The Italian Wars, Impetus, 28mm

First of all, I have to apologise for the ugly bases. Despite the nice-looking figures this was one of the ugliest games I’ve played in! This game was all about trying out a new set of rules, and sensibly enough the owner of the lead didn’t want to rebase his figures, just for one game. The rules use unusually chunky bases (12×6 cm for infantry), hence the need for the card.It was also a straightforward line ’em up kind of game, with what passed for Florentines on one side, and the Milanese on the other. Both sides had a little help from mercenaries – Landsknechts in the case of the Florentines, and Swiss for the Milanese. I have to admit that I hadn’t read the rules beforehand, although I’d skimmed through Basic Impetus – the free “training wheels” version. However, it all seemed fairly straightforward.These involve a lot of dice. Each unit has a basic value, which equates to the number of dice it rolls for firing or melee. You add or subtract more depending on weapon type or other circumstances, then roll them. To hit the enemy you either need a “6”, or two “5’s”. I have to confess, I never really worked out what was going on, and spent the evening rolling die when I was told to.Still, on my side of the table there was an almighty cavalry clash, with Condottieri charging and counter-charging in what seemed a fairly realistic way. In the end the Milanese gained the upper hand. In the centre the Swiss were whittled down by Florentine firepower, but they remained a latent threat, even after one block came off worse in a clash with the Landsknechts. On the far side various light forces clashed around a village, but didn’t achieve very much.Like any learning game, progress was slow, and we didn’t get to fight it to its conclusion. There was too much rules-reading, or pauses to figure out what to do next. Still, the rules seemed to work, and several players in the club are wildly enthusiastic about them. We’ll certainly try them again. I was also taken by the chunky basing – a modeller’s delight. This might even encourage me to paint up my large stash of Old Glory Landsknechts…

Tags: Impetus