WW2 game at Dave's house.

Dave had to postpone this game from Sunday to last night,but it was well worth the wait!!
WW2 is not my "thing" but last night Paul and I commanded an American force,tasked with capturing a German high command Chateau,defended by Graham and Brian-and I quite enjoyed it!!!

This set the tone for the night! a raucous rendition of "Brian has only got one ....,the other is in the Albert Hall" was followed by  a torrent of abusive bad language from the man himself!!!

A grand shot from Brian,and two even grander shots from Graham,knocked out three of our column's vehicles,rendering the road impassable!!-what a good start! Paul and I had to take to the fields to avoid the burning tanks and half-tracks.

A half-track,don't they burn nicely??At the front of the column you can just see a Stewart tank burning nicely too!! But then things took a turn for the worse for Graham's contingent of tanks-he missed some sitting "ducks" with some horrendous dice throwing-hurrah!! allowing us to get into some good positions-this,mixed with some very lucky dice throws from me,caused the Germans to re-think their positions,and Graham started to retire,in text book fashion,however Brian was causing Paul all kinds of grief,from concealed positions!!

As Paul deploys an infantry platoon,I moved one of my Shermans up to support him against Brian's hidden/dug-in troops-lovely looking stuff!

Graham is looking worried,as well he might-more and more American troops and armour are "pouring " onto the board,and his positions on the hill are looking decidedly "dodgey"
Following Paul's advice,I started to move onto Graham's flank,forcing him to retire(it's good being retired!) however Brian was still giving Paul a hard time!!this was very tight indeed!

Brian is looking pleased with himself,he has effectively stopped Paul in his tracks(or is that half-tracks?-ha,ha, what a wit!!) Time for an infantry assault,I think.

Top (two????) photo's show my attempt at out-flanking Graham's position,but bottom photo shows my other deployed infantry being pinned by heavy machine gun fire(that's not fair!!)
The game still hung in the balance,until Brian and Paul had a duel of tanks,both knocking each other out,and Brian now had nothing left to defend the Chateau with,and Paul had tanks galore coming into play against his positions!!

One final shot of the American infantry sweeping across the central hill,and onwards to victory!
This was a very enjoyable(if confusing,to me) game which was endorsed by us all-well done to Dave!
Both Paul and Brian are unavailable next week(bloody holidays!!) so it will be up to Graham,Dave and I to play a Dacian vs Romann game.-roll on next Sunday.

Battle of Twin Forks.

Last night we played an "experimental" game using my Plains Indians and US cavalry figures.
We each had a command,Dave,Paul and I were the Indians,whilst Graham and Brian were the Cavalry commanders.

To test my new rules for this period,I put two Indian tribes quite close to the river,where they wouldn't get shot to pieces! and one in a position where they would !!well,you've got to test rules to their limits!!

Top photo shows the Indians and cavalry engaged in a fire-fight-bottom photo shows the end result!!-ie. the Cavalry retiring(it's good being retired!)-they should have performed their classic fire and retire(it's good...!!) tactic,as per the rules,but didn't, and paid the price!!
Note the tribe about to cross the river,as per the "normal" Indian tactic of encirclement!

That's more like it-fire and retire(it's good....!!)-this tactic eventually saw the Indians having to get back to their camp!!

These two Cavalry troops didn't retire quick enough and were caught!!
All in all,the game went quite well(if you weren't Cavalry!) but the rules still need a few "tweaks" to balance them out.
Paul and Dave have been sending figures way to Sri Lanka to be painted,and they have returned a fair few,which have been based and flagged..........................

Yes,I would call that a fair few!!-Dutch-Belgian and British infantry plus Heavy cavalry-superb,and Dave is awaiting more cavalry and infantry!!-come on lads,get them on the board!

Marvellous stuff-the painting standard is very good,and they come varnished for a hard finish-what more could you ask for??
Dave is fortunate enough to work with a chap who asked him if he wanted(for free!!) some weapons-of course Dave said yes..........................

