Zorndorf : The Afternoon Attack - Seven Years War Field Of Battle 3 solo

As a wee change from boardgaming or the machinations involved in learning GDA2, I decided to play a quick solo game with my perennial favourite Field Of Battle 3 (always fun solo) and a scenario 'Zorndof: The Afternoon Attack' (designed for Black Powder but easily adapted) especially as been a while since my SYW stuff has been in action.

Scenario is a straight forward situation simulating the Prussian attacks on afternoon of Zorndorf after failed morning assault, strangely the Russians have no artillery Prussians only a single battery. 

There are rules in BP version for several Russians units being Valiant and several units on both sides being small or worn and similar. 

I did not replicate much of this other than Prussians losing First Fire ability and having two small (3UI) foot units.

Not a lot of terrain either with only a large swampy area to Russian rear and a light wood (the Stein Busch) and Zorndorf itself.

Large cavalry engagement on Prussian right led by their Cuirassier units (3 move charge on second card !) soon saw the lesser Russian mounted implode almost completely !

Russian foot had several decent volleys pushing back leading lines of Prussians but their follow up units hit Russians hard especially in center and things quickly looked bleak for them.

With several units destroyed or routing the Russian army morale plummeted (start at 30) and they were 'gifting' morale to Prussians and pain ended on an Army Morale card as they yielded (Prussians started with 35 morale lost 13 but gained 12 for a major victory).

I played this for couple of hours late Saturday after watching football (Euros have been entertaining overall so far) and completed game today in another couple of hours with 50 units in action on table (23 Russian and 27 Prussian).

Super stuff as always with FOB and this was a fast and exciting game even with me running from one side of table to other (keeps me fit...................not).

Initial set up (almost at 'whites of their eyes' range) Prussian on right

Prussian foot brigade in front of Zorndorf supported by the lonely gun battery and more foot

Russians foot awaits

Prussian Kuirassier and Dragoon regiments arrayed with Hussars extending flank

The Kuirassier were able to launch straight in melee destroying one Russian Cuirassier and repelling others and their Hussars

In center Russians fared better forcing back several oncoming Prussian foot battalions

Russian right anchored on wood stay unengaged

Prussians reorganize pushing fresh units into fray

Entire Russian left wing under real pressure

Casualties (and therefore lost Army Morale) mounted and another Cuirassier is routed

In FOB units sitting disordered (yellow) and with hits (dice) are very vulnerable.

Russian Hussars having to take on front line duties for which they are ill equipped

Russian lines look solid

Until suddenly they are being forced back (a couple of units had routed but recovered)

Disaster unfolds on Russian left 

Russian center now under assault as well

Morale dropping fast as hits mount

Only the right wing remains strong

Prussian reserve formations push forward 

At end even the right has had to retire under pressure

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.