Major Disaster

Major Disaster at Abu Klea

Willie had a scenario ready to go when we arrived in the garage, the table was sent up with a ridge across the middle bisected by a road leading from the desert edge to the Nile.  The British lined up ready to assualt the Arab/Beja held ridge, some confusion as to where the British Naval contingent would arrive. 

Shortbread tin Gordon Highlanders

Masses of River Arabs

The Arabs had artillery in the ridegline sangers with irregular riflemen backed up with four units of tribesman and two small camels units

JPs cannon

Little did the Arabs know what was to hit them Major Disaster with his bugler Corporal Punishment!

Major Disaster leads on the right

The Highlanders led the advance forced into the centre by thorny scrub.  they made good time Doubling right up to the ridge but ending up one unit after another.  The Fuzzies came forward on the Donkey track with Camelry but these were repulsed by Major Disaster and his Hussars

Fuzzy Camels

Under sniper fire

The first highland unit spent sometime pinned down under fire from the Arab shooters, their inexperienced leader was useless to intervene

Highlander Advance

 Once rallied the Highlanders got into the Arb Position forcing them out at bayonet point. Things however became desperate the follow on units didnt advance now under artillery fire.

Pinned down! 

However the tribal infantry refused to close in on them failing order after order to get in

En Bayed

Everyone loves a sailor

The Highland commander was dismayed at the lack of naval support, the Naval Gun did silence the Arab battery but this went unnoticed while the Major Disaster struck, In all the Major crushed four units until he ended up surrounded by Fuzzies

This was a soldiers battle as the Highlander Commander was inexperienced and the Naval Commander was an Idiot however the result was a victory for The Empire

I say?

Livi's Hannibal in Italy

Hail Caeser  Late Republican Roman v Later Carthaginian 400point Army Battle in Northern Italy.  Livi's army is looking really good he has put a lot of effort into painting figures.  However he is looking for a change of elephants and a round shield punic spearman rather than a long shield which he has, they can become celtiberians.

This battle featured

•  Masses of Gauls who like Steven Seagal were HARD TO KILL.
• My 25 year old republican army with one unit of 3 year old Italian allies
• As befitting an Italian Army no upgraded  troops and only one unit ot Triari
• My 25 year old little town of Piceum on a hill top
• Vineyards and one straight road
• And one Jumbo in the middle of the field that just kept coming back for more

Numidians cutting through an olive grove, the Roam reaction was let them.  Gauls and carthigain spear hung back while Jumbo came at me like and exocet

Livi's Numidians

Velites move into Piceum, I didnt want to get tied up in the town I could just imagine JUMBO crashing around in there

Piceum with Velites

I lined up beautifully with the main command with Principes in the white shields at the front, Italian and Spanish on the far left flank and more Velites

First attempt to kill Gauls

all the Principes are dead, with celts running about the battlefield waving heads, one unit of Hastati lived but here we have the Numidians holding the line backed up by Triari, the triari formed the support in seven combats in the battle before tackling Jumbo

Second attempt to kill gauls

A final victory parade of Elephants under Piceum, closest one in the shot was the beast in the battle

Jumbo

Spanish

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spanish

Ghost Division - Recce Patrol

Another tester for Bolt Action this time Blitzkreig Germans looking for a bridge to cross in Northern France. A platoon of dug in British infantry backed by a few tanks lies in wait.  Below them is a lazy river with a big bridge joined by a stream with a Wee bridge.  Willie is loving Bolt Action it is an easy game to play.  This game was played in Willie's garage with his excellent terrain set up and ready to go.  an impartial Johann was drawing the dice for us.

You get into the game play quickly.  A shot of turn two the German trucks race over the Wee Bridge, in the background,  to be joined by the previously repulsed motorcyclists.  

Repulsed motorcyclists currently "Down" but still underfire and taking hits, kills and more pins, the truck was also under /vickers fire on the bridge but failing to actually be damaged

Motorcyclists still down taking hits kills and more pins

British tanks  who got through the battle unscathed, Gerry was truely ambushed.  Below are some after the battle shots.

Pz2

Famo

Famo

radio van

Pz38t

37mm AT

First Strike Flames over the Falklands

I was so keen to play with these rules I couldn't wait before the modelling was finished and I had soloed the rules.  throwing everyone into it on a Tuesday night just like the Falklands Conflict itself.  I'll prepared with substitute equipment.  We went raw into the game reading the rules while we played afterall they were only 8 pages, 5 about battle who needs a QR.

The British Player had two harriers each Two GR3s and two FR1s  the Argies had a pair of Mirage 3s on a high level sweep.  

Turn One every one took a tentative move onto the table flying as a pair and checked out the order list, a bit of a struggle to understand energy and action points.  the argie player shows round pictures on his mobile of a Mirage at an airshow and recalls how low loud and fast it was.

