Russian Campaign

Russian Campaign by Avalon Hill set up and in motion on game table. Bit of nostalgia as its been years since I played this gem. Considering a foray in Vassal or similar and this might be just the ticket.

DBMM Hsiung Nu vs Han

Dbmm 400 pts played today using Hsiung Nu (LhF version) against Stephen's Han (this time with Chariots). I delayed one Command (but bugger came on first turn) and out- flanked with Kang Chu ally (arrived but too late). I had great Pips bar one turn but combat dice for shooting and melee where too awful to relate (it would only give you the reader nightmares never mind what it did to me !!). Han are very manoeuvrable and tough to flank and as ever the Hsiung Nu lack punch. Several LhF died due to F factor when shot at by Han bowmen. Interesting change from the LhS version I used before. Am undecided which I prefer versus Infantry heavy armies (S good vs mounted) as there were times I lamented being F others was glad not to be S (mainly not being forced to pursue). Good to get back to proper big battle rule set even if it was yet another drubbing.

iPhone pics again (I seem to have a mental block about remembering to bring camera)

 Han Chariots hiding behind AxS

Han Cavalry line GH

Han infantry in SF

Delayed (ha !) Cmd arrives on turn 1 !!!

Overview of compact Han deployment

Thirty Years War Imperialists on parade

Another couple of units finished for my Imperialist/Catholic League FOGR/DBR army so thought it was time to have a parade (inspired by pics on excellent Tagmata Dbmm site - see links).
Figures 15mm mix of Essex and Minifigs. Arrayed in FOGR units (click for larger pic). Used Army Painter 'Tufts' of three varieties (like these) and some stones from garden as base decoration with some very old granulated flock (no idea of maker). Have a bunch of foot to paint to allow another Large Tercio and a few Reiters to allow a third unit or 6 bases in two units but army good to go as is.














Overview of army

Late Tercio (3 Pike 3 Shot)

'Footprint' of Early Tercio (6 Pike 6 Shot)

Another Early Tercio

The sharp end

Light or Regimental guns

Currassier (Heavy Armour & Pistols)

Croats

Bandolier Reiters in FogR terminology behind unit of Muskets

Medium Guns

Dragoons

Generals (Minifig Tilly figure on left and Pappenheim on right)

Strange army choice for an Ulster 'Prod' !!

FOG R second tryout

Played another FOGR game today at Stephens using a Later Thirty Years War German army (15 units) vs his 1631 Swedes (13 units). Later Imperialists had 5 Pike & Shot Regts (no Tercios) each 2 Pike and 4 Shot (with one being Superior Veterans the rest Average). Not nearly as effective as Tercio types as losses due to Death Rolls from 4 Medium Artillery was enough to auto-break 2 units and Swedish Brigades munch them in Impact/Melee combats.  But another fun game with more rules learnt. We really need to follow the Sequence Of Play strictly whilst learning as several times we made things complicated for ourselves by not adhering to it. Good stuff again we both like the rules for our Renaissance encounters.

Overview of deployments

Imperial Horse 'Division' massed on right

Veteran Imperial foot (with attached Gun) and some tat !

