalry unit.
Only the second battalion of Bülow’s regiment, made up mostly of Hungarians, had managed to cross the water obstacle when the Swedish assault began. At this point, the Swedes had to accelerate from the rear to close in at the correct assault range.
Since I wasn’t yet familiar with the combat dynamics, I asked the developer whether it was better to hold ground or counterattack. After a moment of thought, he replied, “Attacking is the best defense.” It turned out to be the guiding tactic for most of the game that followed.
Once units come into combat contact, ranged fire is resolved first. If neither side breaks, the clash continues into melee (melée). Every unit type—dragoons (mounted or dismounted), regular cavalry, and infantry—has specific combat values for both ranged and melee situations. The Swedish side even fielded pike infantry, whose combat stats reflect their specialized weaponry.
To model the nuances of 18th-century warfare, the game uses a fair share of dice—nine at once, in fact. These are rolled at the start of combat and then interpreted as needed. The black dice determine the initial outcomes—whether direct losses, disorder, or both occur—setting the tone for the engagement.
All dice are rolled at once in a bowl—just one roll needed.
The accounting system is reasonably precise, with combat tracked using ~33-man Strength Points (SP). Each unit has its own SP roster, and losses are marked off manually on individual tracking sheets as the game progresses.
The units are accurately modeled, and detailed records of losses are maintained.
An “X” indicates a destroyed Strength Point (SP), while a slash (“/” or “\”) represents disorder. Disordered units can attempt to regain cohesion if pulled back from the line, but both results remove the SP from the unit’s effective combat strength. Once a unit reaches the “X” threshold, it is considered shattered.
For example, the commander Dewitz (pictured above) will break if a sufficient number of subordinate units are shattered (“X”). In practice, it takes a considerable number of setbacks to even roll the dice for that—but once the threshold is reached, the risk increases significantly.
Next, if instructed by the table, you check the white dice. These often represent additional effects like broken SPs, and while not always direct losses, they tend to accumulate more easily and can wear down units quickly over time.
Battle tables are consulted using the dice colors—start at the top left.
At times, the situation on the battlefield got particularly tense. When a unit breaks and routs, a morale check must be made for all adjacent units—a mechanic that can, in theory, cause an entire line to collapse like dominoes. This happened more than once to the Danes, when multiple battalions suddenly abandoned their positions, leaving dangerous gaps in the line.
One especially comical moment occurred when a Swedish cavalry squadron, in hot pursuit of fleeing Danish troops, charged straight into the middle of the Danish army—momentarily flipping the chaos in the other direction.
In the photo, the cavalry of Västergötland charges greedily after the fleeing “Zealanders“ (Sjælland), plunging deep into the heart of the Danish army.
The Danes were nearing their fateful moment. With half the infantry unable to move and both flanks beginning to break, their line was on the verge of collapse. Fleeing troops streamed toward Helsingborg Fortress and safety, where desperate attempts were made to rally them and return them to the fight.
Once a unit lost its final Strength Point, it became a ghost—no longer functioning as a combat force. These were marked with Hattifattener tokens (a nod to the spectral creatures from the Moomins). While these ghost counters no longer represented active troops, they served an important purpose: they marked the spot where remnants could potentially be reassembled or recovered later in the battle.
The Danish right flank braces for a final stand against a double threat. On the opposite side, the left flank scrambled to contain the Swedish cavalry pouring through the lines—but it was too late. Most of the defenders were soon overwhelmed.
On the right, Rodsten’s troops fought to the bitter end. As mentioned earlier, attack is the best defense, and with no better option, a counterattack was launched—one last gamble to shatter the Swedes and open an escape route. For a brief moment, it looked like the bold move might pay off.
But the tide turned quickly. The second infantry battalion of the Prince Kristian Regiment, Denmark’s last reserve, moved in to stop the Swedes—only to break almost immediately upon contact. The foot soldiers had no chance against the cavalry, and their attempt to retreat turned into a routed massacre, crushed in a chaotic and one-sided pursuit.
General Rodsten’s final assault came close to success.
But soon, it was all over. The Danish line collapsed from every direction, and what came next would have been slaughter—so we decided to call it. After nearly 14 hours of play, we packed up at 11 p.m., having started at 9 in the morning with two meal breaks along the way.
Roger looked visibly satisfied. The game had been pushed to its limits, and many of the major flaws had come to light. The core mechanics held up well, requiring little change—what the system really needs now is clearer and more comprehensive documentation. We asked a handful of clarifying questions during the day, and several details of the map and markers came up for discussion.
The game system is heavy, and Roger himself describes it as being at “grognard level.” That didn’t bother us, though—we’re all grognards here. 😊
For me personally, the day was a deep dive into a significant moment in Nordic history—one I had known almost nothing about before this experience. And despite the system’s complexity, it delivered something rare in gaming: a real sense of being there, right in the thick of a major battle.
If the project makes it to publication, it might be worth considering a lighter version of the rules to help bring in a broader audience. A more accessible edition could open the Battle of Helsingborg to many more players—while still preserving the immersive, strategic richness that made this playtest so memorable.
