Hammerhead tomorrow

It's been a busy week so I think a 6 hour return trip tomorrow is a no no for me. It's a shame as I love the show. On a positive note I've decided to give WMMS a go and it's next weekend and closer.

2015-02-22 Conwy Wargames Club Force on Force Game

Dave put on a modern 20mm skirmish set in Africa around 2010 using the Force on Force rules. I haven't played these rules but I'd heard good things about them and I was interested to see how they played.

Unfortunately Dave apologised that he hadn't had a chance to fill out a detailed scenario but gave us a broad brush idea. The game's objective was to run through the rules to see how they worked so this wasn't a problem.

The figures are mostly Liberation Miniatures and the vehicles are mainly pre-painted models you can buy.

West Africa 2010

The Western backed government had been overthrown and the US had gone in to support it. The legitimate government's enclave centred on the country's main port had been coming under sustained artillery fire. US Marines are dispatched to silence the multiple rocket launcher hampering the build up of government forces.

The coup had been supported by the majority of the army and the artillery and platoon guarding it were regulars.

Dave's broad brush background left us players with plenty of scope to let our imaginations go wild.

In my head the country was Tangerine (I'm pretty sure I've read a very good blog about this imagi-nation  so apologies for nicking the idea). Again in my head this is a country that at one time or other in its history had parts if not all conquered by Arabs, Portuguese, Spanish, French or British. Main export after slavery was abolished would be various types of oranges. The main religion of the people is traditional based on spirits and ancestors. The coup backed by the army called for a return to traditional values and a more equitable distribution of the new found mineral wealth.

Forces

US Marines D10 quality

4 x LAVs

4 x squads one of which has an AT weapon

2 x Humvees with TOW

African Regulars D8 quality - or in my head DAFT (Defensive Armed Forces of Tangerine)

4 x BMP Baboon Troop 1st Popular Front 

4 x squads (2 LMG, 2 RPG) Baboon Troop 1st Popular Front 

1 x HQ squad Baboon Troop 1st Popular Front 

1 x Tank T60? Jaffa Dragoons - to be diced for each turn until a D6 is scored and arrives on 1 of the 3 roads to be diced for.

1 x truck mounted multiple rocket launcher 3rd Dom Joao Rocket Artillery- hidden on board as an objective. Can move but not fire.

The Game

If you haven't guessed, I commanded the forces of Tangerine. Alex commanded the US Marines.

DAFT deployment

The US Marines arrive in convoy

The village of Clementine where the  Dom Joao Rocket Artillery launcher is hiding

2 Baboon squads man the walls

Another squad waits inside their BMP ready to launch a flanking move. In the background their is a  squad on the roof, and the  troop HQ is inside the same building. 

The US Marines get ready to advance

1 squad of  the Baboon Troop 1st Popular Front mans the walls another is inside (but placed behind the building). 

The US advance and take hits from the BMP's. 1 LAV is immobilised but the BMP on the road gets it's main gun knocked out.. 

In the same fire fight the BMP with 2 squads on board joins in and is destroyed in the return fire. Both squads jump out losing a man each.

Better without flash

The picture at the end of the US 3rd move. We quickly  realised we need to keep track of you is immobilised, lost a weapon, wounded too various degrees or pinned. Since we didn't have any suitable markers we improvised with some Legends of the Old West markers I had. By now 3 LAVs have been immobilised and 1 was destroyed. I thought the DAFT troop was doing well. 2 squads of Marines had disembarked, and the 1 in the centre of the picture was in trouble. 1 colleague had a serious wound so his mates now need to get him to safety and would not take part in  the rest of the fight. Since they were neutralised the DAFT troop left them alone. By this stage my BMP in the centre was pinned.

On my third move I successfully rolled for the Jaffa Dragoon tank

The squad in view are in the building. The BMP in view only has it's machine gun working and is pinned.

Another BMP bites the dust. The immobilised LAVs could still fire. Ouch. They beat the Marine squad working it's way around the hill with the AT weapon.

Another Marine squad moves through the bush towards the hill on the DAFT left flank. The TOW by now have come in to play mainly targeting my infantry squads.

A US non com gestures to the TOW commander to suppress the village before they launch their foot attack

Marines treating their injured comrade

The brave daft troops. These 2 squads gave sterling service but casualties are mounting and their  time to withdraw was nearing. 

Smoke had been found. Huzzah! The battlefield transforms with a mass of burning vehicles

The Jaffa Dragoon tank knocks out the LAV's still firing. The BMP on the far right is taken out. Only 1 BMP is now left and that only has a MG.

Overview - the end. All US vehicles are knocked out. Leaving 3 US Marine squad to continue the mission. They faced the Jaffa Dragoon tank, 2 full squads and HQ from Baboon troop/1st Popular Front. In addition there were 3 squads so depleted they probably had 1 shot left in them before  US Marine return fire would finish them off. The Dom Joao Rocket Artillery launcher was safe this time.

The Umpire believed that the US squads could take the village their better training and weaponry out classing the defenders. Personally I think my tank would have something to say about that.

Review

I enjoyed the game both the rules and the company. As we were all either new like me or very rusty the game was slow moving as we working through the rule mechanisms. The ability to react multiple times to your opponents moves worked well but I found I was easy to get lost in the turn sequence. However to my mind it matched the quick reactions and firefights in modern war. The dice for quick reaction for each fire attempt and the combat mechanism I liked and was very simple, although different the other games I play. The use of different dice types to represent skill and morale worked and you could see how it gave the US Marines the edge. I definitely felt that cards with stats and weapons for your units and other relevant information would have been useful to mark impacts and aid quick look up of dice values.

