Game 46 Amphibious/Land Action

This game is a mini-camapign. It was played out by email between 17 Nov - 26 Dec 2009 with Cesar Alfredo Paz commanding the defending Oberhilse (Blue) forces and Conrad Kinch commanding the attacking Faraway (Red) forces. I played out encounters on the table top solo using their orders as a guide.  The game was set in my fictional land as part of the wars between Oberhilse and Faraway using Hearts of Tin as rules.

Gen Kinch chose to land all of his forces at the northernmost beach, starting with his cavalry and ordering all forces to make aggressive attacks relying on cold steel. This took me a bit by surprise and I had to play out the landing, scrambling to come up with rules for the cavalry to make a beach assault. I didn't have horse barges so assumed that the men were carried in barges while the horses swam. I rolled to see how long it would take for the men to saddle up and mount once on shore. The defenders were initially a single squadron of light cavalry soon reinforced by infantry, artillery and more cavalry. A fierce battle erupted with Blue eventually pulling back in the face of ever growing numbers but with Red having suffered dreadful losses, luckily made up for by some excellent hospital rolls!

       General Paz ordered a defense of the next pass and ordered all of his cavalry forward to support but also rushed troops to start a defensive line next to the old fort. His orders were to be cautious and not risk destruction so when Gen Kinch launched a late afternoon assault, (Moodkee came to mind). I rolled for Brigadier Zinn's reaction and he bailed at the 1st sight of Red's bayonets. Luckily a brigade of Dragoons was close to hand and covered the retreat. After the fight on the beach, Red had only 4 squadrons to face the 8 that Blue now had in hand.

    A day's march brought the armies face to face on the main defensive line, Red had a slight superiority in artillery and infantry but his gunboats could only reach the enemy's left flank and about 1/3 of the defenders had slight breastworks and all were on top of or behind the ridge. Gen Kinch, again taking a page from Gough, deployed his guns and infantry in a single line, ordered an intense bombardment to be followed by a bayonet charge. Only the cavalry was held back. Gen Paz deployed his field artillery and line infantry in the front, held his light artillery and massed light infantry behind the center and deployed his cavalry off to the right, also behind the hill, with orders to wait until the enemy was engaged then advance and hit his flank.

      The Red attack carried the old fort and nearly carried the left hand redoubt which would have laid Blue's flank open but it held and reinforcements were at hand. In the center an attack on the main redoubt was stalled by artillery despite heavy losses from Red's guns. Again reinforcements were to hand and once Blue's cavalry swept forward, things looked bleak. Red's cavalry came gallantly to meet them but were over powered and a final assault led by Kinch in person, broke against the reinforced redoubts. With Kearney's dragoons  loose behind Red's lines, and Red's infantry having taken over 50% losses, the campaign was over.

Game 47 Mini-Siege

This game was played using 40mm figures by Tom Nolan vs his son Sean & myself
 
This was a game that would have benefited from a bigger table but we had fun anyway. Sean took command of the tower with 5 archers, a ballista and 5 of Count Hubert's wall guards. King Thom had brought along 10 armoured cavalry and 5 heavily armoured foot, I added 5 archers and 10 lightly armed warriors on foot, a Visigoth raiding party perhaps. Some quick die rolling determined the breech would not be ready till the 2nd day but the returning foraging party would return mid afternoon on the 1st day.  So the game began with the appearance of Preisages, 4 of his Alans and 5 local spearmen.

Tom's Sash & Saber figures trying to drive off the returning foraging party.   

King Thom's cavalry quickly closed in on them from the East while a line of infantry started forward to block the way to the gate on the West. At first it looked like the Alans' superior mobility would enable them to evade the enemy while the bow fire might cover the return of the party but in the end only 2 foot soldiers and 3 Alans made it to the gate and safety. Tribune Johan in the tower received an arrow in the neck whilst peering over the rampart but luckily he was patched up and ready for battle the next day.

The 2nd day began with the arrival of Duke Stephen and the wagon train simultaneously with the assault on the breech, the fighting was bloody and renewed  but at the 3rd assault Tribune Johan went down again and the besiegers carried the breech. The eagle was borne back up to the top of the tower and the archers drew swords for a last stand.

Meanwhile, the relief party made slow work of  crossing the ford but Duke Stephen and his knights  rode ahead and  the Alans sortied out to meet them. At the 1st clash, Duke Stephen's charge rolled over the Visigoth cavalry although his helmet appeared to save him from an enemy blow, he reeled in the saddle as the next wave of enemy cavalry rode forward and his squire led him from the field. (I'm sure that's what boxcars on his morale test meant). Seeing the duke leaving the field, all of the relief party, apart from Prince Michael and 2 spearmen, took to their heels. High atop the tower a handful of lightly armoured archers drew swords as the heavily armoured Visigoths climbed the stairs. The outcome was never really in doubt and within minutes the Dragon banner waved from the tower top.

