For our last bit of Adepticon coverage, a writeup from game master Fernando about his awesome Texan Revolution narrative game. This game ran in the Historicals venue, right beside the Blood & Crowns ‘Away to Calais’ narrative event. Fernando graciously provided his thoughts on how things went.
A Revolution in Chicago
In March, I had the privilege of hosting two Blood and Steel games at Adepticon. I want to express my gratitude to everyone who participated. Moderating the game was an absolute blast, and it seemed like the players thoroughly enjoyed themselves, too. Blood and Steel provides the ideal framework for laid-back gaming sessions over beers and pretzels with friends. It marked my inaugural experience hosting a game at a convention, and I dedicated several months to preparation: painting figures, assembling buildings, and sourcing the perfect scatter terrain to craft that immersive tabletop miniature wargaming ambiance we all cherish. Ultimately, the goal was simply to have a good time together. And I think I succeeded in that regard.
How I got Into Blood & Steel
My introduction to Blood and Steel came at Historicon 2022, where I had the chance to try out a demo. Initially, my interest was piqued by the prospect of gaming the Mexican-American War, and I was thrilled to learn that the game encompassed such a conflict. Having previous experience with Blood and Plunder, I anticipated that a 19th-century spin-off would be right up my alley.
I placed an order for some minis from 1st Corps in the UK. However, upon their arrival, I found myself a bit disappointed. While the sculptures themselves were of good quality, particularly the newer ones, the main issue arose from repetition among the models. Fielding large units meant having the same model repeated numerous times, resulting in an unnatural appearance. For me, one of the greatest appeals of tabletop miniature games, compared to board games for example, lies in their visual aesthetic, which significantly impacts the enjoyment of the game. Consequently, I couldn’t envision myself gaming with these figures.
I shelved Blood and Steel for the time being and turned my attention to other projects. However, early last year, I happened upon some miniatures from Boot Hill, depicting figures from the Texas Revolution. Initially, I entertained the idea of repurposing them for the Mexican-American War. This seemed feasible for the US side, particularly with the New Orleans Greys, the renowned US volunteer force in the war, whose uniform could easily transition beyond Texas. However, the challenge lay in the significant differences between the Mexican Army of the 1830s and that of the 1840s. The most distinctive and colorful units in the Mexican-American War were products of Santa Anna’s Military Reforms, which did not exist during the Texas Revolution. Thus, repurposing Boot Hill miniatures for the Mexican-American War became an overwhelming endeavor that I couldn’t imagine completing, prompting me to shelve the project once more.
As a member of the Blood and Steel Facebook group, I began noticing others inquiring whether their favorite conflicts would ever receive proper lists for use in the game. I also observed some YouTubers attempting to create their own lists. This inspired me to realize that I could do the same. While I wouldn’t be recreating the Mexican-American War, I could certainly delve into the Texas Revolution and utilize the fantastic Boot Hill miniatures, especially since Brigade Games had acquired them and moved production from the UK to the US, making the project more affordable for me. And thus, I delved into it.
Creating the Lists
There’s a prevailing sentiment within the Blood and Steel community that the game holds untapped potential (we we share here at DMC – ed) While Blood and Plunder focuses on a specific period with clear rival factions and some sense of continuity between eras, the 19th century presents a vastly different landscape due to the Industrial Revolution. Technological advancements and shifting geopolitical dynamics during this period significantly altered the nature of conflicts, making the era rich and diverse for wargaming. However, it also poses a challenge for game designers, as the multitude of conflicts and changes within a span of just a decade can be daunting to represent accurately.
The designers of Blood and Steel took a pragmatic approach by offering simple rules adaptable to various 19th-century conflicts. While the core rulebook delves into a few specific conflicts with accompanying lists, the vast scope of the century leaves many others unexplored, potentially disappointing players whose favorite conflicts remain uncovered. Additionally, some players may desire more depth in terms of translating historical tactics to the tabletop. However, this adaptability also opens up avenues for customization, allowing players to tailor lists to their preferences. Yet, this process comes with its challenges, requiring players to reverse-engineer point costs and devise traits that align with historical accuracy.
Personally, my interest lay in the Texas Revolution, which conveniently overlaps with the Mexican-American War. Adapting the existing Mexican Army Infantry stats provided a foundation, but adjustments were necessary to accurately reflect the historical context. For instance, units like the Peasants were omitted, as they didn’t exist as a fighting force in Texas, where civilians either joined the army or rebelled alongside the Texans. Conversely, units like the Presidial Cavalry, vital in the Texas Revolution but less significant in other conflicts, had to be created to fill the gap.
