The Dark Valley - end of a truly epic PBEM game

Just completed The Dark Valley Vassal game I have been playing PBEM since July 2014 (with one or two extended breaks) with Mike in Canada !!!!!!!!!!!.

We stopped at end of February 1945 as just no way Soviets going to make enough gains to affect the Victory Level (German Minor Win).

Enjoyed the game via Vassal but not sure what I think of it overall as an East Front game.

Complexity is low in terms of pure game mechanics (made larger by sheer numbers of units/scope) but I found it lacking dynamism.

Never felt in Barbarossa phase that Soviet lines would ever break or that any large encirclements/pockets would occur or that any real threat to Moscow or Leningrad never mind Rostov or far flung Stalingrad, although Mike may have been playing conservatively ?

Only Minsk, Kiev, Kharkov (recaptured) and the Crimea fell with Germans retaining Ukraine and most of White Russia along with Sevastapol at end.

Very seldom after 1941 did we have any units Out Of Supply/Communications as solid unbroken lines, meaning the Logistics chit rarely had any effect.

Cannot say we played optimally (certainly my first go with game) but never seemed that either of us could make any truly significant breakthroughs when attacking to really trouble the enemy.

Certainly once Soviets went onto Strategic Offensive they had a torrid time trying to grind the enemy and Mike was able to retire onto river defensive lines (not sure Herr Hitler would have approved) that proved impossible to breach (the Soviet Combat Results table is rather unkind).

From 1944 onward it seemed more of a WW1 Western Front style affair.

Certainly the biggest game I have ever attempted (a mini-monster) and one I would simply not get to the table for more than a brief session so Vassal a great way to actually play.

Overall view of the front at end of Feb 1945  

The northern zone

And the southern zone

The Dark Valley - PBEM situation shot

Ongoing PBEM of The Dark Valley where we have now reached May 1944.
Screenshot shows overall situation and note these lines have been pretty much static since late 1942, and more akin to World War 1 on Western Front.
Just cannot seem to generate enough combat power (my game play likely not greatest) any place to pierce German lines and they are happy to simply hold onto gains.
Despite a good chunk of Russia staying under Nazi yoke, Kiev is only major city objective to have fallen by high tide of German offensives.
Have been playing this via Vassal (with Mike) since July 2014, so in fact longer than the actual campaign !
We have had a few extended interruptions along the way but being Vassal game we have been able to keep it going, no way that would happen with physical game. 

A bit of online Wargaming

Couple of screenshots from PBEM ongoing games to bring this Blog back somewhat on track !





Combat Mission (an oldie but goodie) with a Sherman menacing my Pz Grenadiers near Lingevres in Normandy.

No Peace Without Spain board game via Vassal showing overall at start of 1704

And a zoom in with Prince Eugene threatening the Bavarian Elector at Munich as The Duke in a bit of a stalemate with Villars in Flanders locality.

Thirty Years War - End of PBEM Turn 1

Turn 1 just finished in my Pbem game of TYW.
An eventful turn with Baden changing hands twice from Neutral to Protestant then to Tillys Bavarians with besieged Breisach the last Reformer bastion.
Saxony captured by Protestants under Mansfeld after crushing Saxons at Lutzen.
Then chased by Christian of Brunswick, although Leipzig holds out under siege.
Spanish have ventured into Lower Palatintate taking the Electorate with 2 successful sieges.
Victory Points stand at down 3 for Catholic cause but the large Imperial force at Vienna is unused thus far.

Thirty Years War - PBEM via ACTs and Vassal

Started PBEM game using ACTS and Vassal against a chap called Przemek Bozek.

Ages since I played using these methods but great to get playing a board wargame I have not played for awhile.

Early days as we are just on turn one with Prezemek as Catholics and me as Protestants.

Tilly has massed his Bavarians and overrun freshly deployed Protestant forces in Baden

Mansfeld has marched north into Saxony and battle about to take place outside Leipzig.

Some VASSAL and PBEM action

Been a while since I posted any screenshots from ongoing Vassal and Pbem games so......





Turning Point Stalingrad with Ivans barely holding on during 29th Sept (VASSAL)

The Dark Valley Nothern regions (Vassal)

Southern portion

CMAK a tough crossing of Volturno for 36th Texans

Campaign Series Western Front a Spanish Civil War bash

Vassal Pbem two different games but similar outlook pour moi

Couple of screenshots from Vassal games I have ongoing at present

First up Barbarossa To Berlin (I love this game even though I truly suck at it) in an Online tournament I joined at last minute to make up numbers (never a truer word typed !). Playing against a US bloke called Marc and getting fairly drubbed by his Nazi onslaught.

Just about to start Fall (ie Autumn) 41 turn and already Stalin is dead and Moscow under Swastika. Ivans holding on grimly with Axis only 4 Victory Points from auto win.

Next up a game of Paths Of Glory against frequent opponent Mike, and things looking rather grim for Allies here to (I just managed to avoid a Central Powers auto win 2 turns ago) on the Western Front with Hun right up to Paris. 

At least this one is going the course as we into Winter 1917/18.