In February, I participated in a five-day Friendly Fire (FF) wargame event in Sweden. FF is held twice a year in Rimforsa, south of Linköping, and focuses on wargaming. I planned a four-day trip, including travel from Espoo and back. Since the ferry schedules from both Helsinki and Turku didn’t align well with the event’s schedule and location, I opted to fly and rent a car from Arlanda for the three-hour drive from Stockholm.
The “de Luxe” version of the event differs from the regular one in that it is hosted at a hotel with full board. This was the sixteenth de Luxe event; in total, there have been thirty FF events over the years. The next one will take place in early October 2025. The event had around 35 participants, arriving throughout the week. The age range was approximately 16 to 70 years, skewing toward the upper half, though younger attendees were present as well.
Most local participants arrived by car, conveniently transporting games and plexiglass overlays. I traveled light, bringing only essential items. Surprisingly, many attendees came by train to Rimforsa, although the station is still a few kilometers from the hotel. Still, it’s great that the venue is accessible by public transport.
The event itself is free of charge, but participants must cover their own hotel and meal expenses. I booked a Middle Scenario package, which included three nights (Thursday to Sunday) with meals.
Friendly Fire’s Rimforsa Strand is located about a 3-hour drive from Stockholm.
Arrival & First Impressions
I didn’t plan anything specific for the first day, opting to go with the flow and see what was happening. Before attending, I only knew Stefan and Jan from Three Crowns Games, and I don’t speak Swedish beyond Finland’s compulsory studies. The reception was warm—some were even surprised: “All the way from Finland? Our eastern provinces!” After a brief orientation, I got a sense of the event’s atmosphere.
On Friday, I signed up to test Roger Sjögren’s Great Northern War project for the entire day. I’ll write a more detailed after-action report, but in short, the game simulates 18th-century Carolinian warfare in detail, incorporating command chains, order delays, misinterpretations, general uncertainty, and the chaos of battle. While it looks like a typical hex-based game, these elements add significant depth. So far, the game is for personal use only, but time will tell if it becomes a free or commercial product.
On Saturday, I scheduled only demos of my own project, leaving Sunday completely free.
This isn’t a huge convention, but for me, it was a new experience to immerse myself in board gaming for several days without everyday distractions. I initially assumed many sessions—such as a full-con run of World in Flames (Europe)—would be pre-arranged. However, on-site, I found that wasn’t a concern. Many lighter games were organized spontaneously, and participants were recruited for larger games as seats became available (e.g., Here I Stand). Of course, pre-booking is helpful if you want to secure a spot in a specific game or stick with familiar company.
World in Flames continues, spanning the entire long weekend.
There was no shortage of games—the selection felt like a well-stocked game store from decades past! Simply showing interest—whether by asking questions or signing up—was usually enough to secure a spot in a game. And I can say there were plenty of game bags packed with all kinds of wargames.
Both two-player and larger multiplayer games filled the tables. This event is a fantastic opportunity for like-minded players to fully engage in multiplayer games with five or six participants—without the usual rush of everyday responsibilities. I’d say these larger projects were the most popular.
Games for all tastes – here are the bags for one participant.
Prototypes & Playtesting
Several test versions of unfinished games were available, particularly from Three Crowns Games, which showcased nearly all of its playable prototypes—five new games and one updated edition. The selection included:
“Allenby’s Gamble” – The British in Palestine, 1917
“Colossus Stumbled” – (If I recall correctly, the Second Battle of Kharkov, 1942)
“Tolling of the Bell” – Hungary, 1945 (new edition)
“Fighting Hard” – Mersa Matruh, 1942
“A Most Bitter Blow” – Battleaxe, 1941
“Stalin’s Lost Chance” – Winter War, north of Lake Ladoga
Three Crowns Games had brought the latest prototypes to the test.
We scheduled a nearly finished proto of Stalin’s Lost Chance (Winter War) for Saturday—a game I had already tested once before (Google translate link). This meant my own project, 1758 Fort Carillon, would have to wait. I’ll write a separate article about the SLC session, as the developer was keen to ensure the game’s mechanics—especially the motti system—would resonate with Finnish players. When we last tested the game in the fall, some of these unique mechanics were still a work in progress.
3CG’s Stalin’s Lost Chance test.
Gallipoli 1915 & the LVP Incident
One of the long-running games was Gallipoli 1915, which remained set up for several days. Later, I read on forums that one Ottoman unit had been stuck in place for an extended period before finally launching a disastrous attack. As a result, the players jokingly awarded the unit the title of LVP (Least Valuable Player).
Happy atmosphere in Gallipoli.
At the event, I spotted 1985: Deadly Northern Lights in play. Watching these large-scale games unfold from the sidelines was tempting, but time was limited. At home, The Dark Valley currently takes center stage, so I had to move on.
There was enough table space for a bigger game.
The Venue & Atmosphere
Rimforsa Strand is a manor-style event hotel located on the shore of a lake. Coffee and snacks were available throughout the event, and the package included three full meals per day. Alcoholic beverages, of course, were separate.
