Ulster Wargames Society - Gross Jagersdorf with (you guessed it ) Field Of Battle 3 - and other games

Club meeting today and I put on a scenario based around action around Norknitten Woods during Battle of Gross Jagersdorf (converted from a Black Powder scenario) using, of course, FOB 3.

Usual suspects signed up for game with Dave T taking the attacking Prussians and Dave B the defending Russians.

As ever a cracking game ensued with Prussians concentrating their forces on Russian right flank.

Russians had great sequences of cards and good move rolls but continuously failed to take advantage when shooting or in close combat. 

They thereby suffered badly in early going despite managing to charge cavalry onto flank of infantry twice (Fusilier Bttn 40 had a charmed life !) and then outnumbering enemy in 3 of 4 combats and losing every single melee !!

The Prussian Grenadiers (4 units) were rather poor including failing to move several times and both sides Cavalry were pants.  

These set backs saw Russians bleed morale and they were soon tottering on the brink and giving Morale to Prussians, but they passed their first Army Morale and seemed to have a resurgence of fortunes winning several combats (including at least 2 when roll a D4 vs enemy D10+ !!) and managed to survive numerous Daring Deed rallying rolls.

This saw several Prussian units shattered but the cost in Russian units was crippling and the slaughter continued until a second Army Morale appeared and the Russians quit the field.

The Prussians had a mere 3 Morale left (both sides started with 30) but had been 'gifted' 23 by the enemy so a crushing win for Prussia despite Fredericks absence.

Prussian assault into woods in full swing

A Brigade of Garrison troops is heading to Prussian right to try to get their cavalry out of trouble

A heavy melee in the woods

Russians trying to redeploy (they had to set up first) to Prussian concentration

Prussians bringing reserves into play

Russian right being turned

Prussian Fusilier Bttn 40 visible just outside wood near center having survived 2 flank charges by cavalry

Overview of battlefield before Prussian cavalry arrived (on foreground left edge) 

Also at Club were several other games (another busy meeting and great to see) that I did not see much of and don't know how these ended.

Chris and co played a very nice game using Bolt Action 3 (I would have liked to have seen these in action) with Japs mounting a sea landing against US troops. Some eye catching terrain and kit

Paddy put on a 28mm Cold War game using I think 7 Days To The Rhine rules

Charlie and co had a 20mm game using Crossfire (again I would have liked to see this one as an old but super set) which seemed to be late war Allies versus Germans with several tanks

Pics from before any units deployed

Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game - two games played (and a WIN !!!!!!!!!!!)

Game at Stephens and he choose the MEBSG he is so enamoured with for another outing and we managed two games at 750 points

First game I used Minas Morgul list again with the Witch King on his Fell Beast, 2 Trolls, 2 Spectres and a bunch of Orcs with only 2 Bowmen (of which more later).

Stephen used a Numanorian list with Elindeal (and another named hero ?) and multiple warriors with several archers.

The scenario was a new one to me (we rolled for this) being a Reconnoiter which entails getting as many units of enemy board edge as possible.

This was a hard fought game with Numanorians quickly breaking my army and eventually defeating it including losing the Witch King, but the two Orc archers I had managed to get off enemy table edge (they never fired or fought all game) whilst Numanrians failed to exit any mainly due to pulling back at start and this gave me 8 VP to their 5 VP and so a WIN !!!!!!! yes folks that is correct its not a typo a victory for once.

Mind you it was close as the two archers survived being shot at and passing their break tests (needing 8+ on 2D6) just prior to exiting !!

Second game Stephen took the Minas Morgul force although amended to include a Taskmaster, a War Drummer and a Banner Orc (only 1 Troll) whilst I used the Khazad-Dun Dwarf army Stephen had used in our last session and the Domination scenario.

This was a straight up rugby scrum from get go and a one-sided game as Stephen had awesome dice rolls from get go and even the Combats I managed to win I could kill very few enemy. My archers of which there were several were hampered by terrain and failed to have any real effect ending up in melee mostly.

Dwarves soon broke and then suffered a total defeat as Orcs overran them in short (pardon the pun) order.

Great War Commander played

Game with Stephen today and I introduced him to Great War Commander playing the initial 1914 scenario from base game.

We have played WW2 version a couple of times but his first time with GWC.

I took attacking Huns and he the defending Frogs in what turned out to be a very close result.

I had upper hand initially managing to capture a Secret Objective and inflict losses but then lost a couple of units and after a Sudden Death roll (turn 9) I was 2 VPs ahead but Stephens Secret Objective gave him a 3 VP swing for a 1 point French win.

Whilst GWC is of course very similar to CC:E it is different enough (in scale alone) to make it feel to be a  fresh game experience.

Game end with several Blazes burning and Huns pushing towards exit roads

The Victory Point track at end 

Commands & Colors Ancients - One scenario completed another starts

2nd Beneventum scenario completed in ongoing Vassal Punic Campaign with Mike and next scenario Castulo commenced.

2nd Beneventum was another close run contest which could easily have gone to Carthage had my Romans failed in last turn we played.

New scenario Castulo has interesting terrain set up and victory conditions (Romans lose instantly if Scipio killed but can gain Victory Banners if able to push units of enemy board edge)

No Retreat and Combat Mission

No game this week (due to dental appointment) but did manage to get in a solo session with No Retreat! The Russian Front which is always entertaining.

The low unit count and moderate complexity makes this a fun game.

Germans currently threatening around Minsk and Moscow with Russkies doing their usual scrambling to hold in initial turns.

Also an ongoing Pbem game with Combat Mission Afrika Korps with John with a Tunisia scenario 'Hells Hill' with John as Huns and me as Brits

Early stages but the Sherman pictured has just managed to take out a PzIV on turret at 800m with 3 shots.

 

Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game - Orcs vs Dwarves

Another game of MESBG at Stephens (he is very taken with game) using the usual Minas Morgul chaps versus his new Dwarf army, not sure which version.

We tried a 750pt game which is largest so far and this saw 41 Dwarves facing 56 'Baddies' (I had Witch King on a horse this time and no Troll but had 4 Spectres and mass of Orcs in 4 Warbands).

Dwarves have some nice abilities making them tough, as better strength means they win drawn duels vs my lot (happened a lot), several units get re-rolls in combats (again happened a lot) and they benefit from most terrain, they also shoot as well as Elves, only real downside is they move 1" less (short legs).

Game was a pretty brutal slog as I deployed right up to table center and being orc horde went straight for enemy, indeed we played whole game in Dwarf half of table.

Dwarf shooting took out 6 of mine before units clashed and then I lost tons quickly but began inflicting losses.

My Army reached break point first and several Orcs fled (failed morale checks) but I did manage to break the Dwarf army just before mine was auto-defeated.

Not great or many pics as involved in game

Action starts in Dwarf half of table

Commands & Colors Ancients - Dertosa completed and 2nd Benenventum commences

Completed Dertosa scenario with Mike on Vassal with my Romans gaining a rather too narrow win. 

Despite having a superior Command Card limit (6 vs 4) I had no 'special' type cards until last hand, whilst Mikes Carthaginians seemed to obtain every one  through course of game making it difficult for Rome with myriad extra moves and attacks.

End positions at Dertosa

We are now onto next scenario '2nd Battle Of Beneventum 214BC'.

Starting deployments