Some Napoleonics-AHPCX #1

When the AHPC first started 10 years ago, I believe all I painted was Napoleonics. Interesting, I hardly ever paint Napoleonics now, mostly because since migrating to 18mm from 28mm, I find them just too hard to paint. I have left it to the experts.

I did have, however, a British Foot Artillery Battery sitting around and I needed a Nassau colonel for Göedeck's Brigade in Perponcher's Division at Waterloo. The artillery was easy enough, but unfortunately AB Figures did not have a mounted Nassau colonel. I am not a great one modifying figures but I did not have much choice here, so I cut off the head of Nassau-Ussigen officer and put it on a Belgian mounted officer. I think it came out ok.

 

Last Game of the Year- SAGA AoC-Show of Force

 

Myself and Luis got together at the L'Abyss for what I presume will be my last game of the year. I was pretty tired as I had driven up to Montreal that day, I really did not have much time to get things together so I decided to go with the same warband as my last SAGA AoC, namely the Moors. Luis went with the Levantine Crusaders. As I was packing up my stuff before taking the metro to Le Petit Maghreb quartier (is that not an unusual coincidence for an AoC game) where L'Abyss is located, I found that I did not have my rulebook or Book of Battles book, just the Age of Crusades sourcebook. Opps....it seems that I am going to have to rely on my poor French or Luis's English transaltion for any rules questions that might arise during our game!

Game Set-up (BoB Chaos)

Scenery-Uplands

Deployment-Vanguard

Special Rule-Night Fight

Victory Conditions-Show of Force

Game Length-Until Dusk

The Levantine Crusaders (6 SAGA Dice)

Warlord
3 units of Mounted Hearthguard in 2 groups
1 unit of crossbow armed Warriors
1 unit of spear-armed Warriors
1 unit of Pilgrims

Moors (7 SAGA Dice)

Yusuf ibn Tashfin (2 saga dice)
The Black Guard (2 saga dice)
1 unit of javelin armed Mounted Hearthguard
1 unit of  javelin armed Mounted Warriors
1 unit of Bow armed Levy

Some Photos (unfortunately we were at turn 3 before I remembered to take any photos)........

Luis started the game by sweeping in on my left flank and essentially taking out my mounted Warriors. I responded by taking out a unit of his mounted Hearthguard but losing 3 of my mounted Hearthguard. At this point my left flank was decimated with only my Warlord, 1 Hearthguard and 1 Warrior left. Luis still had 5 mounted Hearthguard and his Warlord on this flank. In the centre, Luis was advancing his Foot Warriors and his Pilgrims while his Crossbowmen were shooting away at my bowmen. The Black Guard were a bit out of position...at this point things were not looking good.

Luis's Fanatical Pilgrims, I think these figures look great...but it is best to stay away from them as each pilgrim is killed a SAGA dice is generated which is immediately placed on the Crusader Battleboard!

I started to swing the game back though my using my Warlord with an accompanying Hearthguard to take down the Crusader Haerth Guard. I also had some useful BB abilities as well as some good dice throwing.

Turn 6,...Luis decided to send his Warlord at Yusuf ibn Tashfin in a final titanic battle, no Hearthguards left. They of course both die! The game was decided by Survival points + 1 point for each vivtorious melee. I had accumulated 5 points during the game while Luis had 3. Left on the table (the basis for survival points) for the Crusaders were 9 levy and 8 warriors. For the Moors, there were 8 Hearthguard, 1 warrior and 6 levy. If I have my calculations correct it was a 14-7 point game with a Moorish victory.

I have to say that  I enjoy playing at L'Abyss, it is quite a distance from our apartment but very easy to get to via the Metro system. I also quite like playing with Luis, he has an excellent sense of humour and is a great gamer.

Well it has been a great year for gaming, 38 games.....wow! It has been a lot of work to set up games near to Salem, the CoC campaigns have been slow to progress so I am quite pleased at the number of games I have got in. Montreal has been great for gaming this year, mostly because I am meeting new gamers who are quite keen to play.

For 2020, hopefully myself and Adam will get the year started with our Pickett's Charge campaign. Myself and P-Y are planning a new CoC campaign and I am sure myself and Luis will get in some more SAGA, maybe some Congo and we are talking about having a go at the BattleGroup ruleset. Hopefully, I will get to finish the 3 CoC campaigns I have going with Tom, Mike and Greg. I am sure some Black Seas will be played and myself and Iannick are think about getting a game of Epic in for our next encounter. Also need to get in some Général d'Armée, can not let all those beautiful AB figures wither away in the dark!

Some Napoleonics

Latest shipment from Old Guard Painting, as usual they have been excellently painted and packaged. It does take time to get your figures but I still can highly recommend them.

