Battle Report - Saga Crusades

Hello All,

On Saturday I had the chance to try out the new Saga Crusades book (which I just got on Friday!) With Duncan (good).

I decided to try out my knights with the new Teutonic (Ordenstaat) board, since that is what they are. Before I had to use the generic one for knightly orders.

I went with 3 units of mounted knights plus some foot warriors a crossbows and a unit of foot knight. No levy sadly which you really want to have for this board but oh well.

Duncan took the moors as it matched his stuff best, and there is still just the one mission so a clash of Warlords it was to be.

I set up a table based on the idea of a small burned out village along a road.

Here is the deployment. Knights and moors spread out for murder. The moors deployed a mounted as a single unit of 8 but I kept mine speerage.

The moors were in a badood it seems so they charged the foot knight right off and wiped them out with no losses. The pressed on and killed most of the cross bows.

I didn't really appreciate the so I counter charged them with some brother knights.

Lots of combat abilities for the knights so after a second assault they were a problem no longer.

The moors commAnder then tried to keep up the pace charging my knights. But we both had abilities to get loads of defense so no one was injured there.

But the poor guy was left fatigued and vulnerable on my turn. So the brothers gave him some very nice lances. Christian charity and all that.

At this point the moors are having command problems with only a few saga dice.

So they brought up the big guns and roasted a knight with naphtha (think that's what they are called) any way it's fire.

I thought fire was uncool so some other knights charged some warrows with fire throwers. Killed a couple of guys but nothing great.

Then my warriors killed the unit if moors foot guard. Have to prove their value to the knights if they want to stay alive.

This made the moors angry and they flamed and them charged my knights! Tge nerve.

Getting low on units now, and hungry for glory.  So the battle bishop charged the first group of warriors. He bashed in a few heads but went down in a blaze of glory. Warlords seem easier to kill now.

The moors ran way cowardly for their last turn. I only had 2 dice so wasn't able to chase them down. So that's the end!

In the calculation of points I was up by 2 slaughter points, but you need 3 to win! So it was a draw. 

Have to try harder next time. The Teutonic knights have a few abilities were you can have people die to make them better. So clearly I need some levy to die.

Thanks;

Mike 

Battle Report - Star wars X-Wing game 2

Hello all;

Time for another Wednesday wargaming battle report! Bit late again but dye to lazy Ness these things will happen.

This time I tried out a list with 2 Tie Defenders and a Tie Bomber. All of them had titles and lots of upgrades. Main idea was for the bomber to be a support ship helping the defenders attack with lots of guns.

Tred to take closer in shots for better pictures now.

Here is the deployment. Trying to keep a tight formation with the bomber to get the bonuses. Across the table the Rebels have X B and E wings ready for battle.

Zeroing in on the B-Wing. My plan was to take out this guy first.

Then comes the clash where ships really cause the first damage. Got some good shots lined up here. Put a good hurt on the B-Wind.

The things get complicated. Some space collisions as you can see. But no more B-Wing so that's good. X is next on my list.

Flying around in circles now just trying to get good shots.

I guess this is where it all goes wrong. My red ship had the E in a great position ion token in place so I knew where it was going. But failed to capatilize and just flew in front. I forgot to consider that he fires first so my Red ship went down.

A but of pat back thou as I am finally able to take out the X-wing. This ship had R2-D2 so kept getting shields back. 2-1 nowy game to loose!

Another joust. But my defender is facing the wrong way! This was the end of the bomber.

Was pretty close but I flew terribly with the defender and the E-wing was able to take it out.

So another win fir the rebels. Going to try out the Imperial Raider tonight so might go better?

Thanks;
Mike

Battle Report - Early War Dust Up

Hello Folks,

Here is a battle report for the game I played with Nick at the club on Friday. We had a couple of Early war tank forces I took some Panzer 3s and and armored cars, and the Brits had various cruiser tanks and some mobile AT guns. Scenario was Dust Up, which I found to be a fun one as it is kind of mobile and has the objectives really split so attacking and defending are kind of separate.

I put a platoon of Panzer 3s and a second of 2s in reserve, and the Brits had a bunch of tanks. Only vehicles involved so we are set to have a real shoot up.

Turn 1 for me, I set te cars to go threaten the British objectives early, while my tanks held down the fort and tried some sneaky long range shots at the tanks.

The British tanks fried at the cars, but just got a single bail not super successful. The trucked AT was swining around to attack my objective.

My turn the Armored cars continue playing with the tanks, actually getting a kill, so they were doing quite well. My tanks had to do a real move (vs a blitz) to shoot up the trucks, but there aim was not great so they didn't kill any! Not good.

The Brits moved up the back group of tanks to hold down the objective from across the ridge. So no easy victories for the cars. The trucks blitzed into firing position and put quite allot of shots into my poor 3 tanks. But early war being what it is they just ended up with a kill and a bail. Which is dangerous but not dire. I moved the second group of armored cars to help out as I was not confident.

Managed to unbail my tanks, so never had to take that pesky morale test, which meant my guys would be hanging around for a bit. But my commander did bite it.

Still no reserves so the pace of the action is slowing down a bit. I was able to finish off the trucks, and the Brits are consolidating their objective and trying to fight off the armored cars. But they guns on those particular tanks are hot shit so they are killing nobody.

