Ulster Wargames Society - an aquatic day

Club meeting today and I partook of a naval game again (3 in one year after none in about 30 !) this time with an Osprey set Poseidon's Warriors run by Leslie.

I had a fleet of 20 Spartan Tiremes/Galleys against same number of Athenian vessels under Leslie.

Both sides had 4 Squadrons of 5 ships with each Squadron able to be classed as open decked light type (one hit wonders) or heavier Cataphract covered deck types also only taking one hit but with saving roll of 6.

Both sides could have an Elite squadron meaning faster ships for Athens and more Marines for Sparta.

No artillery or heavier ships so made for nice quick playing and easy to pick up game.

We managed to get two games completed with an early finish with no issues beyond how often a potentially game ending fleet morale test is taken (easy to house rule). 

First game ended with fairly low casualties as Leslies Flagship went to bottom and Fleet fled (ie rolled 1 on Morale Test)

Second game a more cagey affair as both fleets maneuvered a lot more and included some grain ships to capture which we both totally ignored.

I was lucky (I know !!!) and passed several Morale Tests (whether needed or not) whilst Leslie failed his first again despite losing 8 ships to my 13 in the end.

Fun game with some very nice 'toys', the ships being 1/1200th scale from Tumbling Dice and the islands from Langton Miniatures (now defunct ?)

First game

Two Athenian squadrons arrayed

Whilst Spartan heavies circumvent an island

And two more converge to launch an attack

Overview from Spartan right

The island pieces were very nice indeed

Second game

Islands more clustered (Grain ships in convoy in foreground)

I took a pummeling on my right in this game but Spartan morale held strong

Squadrons squeezed into narrows somewhat

Athenians managed to outnumber my right wing

Faster (ie Elite crew) light Athenians in convoy after one of my light Squadrons was sunk completely after a 'Kamikaze' style head on ramming charge (the heavy Athenians managed to save 3 of their 5)

So Sparta had to redirect a Squadron to contest straits

Also at club another naval game this time a Napoleonic bash using a test Too Fat Lardies set called I think 'Full Nelson '. 

This was British (more ships in action than current Royal Navy !?) against a French and Spanish fleet  with several players aside (2 ships each ?) and I believe it ended in a nominal British victory although apparently the British Admiral was cashiered as his flagship burnt to a cinder ? 

Langton ships (1/600th ?)

L'Art De La Guerre - another two games played

Another couple of games of LADG played in a virtual furnace today.

First up a classic match up with my Punic Romans versus Carthaginians 

I fielded a force with no cavalry and two Roman Generals included as Triarii.

This worked quite well but my Spanish ally was almost instantly vaporised and this exposed my right flank to overrun.

Second game I fielded Sogdians with Arab Ally against Late T'Ang Chinese.

The wall of Chinese foot armed with bow and spear not something the lancer Sogdians can deal with and whilst the Arabs fought valiantly against this wall my losses to shooting tipped things against me

L'Art De La Guerre - two games

LADG got an outing today at Stephens and we managed to get two historically based games played.

First up was my Normans taking on Vikings.

This was a really bloody affair with my Knights narrowly failing to break the Shield Wall (the Missile Support cancelling Furious Charge is a biggie)  before being overwhelmed.

I lost after hitting 22 losses but Viking were on 18 so close.

Second game I used Maurikian Byzantine and Stephen fielded Sassanid Persian.

Persian shooting was awesome and my lot soon racked up a ton of hits from which they never recovered and the army imploded.

Always fun with LADG and getting two games in.

Field Of Glory Renaissance - Habsburg Austrian against Sun King

Game of FOGR with Stephen with him using a recently painted but unbloodied French Louis XIVth army.

I used my TYW Imperialists as a surrogate Habsburg Austrian Imperial army.

Ten of my thirteen units were average and unarmoured with only two units of Kuirassirer having armour and one Pike & Shot unit being superior.

Bit odd having two units of 'Reiter' (Carbine and Pistol) being classed as Determined Horse and thereby as Shock types.

But these done sterling service against superior French mounted certainly compared to the Kuirassier who crumbled like flaky pastry.

Several of my Pike and Shot units had Regt Guns attached which whilst expensive points wise are a nice add on giving my shooting and impact some extra punch.

I had a unit of three guns which rolled lots of sixes but only against two base enemy battery which is rather hard to damage or kill.

My mounted units where overwhelmed despite the efforts of the Reiters (German Cavalry in list) and so foot in danger of being flanked which saw one of my units adopt Square formation.

Not something I think we have ever used (no need with Tercios) and it caused a few problems trying to work out which bases could be contacted/fight and numbers of dice to wield (first rules issue in eons).

But of little consequence as my army beyond redemption at this point.

Austrian left with soon to vanish Kuirassier flanking Pike & Shot

French cavalry pushing forward after Kuirassier evaporated but dwindling numbers of Reiters hold up more Sun Kingers

Foot face off in center

French had single Pike base but Austrian Regt Guns evened things up in shooting stakes

Foot flanks looking exposed

Austrian right

Reiters on this flank also took a longer time than expected to be beaten by superior French mounted

Austrian guns (behind fortifications) were pretty accurate but French gun targets remained steadfast