Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game - two games with Minas Morgul

Game at Stephens today and he choose MESBG and so I used the Minas Morgul list again as I have at least some familiarity with its intricacies. 

We managed to play two games both at 750pts

First up I faced a Rohan list with Theoden and Eomir and an entirely mounted force all of whom could shot with either a bow or spear but had only 25 units. My force was 34 units with Witch King on his Fell Beast and a couple of Trolls.

This one was really decided on first couple of turns as the Roharimm stood off and shot my lot to bits. I had lost 12 figures before getting anywhere close to combat and game was over before my Trolls or Witch King got into action.

Next up Stephen used a list whose name I forget but had a mix of Hobbits (led by a Ranger) Elves, Ghondorian Foot and Knights. Characterwise he had Knuster (?), and that utter 'barsteward' Glorfindal on his horse (is it odd to actually hate a small figurine ?).

I used a 56 unit version with Witch King on a horse (bah humbug) and a horde of Orc types.

Despite the Eleven bows being superior shooters, Stephens shooting was considerably worse than last game and so I was able to close with minimal casualties and at least got to slug it out.

Elves are no slouches in combat either but did take some losses as did the Hobbits.

But of course that sod Glorfindal managed to pulverise everything in his path winning every Heroic Combat or Strike. Witch King and he squared off and we both unhorsed each other, but he then inflicted a single wound on Witch King which I failed to save with my 3 Fate rolls and so killed him (his 1 wound level is a real weakness), just as Orc losses led to army defeat.

As always all kit from Stephens growing collection (he is kind of hooked on game)

First game vs Rider of Rohan 

Game 2

Ulster Wargames Society - Black Powder a Malburian game and others (pictastic)

Club meeting today and a busy one it was too.

I managed to get included in a 28mm Malburian game being run by Bryn, Billy and Andy (so not a small game) using Black Powder which suits this sort of big bash venture.

I was paired with Andy in command of the Allied forces facing Bryn and Billy commanding French of the Sun King.

A pile of units involved and I had control of a Brigade of 4 Scottish Foot, a Brigade of 6 Allied Foot (Dutch, Swedes and Hessians) and a huge Cavalry command of 12 Squadrons (4 Dragoons and 8 Heavy Cavalry) and a couple of Artillery pieces in support.

Andy had 3 or 4 Brigades of Foot (20+ units) and at least (?) 1 Mounted Brigade plus Artillery.

French had several Foot and Cavalry Brigades which included Swiss, Irish and Bavarians alongside the French.

Very enjoyable game ensued with plenty of action, I was facing Bryn and Andy faced Billy mostly.

Allies had a stream to negotiate (game loosely based on Blenheim battlefield) with on 3 crossing points that artillery could use and marched on in column from off-board.

French deployed along their table edge but with some of Billys Brigades off-table on their left flank (able to come on through Oberglau village)   

I advanced my massed mounted force on extreme left adjacent to suburbs of Blenheim (really only decorative for game purposes) with Infantry occupying central areas.

Highlights on my left wing included:

Two of my Dragoons dismounting to form a sort of skirmish line popping away at some French units (Shaking a unit of Foot) before being chased off by enemy cavalry.

My Foot units getting across stream at a quick pace and getting deployed before French could intervene.

I launched several cavalry charges (not much choice as soo many) some of which contacted enemy others were staggered by enemy closing fire (Bryns shooting was pretty good all day long) and did manage to break a French Foot Brigade early on.

Both sides Cavalry then mostly faced off against each other as reluctant to close without a firm advantage.

My Foot Brigades advanced into a hail of musketry and artillery fire (guns do not roll many dice in BP but any Casualties or Morale tests inflicted are hard to pass) and returned desultory fire despite having advantage of Platoon Fire (ie an extra dice if steady).

This firefight lasted several turns and eventually another French and both of my Foot Brigades were broken.

All the while Andy was trying to assault Oberglau and counter Billys French cavalry and both suffered a real log jam of units.

