How long do your games last?

[timsnoddy]

I was amazed when somebody said in another thread they could play a game in an hour. I am playing on a 4x4 with 200pts and have never finished under 3 hours and it is often 3.5-4.0 hours. I am using fairly low stat troops so this is about 8 units a side. Now I have to admit it is a lot of demo games and players are yet to get familiar with stats but...

[Mr. Harold]

I think my friend and I played two 200 point games in about 2 hours each or so, and that was a pretty relaxed pace.

I'd say an hour per 100 points is a good rule-of-thumb, and it goes faster the more comfortable you are with your units and the rules.

[timvidlak]

I Play at a Tactical Level using a modified version of Gruntz 1.1 Using Full TO&Es for a Combined Arms forces. With a minimum of 1 Company Going up to a Short Battalion per side The Average Game will take between 4 & 6 Hours depending on the mission we are playing & the factions involved. My average infantry Company force is around 100 Infantry & Almost every force is mechanized or Airborne with armor support with limited Air Support. My platoon Games only take 2 to 4 hours & Most Forces are all Fully Mechanized or Airborne Infantry as well as some armor support & Air Support. I have limited air support for a few of my forces as I am still building up My Air Squadrons for the Combat Air Commands. The Time will come down once everyone is familiar with the Rules. Additionally I am teaching my Wife & 3 of our friends to Game this has Slowed down the games but they are catching on . One advantage to Teaching my Wife is I will always have someone to game with. Eventually I will get it down to around 3 to 4 hours once everyone has more Gaming Experience & I find the right Tweaks for the rules. I've been slowly modifying Gruntz over the past six months testing out all my mods over a few games before adding them to my house Rules.

Part of this Comes from the Stats we use The average Grunt has a 5 Shoot Skill not 4 as we consider most troops at least Veterans & Planetary defense forces are seasoned troops with a shoot skill of 4, I have had a few comments that some of my stats are to High, but when you play Games of this Size you can afford the looses.

[celtofkernow]

I find the games can really vary, but with a six turn limit I think mr. H is about right with an hour per 100pts

[dragonbane20]

I like to keep my 100pt Games in a 6 turn limit andbetween an hour and one and a half and this is especialy if im playing my son as you need to keep the pace going otherwise interest wains and they start clockwatching.
Has any one tried playing with a time limit for turns just a thought to see if that adds a element of urgency and realism to making on the cuff (usually fatal mistakes).

[inrepose]

The key thing for me is keeping the game at 6 turns. That keeps the pressure on and I normally find that small 100-200pts games can be over in about 1hr 30. Show games with around 150pts per side are normally wrapped up in about 70mins.

Are people her playing solo games or with experienced players? Just interesting to see what people are doing with regard to opponents learning the game etc. For example if your opponent does not own the rules and just showed up to give it a try without pre-reading of playing themselves it will certainly slow you down.

[Mr. Harold]

Mar 7, 2013 6:50:15 GMT -5 inrepose said:

Are people her playing solo games or with experienced players? Just interesting to see what people are doing with regard to opponents learning the game etc. For example if your opponent does not own the rules and just showed up to give it a try without pre-reading of playing themselves it will certainly slow you down.

I play with my buddy, I taught him the rules.

As a testament to the rule set he caught on very quickly. I'd say by the third turn we were having no problems with the rules and by the second game he had most of the intricacies down too.

[timsnoddy]

I have been playing with a lot of different people in an attempt to get a regular opponent. Part of the slowness of my games is also a real strength of Gruntz... players stop to think what they are doing. Tactical options like going prone, splitting fire or combining fire all require careful consideration.

[timsnoddy]

Played 200pts in 2.5 hours last night excluding set up and put away with a new opponent so definitely heading in the right direction.