By my count, there were eight dedicated gaming rooms or spaces, though I may have missed one—the building is quite labyrinthine, with rooms spread across four floors. The largest room alone housed six or seven gaming tables, and each “game table” often consisted of two or three physical tables pushed together. Aside from a few other guests, nearly everyone present was a player.
The hotel was an excellent venue for the event, though its remote location made it a bit of a journey for everyone. The cozy décor and delicious catering enhanced the experience. From time to time, I’d take a break, wander through the rooms to see what was happening, and grab some “supplies”—a fresh cup of coffee and something sweet. In the evenings, a drink cart was rolled out, offering a well-stocked selection of beverages for adults. Cheaper drinks could be taken from the fridge, with purchases recorded in a notebook on the honor system.
The hotel was very cozy.
Thursday: Quartermaster General
On Thursday, I was invited to join a six-player game of Quartermaster General, playing as the Soviet Union. QmG is a fast-paced, card-driven game of global conquest covering World War II. Most of us were new to the system, but it turned out to be easy to learn as we played. Italy led a strong push for the Axis powers—until, in the final round, I figured out a way for the Allies to snatch the last few victory points for the win. Great fun! Along the way, I also got to know my teammates, though there was less small talk during the game itself.
Thursday night warm-up with the Quartermaster General.
Friday: Helsingborg 1710—A 14-Hour Playtest
Friday’s main event was a 14-hour playtest of 1710 Helsingborg, played by four participants under the guidance of the game’s developer. With two meal breaks in between, it was an intense session! The turning point came about halfway through when the Danish defenses collapsed completely.
I usually avoid social media jargon, but honestly—this was an amazing experience! The Battle of Helsingborg was one of the bloodiest battles in Nordic history before World War II. As a result of the battle, Skåne became permanently part of Sweden. Before this session, I knew little about it, but by the end, I had a much deeper appreciation for its significance. A more detailed article on the game will be published later for those interested.
1710 Helsingborg playtest in progress. Photo Roger Sjögren.
Swedish troops break through the Danish left wing in Helsingborg. Photo Roger Sjögren.
One of eight game rooms.
Sometimes it’s also good to take a breather in the “library hall” and do the background work for the next project, for example, to get acquainted with the battles in Kharkov (Jan @ 3CG).
Saturday Night: The History & Gaming Quiz
One of the highlights of the weekend was the Saturday night quiz, held after dinner. This trivia challenge required both historical knowledge and deep experience in wargaming. My limited Swedish wasn’t the reason I struggled—I simply didn’t know enough! After just a few questions, I was out of the running. The main prize was a 3CG game, presented to the winner by its developer. Most of my own answers were just guesses, so I was never in danger of challenging the local experts!
The culmination of the weekend is a history and game-themed quiz.
Conversations & Collectors
Throughout the weekend, I got to know many participants. As a history enthusiast, it was easy to find common ground. I often just listened as others discussed topics ranging from World War I stormtroopers to the Battle of Gettysburg and even the tribal politics of 19th-century Afghanistan in the context of Pax Pamir. Many attendees had deep historical knowledge, and quite a few were game collectors—some with as many as 700 games in their personal libraries. Whether that’s a lot or a little depends on who you ask!
Sunday: Citadels & Final Thoughts
As Sunday wound down and people began heading home, I joined a game of Citadels to wrap up the weekend. My energy was already fading, but I managed to hang on. As expected, there was plenty of scheming, stealing, and assassination, but soon enough, it was time to pack up and head toward Arlanda.
Three days of 100% wargaming was the longest uninterrupted gaming experience I’d had since my youth. It left such a strong impression that I’ve already started checking my calendar—maybe I can return in the fall! Since Friendly Fire is held twice a year, there are plenty of chances to come back.
The water movement is kept quite simple on purpose (less counting of hexes). However, Fort Carillon typically hosts a large number of defensive artillery so I wanted to verify the movement and interdiction rules in the game now. I ended up making some small tweaks but I am fairly happy with the way it works now – once you get the hang of it. Below is the extensive playthrough in detail.
The British have gathered a force of 2600 men for the attack (26 Strength Points): 1000 “ordinary” Massachusetts provincials, 800 Mass. light infantry and 800 regulars from the 60th regiment. Coming to think of it, it’s an all-American force!
In defense we have 700 Canadian militia and 200 French regulars. But they have 14 pieces of heavy artillery and one heavy mortar with them.
The provincials start by rowing towards the undefended wharf.
Due to the limited visibility in the muddy waters with tall reeds impairing navigation, the British must make a roll when entering Lake Champlain from La Chute river. The “roll for the reeds” was 9, thus all traffic is directed to the south side of the marshy islet, away from the French artillery.
Even if firing at less than optimal range (3 hexes), the forward artillery with (2x) 9-pdr heavy cannons takes a shot, rolls 9 “to hit”, which is an automatic hit. Next the French roll again “for impact”. Medium range and two pieces – roll 0, miss. Cannonballs are scattered far and wide while the provincials row swiftly past the defending guns.
