No Peace Without Spain 1703 completed

Another year completed in my Vassal game with Norman. I had much better action card draw this time ( 2 x 3 3 x 2 Actions). I had fairly favourable (and some might say deserved) events occur at start of year with my being able to remove one French leader namely Vendomme (put onto turn track for 1704) and Bank Of England card giving me an extra Resource point each turn. Main Campaign actions for year were a renewed Allied siege at Cadiz and at Cologne. Both however held out to end of year before falling to Allies. Cologne had no extra Garrison but still held out, I wish there was a pillage/no quarter rule !! The garrison at Cadiz was given Honours of War, but its fall will allow me to try to bring in Hapsburg Spainiards next year. Lots of reallocation of resources by us both and minor re-deployments throughout year. French fannied about with marching and counter-marching in Northern Italy and were duly intercepted by Eugene who gave them a damn good thrashing despite their slightly superior strength (8 vs 7) but sadly no Famous Victory. Marlborough inactive this year (am pretty sure this is not optimal use) really just facing down nearby cowering French armies whilst Cologne was secured to his rear. So Spainish front opened at last, Eugene holds fast in Italy and minor consolidation in Flanders. Portugal due to join Allied cause next year so hopefully I can develop Campaign here. Need to take some risks with the Duke methinks.
1704 has just begun................................

Flanders at start of 1704 (note new event card just played which reduced 2 Bourbon Corps in Spain)

Portugal part of one true cause and Cadiz invested 

No Peace Without Spain - Vassal game end of 1702

Just completed last turn of the opening 1702 Campaign year with Norman. After earlier report events saw Marlborough successfully take the fortress at Liege (freeing its citizens from the tyranny of the Sun King). However the duplicitous and unworthy Elector of Bavaria has taken Ulm, whilst in Italy Vendomme captured neutral Parma before crawling back into Cremona. Eugene was tempted to intercept this move (as being Demoralized after losing earlier battle the French hit at a -1) but declined as he must consider the Electors action behind his back. Bourbons rebuilt several Corps. Allies at Cadiz conducted an all or nothing siege narrowly failing (needed a 6 to generate 2 hits required but rolled a 5!!) and sailed back to London licking their wounds.
Spainish Loyalty still firmly with their Bourbon puppet masters and Winter Quarters Phase will see the 2VP gained for taking Liege negated by Bourbon control of Mediterranean.

Very enjoyable playing via Vassal (nice leisurely pace) just needs a bit of adjustment to using interface. French had decent action cards (couple of 3s) whereas Allies had to struggle with a 2 & three 1s not a optimum deal for important opening year. Had I have had a another action I would have risked Eugene on an intercept at Cremona but that would have meant no chance to take Cadiz. Of course knowing my lowly action count I was rather overstretching to think Cadiz would fall in one attempt.

Now 1703 looms with sizeable French reinforcements inbound. An event card each will also be drawn which will be interesting.

Managed a couple of screenshots.

Overall situation at end of 1702 (2 Vps still to be deducted on VP track)

Flanders with The Duke in Liege and bloodied invasion force back in London

Northern Italy and Southern Germany

No Peace Without Spain - Vassal game

Just started a Vassal game (my first) via Pbem with an ex-pat Ulster chap (Norman) living in England who has a nice blog at http://pcjohnstone.wordpress.com/
He has chosen the dread Bourbons and I the Glorious Alliance.
Getting my head around 'logfiles' etc and learning flow/sequencing of game in Vassal but seems pretty straightforward (despite my re-loading an older file by mistake once !) and NPWS seems very compatible with it.
'Standard' opening with Bourbons going first occupying Madrid and transferring some Corps plus a dastardly attack in Italy on the force of Eugene at Magua.
This was a draw (2 hits each) which caused French to fall back demoralized (defender wins draws).
Marlborough has meantime besieged Liege (after French failed to intercept and then withdrew leaving a Garrison) suffering a hit but reducing fort to 0 initially.
Leader in London has taken his 2 Corps by sea to lay siege to Cadiz without losses on sea voyage.
Still a good deal of first year 1702 to play.

Very interesting to play someone 'live' as it were.

