SAGA- Skraelings meet the Jomsvikings!

Two weeks ago, Myself and PY got together for another game of SAGA at his house in Lachine. PY has been rapidly painting up figures for SAGA in anticipation of our clubs invitational SAGA tournament at the Abyss on November 25.

This was PY's first AoV game, I like playing my Skraelings and I was expecting to face off against Vikings and had brought their BattleBoard with me. I was shocked to find out that he was planning to play the JomsVikings which are certainly quite a bit different than the vanilla Vikings who I have played against several times in the past. I had never faced the Jomsvikings and their novel mechanic of Wrath. 

Basically, the Jomsvikings opponent has to choose whether to cancel the BB advanced abilities by giving them Wrath. I thus started the game with no idea what I was facing! 

Jomsvikings-6 Saga Dice

Warlord

3 points of Warriors

3 points of Hearthguard

Skraelings-6 Saga Dice

Warlord

5 points of Warriors

1 points of Hearthguard

Set-up-Chaos

Vanguard

Pitched Battle

Marshy Country

Forced March

Target

The Game

We started quite close together with minimal terrain.

Anxious to wipe out those invaders

What in the hell is this coming at us.

I had to deploy first so essentially I had to run my troops to the opposite flank from whence I started. This was a tricky game as it was only going to be 5 turns. I believe I might of rushed in a little to quickly and because of this I set up well and never got to use my totems, except one. 

I put the eagle totem on my 10 man band of javelin armed warriors but before I knew they essentially got multiple casualties early on. 

I was able to put some damage though on 2 of the Jomsvikings HG units.

I like using the Skraelings as they are quite nimble.

Before we knew it 5 turns were up, we tallied up the points. The difference was less than 3 so a draw. I do like this action shot of 2 Jomsvikings HG running away.

I enjoyed the game and certainly the Jomsvikings are a novel opponent, certainly the next time I meet them, I will have their BB in front of me. I have to decide what to play in the tournament, the Skraelings may not be a good choice, I am tempted to use my Anglo-Saxons. 

Caesar's Camp: Up the Route Nationale

 

Myself and Graham got together at the Abyss 10 days ago for our third turn in our Caesar's Camp campaign, we both had fresh platoons but now these platoons counted in the campaign as the losses would carry over

German Defenders-217th Infanterie Regiment (FM10)

2nd Wave Infantry Platoon #3

2 SL's

3 squads of 10 men, lead by a JL's, one squad with a MG08/15

Supports 6

1 barbed wire

2 minefield

Flamethrower Team

Scottish Attackers-The Cameron Highlanders (FM8)

British EW Infantry Platoon (D Company)

2 Senior Leaders

2" Mortar Team

3 sections of 11 men, lead by Junior Leaders

Supports 12

Vickers MMG

2" Mortar Team

2 Bren Carriers w/ Boys ATR and JL.

Scenario

This is Blitzkrieg Scenario from the 1940 rulebook: This is usually a tough one for the attackers in that they have to get 2 units off the table's far edge before the defenders accumulate 2 CoC die and end the game. The Attacker can remove 3 pips of the Defender's CoC die by expending 3 pips. As you can see from above, I did purchase 2 Bren Carriers in the hope that I could get 2 units off table. But as most of us know, CoC is a game of Morale and the game is usually won by dropping your opponent's FM.

Game

Table from the Scot's POV.

I felt the Patrol Phase went OK for both sides, although I ended up with 1 JOP on the table due which was going to be of little use to me.

After several phases I got 2 sections down in light cover in tactical or overwatch with two 2" mortars to lay down smoke to protect my 2 Bren Carriers in their rush up the table.

I was able to get considerable smoke down, but then my Command Dice started to fail me as well as my Mortar Team's accuracy...........

........and then Graham threw a treble 6 and the smoke was all gone. He had advanced a couple of squads through the forest and now could fire back at me.

I should also note that he had placed a couple of minefields as well as a barbed wire on his right flank, and started to advance a squad towards my troops on my left flank.

