More photos of solo action with L'Art De La Guerre

Played a few more turns of solo game of LADG with clashes all along the lines and some losses.
Main rules pretty much assimilated and most of the troop interactions.
There is a lot less maneuvering than in Dbmm/FOG which to mind is a good thing but can see how some might lament not having the control of other sets.

Now I just have to learn how to roll high dice when needed !!

Panzer Leader played an oldie but goodie

Played the venerable Panzer Leader with my Dad tonight using a scenario from The a General magazine based around Arracourt campaign late September 1944 (which required a second board D which I had a DIY version of but managed to set up slightly wrong)

Forgot just how much fun this game is despite some dated mechanics and unit data.

No force Morale, no Elite or a Green types, overly generous vehicle movement, generic terrain etc etc but it all gels together well and is so highly playable.

Great fun frustrating Nazi Panzer Brigade with my CCA 

L'Art De La Guerre solo set up

Set up a solo game with LADG to try my Romans against Gallic horde as interested to see how 'Hairy Barbarian' types fare (they are Impetuous Impact types but with Furious charge) along with Chariots.
I found the 'Warband' foot armies very hard to use in Dbmm against Regulars and in FOG they have no real feeling of being in anyway Furious and generally outclassed by Romans.

Note that this 300 point game uses a 150cm x 100cm table size which is tad smaller than standard 180cm x 120cm (6' x 4') of Dbmm/FOG.
LADG standard games are 200pts on 120cm x 80cm with larger 400pt games using the usual 180cm x 120cm.

As with most Ancients sets half the fun is poring over the lists !!

Oh and just to show the rules and game addiction continues unabated here are some recent acquisitions, which sounds better than purchases to certain other interested parties !

L'Art De La Guerre played

Played a game of new (to English speaking world at least as this is version 3) French Ancients rules L'Art De La Guerre (LADG) at Stephens.
I had dabbled briefly with rules months ago but this was first proper outing with them.

We decided to go with 300pt armies (200pts is the normal/standard) to see how rules compared to Dbmm.
I used Punic Romans and Stephen his Carthaginians with Hannibal at the helm (a Brilliant Strategist).

We had usual new rules queries and look-ups for first few turns but then game began to flow really well.
Terrain set-up is akin to the Field Of Glory system being based on geographical regions and list of available types with rolls to adjust or remove items placed.
The rules overall are certainly a good deal less complex than Dbmm and with much better explanations and diagrams to help things along.
Unit functions and match-ups all fairly intuitive.
All units suitably armed can shoot in LADG which is nice change from the Dbmm system.
Melee combat is pretty easy to pick up with none of the 'your bound, my bound' complications of Dbmm.
However there is still a good range of units type match-ups and factor interactions.
As per Field Of Glory melee is a more attrition based affair with no recoils and units able to sustain Cohesion hits ranging from 2 (Light types) to 4 (Heavy Inf) prior to destruction with a rally ability by Generals which and/or proximity to enemy.
When a unit Routs (ie destroyed) it stays in place until the Rout/Pursuit phase at turn end.
Uses Pips but a good deal less than Dbmm as each Commander rolls a D6 adds any Command bonus but then divides by 2 to generate Command Pips.
As per Dbmm model units move as individuals or as Groups with additional costs for Unmaneuverable types to do anything fancy.
There are Impact, Impetuous type troops, Armoured and Heavily Armoured types, Protection factors versus Shooting and Spontaneous and Uncontrolled Charges.
Again these are all well explained and illustrated in the rule book.

We certainly enjoyed our first try and are already planning more armies to try (another bonus is that the rules include and extensive list of armies, indeed half the book is the lists).
I can see why these are being touted in UK as a competition set.
Personally I prefer them to Dbmm due to lesser Pips and overall complexity and as a nice alternative to FOG (which we still like).
Will do a more in depth look after playing a few more times.

Poor phone pics again !

Combat Commander again

Played three scenarios of this never bring game with my Dad.
Full of the usual narrative building events and sheer good and bad luck that makes the system so exciting.

First scenario had Brits holding off the Hun near Dunkirk.

Second similar situation this time in Norway.

Third saw Ivans trying to thwart Fascist drive on Stalingrad.

All three were Allied wins although the last one really only down to Ivans getting a very fortuitous reinforcement of a 152mm  battery early in the game which wrecked havoc on the Nazis.

Great stuff again.