Author: Philip J. Viverito
Copyright: March 1, 2014
Page count: 36
ISBN-10: 1889584363
ISBN-13: 978-1889584362
Retail Price: $30.00 USD

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Pike Hack: The Road to Dunbar

In the 17th Century, three English civil wars produced a new and truly Great Britain. In the first and second wars (1648-49), supporters of King Charles I clashed with the supporters of the Long Parliament, while the third war (1649-51) pitted supporters of King Charles II against supporters of the Rump Parliament. It all ended with the execution of King Charles I, the exile of his son, King Charles II, and the shifting of the seat of government power. The outcomes of these battles are well documented, but what would be different had the troops of King Charles II prevailed at the Battle of Worcester or if Sir John Hotham failed to keep Charles I from entering Hull? Pike Hack: The Road to Dunbar may have some plausible answers.

In this fun and fast-paced game, players use D-10 dice for casualty and morale calculations and D-6 dice for additional movement (evades and pursuits). The D-10 system for casualty and morale eliminates the endless modifiers that tend to make each move a monotonous chore. Basing figures, a common practice in many other popular game systems, is not essential to Pike Hack: The Road to Dunbar, since movement and engagements are based on numerical and figurative representations. For example, the system allows for infantry ranging from six to twelve figures and cavalry from four to ten figures; both are representations of much larger forces. Players are not, however, limited to small representations, as the game is designed to accommodate complete armies.

An added wrinkle in this system is the use of directional dice for command control and first artillery fire. We found that the use of directional dice for these functions keeps the game streamlined, fast-paced, realistic and fun.

The appendix contains tactical information, color illustrations to better explain tactics, and four pages of suggested army compositions. Because there are several different types of units, players are also provided with sample army lists and blank templates for composing custom lists.

Pike Hack: The Road to Dunbar is one of our more unique gaming systems and, according to many who have played the game, one of the most exciting historical subjects in our catalog. If you are a fan of Classical Hack, have a Cavalier nature, or a Roundhead conscience that rejects anything that provides so much fun in such a short period of time, you should give Pike Hack: The Road to Dunbar a try.

~Philip J. Viverito

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