Game 48: Tourney

This game was played solo on 19 Dec 2009 using my 40mm Elastolin Prince Valiant figures and Medieval mayhem.  I did briefly consider digging out my 54mm toy knights for this but decided to stick with the Days of King  Arthur instead, esp since I could muster at least a few spectators. So let us set the scene.

As part of treaty  negotiations, Count Hubert has arranged a friendly tourney between his knights and those of King Pharlain. Initially each mounted knight would fight one knight from the opposing camp. If neither was unhorsed after 3 passes, a draw would be proclaimed. Next each knight would fight one different knight on foot and lastly a general melee would occur with only 1 Champion being left standing. Remember that in Foster's Prince Valiant strip, knights don't all dress like medieval knights. The 3 champions for the Count were Duke Stephen, Sir Preisages the Alan and Prince Michael. On the other side was the King himself with his ally Dearg Mor  the Pict and Sir Gorm.

The first pass saw the Duke and the King exchange mighty blows as they passed. Wheeling their horses about, they charged again but this time, the Duke, standing high in the stirrups smote a mighty blow and sent the King reeling. Next up was Prince Michael vs Dearg Mor. Three passes did these famous warriors make but neither could best the other. Lastly Preisages the Sarmatian took the field and on the first pass, dumped Sir Gorm on the field.

Next came the foot round. This time the Duke smashed down Dearg Mor, Prince Michael won over the unlucky Sir Gorm and Preisages fought a drawn combat  against the King.

Last came the melee, a swirling cloud of dust and steel, sparks flying as sword and mace bit on iron bound shield and steel helm but at last only 2 warriors were afoot. Panting heavily, Duke Stephen looked across at his nephew, Prince Michael. Many times they had faced each other on the exercise ground but never yet had the Prince bested him. They met with a mighty clash and exchanged blows with the nimble Prince skipping lightly aside from his Uncle's powerful blows. Sweat poured down their faces and their breath grew laboured. At last Michael saw his chance and darting in managed to hook his leg around his uncle's and brought him down.

Not the most glamorous victory but within the rules of the tourney and Prince Michael smiled at the bright eyes shining at him from beneath a tall yellow yellow cap as the Count proclaimed him as Champion..  

Game 49 Swordsmen

Scenario 49 was played on 21st Dec 2009. The original scenario calls for brawling Musketeers but since I don't have any, I turned to my 40mm home made pirates and hauled out a slightly altered Medieval Mayhem for rules,   There were 6 of us gathered for the next game, 3 Jeffries, Gary & Martin with myself as GM  so I divided them into 2 loosely allied sides, each player having a Captain and 1 crewman. the winner of the game would be given an extra Luck card that allows a reroll.

My pirates being a disciplined bunch, all wear their Crew's colours, usually as a waist sash. 

Red Gary & Blue Martin in the tavern and the Jefferies outside. Hearing the approach of their sworn enemies, Red Gary rushed for the door in slow motion. While Green Jeff hung around outside the door, waiting for the foe to emerge and Black Jeff headed for the back windows, Gold Jeff burst through the front window and 1,2,3 slew the opposing pirate Captains and 1 pirate leaving the last one to dive out the back and run off.  Being left alone in the common room, Gold Jeff found an extra Luck card, allowing him to cause a reroll once in the next game.
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Game 50: Pirates!

This game was played with a group of friends using my homemade 40mm pirates and an adaptation of Medieval Mayhem.  Having 5 players to hand and not having a fleet of ships, I opted to rerun a Pirate Island game from Cold Wars 07. ( This was the game that the figures were sculpted for) Hidden treasure, monsters, cannibals, caves, cliffs, jungles  and 5 Pirate captains each with  a Mate and 7 pirates. 


In a cave on Phoam Island is a cave, rumoured to full of the gold of the long dead pirate, Captain Bling. The members of his crew have been scattered around the Caribbean but each of our five Captain's has one in his employ. These know the location of the island and they know that rumour has it that "The cannon is the key". Each crew includes the ship's gunner whose knowledge may be important.  In fact, while there are some small chests of gold, the majority of the gold is the cannon barrel itself. Each captain also has a luck card which can be used to cause a re-roll of any die involving him. Apart from the gold, the island also contains the traditional cannibals and a bit of local wildlife. The game begins as the pirate crews emerge from the jungle, onto the board.  The colours refer to the sashes worn by each crew to distinguish them.