Bayonets and two swords-we don't know anything about these,but will do some research-any help would be gratefully accepted!-but the pearl in the oyster,was this...............................

A fully de-activated,but genuine Brian-er no I mean a Martini-henry Carbine!!!
These are great and will enhance Dave's wargames room-the luck,lucky man!!
Brian has started a 15mm ACW project,and should have some figures to show us next week,and Graham is nearing completion of some Napoleonic figures,which he will also bring along next week!
I have just finished a terrain project,which I will post mid week!
Roll on next Sunday-probably at Dave's house and featuring either WW2,ACW or Napoleonics!

No Game this Sunday!

Because I have the worst cold I have ever had,we are not playing this Sunday-everything aches,and I feel like s..t!!
Roll on next Sunday-if I survive!!

Game preview for Sunday 14th July.

A few months ago I bought and painted a batch of Plains Indians and US cavalry,from Warrior Miniatures,and so far have only had two "practice" games! However,on Sunday I will be rolling them out for a full blooded game with the "boys"-we'll see how it goes!!

Top photo is the scenario,bottom photo is the table before any figures were put on it!

Grrrrrrr!

Top photo is the Oglala Sioux camp(the totem Pole could be a representation of my family Tree!!),and bottom photo is the camps with Indians in them,ready to do battle with the US cavalry.

Top photo is the head of the 7th's column,bottom photo is a detail of the 2nd's column-why they want an artillery piece,I don't know-after all the're just fighting savages armed with sharpened twigs,aren't they???-hmmmmm!!

I'm lucky enough to live about 300 yards from an auction house(Anderson and Garland) so get to see items like these quite alot-it's good to be able to see and handle weapons with history attached to them-pity I can't afford them!!!
Roll on Sunday!

Moravia 1760.

Thanks to Paul,we had a marvelous game last night,twelve action-packed moves,and a clear result at the end!!

The scenario was that a Prussian camp(defended by Graham) was being attacked by a Russian force(commanded by Brian)-a Prussian relief force(commanded by me) was on its way,but was met by an Austrian force(commanded by Paul)-simple but very entertaining and anybody's game until the last move!!-Top photo shows the camp,bottom photo shows the relief force being attacked by the Austrians.

This shows Brian's attack on the camp,with Infantry and cavalry(too soon!!)-Brian could only attack the town part of the camp with the bayonet,which proved costly!!-the battle swayed back and forth for most of the game,neither side gaining an initial advantage.

Paul is sending wave after wave of Austrian infantry against my Prussians,but my well placed artillery and some damned lucky dice throws(which is unusual for me!) saw them off!!-we both kept sending reserve regiments into position,and our cavalry,which had been "husbanded" for most of the game,were moving to the flank,ready for the inevitable clash!!

Early cavalry melees are wasteful(in my opinion) and this shows what can happen-both Graham and Brian have won and lost melees,and both have rears and flanks compromised!!
Back in the town,Brian has managed to get a regiment into the defenders,and things are looking bad!!-however Graham has support,and used them well,driving Brian's Russians back out again-thrilling stuff!

Austrian and Prussian cuirassiers battle it out on the flank-this looked and felt great,and again by some lucky dice throws(killing officers galore!) from me,I eventually won the melees and Paul was driven back-hurrah!!

The fire-fight on the ridge continues,I have replaced my first line with fresh troops,and Paul has done the same,but with the flank now dominated by my "heavies",the whole Austrian army looks to be in trouble! but what of the camp/town position??

Top photo shows the town has now been "stabilised" and the Russians ejaculated from it!!
Bottom photo shows the Prussian dragoons dominating the flank,and forcing Brian to form a defensive line with his remaining Infantry,so a grand Prussian victory,but well done to us all for playing this great game in great spirit-long may it continue!!
Roll on next Sunday,and we'll have to start planning for "Border Reiver" on the 7th September!

Seven Years War Preview

Sunday's game will be a Prussian vs Austrian and Russian game.

Preview and some photographs below. Many thanks to John's technical experience & wizardry in interpreting my idea for the table layout.