Pulse Of Battle game

Played another Pulse Of Battle game today this time a face to face game with Stephen.
I used my Romans against Carthaginians for a nice historical based match-up.
Great game again using this fun rule set.
We set up terrain using Field Of Glory but used the deployment system of POB.
I had a 15 unit army and Stephen 16 units. Units in each troop type category that were the same were all classed the same for Combat & Defence (just easier to remember when in learning mode).
All went fairly smoothly but we did discuss a few things that seemed a little odd (and came up with simple house rule fixes) such as do we allow Javelin Armed Medium or Heavy Cavalry to shoot ?
We decided no as their Javelins/Light Spears more of a Melee Weapon.
We were less sure regarding Javelin armed Auxilia types, which can be classed as Light Infantry Peltasts or Medium Infantry, we allowed Light Infantry types to shoot but not the heavier type.
Whilst not on table we had a good natter about how Sassanid type Heavy horse bows would be used.
They appear to be quite potent vs Late Roman Heavy Infantry with good Combat dice and ability to Evade, meaning Romans would essentially need a 3 Move Segment roll to get to grips with them if optimally placed.
Whilst they require re-load cards this still seemed a bit powerful.
Not fully sure how we would tweak this but likely by disallowing such Heavy Mounted Bows from evading (much like Medium Foot Bows)

Barbarossa To Berlin at Fathers

Played another game of Barbarossa To Berlin with my Dad last night (we both really like this game) with me as ever as Allies.
Dad used Von Paulus Pause instead of Op Barbarossa and struggled to get VP locations throughout 1941.
I had FDR declares war as early as possible which brought Total War into play before Axis could get to magic 11 VP minimum required for 20 point boost and so by Winter 43 (ie 42/43) with Op Torch and then Casablanca played the Allies obtained an Auto victory by knocking VPs down to nil.
Great fun as ever with a game we do not seem to tire of.

Tigers In The Mist a Bulge (yes another !) game arrived this week in pristine condition despite being second hand.
Lower level complexity than most but does look good.

And this one inbound The Supreme Commander (such delusions of grandeur I entertain)

Turning Point Stalingrad game a blast from the past

After seeing a nice little video of old (well 1989 vintage) Avalon Hill game on Board Game Geek I decided to get this game to table having not played it since first obtained back in 1989 !!
Coincidentally a chap called Stefano from Italy having seen same video contacted me for a game via Vassal and so its a double-dunter with this still rather modern looking game.















Game on my table and how cool does it look !

Vassal version with some action having taken place around Southern Landing area

FOG Renaissance: Early Catholic vs Early Swedish

Played game of FOGR at Stephens today.
I used (just for a change) my Early Catholics with Later Tercios against Stephen with his Early Swedes with their hard as nails Brigades.
Game was excellent with early kudos to Catholic artillery which took out a full Swedish pike and shot unit with 4 hits as Stephen uncharacteristically rolled four ones for death rolls.
He lost a couple of Dragoon bases in similar fashion and was so disgusted he was close to conceding the game.
However he persevered and in familiar fashion once the Swedish Brigades got into combat my Infantry simply could not stand up to their Impact rolls.
Even disrupted but with a Regimental gun they rolled almost same dice as my fresh Tercios but hit on 3's to my 5's.
Even a unit of Cuirassier hitting one on a flank failed to kill the sods !
Their three Superior Brigades ripped my centre apart in short order.
I did manage to get a flank attack on (1 Cuirassier and a unit of 6 Reiters) but it narrowly failed to break through.
We had a lot of terrain today as I picked Hilly and it fell pretty well for me.
Celtic Cup in May is set to have a FOGR competition which I suspect I will enter.

 

Battle For Stalingrad first play

Tried latest game acquisition 'Battle For Stalingrad' from DVG Games.
An entirely card based game with a very low rules overhead.
Accordingly it was very easy to get into the game.
Had two full play throughs of the game both ending in full Russian wins (one wins by capturing all 5 of the starting locations).
The Russian ability to generate units and 'Rations' (sort of Petrol, Oil,Lubricants and Defences) seemed rather tough mountain for Germans to climb.
No doubt further plays will reveal more adept German tactics.
Good quick game and easy to pick up.

We also managed to play the first scenario from Combat Commander: Pacific but I forgot to take any pics.
Dad took the Japanese and eacked out a win !
We did however get Time event wrong as we advance Time and Decks on all double sixes drawn (as this is the Time trigger in Europe version) when in fact this is not case in Pacific (seems to be on double ones).
Great system with high drama as always.