They continue to the real gauntlet as the heavy cannons guarding Lotbinière’s Battery were only 400 meters away at the narrow part of the lake. Two additional interdiction attempts were made: the said two cannons at a range of two and thus in Short range for maximum effect. No artillery leaders were present for additional DRM. Six was required for a hit, but a zero was rolled – automatic miss, ignore all DRMs. Then the four heavy 12-pounders located at the Bastion Joanne fired at a range of three hexes. Six or higher was required, a one was rolled. Even the +2 DRM to hit for all French artillery in Fort Carillon was not enough and they all missed (to the degree of making an impact in the game)!
The last line of defense here were the two 18-pounders at northeastern Bastion Germaine, which fired at the range of two. Six was required and the roll was eight. The Impact roll was the maximum “9” so the siege guns’ +1 DRM was ignored. One hit was scored and as no leader was present, the leader hit roll was ignored. 1 step loss was absorbed by Colonel Preble’s 3rd Massachusetts Regiment. The attacking troops were forced to retreat back to their point of departure. No more interdictions took place along the way back as all artillery had used their “one interdiction attempt per stack”. As the French hit a target on water, they could place one of the two available Interdict markers on the hex (it’s mislabeled!). This indicates their guns are now well aimed at this location and the hex gives an additional +2 DRM to hit with the six surrounding hexes gaining a +1 DRM.
Next came Partridge’s 6th Massachusetts – the only provincial light infantry regiment. They took the same path around the islet keeping their distance to the French guns aiming at them along the way. The French fire again – they can attempt to interdict each stack moving on water, once per phase. The French roll a five, but seven would have been required for a hit. Partridge’s men move on towards the undefended Lower Town next to the fort.
The guns at Lotbinière’s Battery had no line of sight, thus the cannons at Languedoc fire at three hexes. As each bastion has a limited field of fire, they waited as long as they could before the bateaux would have moved out of their sight. Then again, rolling a zero is always a miss. As the provincials moved to the next hex and were now visible to the four guns located in Bastion Joanne. They fire off at the two hex range: Short range, +2 DRM to hit, and they roll “9”. That gives again +1 DRM for impact. But the impact roll of “0” yields no hits!
As the Massachusetts regiment gets ready to land, they are now adjacent to the two guns that could not see them before. The French artillerymen turn their cannons around to face this threat and make the final attempt to fend off the attacking light infantry clad in all-green uniforms. Another zero!! The Town is lost… there is no reaction from French infantry as they all were hunkering down behind their fortifications.
The third and final “wave” comes in the form of the American-raised 60th Regiment of Foot and its 4th Battalion, commanded by Major Rutherford. However, George Augustus Howe, 3rd Viscount Howe – the tactical leader of the British expedition – had himself taken the lead of this attack.
The objective for the third “wave” is to get all the way to the rear of the French guarded only by a small detachment of Canadian militia. We go through the gauntlet routine once again: First cannons once again roll bad (2) and miss. The four heavy pieces in the fort can only fire at the range of five hexes. Yet another “0” – a miss. I need a dice tower…! Two more cannons take their shot at two hexes but only manage a “7” which is one short of a hit.
The redcoats continue rowing hugging the opposite shore keeping their distance from the artillery. The final attempt comes once again from Bastion Germaine with two cannons: at five hexes a seven is needed to hit (this is with the +2 DRM from fort). But they roll a three – miss. Now the Canadians can try to ambush the landing troops! Rolling “1” they fail miserably and actually have to retreat three hexes away from the British troops.
The British movement allowance was halved by water movement – from 12 to 6 MP – and the ambush itself cost the an additional one MP (made a small adjustment on the fly here). With their five remaining movement points, they get next to the Canadian militia unit protecting the French forward battery (and also the Canadians who vanished into the woods after their failed ambush). Howe is full of confidence as always and takes the enemy head on. You can only be ambushed once per phase so it’s time for infantry combat!
Howe leads the 60th regiment towards the French forward artillery position.
The redcoats charge uphill (-1 DRM) with Howe in the lead (+2 DRM) they have a pretty good chance of chasing the militia away (at 4:1 raw odds). There are two other militia units adjacent to the targeted Canadians, and the larger unit with 2SP sends half of their men to support the defense. The odds fall to a final 3:1 with +1 DRM. I am using the slightly more attacker-friendly version of the combat table. The roll is “4” +1 DRM thus a five. The table shows the attacker wins and both take one step loss. Backside of the British counter has only 5SP although it should be 6SP. It was a loss of 2SP so a little bit of steam was expended on the first attack.
As we are still going through the first round(s) of combat, let’s see what happens around the Lower Town where the Massachusetts light infantry landed previously – all combat resulting from the initial contact must be resolved before any additional fighting may take place. Technically, they are not forced to attack as all three parties are inside fortifications facing each other (I had removed the all-around field fort counter earlier but need one at least for the Lower Town). But they do want to attack and capture or destroy those nasty guns at Lotbinière’s Battery outside the fort.
