Tuesday 31 May 2011

Force on Force

Another great evenings gaming at the club. This week, I decided to try Force on Force again, but with the tank rules. As I am still learning the system we decided to keep things simple, and just get the hang of the combat and opposed dice mechanic, leaving morale to be tried later. For this we played the Golan heights scenario in the main rules. I have lots of 20mm Airfix  Centurions painted in IDF colours and used as Sho't tanks.
The scenario calls for the IDF to defend against 2 troops of 3 Syrian T62m tanks who are attempting to cross the Golan Heights in to Israel. Due to the interest from club members, we upped the ratio of vehicles, and had 3 Sho't 's and 3 troops of 3 T62m's. We see here one hapless Israili tank KO'd on the reverse slope of the heights.
But not after giving a good account of itself. One Syrian burns, whilst the other is KO'd in the distance.
More Syrians giving covering fire on the left flank.
Whilst the right pours over the golan past the KO'd israelis.

The game whent well, and was over fairly rapidly. Even with working out the rules, so we decided to try another scenario. I wanted an excuse to try my recent purchases from Partizan anyhow. I had found a great trader who was selling 20mm plastic modern figs from Caesar miniatures. 42 minis for £6. You cant go wrong! so I purchased the modern US Army, and the Terorist pack. He also had some vehicles as similarly good prices. I think these may have been surplus stock from one of those magazine deals. You know the thing, buy a mag and it comes with a model. Well I purchased to M1 Abrahms at £5.30 each, and 2 Bradleys at £7 each. Bargain!
So the next game, again out of the book, involved US Marine M1's clearing an Iraqui town of T72's. We had to scale the scenario down a bit, as I only had 2 M1's rather than the 4 required, but it seemed to work.
M1 Abrahms enters the town. You may notice I had weathered the model with a bit of dry brushing to get the new shine off of the model. this was a simple but effective measure.
T72 stand in wait.

The other M1 drives down one flank, and the Iraquis move two other T62's to cover the town square.
A tank duel ensues, the Iraquis losing 2 T72's Steve decides to try and get round the American with his surviving T72, whilst Peter covers with his vehicles from the other side of the square.
The M1 fires a few rounds but misses, and decides to drive forward to make his objective ofdriving off the Iraqi board edge. However some really unlucky die rolls by the American, and some half decent rolls from Peter KO the Abrahms. Much to the delight of Steve!
 The other M1 drives round the corner to engage Peter from the flank. However as Peters T72's are well concealed, they recieve a good cover modifier, and survive. Peter returns fire, and disables the Abrahms gun. Proof that even with T72's at close quaters you still can win against an M1!
 A great game. We will be playing more Force on Force soon, trying some more of the scenarios.







Wednesday 25 May 2011

Necrons are Nasty

OK...I got beaten, again! In my defence I thought James was bringing his Ultramarines,*gulp* I mean I didn't even know he had necrons...blub..or I would have *sniff* brought my Bloood Angels..waaaagh!!

They do look nice though. And it is great to have another faction in the club.
This character and his retinue started the problems. Aparently it has a matter transport capability, and it beamed in right behind my lines,with a retinue. It causes fear...so naturaly my warboss gets a 10 and promptly leggs it!...as does my Meganobz...well they are a combat debut, so they at least have an excuse! All that remains to fight them are my Killer kans, and they don't win!
Da ladz jump ot of thier Trukk, and run over a hill...oops!
There are alot of these metal monsters, and they keep getting back up!
And lots of them seem to spew out more little meanies!!
 Best send in Da Bikkerz!
But thematerializing meanie transports to the top of yonder hill after wreking my Killer kans, and obliterates them....fortunately there is a trukk of Nobs following on behind, so they jump out and assault..

Trouble is, you don't win when you roll 1's and your opponent doesn't!

And there are more...mind you I managed to kill one of these with the Zap Gun on my big trukk.
 Ah well, that is why I call this blog dice like dave!, because with dice like mine....









Tuesday 17 May 2011

Sailing ships and Shermans

A bit of a double helping this time! Firstly I had another game with the WW2 28mm stuff at club last week. Androped in a couple of noobs to see how they liked it. And it went down very well. Steff and I took the US forces, with a full infantry platoon, 2x .30 cal HMG and 2x 60mm Mortars, with 3x Shermans. Opposing us in defence was a platoon of FJ< with an MG42 HMG and 50MM Mortar, a StUG IIIG and a Pzkpfw IV G..note to Steve PZKpfW is the generaly accepted short hand for Panzer Kampf Wagen !! ( poor dear couldn't find Panzer 4 in the book!!) or is it just us old grognards that take it for granted!

US forces advance with tank suport.

German FJ platoon opens up causing several casualties and forcing the yanks to dive in to a hedge for cover.
 PzKpfW IV moves up in support, and takes out one of the Shermans. They reply but to no effect.
On the other flank the MG42 HMG makes life even more hellish for the advancing Americans, causing more casualties on the other squad.
PaK 38 keeps vigil on the tee junction objective (the marker can be seen on the road in the distance)
 The Germans had the US on the ropes at this point, and drove up the StuG to join in on the Sherman's destruction. A well set up defence by the German commander meant that there was no hope for the US on the ground. I think in reality some Thunderbolts would have been called in to sort them out, but the ground war was definatly won by Gerry this time!

