Cool post (like the introduce yourself thread) and the type I like to read as well as participate in.
Taking each of your points in succession, and then maybe some of my own at the end, here goes :
For ftf games, I prefer big battles. Ones with lots of troops, time and space. These to me give the feeling of controlling a brigade and higher formations. For Skype, 1-3 boards are best, but 4 boards are sufferable. For some reason (for me), I haven't tried much larger on skype yet ?
For all games, small, medium or large i start by laying the boards out and assimilating what the VC's are for that battle. Is it VP's for losses and terrain ? If so, what makes for the best defence given the numbers when crunched down. Am I forced to defend (or attack everything), can I get away with a single point of attack and defence and still win ? What routes offer speed, safe passage and of course, scenario relevant passage for victory. On completing that initial 'walk-through', then I formulate an overrall plan for the game, be it my attack routes and targets or where my troops will stand and defend (and counter-attack).
Its then time to get the troops ready. If defending, I'll do a set-up pre-game, often chopping and changing locations of deployment and trying to analyse the likely course of battle. If I am attacking and entering the board, then I am obviously at the mercy of the defender as to entry points BUT that also comes with tjhe caveat of what the general plan is anyway.
Interestingly, I also take into account opponents that I will be playing. Some of them (like me of course too), have PG playing doctrines of their own. Taking those into account can mean a slight differentation in deployment against one player that I might use for another player ?
Most of my sessions of gaming range from 5-8 hours, but I tend to get 1 session in a week, sometimes two. Being to all intents and purposes just a 'opponent' player, I am of course at the mercy of other peoples availability, but there is a useful small hardcore of us involved.
Your comment about allowing scenarios to run a full course hit a note. In the past couple of months, I found myself getting too wrapped up in 'not messing up', and when things appeared impossible, I threw in the towel on two scenarios far too early ! I'd forgotten about enjoying the 'imagine whats going on' that this game is representing and therefore some of the fun. From that point on, I told my fellow players that I made a 'self-oath' that no matter what the situation is I will always play 75% of any scenarios turn total. Only if an opponent jacked it in earlier will I default from that
All drinks are open for consumption at my table. However, if on the beer, 3 pints is max as I don't want my decision making being affected
Have a nice wooden dice-tower (gravedigger games) and I prefer mini-dice rather than great lumps for dice. I like the way these spin and rotate more as opposed to the one or two revolutions a large dice might make. Silly I guess, but we all develop preferences in our gaming habits. No problems on skype though. The hamete dice roller serves all !
Ignorant I know, but I don't get the tile spacers thing at all ? I just use blue (axis) and red (allied) moved fired markers.
Have some nice plexiglass to use over the maps. I do like the feel of the these things as a game base and also the way the maps are looked after whilst being played on under them. It was another player I played PG against that introduced me to these.
Against Yanks (real-life ones, not olive coloured counters), I have to play from midday onwards to late at night. When ftf'ing an Englishman, we tend to play at 9am-5pm.
I still have a few people 'targets' on my list to play. The 3 Belgians, Filip, Peter D and Philippe so I'm gonna have to take a visit to via the Eurostar train when and if they'll have me. Some of the UK residents shown on PG-HQ that have been too shy to come out of the woodwork, and also try to get a game with Dave Murray. On skype, I'm after getting a game going with Hugmenot, but I'd also like to clash with Blackcloud and Matt W as well. My ultimate PG goal would be to incorporate a PG tour on my next trip to the US and visit Alan Sawyer, Tony Langston, Mike Perryman and John Legen as a MINIMUM. The other guy I need to game with on Skype is YOU you idiot when you finally find a spare 5 or 6 hours.
At present, I am still quite unable to purposefully play solo. I've now tried a total of 3 scenarios in such mode and still have not taken to it. I envy those that can as they are able to play as much as they may wish.
