Historicon Report: Battle Along the Mississippi

The second game Mike and I ran at Historicon was a set-piece battle loosely based on the Vicksburg campaign (it was along the Mississippi river, which was about the only link to Vicksburg).  The battle featured a slightly larger confederate force attacking an Union force.  The objective was simple capture at least two of three objectives.  The objectives were the chicken coop in the lower right, the hill in the center, and a small plot in the upper right corner.  The first picture shows the initial setup.  Both sides had 3 brigades on the board and one in reserve.  The CSA had 8 batteries of artillery to the Unions 5, but that would change later in the game when the captured ironclad (see the previous post) makes an appearance.

 A shot down the confederate line.  The CSA had four players (each with a brigade).  All of the miniature on the table are Perry.

 A shot down the Union line - similar set up to the CSA with four players each with a brigade.  We used black powder as the rule set with some minot simplifications to facilitate convention play.  All of the players we had for the game were great and it was a real pleasure for Mike and I to host them for a few hours of dice rolling.

 The initial confederate advance.  The original plan was (I think) to seize and hold the hill in the center with two brigades and send the other two to attack the Union's right flank.  At least that was the initial plan....

 More units advance and a Union calvary unit attempts to charge the CSA guns but rolls poorly on the order dice and comes up short in a bad spot.

 The Confederate reserves arrive and march towards the Union right flank.  The Union reserved (4 calvary regiments) arrive the following turn along the river edge.

 The Union shuffles back trading real estate to keep the advancing confederates under fire - it was a good strategy.  The initial confederate plan of just holding the hill got thrown out for a general advance - it may not have been a sound strategy but it was great fun and just what a convention game is all about!  Good Show!

 Oops- the capture Tennessee shows up - think super "artillery battery" in Black Powder terms,  The confederate brigade on the extreme right begins to take a pounding.

 The main confederate attack forms up slowly due to some command dice issues.  One of the really fun things about black powder is the command system which is very clean but can lead to some unpredictable results.

 More confederate advances but losses are mounting....

 FInally the main attack strikes!

 The high water mark of the attack.

 The confederate right flank collapses as it's exposed flank is pounded by the Tennessee and Union reinforcements.

 Another shot of the climatic Union counter attack.  We called the game at this point with the CSA having two of four brigades broken and a limited chance to regain the initiative.

A view of the guns from the Tennessee.

All-in-all it was a great game and I'm very grateful for the help Mike and I got from the players - they were a great bunch.  We also had very nice prize support from Architects of War and every player got a certificate for store credit at the AofW booth.

I'm looking forward to my next convention game!

Historicon Report: Sink the Tennessee AAR

 Just a few pictures and a brief summary of the "Uncivil Wars" game Mike and I ran at Historicon last night.  The game's theme was a union raid to destroy or capture the Confederate ironclad Tennessee.   The first picture show the ironclad getting off a canister shot, trying to kill the Union engineers and there damn explosives.  Surprisingly, the engineers escaped harm.

 Another "whiff of the grape" at some Union Marines - they didn't fare so well.

The climatic battle involved the crew of the Tennessee vs a union infantry regiment that managed to force their way in - this fight went on for 3 turns until the crew was finally subdued and the ironclad seized.  While a Union victory it was by a very narrow margin as you can see the LA Tigers just about to try and board to re-take the ship!

We thought the game went very well - I'll post a more detailed battle report when I get back from the con!

Historicon 2013 Prep Part II

 As with all cons where I am a GM the last few days are filled with frantic preparations.  First up. here are some shots of the finished ironclad that will be featured in my games on Friday and Saturday.  Mike did an outstanding job and now it's my responsibility to get this 31 inch monster to the con in one piece.

 Actually in two pieces as the top and side come off to allow for some action in the interior!

 The command deck has a ship's wheel and chart desk complete with top secret plans.  A request for any Union players in either game - please don't enlarge the photo, you may get an unfair advantage for the map contents.

The guns are all large bore Dalhgrens or Columbiads and were a lot of fun to both find and put together.

Lastly, here an in-process shot of the Bolt-Action Dice-Bot my son is building for Judson of the WWPD Bolt Action podcast.  When completed, this bot will be able to drive around the battle field, avoid terrain and minis and pick out random order dice or dump large amounts of regular dice for shooting etc.  Sean had another, paying project, take a bit more time so we may not get the programming done in time for Historicon but it will be ready for Fall-In for sure - no more nasty dice bags or socks for Mr Judson!

