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Using the Gå På rules for the late 17th century

This review appeared on the Yahoo Mail List on december 22 2008 and also on TMP (a slightly longer text, which is the one found below), written by a UK gamer. I thought I should share it with people not members of the list, as there are a few people interested in using the rules for the somewhat earlier period. It is also a good overview of the rules and the changes in the 2nd edition.

Brief Review of first game using 2nd edition Game was a 500pt late C17 encounter between Irish Jacobite & Williamite armies. First outing for two new 28mm Dixon\Foundry armies which were put together after being inspired by the Beneath the Lilly Banner set of rules (frustration with these rules lead us to revert back to Ga Pa and see what reflected the period better). I think we were tempted by the very nice production and the only set of rules really supposed designed for the late C17, although we had been using Ga Pa very successfully and putting armies together for the last 9 years!

Any way after reading the 2nd edition we came to the conclusion that Ga Pa are the only complete, and playable set of rules for our chosen period. The rules are very well written, clearly laid out and have useful examples of combat etc. There are full set up procedures, the great advantages and random events which make the game so complete and give the real period feel.

As experienced Ga Pa players there is not too many changes to the firing and basic functions to pick up, but there are some changes which we found impacted on the game in a big way.

The number of order activations has changed now 2-1 or 1-2, this gives the other non active player less waiting, and the chance to react a little quicker than in the 1st edition.

Officers need to spend an order activation to move and keep up with the action\advance, or risk being left behind.

Disorder, we found this was the biggest change, there is now no redressing of ranks phase, this speeds the game. What we found was that disordered units which we wanted to reorder were a real drain on order activations. Trade off either try to order that group of shock cav or attempt to order and reorder that battalion of foot before they are charged!

Artillery realinement, good for those light guns turning, but they are disordered which is good and prevents too much impact until reordered.

The attaching of certain types of officers to certain units improves the hitting power of that unit.

There are a few other changes which will come to light after a detailed rereading and further games, but all in all the 2nd edition offers an excellent game, full of smoke, the chance for even the guards to break in the face of a shock cav charge and all the systems which work so well together. Nothing has been lost but the game plays a bit smoother and quicker, and importantly is flexible enough to deal with the pike heaver battalions and galloping Irish Horse of the Boyne! Or be used as intended.

All in all everything is covered Thomas knows his stuff and has a system which is payable, the problems of command, smoke and the differant troop types of the period are all reflected. In 35 years of gaming I have never come a cross a set of rules which I have enjoyed as much as Ga Pa.