Commands and Colors

Played Command and Color Napoleonics.  Sadly I had to leave early due to work the next morning.  I was the center dudes attacking the Brits and Portuguese with my second rate (Napoleon was not there) French.  My guys on the left made a sweep through the British lines while the cavalry and others held back due to cards.  Still iffy at that point but I had to go... 

Stonewall Jackson's Way two scenario 1 (GCACW)

My friend Lawrence was away for 9 months and so I've had no FTF gaming for awhile.  Finally put that to an end today.  Our last game nine months ago was Stonewall Jackson's Way 2 and so was our first first game now that he is back.

The setup for the game.  Stonewall has to take Culpepper and has three days to do it.  The first day no unit can go past 2 fatigue (normally you can go as high as 4) and no force march allowed.

End of turn 1.  The CSA gets the first Victory Point - they need 13+ to win and Culpepper is worth 9 if the CSA owns it, 16 if no US units are adjacent.

The map at the end of turn 1.  Sorry for the glare.  Jackson's forces push aside the US cavalry screen but lose precious time doing so.  Meanwhile the CSA Cavalry kills off the US cavalry.  Other US units move to slow down Jackson's march tomorrow.  The unit just above Culpepper had a special rule - unable to do anything on turn 1.

End of Turn 2.  CSA now has 7VP, the US took a beating this turn.

Jackson Marched into Culpepper on the second activation.  The CSA won the first two so the US did not get to move.  On the first activation the screening forces were destroyed and on the second he marched into Culpepper pushing out the US forces in the city.  With losses as they are the US has to cause CSA losses to bring the VP total back down, if they can win a couple battles they can get a minor victory.

End of the game.  Jackson won the initiative and attacked Banks and failed!  All CSA forces went to fatigue 4 AND the CSA had lost 3VP in the attack.  The USA is in striking distance of winning now.  Pope tries a grand assault twice and fails each time.  Banks tries a Corps assault and also fails.  The game ends with a minor CSA victory.

It was good to get a game back on the game table after 9 months.  Looking forward to the next game in September!

MBT Learning scenario 1

Played a learning scenario of MBT with Charles via Vassal.  Looking forward to more of this and Panzer as well.  A solid game system but when the shooting starts things get ugly quickly.

The setup.  The US at the top and the Soviets at the bottom.  The 4VP hexes (circled) are each worth roughly one tank loss.  So if one side takes them and the other does nothing that side wins.  Normally it boils down to whoever gets the most kills.

End of turn 1, both sides heading for the leftmost two VP hexes.

The US gets off the first shots (they won the initiative roll).  Next game I will suggest using the alternate Initiative procedure where you only activate a platoon at a time - it makes losing that first roll less catastrophic.  In this case 7 US tanks destroy 3 Soviet tanks before the Soviets get a chance to fire.  If I had noticed the LOS to the other Soviet tanks it would have been worse for them.

End of turn 2.  Like I said it is deadly once combat is joined.  The soviets take out 2 US tanks while the US Take out 2 move Soviets and damage a third.

Skipping to the end now.  Things broke the US way the next turn when they won initiative again.  At the end of turn 5 all of the Russian tanks are destroyed with the US losing 4.  

Looking forward to more of this game, adding in the advanced rules for tanks along with Infantry (and AT Missiles of course) which will also make spotting more important (in this one everyone spotted everyone once we were in range).