FOB last fling with WSS (and Men in Green)

Supposed to play a game today at Stephens but had to obtain and set-up a replacement printer instead. But did start a solo game using my 10mm Malburian stuff using Field Of Battle rules as a last hurrah for 1st edition as 2nd edition is at last on its way from USofA (but no sign as yet).

My start on AWI British figures has stalled but needed a wargame fix of some sort







iPhone pics as too lazy to go downstairs to get camera !

Of course a MAJOR bright spot at start of day was the Men in Green duffing the Aussies !!!!!

PK Field Of Battle : Prussians take on French

Game at Stephens today I picked period he picked rules so it was 1814 Prussians versus French using Piquet: Field Of Battle rules. A hugely entertaining game it was too ! we used Lasalle terrain generation and half measures for our ground scale. I fielded 5 Brigades with 23 units against 20 French units. French had several Elite units Prussians none (I really am a glutton for punishment !) Terrain was 'the valley' with line of hills on opposing sides of table (Stephens rubberized terrain mat very useful for this allowing placement of items underneath - considering purchasing one) into which I placed a wood and a field and Stephen a town.
Prussians designated as defenders  although this proved nominal as cowardly French hugged their ridge whilst 'General Vorwarts' went.............'Vorwarts'.


Lots of crappy iPhone pics (with lots of caption 'digs' at French dogs):


Prussians line along their ridge (temporarily)

French line theirs (super-glued)

Prussian mounted Brigade advances on right

Prussians Infantry Brigades begin to advance

Guess who are advancing ? 

Even the lowly Landwehr show French how its done 

'Vorwarts' in the center 

French militia cower in town

More 'Vorwarts-ing'

Landwehr go eye ball to eyeball

Whats this ? French heavy cavalry actually advancing !!

Reserve Infantry Brigade 'up and at em' against French 'one step forward two steps back' Brigade. 

Earlier shot of mounted wings mutual advance

French 'Elite' Infantry falling back so much for fabled elan !

French right at start

Prussian centre

Prussian cavalry on right wing

French 'attackers' center 'nailed' to ridge

The 'bold' French furthest foray

Footnote: FOB vs DF
Having played last two games using Die Fighting it was interesting to compare these rule sets and to be honest both very good and yield plausible results in their own ways. Overall systems in DF a bit slicker but we both enjoyed (more familiar or comfortable might be better terms) being able to 'kill' outright a unit on table today rather than solely 'routing to its doom' only but its simply a different approach to combat outcomes/attrition. FOB lacking a bit of flavour/diversity between inherent periods perhaps but possibly more 'balanced' as a game as a result. DF resembles original Piquet more closely (not surprising as same author) in that one simply cant attack/move everywhere (at least thats a risky strategy) as resources/pips dwindle or not available, whereas FOB allows a 'general advance' (not necessarily a good idea) as pip costs to turn cards but not to act on them plus both sides get to react with equal pips (tempered by different sequence decks). Comparisons a bit 'apples and oranges' as both offer fast play with the inertia/chaos/unpredictability to differing degrees that we both like in wargames. We both like Lasalle as well (even if Cavalry seems a tad powerful) and its nice to have options especially for our friendly type games wherein being 'jacks of all trades even if master of none' suits us.

We are hoping to try 'classic' Piquet: Cartouche and Les Grognards with smaller forces for more tactical nuanced option at some stage and to try DF & FOB with ACW or Franco-Prussian forces ...................... ah the lure of fresh projects.............................

PK Field Of Battle WWII

Played first game of Piquet Field Of Battle WWII against my Dad tonight using an amended Spearhead scn (I played it with Spearhead a couple of years ago) which pits 3rd Pz Gr Divn against 3rd US Inf Divn in sunny Italy 20th April 1944. Worked out at 5 Battalions each, US had 3 Inf Bttn 1 Tank Destroyer Bttn and 1 Sherman Bttn backed by 2 Bttns of 105mm off table. Germans had 2 Pz Gr Regts of 2 Bttn each with a Stug Bttn and off-table Btnns of 170mm and 150mm Nebelwerfers. US had 2 Airpower Cards and a Barrage Card the Huns an added Tiger 1 Coy (which attached to an Inf Bttn). German CO was D10 with Superior Deck the US CO a D12 but with Average Deck.

Excellent and tightly fought encounter battle which Germans won through acheiving better attrition (ie inflicting more Strength Point losses and therefore more Morale hits on US). US ran out of Morale cards (started with 19 to Hun 18) first and succumbed on 2nd Morale Card test. Quick system easily learnt, lots of abstracted detail (Heavy Weapons and suchlike) but appropriate to scale of game. Used my 6mm kit with one 30mm base per Company unit and used half measurements for everything (using centimetres would also work).

FOB game finished

FOB game concluded today

French ran out of Morale Chips and Quit The Field on first (and early) test on an Army Morale Card.

Very entertaining game as a solo effort, lots of action and the card/initiative system of PK FOB allows for a good solo game.

So good in fact am now re-reading PK FOB WWII for a possible test........

Short Video Clip of FOB game

A short video clip showing overview of the battle during turn 3

FOB 10mm Malburian

Re-fought yesterdays game using Piquet Field Of Battle which is great for solo play.

Initial set-up as per CMD PK scn generator and terrain system.

Garde Francais chasing off Austrian Currassiers on French right wing

Austrian Inf routing after volley from Irish in centre

General overview of Turn 3

Clash in centre

Last stand of French Rgt Poitiou