Last night fellow BGGer Paul O’Connor and I sat down for a game of ASL SK#1. Problem was, I was dead tired and simply not up for the mental strain of ASL. Not that the rules for ASL SK#1 are overwhelming, and we’ve played before, but ASL’s game play can be truly brain-burning, and mine was already fried. Feeling somewhat guilty about Paul lugging his custom oversized ASL maps to my house, I meekly suggested we try something a bit less intense. We ran down the list of my lighter wargames, and settled on Hammer of the Scots. Paul (as always, it seems) had played a few games in the past, and generously (again, as always) offered to teach me since I hadn’t planned on playing nor read the rules.

In short, I’m quite glad the night worked out the way it did, as I was exposed to an excellent game. I’m now looking forward to more Columbia games along the same vein (Liberty and Crusader Rex).

Components

As always, Columbia’s block games have strong components by wargame standards, and marginal ones by euro standards. The map (of my second edition) is bright and clear, and very nice looking. Its a heavy cardstock map similar to those found in Twilight Struggle and Command and Colors: Ancients.



The blocks are the largest and nicest of any Columbia I own (or any other block game for that matter). The paint colors are bright and seem ‘glossier’ than usual, without any wood grain showing through. They blocks’ corners are rounded, and the blocks are very consistent without the usual stray marks or scuffs found in most other block games.



The cards are colorful, but have a 'punched-out-of-a-sheet' feel. The artwork is nice, but pretty much the same on every card. Again, a step up from previous Columbia block games, but not up to the highest standards.



In summary, the blocks are great, everything is very colorful. Very serviceable.

Rules/Mechanics

The game is quite simple by wargame standards, with only about 8 pages of rules. Paul was able to teach me the game in perhaps 10-15 minutes. He taught me the game, we setup, and played a complete scenario in just under two hours – though the scenario ended about half way through with a decisive English victory – more on this later.

Other reviews cover the rules in some detail, but I’ll try to cover the four major aspects of the game.

1. Cards

Each player starts the turn with five cards. Most cards are numbered 1 through 3, while some have special events. The turn, which represents one year of campaigning, generally consists of five phases in which each player secretly selects one card which are simultaneously flipped up, followed by each player moving/fighting or enacting their chosen event. If both players select an event card, then the turn ends immediately after the events take effect.

The number of the card indicates who has initiative (higher number goes first, ties go to England) and the number of areas on the map that are activated (all units in the area can then move and fight).

The lines that divide each map area are either black or red. Six units can cross a black line per phase, only two over a red line. Most units can move two areas in a turn, unless crossing a red line.



2. Combat

Each unit has 1 to 4 of steps of strength, indicated along the block edge. They are also rated on combat efficacy with a letter and a number (for example A3, or B4, or C2). The letter indicated their initiative (i.e. who ‘fires’ first) while the number indicates how effective they are (i.e. what they need to roll in order to hit). Defenders always fire first, so defending ‘A’ blocks 'fire', followed by attacking ‘A’ blocks, then defending ‘B’ blocks etc. Hits are scored immediately upon rolling the die, giving the defender an advantage. A unit rolls a number of die equal to its current strength in steps, and scores a hit on a roll less than or equal to its combat rating (i.e. an A3 hits on 3’s or less, a C2 on 2’s or less). Combat goes for three rounds maximum, after which the attacker must retreat if he hasn’t already won. Either side can retreat a block in lieu of its attack – again in initiative order (A’s retreat first etc).



3. Allegiance

This is a very unique part of the game, and one that I always wondered about. If a noble unit is defeated in combat, rather than dying, it immediately switches sides! It can even continue in the same battle fighting its erstwhile allies. The fickle Scottish nobles’ allegiance is the key to the game. Whomever commands the allegiance or more nobles at the end of the game, wins, and instant victory occurs if you can win all the nobles over at one time.



4. Wintering

Another pretty unique mechanic, and one that certainly fits the theme, is wintering. At the end of every game turn, all the nobles head home to their native province, but whichever side controls the province during the winter automatically gains their allegiance! So even if you can’t beat a particular noble in combat, if you conquer his homeland he’ll be yours in time. Other key events in wintering are that the Scots can rebuild lost or damaged units, and most of the English army melts away, to be re-levied at the start of the next years’ campaign. A critical exception is that King Edward of England can choose to winter in Scotland, and any armies with him can stay on the campaign. Edward, however, cannot winter in Scotland two years consecutively.

Game Play

The game is unique, interesting, and challenging. The first few turns (as England) I struggled with what to do. Getting the large and powerful English army deployed into Scotland is difficult, and there is a definite sense of pressure to get moving before winter descends and the troops and nobles head home. This created an fine sense of tension.

After a few turns, and seeing how wintering impacts both sides, I started to get the hang of it. As other reviews have noted, in our game the English essentially conquered the south and Wallace held most of the north. This is natural based on the proximity of the English border, and didn’t bother me a bit. In fact, I rather liked it as before this occurred there was no battle line and it felt very chaotic.

This, to me, is one of the strongest points of the game and one I look forward to exploring. The game provides a very different feel in the early stages when anything goes and every one of your nobles is surrounded by enemies. Everyone is vulnerable and you simply can’t defend them all. But the same goes for the Scots, so early on its all about where do you choose to attack.

As England it seemed natural to pacify the lands closest to the border where your army comes streaming over the border each spring. Once that was done, there were some rear areas that could be denuded of forces to reinforce the front line.



Also, it soon became apparent that the Scots possess a very different kind of army than that of the English. They are quicker and more nimble, but also more fragile. Wargames are at their best when they portray asymmetrical forces that require unique tactics. Hammer of the Scots certainly does this. I can’t judge play balance after a single game, but from what I’ve read, both sides have a fair chance to win.

In our game England marched to an easy victory based on a misplayed rule! Paul thought he had to stand and fight the first round of every battle before he could retreat, but after the game he discovered no such rule in the manual. This put him at a grave disadvantage as the heavier English army was able to pound his forces repeatedly.

Haters of chance, beware! One other factor had a pretty big impact on the early English victory: luck. I was lucky enough to draw King Edward in every feudal levy. And in combat, the dice-gods were kind to me far more often than to Paul.

Summary

Hammer is a fine quick wargame, with a small footprint and short playing time. Its clearly a good gateway game for new wargamers, and satisfying enough for graying (or balding, in my case) grognards. And its very satisfying when your work-tired brain just isn’t up for ASL or heavier faire.