No Retreat ! The Russian Front, Ivans victorious !

Played another game of No Retreat The Russian Front with my Father last night and another cracking game it was too. I was as ever Soviet facing the Fascists. Nazis made good progress in 1941 their only blip being failure to take Minsk at first attempt. Ivans were looking thin on ground at one point. However despite loss of Leningrad they once again firmed up their front around Moscow and managed to slow Nazis around Kharkov. The Ivan winter is a real saviour in late 1941 early 1942 as German attacks are diluted.
1942 was stellar for Ivans as they brought in reserves (I used very few cards as events using them mainly to churn out replacements) started upgrading units and held off every Nazi attack. This then led to 1943 seeing the red horde advance to the frontiers of the Reich !! The board in late 1943 looked very close to the historical situation of late 1944, with Ivans in strength lining up on borders and Army Group North cut off in the Baltic states. Turn 15 has a Sudden Death Victory check which the Ivans achieved by having 20VPs ie one over the 19VP target. Great game again which we are now playing much quicker. Za Rodina !!!!!


Awful iPhone pics

Mid 1941 Ivans thin on ground

Leningrad invested

Heroic defenders on Minsk (under the Counterblow marker) delay Nazis advance

A mere 18 months or so later and Red Army is massing near the Reich borders

Pushing into Poland and East Prussia (Soviet units nearly all upgraded by this stage)

Victory !!!!!!

ACW with Regimental Fire and Fury rules

Played very enjoyable game at Stephens today using Regimental Fire and Fury rules. I played original F&F many moons ago but never tried this version. Essentially the same system as F&F but  a different unit & ground scale. Very slick and playable with big moves and ranges (some Rifled Artillery can fire out to 60" at 15mm scale !!) and once we got going it went along a decent rate of knots. A few queries during game easily answered in the comprehensive and well written/illustrated book (I feel another purchase coming on !)

Stephen had set up a scenario Gaveston from a 'Guns Of Gettysburg' scenario book covering an action just prior to 2nd Bull Run in 1862. Really good with small but mainly Veteran Rebs supported by Artillery on a hill against Feds with more troops but mainly Trained status although they have the Iron Brigade (Crack status) who are really mean. Sort of an encounter game with Rebs (2 Brigades on table 2 as reinforcements) appearing on flank of Union line of march (some Brigades have to dice to activate/advance or charge).
Objective a long fence line near the table center. Rebs set up behind a defensible railway embankment (unfinished apparently) but I felt they would have to advance to contest the objective as Feds have better small arms and less numerous but more potent Artillery. So that is what I did with 2 central Brigades as the 2 reserve Brigades appeared on either flank. Initial success in driving off a Regt of the Iron Brigade was however thwarted as another Iron unit drove off 2 Reb units. Crack status very nasty especially with bigger units. A stalemate on my left ensued as opposing Brigades faced of and similarily on the my right, although here 2 Green Rebs units were in diffs with a sole Veteran unit having to charge 2 large Fed units to restore temporary order.
The Iron Brigade became firmly fixed on the objective and seemed likely to flank my other Brigade (which as across the fence line but stuck on a protracted musketry duel with Union units ensconced in a wood.
Reb casualties were mounting (especially after a 5 stand unit was eradicated in a flanking charge) as we had to call it quits, still undecided but looking like Union numbers would tell.
Great stuff with a very nice set of rules.

Union Brigades strung out on road to Goveston

Rebels center lining the embankment (guns in front due to be deployed on the hill)

Central Brigade on hill at start

Then advancing to the fence (and beyond)  as well

The Iron Brigade deploy from the road

Rebel reserve arrives on right

More Union troops start to re-deploy

Union begin their advance

To be met by Rebel counterparts

Rebs gearing up to try to stall the Iron Brigade

Lining the objective in 'Come take it of us' mode

Union left 

Rebel Veterans chase 2 large Union Regts back across the fence but are looking rather isolated

Union holds the wood

Iron Brigade on the objective having driven off and put a lot of hurt on the Rebs

Stalemate on Reb left (Rebs getting ready to hurl themselves forward)

No Retreat ! The Russian Front on table again

Played Stephen today with this excellent game. He took Germans and I the Soviets (just for a change) he had rather poor opening turn failing to kill any Ivans or even push them back ! this blunted his drive eastwards even though he got an extended Summer and reduced a Long Winter turn to Snow. He did manage to take Leningrad in early 1942 but never really got near to any Sudden Death victory totals. As Soviet upgrades were kicking in and Germans were begining to consolidate a defensive line we had to call it a day. Great game as usual and Stephen impressed by its ease of play and flavour of events. Also impressed by the quality of components.



ACW game at his tomorrow with Regimental Fire & Fury rules (not tried these yet) and 15mm toys, cant wait !

Pike & Shotte pre-order

Just saw these up for order on Amazon (apparently due early April) and so felt compelled to part with more dosh ! Price as advertised certainly good (£19.50 compared to £30 full price of admission).

With these and Maurice also due early April looking good on rule addiction front.

















Edit to include new front cover picture (from Warlord site) I think the one from Amazon above is out of date

No Peace Without Spain.........again

Had few hours spare this afternoon after building brownie points by 'doing' the garden (which I should have spent painting or reading FOGN) and could not resist another go at No Peace Without Spain. Another very enjoyable solo experience. Finished in 1708 as Bourbons in the ascendancy after having a superb 1707 during which they drew5  of the 8 Action cards of value 3 !! this allowed multiple campaigns and sieges that the Allied cause struggled to contain (poor Eugene died once again !) with Spain and Italy securely Bourbon and Vienna threatened. I really like this fast playing, light yet flavoursome game. Really need to get a head to head session with this game.








Map under couple sheets of glass (old TV table shelves) I ought to get some perspex

Strong Bourbon main armies in holding boxes

Allies hemmed in in Flanders after several failed sieges and battles

Main Allied armies also strong (but soon to be decimated)

Thankfully a couple of games scheduled for this Friday (No Retreat board wargame at mine) and Saturday (miniatures game at Stephens subject matter still to be decided) which I am really looking forward to as I have had a couple of crappy weeks at work.

I wonder if he had these problems.....................

Field Of Glory Napoleonics

This new rule set (complete with that fresh ink smell) just arrived today.
Hope to have read through later and possibly a game next weekend.
Usual FOG high quality production on first glance.
Been getting mixed reports on TMP (most particularly regarding its use of Regiment as unit basis) but I always prefer to 'proof the pudding by eating it myself' (not good for waistline though).











Edit to show couple of pics of rule book interior

White Star Rising first play

Had a couple of hours today to run through a few turns of the initial 'Noville' scenario. Overall impression is rather good as I like the Chit Pull mechanism and movement, combat (essentially an opposed rolls system) etc are all fairly straight forward processes. Bit of concern as to HQs wherein they are of course very important but die (can be replaced with lesser versions) if other units in hex are eliminated, so could see potential for this being main thrust of game many times (ie kill the HQs) only time will tell.






Poor iPhone pics again not doing justice to the nice game components

Overview of situation at end of fourth turn