LOOK! UP IN THE SKY.

British Fleet Crossing the Cannel

On Wednesday we played a very large game of Leviathans, the flying ship game by Catalyst Game Labs. This matched the British and their German Ally against the French with a combined squadron of Astro-Hungarian, Japanese, and The United States. The goal of the British forces was to bombard the town of Caen, while the Frensh were to prevent this and inflict as much damage as possible on the British Battleships and Battlecruisers. With each side fielding five squadrons of four or more ships, this was a really big game. 

The Two Fleets First Approaching. Seen from Behind the French Position Sailing over Caen. 

 

A Closeup of the Action, with the British on the Left, the French on the Right. At the Austro-Hungarian Cruiser has Just Successfully Rammed the HML Wales, Smashing her Back into the Bow of HML Leviathan (near center). The Red Cruiser in the center is about to take a Real Beating and be Sunk. The French were not Having it Their Own Way. They have Already Lost Four Cruisers to the British One.  

Due to a large early dropout of players for reasons to deal with previous commitments the game became to cumbersome to continue, so after only a few turns we called an end. 

With ten players of which seven had never played before I was quite pleased that by turn two players were able to resolve ship combat on their own. This dynamically speeds up play and as most of the rest of the game is very intuitive things in the future should move along very smoothly. I will need to reduce the forces for the next game, but that is easier enough to do. 

Real world events are going to keep me busy for the next month, so posting will drop considerably until September.   

THE EMPIRE STRIKES OUT

 This weeks Wednesday's we played a learning game of Sword and Spear Ancients and Medieval rules. This matched the Imperial Romans against the Celts. The rules threw a lot of new concepts at the group, and it took a bit of time for us to catch on. First is the Activation Systems that uses player specific colored dice randomly drawn in batches. In our case this was 11 dice at a time with 36 dice available. The side that gets the most dice in a draw has the initiative during the phase and goes first. Dice are then rolled and assigned to individual units to activate. Dice rolls too low to work, typically 1s and 2s are discard and 6s give a benefit to movement, or to combat, with the option being up to the player at the time of use. Units are then moved from lowest value up, so 3s, followed by 4, etc., initiative players first. Combat, be it shooting or close combat is resolved immediately. A unit in close combat without an activation die forfeits its activation options and receives an undrawn die from the bag to note this. There are plenty of details I left out, but this was a real key to game play. 

The second concept was all combat is using opposing die rolls. You create a die pool from your base combat ability, any movement and terrain effects, and any skills that the unit's possess. These are rolled and match up in descending order. Any unequal dice are match to a virtual 2 that can cause no damage to the opponent but can prevent damage to the shortfall side. An equal roll is no effect. A higher roll causes a check to see if it caused damage, this is typically a 4+ save, A roll that is double or better automatically causes damage. There are a number of skills that can modify dice rolls and effects, but this is the basics. 

Once we got the hang of how all this worked the game moved along at a fairly quick pace. The final outcome was a draw, and everyone seemed to have a good time. I am sure these rules will be played again in the near future. I was rather involved in the learning process, so I nearly forgot to take pictures. Here are the few I did take. 

The Game in Action About Mid Battle. Celts on the Left, Romans on the Right. The Blue Dice You See are the Activation Dice for that Contingent of Romans. 

My Celtic Cavalry Pouring in on the Roman Rear. Entering the Table was as Far as I got Before Real-World Issues Required me to Leave. 

LIVING FREE - THE BATTEL OF NEWPORT RHODE ISLAND 1778

This Wednesday we played the battle of Newport 1778 using the Live Free or Die rules. This is a wonderfully simple game of the American War of Independence from Little Wars TV folks and based on the Andy Callan's Loose Files and American Scramble back from 1987 Wargames Illustrated #1. If you have not seen them the rules are only four pages long but offer an amazing amount of decision making. 

The American Continentals were making a joint attack with their new allies the French on the main British naval base at Newport Rhode Island. The French intended to land four thousand troops from their navy, but when the British Fleet arrived, they sailed away. Without these troops the Americans did not have sufficient strength to continue the siege, so needed to withdraw. The battle pits the American Continentals rear guard against a combined force of British and Hessian troops attacking them to cut off the retreat. The British goal is to control both hills, while the Americans goal is to prevent this until games end on turn ten. The British are aided by both reinforcements and a naval bombardment that lasts for a few turns about midway in the game. 

The First Assault on the American Left Occurred Early in the Game with Two Line Units of British Regulars. On Both Flanks American Continentals are Pouring Fire into the British Support Troops. 

While on the Other Side of the Battlefield American Forces on the Right Flank Hold the Key Hill. British Fire has Been Effective at Pushing the Continentals Back. 

Back on the Left American Forces Have Been Pushed Back Around the Bridge, but not Before Routing the British Light Infantry and Taking Serious Toll of the British That had Been Assaulting Them. British Reinforcements can be Seen Approaching in Column.  

On the Right Flank the Americans have Counterattacked to Retake the Hill. Their Center has Been Very Weakened with only a Two Stand Unit Holding On. 

Americans and British both Begin to Pour Fire into Their Opponents. The British have Launched Another Bayonet Charge into the Tiny American Unit Holding the Center.

Returning to the Left the Americans Continue to use Firepower to Hold the British at Bay. General Glover is now Taking a Personal Hand at Rallying his Boys. He will Spend the Rest of the Day Going from One Crisses Point to the Next. 

The British have Launched Another Costly Bayonet Charge. While Successful at Driving the Americans Back Their Support Unit has Routed. Rumors That the Americans Have Stocked the Stream with Parana Fish are Being Ignored. The Hessians on the Right are not of the Same Stern Stuff as Their British Allies. 

