Saturday, February 28, 2015

Blucher solo play test


Managed to get a solo play through of the Blucher game I had set up on an unexpected day off.
Very enjoyable with another slick set of rules by Mr Mustafa. 
Was able to use a little programme to sort the 'hidden' Motivation rolls (normally your enemy rolls 3 dice which he keeps hidden until to equal or exceed this total with your activations)
I did not use the Concealed Unit rules so first section of the Sequence of Play void.
A Movement Phase follows wherein the active side issues Orders to units and groups of units.
Meant to be by Corps first then individual units but I got this mixed up a couple of times.
The CinC can be used once per phase to issue a group order.
These activations cost Motivation Pips (MOs) counted against the total rolled by enemy (or in my case the app).
This a slick system with some tough decisions as to what is most important to activate in case you expend your current limit.
Several times I was left ruing a couple of missed moves.
Movement is free flowing with Infantry able to either Pivot at start of move and move 2 base widths (a unit being 80mm wide using my basing) or can Move any direction and end facing any way but restricted to 1 base width move. 
Cavalry go 4 and 2 respectively Artillery 2 and 1 if Foot and 3 and 1 if Horse (who can also move and shoot).
Movement includes Charges all based on the direction of the unit centre point and precludes any firing
Infantry units can adopt Prepared status (sort of forming Square) when faced by cavalry.
Firing phase is next and is simple enough with units rolling a number of dice based on current Elan (ie strength/morale points), range (1-2 BW for musketry 1-2 and 2-8 for Artillery) and type with several modifiers for tactical situations and Traits.
Each roll of 6 (or of a single 5 in certain circumstances) yields a Fatigue Hit on target (ie reduces Elan level)
Artillery are slightly different in that it has no Elan but has several Ammo slots which reduce in effect as used.
Then it's Combat (melee) which again is easily conducted with hits occurring on 4+ and each side rolling a number of dice based on Elan and situation.
Infantry need to be in prepared status against mounted otherwise they have to re-roll any successful hits.
The same applies to any unit flanked (except prepared units)
Outcomes are based of hit differential but with a successful attacker still suffering 1 fatigue.
Losing units generally retreat 2BW unless Infantry facing Cavalry who must retreat/break off instead if Infantry not destroyed.
After that it roll for enemy MO amount then enemy takes turn.
All very playable stuff.
There are several other factors covering terrain and Commanders the most important being several Traits that units may have, such as being Steadfast which garners an extra dice when defending in melee or Shock which garners an extra dice when attacking in melee.
The rules include a mini Campaign system entitled Scharnhorst but I only used it to generate the map having not really read it through properly but it looks good method of generating a tabletop battle after a sort of mini game itself.

All in all I enjoyed playing Blucher with a lot of "just one more turn" ensuing.
I believe I only made one or two mistakes in gameplay.
I forgot to call count Traits a few times and when a defender retreats, I simply moved them back 2BW when they should also have ended up facing away. 
This would slow them down getting back as they would potentially have to turn and so restricted to slower move rate combined with being at risk of being charged in rear.












Friday, February 27, 2015

Blucher game set up

Set up a solo test game for newly arrived Blucher rules but things bit mental again at work so have had no time to actually play as either working long hours and/or exhausted when home.
I plan to retire at 55 so roll on July 2019 !!
Hoping to get a run through soon.
1813 French versus Prussians (300pts each as per rules)
Note units are set up unconcealed (Blucher has cards in lieu of units until spotted/revealed) as rather pointless solo.
Also skirmish stands not required but I am using them to denote units with that trait.






















Monday, February 23, 2015

Small catch up

Another busy period has meant little time for gaming or blogging but did manage a couple of games of Lock N Load system at my Dad's past couple of Sundays.
Scenarios were from 'Heroes Of The Blitzkrieg' and 'In Defeat Defiance' modules.
Cannot remember details of scenarios other than both set in 1940 with one pitting British against Germans trying to cross a canal (The Canal ?) and the other a French versus German affair with a few tanks on each side (Steel vs Steel ?).
Both very enjoyable games using this interesting tactical system and nice to be in 1940 rather than late war bashes for a change.




















































Oh and these arrived but no time to read properly yet !






































I also received an 'Update Kit' for most excellent 'The Hunters' from GMT Games but not even opened yet !!



Sunday, February 15, 2015

Panzer Grenadier Deluxe: Nordwind scenario played


Played a game of PZGR at Stephens using Nordwind scenario from Western scenario book.
I was Germans and used a Jagdpanther as heavy cat (as we don't have a Jagdtiger). A really tough task for Germans here are they have to advance across mostly open ground into a hail of US fire backed up by Direct Fire Artillery and Airpower in excess of that available to attacker. Hidden US tanks and minefields coupled with accurate and effective Artillery stinks saw Germans taking multiple Supressions and several losses (Platoon Commanders in particular !). Only the Jagdpanther had any success peaking out from behind a village and brewing one Sherman and damaging an M36.
Great set of rules these very much on a par with the Battlegroup series in terms of complexity.

















Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Piquet Field Of Battle: Prussians versus French 1813

Played a game using my Prussians and French using Piquet Field Of Battle against my son Steven (home from England for a few days).
He picked up the card and combat systems very easily leading the Prussians against my French.
His downfall came by exposing several Landwehr units who are classed as Raw (ie D4 defence dice) to my shooting thereby having his Army Morale Points go south rather quickly. However a unit of lowly Landwehr Light Cavalry did ride down a unit of French regular foot and a unit of Prussian Cannon survived charges by no less than the Old Guard Chasseurs A Cheval and Polish Lancers !!
Great fun with a slick set of rules.














Heroes Of The Blitzkrieg (Lock 'N Load) played

Played a scenario from Lock 'N Load 'Heroes Of The Blitzkrieg' game with my Dad.
A scenario set during 1939 during French offensive in Rhineland.
Nice little scenario with Germans dug-in in Bunkers and some decent French troops on the attack.
Several 'events' triggered by capturing Bunkers some of which were pro-French others not so !
My French came out winners after a hard fought contest.