A Bushido Game and Deep Thoughts on 2016

With the club venue not available four of us piled round Mike's and prepared for some Bushido. Mike played Ed, whilst Dan tried out Joe's Savage Wave figures against my Silver Moon Trade Syndicate.

In the mission there are two circular zones on the table, which after a set number of turns you add up the total number of rice points you have fully within the zones and score objective points for which side has the most.

Dan was using Joe's figues for the first time and this was to be only his second ever game of Bushido. Dan correctly pushed forward his heavy hitters early on, and used the outnumbering mechanic very well to reduce my attack and defence dice, and in doing so earned himself a win. I made a foolish error in rolling only two dice instead of three when shooting to hit with the crossbow. And at various crunch times I suffered from double one syndrome ( I even managed a treble one with three dice). 

My only high point was my model, Sukoshi Kani (the 3 rice point scout) removing the final wound from my nemesis for the whole game, Zuba, The All Seeing.

This game, and a more recent DZC game against Stephen D. made me think long and hard about my approach to gaming. Although I am very happy with many levels of the gaming experience, I do lack that edge that turns players into good players.

In my game against Dan it occurred to me that unfortunately I am playing two opponents in any war game - the person on the other side of the table, and myself. The 'second' opponent has three main strategies: 

1. Not paying attention. 

2. Not remembering or knowing the rules.

3. Not playing the numbers, and going for the big, and high risk, plays.

Therefore my New Year's resolution, is to become a good player in 2016, and here's the rub, still being a fun opponent and not to become a competitive pain in the arse. Is this possible? Well, to quote the computer Deep Thought from a scene in The Restaurant at the End of the Universe when asked by Lunkwill if he could calculate the answer to the question to everything, to life, the universe and everything.

Deep Thought - 'Tricky'. 

Lunkwill 'But can you do it?'. 

'Yes,' said Deep Thought 'I can do it.'

And so with Mike Burch's help I will work on improving my DZC play before January's Invasion tournament. Just imagine a montage scene from the Karate Kid.

Thanks again to Dan for having the Bushido game and to Mike, for agreeing to becoming Mr Miyagi to my Daniel.

Happy wargaming.