Eisdorf initial moves - Field of Battle 3rd Edition

As still no sign of FOB3 or card decks (and a drizzly day here in NI) I decided to go ahead with Eisdorf scenario I set up, using some proxy (poxy) cards and Pdf on iPad (fine for reading rules but detestable for using during a game).
Trying to play as per new rules but have (of course !)  included a couple of house rules, although Brent will be glad to hear not using 'Hasty Squares' (still in 'back pocket' however).
Main one is scenario related as it includes several Brigade Skirmish screen units, I have classed these in FOB as 3UI Skirmish only units (basic C10 D6).
Associated to this I allow Artillery to fire through these screens at targets behind at Down 1.
I am making Squares and Columns fire at Down 2 instead of Down 1, as I believe these simply were not effective shooting formations (and Brent has made them bit more durable to Musketry so offsets) in Napoleonic period.
Also First Fire bonus only by Infantry in Line in the open.

Game started with disjointed French advance and some ineffective Artillery fire.
French are pushing ahead in centre.
One unit was Routed but recovered (bit easier to achieve now as no requirement to recover a Unit Integrity) and this saw first use of 'Daring Deeds' by Brigade Leader.
A Leader can adjust a Rally roll by Up1-3 but runs risk of instant death if he rolls under 1 + number of Daring Deeds used on a D12 (he stills rolls for Risk on a 1 on Army Morale card).

I like the new Interpenetration rules as they disallow interpenetration into melee (something I had always house ruled anyhow).

Otherwise so far it is the same old FOB excellence (just wish the 'real' rules and cards would arrive !!).

Hopefully more action in due course..........





The 'poxy' cards (does at least give old FOB cards a last outing as backing)

Central French Brigade pushes to Eisdorf itself

Brigade Skirmish Screen units in action

Russian left with Jager Brigade trying to flank French

Cossacks off on a wee jaunt on same flank

Overview from Russian perspective

Vassal - A Distant Plain again

Another session with family circle and A Distant Plain.
We managed to thwart the Coalition(brother) win but at cost of Taliban (Dad) success after a wave of terror throughout the country.
Warlords (son) finished third and poor old Government (yours truly) languished in last place.

Game 2 end situation 

All enjoying this most excellent COIN game so 'signed up' for a third session which has started with an opportune card for Taliban (a free wave of Terror) and a Surge by Coalition forces.



Game 3 after 1st Card play

Vassal - Combat Commander - keeping my Wargaming alive..............

More Combat Commander Vassal action with my Dad tonight keeping my Wargaming bug alive and well (I do have a Napoleonic miniatures scenario set up but am awaiting arrival of Field of Battle 3).
We finished off last weeks scenario and played another 'Misty Mountain' and have set up another from the Mediterranean set 'Tussle at Maleme'.

Dad won the 'Commando School' scenario routing my Ivans in short order.
I then won the 'Misty Mountain' game with Yanks and now its onto Anzacs vs Fallschirmjager in Crete.





Russian Commandos decimated

Initial US (actually Brazilians in US garb) assault the mountain fastness

Initial set up at Maleme

Vassal - A Distant Plain more family fun

Another Vassal session of A Distant Plain with Dad, Brother and Son tonight (after waiting a week for Virgin to come back on line for son).
Played through two more Propaganda cards with only 1 more to appear.
None of us really doing that well but Coalition (brother) sitting at -4 and with Surge ability has good chance of winning unless we can thwart him.
Great to get some 'live' wargaming.

Also set up Storm Over Normandy for some quick playing solo fun for VE Day

Eisdorf - Lutzen May 1813 - game set up for Field of Battle 3

Set up a scenario (stolen once more from GDB source book) to test out newly released Field of Battle 3.
Scenario based around action at Eisdorf during the Battle of Lutzen May 1813 pitting Russians defending Eisdorf and river crossing against attacking French.
Pretty much an all Infantry/Artillery scenario with a single unit of Cossacks.

