DBMM Teutonic vs Mongol Conquest

Dbmm game today at Stephens, I used his brothers Teutonics again versus Mongols. A very interesting cat and mouse game. Mongols much speedier than Teutons although we both suffered from poor Pips for several turns. I used Inert Allied Holsteiner command which had consistently low Pips to emphasise its inertness. A feigned flight by Mongol light horse caused problems due to low Pips by Teutons and resulted ultimately in dispersion and destruction of Holsteiners. Several Mongol light horse only spent so hard to dishearten commands. Did manage to destroy 2 Mongol ArtO (always satisfying killing those sods) but left wing Teutonic foot command also broke ending game.

iPhone pics again

Mongol deployment

Teutonic deployment

Teutonic centre facing by massed Light Horse

Mongol light horse clash with Knights prior to feigning flight

Holsteiners getting into difficulties on right

Turkopoles outnumbered on left with support from Livonian foot

Dbmm Early Crusader vs Burgundian

Played game today vs Stephen trying out Early Crusader versus his Burgundian as practice for Cork at end of January (both still trying to decide which armies to take).
Both compact aggressive armies. Burgundians invaded bit all terrain ended up on my side of table and none had any effect on proceedings. Burgundians have lot of BwX and other Bow/Artillery which shot up my foot commands (although it could have been worse) prior to contact. Made mistake giving brilliant General (Bohemond) lowest of 3 Pip dice (and forgetting to use brilliant stroke to change dice) which slowed his Knight command. Dismounted knights quite effective as BdS but iSpI outclassed. My two large Infantry commands both went disheartened then broken in succession ending game as 23-2 to Burgundians. As ever a good game. An old friend and opponent from 7th edition/Early DBM days attended and watched game and is off to check out lists and rules.

The two compact armies arrayed (Crusaders on left)

The Crusaders

Burgundian right wing

The BwX nasties

Dbmm Medieval German vs HYW English

Dbmm game last night versus Stephen using early Medieval German against his HYW English (how I hate this army !). Lots of early manoeuvring but once English machine guns (BwS) opened up it was lost cause. Even in melee they are tough especially with second rank and counting overlaps. Small but then so are Medieval Germans. Still good game as ever but as ever rather one-sided.................................

English deployment

Initial Pips (group to rear are Mounted Infantry)

German deployment

Leidang allies watch English advance

Might & Reason SYW Zorndorf Scenario

Played another superb game with Might and Reason rules this time a Seven Years War bash using Zorndorf scenario contained in rulebook. We used 15mm troops and I fielded Russians against Frederick and his uber mensh (they are very potent in M&R). Terrain a nightmare for both sides and it totally done for isolated right wing Russian cavalry who were hemmed in by impassable terrain to rear and flanks (River and woods)  and were facing Prussian cavalry under Von Seydlitz. Nowhere to evade to and wiped out in two turns with neighbouring Infantry too slow to get to support them. On Russian left their other cavalry at least outnumbered the superior Prussian mounted but an untimely lull (ie inactive) period followed by compulsory mad attack saw their Currassier destroyed leaving only lowly Irregular Hussars and Cossacks to face heavier cavalry and supporting Infantry.  Prussian manoeuvreabilty (ie ability to oblique) and heavier firepower then swamped the exposed Infantry on Russian left. Only a brave but futile charge by a brave Russian Infantry unit yielded any success for Fermors men as it sweep away a Prussian Line unit. Mantueffels Grenadiers shot enemy to pieces and then decisively charged Russian line foot who crumbled before them (their 8sps very tough to blunt) Russian losses mounted and exceeded army breakpoint leading to Decisive victory for Freddies forces.

Lots of iPhone pics

Central Russian Infantry deployments

Predicament of right wing Russian mounted visible (top left)

Central Prussian deployment

Prussian Artillery and Infantry pound Russian across stream (Russian return fire was paltry)

Seydlitz's Mounted force

Prussian right and Russian left wings

Massed Russian Infantry struggle to deploy as Seydlitz's approaches doomed opponents

Russian left Cavalry wing

Russian lines static due to Lull results

Seydlitz retires with minimal damage after annihilating enemy mounted

Initial clash on Russian left goes in their favour but Prussian Infantry join fray

Same wing a few pulses later with Russian cavalry now absent entirely !! and Grenadiers being shot to bits by Prussian foot.