I am still sticking with my current design where the field fortifications basically have three protected sides and the battery is not protected against an attack coming from the Lower Town. A hundred Frenchmen sally from the fort to assist the defenders so we are looking at 8SP against 3SP and -1 DRM making it an effective 2:1 attack. The roll is “5” and with -1 it’s a “4”. The attacker still wins (with a step loss) driving the French three hexes away. Now those captured French siege guns are actually threatening the fort as they are in the effective range to knock down the walls!
Back to the second round of combat and Lord Howe. His troops are adjacent to two enemy units and he decides to attack the one with artillery. Once again, the attack comes from the rear and there is no benefit from the redoubt. Well, at least right now – it’s debatable if they would actually cover 360 degrees in all cases. We have a 6:1 attack with +2 DRM. It’s an automatic win for the attacker but let’s roll the die to see how much the Canadians will suffer. My other version of the combat table would still let the defender win with a “0” but the DRMs in play would still make it an auto-win for the British. The roll was actually “6” and with DRMs it’s “8” meaning the militia is wiped out. The 60th takes another step loss so now the 5SP counter is correct. All French artillery outside the fort is now captured and if there is a second attack “later in the game”, the fort is in deep trouble!
This is the third and final post in my recent playtest series. Admittedly, it was a solo run, so I had to make some compromises during the gameplay.
In this game, time is of the essence. The British can steadily advance with their overwhelming army, but this approach gives the French the opportunity to decide how to respond to the oncoming redcoats. Of course, just retreating off-map isn’t an option (what kind of game would that be?). However, if the French allow themselves to be surrounded in the fort during a siege, their chances of survival will be slim.
The British strategy so far is depicted below. The main army landed approximately where they historically landed (depending on which source you reference). My focus was on the western (left) side of the map, while some provincial forces were sent to engage the French on the eastern side. This approach comes with risks: the French could potentially sally out in force and inflict significant damage on the provincials. However, such a move isn’t straightforward. A typical provincial regiment is larger than a French-Canadian regiment, and in this game, the odds favor the defender.
As the French executed their fighting retreat through the restricted terrain, the limited river crossings posed a significant challenge. The only viable options to bypass them required boats to be hauled over, making it easier to establish new defensive positions. Capitalizing on this, the French focused on blocking the two main fording points and began constructing not one but two lines of defense.
The first line is positioned just beyond the ford near the sawmill (close to the left edge of the upper blue line on the map). Its purpose is to slow the British advance and hinder their ability to efficiently move heavy artillery closer to the fort. The French plan to abandon this position as soon as the British are poised to overwhelm it. This delaying tactic also buys time to construct the historical breastworks closer to the fort. If the British player wants a decisive victory, they should press aggressively to prevent the French from fortifying their positions.
Meanwhile, the British artillery train remains at the beaches of Lake George, still in the process of being sorted and prepared for action.
Below, the heavy artillery is now being hauled through the portage toward the sawmill and the section of the La Chute River that leads to Lake Champlain. I also began replacing larger stacks with placeholder counters, which helps relieve congestion on the map board while adding a bit of “fog of war.” While it doesn’t match the guesswork or searching required in Pacific War, it’s a welcome addition in the ongoing quest to enhance gameplay.
By the time most of the British artillery was within range, the French defensive line was fully constructed. The numbered counters represent stacks of units, though I still need to find a proper off-map location to manage these stacks more efficiently.
Several boats were brought to the river to facilitate crossings, and the British opted for a bold strategy: cutting off the French forward defenses from their main body and striking at their rear. This maneuver significantly reduced many of the French advantages, though some of the forward troops acted more as a diversion than a serious force.
This attack forced the French off their defensive line, but at a cost to the British. Their morale had already taken hits along the way, and it suffered a final blow during one of the battles. Currently, in the game, morale does not recover over time—perhaps it should, maybe at a rate of one point per night? Further testing is needed to determine what makes sense and strikes the right balance.
Once morale sinks to a low level (currently labeled “precarious” in the prototype), players must pass a leader morale test. Failure means the campaign is effectively over. Historically, this mirrors the actions of the British supreme commander, Abercromby, who famously lost his nerve and ordered a retreat back to the camp at the former Fort William Henry.
History seemed to repeat itself as Abercromby failed the roll. While he’s a weak leader, rolling a zero will doom you every time.
This game took a turn for the worse for the British. They suffered losses along the way, and the death of Lord Howe—a devastating -4 to morale—was a significant factor. Both sides have strong leaders who can greatly influence combat, but using them always comes with the risk of losing them. An army leader cannot lead offensively and is instead restricted to defensive roles. That’s why he is placed in a box on the map and represented by the HQ marker. This reflects the reality of his historical role, leading from a safe distance rather than leading the charge (this is not the Plains of Abraham…).
I played a little further to see how events might unfold and to attempt to chase the French away. The final dispositions are shown below, with the French army now surrounded at the fort. If the British leadership had been in better shape, they could have pushed the artillery forward to prepare for an assault on the French lines.
With 1758 Fort Carillon, I aim to explore the Ticonderoga campaign in a way that goes beyond the iconic desperate French defense. Some of the scenarios are built around historical “what-ifs” and are designed to be more balanced and engaging for gameplay. It is not yet a fully ready or complete game, but I believe it’s finally(!) quite close to being a real wargame!