Andy had a Foot Brigade that (and I kid you not) failed to move at all for a whopping 9 turns (scarcely credible as only need a 7 or less on 2D6 to generate at least 1 move !!!!), Billy also had his reserves delayed or 'stuck in the mud'.

Bryn and I both tried a couple of last gasp fatalistic charges but neither of us could break another enemy Brigade at games end.

Andy had lost 3 (?) Brigades including British Guard contingent and think similar for Billy so a minor French win was (grudgingly) declared.

One interesting twist employed was each player having 5 re-rolls (of any single dice including enemies) for use which saved me a couple of times for failed morale rolls and inflicted a loss on Bryn.

Allied right late in game, note Allied Brigade 'stuck' behind guns as they were for 9 full turns !!!!!

My Scots and Allied Foot engage Bavarians in Center (both mine later broken)

Massed Allied Horse and Dragoons fully occupy French on Allied left (good rally rolls on my part here)

View from French right as I push forward in center

All kit supplied by Bryn, Billy and Andy (left to right)

Action hots up around Oberglau

Trying to exert pressure on French center but their guns done lots of damage

Allied Foot Brigade still stuck (commander needed hung drawn and quartered) 

Some very nice flags on display with Andys units

So much Cavalry so little room

Cowardly French curs holding back in center

Traffic jam unfolding 

My Mounted suffered several Disorders and Shaken but I was able to rotate units and Rally

French guns (3 batteries) made advance a bloody prospect

My cavalry negotiate stream in column

French right smaller but more numerous Brigades

French center with guns and Bavarians, French and Swiss in triple lines

More French cavalry in support on left

Andys mounted cross stream as foot lag behind

My foot cross in column

Also at club several other very well presented games (my pics do not do any of these justice as snapped in haste)

Chris, Jeremy and others played a Big Chain of Command 2 game in 20mm (Chris's excellent toys and terrain) based on Paras trying to break through to Arnhem bridge. Believe it finished as minor British win as one section had infiltrated German lines to exit towards bridge. 

Phil, Leslie and co played a 20mm game of Rorkes Drift with usual cast of Zulus 'thousands of 'em' and plucky 24th Foot defenders. Do not know how this turned out or rules used (likely Phils own) ?

Dave P and Adam had a Ancients battle in 28mm using their version of  Never Mind The Billhooks entitled 'Never Mind the Kontos'. Not sure of protagonists (Late Roman vs Sassanid ?) but battling in front of some very nice fortification walls. Again no idea as to outcome

Field Of Glory: Renaissance - Later German versus Later French

Another game with FOGR today as my Later TYW German Catholics faced Stephens Later French force.

Tercios no longer available (army roughly 1635-1639) so a bunch of Pike & Shot foot backed by couple of Kuirassiere and Reiters with usual Dragoons and Artillery with a unit of Tratischer (Sword and Buckler types) and Croats for a change.

French foot are all Impact (which proved decisive) backed by Determined Horse and also with usual Artillery and Dragoons and also fielding a unit of Croat Light Horse.

Both sides managed to field 14 units rather than usual 11 or 12

Game really decided early on in middle of field when 3 of my foot units were destroyed or broken with a General lost (even though not fighting in front rank) and loss in same turn of another General on my left whilst leading Kuirassiere in combat.

The Impact ability of French in the Impact Phase (quelle surprise) made the difference.

This left me with only one General and so any Disruption or worse not able to be Rallied.

Further losses saw my force defeated in short order, but still this way a fun game if only in trying to beat the odds (Never a forte of my dicing skills).

The extra shooting dice of my units (French are Musket*) was I felt outweighed by the Impact ability as losing in Impact phase and subsequent Cohesion losses is crippling in a foot vs foot encounter (as generally occurs in center in FogR) but such is life.

Germans approach French lines

Despite having numbers on my left I was unable to overwhelm the French mounted

German right