L'Art De La Guerre two games played

Couple of games of LADG at 'Dice Demons' today.

I used Sassanid Persians who faced Late Romans and then Justinian (ie Early) Byzantines and beaten by both (not so much by Demon Dicing but my own horror rolls !!)

As ever with these rules two quick playing and fun games.

My Sassanid List needs a bit of a tweak but otherwise fun to use.

Some figures painted ! another benefit of Retirement

Been retired a full month now and have managed to paint up some actual figures (in addition to the AFVs I completed).
This time a batch of ACW 15mm Confederate troops, enough for 3 units, although many more still to go !
Lancashire Games figures, 'chunky' style and easy to paint even with my failing eyes.

More Fire In The Lake excellence

Another run out of FITL with my Dad this time we tried the Full scenario (1964-1972) to try out several different events including Pivotal Events.

This means all 6 Coup cards in deck (we went with historical mix of cards so 12 from 1964, 24 from 1965 and 36 from 1968 decks.)

Another truly great superb gaming experience ensued with the COIN system once again shining for us.

We only managed to play through to 4th Coup card (shorter 1965 game definitely..um..shorter) and counted it as a draw as ARVN and NVA both on -8 Victory levels.

I do hope to get a bash with this with 4 players someday.

Star War Miniatures game

Since the chaps took a weeks break from their Eldritch RPG campaign (or that silly fantasy stuff as I call it although not always so politely !) they decided to play Star Wars Miniatures and I was invited along for a game.
We played at JBs and along came SP, RM (they know who they are) and Le Duc.

++Warning for Blogosphere if Le Duc ever posts a video or audio file of him playing guitar please avoid for your own sake ----- do not claim later you were not so advised ! ++



Fun game with some very nice (but expensive) miniature space craft (I inadvertently called them planes and was nerd slapped severely).
Of course the parallel with WW1/2 dog fighting is obvious (Lucas himself stated the inspiration for his space opera included this) but with of course requisite Star Wars twist.

Basic system is simple with a plot your move in secret (dials) then reveal based on pilot skill (lowest reveal first) then shooting/blasting also by pilot skill (but now highest acts first) .
Added in are of course various weapons systems and pilot attributes allied to varied craft stats along with several selectable upgrades/special abilities/weapons.

SP and I were the Rebel Forces of pure good the other 3 the Imperial Nazis.

I had 2 X Wings one with a superior pilot (rated 8) the other an average bloke (rated 5) both had a Droid for repairs, some craft are shielded but once these are gone its hits on your craft, and a couple of Ion Weapons.

Did not take long to get hang of plotting and 'flying' but I did keep forgetting the inherent abilities of my Pilots from time to time.

My 'Ace' did destroy (shoot down ?) or assist in doing so several Imperial craft; a Tie Advanced a couple of Tie Fighters and Slave 1.

However after suffering a debilitating critical hit (Cockpit Damage - not good in space) my Average bloke flew into a hail of laser fire and disintegrated.

All in all light game in the Star Wars genre which with Star Wars themes playing in background was great fun overall.


My X-Wings deploy with a Hawk in support

Imperials Slave 1, 3 Tie Fighters and 2 Advanced Ties

Millennium Falcon on our right - how cool is that !

Mass 'scrum' in centre which I managed to avoid

X-Wing on the 'six' of a couple of Tie Fighters as mate chases Slave 1

Slave 1 about to blast the Hawk

The Last Hundred Yards a solo try

Spent today having a quick solo run through first two scenarios of The Last Hundred Yards by GMT another of my recent acquisitions, isn't retirement just grand.

Not ideal for solo play but great for seeing the rules in action as I confess I was not really digesting them whilst reading, but system fairly clear now.

And what a nice system it is with Activation and Reaction phases at its core (reminding me somewhat of Iron Cross minis rules I just discovered) combined with a rather unique combat system.

You fire at activating or reacting enemy but only place a 'hit' token upon the target (they can accumulate several) and then after all actions are done firing is resolved in a simple way with the token value as a modifier.

Very different from any other tactical wargame I must say and works really well.

Close combat has its own phase and is based on Melee Values in another simple method.

First two scenarios pit basic forces against each other (only Yanks and Krauts in the game) with such items as Mortars and Tanks (yes tanks !) appearing later with a few more rules to cover these.

Really like the game and the components are lovely with clear data.