Veteran Swedish Brigades in centre

Swedish Dragoons and Artillery with Average Brigades behind



Conflict Of Heroes: Storms of Steel! Kursk 1943

Played another couple of scenarios (sorry I cant call em Firefights !) last night with my Dad. Ivans crushed Huns in FF8 Black Knights of the Steppe with the hidden KV1s doing sterling service (taking out Tiger) great fun. Nice to see one of my favourite tanks the Churchill in action too. Second scenario we played was FF14 Luchki (part 2) now this one was a bit disappointing (despite use of Panthers for first time) due to the rules regarding anti-tank guns. ATGs count as armoured targets when fired on frontally (due to gun shield) and as soft targets from flanks, which is fine when engaged by Infantry small arms (as they use their lower Blue anti-tank firepower) but when engaged by Panzers this is a tad farcical as a hit almost certain and usually two hits (therefore destroyed). ATGs have frontal defence of 13 but Tigers & Panthers have strikes of 12 & 13 respectively (PzIII has a 9) meaning a guaranteed hit even if ATG is in terrain, and with average rolls a destruction is likely. Strangely the ATG is safer if fired on from flank as Panzers use red FP (usually 5) against a red defence of 10 !! This meant the ATGs (whose own AT firepower is low) where literally sitting ducks (no hidden set-up in scenario) yielding an easy 7 victory points. I actually man-handled a couple backwards into woods out of line of sight (means no LOS from them either of course). First real problem we have encountered with game. Pity but a house-rule will fix. Good fun otherwise trying to swamp big cats with T34s and KV1s.

Luchki with only 3 ATGs left (out of original 7)

FOG solo

Having enjoyed FOG on Saturday I thought I would try another solo test with the rules using Gallic versus Mid Republican Roman 800pts armies. Noted a few things I got wrong on Saturday (mostly minor). With bigger game on 6' x 4' table FOG has a very linear look (no depth/reserves compared to Dbmm) as besides a few support units its hard to keep second line as Routing into and bursting through is a potential problem and of course being out flanked. Not that solo is great way to try out tactics as such. Rules are pretty tight despite being all over the show in book. Once you find a rule its fairly straight forward to utilise and understand (cannot always say that with Dbmm even in version 2). Lots of dice rolling (not necessarily a bad thing of itself) and I still miss the inertia of DBX Pip system and stuff like weather. Generals feel more like unit leaders rather than in command of wings or battles. Terrain placement defies any plan unlike Dbmm (hard to strike a balance between too much and too little terrain I fear). I would however happily play the system for friendlies against those who dislike Dbmm. Enjoyable enough but not as satisfying as Dbmm (more a light lunch than full dinner). Strangely I found FogR a better proposition.





Legions and Warbands clash

Chariots take on Spanish Scutarii (first blood went to chariots who killed a base at impact but then lost melee and their general and failed 3 tests to Rout !)

Support line of Warband (one of whom was burst through and Disrupted then hit by pursuing Legions and Routed)

Gauls did have some success Fragmenting a Legion and indeed Routing a Superior Legion with Gaestati. Roman allied cavalry visible Routing top left after thumping by another Chariot unit.

Hugely ineffective Gallic LF bows (not a single Cohesion test caused on Extraordinarii despite several volleys)

Taking the 'long view'

Galatians in the FOG

Saturday now and FOG Ancients competition at Ulster Wargames Club. Three very fun games played against three nice bloke opponents. Two losing draws, against Selecuids and Romans (very narrowly !) and a thumping by Carthaginians. Terrain placement in this game is a farce but did not detract from experience. Dice rolls from sublime to ridiculous. Very few rule queries arose (practice game last week really helped) and usual suspects regarding situations with number of bases involved in Impact Combats and my ongoing confusion with non-straightfoward conforms. Didn't come last either which was a bonus.


Must confess felt a tad guilty enjoying this so much and was spotted by a couple of visiting DBMMers !! :-)

iPhone photos so lacking a bit of clarity

Against Selecuids

A pretty Carthaginian army

Men against boys (Xyston Romans) !!

More big children having fun (trust me they are, appearances can deceive !) with their toys

More Conflict Of Heroes

Friday evening and another run out with Conflict Of Heroes against my Dad, played two firefights from Awakening The Bear and a large Tankfest from Storms Of Steel. Great stuff again and further rules learnt. Only major mistake we made was with Close Combats in that we misread rules to allow a Close Combat to occur for one Action Point rather than counting it as a full Fire Action. Will know for next time. Only downside to these games are large amount of table space required as large maps and displays, a minor criticism.






The Gap from Awakening The Bear

Germans going airbourne :-)

The 'Tankfest'

Panzers deployed in wheatfields