Hunting Moby Dick or The Revenge of the Whale

 

“Call me Ishmael.”

― Herman Melville, Moby-Dick or, The Whale

  While looking over the list of games at Huzzah!  I noticed someone was putting on a Hunting Moby Dick game.  I had seen this game at Cold Wars years ago and thought it incredibly imaginative.  Plus I was a long time fan of the book as well as the Gregory Peck movie.  Unfortunately the game was filled and I couldn't get in.  So I did the next best thing and hung around the table asking all sorts of questions.  Here is what I learned about the game.

  The original version of the game was developed by John Rigley who has put it on a numerous Historicons and Cold Wars conventions.  It was done in 25mm and used whale boats and figures from Eureka miniatures and a toy whale.  Each player commands a whale boat and the goal us to kill Moby Dick.  The whale is run by the game master and reacts to events by a die roll.   Moby can turn on his attackers and sink or crush the little boats.  Players enjoy themselves and don't take it too seriously.

  Now here is the Huzzah! Version of the game.  It follows the original rules but the game master, Tom Ballou.  He really got into the spirit of the game by creating thus poster for the game based on the movie.  Pretty funny!

 

The whale was again a dime store toy which was painted according to the book and cut up into smaller sections.  Thus way you got the shake cruising on the surface, diving, breaching is slapping a boat with its tail.  

“...to the last I grapple with thee; from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee.”

― Herman Melville, Moby-Dick or, The Whale

There is also a section of the whale with Ahab lashed to it by the harpoon and ropes.  Really very well done.

The miniature whale boats and crew were scratch built by Tom.  You get the riders and the harponer at the bow.

Movement us done by hexes.  Boats and Moby are all mounted on hexes and there are extra ones for movement.  This way you don't mark up a ocean mat.  Very clever!

During the game the boats attempt to sneak up on old Moby Dick and get close enough to harpoon him.  If thus happens the game master rolls to see his reaction.  He might run;  in which case the boat is dragged along.  He might dive deal and  drag the boat down.  Or he can turn and attack smashing a boat with his tail or crushing it in his jaws.  If he dives you don't know where or when he will reappear.  Watch for the seagulls!!  If you fall in the water look out for sharks!

And in a nut shell there is the game.  If your interested in trying it Wargame Vault will be publishing the rules thus fall.  It will have all the charts you need as well as paper cut out figures to start your playing right away.  Keep and eye out for it, I know I will.

 “I’ll chase him round Good Hope, and round the Horn, and round the Norway Maelstrom, and round perdition’s flames before I give him up.”

― Herman Melville, Moby-Dick or, The Whale