Bread and Circuses - Keeping the Mob Entertained

Last weekend I took my 6mm setup for Bread and Circuses up to the Wee Gamers Bunker at Whitehead. We had six players having a go - it was the first time that I had tested the game with more than four - and I have to say, the mob seemed entertained. Each player ran a single chariot, and from turn one there was foul play and reckless driving a plenty. I was delighted to see how additional players expanded the game from a simple race into a full blown battle of wits, angst and broken axel shafts.

Here are a few endorsements posted on Friendface following the event.

"So Last night a few of us got to play test yet another game in the pipeline for Nic. This time 6mm chariot racing fun.....and it was. Plenty of straight up racing but lots of opportunity for skulduggery and larking. Not allowed to say too much about the game in detail yet, but I can say this, everyone had a good laugh!"

"Was super fun esp with a big group"

"What started off as Roman Chariot racing quickly deteriorated into a Demolition Derby. Nevertheless it was great fun!"

"Well if we can't break it no one can lol"

Only a few photos from the evening rather than a complete race report. The board and figures are for 6mm games, but the system is scale agnostic with three different sets of distances designed for figure scales from 6mm-28mm. As readers of this blog will know by now, I am a sucker for 6mm, and so that's what I have used for my own tests. Most photos taken by one of the testors, David from Backspindle Games.

The lads come to grips with the system using the single page cheat sheet.

The starting line up. Most of it. The agile Celtic chariot was far off to the left somewhere.

And they're off! The Fast chariots (Roman and flying carpet) take the lead. The Egyptian Archer controlled by Bill takes and early battering. A pattern that would continue.

Concentration as the competitiveness kicks in near the first turning point.

A riot of wrecked chariots after the leaders get around the turning point. The first mob is annoyed enough to run onto the track.

Egyptian Bill shows his standard reaction to being picked on by the other charioteers.

And that classic moment midway through the second lap when every chariot was a pile of wreckage. From this point it could have been anyone's game as crews struggled to right their vehicles and re-harness their teams. In the end, Bill's Egyptians got away first and stumble on to a very close victory.