Poorly shot photo but you can see them at the top of this snap, there is another section here in the sunken road but also a Vickers Team on the edge of the line of trees.

Graham had now advanced his flanking squad into LOS, but what was he up to? As you can see in the next photo I had anticipated the risk to my MMG team and moved them out of LOS down into the sunken road. I am happy I did this as Graham had now revealed that he had a Flamethrower Team as a support. He was planning to move his JOP up and then ambush me but luckily I got out of LOS before this happened.

Minimally battered but now out of LOS.

The game now devolved into a shooting match. My CD had completed failed me as I was having minimal activations each phase while Graham had several double phases. I was lucky in that I had several teams with LOS to the enemy and was able to fire with one team and lay down covering fire with the other team. This was quite effective and as you can see from the Butcher's Bill below, the Scots were able to win this battle, with the Germans deciding to withdraw. A Victory for the Scots.

The Butcher's Bill

Germans Platoon #3 (4 Dead, 2 Missing for next game)

8 figures lost

CO -1

MO -2

Outlook Cheerful

The Camerons Platoon1/D Company (1 missing for next game)

1 figure lost

CO -1

MO-2

Outlook Thoughtful

Caesar's Camp: The Seaforth at Trois Foetus

Myself and Graham got together at the Abyss yesterday for our second turn in our Caesar's Camp campaign, we both had fresh platoons and Graham had a free Off Table Bunker Buster which fired 12d6 HE and AP. This was rather intimidating to me, with my only option really to litter the table with smoke.

German Defenders-217th Infanterie Regiment (FM10)

2nd Wave Infantry Platoon #2

2 SL's

3 squads of 10 men, lead by a JL's, one squad with a MG08/15

Off Table Bunker Buster (Flak 36)

2 CoC pips

Supports 6

2 barbed wire

2 minefield

roadblock

Scottish Attackers-The Seaforth Highlander's (FM8)

British EW Infantry Platoon

2 Senior Leaders

2" Mortar Team

3 sections of 11 men, lead by Junior Leaders

Supports 16

Pregame Barrage

Vickers MMG

2" Mortar Team

Char B1 Bis

Hotchkiss H39

Scenario

This is Scenario 4 from the main rulebook: The Flank Attack. It is a one off scenario and is not played twice. It has an interesting Patrol Phase, with the attacker having to sets of 3 Patrol Markers.

Game

Here is the table, the fields in the left are contiguous 

Somewhat of an unsatisfactory Patrol Phase with neither side getting the upper hand

I felt the game was well played by both sides. I had to deploy early in order to find out where Graham was going to place the Bunker Buster. At the same time the minute I came into LOS, I knew I would be annihilated. I started with the Char tank and both 2" Mortars. I absolutely covered my approach with smoke, but the Bunker Buster still would not deploy. As usual, I stopped taking photos almost immediately. Graham eventually placed a squad in the stone house facing the east west road. I was able to cover the road with smoke and then brought the Char B1 forward and was slowly able to whittle down the German defenders. Graham ended the turn (he seemed to be able to throw 5's every turn) and the Bunker Buster finally came out, luckily most of my troops were in Hard Cover and despite the HE reducing cover I was able to withstand the bombardment and was able to put down more smoke. The 88 only got one chance to hit the Char and missed by dicing a 4. I was able to take out the German SL and then started to advance my troops in the field from south. With this and the continuously fire from the French Tank, I was able to drop the German FM to a point where they decided to withdraw. A Scots victory!

The Butcher's Bill

Germans 

CO 0

MO -1

Outlook Cheerful

Scots (-1 on FM rolls)

CO -1

MO-4

Outlook Thoughtful

The Scots get to use tanks in Scenario 4, the Germans will have to pay for their Off Table MMG in the next scenario. Hopefully we will get to it within 3 weeks.

As an aside, I used the same terrain but with the Attack and Defence scenario as a demonstration game with David and Gabriel to introduce them to CoC. It went well with a very catastrophic combat to finish off the game. As usual, we played the Patrol Phase twice so the new players could get a good sense of it.