Clare Gaming & Hobbies - Waterloo anniversary game

Took a quick jaunt earlier to Clare Gaming & Hobbies venue to see a large Black Powder game being played in honour of Waterloo with Andy, Ivan, John (proprietor) and several others - as strange to me as I was to them :-) 

Game loosely based around famous battle with tons of lovely figures on nice mats on a 15ft x 6ft table.

Black Powder II used without any supplemental rules (and basic formations - no skirmish screens) for simplicity which is sort of required for game of this size. 

Certainly a great deal of fun being had with, blunders, charges and tons of dice being rolled accompanied by moans, groans and exclamations of joy.

Sadly I could not stay but French pushing very hard in center, expect to see result on Bakebook in due course.

General D'Armee 2 - 'Franquemonts Attack' scenario

Game at Stephens today and it was back to GDA2 playing a GDB scenario 'Franquemonts Attack' 1813 with my Prussians defending.

We managed 7 turns but not close to finishing the scenario (16 turn limit) so very much in balance

We did see some strange rolls on first two turns with Stephen generating no ADC on turn 1 then my entire army going Hesitant on turn 2 !! thankfully too early for these odd occurrences to effect things.

And sad to hear of passing of Donald Sutherland one of my favourite film actors, so many entertaining performances over the years..........

 

Combat Commander - last solo session with base game

Played through last two scenarios of basic Combat Commander with both showing actions of US vs Germans first in Normandy around 8th July with SS counterattacking (very low unit count in this one) and second a US assault on Kraut positions around a hill in Italy 1944 (large numbers of US units)

US won first and lost second.

So that is the twelve base game scenarios played through and good fun it was too, such an exciting system even on ones own as always so much happening.

There is an official solo system but I have not got around to trying it as yet maybe if I try the Mediterranean expansion ?

SS counter assault in Normandy

US had an immobilized Sherman (modeled as a 'bunker' with 75mm and HMG)

Action in Italian hills

Combat Commander - more solo

Managed to play another couple of scenarios solo (after watching Scots get thumped by Germans in Euros !) as first ended very quickly with frequent Time Triggers occurring.

Names of scenarios escape me but first had Yank Para force facing Kraut Volksgrenadiers near Hitdorf 1945 and second with Ivans vs Huns in 1943.

Combat Commander - face to face play (and more solo)

On a real Combat Commander kick at present and Stephen introduced to game with couple of scenarios played to completion.

I set up 'Hedgerows and Hand Grenades' again giving him control of attacking US, picked things up pretty well (its not a hard game to play) but did succumb to a bit of 'analysis paralysis' in early going.

Game was close (as ever) with my Krauts coming out on top after a batch of Time Triggers as we seemed to whizz through to Sudden Death (still took 3 rolls to end game)

We then played a second scenario 'Paralyzed From The West Down' set in St Mere Eglise on 7th June with Stephen again taking the Yanks.

This one we played through much quicker (again a narrow Hun victory) 

Action in the bocage

And at St Mere Eglise

Later I played some more solo (plan is to play through the 12 scenarios of base game) with 'Closed For Renovation' (Humaine, Belgium 27th December 1944), 'Cold Front' (Staritsa, Russia 30th December 1941, 'Paralyzsed From West Down' (again) and 'Bessarabian Nights' (Bessarabia April 1944) all completed.

PBEM catch up - No Retreat! The Russian Front and Combat Mission: Barbarossa To Berlin

Quick update from couple of ongoing PBEM games I have in progress.

First up Vassal game of No Retreat! The Russian Front still in progress with Mike and we are now up to Turn 13 (May/June 1943) with Russians looking rather powerful as they gain strategic initiative, although I have just about managed to form an unbroken line of defence.

Also have an ongoing PBEM game with NJ John of (the venerable) Combat Mission: Barbarossa To Berlin.

We have been playing one of the Operations (mini campaigns) entitled 'Dergatschi Roadblock' set in March 1943 and now coming to a crunch as Johns Nazis forcing their way into town enroute to bridge objective beyond but time now against them.

Fascists in town center

My T34 force has been decimated by much faster firing Panzer foes !

 

Combat Commander - more solo (as practice)

Another few solo sessions with Combat Commander this time just playing the first three initial scenarios from original CC: Europe set. 

This time with a bit of purpose as I managed to persuade Stephen to try the system this week (as a wee change of pace from our GDA-a-thon)

So it was Fat Lipki, Hedgerows A d Hand Grenades and Bonfire of the NKVD and great fun again.

Fat Lipki

Hedgerows And Hand Grenades

Bonfire Of The NKVD

Battle For Normandy - solo play

Not much time free on Thursday as watching all the various D-Day commemorations on telly (sad that this will likely be last large event with veterans in attendance) so choose to have a play with old Battle For Normandy from Attactix Games.

Tough old task for Allies to gain all the victory cities, and so it proved (not helped by storm on turn 1) as Caen held solidly by Huns and Cherbourg never threatened.

Allies did open up a corridor between Gold and Omaha with St Lo falling but just not enough

A very basic introductory style game but no less fun for that and played to completion in less than 2 hours.

Initial set up

Turn 3 and Allies already struggling with losses mounting for both sides

Also attended remembrance service at local War Memorial in the evening 

Combat Commander - more solo goodness

Played through another five (!) Normandy scenarios with Combat Commander with actions at Omaha Beach, behind Omaha and in British/Canadian Sector at Authie and Capriquet.

All great fun and every one close in the end