Through Firepower and Audacity, the Americans on the Right Have Again Driven the British Back Off the Hill. 

On the Left Late in the Day the Americans Begin a Slow Withdraw. To Keep the British in Check here the Forth Massachusetts has Crossed the Steam and Begins to Laydown Fire into the British Flanks. 

On the Right the British have Advanced with Fresh Troops to Again try to Capture the Hill Away from the Staunch American Defenders. 

Continuing to Withdraw on the Left the Americans Rout more British and Hessian Forces. General Sullivan has Come Forward to Rally more of the Massachusetts Boys. Again, the British Prepare to Launch Another Bayonet Charge in an Attempt to Win the Day. 

Once Again the British have Nearly Taken the Right Flank Hill. It is not Without Cost as Yet Another Hessian unit is Routed. 

At Days End the American Redoubt on the Hill is not Under Threat. The British have given it Their All, but Where Never able to Successfully Budge the Tenacious American Defender on the Left. 

On the Right What remains of the Hessians is Only Able to Contest Control of the Hill. They are in no Fit State to Continue the Attack with Most Units Either Near Destruction, or Routing Away. 

The final outcome was a minor American victory. Rumor has it that the British had suffered a three to one casualty rate. 

The game was a very back and forth affair. The Americans were under constant British bayonet charges on the left for which they had no real counter. Heavily outnumbered they survived only by continually making their morale checks. The British here were equally hampered by poor dice. On the right both sides had their share of dynamic success and failure. As these were not the main armies for either side there were plenty of questionable troops. This proved more interesting than dealing with high-quality British Light and Grenadier forces. Overall, everyone had a great, if frustrating time. 

PACIFIC SURFACE ACTION WITH FLETCHER

Dutch Fleet Moving into Combat Range.

This Wednesday we participated in a playtest of a set of home rules with a working title of Fletcher. The designer took some very complicated systems and reduced them to quick and easy to use. This included ship status printed on the bases, ranging sticks that accounted for most modifiers, a damage system that was narrative as opposed to mechanical. This later part is best thought of as Free Kriegsspiel. With nearly forty ships on the field commanded by only seven players we achieved over ten turns of action with plenty of results. Overall, as a group we had a good time, 

Near Midgame and the US Cruisers have been Getting a Serious Pounding. Two are on Fire and One of These will Sink. Their Destroyers have Launched a Solid Group of Torpedoes into the Oncoming Japanese.

The Japanese have not Gotten Away Unscathed. The Lead Cruiser Has Taken Some Serious Damage and They Have Already Lost a Number of Destroyers, Including One to Their Own Fleets Torpedoes. 

Dutch gunnery was highly effective accounting for three Japanese destroyers sunk and three others seriously damaged. The Japanese were fully focused on the US Fleet and never fired a shot at the Dutch. Overall, the two sides each seemed to give as much as they got. A really good time and very interesting rules. I look forward to playing them again. 

QUAR AT WAR - THE TOWN

 This Wednesday we play tested my newest rules Quars at War which is based in part on a Fist Full of Lead (FFL) skirmish rules. I added my own Coin System of command and greatly modified a number of the FFL tables. I also borrowed from the Two Fat Lardies Suppression system. 

In this scenario the Coftyran Crymuster, the boys in blue, engaged in a fight against the Tolkis Crusaders, the lads in green, to capture and hold as much of the town as possible. Both sides approached from the opposite sides of town, Crusaders from the East, Crymuster from the West. The Crusaders goal was to capture as much of the town as possible, while the Crymuster are similarly instructed to do the same, but focus their main efforts on taking the High Ground represented by the blue domed buildings. 

Crusaders Quickly Take Control of the First Block on the East and Begin to Infiltrate the Center of the Second Block. The Blue Tokens Indicate Crusader Controlled Buildings. 

The Crymuster Forces Quickly Seize the Western Side of Town as Indicated by the Brown Tokens. As the Crusaders Try to Storm Across Main Street that Divides East and West, They are Meet by Withering Fire from the Crymuster Forces.   

Crusaders Rush Across the Main Street and Lob a Grenade into the Well Defended Crymuster Balcony Wounding Some and Causing a lot of Confusion to Their Enemy. 

Seen from Behind the Crusaders Position. Both Sides are now Engaged in a Number of Fire Fights. While There are Few Injuries the Disruption Level, as Indicated by the Orange Blast Marker, are Piling Up on both Sides. 

At Battles End the Crymuster has Dirven Back most of the Crusader Forces, except in the Key Central Domed Building. 

Crusader Forces Hanging on to Their Left Flank and Central Positions. The Right has Been Heavily Mauled. 

The Appalling State of the Crusader Right Flank. At the Start of the Following Turn All the Troops in the Near Building Will Need to Fall Back. Most are Carrying Wounds. 

The Crymuster's Right Flank's LMG Section and Infantry Gun That Have Been Battering the Crusaders Mercilessly.

For a first run the game went rather well. My charts left a few things out that will make a few serious changes to play. The players seemed to forget a number of their special units as most lingered out of site in the rear areas. A key issue I have is the play went much slower than I wanted. In part because few Quar were killed until the very end, and because of the single section activation sequence. I need to address the later, but the kill issue was more about luck then anything mechanical. The rules have already been updated, and I will put them online when they are in a more polished state. 

My real-world situation is about to become very hectic. I don't plan to run another game before August. Hopefully I will be able to play in other people's games before that. Time will tell. 

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.