These are pictures I took last night of a fantastic piece of work by Brian at the club. This is a scratch built model of the Bismarck. He built it using spares yoghurt pots and even 6mm napoleonic gun carriages. Brian ability to build stunning terrain and centre pieces fot the club never ceases to amaze me.
"Keep Your Powder Dry"!
Wargamers blog. Battle Reports, photos, commentary and general chin wagging.
Wednesday, 4 July 2012
Thursday, 7 June 2012
"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken
I didn't play a game this week at the club so spent the time chin wagging instead. Mick and John were playing an English Civil War game in 28mm using the Forlorn Hope rules. I think rather than a game report some wargamer's porn in the shape of John's beutifully painted miniatures would satisfy most
Tuesday, 29 May 2012
Friday, 25 May 2012
On the work bench
A few pictures of completed projects.
First an Insurgent "technical" (Toyota to you and me).
Also some woodland terrain stands that I have scratch built for my 6mm games.
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
"Absence diminishes mediocre passions and increases great ones, as the wind extinguishes candles and fans fires"
My
apologies for gap in postings over the last month or so. A change in
my “life circumstances” has meant that everything has been up in
the air and I have neglected by Wargames and Blogging
responsibilities. However I have kept my faith in God and my powder
dry. (which given the weather is no mean feat!).
Catching-UP.
That is
not to say that I have been absent from Leeds Wargames Club
regularly and indeed getting a number of games in. It is just that I
have found it difficult to find the time to write and publish battle
reports etc.
The Saga
Rules have become popular with our small group and we spent a number
of weeks playing these excellent rules. It is not often that you
come across a rule set which has a refreshing rule mechanism most are variations on a theme. The idea of the Saga Dice and Battle Boards
for the various factions are an inspired idea giving a level of
tactical depth to these otherwise simple rules. Let’s not pretend
that they are a “true” wargame as such and does not attempt to
replicate Dark Age battles as such. It plays more like a board
game-come-collectable card game but is excellent to play on a small
table over a few beers and a bag of crisps. My biggest criticism is
the cost. The best part of £30.00 for a very thin paperback rule
book and they don’t even throw in the Saga dice which you have to
buy separately! Shame!
Other
games played include Black Powder and Everybody’s Dead (Craig’s
home grown Zombie Rules) and Blitzkrieg Commander which I am becoming a big fan of.
Here a
some photo’s taken during various games.
On
the work-table.
I am
currently looking at a 1/144 scale Apache Longbow model kit for my
sons bedroom and some 1/35 scale plastic Taimya German troops for
Firefight Normandy which is a new set of WWII Skirmish rules which
look great fun. Reports on this no doubt to follow. I am also
writing a Scenario for a re-fight of Quatre-Bras for 6mm Black
Powder. I have full Orbats for now plus a battle map but need to
complete my own French figures for the game and bully Craig and Rob
(B) in to doing their Brits and Brunswickers. I am hoping to create
a scenario dynamic which means if the battle is not concluded at the
end of an evening there is a mechanic that lets one “pause” the
game and return to it the following week without having to leave the
table up and the miniature out. I will keep you advised as to how
this goes.
As far
as the blog is concerned I am going to try and new approach to the
Blog with shorter but more regular posts covering my own projects and
battle reports together with pictures and comments on what other
people at the club and around the gaming community are up to etc. At least that is the plan, and we all know how that can work out!
Thursday, 9 February 2012
“I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion. “
Impetus
Ancients game prepared by Bob and loosely based on the Battle of
Hydaspes between Alexander the Great and Porus the Indian King of
Hydaspes.
I had a relatively simple brief. I was to stop the Bactrian King affecting a crossing of the river. I knew that I had sent a force of cavalry and chariots to shadow an enemy force that had marched upstream but I did not know the outcome of this. As such I may receive some cavalry reinforcements but by the same token I may be attacked in the flank by enemy forces.