I'd definitely play these rules again. Apparently if using militia/insurgents you get a very different game.

Battleground Blitzkrieg

I am really looking forward to the new addition to the Battlegroup rule sets. I have never played early WW2, late war being my first love and Battle Group Kursk introduced me to the delights of mid war games. From a collection point of view I have inherited the beginnings of a BEF force and Blitzkrieg Germans. It will be interesting to see where I need to fill out the ranks. Of course there is always the debate about do you use any British or German troops, so long has they have the right weapons or do you invest in new accurate figures. Challenges, challenges, all part of the fun of collecting of course. My main issue is I am drawn to the armies I don't have mainly the French and Poles. Which one to invest in first!

Well my pre order is on with Plastic Soldier company so I just have to wait. I do like that with this supplement they are giving away with the pre order a pdf version of the rules.

Hammerhead this year

I'm not sure I'll make it this year. It's 3 hours away now rather than 45min. I'd planned to stay over with a friend and get a game in but we'd both thought the show was on a Sunday, oh well I'll see if I can get this plan sorted for Partizan.

If I'm feeling fresh from the house renovations I may give it a go. I am looking forward to seeing it in it's new venue and I love the participation games.

Conwy Club game this weekend

All going well there will be a Force on Force game on Sunday. I'm looking forward to it as I've never played them before, and I have always been attracted to playing 'moderns'.

2015-01-25 Conwy Wargames Club X Wing game

It turned out that my game was the only game on Sunday and I had 4 eager players, Dave, Pete, Dickey and Tony. Nobody had played before so this was their first introduction in to space fighter combat.

The Scenario:

After the battle of Hoth the rebels focused on improving their fighter capability. A prototype A wing escorted by 2 X wings is jumped by a 3 TIEs and a Tie Advanced. The A Wing needed to get away and the TIE's needed to get back with the new intel.

Forces:

Imperial

Dickey:

1 x TIE Academy Pilot

1 x TIE Advanced basic pilot

Tony:

2 x TIE Academy Pilots

Rebel

Me:

1 x A Wing Prototype

Dave:

1 x X wing Rookie Pilot

Pete:

1 x X Wing Rookie Pilot

The Game

The Rebels need to exit by the yellow tape measure

The Imperials started from 2 sides and the Rebels the other. I didn't stick to a set board size and just worked with the space available.

Add caption

The A wing prototype flies straight as fast as it can while it's escorts try and keep up. The Imperials attempt to set themselves up for interception.

The A wing tries to through the Imperials off but takes shots after an ill judged move losing it's shields. Similarly an ill placed X Wing loses a shield  while  Daves' X Wing and Dickeys' Tie Advance  blaze away with Dave losing his shields and the TIE Advanced one of its' own.

The A Wing pulls a stress manoeuvre to get of trouble and succeeds to stress it's self in to the cross hairs of 2 Imperial fighters. Both X Wings get stuck in.

1 TIE less

A stunning set of moves leaves all of  us out of position and target-less

While the TIE's move in only Dave's X Wing keeps up with the  A Wing. Petes' X Wing seems to be having a navigational error . They don't make Astromechs like they used too.

Dickeys' TIE Advance chases the A Wing

Tonys' TIE takes a wrong turn

The TIE's recover quickly and get a shot at the A Wing from 3 sides and no more A wing

Another shot of the gap left by the A Wing. The Imperials now needed to see off the escorts and get home with the intel on the prototype.

Swirling manoeuvres and not a target in sight.

Petes' X Wing still off in the distance but getting closer

Dave and Dickeys' ships kissed and couldn't target each other. While Tonys' and Dickeys'  TIE And TIE Advanced tried to take down Petes' X Wing bow back in the fight.

The unfortunate overlap

Dickey brought along some supporters

Everyone out of position again and rapidly turning

Close of Daves' X Wing and Dickeys' TIE

Close of Petes' X Wing and Dickeys' TIE Advanced and Tonys' surviving TIE

Using a laser pointer to test if Tonys' TIE had a shot

Laser pointer from another angle, plus a lovely shot of both X Wings overlapping.

Where the other TIEs are during this debacle. Shortly after this the TIE Advanced and Tonys' last TIE were destroyed. The excitement was too much during the Rebels most successful move that I forgot to photograph it.

Back on target for the final TIE

Jockeying for position

This takes some time

Still not in range

Getting closer

The TIE slips past and heads for home on the opposite table edge. It's now a race to catch it.

Dickeys' fleeing TIE with the vital info on the performance of the A Wing prototype.

Can the X Wings catch Dickey

Dickey shrugs off the incoming fire and survives for another move

Another round of great dice for the Imperials and escape!

Conclusion 

On points the Rebels won, on scenario objectives the Imperials won destroying the A Wing and getting away with the information. However so did the Rebels. The A Wing will be ready in time for the battle of Endor!

The game worked really well and the basics were thoroughly tested. Next I'll need to introduce add on's.

Everyone enjoyed themselves. There was talk of buying their own copies, and how to use the rules for squadrons. The Megalomaniacs job is done!