Field Of Battle 3 - Ramillies in 10mm with son (and an ode to FOB)

Big lad Steven over from England with us again (Grandads 80th) so managed to set up and play a FOB3 (the gift that keeps on giving) game using my 10mm Malburian stuff and the Ramillies scenario I had used previously.

Steven chose the Allied force under Marlborough and I took the French and we used broadly historical deployment.

Great game that saw us both lose all our Morale but with my lot failing their Army Morale on second test.

Highlights were my right wing crushing the opposing Allied horse (4 units destroyed) but being unable to exploit this gain due to lack of move opportunities despite also routing the redoubtable Dutch Foot Guards (buggers came back fully rallied later) !

On Allied right the English contingent lost their general early on which thwarted any progress by them, but their guns did truly terrible damage on my foot Regiments across the Petite Gheete area routing several units which failed to Rally.

In center it was an attritional 'ding dong' of a battle with Allies taking Ramillies itself, then French retaking half (it was 2 x BUA) then losing this again in short order. 

French were just beginning to at last turn the Allied left and were advancing across the Gheete when the Army Morale came into effect and ended proceedings. 

Super stuff once more and so easy for Steven to pick up and play.

French left behind Petite Gheete (a class II stream within another area of Class II rough), note British units all in disorder as Orkney is hors de combat (he did come back later)

Central action around Ramillies starting

French are ascendant on right (last Allied horse in diffs with Swiss foot to rear)

Alied horse have charged into contact to their doom on my right 

Steven in command

French baggage camp on right was thankfully never threatened (+5 Morale to Allies if taken)

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Just a little insert to state (as if it were not obvious) how much I have enjoyed the Field Of Battle series of rules over the years, after catching the system 'bug' with original Piquet rules.

For me such a satisfying blend of playability, and historical flavour with the 'chaos' (for want of a better word) factor that I prefer overall in my gaming (be it via Pip dice, cards or whatever) which I can tweak to my hearts content without ever really breaking things and I bought in fully to the design premises clearly stated by authors (Bob Jones and Brent Oman)

I can honestly say I have never had a 'bad' game using FOB despite my dice often trying to spoil things for me !

Piquet in particular was a rather 'Marmite' set (players seemed to either love or hate with a passion) which I get to a degree with randomness of cards, the multiple dice types, and ever changing initiative system, but then several other rule sets are treated similarly (I know some that detest Black Powder or WRG style).

FOB toned down/'balanced' things a good deal with equal initiative and card runs whilst retaining same basic combat systems and simplifying system overall.

I get that some players can feel a lack of control ('the game is playing me, its not me playing the game !") with card/initiative randomness especially compared to more traditional sets, I guess your pays your money and takes your choice/variety is the spice of life as you play the hand you are dealt.

But I always feel games play out 'historically' (such a subjective thing in wargaming) overall feeling much more like battle accounts I read with the inherent unpredictability of events and action and yet in a fun and often exciting way.

I of course enjoy several other other sets of rules for differing reasons but always find I am comparing the experience of using them to FOB and it is usually my go to set nine times out of ten for horse and musket period.

The current 'King of the Hill' for me 

Having de-throned this edition mainly by streamlining rather than very radical change.

I played and loved initial version but soon superseded by V2

The pre-cursor to the above which retained more of original Piquet style

The latest progression of the system with new cards and initiative, which I just have not played as much (find it harder to teach and use for multi-player and to tweak) although possibly a 'better' two player game experience as less 'dead' cards in a much smaller deck (23 cards now a mere 8).

The original core rules I used (think around 1993 ?) which were a radical change in game style to what I had been using ie the old school 'you go - I go' types which have their attractions but I find rather less exciting.

Honourable mention must go to the WW2 set which I have played sparingly, as whilst I love the concept and playability I have found it a struggle to find/organize suitable scenarios 

Rapid Fire Re-loaded - Push on Capriquet Airfield scenario played

Played 'The Push On Capriquet Airfield' scenario with my son using Rapid Fore Reloaded (for which it is designed) as it is pretty easy to play and teach.

Steven took the 12th SS bunch and I was Canadians.

Pretty tough for Cannucks with objective at far end of table and lots of Panzers on your flanks but good fun game as lots of Tanks on both sides.

I set up a screen just outside Buron as well aware a KG would 'appear' (inactive until turn 3) on my left and pushed Bren carrier units and later a Tank Squadron down road into Authie.

We both took losses in initial exchanges of fire (my M10 Wolverine and Achilles first to brew) and the Hun artillery really punished any infantry targets their FOO could see (lack of allied artillery is unusual - but historically they out distanced their support).

My Typhoon support was singularly unimpressive throughout only causing a single damage to a PzIV and either failing to appear or being aborted by 20mm AA gun and eventually shot down by same (not clear if this ends all air support but we played that it did).

Eventually however Cannuck numbers began to tell and once all Panzers dealt with I was able to advance onto objective at Franqueville mostly unmolested although both my Battlegroups were very close to taking morale tests. 

SS being Elite in game are unlikely to fail morale especially if in hard cover and their remnants ended game in Abbey Ardenne being pummeled by my remaining tanks until I forced multiple morale checks which they eventually failed giving Canadians the victory.

Great fun with a straightforward simple and highly playable set of rules.

Loads of burning tanks at end (the tank vs tank system is very basic but it works in fast play setting and at scale of engagement represented).

Large church standing in for Ardenne Abbey being invested by arriving 12th SS units 

The 'northern group' set up ready for action later

Canadian armour deploys from Buron to protect road

SS attempt to interdict road from Authie to objective

Tank losses mounting for both sides

Authie under Cannuck control but also under fire

Canadian armour suffering

Panzers taking hits as well

Panzer IV near Abbey under constant fire (Fireflies very potent)

Mid-game view

Typhoon (Tempest model standing in) on yet another ineffective attack run

'Panzer Meyer' contemplates is mounting losses as Cannucks threaten 

Combined Services Museum visit (plethora of pics again)

On day following our trek to Tank Museum my son and I visited a small (but excellently appointed) museum at Maldon (much closer to his home) called the Combined Services Museum (https://cmsm.co.uk) and having expended my inner Nerd store I had to draw on Geek genes reserves which were soon depleted. 

Museum is located in an three storey industrial unit within an industrial estate (backs onto an Aldi delivery bay) and looks tad basic from outside however it is a real gem packed literally full of stuff all very professionally presented (pic is of one of a few outdoor exhibits)

Collection based on a private collection that has expanded over the years and covers from BC eras up to contemporary period.

The various display cabinets are chocked full of military items (weapons, uniforms, kit et al) with some larger items. 

The building is Tardis like as displays seem never ending, and helpful chap at reception desk (a small counter with some items to purchase) advised that it houses the largest collection of guns in UK which I could well believe.

One starts on ground floor (shocker) with early periods (including lots of ECW) then progresses (mostly chronologically) over its three floors through to Cold War period.

A very interesting section is that devoted to 'spy craft' with lots of SOE and Cold War items with clandestine cameras and weapons and suchlike.

Only real downside is that display cases often close together so with the (ample and bright) lighting it can be hard to avoid reflections in photos (at least with my skill set).

Another highly recommended museum and again I took a deluge of photos of which I offer but a taster/sample selection (hopefully the info cards are legible if pic expanded).