We will remember them......

Field of Glory Napoleonic game

Played a game of FOGN today at mine against Stephen using my Prussians against his French both circa 1814.
We used the points system and terrain generation from book and found  it worked quite well.
I was defender with my Corps (2 Mixed Divisions 1 Infantry Division and a Cuirassier Division) against a French Corps of 3 Infantry Divisions and a Light Cavalry Division (which out-flanked on it own left flank).
A good game ensued.
I threw my Cuirassier at some French Young Guard Infantry in square to see how rules handled this.
Cavalry essentially bounced and lesson is that compared to Lasalle there is much less chance of destroying a steady square, which we both felt was reasonable outcome. Square would need to be softened up by Artillery or Musketry which again seemed plausible.
Movement and Shooting a fairly easy to pick up as is the Cohesion (Morale) system with only the Assaults (Charges) and Combat (Melee) being a bit more involved.
We do however find FOGN to be a very hard to read and digest set with  many exceptions and clauses in rules and literally all over the show.
Much easier to actually play.
Whilst core system is ala FOG/FOGR a lot is different and we both had rules 'legacy' issues.
But all in all I was impressed with FOGN and do feel that set would gell quickly as more games played.

Nice to get Napoleonic figures on table.

French arrayed

Prussians deployed

Cuirassiers approach the Young Guard

Prussian Dragoons 

Prussians right go into square as French Cavalry approach

Couple of obligatory 'fancy' pics

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 !)

Arty Screenshots (and 118)

Couple of doctored screenshots (messing about with an App called Instagram) from ongoing Pbem PC games.
Arty types and I don't mean artillery for once.





Panzers on march on Eastern Front (Campaign Series)

 Churchill in Normandy lane (Combat Mission)

T34 awaits (Combat Mission)

Original screenshot pre 'Arty-fication'

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Also just noticed I now have 118 'followers' !!
Last I looked ages ago it was 50.
Many thanks to all who peruse my ramblings and so a fanfare salute to you all

Proper Wargamer 'poll'

Found this over on Big Lee's blog (http://www.blmablog.com/2012/11/a-proper-wargamer.html) and of course being a sucker for such nonsense I cannot resist so..................................:

To genuinely call yourself a Wargamer, then you must have done most or all of the following:

* Spent at least £500 on figures / tanks - and you get extra kudos for every £500 you've spent
Only £500 ha ha ha !!!

* Pricked your finger or thumb on a pike block - several times
Oh yes and also on Lances, Spears and one ot two Tank barrels (those old Leicester Micro Models) !!

* Tried at least 10 different rule sets and vowed never to play half of them ever again
Only 10 ha ha ha !!!!!

* Bought an army off EBay
No armies but lots of Rules and Board Wargames

* Sold an army on EBay
I have never sold a figure I have painted as no TRUE Wargamer ever would !!!!!!

* spent months painting an army - then used it in anger once
I can spend months on a unit never mind an army and some stuff painted but never used !

* tried several different periods and genres
A myriad of periods and scales but only 'genres' are Miniatures, PC & Board with Historical basis (not a great fan of Fantasy stuff despite recently venturing into Middle Earth RPG)

* dropped a box of figures on the floor from a great height
Thankfully no just single figures on odd occasion

* lost a battle on the last throw of the dice
And on the first !!

* made at least one enemy for life
Not that I know of but I only play with friends so who knows ?

* had a proper, stand up argument over a wargamers table
I prefer to term these discussions or debates and never heated enough to fall out or come to blows

* thrown a dice across a room
Once and mate has not let me forget it !!

* rebased an army for a different rule set
Oh yes....................and once or twice back again.................. 

* inflicted a whopping defeat on an opponent
Not often but suffer plenty

* suffered an embarrassing defeat due to a stupid tactical decision
Beware for we are Legion......................................................

* joined a wargamers club
Belonged to local club in past and several online clubs

* bought a ton of lead that remains unpainted
Only a ton ha ha ha !!!

* been to a wargamers show
Yes for  overdose of all thing Wargaming

* have more dice than is logical or necessary to own - and have used most of them
More than is logical or necessary ha ha ha !!!!!

* have taken boxes of troops down to a club just to show them off to your mates
Na one is much to mature for that

Couple of additions I would make to list are:

* Blog or have a web-page about your Wargaming activities
Well you are reading it so............................

* have book collection dictated by Wargaming research & background reading
Oh yes indeed

* critic Hollywood 'War' movies as to historical accuracy or lack thereof 
Of course despite enjoying the read.........mostly

* spend car/train etc journeys checking the lie of the land and/or thinking that would make a good terrain item
Yes indeed sometimes to detriment of safe driving !!

White Star Rising board wargame

Played Elsborn Ridge scenario from White Star Rising at my Dads.
Great game so easy to play and with so few rules easy to recall from memory.
Game ended in a draw with Germans taking one objective town (needed to take two of the three possible to win). Only being held up by judicious use of my two Artillery missions which caused a few key disruptions which my Dad failed to rally off holding his advance for two crucial turns with his potent SS formation (Panthers a Jagdpanther and a King Tiger !!). His weaker Volksgrenadiers made no headway on opposite flank (Germans constrained by a Divisional boundary) especially as I had placed (ie hidden) bulk of my Armour on that sector. Great fun

Overview

Germans pushing on both flanks (split by River/Divisional boundary)

SS energy expended

Volksgrenadiers advance

SS ready for push into town

Stalemate 

Paths Of Glory - Vassal game

Just started a Vassal game pbem with a chap called Mike from USA (via AHIKS club) of Paths Of Glory board wargame.
Only on first turn and we are both trying to get to grips with the games rules, card play and the Vassal module.
But already this looks an interesting game with nasty Germans pushing forward on Western Front in August 1914.







Overview of Western theater

German breaking through and about to attack BEF

FOG V2 T'ang Chinese versus Maurikian Byzantine

Have had a very busy few weeks with little or no gaming (gggrrrrrr) and so pleased to squeeze a game of Field Of Glory in today at Stephens using my Maurikian Byzantines (with Khazar Allies) against his T'ang Chinese.
We both wanted to try cavalry and 'shooty' types with proposed version 2 changes.
Certainly a different game than our Punic type encounters but again we both felt FOG is better for the changes and for us a more desirable alternative option to DBMM.
We still feel DBMM is in many ways a more exciting and varied game but FOG much easier to learn and play.
Nice to have option to use either with same toys.
In today's game terrain fairly buggered my Byzantines with it mainly falling in a straight line in my table half. This channeled my mounted units pretty badly.
T'ang shooting proved effective overall (just about every unit had bows) especially as I failed several death rolls with 4 base cavalry on the dread yet predictable 1 !!

Post script: I only realised after the game that version 2 is out to download for my iPad and so have made a purchase in lieu of new printed version (which I hope and believe is in works) but not had time to give it read through as yet

Byzantines deploy behind the terrain 

T'ang ready themselves

Byzantines being channeled by rough going

Skutatoi with Line cavalry in support

Pushing through narrow gap

T'ang foot backed by 'skirmishing' cavalry

Similar situation at other end of T'ang line

Getting to grips on my right (the only open area)

Action on left flank

T'ang cataphracts and Byzantine cavalry clash with General in thick of it

Byzantine and Khazars getting worst of it in center

Things hotting up on right