Megagames

Not PBM but if people like big historic games they may wish to have a look at the 2014 list of games being put on by Megagames
(www.megagame.org.uk).

I have just played in "Master of Europe" based in 1813 in London but they use other locations like the Royal Armouries in Leeds and the Netherlands and run games across a wide selection of periods.

I have had a go as VC int services up near the DMZ and fancy the 60BC Roman Republic game.

Played in "Alea Iacta Est" the 60BC game last Weekend and the good news is that the Roman Republic is still intact - Just!

The gang of three as the Republicans called them never really co-operated to dominate/change the Republic.

Crassus made a bid - following bread riots which forced the senate to flee Rome he marched troops into the city "to restore order" without consulting the rest of the senate - But Pompeius did not support him and sided with the rest of the Senate to fine him 500 Talents.
Crassus fell on his sword rather than accept the fine and loss of face.

Pompeius - sorted out land for his Veterans and kept his status as leading citizen but got sunk in red tape and trying to manage the senate - often seeming to have more in common the traditional Republicans than with young Fire Brands like Caesar. He admitted afterwards that the Senate rather lost sight of what its Governors were doing.

Caesar - Did very well as Governor in Gaul even if he did break every rule in the book. But before he quite finished the job he accepted commission to take his Veterans East and sort out the Partharian Problem. Following in path of the Gov of Syria and then C Met. Creticus he then became the third Roman Commander to be defeated by the Suren.

A defeat he blames on Creticus taking his troops home with him in a saulk and dropping him in it plus a unhistoric willingness of Parthians and Armenians etc to co-operate.

If anyone wants to look at these games the web site is as my first post....www.megagame.org.uk

Have got back from London after playing a Florentine Condotta inin Renanssance and Reformation a megagame set in the period 1514-1540 ish.

I would just like to say that in games I hate Venetians - why are players who play the Doge of Venice and his lackies always underhand, double dealing etc, etc.

Apart from Venice I have to say it was a very polite game with a majority of players much more interested in in spending money on Art, Churches and Family Matters than burning Heretics or Wars.

In fact at times it seemed that the true leaders of the French & the Hapsburg's in Europe w'ere the young ladies playing the French Queen Mother and the Habsburg Viceroy of Flanders (not so young in the game) who were in charge of running their respective faction's dynastic policies, marriage alliances and keeping track of who was married to who, number of Children etc:

The French Queen mother did very well and it was noticed that when the French Military managed to invade territory which belonged to a dynastic ally the King sided with his "mother" and they withdrew.

However she was outmatched by the Elanor the Viceroy of Flanders who arranged:

- After the sad death of Catherine of Aragon in a hunting accident a Hapsburg Queen.....who produced a male heir plus a couple of daughters for Henry XIII.........allowing him to stay Catholic.
- A Hapsburgs Queen of Portugal.
- And finally married herself to the Hero Sfoza Duke of Milan. Their son may have enough making to be next HRE.

- From the viewpoint of Florence her best move was the Wedding of the fair Catherine Hapsburg (Lady of Florence....later Grand Duchess of Tuscany) to my boss. His sister married the Doge of Genoa so Florence also did OK and my character as the family Condotta did better on Sea leading the Genoan Fleet than on land. On land spent most of my time putting down revolts caused by the boss high tax's to pay for the Rennassance in Florence (Cathedrals do not come cheap esp if decorated by Michangelo!).

Aside from from the Rennaissance which clearly happened the Reformation also happened but as a very civil reform movement in Germany and the North. The Lutheran Princes stuffed the Papal Cardinals in debates and converted most of Germany, but avoided making any conversions in France, Habsburg Lands or Bavaria they also put down Anabapist and Peasant revolts. Some talk of getting rid of the Emperor but they got cold feet in the diet when faced with the man.

Military wise the Habsburgs did not fight the French or the Lutherans but stopped the Turks in the East and saved Louis of Hungary (other Hapsburg brother-in-law) and on the third attempt the Spanish Captured Algiers. The Genoan Fleet lead by your's truely defeating the North African Fleet which had defeated the first two attempts before they landed.

The French captured Lorraine (shocking lack of action by Imperial Electors etc) also Tunis (after Pope called a Crusade) but twice came unstuck in Italy against the Hero Duke of Milan and his trusty Condotta. Who it seems recieved financial backing from all the big Italian States apart from the rat-fink Venetians and even the Swarbian League were passing the hat for him before he found safety wed to the Emperor's Aunt. After which the King of France turned to pushing his dynastic claims in Lorraine and polishing his "Prestige" by heroic actions against North African Pirate bases.

When game ended the Lutherans just lead France in the Heavenly approval lists - with the Papacy almost at bottom. It went down hill after the death of the last Medici Pope when the Cardinals elected a German in the home that this would delay the spread of Heresy in this area......100% failure.

In terms of Prestige the Franch were in the lead but not that much ahead of Florence.

If anyone is interested in these large games check out the web site on address shown on prior e.mails