Unfortunately for me my Indians in the act of being destroyed fell amongst my elephant unit disordering and weakening it.
Bob did
not have a true Alexandrian Macedonian army so made some slight
changes so that the game was effectively an Alexandrian Successor,
Bactrean Greek army trying to emulate Alexander’s achievements.
There
was a larger battle where the Bactrio-Greeks were attempting to force
a crossing of the river and then on the other table a predominantly
cavalry action set up to represent an crossing further upstream and
attempted flank march by the Greeks.
I played
Porus and Andy played Porus’ son who had been sent upstream to
shadow the Bactian flanking force. Craig and Mick played the
Bactrian King and their flank march force respectively.
Each
player was given a separate briefing and though we all were aware of
the other game we had no idea if and when reinforcements or a flank
march would occur.
I had a relatively simple brief. I was to stop the Bactrian King affecting a crossing of the river. I knew that I had sent a force of cavalry and chariots to shadow an enemy force that had marched upstream but I did not know the outcome of this. As such I may receive some cavalry reinforcements but by the same token I may be attacked in the flank by enemy forces.
I also
had a problem in that the majority of my army were bowmen but I had
to keep them well back from the rivers edge as the humid conditions
affected their ability to shoot.
The game
began and Craig quickly identified the ford. This was three units
wide. He then had a juggle his forces round to try and reorganise
his forces in to what was effectively an attack column in order to
cross. He led with some light troops, elephants and skirmishers with
two large pike phalanx’s following up behind.
I simply
formed my mostly bow armed troops in to a crescent shape facing the
ford ready to unleash on the enemy as they emerged from the river.
A glance
over at the other table told me that the two cavalry forces had
smashed straight in to each other and were slugging it out.
Craig’s
tactics were sound in that he clearly knew that he would be advancing
in to a storm of arrows and the priority was to protect the two pike
phalanx’s and allow the other units to absorb this. Once the
phallangites were safely on the other side they would hopefully be
fresh and be therefore could be unleashed on the Indians.
The
Bactrians started taking casualties the minute they entered the water
and though my shooting wasn’t devastating it had sufficient effect
that upon exiting the river none of the Bactrian units were fresh and
all had lost their impetus bonus ( a melee bonus for troops that
charge in to combat and only given if units have not suffered
casualties).
However
Craig was now in a position to close with my bow armed troops and
start serving up some pay-back. Unfortunately things did not quite
work out that way. Some rather lucky rolling on my part (3 hits
from 4 dice!) and some poor rolling by Craig (2 hits from 11 dice)
meant that my bow armed troops opened what can only be described as a
“can of whoopass” on a Bactrian Elephant unit. The Elephant
hung on and a few turns later swept the Indians away but they had
suffered significant damage and were no longer much of a threat.
Unfortunately for me my Indians in the act of being destroyed fell amongst my elephant unit disordering and weakening it.
At this
point my left wing remained unengaged and they angled in towards the
centre ready for the advance of the Bactrian phalanx.
These
emerged from the steaming waters of the River and surged up the bank
in to my centre. Here they started to do some damage but with very
little flank support I was able to start pouring Javelins and Arrows
in to their flanks.
At this
point the news came that the battle on the other table (upstream of
us) had ended with both sides fighting each other to a standstill.
There would be no flank attack but also no reinforcements.
This
actually suited me as I was in the stronger position. A flank attack
would have caused me serious problems but there was little I could do
with reinforcements now the Bactrians were across the river.
My left
wing and centre was in tatters but I still had an uncommitted right
wing. These were well positioned to disengage and withdraw which
seemed to me to the be right idea. Craig had crossed the river but
had suffered heavy losses and was not in a position to pursue or
indeed do anything but lick his wounds.
The
ultimate result was a pyrrhic victory for Craig in that he did manage
to cross the river.
