With Paul on "taking daughters back to University" duty, last night it fell to Brian,Graham and I to play this colourful English Civil War game......
The "usual" scenario and table before any movement-I commanded the Royalists,whilst Brian and Graham split the Parliamentarian command,Brian taking the left and Graham the right.
On both flanks,the game opened with cavalry advances and charges,which are synonomous with this period,but which I find very frustrating!!
My advance into the "marshy ground" ended in disaster,caused by Brian's combination of "partridge shot" from his guns and musket fire from his infantry!!!!
Meanwhile,on the other flank,the cavalry battle continues,obviously centred around the giant cup that has appeared!!!
The central infantry battle was "epic" with volley firing and "push of pike" taking place,especially in the "Lang's Meadow" part of the table.
This is a view of the central part of the table,showing the fighting going on-on the far left you can see that Graham has retired(it's good being retired!) his cavalry allowing me to have a breather-but not for long ,as he renewed his attack and drove some of my cavalry back!!
I have secured "Lang's Meadow",I am in possession of "Barrow Hill" and "Penny Mound",so I declared myself the winner!!-however with howls of protest from Graham and Brian,I had to concede that a draw was probably the proper and fair result!!
Roll on Thursday,maybe an Ancients game,with Romans against a Pyrrhic army.
Last week we had a bit of a windfall of wargaming "stuff" courtesy of a friend of my daughter.
We came into possession of a huge number of books,figures,buildings and board games,which we distributed among the club members and sold some of the other "stuff" that we didn't want,making a bit of money for the club,but also being able to donate a considerable amount to "Help For Heroes" charity-so a win-win situation all round.
This is just a tip of the iceberg of books!!-Brian and I sorted them into periods,and gradually order came into the pile on our table.
Order at last!!-the pile of red backed books to the right is a complete collection of Oman's History of the Peninsular War!!-the figures in the foreground are superbly painted Perry Plastic Napoleonics.
Dave and Paul looking at the books etc.-Dave was "gobsmacked" to find two items that he had been looking for over the years-a board game called "Kingmaker" and a first edition of "The Wargame" by Charles Grant-he went away from the garage with a grin on his face!!
Another reason we haven't had a game over the last two weeks,was I had my Grandson up from London for a few days-great fun,and a chance to use my "Battling Tanks"....................
Of course he beat me every game!!!!
So now onto the preview for "Border Reiver" show on the third of September,at Gateshead Stadium(where we will have a table at the Bring and Buy,selling,at knock down prices,the rest of the windfall items we still have left!)
Our demonstration game is a Viking raid on a small village "somewhere" in Britain!-We play-tested the game last night and it should be good on the day,so roll on the 3rd!
We will be playing on Sunday,probably an ECW game,at Brian's request-it's his 62nd Birthday today,so "many happy returns" Brian,have a great day!!
Last night,the fab. four had a Marlburian game,unfortunately Windows 10 has decided that all the photo's I took last night are no good and has refused to print them!!-I just love technology-not!!
The only two I have left of the game are the ones I took when I was setting up the game..........
This is the scenario and initial troop dispositions-we drew bits of paper,and Paul took the left of the Franco/Bavarian line,whilst I took the right.
Brian commanded the right of the "British" line,and Graham the left.
This is the table before any movement-Paul facing Brian in the foreground,these two fought each other to exhaustion!! while on the other flank Graham gave me a right old "drubbing"
In many ways this was a very frustrating game,with proper Marlburian tactics being "thrown out of the window" in favour of quasi-Napoleonic tactics!! we'll have to sort this out before the next game,however the game was played in good spirit and was exciting,so not too bad.
I'll have to sort out the Windows 10 picture album thing before the next game too!!
We won't be playing on Thursday because my grandson is coming up from London for a week's visit,so roll on next Sunday.
With Paul back from his "jollies",the fab four had a "humdinger" of an Ancients game last night.
Scenario and table before any movement-Paul and I were Persians,Brian and Graham were Macedonians.
My front line of what can only be called "crap troops" are heading for certain death towards the Phalanx-however their demise gave Paul time to extend his back line,in readiness to confront the formidable Phalanx on almost even terms!!-the scythed chariots turned 18o degrees and contacted our troops!!!-Paul was not amused!
Are Graham and Brian practicing some form of synchronised defeatism???
My levy axemen and elephants are about to contact the phalanx and supporting troops-the elephants did ok but the levies were "knocked about"(that's wargames speak for being wiped out!!)
Elephants in action against Brian's Hypaspists-these did well and drove the Hypaspists back-hurrah!!
On Paul's flank,he has sent the Immortals forward to try and stem the tide of Companion Cavalry heading his way-using a combination of firepower and good melee points,one unit of Companions was driven away-another hurrah!!!
In this shot the left flank Elephant has decided to run amok,preventing Paul's Cardaces infantry,and Mercenary Greeks from attacking the Phalanx-woe is us!!
On my flank,the Cataphracts are doing sterling work,by beating the Hypaspists and supporting Peltasts-Paul is now in a position to engage the Phalanx-listen for the "CRASH"...............
"CRASH"-Paul won most of the first round melees,and the Phalanx looked in danger of splitting up-however in the background,Graham's cavalry are putting Paul's cavalry under all kinds of pressure!!!-thrilling stuff,and knife-edge wargaming at its best!!
In a desperate attempt to win the flank,Graham has sent the Royal squadron into the fray,led by Alexander himself,but,even with superior points and numbers,they got beaten!!!!(Alexander survived though!)-the Phalanx is advancing on the right,but is being held on the left-if a gap appears,we could take advantage and win the game.......................