For the Texans, creativity was key. I opted to represent historical units like the New Orleans Greys and the Alabama Red Rovers alongside generic units such as US volunteers. Additionally, I included units for the local Anglo and Hispanic Texas militias that fought in the initial stages of the war, guided by historical records to assign specific traits. For instance, the aforementioned New Orleans Volunteers, known for their professionalism, were given the “Drilled” trait.
While I could delve into more detail about my list creation process, I’ll refrain from prolonging this discussion. Suffice it to say that I based my lists on existing traits in the Blood and Steel rulebook, using history as a guide. Determining proper stats and point costs was a bit more intricate, involving analysis of existing unit stats and their corresponding point costs, adjusted to fit the historical units of the Texas Revolution. My hope is that Firelock releases a guideline to streamline this process, enabling more players to create lists for their preferred conflicts.
Prepping For Adepticon
Regarding the lists I prepared for hosting the game, I structured the event as a 2 vs 2 setup. I made one important modification to the original Blood and Steel game rules: I assigned each player their own activation dice. In the standard game, players roll a d10 for each unit and then bid these dice against their opponent to determine who goes first. While the rules typically involve bidding between two opposing parties, as in a 1 vs 1 scenario, I adjusted the point size of the game to a limit of 150 points, allowing approximately 4 units per player. With this smaller number of units in a 2 vs 2 setup, implementing a 4-way bidding system didn’t significantly slow down the game and enhanced the overall experience for everyone involved.
I derive great pleasure from painting figures, so once I had the lists finalized, I fully immersed myself in this aspect of the hobby. I envisioned creating an immersive experience by sourcing appropriate buildings for the time period and geographical setting, and not just painting armies, but also crafting plenty of scatter terrain to set the scene for a gripping conflict. One element that garnered widespread appreciation from participants was the table mat, which I didn’t craft myself but purchased directly from Warsigil, known for producing top-quality table mats in the hobby. While these mats may come with a price tag and a wait time, the satisfaction upon receiving them is well worth it.
However, hosting a game involves more than just the visual aspects; it’s also about providing the tools for smooth gameplay. Since this was an event game where many players would be new to Firelock Games and Blood and Steel, I wanted to ensure they could quickly grasp the rules and focus on enjoying the strategic aspects of the game. To aid in this, I designed and printed cards featuring all the unit stats and rules in a clear format. Additionally, I acquired tokens and gaming aids to further facilitate gameplay. Perhaps most crucially, I invested in quality movement trays as they expedite the process of moving units across the tabletop. I used Oshiro‘s transparent acrylic trays, which garnered attention from many participants for their excellent quality.
The Adepticon Experience
I organized two games, one in the afternoon and one in the evening, on Friday. Since the game took place in a secondary venue, I arrived early to set up the table. It was a bit confusing at first, with limited staff available for assistance. Thankfully, I spotted a Blood and Crowns game hosted by Jon Lundberg and sought his help to find the proper table where I could set my game. With his assistance, I set up my table next to his, creating a small corner dedicated to Firelock Games.
Despite thorough preparation prior to Adepticon, I overlooked one crucial detail as I forgot the flags for the flag bearers at home. While we had impressive miniatures and a well-detailed setting with plenty of scatter terrain and buildings, the absence of flags remains a minor annoyance for me. I really like them as they provide great in-game shots. However, it didn’t significantly impact the overall experience.
As participants arrived, I provided a brief overview of the history of the Texas Revolution and clarified that our game was not a precise recreation of any specific battle but rather an imaginary skirmish following the events of the Alamo. I then explained the basic rules, including the activation mechanics, fatigue system, and the significance of commanders in issuing commands to activate other units. Once the game began, I mostly allowed players to learn by playing. Fortunately, each game had at least one player who had experience with Blood and Plunder, which simplified things. I just needed to ensure they understood the differences in certain rules, such as the shoot save applying always rather than only in cover.
Overall, everything ran smoothly. I took on the role of moderator, avoiding pushing for specific strategies but encouraging players to consider melee attacks alongside shooting, as there was a tendency to favor the latter, which occasionally slowed down the game.
In the end, the Mexican side emerged victorious in one game, while the Texans claimed victory in the second. Although I can’t definitively say that the lists I designed were perfectly balanced, I can confidently say that everyone thoroughly enjoyed their time playing the game.
Parting Thoughts
I’m not sure if I’ll host another game next year. While I hope to, it demands significant preparation and motivation. Nevertheless, I must admit that Blood and Steel provides an ideal ruleset for newcomers to Firelock Games who wish to explore niche conflicts. It’s well-suited for events like mine, where everyone can enjoy themselves despite any potential imbalances in the lists I designed. I would appreciate it if Firelock could offer more support for the game, perhaps by providing a guide for list creation.
Dead Man's Chest 