5e Lanciers

3e Lanciers

8e Curaisieurs

French Heavy Artillery Battery

Nassau Light Company Skirmishers

Nassau Grenadier Company Skirmishers

Orange-Nassau Skirmishers

I believe that will be it for Napoleonics for a while aside from a few figures I have prepped for the AHPCX. 

There are Many Rivers to Cross: Turns 4 and 5

We played our next game in the Many Rivers campaign yesterday. This has been a very slow campaign with our last game at the end of June...6 months ago! This is the 5th table and the German push through Belgium had been going well with little resistance so far. The German have been advancing so quickly they will try to take this table without any vehicles using the Blitzkrieg scenario from the 1940 source book.

After 3 turns

German Platoon 1: 3 dead.
German Platoon 2: Intact 

Belgian Platoon 1: 15 dead.

Campaign Tracker

Germans

Commander's Opinion+3 (+1FM)

Men's Opinion +2

Platoon Leaders's Outlook: Droll

Belgians

Commander's Opinion-1

Men's Opinion -4 (-1FM)

Platoon Leaders's Outlook: Sad

Essentially the Germans are attacking from the right. I had set up a nice table but had completely misunderstood the victory conditions for the Germans in the scenario. Myself and Greg had a completely different interpretation of them. A bit of a set-to ensued! I will not go into the problems with the wording of the scenario and the very unusual victory conditions as you can read about them here and here. I have to say though that we got almost immediate responses from both sources and I was 100% wrong. 

So we went with the below forces, with the Germans having to get 2 units off the table before the Belgians accumulated 2 CoC dice. The tricky bit is that the Chasseurs Ardennais start with a CoC dice so really need to only accumulate 6 pips to win the game. I have to admit that Greg offered to re-consider this but I was so flummoxed by the victory conditions I just wanted to go ahead and get the game started.

GAME 4

Chasseur Ardennais 1 Platoon (FM 11)

Core

SL

GdC 1 (-7 men)
GdC 2 (-8 men)

DBT Lance Grenade Section 

CoC Dice

Supports (6)
Char B1 bis
Entrenchement

Schützen 3 Platoon (FM 8)

Core

SLx2

5cm Mortar Team 

Squad 1

Squad 2

Squad 3

Supports (22)
Shabby Nazi Trick-Nuns with Guns, Fifth Columnist, Jean Claude
Adjutant
Red Dice
Pregame Barrage
MMG Team x 2
Pak 36 ATG
Off Table Mortar

The Playing Field

Patrol Phase

The JOP's

So the game started and within  3-4 phases it was over as the Belgians had accumulated their 2 CoC dice. Maybe took 20 minutes, it is really quite a drag that one has waited for 6 months to play the next game in a campaign, spend a lot of time setting up the terrain and it to be all over in less then 30 minutes. I believe that the scenario although interesting has been somewhat poorly thought out and written, I am sure no-one considered the possibility that some units in the 1940 sourcebook have a CoC dice to start. Use of the word reinforcements rather then supports in the victory conditions would have been much clearer has been pointed out on the facebook page. But we have what we are presented with, and water under the bridge we can say; time to move on.

The post-game process was pretty simple as we had only to test on the CO's Opinion, once on the Men's Opinion (as no one died) and on the Platoon Leaders Outlook.

After 4 turns

German Platoon 1: 3 dead.
German Platoon 2: Intact 
German Platoon 3: Intact

Belgian Platoon 1: 15 dead.

Campaign Tracker

Germans

Commander's Opinion+4 (+1 Support)

Men's Opinion +2

Platoon Leaders's Outlook: Guarded

Belgians

Commander's Opinion 

Men's Opinion -3 (-1FM)

Platoon Leaders's Outlook: Sad

GAME 5

The one good thing about a quick game is that you can play it again in the same session. The really good news was that I could now take vehicles and with the Blitzkrieg condions this was an enormous plus! I still had to deal with the fact that the Chasseurs start with a CoC dice but I was optimistic.

Chasseur Ardennais 1 Platoon (FM 8)

Core 

SL

GdC 1 (-7 men)
GdC 2 (-8 men)

DBT Lance Grenade Section 

CoC Dice

Supports (4)
Renault R35
Minefield

Schützen 2 Platoon (FM 10)

Core

SLx2

5cm Mortar Team 

Squad 1

Squad 2

Squad 3

Supports (15)
Shabby Nazi Trick-Fifth Columnist
2 cars
Red Dice
Off Table Mortar
Panzer III B