I will likely do a post/AAR at end of each year rather than bits and pieces like this and will try to post some screen shots once I work out how :-)

No Peace Without Spain.........again

Had few hours spare this afternoon after building brownie points by 'doing' the garden (which I should have spent painting or reading FOGN) and could not resist another go at No Peace Without Spain. Another very enjoyable solo experience. Finished in 1708 as Bourbons in the ascendancy after having a superb 1707 during which they drew5  of the 8 Action cards of value 3 !! this allowed multiple campaigns and sieges that the Allied cause struggled to contain (poor Eugene died once again !) with Spain and Italy securely Bourbon and Vienna threatened. I really like this fast playing, light yet flavoursome game. Really need to get a head to head session with this game.








Map under couple sheets of glass (old TV table shelves) I ought to get some perspex

Strong Bourbon main armies in holding boxes

Allies hemmed in in Flanders after several failed sieges and battles

Main Allied armies also strong (but soon to be decimated)

Thankfully a couple of games scheduled for this Friday (No Retreat board wargame at mine) and Saturday (miniatures game at Stephens subject matter still to be decided) which I am really looking forward to as I have had a couple of crappy weeks at work.

I wonder if he had these problems.....................

No Peace Without Spain further investigated

Played a few more turns of this intriguing and enjoyable game. Bourbons holding fast in Flanders against a strong force lead by Marlborough (who just cant bring anyone to battle and has been poor at laying siege). Spain however pretty much under Alliance control with Habsburg Spainish having come into play along with Portugal. Savoy being fickle sods they are have also changed sides to Alliance. Eugene in and around Bavaria has had on and off running battles with Vendome with both trading success and losses. However in 1708 Eugene (with side kick Stahremburg) have just managed to gain a Famous Victory (first in game) at Nuremburg over Elector but with both Eugene and Stahremburg both dying (ie roll 12 on 2D6) in process !! This will give Vendome's army a definite target in up coming year.
Have to clear game off table to make way for another Dbmm game tomorrow so unlikely to finish but I must say I am really enjoying this even playing it solo as it has great flavour and a very playable system. Might be game to make me dip toes into Vassal play.

iPhone pics again...............



Madrid has fallen to Alliance

Savoy backstabs the French

Stalemate in the North

Famous Victory achieved at Nuremburg.................................... 

But at such cost as Eugene and Stahremburg are lost..............................

No Peace Without Spain initial play

Managed to get some time to put this game up on table and have a quick play. Really impressed with this as a game, whilst reasonably simple and abstract (without being simplistic) it seems to convey the period quite well. Always a tough decision whether to stand and fight a land battle against a larger or on parity army (as battle is a simple you roll your number of dice vs mine to hit  - with a few variations) or to slide off and force the enemy to lay siege to newly entered fortress area (of which there are many). The consequences of losing a battle (Demoralization) or woe betide giving enemy a Famous Victory are not desirable. This seems rather in keeping with events of the time. Action cards are simply that a method to generate actions and the Event cards have a nice historical flavour without being dominant  (certainly not to same degree as in Age of Napoleon). Lots of other stuff goes on with Fortified Lines and attempts to Bypass same, transfers of troops, replacements and so on but all limited by amount of Action rounds per turn (mainly 5 as in the usual number of action cards drawn per side) and number of rounds per  Action (max of 3 with 2 or 1 being other options on cards). Only played first two years but found it very engrossing and already thinking about how to do things better as both sides next time. Whilst I found the physical components (thin counter, unmounted map) rather underwhelming, compared to my other recent board wargame purchases, they are nice enough and perfectly functional within the game. Tis the gameplay which is the main thing in the end and this game seems to have it in spades.

Just found this informative but a tad lengthy Vassal  tutorial (I really must try this programme) for the game which shows most of the basics of the game at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjpmOzGsp9k )

Couple of iPhone pics as I was too engrossed (ie lazy) to go downstairs to get proper camera

The full game on display

Some of the very nice card art (looks better in reality)

French army holding boxes

Their Alliance counter-parts

Reinforcements on Turn Track

In Flanders fields 18th Century version

No Peace Without Spain

No Peace Without Spain board wargame arrived today (ended up ordering from US supplier as unable to source in UK and for cheaper overall price than my previous failed order). Looks rather interesting even if box contents bit spartan. The Conflict of Heroes, No Retreat and Age Of Napoleon games have such nice component quality. Hope to give this a whirl soon.