Time for reserves, so a squad of British tanks are jamming straight down the road. Swaning about the Desert is there thing so fair enough.

At this point I had lost all my respect for British tanks, seeing them fail to kill armored cars and all. So I sent my second platoon of Panzer 3s on their original plan to take the objective. But they would have to move and shoot which is not their strong point if we are honest.

Waves of British tanks keep coming! This is starting to be a real touchy problem! These ones have proper guns as well. My defending Panzer 3s have all died, which is not ideal. So I am defending with cars and 2s, which are really just cars without wheels. But on the other hand my second platoon is forcing there way into the objective, but those tanks won't die.

The battle for the dusty village continues. Lines of British tanks rolling in. As you can see all of my Panzer 2s are bailed out! Neither of us is really happy with that result!

But they all remounted so it worked out. I am not having a good feeling here thou.

At this point my camera phone battery died, but Nick was kind enough to take over. Pznaer 2s have quit the field, they never really signed up to fight that many tanks! But the armored cars are here to hold out which I believe is the Recon... Off screen my tanks have finally got a stationary shot and killed all 3 of the other tanks, but a second group is there to hold out a bit.

But the British tanks seal the deal exploding all of the cars. This leaves me with only 1 platoon left so my company is broken and Nick is sadly the winner.

Lots of burning hings.

It really seemed like I had a strong upper hand in the first half of the game, but the Brits had a very strong set of reserves, and once they came in they were able to turn things around. I guess I should have been trying to take that objective sooner!

Was a real fun game, early war tank battles are always the best. Who knows what is going to happen, and you have to move around no blasting people across the table like late war. I am a real fan.

Thanks;
Mike

Battle Report - Star Wars X-Wing

Hello Folks,

Time for another Wednesday wargaming battle report! This week we are venturing into Space! Decided to try out some X-Wing miniatures game action. Serge pick up some Rebels so time for battle.

I had a group of heroes flying 2 tie interceptors, 2 tie fighters, and an inqusitor in a tie advance prototype.

The scum had an X-wing, E-wing,  and chewy flying a falcon.

Just a straight up murder game.

First turn getting things moving. My plan was to get the fighters first and worry about chewy later. So everything flew right. Tge scum was a but indecisive and traveled slow.

Turn 2 ships a getting into position a few pot shots but nothing serious. Also the start of my tie fighters flying into asteroids,  which is not what you want really.

Turn 3 has a big scrum, I mostly got the upper hand here damaging the fighters and good rolls keeping me safeish. The raider in the back giving some imposing scenery. One can assume vader will force choke any under performing pilots.

Kind of a fly past after that but I start loosing shis. Killed the x-wing thou so that is good.

More flying around as chewy circles the edge.

Getting low on ships now. But a tie is following the E-wing and the inquisitor goes after chewy.

The E perfectly out flanked the Tue with a barrel roll and got a kill. Chewy took out the inquisitor.  So it was a win for the  insurgents!

More space battles this week. Think I will try some ships that have shields thus time!

Thanks;
Mike

Battle Report - By Fire and Sword

Hello All,

Time for another Wednesday wargaming battle report! This week we decided to try out another game of By Fire and Sword, just got the new gamers edition rule book, so figured might as well give it a go.

I went with the Holy Roman Empire Outpost force, a bunch of muskeeteers and some dragoons and pikes. Facing off against the evil Polish. The scenario was defend the crossing. I was the defender so had to keep the poles on their side of the river, and control the ridge and a ford. The Poles had a hefty advantage in skirmish so took some abilities from that, I had a delay effect.

Here is a shot during turn 1. I spread out small units to cover all the bases, with dragoons in reserve and even the cannons split up. The Poles had a flank march that could be coming on anywhere. One Polis unit was delayed and went into reserve and another marched forward.

More advancing and some long range shooting, but I am having no luck with that.

The poles don't waste time crossing the ford and charge breaking one unit which flees. Then the flank march shows up. A light cavalry unit is shooting arrows across the river, getting ready for the Polish reserve which is now barreling down the road.

Things are starting to turn not great now. The first polish unit charges and crushes a cannon, overrunning into another unit. I am putting in all the shots I can but the Pols are doing good with their morale tests so none of the charges are being stopped. Even the dismounted dragoons are not having much effect. I put the pikes in a single file to march on to the bridge hoping to hold out.

Next turn the big unit of cossasks wipes out the dragoons, but my small unit by the bridge was able to hold out and forced back the first unit in.
 

Things get a bit messy then. The light cavalry was able to disorder my pikes, this left them a bit vulnerable and the cavalry broke them! Just as bad the next unit on my side of the river charged that unit and broke them as well. Starting to be not very many units now. On a bit of the lucky side my first unit that fled had by now reformed and their salvo succeeded in driving back the Cossacks. I think we forgot about the big unit morale bonus which may have made them pass but these things happen.

In the end the Poles did some good damage only taking minor losses in return, and controlled both crossing and had a unit on my side. So it was a major victory for them.

I think the infantry could have done a bit better but I had terrible luck with the artillery shooting. Also they had really good luck with passing morale test which can be a bit iffy to be fair. The amount of advantage they get from all the reconnaissance points is pretty harsh thou to be sure! Infantry forces are in a tight spot. But good to change things up a bit now and then.

Thanks;
Mike