Historicon 2013 Prep

Preparations continue for Historicon - which is next week!!!!! (sorry for the gratuitous use of exclamations points).  Pictured to the left is Ernies from Architects of War / Alien Dungeon's ACW collection which will be used in both of the games  that Mike and I are putting on for him.

Despite the time challenges of running a business, bringing a fantastic new game out (All Quiet on the Martian Front and a new expansion for Fanticide, Ernie has found the time to to make some terrain panels for the games.  I'm really looking forward to putting the games on and there will be top flight terrain.

In other Historicon prep news, the Architects of War booth will be huge and will feature a very large presence for the upcoming "All Quiet on the Martian Front" games.  I've had the chance to play test this game a lot and it's a hoot to play.  Check out the demos and then get in line while we all wait for the release this December.

Ernie's also reported that AofW has a complete restock of Perry miniatures along with the rest of the lines they carry.  As most of you know, I'm a big Perry fan - I haven't found any miniatures that are better than theirs, period.  The new WWII line along with the plastics / metals for their American War of Independence line are simply stunning.  I think most other manufactures learn by trying to copy the Perry's.

Oh yes, Mike's finished the ironclad for our games and it's 31 inches on 28mm scale nautical glory.  I wonder if the Union can capture or sink her during the Friday night game or end up seeing her blast them to bits on Saturday......

I hope to see you at the 'con.

US 3rd Armor vs 6th FJ Regiment, Periers France June 1944

The third game that my son and I played in the WWPD Overlord campaign pitted the US 3rd Armored division against the German 6th FJ Regiment.  Alas my I-phone was zero battery so there are no pictures.  The mission was Hasty Attack with the US attacking.  Each force was complied on "Easy Army" and set to 1,750 pits +/-.  The orders of battle where:

US 3rd Armored (Confident / Trained)
1 HQ (2 M4 Shermans)
1 Platoon of 4 76mm Shermans
2 Platoons of 4 M4 Shermans each
1 Light Tank Platoon (5 Stuarts)
1 Full Armored Rifle Platoon
1 Platon of 3 Priests
1 AOP

6th FJ Regiment (Fearless / Veteran)
1 HQ with Panzersheck)
2 Platoon of Para's (9 squads each)
1 HMG platoon (2 sections)
1 FJ light gun platoon
1 SS Tank Hunter Platoon 3 Stugs (since I don't have any Jagdpanzer IV models painted)
1 Gepanzerte Platoon (3 Squads) (Confident / Vet)
1 Artillery Platoon (4 10.5cm guns)
1 Pak platoon (3 75mm anti-tank guns)

The Germans deployed their para's, HMGS, lights guns on the board and had the 75mm anti tank guns in ambush.  The US deployed all 3 Sherman platoons plus the light tanks

Turn 1 "Movement to Contact"
US rolls and get serves and brings on the priests.  The US plan is to attack along both flanks with the 76mm Shermans and Stuarts on the right and the other 2 Sherman platoons on their left.  The left flank has to cross some bocage and does so succesfully.

The germans (me) don't get reserves and we hold pat - let the yankees come to us.

Turn 2 Contact!
The US gets no reserves and continues it advance.  I spring my PAK's in ambush on the 76mm Shermans and with glee roll my six shot die 2,1,3,1,5,5 - only two hits that result in bailing 1 of the tanks.  My guns feel very exposed right now.  The stuarts respond by rolling up to the guns and machine gunning them - one gun destroyed and the rest pinned.  The other 2 Sherman platoons on the US right flank roll up to more bocage now have one of the FJ platoon in range

The German get reserves and I elect to bring on the stugs since my anti-tank assets are dwindling.  I advance them toward the 2 M4 Sherman platoons but don't have them in range.  There'a a bit of shooting but no results

Turns 3 First Blood
The US gets gets reserves and brings on the AOP (I learned to hate that plane).
The bailed 76 remounts and the platoons hoses down the remaining PAK repining them.  The stuarts assault the lone gun and knock it out - that's one german platoon.  The Shermans on the right flank stand pat and shoot the FJ in front of them (behind yet more bocage to no effect).  The Priests open up and end up pinning the FJ on the US left flank

Germans: I get reserves and bring Gepanzerte Grenadiers - I'm thinking I need to launch a counterattack quickly to change momentum.  The Gep's follow the stugs and continue to advance toward the US right flank.  The Stugs pull up to the bocage and take some shots at a Sherman platoon and destroy 1 tank.

