PBEM Linz Campaign

Linz Campaign Tactical Map

Made a good start with the Linz campaign, the 10^th phase of our 1813 campaign.

There was a very good response to my recruiting drive.  I have not only filled the six command vacancies, but also have two reserve players.

Two of the players are veterans and four newbie’s.   Of the four new players two are very experienced wargamers and two who warned of a lack of experience.   I am delighted with the mix.   It will introduce a lot of new blood into the campaign.  It will also make the commander reaction very unpredictable.

We have completed the first move, always the most difficult.   It’s like starting a wargame.  There seem endless options before the first move, but by move four all options are suddenly narrowed down to one or two – neither what was originally planned.

The campaign is very similar.   But made more difficult because the new players do not understand either the campaign rules or the wargame rules.   So planning tends to rely on personal knowledge of the period.  

This leaves the two inexperienced wargamers at a distinct disadvantage.  I do offer advice and point out the worse pitfalls to them.   I am never sure how much this is welcomed; I often think that they would prefer to just do their own thing.   

The problem is that a mistake at this stage, often due to lack of knowledge of the campaign or wargame rules, can have significant consequences which can last the whole of the campaign.

But that is all part of the enjoyment of PBEM campaigns.

Jan and I are just as excited to start this phase as we were the first.   Each mini campaign is proving more enjoyable than the last.  I am learning with each phase of the campaign, and developing my campaign rules.   And the fact that six other people are taking part greatly adds to my enjoyment.  

I have redesigned this campaign so that there should be earlier contact and hopefully battles.

I can’t wait for orders for the second set of orders to see whether this has in fact been the case.