Last night saw the "Fab Four" (Dave couldn't make it!) fight this tense and interesting game,pitting Vikings/Saxons against Normans.
This is the scenario-Paul and I were the Saxon/Viking commanders,whilst Brian and Graham were the Normans...............I had planned a couple of options available to each side...........
As Saxon commander,I chose to take my option of losing a heavy infantry unit,but gaining two lengths of "stakes" to protect my left flank-this worked a treat!!
Graham,as Norman vanguard,decided not to take up his option,of losing a heavy cavalry unit for a light skirmish cavalry unit,but Brian did take up his option and lost a heavy cavalry unit for a mercenary Viking infantry one.
Brian is contemplating his moves-most of his infantry were light,and would be at a dis-advantage against the Vikings in the first round of melee,so he had to tread carefully!
The dreaded stakes,preventing Graham's cavalry from gaining the flank!-I've just thought of a title for a new film-Stakes on a plain!!(groan!!)
Paul is moving his Vikings against Brian's combination of cavalry and light infantry on our right flank.
With his cavalry thwarted by the stakes,Graham is moving his infantry against the town,and the centre-this looked spectacular!!
The inevitable clashes in the centre and right flank-both Paul and I had ordered our troops to form a "shield wall" which was effective,making the Normans fight at -1 from their dice throws.
Brian actually did quite well against the heavier Vikings,but then the "demon dice thrower known as PAUL, started to throw high and killed officer after officer,and the Normans under Brian's control started to retire(it's good being retired!)
However in the centre(under my control) wasn't doing too well-well now there's a surprise!!
Graham's attack against the town,saw him gaining ground against my Saxons,but I reinforced the town troops and began to push him back-hurrah!!
Top photo shows Paul's domination of the flank,with Brian in full retreat,bottom photo shows the Normans in the centre also going backwards!!
Graham then "double-guessed" my out-flanking move,through the stakes,and charged my heavy infantry as they formed up!!!.....................
This was a hollow victory for the cavalry,as the town was still in Saxon hands,and the centre and right was in Viking hands,and a victory was declared for the Saxon/Vikings-hurrah!!
Once again,a great game,long may they continue!
Roll on next Sunday,probably a Marlburian battle.
The "new look" me-handsome and distinguished-actually I just can't be arsed to get a shave!!!
Roll on next week.
Last Sunday,as usual,when the night ended,someone(me??) always says,"what are we doing next week?"-Paul(I think!) mentioned an "El Cid" game-but after a bit of thought I decided that we hadn't delved into Vikings etc. for a while,and so a game was born...................
This is the scenario-looks very bright and burnt-out!(sounds like me!!!)
These two photo's show the Norman column snaking its way across the board-there will be two Norman commanders on the night,against two Viking and one Saxon commander-we will pick sides when we all arrive.
This is the Saxon command-6 heavy infantry units defending the town of Uxbridge.
This is the right hand Viking command-6 heavy infantry and one archer unit.
This is the central Viking command-6 heavy infantry and one archer unit.
Both sides are evenly matched,but,of course, the Normans have the advantage of Cavalry!!
Hopefully this will be a good game-looking forward to it!!
As the dead-line date of 11th May rushes onwards,we decided,last night to run through our Rorke's Drift game for Carronade show at Falkirk.
We had a full turn out,and even though Brian is unable to attend this year,he gave valuable feedback and advice on the game and on the "display" which we will have at the end of our table.
It was also decided that I wouldn't publish any photo's of the Zulu attacks on the position,as this would possibly dilute the effect when we actually put the game on-sorry!!
A couple of shots of the model,housing the 24th,in the right background of the bottom photo you can see the initial attack about to come in.
Another view from the Oscarberg heights.................oh,come on then just one shot of the Uthulwana attack,against the Hospital wall............................
There will be more,I can promise you,on the day!!!!!
Roll on next Sunday,possibly an El Cid game(or something else!)
Last night the "fab four" had this tremendous ECW game..........................
Top photo is scenario,bottom is the table before any movement-Dave was away in Manchester,so Paul and Graham were the Royalists,whilst Brian and I were the Parliamentarians.
Move number two,and true to form,Graham has launched his cavalry forward-I have moved my cavalry to try and catch him in the flank-his cavalry are too close to each other!
The infantry in the centre are being very cautious,and not moving too close to the opposition,letting the artillery do as much damage as possible before getting involved in a fire-fight.
Brian's Ironsides cavalry advance,with enough spacing not to get disordered in case of a push back in melee.
Both sides had reinforcements coming onto the table,at the throw of a dice,they could place them anywhere,but neither Paul or Brian used the far terrain ie the river and Liklok Hill!
By move number 7 all hell was let loose!! Graham was knocking my officers over like nine-pins,and I needed a cavalry win to try and out-flank him-terrific stuff,but what of Brian??