Turns 4 & 5 Back and forth
The next two turns see both sides shoot back and forth t one another and losses begin to mount.  The  FJ platoon on the US left flank looses 3 squads and the stuarts have maneuvered to get behind them.  The US have also brought on the Armored rifles which are held in the center of the board to act as a mobile reserve

The Germans try to hold on the left but launch their attack on the US right flank  The US loose one Sherman platoon for the cost of the stugs.  The germans also bring on their artillery and move the light guns to support the US left flank attack.  The short range of the light guns makes them of limited use.

Turn 6 Both Flanks Collapse
The flanks are mirror images of themselves the Germans on the left flank collapse as does the US on the right - it's a race to the objectives.  The Priests blast the FJ's on the US left flank and continue to grind them down.  Since I have no AA assets all I can do to the AOP is signal it via sign language.  I have a sign language vocabulary of only one word.

Turn 7 Priests are tanks too.
Those damn Priests remember they're tanks and break the gepanzerte platoon with direct fire.  The FJ on the US left flank also breaks (it was down to 3 squads).  The Germans pass a company morale test but things look grim

Turn 8 The End
The remaining german FJ platoon attempts to assault the armored rifles in a last ditch attempt to achieve a draw but are pinned from a hail of machine fire.  The german light guns manage to take out the US company commander but can dislodge the US from it hold on the objective on the German side of the table

With that I concede the game - it was fairly bloody.  Points wise a 4-3 Victory for the US!

Big Lee's Contest - Prize Chance Enhancing Plug

Big Lee's have a one millionth page view give away contest.  That's seven digits of page views, which is a lot.

Go over and take a look at the fabulous prizes that are up for grabs - treasures far beyond any man's dreams of avarice.

You may be asking yourself (and if you're not, you should), gee, Mr "Uber Geek" isn't promoting Big Lee's give away a bit self serving in that it enhances your chances of winning a prize?  Unfortunately, the answer is Yes but I prefer to think of it as just a side effect to pointing out one of the more interesting gaming blogs out there.  If I win, I promise to use my prize for good, not evil, blah, blah, blah......

The blog is a great read - go take a look!

Skippering a Harbor 20 Sailboat

 Sean and I had the opportunity to try out a new Harbor 20 sailboat Friday in Annapolis.  The Harbor 20 is a small racing class (20 feet long - hence the name) boat that designed to be very easy to sail single handed or with a crew of 2.  The day was perfect for testing a boat as we had strong winds (a steady15-20 knots) and light chop.

The chop meant that I got pretty wet (ok, soaked) but since it was a hot day on the water that wasn't all that troublesome.  The boat was very easy to drive.  It doesn't point as well as a J-boat but it's a real pleasure to sail.  The lines are superbly organized and very easy to understand.  It's just a really well designed boat.

The design of the hull is a standard keel structure and theres a tiny cabin for storage.  There are currently 16 harbor's 20 in the Annapolis racing fleet and the group has some very "genteel" racing rules - no hiking out and all seat cushions must be installed to race.

I like this boat a lot more than a J-70 or Comet-class.  It's a great boat to race or just putter around in.

Thanks Ernie!

Ernie form Architects of War is making some terrain for my upcoming Historicon ACW battle and here a shot of his progress.  Please follow the link over to his blog to see some more.

Ernie's tables tend to be works of "gaming art" so it's well worth the time to click over to his blog.  I'm both excited and grateful that he's putting a little extra effort in this year's big Historicon game

Wow, Historicon is less than two weeks away....

2nd US Armored vs Panzer Lehr, part 2

We decided to re play last nights game using the same forces and table set up.  I played the Germans and my son played the US.  The outcome was very different as Sean put all 3 armored platoons on his right flank and just rushed the Germans.

Despite loosing a platoon of Shermans, the US overwhelmed the panzer IV platoon and 88 gun and seized the objective.  Air power was to prove decisive for the US as the P-47 took out 2 Panthers and forced the other to run after it failed a morale check.