Only thing I struggled with is the hill depictions as these are a combination of defined levels (Bold contours) and other contours (not bold) which depict hills very well once you get head around the model.

Only real gripe is that several errata items essentially make the rule book that comes with game redundant (I had to print off the Living Rules as so many changes) and also effect the otherwise excellent play sheets (annoying).

Overall a nice game and system surprisingly different to other tactical games who'd 've thunk 'twas even possible !!

Fire In The Lake another outing

Another run out of this most excellent game with my Dad.

What a superb system COIN is have not been as enthused with a board game since discovering Combat Commander series.

Just so many choices and decisions in this game that change with every opportunity to act.

So many options to help your faction, or thwart the enemy, but do I use an favourable event thereby however granting the enemy a potentially potent combo of a Operations plus a Special Activity ??

So do I limit myself in order to stop him using event, but wait I then make myself ineligible for next event which I really want !?

All this plus the vagaries of differing factions and their Operations/Special Activities, which cards are in the deck, which faction gets to use/deny card or Ops and when are Coup cards appearing makes for a heady mix and exciting and extremely fun gaming experience.

We played the short 1965-67 scenario again and this time my Yanks ran out winners by achieving a -1  Victory Level (ie closet to their Auto win level) on last Coup card.
++Edit++ aha re-reading rules in a 2 player game Victory Conditions are slightly different as both US and ARVN would need to be in 'winning' positions, so it seems either VC or NVA would have won as ARVN were way off the mark (-18 IIRC)
This time round we discovered the use of the highways and rivers (LOCs not present in Colonial Twilight) and need to block/contest them. 

Great game, system and subject matter.

Just a pity these games are so expensive here in UK.

Iron Cross again US versus Fallschirmjager

Another game using Iron Cross rules today with Stephen at my gaff again.

Used essentially the same table as last game just rejigged somewhat with some bocage and change to some hills, woods and more buildings.

Stephen brought his US forces and I decided to use Fallschirmjager (I did however make a mistake with list fielding a Sniper but only allowed if defending in a scenario).

We used the Escalating Engagement scenario which has up to a third of forces deployed at start with rest coming on on turns 2 and 3.

I had Elite FJR with support from 2 Stugs and Stephen had Regular Yanks but with 6 Shermans, two with 76mm (we again just used the points system with 500pts apiece).

Another excellent game with this very playable and fun set.

Lots of AFV action and even a close assault by some FJR on a Sherman (sadly ineffective) with Yanks running out victors (once both Stugs dispatched for loss of just 2 M4s it was tough for FJR)

Not the meatiest of rules but they simply work and with the Activation/Reaction system there is a real game of stalking each others AFVs (not many sets grant this so easily).

Stugs are decent but their lack of turret is shown really well as whole vehicle has to turn to align gun with -2 To Hit modifier whereas turreted Tanks can traverse up to 90 degrees without suffering modifier.

I thought I would be turned off by a set of WW2 rules that have no Artillery indirect fire (only Mortars) or Aircraft but for the low level scale of the game it seems fine as action is fast and furious.

The choices of what to activate and when and if to react and when to pass initiative are excellent decision points (I have read that some have bolted this system onto other rule sets and I can see why).

We looked at inserting a few house rules but decided against most as not worth added complication for such a fast playing set.

Beyond a brief set of LOS rules (as none really in rules) we have given Infantry in buildings a -2 to hit just to differentiate from lighter cover such as low hedges/walls, and it seemed to work fine.

Am sure for a scenario we could include off-board HE if needs be but as I say not really missed.

Only other items not really covered in rules are stuff like foxholes, trenches, minefields and the like but again should be easy to 'scenario rule' these.

Certainly I prefer this to the 'lets include everything' style of FOW or Battlegroup systems.

Two fun games thus far with WW2 kit.

Fallschirmjager side of table

Yanks move into central Church area

Stug takes out an M4 then ko'd by M4/76

More US armour appears

And trundles along roadways

Blasting FJR in buildings

Overview with other Stug brewing an M4 on left flank

FJR section goes 'toe to toe' with Sherman (they failed to inflict any damage)

The Sherman backed out of contact and decimated the FJR

FJR section with PzFst in trouble in woods after hitting but failing to destroy an M4 !

Yanks firmly in control of church and grounds

FJR sections opposite

Other Stug brewed by 76mm this spelled disaster for FJR