Next to last nights game with Steff, and we go back in time a couple of hundred years. The Age of Sail, and Nelson's Royal Navy
Steff asked for some Naval wargaming, and I offered to get my Sailing ships out, using Warhammer Historical's Trafalgar rules. Now I haven't played this for a few years so I had to brush up on the rules beforehand. I also decided to keep it simple, and not apply any of the more advanced concepts in the game. This made for a fast, and enjoyable game, with not too much referring to the rules. Just how I like it.
A general view of the game. Note the Weather guage on the island nearest us. This instrument is important in deciding initiative as well as wind effect on the ships.
Two French 1st rate 120 gunners sail round the island to engage the RN
 Only to find the British have already devestated the Dutch allied Frigate that ws sent to the other side of the island to head the British fleet off, note the "ablaze" marker on the dutch frigate "Gilder". the two French man o war are under full sail, as seen with the green markers. A British 1st rate with the Admiral on board also has all sheets to the wind to close on the French. Also note the turn tool in the top left of the pic.
British 3rd rate ship of the line.
A great game, we will be doing more of this!








Sunday 8 May 2011

ECW at the Club

Another all day Sunday at the club, and Steff and myself had an ECW game.
I took Royalist and Steff parliament. We each had 3 regiments of P&S , Parliament had 2 sakers and 2 light guns, a unit of Dragoons, 2 units of trotters, one with Carbine, one with Heavy armour, and a unit of Gallopers in light armour. The King had a unit of Curassier Gallopers, a unit of Armoured Gallopers, and an unarmoured unit of trotters, a Saker and two light guns, and a unit of 18 Firelocks. The King also had his Gentlemen Pensioners, and the Royal Standard. The scenario was that Parliament had decided to push the Royalists from a sleepy English Village, and so the King was in a defensive posture, with Ruperts Regiment behind hedges, and the Firelocks in woodland covering the main road to the settlement.
Steff advanced his Dragoons down the road to sort out the Royalist Firelocks.
The Firelocks fired upon the hapless Dragoons and caused 25% casualties, however the parliamentarians passed thier morale, and dismounted.
 On the other flank the parliamentary cavalry emerged through the woods to charge into the Royalist horse.
 The King's men got the worst ofthis, and broke, leaving a unit of gallopers vunerable. And sure enough the parliament's Horse persued straight to the Royalist flank.
Ruperts Bluecoats take refuge behind a hedgeline. but the parliamentary artillery gets it's range, and shot soon thins the ranks
Parliament send more heavy cavalry round the wood to pin the Royalist horse from the front, whilst the Parliamentary carbiniers do thier bloody work from the flank. This is all too much for the kings men and the cavalry soon start to run.
The Firelocks wither the dragoons down to size on the other flank, and the decimated troopers flee the field.
Fairfax decides to send in a full infantry Regiment to sort out the knaves,and force thier way into the hamlet. He also decides that after suffering Royalist Artillery all game he has had enough and advances the other two regiments in support of the cavalry's success.

 At this point Steff had to go home, but I think we knew where the game was going from here! I then packed up the toys, and set up for tommorrows 28MM WW2 skirmish....report to follow!







Tuesday 3 May 2011

Descent..in Action

Last night at the club http://gladiators.wordpress.com I had a game of Descent, Journies in the Dark. well, I had to premier my newly painted miniatures! Also this was only my 2nd ever go at the game, and my first outing as Overloard (insert evil laugh!)
 
Stephen and maurice..note my new dice cup, complete with skeletal hand...cool!
 Stephen and Martyn look at the dice in disbelief! The Dice cup is cursed!( well not for me!)
The minis..looking cool on the table. I must get those Hurst Arts moulds, and do all the floor plans!



Monday 2 May 2011

Descent

Well, I decided, like so many owners of the game, to paint up my Descent, Journies in the Dark, game miniatures.
  And for thosewho have the game, you will know there are lots of them in the core box set.
the whole project probably took in theregion of 20 hours to complete. All Friday, and all of Sunday, basicly. The majority of the work was taken in acurately copying the paint schemes on the character cards to the players hero miniatures.
Not too bad a representation I think.
 It was an interesting task as I have not painted essentially board game pieces before, and the plastic is not of the same quality as miniatures used for wargaming.That said it took the undercoat spray readily enough, and then Islapped on the pigment as usual.
A Naga leader (indicated by the red border to the base)
A pair of Hell Hounds. Leader, and ordinary.
A Giant and a Leader Demon
 An Ogre.
It has put me to thinking weather I should paint the Battlelore figures ...but I have lots of Napoleonics to paint..as well as scores of other "proper" painting jobs. We will see how long this stint of unemployment lasts. I may well have the time for many projects.





Sunday 1 May 2011

Great Loss Proffessor Holmes

 I know other blogs have mentioned this. But I think I should put something on here to show respect to a great military historian, who sadly passed away during my birthday, 30th April.
 Strangely I was watching a video only the other day from way back, called Game of War, in which British Generals took on the roles of historical commanders in war games, moderated by the equaly missed Paddy Grifith. Professor Holmes was on the staff of one of the Generals in the programme. A great loss. I send my thoughts to his friends and family at this hour.