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)
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.
We are now onto next scenario '2nd Battle Of Beneventum 214BC'.
Starting deployments
Just completed another C&C scenario with Mike in our ongoing Vassal PBEM 'Campaign' with his Carthaginians under Hannibal handily dealing with my Punic (Puny ?) Romans.
We are now onto scenario entitled Dertosa which is an encounter I know of as Battle of the Ebro (Scipio vs Hadrasbul in Iberia) but hopefully Rome can exact revenge.
Starting positions
Finished another scenario of ongoing Commands & Colors campaign with Mike and his Carthaginians were victorious once more.
The extra command cards Carthage gains when under Hannibal is a definite advantage but Mikes shooting dice were awesome this game as constantly caused a drain of attrition to my units.
On to Cannae next.........................................
End of another C&C Ancients Vassal game with Mike and this time his Carthaginians were victorious at the Trebbia braking my winning streak when the outflanking force under Mago appeared inflicted telling losses.
But boy was it close as the previous Roman turn I was a mere 1 hit from destroying enough Cartho units for an auto-victory !!
A slick playing and fun light system that works well on Vassal
Another Commands and Colors Ancients game on Vassal versus Mike completed with a victory for my Romans (on a roll at present) at Ticinus River.
I was lucky early on to get a card that boosted my medium cavalry and allowed me to inflict a good deal of hurt on Cartho heavy cavalry force and thereafter it was a matter of picking off light units.
Mike was pretty unlucky with his attacks overall despite having superior force and three generals
Next up is Battle Of The Trebbia with this light but fun C&C system
End of battle
Also ordered new edition of Chain Of Command despite not being a set I overly enjoyed (preferring IABSM) but new changes do sound positive and anyhow its another set of shiny new rules :-)
Finished PBEM game of Combat Mission Afrika Korps with John in a randomised Meeting Engagement in western desert and was a total massacre of my poor British Force.
Just starting another game which is an adaptation of an ASL scenario 'A Wet Bridgehead' set in Tunisia 1943 and with me as Brits again.
I had no real answer to Panzers having only ATRs after loss of single 2pdr Portee
Also just finished another game on Vassal with Mike of our ongoing C&C Ancients 'campaign' with my Romans being victorious at Bagradas (I - well Vassal - had absolutely awesome run of dice rolls in this one which is very unusual)
Next up in our series is Ticinius River which looks tough for Romans
Game plays pretty well PBEM and quickly once we decided to reduce file exchanges to minimum by often rolling for enemy during Evades and Battle Backs.
Already started second scenario Crimissos River 341BC
On much sadder note we lost our remaining 'fur baby' Joy on Saturday as her wee heart just gave out (as did her pal Lucys last July) and our house feels empty and so very downbeat.
Seems like no time since they were new arrivals with us back in 2016
Dogs really dig deep into your soul..................
My Germans came close to auto-win in 1941 and 1942 but once Soviet replacements started to crank up I tried to form a solid defence line as far east as possible.
This worked for a time but when Strategic Initiative shifts to Ivans (better card events a real boon) a couple of breakthroughs saw several Hun units pocketed and a losses mounted as I failed to extract all but a few.
The inexorable advance of the Red Army then ensued and cities changed hands with VPs mounting in Soviet favour, and their early entry into Romania saw loss of Polesti oilfields and writing on wall for my lot as Soviets ground down the Whermacht and entered Germany itself.
This was a truly excellent game experience and by far the furthest I have ever gone with this game in physical form as either an earlier auto-win or simply running out of time usual game enders.
Never been to into 1945 phases and this only rule section we struggled with as to how to recalculate VP levels otherwise pretty smooth sailing throughout which is seldom the case.
As Germans I felt the elation of early offensives and near misses and then the relentless pressure of Red Army (literally turning from low factor brown units into high factor red units) and other world events (like Italian Invasion, D-Day) becoming a drain on German abilities.
Weather was pretty much historical (first winter is brutal) with only a couple of turns when I could have done without the extra mud conditions.
Whilst highly abstract NR retains a deep historical flavour and full immersion in the grand campaign with a low unit density and not too many special rules or exceptions, the cards doing a lot of heavy lifting in this regard, one of most enjoyable games I own.
Overview of game end with imminent German collapse fully evident
Couple of ongoing PBEM games for which I have neglected to report of late.
Still in midst of No Retreat! The Russian Front with Mike via Vassal and we are now in Sept/Oct 1944 turn with my Axis forces pushed right back to frontiers of Reich and under huge pressure all along the front. Saving grace is that Russians well off pace in their Victory Point accumulation but that could change.
Breakthrough over Carpathians looking imminent !
Also ongoing game with Combat Mission with NJ John with a newly started game (we finished a Russian Front game last week) set at Cheux in Normandy (but using CMAK data).
An '88' awaits British (John) advance
About to lose 2nd Panzer to event and I took several losses last couple of turns (which are expensive to rebuild in situ) so Hun line thinning out.
Ivans are looking very strong with bulk of their units improved.
Got to make a decision soon whether to hold (as per Mr Hitler) or to withdraw towards Reich to shorten line whilst no giving up too cities (hence VPs).
Great game
As no minis game this week am continuing to learn Andean Abyss, with close wins (in solo mode) for Government, FARC and AUC so need to concentrate on how to use Cartels.
Quick update from couple of ongoing PBEM games I have in progress.
First up Vassal game of No Retreat! The Russian Front still in progress with Mike and we are now up to Turn 13 (May/June 1943) with Russians looking rather powerful as they gain strategic initiative, although I have just about managed to form an unbroken line of defence.
Also have an ongoing PBEM game with NJ John of (the venerable) Combat Mission: Barbarossa To Berlin.
We have been playing one of the Operations (mini campaigns) entitled 'Dergatschi Roadblock' set in March 1943 and now coming to a crunch as Johns Nazis forcing their way into town enroute to bridge objective beyond but time now against them.
