Combat Commander more RSG games

Played the ever excellent Combat Commander with my Dad tonight using the Random Scenario Generator app again.

First scenario generated was 1940 French vs Germans and a tough old slog it proved to be with my Dads Huns narrowly coming out on top.

Second was a 1943 Eastern Front bash for which my hand was consistently like a foot as we say here.

Ivans just never got going after early loss of a key leader so another win for my Dad and his Fascist beasts.

Great stuff as ever.

Pickett's Charge game

Game of Pickett's Charge played today at Johns.
He and I played as Confederates versus Stephen's Federals.
Game was based on a scenario depicting an action at Cemetery Hill on second day of Gettysburg.

Due to Stephen and John having some issues with the firing charts we used a slightly amended version with small units slightly lessened and long range Artillery also (by roughly as -1 modifiers and Long Range Casualty Dice requiring a 5-6 to hit rather than standard 4-6).
Main beef with Inf firing is that on a standard roll of 7 (on 2D6) two small units can generate more hits than a standard or large unit of nominall the same numbers of men, leading to the smaller units 'ganging up' to fire.

Stephen had also reduced the historical number of batteries from 9 Union and 7 Confederate to 4 and 3 respectively for game play purposes.

In the scenario Rebs have some 16 units but face some 21 (although 5 are in Reserve Brigade) Union units awaiting them in cover along Cemetery Ridge and its environs.

This meant a long and bloody (even diluted) advance under Artillery Fire and then into the teeth of fresh defenders.
I had two Brigades one of which did manage to charge and dislodged a Union unit bit at crippling cost in casualty hits.
My two Brigades both Faltered as did one of Johns (also blooded) and of course John then only activated two ADCs meaning one Brigade as 'Cawntempiously Chewed Up'.
We called game at that point as Reb strength drained too much to recover.

Another good game with the rules which really shine in the aspects of ADCs, Orders and suchlike.


Union positions on Cemetery Hill with artillery on hill in support

Rebs start line

My initial moves

Union position even looks formidable in miniature !

The ACW experts confere

My target on Union left

And center

Union skirmishers chased off my advance continues with Johns Brigades in distance

Reb center

Reb high water mark (note the casualties)

Union position unbowed

Rebs struggle forward on right  (lots of casualties here too but marked with micro dice that I struggled to see hence larger version with my Brigades !)

General D'Armee - more solo play

Continued my solo trial of Genetal D'Armee.
For anyone who has played Pickett's Charge these are very easy to pick up and play.

Core systems of Command and Orders via ADCs along with Combat and Firing are pretty much the same with some obvious changes to Formations and Orders and some Outcomes and Modifiers to better reflect Napoleonic Combat.

Some nomenclature changes such as Serendipity Test now rename Destiny Test or Double Quick order now known as Forwards.

Several differing Orders the main new one being Infantry Assault wherein a whole Inf Brigade can be ordered to conduct a charges as lead and/or support units whereas without this order only 1 single Inf unit can charge unsupported.

Skirmishers are somewhat different with Special Light Inf units able to move in and out of Skirmish but with other units contributing to a Brigade Skirmish Line eg a Brigade of 4 Standard units generates 4 Skirmish base which operate a Skirmish Line.
This line can be beefed up via an order and Skirmishers themselves can gain an extra Casualty Dice via another order.
Line or better grade Inf can produce more Skirmish bases (3-5) but cannot Reform in game.

There is also an extra game turn phase with Melee a separate phase at turns end (rather than part of Charge Phase in Pickett's Charge) this is likely due to the more potent and aggressive Cavalry in period.
That said Cavalry can be Battle types or Campaign (Cossacks, Hussars and such like) with French in 1813/14 forced to field 50% of their Cavalry force as Campaign Cavalry which are slightly down in Cav vs Cav fights.

A few Nationality Traits are included optionally but I have not delved into these yet.

Play through is decent so far with no glaring holes in rules.
Stephen and his brother John both had problems with the Firing Charts in Pickett's Charge (they feel Long Range Artillery fire and Small unit fire is too potent - of which more in next post) with which I agreed somewhat although I am not as well read in ACW as other periods, however nothing seems out of whack in General D'Armee thus far and the firing chart results are somewhat different anyhow.

All in all another good set of Divisional 'scale' rules.
Not as much tactical detail as Over The Hills but consequently about as fast playing as Field Of Battle.

Game in anger planned for next week so more later................





Prussian 'Battle' Hussars facing 'Campaign' Chasseurs whose Brigadier is using Glory order (+1 in melee)

French Infantry Brigade is Hesitant (MDF Orcder chit showing which I coloured)

Opposing Brigade skirmish units visible here

Two Large (ie 3 stand) gun batteries support advance

Skirmishers, Line, Column, Garrison (ie in BUA( and Cavalry Double Line formations

Prussian Hussars have support from other Hussars to rear (ie within 10cm/4")

Prussian Grenadier Brigade in Reserve status

Prussian Fusileers battered (7 casulaties) and forced to Retreat, Unformed and causing an Unformed status on Column they passed through.

French Line unit suffers poor Fire Discipline result (smoke)

General D'Armee solo test

Quick play test of new set of Napoleonic rules General D'Armee from Dave Brown/TFL (following on from excellent Picketts Cahrge ACW set)

Hope to get a proper review/play through over next couple of days in meantime some pics of a 1813 encounter between French and Prussians using the points system.

Mortem Et Gloriam - Maurikian Byzantine versus Arab Conquest

A game of MEG played today at Stephens with a run out for my Byzantines against a Arab army of Stephens.
A very bloody but interesting game it was.
The Arab Foot being Superior grade are tough when combined with their Shieldwall and Integral Shooter abilities.
Byzantine Cavalry are good with their Shoot and Charge and Lance but they are an expensive troop type in points style games.
At one point in the game we had all of our units involved in combat (bar one unit of Skirmishing Foot each !) and this made for exciting and tense outcomes with every combat roll made.
Of course the Byzantines folded first but as in all MEG games the victor is also bruised and bloodied.


A nice cathartic way to spend a day off after the horrors of TV news last 48 hours..........