American Civil War action with Glory Hallelujah (Black Powder)

Game at Stephens (a newly minted Granda) and he selected to try an ACW scenario using Glory Hallelujah supplement for Black Powder.

Scenario was semi-fictional set in 1863 (Swifts Creek ?) with Stephen taking the Feds and I the Rebs under Longstreet.

About 6 Brigades per side (of varying sizes) in 2 Divisions each so quite a lot of units on table.

The Union artillery being 6 gun batteries were rather powerful compared to standard Napoleonic types we are used to with extra range and more importantly an extra dice when firing.

This combined with difficulty of saving (ie passing Morale Test) against any hits they inflict made them quite potent.

Musketry was fairly even (one of my Brigades had exemplary accuracy !) with both sides taking several losses and having units 'Whipped'.

Some Union regulars were classed as Stubborn which is a very useful trait (re-roll a failed Morale Save)

I did manage to get a couple of units into melee, which is not easy as -3 to charge in ACW, in order to avail of their 'Rebel Yell' trait. 

But of course they failed to outscore enemy despite hitting on 3+ with 6 dice as opposed to Union on 4+ with their 6 dice, the supporting units system in BP is important and so easy to adjudicate (here's looking at you GDA !!)

BP has its issues for me but easily tweaked to taste and it does produce a quick playing game which is always a bonus if fielding lots of units.

Due to way to much waffling we failed to finish the game but enjoyed the turns we did get through.

Rebs pushing into teeth of Union artillery on ridge

Confederate left wing engages advancing Feds

We did use bounce through/grazing fire which would have made Union guns even more deadly with the dense targets

Rebs hide in open woods but no protection from ballshot

Union advance on their right

Rebel Brigades try to spread out 

Solo with Field Of Battle WW2 - Cristot scenario

Decided to give FOB WW2 (or is that 11 ?) an outing for reasons best known to myownweeself.

Used my 15mm kit and a RF Normandy scenario Cristot which is rather small by FOB standards with only 13 units vs 17.

But t'was a fun game nonetheless although the small Morale Pool of both sides was telling and game over in less than 2 hours.

Had forgotten several aspects of FOB WW2 (one of reasons for trying it) particularly the need to spot units (they are on table but need to seen to be engaged) and that units are destroyed after 3 UI losses not 4.

At this scale of game the abstractions probably seemed more prevalent especially the 'lack' of heavy weapons and tactical aspects but the speed of play and lack of clutter still a plus point.

System is of course designed for Divisional sized battles and this is where it shines for me especially with 6mm.

British reserve Battalion (each two stand unit is a Company) advances with M10 support

Sherman Squadron engages enemy

Heavy infantry action in center

My custom decks get an outing

Battlefield from British right

British force prior to deployment

German recce types await

View from German lines

A bunch more pics from Blenheim FOB3 game at UWS

Dave M (Lord Cutts) sent me copies of pics he took of Blenheim game.

Unsurprisingly most are from his assault upon and capture of Blenheim itself and of Allied center to his right

The battlefield before armies deployed

Ulster Wargames Society - Blenheim with Field Of Battle 3

Club today (sadly missed last months meeting) and I ran another FOB3 scenario with my 10mm toys again.

Scenario was based on Blenheim (I termed it 'Baby Blenheim') with units representing as usual 3-4 foot battalions or 8-10 cavalry squadrons.

Was nominally designed to accommodate 4 players but ended up 7 played to control 4 Commands per side.

Allies were Dave T, Andy and Dave M with French under command of Dave B, Jeremy, Stephen and Tom.

I used historical deployment areas but allowed players to swap units between commands if they wished (think they only shifted a couple each).

What a cracking game this one turned out to be with loads of to and fro action, incidents galore and swings of fortune for both sides with a super battle narrative.

Allies had some minor success after initial advance but then came undone with multiple units being Routed as French artillery seemed to get an endless run of artillery cards.

Seemed Allies were going to stutter as could not get a good run of cards (not helped by a mid-deck reshuffle) or successful rolls other than for rallying (superior officers helping).

The Maison Du Roi in the centre charged and swept up 3 units and things really looked bleak for Allies as their losses mounted and Morale pool dwindled rapidly.

French were also taking losses from superior Allied volleys but a lesser rate.

But then when all seemed lost (Morale expended but did not turn a potential game ending Army Morale card) Allied fortunes uniformly improved all across the battlefield and French center suddenly collapsed with several units routed or destroyed (including Maison Du Roi) and French morale plummeted to zero as well.

Allies were then able to get the English foot into action against Blenheim itself and after initially being forced back they swept the French out of the town (gaining a much needed +5 Morale).

Things then went from bad to worse for French as Allies pushed well across Nebel into crumbling French centre and their guns lines were assaulted (French started to 'gift' morale to enemy).

Losing a General did not help and he was never replaced (ie no leadership card)

Looked to be no way back for the French but a unit of Bavarian Foot Guard did sterling work routing opposing foot and horse units, but again the Allies managed to Rally quickly.

One feature was the Allies managing to gain extra actions on French Lull cards (they had 3 in their Poor deck) and often key actions they were like melee, infantry fire or artillery fire which rubbed salt into French wound.

French were hanging on by a thread but did manage to play 8 or more cards before they pulled an Army Morale card which they failed and they quit the field.

A very close game with Allies teetering on brink at one point (although Marlborough may have kept them in it with his D12+1 command dice vs Tallards D10) but they survived and pendulum swung back so far French could not recover.

Initial Allied advance in center (from right) under Marlborough (Dave T) facing Tallard (Stephen) and Blainville (Dave B)

Allied right under Lord Cutts (Dave M) move towards Blenheim (French forced to keep 2 Battalions in the 2 sector town) defended by Clerambault (Jeremy)

On Allied right Prince Eugene (Andy) advanced against Marsin (Tom)

Initial success for Allies getting across Nebel in centre)

View along battle lines from French right at Blenheim and the Danube

French guns and the Maison Du Roi have pushed Allies back

Late in game and Blenheim has fallen to elite English foot with French routing (red tufts)

French right and center in real trouble now and Blainville is Hors De Combat with units all disordered (yellow tufts) out of command

Allies applying coup de gras in center

French left only formation still mostly intact

French guns about to be swept away

Heavy action near windmill

View from Allied right

Also at club was a game using Midgard rules (run by Tim) and Middle Earth forces with Riders of Rohan facing an Orcish Horde, don't know how this went but also involved several players.