Clunb Night 22nd October

Duncan and I decided to try an Impetus with his DBX based Wallachians against his Dads Venetians, representing an army from the Venetian colonies which Bob had kindly lent me. Although Duncan outnumbered me with his light cavalry, the quality of my Knight should make the difference.

However it was not to be! We got in two games and despite changing my army to use even more Knights in a more concentrated command I lots both games heavily. The Wallachian light cavalry use it manoeuvrability to avoid contact, and when I did charge it all went wrong! In both games, on more than one occasion, fresh knights charged down on Wallachian pesants, who held, and often inflicted casualties on the Knights. All I could roll was 1's when I needed a 6 and vice versa.

However, all that said and done, it was still a fun pair of games, and may be the lead in to doing 15th century Italy from Extra Impetus 3. Another project to consider!

SELWG 2010

On Sunday we headed up to Crystal palace for SEWLG. I haven't been for a few years, but it is one of my favourite shows. For a full photo tour check out Joe's tour at ilovewargaming.

We had a great game, and the Poles were finally triumphant in the last game of the 600th anniversary year, cutting down the Hochmeister himself to break the Teuton army, although they were fairly battered them selves by this point.

The show itself was really good too. We managed to arrive and set up early without any problems so I was able to catch up with the guys at Peter Pig and have a nice chat and get some dead figures to be pinned markers and some Brixia mortars for my Italians, to re-enforce the engineer platoon I also picked up. Although I forgot to get any minefield markers, whoops!

Trade seemed brisk, although not as busy as some shows recently, and more important for me was the quality of the games was brilliant and there were some fresh games that we had not seen before or covering a new concept. Upstairs Robin was showing off his new 15mm Sci-Fi rules, Gruntz, with his usual impeccably painted miniatures. The London gamers bought their WW2 games with the rocket firing plans along again, but next to it was a Hotchwald gap by the Shepway club. Absolutely stunning and massively inspirational. And just a few tables along was Southend with a lovely WW1 games, a bit green for my tastes, but wonderful none the less, with trenches and even a little narrow gauge rail line behind the allied lines.

And on top of this were Napolionics with Black Powder, a Two Fat Lardies ACW, a good looking Celtos fantasy (nice terrain if not my thing). But the one thing all games had in common was the high level of presentation, figures and scenery. It was truly a great day and brilliant to see so much enthusiasm for the hobby and just plain talent on display.

Club Night 15th October

Luke and I decided to do a little 2,000 point Warhammer, once again pitting my Beastmen against his Dwarves. I didn't get round to picking an army till the day so had to rush it and proceeded to leave out the Minotaurs and the Centigors, which I had wanted to give a try. However it all turned out quite well!

We played the watchtower scenario and I was fortunate enough to occupy it at the start, which I did with one of my herds of Gors. To the right i deployed my big unit of 36 Bestigors, led by my Beastlord and a Minotaur Hero so the unit was frenzied. To their right was another Gor herd and a chariot. On the other flank was a giant, warhounds and two more chariots. Behind the line lurked a couple of Shamans.

Against this, on my right, going to my left, was a pair of Gyro-copters, a unit of Ironbreakers, a large unit of Longbeards, a unit of Hammerers led by the general, then another big unit, this time of warriors, led by a runesmith. A pair of bolt shooters and an organ gun deployed strategically along the line completed the Dwarf army.

Both armies advanced quickly in fairly parrallel lines. On my left the chariots and hounds moved to out flank the line, while the gyro-copters did the same on my right. The bolt shooters took a dislike to my minotaur hero and opened up on him, reducing him to his last wound, while the organ gun began to ravage the watchtower and its occupants. The chalice of dark rain saved the minotaur for another turn, but every single charge failed to reach home, and most units only moved an inch or two in their failed charge moves. Behind all this my shamans had been ineffectively chucking some spells about, and had they been in a unit their miscast would have been far more dangerous.

The Dwarves finally bought down the minotaur hero, and their general led a charge against the watchtower, which held, but only just. This then opened them him and his hammerers up to a charge in the flank from the giant which they chose to flee from, ending behind the long beards. On the right the herd again failed to charge the iron breakers, but the chariot crashed in while the bestigors attacked the longbeards.

On the left the giant was charged by the warriors, and with support eventually from the chariots into the warriors flank, and ultimately rear, beat the warriors and began to close in on the dwarf armies flank, with the hounds circling wide.

On the right the chariot was broken and fled, but not before inflicting a fair number of casualties thanks to the presence of an Alter of Khaine. In the centre this was being similarly felt as two hordes, one of bestigors, and one of long-beards laid into each other in a frenzied anger, until finally the long beards broke, allowing the bestigors to pursue into the hammerers, which after another bloody, frenzied combat they also won.

In the very centre the watchtower was still under fire from the organ gun and the surviving gors finally broke and fled from the tower, but as the game came to an end the dwarves were more bloodied and the beasts were nearest the watchtower and claimed victory.

Despite my errors in army selection this army worked quite well, and I may have to tweak it and try it again. I finally manged to matched dwarves for both size of units, survivability and hitting power and I think all this contributed to my victory (along with a little luck, but we all need that sometimes!)

English Late War Artillery Battery and Warriors

As thanks for 15 years of lifts to the club and general friendship I decided to paint up some Flames of War models for Steve K. The intention had been to do these for the start of the club Arnhem campaign, but they took a long time to arrive (due to Royal mail, no complaints against Maelstrom who were excellent as ever). I did a Royal Artillery Medium battery box set and added Joe Vandeleur and a forward air observer to suit the campaign and match Steve's Guards armoured force.

Below: Vandeleur and observer in a White Scout Car

Below: The whole battery, the guns and their tows and the command teams and observers.

Club Night 6th October

On Wednesday Luke, Duncan and I gathered to generate some Deadlands roleplay characters for yet another attempt to run a roleplay campaign and to play a Doom game, continuing from our 1st mission way back in August last year, how time flies!

We only had time for the one mission but was great fun again, even if the invaders finally claimed a victory, mostly down to me! My marine with his skills and chainsaw should be able to kill anything as long as he hits it. With only a 1 in 6 chance of missing shouldn't happen too often. But it did, repeatedly! And the problem with missing with a chainsaw is you are then standing next to a big gribbly who wants to hurt you, which they did, repeatedly!! Oh joy!

Still was all good fun, so ready for another go at those evil invaders.

Club Night 1st October

As Steve K was let down at the last minute we decided to do a quick and simple naval. Now I always really enjoy these, but am poor at writing orders and forget about the wind so usually do really badly, so my aim was to just not do too badly rather than victory!

I took a pair of French frigates while Steve took a pair of British frigates. I had a lucky start with the wind behind me so could easily sail in line of battle towards the British. As I closed to them I thought I was going to get the edge, and then they rapidly came about and it turned out no one had judged it right as chaos ensued.

My lead ship engaged the lead British from close range damaging it and destroying the wheel. This gave me an opportunity to out manoeuvre it which I attempted but was not successful. Meanwhile the rear ship engaged the rear British frigate and crashed a volley into its rigging causing serious damage that slowed it down.

By now my lead ship had passed the British and come around and was returning for another series of broadsides. With the second British frigate limping I closed from both sides of the first and attempted to board. Here the quality of the British crew begun to tell as I struggled to grapple, and when I finally did was repelled by the Royal Navy crew.

This caused my frigate to strike its colours, shortly followed by second frigate at almost the same time as the battered British frigate struck its. This gave victory to the British as they had a frigate still operating under colours.