Russian infantry enfilades Prussians prior to charging

Ponderous Russian advance on right

Musketry and Artillery exchanges continue on left

Russian left under severe pressure and about to fold

Glorious but futile Russian infantry charge destroys a Prussian unit but leaves them stranded  in precarious posistion..........................

DBMM Avar vs Abbassid

Played at Stephen's last night (include trek across Belfast in Arctic conditions) using my Avars versus his Abbasids as practice for League Finals for him next Sunday down in Dublin. Yet another really good game. Abbasids invaded leaving a fairly open table with 2 WH 2 GH and a BF. I flanked on his right with my small command (Gen + 4 RCvS) and Stephen set up defending both flanks with Lh which was great but the silly sod Avars went and through a 6 on turn one announcing their arrival ! this allowed his large Lh contingent on his left to release themselves. I tried to pin one foot command (mainly SpO/I and BwI) against a WH which worked after a fashion and faced of his other foot command (AxS) with my lowly Slavs (AxO). My Bulgar LhS failed singularly to dent the Sp/Bw but did kill those hateful Artillery pieces (huzzah !) but Slavs held up ok at first encounter. Predictably the Slavs were soon in difficulties against the AxS and worse the Bulgars again failed to dent the other Command. On my left my flankers charged (after a succession of 1 for Pips) and routed the Arab Allied Lh by killing their General (another huzzah !). However...............and the predictability is simply amazing............despite these gains my central force again could not inflict any damage to the enemy and I had to commit my CinC who charged a single BwI. But................here it comes.............he failed to kill them and then with a single overlapping enemy he died ingloriously to the BwI (6 : 1). This broke his command and disheartened the Slavs. Next turn the Slavs were decimated and this broke the army. A good game and I did manage at times to out manoeuvre Stephen (which is unusual) but combats were plain awful when it mattered.



Avar deployment

Abbasid array

Bulgars head off to pin enemy

Push and shove on right

Bulgars repulsed all along the line

Avar flank march forms up to attack Arab ally

Abbasid light horse threaten Slav flank

Slavs prior to engaging enemy foot

Warfare 2010

Attended the ever excellent Warfare show at Readings Rivermead Leisure Centre on Sat/Sun in company of my regular wargame pal Stephen Brittain and his brother John. Usual overdose of all things wargame and usual overspend on all things wargame !! Some really nice terrain items on show for purchase in all scales not to mention some rather lovely ranges of figures even for periods/scales I have little interest in.
Met up with Andy Finkel (a Piquet enthusiast) for short chat.
Checked out several 15mm ranges of Napoleonic Prussians for my Lasalle project and was impressed with the Essex and Old Glory ranges and with Black Hat miniatures of whom I knew nothing. Bought several rule books (addiction continues...........) and of course a 'few' figures (some 15mm Selecuid types as allies for my Galatians and Adler 6mm WWII British -lovely little men those), several terrain items purchased and yet more dice (there has to be one of the millions in existence that doesn't hate me !?)
Rules obtained were Rate Of Fire (and its AFV expansion) Captain General, Twilight Of Sun King, PK Anchor Of Faith, Polemos ACW (after being talked into trying 6mm by Brittains), Metal Storm WWII and PK Theatre Of War.
Competitions were well attended and lots of furrowed brows and cheesy grins abounded. Several nice demo games on show altough strangely I didnt give them as much attention as I usually do.
Looking forward to next year already !

Only a few pics turned out useable from iPhone


Famous Pendraken helmet

20mm Bulge game (Thunderbolt rocketing an 'M10' Panther)

 6mm Napoleonic game on really big table

28mm Black Powder Napoleonic game

 20mm WWII raid game (nice to see some old Airfix 'Gun Emplacement' bits in use)

25mm Armati game

15mm Not sure what this one is :-)

Another massive 6mm Napoleonic game

28mm ACW game (nice to see young enthusiast)

 6mm Modern game

The two chocolate soldier/sleeping beauty companions of mine unable to stick the pace.............wimps !

This one alleges he was watching Match Of The Day (through closed eyelids)

As for this specimen !!