Field Of Battle and COIN system games played

A grand days gaming at chez Steiner yesterday with JB, RM, SP and later SB in attendance (ie usual suspects sans Le Duc who was awol) and a brief visit from Billy.
A good days craic and banter (and weirdly a bit of knee touching the 'culprit' remaining nameless although the "I thought that was the table" excuse was paltry at best !!)

I had set up the Battle Of Ramillies using my 10mm units for Field Of Battle 2.
74 units on table with both sides split into 2 wings with a CinC (so a mere 3 commanders per side).
Marlborough was a D12+1 with a Superior deck Villeroi a D10 with average deck and both sides sub- commanders were D10 types)
Both sides fielded a mix of Average Crack and Elite troops in fairly equal proportions (36 French units vs 38 Allied).
I approximated historical terrain and allowed players to split their forces as their nominated CinC saw fit (RM and JB)
Terrain sort of compels cavalry to be on open left/right wings but I was tad surprised that French  deployed  on their right with no gun support (these and all nearly all foot being on their left behind Petite Gheet)
Allies deployed with British on their right as per history but they essentially refused this flank rather than cross the Petite Gheet.
Billy temporarily commanded the Allied left (as did I) then S 'the dice demon' B to the chagrin of JB & SP, although Marlborough was none too shoddy with his dice.
The Dutch horse deployed on open left flank but with a good deal of foot in support with guns in a sort of 'massed battery' opposite Ramillies (which was garrisoned by Elite troops)
As anticipated (and as in history) a huge cavalry battle ensued between Taviers and Ramillies which could have gone either way but arrival of British Horse (as per history) helped swing things in Allies favour, also forcing however the French foot to surge across the Petite Gheete in response).
The French right was imploding as their foot emerged from the boggy area around the Petite Gheete and engaged the waiting British and Dutch infantry.
After several ineffectual volleys (one or two fall backs) the British managed a couple of morale sapping (I wont describe the reactions of the French for sake of propriety !) routs and by this time the French morale pool was empty and they 'noisily' yielded the field.
Game took just under 5 hours and reached a decisive and pretty much historical conclusion with pretty much no rules queries or problems a real strength of FOB in my experience.
I hope to introduce players to it at club which it should suit well with the 4hr time slot.



Cavalry about to clash

Initial advantage to Dutch as British horse arrive (near Ramillies)

French foot cross Gheet and engage Allied foot

Then after a local Indian takeout it was on to evening game with Fire In The Lake.
I had planned to referee this one as well in order to best teach the system and control things but sadly RM had to go so I took over the ARVN from him early in proceedings.
SB was  VC, SP theNVA and JB the good ol' USofA.
Played the 3 deck short scenario and a very good game it was too and pretty close in the end.
A different dynamic (obviously) when full (a couple were by this stage) complement playing game with a few dodgy deal/back stab moments.
Easy to teach the game mechanics but really down to players to digest the Op and Special Activities sheets and the interactions of choices/events/VP impact that this game presents in myriad fashion.
VC won on last Coup card (which was also very last card !) with score of 37 (+1) ARVN then on 48 (-2), NVA on 15 (-4) and US on 36 (-14) caused mainly by a massive 12 piece surge on first Coup card Commitment phase causing a 12VP drop US struggled to get back although they did fix a fairly large NVA army pretty much in place in Quang Tri.
Great game this and I hope the chaps got at least a little flavour of its playability and depth.