Well,if the truth were told,he wasn't doing very well!!In the background you can see Paul has moved a cavalry regiment forward to try and destroy Brian's artillery battery-surely a whiff of grape shot will stop them in their tracks(???)
Just look at the table!!-Brian has failed to stop Paul's cavalry from destroying his battery,and all of his cavalry are being slaughtered,his reinforcements have failed to make any impact,so,as usual, it's up to me to save the army!!!!
My idea of saving the army ended when most of my infantry decided to retire(it's good being retired!)-and Paul's reinforcements started to make their presence felt-it was now up to my cavalry-could they save the day and get us a draw??
Yeah!! with Graham's troops having fought themselves to a stand still my cavalry were able to ride rampant over the flank,so a draw was decided,and very fair too.
This was tremendously good game,and never one-sided-great stuff.
Roll on next Sunday,we will be running through our Rorke's Drift game for Falkirk.
As an historical note,the rhyme of Liklok Hill was written in the 17th century by a lady called Betty Swollocks(aka Mary Hinge).
There's quite a lot going on at the moment,various members doing various things,and "dabbling" in new periods etc. so I thought an up-date might be interesting(?)
Dave and Paul have sent another batch of Napoleonic figures off to Sri Lanka for painting,and have recently got a batch back and most of them based,here are some of Paul's British..........
Top photo is Rifles on skirmish bases,bottom is a brigade,including Scots, of line infantry-very nicely painted and presented,however,between Graham,Paul and Dave,they have more than enough to stage a massive Napoleonic game-but when????(come on Boys!)
I spent most of my life's savings and most of my pension,on buying river sections from Last Valley,and to be honest,I am disappointed !!-the sections are too small(length-wise) for my liking,and because I use a table covering in my games,the slightest "bump" or "ripple" in the table cover results in a most unsightly river imaginable!!-So,to remedy this,as can be seen from the above photo, I have stuck two and three sections onto card(even more expense!) and this has,up to a certain extent,solved the problem.I think the real problem lies in the fact that the sections are made of thin MDF-maybe thicker would be better,however if your board is perfectly flat,you probably won't have the same problem as I have!!
I needed(wanted?) some Lancers for early Sudanese campaigns,and Zulu battles,so I sent away to Warrior Miniatures,and they duly arrived in the usual double quick time,along with some infantry, I have painted the Lancers as the 16th (Queen's Own Red Jackets) as best as I could,and am quite pleased with the way they look.
Top photo shows my attempt at the "Black Watch" with kilts made from wine bottle foil!
Bottom photo shows,again my attempt at Marines(to complement Brian's Naval Brigade) both Infantry to go against Egyptians or Dervishers!
What I really wanted(needed?) was a unit of Heavy cavalry,but Warrior don't make such a figure-as if that was going to stop me!!!!!I sent for 12 Lancer figures,with a request for 12 or so broadswords from John Holt's Jacobite range,they arrived and a very simple and quick conversion job followed.........................
Top-Lancer as sold,middle-Lancer with lance snipped off,bottom-Lancer with sword stuck onto hand!!!-modelling and conversion at its very best!!!
Just waiting to be painted..........................
I am pleased with the finished result-now just watch out you "Fuzzy-Wuzzies!!"
Brian has just received a brigade of Egyptians from Perry Miniatures,which he will be bringing up on Sunday,for me to photograph,and I think that this may be the start of a larger army!
Dave has gone completely "beserk" and has bought an authentic antique (but de-activated) Martini Henry rifle c/w bayonet-it is awsome,and will be put on the blog next Sunday,when we will be running through our Rorke's Drift game for Falkirk.
Last night we fought this particularly enthralling battle,set in the desert around Damascus.
Top photo is scenario,bottom is the table before any movement-Brian held the Crusaders left flank,Graham the right,and I controlled(??) the catapults mounted on the city walls.
Dave held the Saracen left,whilst Paul held the right.
By move two,both cavalry flanks had advanced to contact,and a real tussle ensued,neither side gaining a real advantage-stirring stuff!
The infantry are about to make contact,whilst the cavalry are still hacking and slashing at each other-Dave looks too happy!!
Brian's flank! and things are not looking too good-Paul has made good use of his horse archers,and is running rings around Brian's crossbowmen(although exactly why they are cross I don't know!)Is that a smug look from Graham?
In the centre,the infantry are being split,by ferocious dice throwing by Graham,and poor from Brian,and the cavalry on Graham's flank is winning too-but not for long,as Dave started to throw high,and the Crusaders were thrust back-thrilling stuff,some one must crack soon-but who??
Both Crusader cavalry flanks are in trouble(wargaming term for getting slaughtered!!) and the centre is not doing too well either(also getting slaughtered!)
See what I mean?-at this point we decided that the Saracens had won the day,it must also be said that the catapults didn't exactly contribute alot to the game(ie they didn't hit a damned thing!!)
We all enjoyed the game though,so roll on next Sunday-probably ECW.
My next blog,mid-week,will be a club and painting update.
