Fall-In 2017

Some Pics from Fall-In 2017.  My son and I went there on Friday since he had to work early on Saturday.  He got in a game of Fireball Forward while I browsed, took picture, and picked up a couple of items at the dealer hall.

First up, the line was really short for registration, perhaps since it was only Friday or perhaps the Internet was working properly.  I had a will call badge and as expected it went quickly - since my son was not sure till the last minute he could go he had to go through the registration line BUT there was nobody else in front of him.  So that was a very nice surprise.

The entrance to the Host, thought it looked nice with the tree changing colors.  Temperature was low seventies.

Another shot of the host with the sun coming up, also shows some of the construction.

This is heading back to the dealer hall.

The old way to get to the dealer hall - instead we had to walk around the left and way out to the back...

Hey!  Some games.  This is from the HAWKS room - good job once again from the HAWKS.

Another shot of the HAWKS room.

I always love seeing this board, excellent stuff.

Another game in the HAWKS room.

Time to meander over to the Distelfink (?).

I think this one is at each convention as well - also excellent!

Don't remember what this one was, nice work though!

LOOK at those lovely new tables!  Sturdy and all the same height.

Can't remember where this was.

Another can't remember, nice work however.

The area across from the entrance.

Lovely setup.

Main floor, another table.

This was off to the right from the main entrance - I don't remember going back here before, lovely desert battle.

More of that Desert table. (actually had to look up desert to make sure it was not dessert)

A fantasy sky galleons game.  Fantasy is not my thing but this is GREAT work so I had to take lots of pics.

I think these are all scratch built (let me know if I am wrong) but either way it looks like great fun.

More Sky Galleons.

And more... 

One last one.

I am a Lardy and they had a couple tables setup at the foot of the Wally's basement and tournament area.  

More Lard - Chain of Command table here.

Flames of War, not my game but the model work here is excellent.

More Flames of War Team Yankee - may get me back into 15mm from 6mm.  Space is at a premium at home however.

Yet more Team Yankee models.

Back to the LARD!  

Picture of a trench from the Lard table - planning on using this for an online top down game someday.

In case you haven't guessed this is the TFL sign...

The IABSM (I Ain't Been Shot Mum) table for the TFL area.

The long walk to the Dealer Hall.

More of the long walk - exercise!  It burns!  (The walk back UP the slope was the killer)

The walk was well worth it, the Dealer Hall area is not complete yet but when it is it should be VERY nice.  Natural light, I think that is bad for gamers...

3mm Picoarmor.  The detail is stunning on these.  I'm sticking to 6mm for now but this range is really growing in terms of what is available and I could see them as platoon stands for FFoT, Modern Spearhead, or Command Decision.

All that I purchased at Fall In.  Had the urge to buy much more bet kept it to just these for now.  Historicon will most likely be a different story.

ASL scenario Berlin Red Vengeance 001: Tactical Doctrine

Played this one on Oct 28 2017.

The Germans have to take 4 building locations and have twice the CVP as the russians.

Situation at the start - the water at the bottom is able to be moved through by infantry but very slowly.  The two buildings the Russians are in are where the LVP (Location Victory Points) are gained.

End of Game after 4 turns, the German positions and the Losses tell the story.  I should have fallen back more quickly perhaps but could not let the Germans take the building since that is the 4LVP they need.  

Stonewall Jackson's Way 2.

Final FTF game with Lawrence (sniff...) on October 20th.  Hopefully we can get in a couple more FTF games in the future but the monthly FTF game is done, and no more taking time off for a two or three day game o palooza...

Since we only had one day and since the Stonewall Jackson's Way series (GCACW) is a favorite of both of us I setup a scenario from SJW2.  Once again Jackson is riding round the US forces to burn railroads.

The Map at game start.  CSA forces (bottom right, top right) can move on turn 1.  USA forces can't move till turn 2 and one group not till turn 3.  Each turn is a day.

End of first day.

Jackson's troops have moved around to burn the RR stations (red circles).  The pink ones are worth points for each CSA division in or adjacent.  The Orange ones are worh points if damaged.  The CSA cavalry setup a screen in front of the USA forces to slow them down.

End of Second day.

The CSA destroyed the 3 RR statsions and now must move to the Defensive position.  I can't make an initiative dr to save my life (literally) and the USA forces get the jump on Jackson and AP Hill gets stuck outside of the Defensive Zone with USA forces in the way.

End of the game.  I just had to make ONE initiative roll (where the CSA had a bonus) but failed about 4 in a row allowing the USA to attack Jackson and push him back and to attack AP Hill and wear him down so he could not move due to fatigue.  I was going to call it a game right there but kept going.  Failed a couple more Initiative rolls but the USA could not win a battle to save their lives (and win the game).  AP Hill was kicked from near the VP spaces all the way back to where he is now.  The second time he was attacked (near top of map where the star is) he managed to sneak out without extra losses and the USA needed to inflict those to get a win.  Since that plan did not work out the USA attacked Jackson, if he had not been encircled it would almost certainly have been a disaster.  First attack did no good, the USA had ONE last unit left that could attack and the rolls end up with a retreat!  Jackson is forced to move away from the VP hexes and the game is won on the last roll of the dice. 

A nail biter of a game for our last regular FTF match, and I graciously let Lawrence win (and I have a bridge to sell you for a dollar...).  The maps for this game series are works of art, the counters less so.  They look great when just looking at them but trying to play a game with them is a pain in the butt.  The color scheme makes it hard to determine needed information - MMP says they are going back to a style more like the older games in the series and that is good news.

Once Lawrence is setup after his move I'm hoping to play this game series via vassal, and perhaps try one of the campaign games.  I've not played Battle Among the Clouds yet and am looking forward to trying it out.

SJCW game day (South Jersey Confederation of Wargamers)

Some pics from the South Jersey Confederation of Wargamers club meeting on October 14.

Battlegroup Barbarossa setup.  Germans attacking Russians early war.  I watched this one and read the rules while my son played with the group.  Looks like a decent set of rules but at $50 or so per book and at least 4 books to play WW2 I'm a little leery of picking it up.

Another group was playing Beyond the Gates of Antares.  I took a few pics but not my game...

Back to WW2.  

End of game - the Russians took a pounding, with a LOT of bad luck mixed with some bad tactical decisions (remember, I was just a bystander for this one so not sour grapes on my part).

ASL Annual Scenario 69: Broich Bash

Played ASL Annual scenario 69 Broich Bash back in September - actually played a scenario by this name the month before but did not notice the errata for it stating North, South, East, and West being messed up - made for a short game that way...

This is a quick report with just the highlights, or lowlights...

The setup.  The US forces could enter from the Top or left or right on the top map.  Perhaps also possible on the lower map left and right edges.  Don't remember.  To win the US has to control 3 of the five stone buildings in the area outlined in red.

End of first US turn (they go second in this one even though they are the attacker).  The M5s have great smoke making ability and I put it to use for once.  I would be the recipient of good luck in the first couple of turns and also did not give the Jerries anything but three hex range Faust shots at moving tanks whenever possible - or 2 hexes if the target is smoked in and firing through brush to boot...

And the end game.  I had one last building left to take occupied by a broken leader in one location (left side beneath tank) and a squad and leader in another (under the ? counter).  I SHOULD have used the tank to lock the defenders in place but shot with it instead...

It was a fun scenario however and went down to the very last DR - though with a very low chance of success in that DR.