Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Might & Reason 10mm WSS part deux

Played out solo game tonight. Whizzed through another 8 turns (most only single pulse though) with night falling with neither side having acheived victory. Imperial forces had lost 4 Horse units and French only 1 but nothing decisive. Stephen hoping to attend my gaffe on Saturday so a proper head to head outing for these armies (will amend terrain a tad) using Might & Reason.
Game plays smoothly and quickly with minimum fuss which suits it grand-tactical scope.

iPhone pics yet again



Opossing Horse wings back off from each with casualties aplenty
(2 Austrian Currassier subsequently lost)




Austrian foot advance in centre




Cavalry clash on other wing with Prussian infantry moving
to support Austrian horse




More Austrian foot on left wing



Irish 'Wild Geese' advancing to the fray



French foot advance in centre after dithering about inactive for several turns


Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Might & Reason 10mm WSS

Hoping to play Might & Reason (or possibly PK Field of Battle) with Stephen soon so a solo play test to get rules back into my brain. Quick read over then plonked 2 army builder armies from Sun King module onto table. French with average CiC at 210pts and Imperial Austrian with Good CiC at 180pts.
Used a terrain set-up (ala FOG) from M&R Yahoo group which worked quite well.
One turn of 4 pulses played thus far but French pretty inactive as most of their Brigadiers have turned out to be pants (ie -1 or -2). No shooting yet and only one Cavalry vs Cavalry melee on Austrian left which saw 3 Currassier units bounce off 2 Elite (Maison Du Roi) and a lowly unit of Dragoons. Hope to more turns done tomorrow if possible. Great system.



Initial deployments French on left



Imperial Currassiers advance 



Imperial right with Prussian brigade on hill



French left anchored on town



French centre



Friday, November 05, 2010

Lasalle first game

Played first game using Lasalle rules today at Stephen's using his Russians circa 1812 against Boney's Grand Armee types. A very good game in which we managed to complete a full 14 turns despite several interruptions and having to double check rules etc. Forces were core plus one pick from Army Builder lists which had good troop density with 15mm figures on a 6' x 4' table. A really good set of rules that play very smoothly and clearly written allowing us to easily find resolution to any queries or problems. A minor but very significant point is the inclusion on the QRS of relevant rule page numbers.
Game saw Ivans defending but setting up second (due to home field advantage) on a fairly open terrain but with a Currassier brigade as off-table reserve against a French Infantry Division type which has 4 Cavalry units on board from start. Ivan Infantry destroyed almost entirely but army still stoically hung on (writing on wall for them in big bad letters though !).
Just like Sam Mustafa's Might & Reason rules these are great fun and easy to pick up and play.
Looks like my new years resolution will be to paint up  the Prussians.............................

iPhone pics again

French Deployment



French left wing



A Russian Currassier units arrives



Action near centre



Russian attack column hit Swiss attack column



Russian gun line



Russian guns engage oncoming French attack columns




Russian forced to form square by cavalry approach now in danger from Infantry charge



Friday, October 29, 2010

Conflict Of Heroes: Price Of Honour
















Arrived today, excellent. Usual high quality components and the scenarios look very interesting especially with the inclusion of the Polish units.


Update: Managed a game at my fathers last week playing through the first scenario. Interesting to see lowly PzII and Sdkfz222 in action. Polish infantry no push-overs in a tough situation for Huns. Really cool bonus to have the replacement unit counters for Awakening The Bear and a new complete and up to date series rulebook.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

DBMM Turgesh vs T'Ang

Played Dbmm tonight at Stephen's using Turgesh version of Central Asian Turkish with brilliant general Su Lu against T'Ang Chinese with BwX. A really excellent game that went down to wire (I lost again of course !). Strong winds blowing into Chinese faces helped as it reduced bow range and artillery effect. I used my Tibetans as allied command for first time and they done quite well. I used flank attack with a command of 6 LhS plus a LhS general, which unfortunately arrived on turn 2 before my advancing wing could get to grips with enemy. They caused T'Ang some problems but were overwhelmed. A fair old slog (as Barker intended) across battlefield ensued with T'Ang eventually getting the better of exchanges. A very enjoyable game.
iPhone pics again as mental block re camera continues !!



Flank march arrives before Cavalry wing gets into action



T'Ang BwX and ArtO



Right wing LhS split up by Artillery fire...grrrrr




Tibetans approach the T'Ang centre



Overview of second turn



Turgesh right vs T'Ang left


Friday, October 22, 2010

DBMM East Frankish vs Sicilian Norman

Played Stephen today using my East Franks again (circa 924-933 ie with KnF) against his Sicilian Norman which was bit later with KnO. Two irregular armies meant not much in way of manoeuvre and game decided by combo of his bow (grrrr) shooting my allied Slavs into broken before I could get to grips and then his big Knight command beating my big Knight command. Fun as always with two evenly matched armies.






Initial turn with East Franks advancing (from left)












Sicilian bows on rough hill decimating Slavs



Clash of Knights on left



Sicilian right wing


Sicilian centre (note drunken Norman general)



Frankish left



Frankish centre


Sicilian reserve Knights


Tuesday, October 19, 2010

DBMM Kushan vs Han Chinese

Used Kushan again against Stephens's Han today. Another fun game but with Kushan suffering very poor Pip dice for first few turns basically nullifying any chance against the Han who had superb Pips at corresponding point. Some initially awful combat dice as well (but evened out in end). Worst was a single Han AxS which survived being charged in rear by Lh and then also survived being charged in rear by KnX !! Skythians used again but this time as flank march which of course.............you guessed it.............failed to appear.....................what did I ever do to Skythians !?




Han right flank










Han patented double fist underhand move


Kushan Elephant corps trundles forward
(Skythians supposed to appear top left)













Kushan right flank


Friday, October 15, 2010

FOG R TYW Imperialist vs TYW French

Played game of FOGR today using Early Imperialist Catholic versus Stephen's French. A great game with plenty of excitement and slaughter (mostly of my lot of course !). We have most of the basics of the rules in our heads now only having to look up new or unusual situations. Couple of things learnt today, Artillery needs support or it can be easily captured, unlike Fog Ancients a unit is supported if another unit is only partially behind it and can be of one morale grade less. My death rolls early in game where awful resulting in a couple of units being shot into auto-break or weakened. French pike & shot units are interesting having slightly reduced firepower but impact foot ability.
A very enjoyable game overall.


Imperialist deployment


French deployment


Currassier engage enemy Horse

French right

Imperialist right

French artillery

Reiters advance to their doom

Tercio's plod forward