Bashing the trenches

 A Square-bashing game where we tested the trench attack rules.  They are perhaps more focused on the Western Front, but let's blame it on The Turks!

The Turks are on the attack,  and our trenches have suffered in the bombardment.

Still the Mmg on the bunker survives.

And our gun is damaged!

They push forwards on our left.  We swap troops to reinforce.

But we suspect they are going to hit our right first.  We push our reinforcements right.

Still the left is looking sparse for the Imperials.

So i spend and lay down a barrage stopping his attack on our left.

And we actually start whittling them down

Two attacks are thrown back on the left.
The attack on the right fails as the countdown ticks onto game over.

Honestly I thought I took more photos!

Square bashing Gallipoli

The second outing for Square bashing, and once again it's Gallipoli.  The previous game had been a re-learn the rules exercise (for me at least) and given that it was an ignominious defeat, it went unrecorded!

This time the Allies are determined to win against the Turks (a particularly unsavoury woolen hatted pair during this game - with the beast from the east as till holding  Durham in it's freezing grip outside)

The terrain.  Our objectives are, left to right, the woods, the grassy knoll, the crossroads and the village /building.

Deployment by the attacking Imperials.  Those nasty rough terrain hills cause some initial movement issues.

15mm.  These really look the part.

The Turks lose a huge piece of these army in deployment.  Many units are thrown into reserve.

Well done the R.A for keeping them disorganised.

And we land an initial barrage along their line doing yet more damage.

It allows the Imperials to advance to the mid point, the road.

Although a combination of the building and rough ground necessitates a wide loop around on the right.

I leave a single mg company garrisoning the building

And just to demonstrate that my dice are not always "pants."

The first assault on the crossroads.  Very narrow result, but the Turks hold.

We assault in the centre too.  Against treble the numbers the Turks hold 

I barrage the crossroads.  It's the real point of contention for the game.  Another assault goes in 

But that too is thrown back.  The Turks hold in an epic struggle.

Undaunted I reform and go from the other flank, despite yet more hasty defences having gone up.

Still the Turks hold.

I push a brigade onto the Turk base line, cutting his forces.

The overview as the battle starts to roll the Turks back

We give up on the crossroads as too tough a nut.  The grassy knoll is the new target.

The Gurkhas push the Turks back onto the knoll, where those sneaky wooden hatted fiends deploy yet more hasty defences.

The Imperials cobble together and assault force, and advance on the knoll.

But a quick barrage is needed to see the Turks reel back

And when needed I roll a stinker!

The Turks are thrown back in rout.

At the end game we hold the knoll

And the building

And the woods

But annoyingly it's not a clean sweep.  The tenacious Turks hold on at the crossroads by their fingertips.  

A win for the forces of blind Imperial optimism.  A brave but tenacious defeat for Johnny woolen hat.  

GAMING WITH GRIDS

 This month (actually 2 months) I shall mainly gaming with grids!

We've played a good variety of games at the club over the last two months, and by sheer coincidence they have all been grid based games.

First off, we tried a new set of 'big battle' Samurai rules, for the Sengoku period, called Heiho. I had high hopes for these, as the basic unit is the mixed arms 'sonae', rather than separate units of ashigaru and samurai etc., as seen in most rules.

For the first game we dispensed with any terrain so we could concentrate on the basic game mechanics, and used the starter armies from the rulebook. I was pleased to see that I could field two armies using my armies based for Peter Pig's 'Battles in the Age of War'.

The first game went OK and was promising enough to warrant a second go. This time I tweaked the armies to represent a cavalry heavy Takeda army versus the Tokugawa. We also added some paddy fields, wooded hills and a central village.

The Takeda honjin (HQ) in its maku enclosure

The Tokugawa equivalent

After 2 battles, we were slightly underwhelmed. The basic idea was good but the rule mechanisms were too fiddly in places. I also wonder about the both the playtesting and proof reading behind these rules. The rulebook is littered with what appears to be hangovers from earlier versions. On the plus side, they did give me some ideas and incentive to create my own homebrew rules - I was even inspired to paint some more figures. They also provided ideas for Korean and Ming armies - both of which have been sitting in my 'pile of opportunity' for over 20 years!

We then moved on to a couple of weeks of WW2 aerial combat, using 'Fire in the Sky'. A great rule set and a clever take on large scale actions where players run several squadrons, and the smallest unit is the section of 3 or 4 aircraft. They're also fast play and several games can be played in the evening and still have time for the pub.

A B17 bomber box. Each model representing 3 aircraft (in a slightly mad 1/144 scale).

Tail end Charlie is in trouble as the Germans move in for the kill.

The following week it was back to another favourite and the Wars of the Roses with 'Bloody Barons 2'. Another great game and a run out for my 10mm collection.

Stepping down in scale again, we moved on to a spot of 2mm wargaming with 'Strength and Honour'. We had a couple of gripping games pitting my Republican Romans and Pontic forces against each other.

Just to round off our excursion into gaming with grids we then moved on to playing 'Lost Battles' in 15mm. We played the Cannae scenario and the Romans were decidedly thrashed. It was good to see some veteran figures on the table - most were Peter Laing figures and were painted almost 50 years ago!

And that rounds up our excursion into gaming with grids. It's back to 'normal' for our next game. That said, I have been messing around with some solo gaming, testing a potential Christmas game - and what do you know, it uses grids!

Not only that - it's a space ship game. That will definitely raise a few eyebrows at the club.

Federation ships face off against the Empire of Vectron.

Men who would be Kings, "Up the Sudan."

 

Following on from our 'Blood and Steel' in the Sudan game we trialled an alternative 'co-op' style game - this time with 'The Men Who Would Be Kings'. Whilst I see 'Blood and Steel' as low level skirmish game, I think TMWWBK has a slightly larger feel to it. B&S works well as 1 figure represents 1 man, with the whole force under a single officer. By contrast, each unit in TMWWBK has its own officer and I prefer to think of it as a company.

In this game both players ran the Egyptian force whilst the Mahdists were controlled by a heavily amended Mr. Babbage. In the original game, every time an 'Imperial' unit moves it must test to see if any Mahdists 'pop up'. In this version the Mahdists begin on 'blinds' (some of which may be dummies) and must be spotted before engaging.

The Egyptians escorting some baggage camels across
the table. Regulars on the right with Irregulars
and mounted Bashi Bazouks on the left.

The Dervish deploy randomly but it seems that even
the 'AI' system recognises the efficacy of the khor.

On the Egyptian left the Bashi Bazouks
seem reluctant to move.

.......but on the right, the Egyptian Gendarmerie move
to the head of the khor and spot the Dervish massing.

The Gendarmerie charge down the khor
to be met by Dervish cavalry

.....meanwhile who knows what lays in wait further
down the khor. The Dervish maintained this threat
for the remainder of the game.

The  left is under pressure
but the Mahdist attack peters out

On the right the Fellaheen and Bazingers
throw back attack after attack

By the evening's end we've almost cleared the field

.....but the next wave is massing on the table edge!