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. 

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. 

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. 

THE BATTLE OF GLENDALE HEIGHTS

 After a long hiatus we finally got back to playing Dog Wars. This is an independent battle, unrelated to a campaign, so I went with the main idea of getting as many of the figures on the table as I could. The Empire forces were located on a dominate hill and while outnumbered I expected them to have an edge from both being able to stand and deliver fire and get bonuses in Close Combat from the elevated position. The other advantage they have is the United Packs Commonwealth (UPC) needed to complete their victory conditions, while the Empire needed only to prevent this. 

The UPC's Right Flank Advancing Against the Thin White Line of the Empire. Both the Light and Line Infantry of the UPC are Already Suffering Casualties. 

The Start of the Grand Cavalry Melee. The UPC on the Right Charge Across the Carol Steam and are Meet by Their Opposite Number. The Flanking Infantry is Caught in a Hard Place Being Unable to Advance or Bring on Additions Units.

The Empire's Left Flank Under Heavy Pressure. Outnumbered Here Nearly Two-to-One They are Hard Pressed to Hold. This was Exaggerated by the GM's Omission of Bringing Forward the Guard that Should Already be in Place. The UPC's Incredibly Telling Fire was Rapidly Reducing Their Foe. 

The Ongoing Cavalry Melee. Despite Near Parady the Empire Kept Losing by the Narrowness of Margins to the UPC. Despite More Empire Cavalry Arriving all the Time They Could Not Hold the UPC Horse Back. General Hunter's Flanking Force can be Seen Entering. 

While the Empire's Center is Still Holding the Writing is on the Wall, with Nearly the Entire Empire Left Flank Having Been Driven Off. 

On the Empire Right Their Cavalry is Being Steadily Driven Back. The Empire was Losing Squadrons Faster than the New Ones Could Take Their Place. 

With both flanks having collapsed the Empire center was left with nothing else to do than attempting to save itself. Despite the numbers this was one of the quickest battles to date.  What I expected to be a long shoving match turned into a rout for the Empire. Despite the one-sidedness of the battle little fault could be seen of the tactics. 

The forces will be at it again with the Fall Campaign Season starting soon. 

BREAKOUT - THE ROAD HOME

The UPC Raiders Await the Pursing Empire Forces at the Deer River Bridge. 

This battle brings us back to the United Packs Commonwealths (UPC) homeland. After a successful raid of Fitchburg, just outside of Madison, a UPC combined arms raiding force is making their way back south to home and safety, while being closely pursued by the Wolfenstein Empire's (Empire) forces. Crossing the Deer River Bridge the UPC turns to meet and defeat its pursuers. With the river swollen from the Spring rain, the bridge offers the only local crossing point, making it a strong defensive position. 

The Empire army being led by general Birdinmowthe is fully aware of the local area, and in anticipation of just such a move has sent flanking forces to cross the Deer River further to both the east and west in hope of trapping the UPC raiders. 

As the UPC Await the Empire's Forces Begin to Converge from the East and the North.

The UPC Begins its Withdraw South as the Empire Army is Converging from all Directions.  

First Clash as the Empire's Pawsworth's Regiment of Dragoons Who are Blocking the Southern Road are Charge by the Full Weight of the UPC Cavalry Led by Woofington's Cuirassier.  

The Battle Continues to Unfold as the UPC Withdraws from Their River Line Trying to Extract the Army South.  

Having Cleared the Way, The UPC has Formed a Corridor for Their Artillery to Pass Safely Down. 

The Empire's Quick's Hussars Attack the UPC's Begsforth's Lights in an Attempt to Breach the Eastern Position. 

At the Deer River Bridge the Empire's Lord Pawling's Cuirassier Storm Across to Engage the UPC's Shepard's Line Battalion. 

On the Western Flank Husky's Battalion is Caught in Column from the Rear by the Empire's Lord Saluki's Hussars. 

With Husky's Destroyed, Shepard's and Begsforth's both Driven well back and Bearly Hanging on, the Deer River Bridge is Now Open for the Empires Remaining Forces to Cross. 

Even With Those Disasters the Corridor South is Still Open Allowing the UPC a Chance to Escape. 

With the Loss of All the Defenders Near the Bridge and the Empire's Cavalry now Massing to the North, the UPC Begins Withdrawing Along the South Road. 

With the Majority of the UPC Infantry Leaving by the South Road Their Cavalry Advances in What Looks to be a Shift to Escape by the Western Road. 

UPC Infantry Attempting to Exit Via the South is Becoming Surrounded by Empire Forces.  

The Empire Begins Shifting to Halt Any Attempt by the UPC to Head Off to the West. 

UPC Cavalry Shifting Back South Finds the Road Blocked by Empire Hussars. They have no Choice but to Fight Their Way Through Before the Empire's Infantry can Close. 

At the Cost of the Loss of Another Cavalry Unit the UPC Manages to Withdraw the Last Remnants of Their Raiders just as the Sun Sets and Ends the Empire's Ability to Pursue. 

In the end it was a very close-run battle. At the crucial moment the Empire lost their cavalry Brigadier which prevented their C-in-C from giving them a chance to double move that would have caught the UPC's cavalry. Had the UPC lost only one more unit the game would have ended in a draw.