I would
have used exactly the same tactics as Craig but on reflection I
wonder if he would have been better leading with the Phallangites who
with their large units may have been able to absorb more damage than
his auxiliaries and Elephants and therefore the army as a whole may
have emerged more intact on the other side of the river.
Historically
the battle is seen as one of Alexander’s masterpieces however as in
this game the Greeks suffered high casualties and were seriously
freaked out by the elephants. Alexander was so impressed with King
Porus and his soldiers that he allowed him to remain king of Hydaspes
as his Satrap. Alexander’s army took such a hammering by the
Indians that ultimately they refused to fight them again and
Alexander could not persuade them to advance and to attempt a
crossing of the Ganges.
The good
news for me is I did not have to resort to my game winning dice. Two
large dice purchased which I bought on entry to Vapnartak this year
(the excellent wargames show at York Race Course). All proceeds for
these dice went to Help for Heroes. As such these dice must be
brimming with positive Karma and so I am holding them in reserve for
the crucial moment.
Monday, 30 January 2012
"Your Not Dead you Rascal!"
A
long awaited game of Black Powder last night between myself and Craig
A.
The
game was Napoleonic, French versus English. A straight forward
slugging match fought on the edge of a town and with a road
intersecting the battlefield diagonally from south west to north
east.
Unfortunately
we did not get to finish the game as most of the evening was taken
discussing all things Napoleonic. Craig who is heavily involved in
the 33rd
Regiment of Foot
is a fountain of knowledge on this period and I can never resist
asking him questions on drill, formations etc which tends to mean the
game is forgotten for long periods.
We
decided to try and experimental “house rule” to introduce an
element of ignorance of opposing forces. I suggested using the
system in Principles of War where figures are not placed on the table
but unit markers a deployed together with 3 or 4 “dummy” markers.
The type and size of the unit is only revealed when within musket
range. However we felt that this was probably a bit too draconian
(unless the game is meant to take place at night or in fog). So
we deployed as cards instead of miniatures and units were revealed
only when moved. I think this would be very interesting in larger
games where you may want the enemy to think you have a whole Cavalry
Brigade in reserve when really you have some half-strength militia
but with this smaller game where both sides had very few reserves
it was a bit of a waste of time.
As suggested above, we
both deployed with few reserves. I decided to occupy some woods on
either flank and focus and frontal assault in the centre of Craig’s
line. Craig moved off but deployed his Brigades in to a continuous
line across the table anchored against the town. He had a single
Cavalry brigade that took up a flanking position, echeloned out on
his extreme left.
The
Brigade occupying my extreme left moved off quickly and got to the
wood on the left. They could not enter the wood as they were not
light troops but I now had an opportunity to skirt round the wood and
engage Craig on his right. My two central Brigades moved forward and
formed in to Attack Columns to drive at the heart of the English
Line. The Brigade on my right moved beyond the woods and formed
square. The idea being they would block the English Cavalry from
being able to charge the Attack Columns in the centre.
Unfortunately the Commander of my left Brigade trying to get round the wood had an
attack of incompetence and for the rest of the game I was unable to
get them moving beyond the wood.
My
Brigades attacking the enemy centre in a traditional French manor got raked by
Cannonade and Musketry and were soon stalling an taking casualties.
However they pushed through this and smashed in to the English line.
Unfortunately some disastrous saving throws (I only needed 3+ save and
failed 3 out of 4) and an even worse break test saw my first column
destroyed.
At
the same time and error on my part meant that on of the English
Cavalry regiments managed to get past my squares and charge another
attack column in the flank, causing it to retire.
Things
were not looking good for the French but luckily we had run out of
time and so I did not have to suffer the shame of an all out defeat!
I
enjoy playing Black Powder and there is no doubt that if we had not
been gassing then the game would have reached a conclusion. It does
lend itself better to larger games however with 7 or more Brigades
which allows for a tactical reserve. When only playing with 3 or 4
brigades you can find that a large part of your force sits doing
nothing which can be quite decisive.
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