A gap has appeared,and we will take advantage of it and win the game-hurrah!!!!
Well done lads,couldn't have been better!-roll on Sunday,probably "horse and musket".
"I believe in planning ahead,but that's ridiculous!" screeched the wife from inside the box I keep her in.
She was referring to my latest painting project aimed at putting on a spectacular demo. game at Falkirk in May 2017!!!!!
The last time these figures were put on public display was back in 1983,at Durham,and apart from maybe 6 or so games at the club they have "lived" in my loft,unseen and unloved(?) so when the "boys" suggested that they would make a good demo. game at Carronade,I jumped at the chance to see them again.
On inspection the figures look ok,and I am loathe to re-touch the paint work,however I need another couple of regiments and guns,so I will dig the moulds out,start casting and painting,ready for their Big Day.
These figures are semi-flats from moulds bought from Prince August,way back in the 1980's,and are still going strong-my intention was to paint them in the same style as the rest of the collection-about 1200 figures of infantry,cavalry and guns.
These figures cry out for painting in a "Toy Soldier" style(which suits me down to the ground ie very little detail!!)
This first photo shows the initial stage of block colouring all 24 foot,plus a couple of officers.
A close-up of the mounted officer,showing the distinct lack of detail-hurrah!!
On Parade and "en masse" they look good.
Facing colours added-now they are taking shape.
The "toy Soldier" style of painting is beginning to show now,as they near completion.
Completed figures,on their bases,in column and in line,they only need "flocking" now to finish them off-the figures are 40mm tall,which is something I should have mentioned at the start!!
The completed Regiment,c/w drummers and Grenadiers,and standard bearer and officers-easy to paint and good to look at-roll on Carronade.
By the way,I don't keep my wife in a box-it's more of cage!!
Last night Brian,Graham and I travelled all the way to Africa to have another exciting and fast flowing Zulu game.
With apologies to our American "cousins",this is the scenario-Brian drew the short straw,and commanded the British,whilst Graham and I took command of the Zulus.
Graham opened proceedings by getting his Centre Regiments shot to bits!!!-meanwhile the two "horns" advanced to take on the British and NNC regiments.
My left horn advancing towards the well-positioned British-I,like Graham's centre regiments,was shot to bits,but supporting regiments would,somehow,get to grips with the determined defenders.
Graham's right horn advancing against a company of British supported by three companies of NNC-this was the only "open" part of the table,and saw furious action!!!
At close range,a combination of rifle,gatling and artillery fire decimated Graham's regiments,but my reserve regiments are moving to support him and take over the fighting against the "Wall".
The top photo shows my futile attempts to get into the British,but Brian was having none of it!!,and the bottom photo shows Graham's regiments fighting against a very determined NNC!
Despite heavy casualties,Graham has managed to get a couple of regiments into the defences,and my reserve regiments are moving swiftly to support the breaches-hurrah!!
My left horn still can't make any headway,and casualties are mounting!!! Meanwhile on the other flank..........................
Despite strong resistance,Graham is winning(mainly due to numbers!!)-look at Brian's body language!!!
The reserve regiments,plus a couple of centre regiments are over the "wall" and the British are on the "back foot"-time for one "Last Stand" moment??????
Yes,of course there is-come on boys,"die like British soldiers do"-and so they did!!
Well done to Graham and Brian-good game.
Roll on Thursday-don't know what we'll be playing though!
Last night the "triumvirate" of Brian,Graham and I had a re-match of Boudicca vs Romans,after the Romans were soundly beaten in the last game!!
The scenario and table before any movement-I was Boudicca(no funny comments,please!) and Brian and Graham were the Roman commanders.
Look at that face!-if he was one of the Seven Dwarves he wouldn't be called "Happy!!!"
This shows my attack on the Roman left,thinly held by what turned out to be "Supermen Auxiliaries"
With the threat of an all-out attack by my Warbands and cavalry,the Romans have adopted a defensive formation!!-I now outnumber the cohorts,and will drive these "puny" Romans off the table-oh yeah!!!
On the Roman right flank,I am putting yet another determined attack on,you guessed it, a bunch of Auxiliaries who also turned out to be "Supermen"-things are not going as planned!
My Warbands have made contact with the Cohorts and a "lively" melee ensued-neither of us gaining an upper hand.At this point Graham tried to outflank my line by sending a unit of cavalry against me,forcing me to turn part of my second line of Warbands to defend myself!!
Hello!! where have my front line Warbands gone?-smashed to "smithereens" by a sneaky Roman ploy of throwing good dice!!!!-the swines!!-now I am in trouble.
Take that silly grin off your face-this is a serious wargame!!-Brian's cavalry have got themselves into all kinds of bother,and are about to be wiped out-this could leave his cohorts in danger of being out-flanked and destroyed.My reserves are moving forward to assist in one final push!
On the Roman right flank,I have driven the"Supermen" back but Graham is sending his reserve cohorts to help them,and my cavalry is being beaten-this is definitely not good!!
In a "rash command decision" I decided to send my reserves off to my right,but then realised that even if they could beat the "supermen" on the hill,they would still have an awful long way to go to out-flank the main Roman line!!!-woe is me!
My Warbands are totally "knackered"(a military term!!),although my cavalry are fairly strong ,but the Romans still have untouched troops waiting to pounce on my warbands,so a Roman victory was declared.
This was another fascinating Roman vs "Barbarian" encounter,showing that Roman training and superior weapons will always(???) give them the edge-great stuff.
Roll on Sunday,could be a Zulu game,but who knows?
