IF IT'S WEDNESDAY THIS MUST BE POLAND

 On Wednesday we played a WWII game of Jadepanzer featuring a Polish force's attempt to halt a German advance. Outnumbered, out gunned, out armored the Polish players thought this was going to be a daunting task. The thing they had going for them was position. The Poles could deploy their entire force in concealment and ambush which they did. The first line of defense was just behind the woods you see in the upper center of the picture above. The second line was in the town. The Germans key vulnerability was their fuel. They have five trucks that if destroyed would possibly leave an entire platoon of tanks out of the game. This weakness was what the Poles planned to exploit to the best of their ability. How did this work out? Read on. 

The German Tank Column has Advanced into the First Ambush Zone. Polish Fire was Very Accurate, Scoring Numerous Hits, but Their Weak Armor Penetration Left Them with Only One Knocked out Panzer Which is Hidden Behind the Building. 

The German Response Was Serious and Devastating. They Knocked Out Four Polish Vehicles. Due to the Terrain, They are Unable to Bring Their Numbers to Bear, Which Prevented Even Further Losses. 

To Their Good Fortune, The Poles Cause a Catastrophic Kill to the Lead German Tank Nearest the Town. This Caused the First German Platoon to Rout Buying the Polish More Time. The Cost so far was Extremely High. The Poles Have Lost Three Full Platoons to the Germans One, But it was Here the Germans Made Their Crucial Mistake of Having Their Lead Elements Attacking the Ambush Rather Than Advancing and Letting Their Follow Up Forces Deal with it. 

The action became very intense at this point, so I forgot to take any more pictures. 

As the Germans turned to attack the ambush they exposed their flanks to the Polish main armor waiting in ambush in the town. Capitalizing on this the Poles knocked out a number of the Panzer IIs. and at the same time the fuel trucks entered the board and that is when the Polish railroad tanks appeared. Of little use against the armor, they were a terror against the trucks and destroyed two of the five on the first attack. 

The Germans response was to turn their Panzerjagers I and rear tanks to deal with them. They knocked out one and effectively suppressed the second. The Polish took this opportunity to send a platoon of their heavy machinegun tanks to attack both the remaining trucks and the exposed crew of the Panzerjager Is. All of the trucks and two of the three Panzerjager Is were destroyed. This made for a clear victory as the Poles still had about a third of their total forces intact, while the fuel crisses caused the loss of four additional German platoons.

We found a number of things needed to be tweaked. The range of the MGs needed to be seriously cut back. The system for MGs engaging the trucks and the exposed crew needed to be rethought to conform more to the standard rules. Terrain needed to be made clearer as all hills you see on the table are in fact representing very dense, impenetrable woods. Overall the game went smoothly and was fun for both sides to play. 

OFF TO THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

 This past Wednesday, we played a 6mm American Civil War battle, based very loosely on Shilo. The game was originally set for twelve players, but due to unusual circumstances the dropout level left us with only six. The game was hosted by John B. using his home-grown rules. They are very old school and some of the veteran figures have seen action way back as long ago as Gen Con 10 in 1977.  

The Union 4th Brigade Taking Up Position to Block and Slowdown Two Confederate Brigades. Union Forces are in a Sunken Road Providing Them with Cover. 

Union Third Brigade Moving Forward to Cover the Central Position and Backup Forth Brigade. 

Sherman's Brigade Moving to Cover the Union Right Flank.

Union and Confederate Forces Exchanging Fire. The Confederates were Giving Out the Better of This Having Already Driven Off Two Union Regiments. The Smoke on the Far Left is From Union Forces Holding the Tree Line on the Other Side of the Woods.  

Union 3rd Brigade Artillery Begins Firing on the Approaching Confederates as Their Infantry Continues to Advance Towards the Center. At the Top Sherman's Brigade is Hotly Engaged with the Confederate Left Flank.  

Union Forth Brigade Continues to Take a Pounding and Losses are Piling Up. Their Return Fire is Very Infective at Slowing the Confederates. 

Union Third Brigade's Batteries are now All in the Fight as Its Infantry Moves Forward in the Center and to Reinforce the Dwindling Forth Brigade.  

On the Union Right Sherman has Blunted the Confederate Advance, but the Confederate Third Brigade is Quickly Advancing Over Undefended and Open Terrain. 

At this point we ran out of time and had to call the game. The Union forth brigade was battered but not beaten. It had some serious success at holding the flanking woods having driven off two Confederate regiments by routing one and nearly destroying the other between deadly accurate fire and cold steel. Sherman's forces were pushing back the Confederates on the Union right while also holing up the Confederate advance in the center. with the Union forth brigade moving up it seem the line would be steadied. 

Overall, a very fun game with a very old school feel. Even by my standards I was moving a lot of figures which I always enjoy. Thanks to John for hosting. It's to bad I forgot to get a picture of his ACW tie. 

TILLY'S VERY BAD DAY - Part 2

On Saturday, we played the second go of the previous fight. This again sees the Catholics on the left of the picture above, against the Protestants on the right. There were a few tweaks to the game with all Cuirassier resolve reduce from 4, down to 3 and a couple of extra units added to the Protestants second command. The victory conditions were for each side to break the other, or for the Protestants to remain on the field for 10 turns, placing the burden of attack on the Catholics.

Having played in the last game as the Catholic right wing cavalry commander, this time I was given the job of the Protestant left wing cavalry commander. I needed to come up with a plan to counter what I expected the Catholics to do from the previous battle. How did this go? Read on to find out.   
 

The Protestant Garrisoned Town Protecting the Only Bridge Crossing the River. While the River was Fordable Along its Entire Length, it did Reduce the Effectiveness of Anyone in or Having Just Crossed it.   