Shifting Sands: Tobruk falls to the Afrika Korps

Playing a Pbem of Shifting Sands: The Campaign for North Africa 1940-1943 board wargame via Vassal with Norman and felt I had to report (ie rub it in) success by the Afrika Korps in taking the port of Tobruk from the Englanders in Winter 1941/42 !!
At second time of asking of course (I attacked in 1941 but was repulsed) and succeded due to Luftwaffe support the timely arrival of a Panzer Battlegroup and a damn fine roll (5 with +1 for flyboys) versus a bloody poor roll (1) by Churchills lot (rolls done by Norman).
However part of reason for gloat is that I fear the success will be fleeting as British are lined up in some strength along Eygptian border ready for a concerted push west methinks.
Will be interesting to see if Norman has cards in his hand (due to Malta convoys he has a 9 card hand to my mere 6) to exploit opportunity my bold success has presented.
I love these CDG type games for just this sort of narrative produced and inherent unpredictability.






Tobruk ist gefallen

PS I really ought to note that Norman generously pointed out a game losing flaw in my previous turn when I had left Tripoli ungarrisoned which dastardly French in Chad could have entered thereby putting every single Axis unit in North Africa out of supply and subject therefore to elimination at turn end !!!! I gave him a 'free' Victory Point but still a very gentlemanly move on his part.

Vassal Pbem games ongoing

Couple of screenshots from Pbem Vassal games I have onging at present.
Vassal is great way to play board style wargames over internet via Pbem.
I took a while to get used to its system but find it very enjoyable now.
Still prefer physical gameplay (I sometimes miss units in Vassal compared to real three dimensional counters) but as needs must.



Thirty Years War game by GMT just started vs Mike Ketterman from USA
Mike is Cathloics and I the 'Prods'

Protestants under Mansfeld put pressure on Elector of Saxony

Paths Of Glory by GMT also versus Mike (we are well into this one now)
Mike is Central Powers (ie the baddies) and Allies under my whims 

Shifting Sands by MMP vs Norman Johnston (ex pat Ulsterman in Merry ole England) we are nearing end of the short Sonneblumme scenario in this. Norman is leading the Allies in this one as I try to emulate Herr Rommel and his mates.

Wilderness War Vassal defeat............

Just finished Vassal game of Wilderness War with Norman and my British suffered a rather crushing defeat at hands of Norman's French with their Indian lackeys.
Good game this with lots of decision points and two protagonists that appear similar but are actually somewhat diverse in aims and makeup.
British have stronger Regular forces but the terrain inland prohibits effective use of these chaps.
French commanders on the whole are just that bit better (ie easier to activate) than bulk of British counterparts and this can be key to effective campaigning and use of resources.
French have a lot of Indian tribes as allies and as such they can mount a lot of troublesome raids into British territory (Norman was unlucky with initial raids) meaning Kings men need to build plentiful Stockades and Forts (these are additionally key to mounting any meaningful campaigns into the hinterland as they secure and offer supply lines).
Loss of General Johnston early in war was bit of a disaster for Brits as he is really only conduit to use Indian tribes friendly to the Crown.
I did send Wolfe on a venture towards Quebec but failed to get enough reserves to him to mount an attack against Montcalm (cards with high enough value and a Naval symbol are required which I failed to draw often enough).
With a couple of victories in field battles and raids Norman accumulated enough Victory Points in a couple of turns to make it difficult for me to thwart him especially with poor card draws.
Fun stuff and I think this would be a very good game for a real time or face to face encounter.

Final positions at end of scenario

Wolfe on approaches to Quebec awaiting reserve force from Louisbourg that never arrived............

The Victory Point track in all its horror

Still have Pbem game of Paths Of Glory ongoing and am hoping Norman up for another venture onto Vassal with any game he cares to select (To the Victor the Spoils)

Wilderness War Vassal 1759 started (and more Arty)

Still playing Wilderness War by Pbem on Vassal with Norman  and just started the Early Season of 1759.
Due to holidays/trips/work and suchlike for us both we have been slow getting through turns but I still find this an intriguing game.
1758 saw fairly conservative actions from us both (I suspect we both had poor card draws ?).
French are however well established along Hudson River and whilst I am ashore in north on Quebec approaches my strength is not enough to push on as yet.
French tried more Indian raids in 1758 but none successful.
British built a fairly strong line of Forts and Stockades.
I am hoping 1759 will see a more concerted effort by my troops to mass against the French and their allies..................

Start of 1759

Also still messing around with the Instagram App (and some others) on my iPad, with some of my old miniatures photos, just something 'nice' about the images it generates and easy to use.
Totally pointless and time consuming but it brings out the artist in me (some might say piss-artist !)

Pbem Wargaming and an EBay purchase

Couple of screen captures from ongoing Pbem PC Wargames (all I had time for tonight)

First up a T34/85 roving about in Germany in March 1945 (Combat Mission)

France 1940 in Western Front Campaign Series game in 'boardgame style' view

Which leads me nicely to my EBay purchase at a very reasonable £20.74 (inc p&p) as I was so impressed with playing Stephens copy and could not resist (a recurring Steiner theme I fear !!).