I have the rules and cards on order and whilst I have the PDF version am reticent to start game as I detest using PDFs via tablet/phone and not willing to print off rules at this stage (I have printed out copy cards and QRS) so may wait until arrival of the 'real deal'.

But the call of a game albeit solo may force my hand............................

Vassal - more Combat Commander and Thirty Years War

Bit of a dearth of Wargaming activity this week (seemed to be busy with stuff for reasons unknown !?) but did have another Vassal session tonight with Dad using the ever excellent Combat Commander.
We played through two Scenarios (all so far from original game Playbook) Bessarabian Nights and Cold Front and have set up another Commando School for next session.

I did manage also to finish a Vassal PBEM game of The Thirty Years War: Europe In Agony with my Catholics being soundly defeated (I won as Protestants last time out).


Overview

Wallenstein about to be defeated by Gustavus having been chased from Wien.

A very special birthday - could not let this one pass unheralded

Today is 100th birthday of Captain (now Colonel) Tom Moore the absolutely super gentleman who has now raised an astonishing £30+ million (yes million !!) for NHS charities here in UK.
Lots of praise, so well deserved, and birthday wishes to him today from all quarters.
Truly a beacon in these strange days.





100 years young and was made an honourary Colonel today.

Pic from his WW2 service days, front and centre (a sign of things to come ?)

Thousands of birthday cards he has received 

Even here in N.Ireland the wall mural painters have paid tribute

Field of Battle 3 - a list of changes from FOB2

Having been privileged to get a gander at Pdr version of FOB3, Brent (the author) as asked me to publish a list of changes/tweaks that I had noted.

Posting here for those interested, however if you do not have/use FOB it may make little sense, but if not I can only highly recommend this final version.

For those in UK Lancashire Games are taking orders for the rules and the card decks for those so disposed.

FOB 3 changes from FOB 2

Herewith a brief list of changes I have noted from FOB2 to FOB3 showing a substantial number of major and minor changes/tweaks. They are in no specific order and only outlined (as don’t want to spoil anyone else’s reading fun!). There may be some I have missed or am in error over detail (so feel free to add to list/expand info)

Also not mentioned is Seasons of Battle as new to most everyone (but a lot of changes from an early play-test set I tried)

Order and Disorder replaces In and Out of Command (semantic change)

Changes to card deck which are now a basic 23 cards not 27.

Only 3 Deck quality types now with correspondingly only 1-3 Lulls cards.

Manoeuvre card is gone with its function now included on Leadership card (but not possible if Leader rolls 1 on Rally attempts which must occur first)

Infantry & Artillery Firepower cards renamed as Fire cards (functionally the same)

Rapid and Rolling Fire cards appear for Breach loaders/MGs etc

Special Event card definitions expanded

A new Incident card appears with lots of scenario options (replacing some special cards in FOB2)

Rally from Routing now achieved by rolling higher does not require having to recover 1UI

Daring Deeds – Officers can now assist Rallies by upping Rally dice by 1-3 but this puts them at immediate and corresponding risk (you add 3 so you die on a 1-4 on D12)

Officer Replacements – slight tweak in that Replacement may be delayed on a roll of 1-2 and their Quality is rolled for instead of automatically down 1 dice level.

Units can only Change Facing or Formation not both per Move Segment or on Leadership card

Unit Integrity has been amended, all types now destroyed on reaching zero (previously it was Rout on zero and die on -1) also Cavalry now 4UI and Artillery 3UI.

Cavalry no longer Destroy units when they cause 2UI and Even win, this is now Rout.

Attack Columns do not suffer Down 1 from enemy musketry only from Artillery

Certain units (Skirmishers and Cavalry charged by Inf) can Evade but may or may not become Disordered (DD vs DD)

Skirmish rules tweaked to encourage them to hug terrain (Down 1 firing in open)

Grand Batteries redefined acting as separate Commands with only outside units able to turn.

Terrain in general has had several tweaks with Hedges and Walls now separate features.