My Plan was to Use My Mounted Harquebus to Reduce the Catholics Cuirassiers on My Right Flank Before the Main Fight Occurred. That Plan Went to Hell Because of the Speed of the Catholics Cuirassier's Approach.   

Fortune Smiled as the Catholics Came in Dispersed Allowing Me to Use My Superior Numbers to Even the Odds. In the Center the Infantry Battle Was Going the Catholics Way as They Used Their Tercios to Lead the Assault Across the River.  

The Tercios Doing Their Very Effective Thing of Close Combat as can be Seen with All of Them at Full Strength of 4, While the Protestant Infantry is Near Collapse at Only a Value of 1 of Their Original 4 Resolve.  

The Catholic Cavalry has Been Effectively Defeated with only Two Units Remaining. The Harquebus are now Exchanging Fire with the Approaching Infantry, while the Cavalry Prepares to Launch Charges Once they are Sufficiently Reduced.  

In the Center Our Infantry has Stabilized the Line and off screen to the Right has Even Begun to Push Back and Even Destroy Some of the Catholic Supporting Cavalry on This Flank. 

With the Entire Catholic Right Cavalry Defeated, Tilly Having Been Wounded and Removed from the Battlefield the Protestant Cavalry Begin to Sweep the Flank as the Day Draws to a Close the Catholics are on the Edge of Defeat. 

In the Center the Protestant Infantry is Desperately Holding on, but Time and Losses have Run Out for the Catholics. A complete Reversal of the Previous Game. 

This was another exciting game and a lot closer than the previous battle. Both sides played a completely different game from the last time. The rules changes worked out as the Cuirassier were still stronger than cavalry but not as devastatingly so. 

A special thanks to everyone that has recently posted a comment. It is hard to tell if my ramblings are meeting anyone else's interest. Posting a comment is a strong affirmation that you have both read and enjoyed it, so please take the time and let me know if you do. 

Lastly here a link to the Tilly's Very Bad Day Rules. 

Download Tilly's Very Bad Day - Fast Play Rules for the 30 Years War - Steven's Balagan

TILLY'S VERY GOOD DAY

 On Wednesday, we played another game of Tilly's Very Bad Day Rules. This pitted the Catholics Lead by Tilly and the Protestants lead by the Duke of Brunswick. I find the game leads to some very quick and bloody results, having had my head handed to me in one game and fighting tooth and claw in another. If things start to go bad you need to fix them quickly or be overwhelmed by cascade effects. 

Catholics on the Left, Protestants to the Right. The Limited Time the Catholics have to Break Their Opponents has put Them on a Hell For Leather Attack. On the Left the Cavalry is Keeping the Protestant Infantry in Check from Maneuvering While in the Center and Right Infantry and Cavalry Press the Enemy.

With Infantry Support on Their Left the Catholic's Cuirassier Smash into the Protestant Cavalry. Even with the River Reducing Their Effectiveness the Pulmonary Artillery and Musket Fire has Softened up the Protestants. In the Center the Catholic Infantry is being Held, but at Significant Cost.     

And as Quickly as it Starts it is Over. With the Death of the Protestant General and the Loss of a Few Squadrons of Cavalry, the Protestants Remaining Cavalry is Reduced to Ineffectiveness and is Quickly Swept from the Field. 

Overall, this was a very interesting game where along most of the battlefield things were a true tug-of-war. The Protestants did very well along the center, and there was little action on the left. The right cavalry battle proved decisive, where the Protestants lost twelve of the ten units they needed to break. 

There is a refight scheduled for Saturday where I will be given the Protestant Left Wing Cavalry. This will defiantly be a challenge. 

BACK TO THE REVOLUTION

 

My last post on the Ramblings of an Excentric Games Mk 3 blog was June of '25 and I had just completed the British 44th Regiment. My intention was to then jump right in on painting the Continentals in the Official later American uniforms. It took a bit longer than expected, in fact, almost a year. This is the New York, New Jersey blue coat, buff britches and cuffs. This is just the start with at least another two more following on. Afterwards I will then add the Virginia units in the iconic red, white and blue uniform. The figures are from Fife and Drum, my favorite line of large, 25mm plus, figures.   

NEWEST PROJECT - THE QUAR

 

After a much longer time then I expected due to unforeseen real-world circumstances I have completed my painting on the Quar. Quar, you say? What are Quar? Why the sentient life form of the planet Alwyd. They are Anteaters whose lives are governed by their devotion to the traditions of their ancestors. They have been engaged in almost perpetual war for the past hundred years. Their technology is that of WWI, but there are now incredible new things coming about do the changes brought by a radical thinker. 

While the whole of the world is at war, my games are focused on the two core opponents, the Kingdom of Coftyr who are fighting to maintain the traditions of Kings and Emperor to rules the nations of the world, and the Maer Braech lands that now are governed more as a realm of the populist run by a dictator who has launched the Great Crusade to change all the lands into his own vision. These two factions, the Crymuster and the Crusaders are battling across the globe for the hearts and minds of everyone. 

My games are centered around small unit tactics in a highly urban environment. This campaign is all about controlling the Holly City of Cearsalem. This is the spiritual center for all Quar, and its control will determine whom the Ancestors favor. 

The Forces of the Crymuster. In Front are the Command Section, Followed by the Specialists and at the Rear are the Three Sections of Infantry. 

Here are the Crusaders. Again, the Front Shows HQ Section, Followed by the Specialists, and then the Three Infantry Section.

I will include more details on both the units and the game system in a follow up post. For now, some images from the battlefield. 

MOVING RIGHT ALONG

 A quick post to show the second batch of Glorious Revolution now finished updating the bases for the Beneath the Lily Banners figures. This puts me at over halfway complete, with the final batches ready to be worked on soon. I now have enough troops to run a game. Target for that is early May.