After committing to two assaults in the Maintenance Segment at the start of the day, the British army was able to mass more troops against two target hexes. When engaging an enemy defensive line, it really isn’t practical to try to punch through in a narrow section as the adjacent unengaged troops will provide additional support to the defenders. Some units are thus needed to attack the rest of the line close to the main assault – they’ll likely suffer some losses, but that’s how it goes.
As coordination wasn’t exactly easy on the 18th century battlefield, I wanted to add a small detail in preplanning and make the player to commit to an assault in advance which is the only time a target hex can be attacked from two adjacent hexes at the same time. Otherwise, all combat is resolved one hex against another. If the assault fails to capture the hex or is simply not done, there is a morale penalty that is “paid” already during the Maintenance Segment.
Below, the artillery bombardment (blue arrow example) pounded the French line and caused the defender to disrupt halving their combat strength. I was using both direct (cannons / guns) and indirect fire (mortars), although they cannot fire together. This hex was then breached with the assault. Not all pieces had yet been brought in range of the French line and were still on the beaches behind, but this was enough.
The second assault was broken up by the defending heavy artillery driving one of the two British regiments back (yellow line). Then the second regiment (44th) that was already committed had to attack by itself and subsequently failed.
Thanks to the artillery support, the provincials lead by Bradstreet were able to force their way into the line – I would not normally expect them to be able to do this. In combat, my normal use for the provincials is to distract and harass the enemy while suffering acceptable losses. The stack is shown below (I spread them out for easier viewing). The handwritten HQ counter marks where the army commander is located. For the French, that’s obviously Montcalm – well, at least until he becomes a casualty.
A second wave (“reserves”) made up from the remaining men of two regiments moved in to exploit and support the initial attempt. Once inside the breastworks – or “redoubt” in the game – they started to push west (up). The French defenders started to budge and then decided to start pulling back and not risk the remaining army in the forward line.
The dilemma for the French now was to save as much of the forward-deployed artillery as possible and not let it fall into the hands of the British. That is a slow process, so to pull it off, you really have to plan ahead and protect the slow moving train.
The British were massing their troops on one side of the lake while the French were pulling the massive pieces back on the other side. Well, of course, they took some shots at each other across the narrow bay but with little effect. Even the captured large 18-pounders didn’t cause much damage when returning shots back to the original owners.
Now, of course, Lord Howe would not just sit around watching the enemy save their precious cannons and decided to cross the lake bringing whatever troops he could muster to harass the enemy (a lot of the army had already pushed forward after the retreating French).
It wasn’t exactly the best of ideas – poor Howe got hit in the fight and now the British lost their most valuable leader. His loss causes an immense hit on the morale and also halves the British movement for several turns and they lose their momentum. This is just what the French needed to buy some time to retreat in good order.
As the French trickled back towards the fort, they started to build the classic Heights of Carillon defensive line. The loss of Howe bought them now again time to dig in, just like 266 years ago…
That’s enough for now – part 3 will continue the playtest!
I recently completed a full playtest session, taking advantage of the rare opportunity to leave the game set up on my table at home for an extended period. This allowed me to run through an entire scenario from start to finish, thoroughly reviewing and testing the setup as well as the mechanics that had been adjusted over the past year. As a result, I’ve added several minor items to my “to-do” list and identified a few unresolved issues that still need attention. However, I’m pleased to say that the project now feels like it’s making clear and tangible progress.
Another playtest is scheduled with a local tester who has experience with other large game projects, and I’m feeling very optimistic about it. With the upcoming updates to the prototype counters and the many changes already made, I believe the game is finally approaching “beta.” At that stage, the focus will shift from simply ensuring all components work together to fine-tuning and balancing the gameplay.
For this test, I chose the main scenario, “Montcalm’s Plan.” While it’s not an actual historical plan, it represents my interpretation of what the battle could have looked like if Montcalm had been able to deploy the full army of New France at Carillon. Of course, what Montcalm would have done in reality is open to speculation, but I’ve designed this scenario to depict how I envision the French-Canadian forces might have positioned themselves in July 1758. Additionally, there will be a scenario offering full freedom for the French, allowing players to explore and test a wide variety of defensive setups.
As the defenders, the French faced the classic challenge of uncertainty about where the enemy would strike. In this scenario, they’ve divided their forces, positioning roughly two-thirds of the army on the western side of Lake George (left side in the image above) and the remaining one-third on the eastern side (right). Redeploying troops from one side to the other is relatively quick, and the initial defenses are designed to be strong enough to repel a hasty British attack.
Players can also use boats to cross the narrow bay, but this maneuver costs infantry half of their movement points. Overall, I’ve deliberately reduced movement allowances to reflect the challenging terrain and the limited communication capabilities of the time—signals were often sent using bonfires! While the movement restrictions can feel tight at times, they are intended to add realism and emphasize the difficulties of coordination in such conditions.