Game two went to the Americans 5-2

Sorry no pictures as we were rushing to get the game in today.

US 2nd Armored Div vs Panzer Lehr

My first entry in the WWPD Overlord Campaign was a fight between a US tank company from the 2nd Armored Division and a mechanized infantry company from Panzer Lehr.  The mission took place just behind Omaha Beach in bocage county and involved a US Hasty Attack.  My son played the US forces and I commanded the Germans.  Even though I just received the new Normandy books we used the older force lists - Easy Army is just to easy to use!  It's been a LONG time since we've played FOW and we got a lot wrong last night!

The German forces  consisted of:

Panzer Gren HQ 

2 x Panzer Grenadier Lehr Platoons (3 Squads each) 

4 x Panzer IV

3 x Panther (reserves)

3 x Puma (reserves)

3 x Nebelwerfers (reserves)

1 x 88 Antitank Gun

2 x Sd Kfz 7/2 AA (3.7mm) (reserves)

Total Points: 2,005

The Germans Occupied a village with one PZG platoon and anchored the left flank with PZ IV's supported by the 88 and the right flank had the 2nd PZG platoon.

The 88 was deployed in the woods.  I like to use a canopy for heavy woods which actually hides the unit and gives a better feel of something "hiding" in there.

 The US Tank company consisted of:
2 M4 Shermans in the HQ
2 x 4 M4 Sherman tank platoons
1 x 4 M4 76mm tank platoon
1 x 4 M5A1 Stuart Light tanks
1 x Tank Destroyer Section (2 M-10's)
1 x Armored Rifle Platoon (2 squads)
1x Priority Air (p-47)
Total Points 2,240
The US strategy was simple - attack down both flanks with the heavy stuff and use the light tanks to tie down the center.  Unfortunately the bocage had other ideas....

 Turn 1:
US rolled reserves and brought the Stuarts on board in the center and then advanced on both flanks.
The Germans did not get reserves.  The PzG platoon on the right flank mounted up and withdrew from the bocage line to the one behind it.  The German strategy on this flank was to trade territory for time and hope the bocage slowed the US advance.  It seemed that, for this game, the bocage was indeed a German collaborator!

 Turn 2:
US reserve roll was good and they brought on the 76mm Shermans on their right flank.  "Oberstrumfuher Bocage" sprang his trap as 3 of 4 Shermans bogged down trying tho cross the bocage chasing the PzG's as they fell back.  The Stuarts machined gunned the village to no effect (digging out confident vets is damn hard).  The US did get air support but the plane just flew menacingly over the Pz IV's and whiffed.

 The Germans draw first blood with one of the Panzer IV's taking out a Sherman.

 Turns 3 & 4
US - the attack on their left flank literally looses to the shrubbery and the 3 bogged Shermans all roll to remount and then all promptly bog down again!
The US does some shootin' but misses all their shots with the exception of killing one Pz IV.
The US also brings on it's M-10's

 Turns 3 & 4 go well for the Germans - on turn 3 they roll and get reserves.  The Panther platoon rumbles onto the table and promptly shoots at the wounded US tank platoon.  One tank is killed and the other 2 are bailed.  The platoon fails its morale check and runs for the rear.

Turns 5 and 6
Turn 5 sees the 88 take out the 2 M-10's (note to self, small platoons don't stay around long) and more bogging and general frustration with the terrain.  The US do manage to draw blood by killing one PzG machine gun team and then on turn six the P-47 reappears and catches the 3 remaining Px IV's redeploying to other side of the board and .....

 BOOM! I'm beginning to respect air power and doubt the value of AA!  Scratch one German platoon.

 After loosing the PzIV platoon, the Germans elect to take a passive posture and essentially hide for turn six - lets not blow the lead!.  The Germans do roll for reserves and get their Pumas on the board.  The nebelwerfers never show up.

The board at the end of the game.  With the Germans holding their two objectives they're declared the winner.  Losses are 2 US platoons to 1 German so it's a Major German Victory 5 points to the Germans and 2 points to the US.

As mentioned earlier, we got A LOT wrong last night but the game was fun and has re-kindled my interest in FOW - hmmm I wonder if that's one of the goals of the Overlord online campaign.

I need to paint up some basic US infantry to fight better in the bocage.  I also need to edit the US list to include artillery.