Green Jeff tangled with some cannibals losing 2  pirates and then lost 2 more in a brush with Red Gary before striking a deal with him. Moments later, he was shot down by one of Black Jeff 's crew. Throwing in his luck card he survived before being shot down again. Being below 1/2 and without their Captain, the rest of his crew took to their heels. 


Gold Jeff successfully bypassed the other native village to enter the lower cave where he startled a massive Cave Bear. It cost him a luck card but eventually he slew the massive beast just as the Cannibals attacked his rearguard. They were easily driven off while one of his crew crept up a hidden stair to the upper chamber.


Blue Martin's men proceeded without incident, through the jungle and up the side of the mountain to the main cave entrance. While he examined the large cannon outside the cave entrance, several of his men approached the main cave only to disturb a Dragon, well ok a Giant Alligator. Luckily for them it merely watched them as they slowly backed off. Behind the  monster, one of Gold Jeff's men snuck into the cave, snatched up a chest of gold pieces and scuttled back into the secret passage without being noticed. 


Red Gary now split his force, 1/2 engaged  Black Jeff's men in a firefight while the rest rushed into the lower cave from the far side. A fierce underground sword fight broke out with Gold Jeff's men. Gold went down and had to use his extra luck card. Fate was not to be denied and Red Gary soon laid him out again before being surrounded and cut down himself, last of his crew. 


Above the din, Blue Martin recognized that the cannon guarding the cave was made of solid gold. He set 1/2 his men to haul it back to the ship while the rest stood guard. A few well aimed shots saw off a party of Black Jeff's men, leading the survivor to scamper up the side of the cliff to the peak where he found himself looking down on the monster. At that moment, the monster scuttled out, grabbing one of Blue's men in its massive jaws. Charging forward, Blue Martin deftly stabbed his cutlass through its eye and slew it. Seeing the cave empty, Black Jeff's man dropped down and seized a barrel of gems. 


A few more shots were fired as the parties went their way but no one wanted to risk what they had.  Blue Martin got the lion's share of Plunder, suffered fewest losses and emerged a Pirate of Great Renown.

Game 51: Gunfight

This game was played solo on 28 Dec 2009 using homecast 40mm figures of my own design and a musket era adaptation of Medieval Mayhem. Not having any cowboys, I decided to keep to the Law & Order vs Bad Guys theme, in this case a patrol of the Queen's soldiers, sent to apprehend a nest of smugglers.

I randomly assigned the 6 smugglers around town and marched the patrol straight down the road. The patrol, showing extreme discipline, managed to roll a total of 4" on its 2 dice, 3 turns in a row!, giving the smugglers lots of time to scatter, take cover and open up.

The patrol got the first hit in though, shooting down a smuggler in the field. They then charged to the right and cleared the closest house with the bayonet, losing 1 man to musket fire on the way in. Regrouping, they rushed across the street under a hot fire and beat in the door. Leading the way, Lieutenant Pointer shot down the Smuggler Chief and the remaining smuggler threw down his musket and surrendered.

Game 52: Highwayman

This game was played solo on Dec 31 using 40mm Elastolin figures and Medieval Mayhem.


I do have a stagecoach but don't have any really suitable highwaymen and anyway, I didn't have a good back story so I time shifted back to the early medieval period and got out my Elastolin figures. Needing two good guys disguised as innocent passengers, I went with the bare-headed Prince Valiant & Sir Gawain.


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Word reached Count Hubert's court that the Red Knight and a band of  ruffians were stopping travelers on the road to Belmont.  When ever a patrol of the Count's men  came down the road, the robbers melted away into the forest. Val approached Gawain  with a proposal. The next day, as an envoy from Rome and the Lady Alison climb into the carriage, two strangers muffled in cloaks climb in behind them. 

Shortly after the carriage left the way station at Mount Uniake and entered the woods,  a fallen log blocked the road. As the driver slowed, a cry rang out, "STAND and DELIVER!",  and an archer with draw bow stepped from the shadows.  In accordance with his instructions, the guard put his bow aside and stepped down. The passengers stepped out as the Red Knight and a ruffian swiftly moved out on the other side and began pilfering the envoy and the lady Allison. Seizing the moment, Gawaine threw off his cloak, drew his sword and lunged at the ruffian. Val started forward but his cloak caught, taking a moment to clear but he was on the Red Kight before he could escape.

The guard now drew his sword and rushed on the archer who, startled, shot wide then drew his own sword. A clash of blades rang through the forest and the issue stood in doubt but at last the guard felled his man while Prince Valiant pulled the Red Knight from his horse and put an ended to his thieving ways. The last ruffian turned and fled for the woods. Gawain started in pursuit but Val  grabbed his arm saying "Let him go, tomorrow is New Year's Eve and we have fought enough battles for one year."