I played an enormously poor Patrol phase and got only 1 forward JOP, you can not see the Belgian JOP's but they are all on the base line and the Belgian right flank. Greg brought on his R35 on overwatch, I brought on my Panzer IIIC amazingly enough Greg hit it twice driving it back! As you can see he placed a minefield in the middle of the road (I will have to make some minefields). In the next couple of phases I bought on all my troops and supports, after all this was a Blitzkrieg and I had very limited time to get 2 units off the board. I placed 1 squad in 2 cars after putting down a barrage. This effectively protected the cars from any firing. One squad with an SL was placed on my right flank with the FO behind the hedge. The other squad was placed on my left flank with the other SL and the 5cm Mortar team and advanced toward the house with the stone wall. I was able to move the barrage to be able to keep the moving R35 under it. As you can see my 2 teams in the cars made it up my right flank (they are just in front of the hedge. They had 36" to go but they are fast on solid ground and amazing enough they through 36" of movement. A German victory! I was a little surprised that Greg did not use his CoC dice to end the barrage but I suppose he was hoping that he could get the 6 pips needed to win the game. It was a little late though as I had 1 CoC dice by now which could be used to continue the barrage or reduce his CoC dice by 3 pips. I was happy with my victory. 

 

I believe, I played a pretty good game here. We both had a few double phases and the dicing was about even but I was lucky with the vehicle's movement, I believe I moved across the board in 5 phases including being slowed down through the fields with the risk of being bogged down.

So the Germans are on table 6, and next up is turn 6 where the Belgians get a chance to blow the bridge, but I initiated the special scenario rule of Blitzkrieg, which allows the Germans to attack the next table in the the same turn bringing with them the same forces and supports as they had in turn 5. I suffered no casualties so I believe this is a good choice as the Belgians do not get a chance to blow the final bridge.

Mid 5th turn

German Platoon 1: 3 dead.
German Platoon 2: Intact 
German Platoon 3: Intact 

Belgian Platoon 1: 15 dead
Belgian Platoon 2: Intact

Campaign Tracker

Germans

Commander's Opinion+5 (+1 Support)

Men's Opinion +3 (FM+1)

Platoon Leaders's Outlook: Droll

Belgians

Commander's Opinion -1

Men's Opinion -2

Platoon Leaders's Outlook: Concerned (-1 FM)


 Hopefully, we will not have to wait 6 months to play the next and maybe the final game!

Wood Elf Warriors

 

I am trying to clear the painting table of half-finished figures in preparation for the Xth Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge. Thankfully this is the last of the figures, so I am all set to start painting on the 21st of December. 

As previously discussed, I am putting my large LotR Games Workshop collection (which had never seen the table) to work in the SAGA Age of Magic universe. My goblins have already seen the table as a Masters of the Underearth warband. I am putting together a Lords of the Wild warband using my LotR Elves.

Here is another warrior unit this time armed with swords.

 

 

They are certainly weaker in cast than the original iteration of figures when Games Workshop first put out their LotR line. But they will do for SAGA. Some of the original figures will hopefully re-appear in the AHPC as I am repainting the orginal figures.

I was having some problems thinking of creatures for this warband but I think I have it sorted now.

Bull Run Redux

 

Myself and Adam got in our second test run of our planned ACW campaign this past Friday at the Hobby Bunker. Certainly we have the rules down and the game went smoothly. The post battle process also went quite well and I think aside from a couple of changes we are all set to go.

Here are a few photos from the game, as usual blogger as loaded them backwards with the earlier photos at the end.

 

We played 5 turns and by then it was obvious that it was a solid Cofederate victory. I played a very aggressive game but found out that unsupported charges and poor dice rolling is not going to get you anywhere. Adam scored 2 Epic points with the victory and with the dispersal of one of my infantry regiments.

I think we are close to done with the campaign adjustments and are ready to go. With Xmas on the horizon it is difficult to say when we might get in our first game but hopefully soon. Once finalised, I will upload the campaign to the blog.

Some American AFV's for CoC

 

I  recently painted up 2 American vehicles for the Bloody Bucket campaign. Both from SHQ and will join the HMC-M8 I painted soem time ago. I always have a sense that SHQ are marginally smaller than a lot of the vehicles I have from PSC, Amourfast, Pegasus and Italeri as they are more 20mm than 1/72 but I have found that this is not always the case.

M16 "Meat Chopper"

Has a quad M2 MMG set up

M8 Greyhound

Has a 37mm M6 main gun with a M1919 HMG

HMC-M8

Need a few decals but they can be placed at a later date. I think I have a box of PSC's Allied Halftracks so I will have to get one out to see how in scale it is with the M-16.

I have been recently working on 3D printing vehicles, quite a challenge in comparison to terrain. I will get a post out soon to discuss my progress.

Adventures with Contrast Paints

I bought 8-10 of these paints a couple of months ago and thought I would give them a go on some Games Workshop figures. I am building up an Elven based army for SAGA Age of Magic. These figures are from the plastic Warior Wood Elves box.

Contrast paints only, generally ok, but really to much pooling especially with the purple, the flesh colour did not work that well eiher, the browns are nice.

