Last night fellow BGGer <PERSON> 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 <PERSON> 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. <PERSON> (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. <PERSON> 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. 92
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. 50