Some of the French artillery is deployed forward, including several heavy 18-pounder naval cannons mounted on travel carriages. However, most of the larger pieces remain in the fort, awaiting the eventual British approach. Moving artillery is a slow and labor-intensive process, requiring significant manpower. In the dense forest, it’s not just a matter of transportation—you’re effectively cutting a new road as you go.
This level of logistical difficulty might be unusual for a board game, but I wanted to reflect the real challenges armies faced in the wilderness. Why not simply use a traditional artillery counter that moves two hexes per turn? Because hauling these massive guns demands men—many of them—who won’t be available to fight the enemy. Players must make strategic choices: commit troops to engaging the enemy, or assign them to the grueling task of moving artillery.
The only “road” represented in the game is really just a muddy trail used to drag heavy equipment, such as boats and sometimes artillery, between the two lakes—a route historically called “Portage.” Early in the summer of 1758, heavy rains raised water levels, making e.g., Bernetz Brook difficult to cross, and the trail was still muddy and treacherous by July.
For the British, tactically speaking, the big questions include where to land the main army, how much of the light and provincial infantry should be committed to bypass any French defensive lines, and, of course, where and when to land & commit the artillery. Although the British army is much larger than the French army, the ranks will get thin when spreading out.
The image below is from a previous setup but shows the French defenses on hex 16.16 spread out to the right: 4 heavy 18-pdr. cannons, 400 men from the 2nd battalion of the Berry Regiment, Louis-Thomas Jacau de Fiedmont (a French artillery commander), and a level 2 redoubt.
I deployed some of the British provincials (Americans) to the eastern side to keep the French forces occupied, while the majority of the army landed near the historical landing area—now fittingly called “Howe’s Landing.” From there, a significant push was made along the Indian path that winds around Bear Mountain, known today as Cook Mountain.
The French were forced to bring in reinforcements (see below) to block the strong British advance between Cook Mountain and Bernetz Brook. The narrow path only benefits light infantry, meaning regular units may struggle to keep up with the vanguard.
One of the biggest challenges so far has been managing the tall counter stacks. My printer produces thick counters, and I had numerous elements, each requiring its own counter, which quickly added up. To address this, I’ve eliminated certain elements like swivel guns and engineering leaders, and I’ve streamlined the artillery counters. Additionally, I’ve made features like “random fords” and “historical leader restrictions” optional rules. While these details are nice-to-have, most players likely won’t miss them.
I’ll return to the counter stacks later, but for now, let’s refocus on Lake George. The British artillery “castles” (gun rafts) could prove useful when attempting to breach enemy fortifications. These floating artillery batteries were documented, though only in vague terms. One such example, the Land Tortoise, still rests at the bottom of Lake George. It was designed as a floating artillery platform to support landings or repel enemy naval movements and featured seven gun ports.
In the game, I’ve generously equipped the British with three of these formidable gun rafts. Each comes with onboard artillery, giving them significant firepower. However, engaging the French 18-pounders at close range could be disastrous, leaving the outcome to chance and die rolls.
Admittedly, my documentation for this aspect of the scenario is incomplete, so I don’t have a detailed narrative for the artillery duels that occurred. What I do know is that the engagements resulted in limited gains, with both sides trading some hits but achieving little overall.
By the end of the first day, it was evident that the British advance would not be swift, prompting them to begin landing artillery. The process is slow, and the small beaches quickly become congested. Rafts (radeaux), boats (bateaux), troops, artillery, and road improvements all contribute to a crowded scene during the initial stages of the game.
The strategy is straightforward: commit the army to break through the defenses using whatever artillery can be brought into range. The French cannons proved to be a nuisance, causing some of the rafts to abort their landing attempts and retreat off-map. Once artillery hits a target on the lake, an Interdict (not Intercept) marker is placed on the hex to indicate that the gun crews have their “sights” trained on that area. Subsequent attempts to enter the hex or any of the surrounding hexes will benefit from a DRM (die roll modifier) on the to-hit roll.
Replicating my last year’s “start of November”, I spent the weekend in Tampere – a few hours drive away. This time I brought my spouse with me and we also spent the night in the city. While the hotels were quite full due to the NHL games in town, we found a pretty nice place to stay. Hitpoint is a family-friendly gaming event but has very little in terms of wargaming. However, that really wasn’t an issue to me – it was another chance to meet people and spend two full days on my project 🙂
Time flies when you’re having fun! The first day, Saturday, went by quickly. I focused first on getting one of my key scenarios documented well. It was quite a chore but by Sunday it was a wrap… Of course, I was setting it up at the same time but missed a few things here and there. On Sunday I set it up again and started playing. People stopped by every so often, so at times the progress was slow. Then add all those small documentation updates or clarifications!
One change I am so far very happy about is the black and white British landing chart. It looks good and works well vs. all previous versions.
I also updated some of the game details on the website. Fort Carillon is not a simple game even if I am constantly trying to streamline it. I wanted to add a note about the complexity – in BGG terms (scope up to 5.00) – and ultimately decided to give it 3.5/5. Although I am constantly surprised how slow most games play unless you’re really experienced with it, I don’t think my game is medium complexity. I want to give it a notch higher rating to make sure anyone (some day) buying it doesn’t expect a light game.
