Connections 2014 Retrospective: The Quick 1914 Game

I know the lucky ones have gone to Connections UK 2018 but as part of a retrospective look at Connections UK 2014 I managed to sit down with a friend and finally play the mini-1914 game Phil Sabin did. He had about 50 games going in parallel as part of a mini practical gaming session in 2014. I had not attended so I was keen to "wet my feet" (see below, both sides gets eight playing pieces [I used deluxe Risk counters] a side, each in theory representing an army XXXX, aka three XXXs aka six XX. A hex is 100km across so we are talking a large operation scale - the map is duplicated for each player and played "double-blind". You can move one hex per turn and the game lasts five turns): 

It played so quick (approximately 20 minutes) we repeated each taking the other side on the second go. Note I am not in gloat mode, but I managed a slightly better than history German result (5 VP - Historical was 4 VP) but a smashing French victory (0 VP which is four better than the historical event - managing to rout three German armies). The double blind game certainly made it fun, however it did feel lacking 'user satisfaction' in the depth of complexity offered. It was however stated as an "introductory" level taster which I think it did well.

Phil Sabin's slides and the original game stuff can be found at:
http://www.professionalwargaming.co.uk/2014.html
http://www.professionalwargaming.co.uk/Schlieffen.pdf

A larger variant (including another strip of hexes, the Belgians and twelve XXXX units a side) which is the natural progression in complexity can be found at:
http://www.professionalwargaming.co.uk/Kriegsspiel1914-Sabin.pdf

However I have an eye on playing the Connections UK 2014 Mega Game set-up:
http://www.professionalwargaming.co.uk/Wargaming101fPractical.pdf
http://www.professionalwargaming.co.uk/OpeningGambitComplete.pdf

But you do need a few more bodies for this one!