Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Historicon 2019 #4: Friday shots

Being another potpourri of random, quickly taken shots of games run at Historicon on Friday 



"Impressive; very impressive!"


HAWKS in Winter
















Shots were taken between setting up Tim's Friday AM game, attending Jared's lecture at the War College, checking in on the game that he and Dillon ran, and setting up and running my own Friday night game. 

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Historicon 2019, #3: Are Two Soggy Bottoms better than One?

I ran my version of the (in)famous Battle of Soggy Bottom twice at Historicon, once on Thursday night, and again the following morning. 

Opening moves from the Thursday game.


The rules used were "For King and Parliament", by Simon Miller and Andrew Brentnall. Subtly gridded table (8" boxes this time, much better for this period and 28 mm figures), plying cards for activation and combat, and no dice anywhere!


The cavalry battle develops on the Royalist left. 


Developments on the Parliamentary Left. 


Mid battle overview.


The opposing Foote regiments close and exchange close range fire!


The Roundhead Foote regiments move out of their defensive positions and carry the fight to the Cavaliers!


The Dragoons had a fairly relaxing day until late in the battle!


Positions near the end of the game. 


The village of Soggy Bottom itself, with the Parliamentary Victory Medals; they had six (out of about 25 total)  remaining when the Royalists hit zero. 


The following (Friday) morning), the troops were reset for the second game. 

John Mumby of course minds to find a seat near the only woods on the table...


Early moves on the Parliamentary Left. 


Mid game; Danny (red shirty) commanded the Left Wing Royalist cavalry. Despite giving them the advantage in almost every charge, his card turning skill was abysmal, and he lost almost every action. Indeed, his luck was so bad that I actually checked his deck after the game to verify that the card composition  (1 - 10 eight times) was correct... and it was!


Things were going very well for the forces of Parliament at this point.  Other players included Eric and Doug. 


The Roundheads had the advantage on their Left. 


The opposing regiments of Foote close to "push of pike". Note the very large numbers of Victory medals remaining for Parliament! At one point I was afraid the battle might be over before they lost a single medal!


Blurry fighting near the Bishop's Copse. Hasselrige's Cuiassiers cheer is "Yay, Armor!"


Hot work for both sides in the center!


The game ends with a solid Roundhead victory. The loss of the Royalist cavalry on their Left early in the game put the infantry of the center in constant danger of being outflanked. 

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Historicon 2019, #2: Raupenhelms and Rebelious Rabble - Relief column pushes through the Tyrol, 1809

Friday night at Historicon I ran my Tyrolese "Wagon Train game. We had seven players; in the white shirt is Herman, who has played in my games off and on dating back to at least 2005!  Other players included Craig, Chris, Robert, Brad, and Ken B; seven in all (Ken graciously took command of  the Wagons and the Fortress Garrison) .


The set up; the Bavarian relief column, wagons, etc are starting from the right lower corner. The Tyrolese are deployed at multiple sites to ambush, delay and otherwise disrupt the column, and prevent it from delivering its much needed supplies to the distant fortress of Biersteinburg... especially the Beer! o do so, the wagons must move along the roads from the starting point of Rottenberg, following the course of the Sebastianbach as it winds through a narrow Alpine valley. 
Scenario previously posted here.


The Bavarian Infantry moves out smartly, with a battery and the sole cavalry regiment begind. The Baden contingent tangles with Tyrolese in the Brennerberg. The Bavarian Light infantry have moved up to try to clear the riff-raff out of the mountaintop hofbraukirch. 


Tirolese holding the Brennerberg; the rifles of the Sc utzen companies have a 15" range!


Another reinforcing Schutzen company moves up in the open to delay the Bavarian column action at the Greisserberg, some might say perhaps recklessly? 


The Tirolese Landsturm dump a man made avalanche of rocks, boulders, and other debris on the Jagers, mauling them. The Wagons in range (12") manage to avoid damage, while shooting the gap. 


The Bavarian infantry advances on the Schutzen and Griessenberg, whilst the Badeners make slow progress around the Brennerberg. 


The wagons look a bit lonely at the back, with unchastized rebels nearby!


Bavarian Artillery unlimbers and fires on Hofbraukirch, trying, unsuccessfully, to drive out the pesky Landsturm and their downward rolling projectiles! 


Action in (? Inn ?) and around Greissenberg; Tirolese Schutzen and Bavarian musketeers trade shots. 
Robert asks "Can I drop an avalanche on them now?!


"She'll be coming 'round the Mountain when she comes..." 


The Baden Brgiade is still struggling to eject the Tirolese from the Brennerberg.


Shifting Tirolese forces on the Greissenberg. "Can I launch an avalanche now?!  No, not yet..." 
Seen is the Tirolese Cow-bell. I was going to use this to mark certain Tirolese actions. In the event, the room was quite noisy (although nothing like Fredericksburg #1 in 2012), so I thought better of it. 


The Wagon train presses on boldly, and perhaps foolishly, towards the village of Mittleschmertz... and more rebels! 


Fighting on the Greissenberg. 


View from the Biersteinberg fortress; the relief column is almost in sight!


My Badener darlings, the recently painted, Azure-coated Dragoons, charge some Schutzen holding the Zweibruckl across the Sebastianbach tpwards the et of Schpaz. The infamous Tirolese Wooden gun, precariously stationed on the slopes of the Arlberg, shoots and inflicts some losses on the intrepid horsemen.


Although some moubntaintop fog seems top blur their view to the valley below, the Landsturm on the Greissenbery are still able to determine that the Wagon train and its precious cargo of malt beverages is tantalizingly within reach. 


The wagons are no match for the Halberds, pitchforks, scythes and the like carried by the Landsturm. 


Although the charge of the Dragoons is repulsed, it comes close enough that the Fortress is able to see their arrival, and lets loose with its cannon, and dispatches the discretionary portion of its garrison to succor the relief column. 


Heavy fighting around Mitleschmertz village and the Dreibruck. The Tirolese suffer heavy losses, but they have eliminated 3 of the 4 Bavarian Wagons, one of which was the vital beer wagon. Thus while the column could probably reach the fortress, they are unable to deliver the needed supplies. The column is turned back, while the rebels disband and return to their homes... for now! 


This was a very close game, as the Rebels played to make the most of their advantages, while the Bavarians were hampered by the need to protect and advance the wagon train. Spectator Terry S. remarked that he would have to make sure that Brent adds Avalanche rules to the soon to be released Field of Battle, 3rd edition!

A few more shots of the game, courtesy of Tim...

View from Fort Biersteinberg near the start of the game...


The Bavarians start their move down the valley.


Don't let the good times pass me by...


Tyrolian Landsturm defending the bridge


Tyrolian Landsturm no longer defending the bridge!