Ok, what about the game itself? I am a bit too tired to write a full story now, so I’ll just add a couple of random pictures.
In this scenario – tentatively named as “Montcalm’s Plan” – there will one hard-coded version and another one giving full flexibility for players to set up the French defenses as they see fit. The foundation is that Governor-General Vaudreuil had released more troops to Montcalm earlier and scrapped his own pet project to attack through the Mohawk River Valley. I might even define the British landing hexes to make it easy to just get going and not worry about the strategy too much.
The British army is mostly landing on the western side of Lake George and is preparing to launch an assault against the French line in the morning. Artillery was brought in, but some of them were interdicted by French cannons firing up to a thousand yards/meters away (5 hexes).
I also sent all three artillery castles forward to smash some of the defensive earthworks and that resulted in quite an artillery battle between the gun rafts and the dozen heavy pieces defending the area. The first attempt replicating Bradstreet’s battoemen’s landing forward of the main army ended up miserably as they were repulsed and sent back to recuperate.
I even ended up bringing back a rule I had deleted as part of the effort to streamline everything. This is the “Interdict” rule (counter is outdated) which has the special purpose to prevent sneaking boats one by one past the enemy. Lots of casualties were suffered by both sides, so I was quite happy about the end result. I just wonder how good that wooden “armor” was on those artillery castles…
Below is the result of the aggressive initial moves by the British player. While the casualties were at an acceptable level, a lot of the troops were repulsed and basically had to re-embark their boats and leave the map to return at the start of the following turn (phase).
And finally, I was preparing for an all-out attack against the French but literally ran out of time as my wife picked me up for the return journey home. Oh well, I am quite happy about the results of this weekend – lots of clarifications and new data for the scenario!
Recently I visited once again Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York. Although this was a family trip, I added a few extra stops to see and learn more about history.
Dunbarton is a small town of a few thousand inhabitants. It’s a bit off the main roads so I doubt too many tourists visit it even if it has housed some great leaders of the past centuries: Major Robert Rogers lived there for many years and General John Stark – one of the great leaders of the American Revolution – had a sawmill.
You can almost read “Robert Rogers Rd” on the street sign!
The statue of Caleb Stark, son of John Stark. I assume this was the town center!
I always love to visit old cemeteries to see the tombstones of the people – and who knows, I might find “someone famous”… (no luck this time)
Later, we moved on to New York and the Catskills mountains. On the way, as we traveled through the Berkshires, I insisted on stopping by at Stockbridge, Massachusetts, one of the original homes of the Stockbridge Mohicans. I knew beforehand the museum closed for the season just a few days earlier, so had to look for other quick places to visit. I was with the family and they don’t always appreciate history the way I do.
It was a great surprise to us to come to a small town full of tourists! Perhaps the greatest attraction is the Norman Rockwell Museum which to me sounds like a billionaire family making rockets or something (yes, I googled him). The main street was jampacked with pensioners, buses, cars, etc. I am not a fan of crowds, thus our visit became time-restricted.
In our ~45 min stop I could really only find 39 Main Street, the place where the Stockbridge chief Jacob Naunauphtaunk lived back in the 1750s (check out the embedded StoryMap or the PDF!). This house was built 1845, so it’s not original to me, but it’s almost two centuries old anyway!
Disclaimer: The updates shown here have not passed my artist yet (Ilya K.). He might not like the colors etc. They are functional updates for now.
Leaders
Besides tweaking the movement system (a significant undertaking), the leader counters have:
The Morale impact of losing the leader printed (in blue).
Clarified the subunit types that he can lead (e.g. “R/LT” for regulars and light infantry).
A stripe was added to the bar (stripe) crossing the counter to make it absolutely clear, this is not a combat unit. The stripe is of different color for infantry and non-infantry leaders.
Btw, the highest-ranking leader is now placed in its own box outside the gaming area. You would not really see the #1 guy leading an attack, would you? He can of course defend like any other infantry leader (Montcalm commanded the center of the French line).
Artillery
Transporting the arty is now finally streamlined. Getting this done in a sensible way keeping all important aspects within the parameters I wanted took a couple of months. Now, I feel it works the way it should and plays better. Most of the effort now goes to streamlining the game experience. Some results are visible below:
The white arrow now indicates if the piece is either direct or indirect fire capable unit. Both arrows combined (for now at least) is a howitzer which can fire both ways.
Zero to two black cannonballs indicate the weight class (zero = light, one = medium, two = heavy). Originally, I had 1-3 but the math below didn’t add up! This value is used in several places:
Short range in hexes (except the light arty).
Infantry strength points required to transport, both on land and by rafts.
Extra infantry movement points required per hex when transporting.
“X” or “+2” as movement point value. Artillery on garrison carriages in now immobile except within Fort Carillon where they can be moved between the bastions, thus the “X” for no movement. “+2” is the extra 2 MPs per hex.
Infantry
Finally, the infantry that has had the smallest changes. I have a backlog of new art from Ilya still waiting to be updated to the counters and the Hurons are a sample of those.