 

After they have been repainted with Citadel coulours and then washes.

 

So here is how they look based and matt varnished.

 

 

I have a sense that these figures were a poor choice to try out these paints on, they are nice enough  but the casts are a little weak. I suspect, I will not be buying more.

All American- Turns 6 and 7

For those who would like to know more.

Last week was quite busy, I got in 2 games of Black Seas and the final 2 games of the All American campaign for Chain of Command. We had played 5 games and we were at the last table, the Germans now have 2 chance to win the campaign so I had my back against the wall. We played game 6 Thursday evening and game 7 on Saturday morning (I suppose I have given it away that the Americans won game 6)!

After 5th turn

German Platoon: Unlimited platoons so not tracked

American Platoon 1: 3 dead.
American Platoon 2: 6 dead, 4 wounded (1 SL 6"CR w/2CI) 
American Platoon 3: intact

Campaign Tracker

Germans

Commander's Opinion +3 (+1 Support)

Men's Opinion -1

Platoon Leaders's Outlook: Sociable (+1FM)

Americans

Commander's Opinion +5 (+1 Support)

Men's Opinion 0

Platoon Leaders's Outlook: Thoughtful

TURN 6

Setup

82nd Airborne 3 Platoon

Core (Regular 5+1)

SLx2 (carbine and SMG)
Bazooka Team

Rifle Squad 1
Rifle Squad 2
60cm Mortar Squad

Supports 4
Bipod LMG Team
1 Entrenchment
Wild Card-Bazooka Forward

Grenadier Platoon

Core (Regular 5)

SL/SMG
Panzerschreck Team 

Squads x 3 (JL/SMG, LMG Team/3Crew, Rifle Team/6 men)
Supports (6) 
Adjutant

FO w/ 8cm OTM

Patrol Markers, P-Y had 6 free moves

JOP's

 

 

This was a very close game, Pierre Yves controlled his advance with the Mortar barrage. He advanced his troops far up the table and my morale started to fall. I was, however, able to bring his morale down to 0 with successive sucessful hits on his leaders thus making it impossible for him to win the game. My FM was 3 at the end of the game. It was a very bloody affair with 17 US dead and 16 Germans dead. As you can see below the post game process did not go well for the Germans.

Post-game Campaign Process

After 6th turn

German Platoon: Unlimited platoons so not tracked

American Platoon 1: 3 dead.
American Platoon 2: 6 dead, 4 wounded (1 SL 6"CR w/2CI) 
American Platoon 3: 9 dead, 4 wounded

Campaign Tracker

Germans

Commander's Opinion 0

Men's Opinion -6 (-2FM, CR 6")

Platoon Leaders's Outlook: Secure

Americans

Commander's Opinion +6 (+2 Support)

Men's Opinion 0

Platoon Leaders's Outlook: Thoughtful

I made an error in this game forgetting that my paratroopers although regular had some elite characteristics with a +2FM roll, 9" CR, and aggressive in combat. I felt things looked good going into Turn 7, what is it they say about best laid plans!


TURN 7

Setup

82nd Airborne 1 Platoon (FM 11)

Core (Regular 5+1)

SLx2 (carbine and SMG)
Bazooka Team

Rifle Squad 1 (-2 men)
Rifle Squad 2 (-1 man)
60cm Mortar Squad

Supports 6
Bipod LMG Team
2 Entrenchments

Grenadier Platoon (FM 8)

Core (Regular 5)

SL/SMG
Panzerschreck Team 

Squads x 3 (JL/SMG, LMG Team/3Crew, Rifle Team/6 men)
Supports (6) 
Adjutant 
FO w/ 8cm OTM
Wild Card-Panzer Marsch!

Patrol Markers

JOP's, here is where I made a critical mistake. I placed 2 JOP's quite close together. I was concerned about placing a JOP further up my left flank, but I should of realised that the German Mortar barrage would take these immediately out of play. Even worse was placing my right flank JOP more than 9" from the road.

The inevitable barrage

 

Despite having an enormous advantage in FM at the beginning of the game, 2 of my JOP's immediately got locked down, and the Germans rapidily advanced 3 rifle squads up the table with myself having no ability to counter them. I did have some bad dice; I did not accumulate 1 CoC dice in the game, had no double phases and every time I tested for a leader hit, I got a 1. My FM plunged rapidily, I tried to move a squad up the open field and the Germans got a double phase so were able to advance to lose range and destroy the Americans. I should also say that P-Y played a very careful and clever game, I really had no chance. My FM dropped to 1, a German Victory in the campaign.

This was a lot of fun and I suppose the best part was that we were able to finish a 7 turn campaign in 5 months, with me living 350 miles away. Incroyable!

Congratulations to Pierre Yves, his first CoC camapign with a victory and many thank for hosting all 7 games at his home and supplying food and drink for each game.