Friday Night Fight 2e:

This post is about the actual play of a wargame, for a change. Namely, it's Friday Night Fight 2e by Two-Hour Wargames (interesting name for a company, I'll admit).

Now, you'd ask, what happened? Why is Asen playing a boxing ("skirmish"?) wargame, and solo?
Well, I was bored. And I was looking for another of their games, Red Streets Blue Mats, which is about playing a NHB-style fight by yourself.
Didn't find it in the Wargaming Vault, though. So I bought this one, and resolved to see if it can do Rocky, or Hajime no Ippo.
Judge for yourself. I'll only give you an account of the match from the point of view of "my boxer".


Luke Zabiewski was born to fight, they said. Often, while spilling out their teeth.
He was never slow to punch, and seemed eager to hurt people.

I had a lot riding on that match. But Jack Wilingham didn't exactly worry me. He had no weak spots, some said.
I preferred to think of it as "he had no strong spots".
A shortsighted brawler...heh. I intended to do short work of him.
I hoped he'd see my face well before the lights go out for him, but we had a 3-rounds Smoker to resolve. 

(Stats-wise, Luke is an average skill, with aggression that's totally noteworthy).


1st round:
Gained a point during the stalking part. However, all I achieved in the first part, was a clinch. Or rather, several clinches. Screw that guy! Who stalls for time in the first round?
It kinda repeated itself...meaning, I actually landed a jab, and went on to slugging it out. Well, at least this time I scored another point, and was trying to press my advantage. I tried my best shots...and the bastard clinched me again. WTF?
I think he's really scared. I mean, I know most of my rivals are - I have a reputation - but I expected better of this guy!
Still, I'm winning on points...
Points! Hah, that's a joke!

2nd round
I started the next round by aggressively smiling - showing my teeth, really - and a flurry of attacks, which netted me a point.
But then the bastard went on me like a madman, bashing me in the kisser and taking me to the ropes.
Well, that's what we're talking about! Yeah, baby, let's start an exchange!
...except we ended in a clinch. Bastard hits harder than he looks!
After the referee broke us up, I tried to clear my head, but the ringing in my eyes still prevented me from hearing the public. Probably for the better.
The fight was slow in the second half of the round. And I've got no doubts the scorecards gave him that round, after he outboxed me.
I'll show you outboxing, you mother...ahem!

3rd Round
Didn't manage to recover fully, but I still want to bash him! He went into attack mode, again.
Instead, however, I gave him a good jab, and he danced away. Or he tried to - I followed him with another couple jabs, and leaft hook. Sure, I gained points, but more importantly - this time, it was his turn to go to the ropes!
He tried to cover up, sure. And I kept bashing him, through and around his guard, from all possible angles, splitting his lip and chasing him to the corner.
After that, I kept bashing, ringing his ears, swelling his eye, and hooking him in the body. He tried to counter, but I swayed back and landed another shot on his nose, instead.
It was maybe luck, and maybe my trainer's advice had worked. But this made me thinking that it was time to focus on his head...So I did, and after a couple tries going for his temple the point of his jaw, I slipped a shot to the side of the jaw instead. He felt down with a satisfying thump, let me tell ya!
He did manage to get up, however. I knew it wasn't a good enough shot, but hoped he'd stay down.
Didn't matter. He had no head for boxing, not now. He was trying to hang up to the end, and we both knew it. I was on him like stink on shit, hitting him with a jab on the way in, and kept attacking him.
We ended the round in the clinch. Was that his specialty or what? He should try wrasslin' at this rate!
But it was clear who had won, right? I mean, he'd just got knocked down.
Sure enough, the judges gave me the win. It was even an unanimous decision!
I looked at my enemy. He hadn't fallen. Should I bash him again?
He looked startled, as if he'd felt what I'm thinking, somehow. So I turned my back to him, and went to my corner.
I was going to get an earful for not finishing him, and I deserved it.

My next enemy was going to be some Lamar Hart. Better boxer than WJ or me, they said, but he forgets himself when he thinks he's ahead. Add to it that he doesn't like being punched...
I didn't expect to see much issues with him, not once I got to punch him.
The trick was going to be to land those first punches.

So, that's it for today...and for a couple days more, I suspect. But it was hugely entertaining, so I'd expect to play it again!