Bridges and suchlike no must be taken by Columns ‘Forcing Passage’

Interpenetration has been redefined and restricted (especially by period) and no charging through into contact.

Pursuit has been changed (user defines those types subject) with pursuing units losing same UI as defeated unit.

Lots of Period Specific Army lists (seem to be more than in FOB2?) with English Civil War making a new appearance with quite a few new troop types, formations, special rules.

Lots of defining by period what troop types can or cannot Immediate Melee and suchlike.

Several separate Period specific Quick Reference sheets. 

These include several changes to the old generic FOB2 sheet. 

Some include entries for Cav vs Inf and suchlike.

A Distant Plain - Vassal a second family outing.

Started another game of A Distant Plain on Vassal with Dad, Brother and Son.
Brother staying with Coalition (I can see he has an idea how to use them), Dad now Taliban and Son Warlords with me retaining Government.
We played the Main Scenario again and got through 2 Propaganda cards with Coalition being close to a win just before second Propaganda Card but Warlords managed to use Terror in several key locations pegging the Coalition back by loss of Support.
Good to see they are getting the gist of the game and its many strategies, twists and turns.
Good deal of 'diplomacy' in a 4 player game (as in "fer feck sake do something to stop him !!" and suchlike) and just a bit of back stabbing and double dealing.
Great system COIN, not a 'pure' wargame but nice mix of Military, Political and Economic issues backed by historical Events.
And whilst there is no substitute for me to physical play of game with its tactile feel and visual appeal, Vassal is a good system for such remote (and savable) play with family and/or friends.


Situation at end of 2nd Propaganda card

Field of Battle 3 available (well in USA)

At last Field of Battle 3 is officially published (www.piquetwargames.com) along with the card decks (optional purchases as basic but usable sheets included with rules).
A PDF version is to be made available soon as well.
Sadly with US postal charges are just too prohibitive for me to buy direct, but Lancashire Games here in UK are due some stock of both rules and cards (hopefully available early May).
Cannot wait to get my hands on rules to see what changes Brent has wrought on by far my favourite Wargame rules.
I know that there are changes to card decks as in some wording changes and the somewhat superfluous Maneuver card has gone (function now in Leadership card).
Several rules tweaks such as limited Evasion by certain units is back, changes to Interpenetration, Movement and Terrain rules, and a few new concepts like 'Daring Deeds' by Officers and other such minor additions/changes to be revealed in fullness of time.
Also period specific rules and play sheets covering a plethora of wars in the horse and musket period (and for ECW period as a bonus).
The core FOB system is of course fully intact.
By far the biggest addition in this version is the inclusion of the 'Seasons of Battle' scenario generation system (I play tested an early version a couple of years ago) with associated terrain and scenario cards.
I really look forward to delving into and playing these most excellent rules again in their new iteration.

More board wargaming - solo (Festung Europa) and Vassal (A Distant PLain)

Another session of A Distant Plain tonight with my Government faction winning on 5th Propaganda card with -1 victory total, Brother Coalition 2nd on -2, Dad with Warlords in 3rd on -3 and Son with Taliban 4th on -9.

As this was a learning game we will start afresh in due course with COIN factions remaining same but Warlords and Taliban swapping players.

With only a couple of minor issues (some cards need regenerated/noted as auto-discarded) the game played smoothly on Vassal.










The final positions on Victory Track.

Also managed to get Festung Europa onto table for a solo play.
Not played this much (maybe once before ?) but interesting 'light' CDG game of western front 1943-45 starting with OP Husky.

Vassal - A Distant Plain - more Barr family play

Another session with Son, Brother and Dad tonight of A Distant Plain via Vassal.
We got through a couple more Propaganda cards.
Dad with Warlords was in a winning position at one stage but combined Ops by Government (me) and Coalition (bro) saw them knocked back a bit but still ahead at end of session.
Another session planned for Wednesday which may see game completed.
Great stuff and a gaming life-saver is Vassal !!