Turn Two  First up we saw the SHARs turned into the enemy  the Mirages went supersonic using up 3 afterburner markers in a row but avoiding a bingo result.  The GR3s plough on to their target

Turn Three The  SHARS climb to pass the enemy head on.  The mirages go supersonic again close for a head on pass fire guns roll two 6s and riddle a harrier from end to end the lead SHAR gets a reply and misses. Both Argie  lead and wingman and pull hard to avoid San Carlos SAMs.  It is  also turn towards Stanley the wingman fails for bingo and is low on fuel.  The  SAMs the remain SHAR is still over San Carlos and gets hit by SAM and blows mid air.  The GR3 plough on to their target The result for turn two half the British for forces are out of the game. The original pilots were right to think about combat at medium or high level!

Turn Four The GR3 plough on to their target.  The lead Mirage stays supersonic again 3 afterburner markers closing on the GR3s. His wingman follows and goes low.  The lead Mirage bingos to low fuel.

Turn Five  The Gr3s bomb Stanley airfield, both hits and rack up four damage then try to turn into the Mirages,  he was  more interested in dropping his load playing on to get into the Mirages.  the Gr3s then trys to viff into the Mirage losing a mass on energy.  The lead mirage dives and turns into the rear of the GR3s launches an IR missile he again rolls a 6 blowing the back end off the harrier it crashed on the shore south of Stanley.  The alert team of SHARS enters from the North and 2 Skyhawks from the West.

Turn Six The lead mirage turns into he Atlantic to the east, his wingman turns west temptingly just out of range of the missiles of  remaining GR3 which powers up to 4 energy. The FR1s concerntrate on the skyhawks turning almost due east.  The Skyhawks split north and south over West Falklands.

Turn Seven  The lead Mirage turns back over West Falkand still at 6 energy, his wingman turns north east towards the Skyhawks is he going to cover them?  The GR 3 turns into West Falkland to line up on the lead Mirage climbing up and falling back to 2 energy.  The Alert SHARs close on the Skyhawk heading north at full tilt.  The North Skyhawk doesn't jettison bombs (seriously thinks about it) but turns hard into the SHARs ending over Pebble Island. The Southern Skyhawk turns back towards San Carlos, closing on the Mirage wingman

Turn Eight  The lead mirage turns into the GR3 at full tilt blowing through at 30cm. the Wingman heads for Sancarlos.  The GRs turns and dives  for San Carlos somebody is going to get the rest of his load. the Alert SHARS tryto Viff their way into a firing position but cant trun hard enough. The Skyhawks both head low for San Carlos

Turn Nine and Ten  The lead mirage and his wingman throttle back approaching San Carlos again ,this time with a harrier out to the west.   The skyhawks launch their bombs  (6.6) at Score Hits, the Gr 3 launches missiles and miss with both. the SHARS get their energy back up and one of them bingos for fuel but they cant catch the Skyhawks.

Turn ten was the last turn it had taken just over 2 hours.  all the players would play the rules again two were however still struggling with the concept and balance of the game.  With so many lucky 6s from the Argies and actual harrier shootdowns this gave I think a false impression.  Now to get on with modelling some real Falklands houses and completing the aircraft camo. 

Substitiute buildings for Port Stanley. airfield is burning Turn 5



Turn 10 San Carlos with Skyhawks bombing away while a GR3 tries to toast them



Alert SHAR team

Overall view of the board map at game end

Kent 52BC

Digging out old armies from the past is always a treat for me, we were fighting a battle in Willie's garage using Hail Caeser.  Romans marching to the fort are ambushed on the way there.  Four players two Roman's tao hairy Woads

Caught on the Road, those hairy socks are itchy

Dont you dare kill those mules!

British Cavalry

Charge the fort, woads swarm the walls

The British Superstars

Hundreds of them!

JPs handiwork

Romans ready to deliver the counterblow

The Front Gate

Heat and Dust

Sudan 1886

Mahdi forces invade Egypt, we were playing the" To the Last Bullet Scenario" with restricted ammunition.

JPs Beja

River arab shooters

River Arab Swordsmen

Egyptians falling back

Highlanders first volleys

My highlanders are over 20 years old, true veterans!

Beja driven back by Highlanders take another volley

 first game saw a win for the anglo Egyptians, we turned this around rolling a gain for commanders and ammunition I rolled a double 1 giving me an incompetent commander and rolled 1 for ammunition.  I was all for forming square and fighting it out toe to toe, however I was quickly driven back then outflanked.

Beja commander on left

Buildings are close to 30 years old

Creepy Beja

River Arab Gun pounds the square

River Arab shooters pin the square

River Arabs smash into the square!