What a Tanker! AAR (Oct 21 or 22)

So, Shawn came over for a game of something but we really had not decided on what we would actually play. We settled on What a  tanker! as Shawn plans to run it at Cangames in 2027. He will be using 28mm Meng type vehicles and cartoony figures which we both agree should be in keeping with the game. What a Tanker is not a simulation, what it is, is a fun romp with sometimes frustrating randomness. Shawn  only brought over his copy of the rules, so we dug out some of my 20mm WWII stuff. It sort of felt like old times, being a youth  again and just playing an unplanned game with what was at hand.

The British had 2 Shermans, 1 Firefly and 1 Cromwell, while the Germans had a Tiger, 2 Panthers and a Stug. We did a poor job of balancing the forces.

Two Panthers advance on a lone Sherman

In the village, the remainder of the British force encounters the Tiger, with the Stug up the road, just out of sight.

The Stug draws a bead on the Cromwell

Meanwhile on the British right flank, the Panthers and the lone Sherman exchange shots

The situation after a couple of turns

Valor & Steel & Flesh game 2 AAR

 

The battlefield

So, our second go at the Valor & Steel & Flesh rules, with some changes from last time. As an example I revamped the vehicle rules adding some hit location rules. 

This time around the British had gotten hold of a defecting scientist and stashed him somewhere in the town. The Irish patriots aided by Rouge Noirs minions want the scientist for their own, of course the minions do not want to share. So the minions had a secret objective, if they got the scientist they could break off their alliance. Each of the heroes had their own unique aspect, one was a coward (but had to hide that fact) another British officer felt he had to prove himself  The junior minion leader believed in promotion by eliminating his superior, while one of the Irish leaders had a martyr syndrome.  

The town, held by the British forces

British reinforcements arrive from the left, the Irish & Minions come in from the small bridge

The Canadians aided by a Scottish unit defend the town & guard the prisoner. They also have a damaged armoured Land Ship,  a machine gun trike & an outdated Nordenfelt MG tractor.

The game started with an automaton assault against defending automatons. It was an even match and since they could no no fear, neither side retreated.

The minions are deployed in force, supported by their own Land Ship & a pair of Irish light armoured vehicles.

The Irish/minion forces were allowed to place barriers, either as road blocks or as cover for their units. They split up barriers fairly evenly. 

British Unilancers (actually Prussians subbing in) get bogged down in the grassy fields

As stated above the Unilancers got bogged down on the field. I have already updated the terrain charts, and reclassified what this terrain is so that it should not be that bad next time. (also rolling 3 dice for movement would have helped, I counted them as cavalry)

Main thrust of the British, 2 light MG Tractors, a land Ship , Hardlove suited troops & a guard unit.

Valour & Steel & Flesh game AAR

 

The table set up & initial deployment

So, the first game of V&S&F in quite some time, part of my quest for the perfect VSF game. We played on a 50" x 100" table with plenty of scenery(unlike some of my Mars games) The big terrain item was the manor house, an item I bought many years ago and had yet to use. Like the farm buildings, it came to me pre-painted and assembled (molded) I do not know the origin of either set of buildings, they were both bought at two seperate conventions. The windmill is from Sarissa, that building I painted.

Now back to the game. This game saw an Anglo/Franco force go up against a Prussian force that had some American steam walkers for support. The forces came in from opposite corners. The poker chips were deployment zones and objectives. The red near the British troops were deployment points those near the Prussians were the objectives. 

The Anglo/Franco left flank & Centre

Anglo/Franco right flank

Prussian main force in the centre

Prussian left flank & centre

General advance in the centre. French steam jump troops (Soldats Vapeur Saute)
 lept into melee on the hill in the centre

Showdown in town, What a Cowboy! game six finale

Tuco's men take position at one end of town

 

While the Earp gang advances from the other end of town

Local pugilists conduct a donnybrook.

A lucky escape for Poole of the Earp gang!

Wyatt in action!

The Drifter observes Tom, a new found ally gun downed by Wyatt

Doc and Ike decide to move along their right flank

Ears still ringing, Poole decides it is better to remain in cover.

The local Undertaker senses an upswing in business!

By the last game the Earp gang was pretty much an unstoppable force. All of them had progressed to Gunslinger status with Doc just on the cusp of becoming a legend. Doc was the most successful character in the campaign.

As for the Tuco gang, well they had their challenges in the campaign. There were moments of brilliance but all too many instances of bad luck. More of their gang members were killed outright than in the Earp gang, This delayed their progress such that only a couple of them made it to the shootist level.

The drifter who was there to add some balance to the gangs appeared in the last two games but did not really factor into results. He was badly wounded in game five and ineffective in game six.

I enjoyed the campaign and I think the players had fun too. There is a lot of randomness in the game, that is for certain, but the randomness in its own way does add a certain charm to the game. This game is not for those who like certainty in how their figures act. Each turn brings a challenge for the player, they may have plans for their figures, but the dice are the ultimate determinator of how those plans will play out.

The penultimate What a Cowboy! game

Game 5 saw the two opposing forces conducting a vendetta against each other. The background was an old mining camp turned small town. Each side selected an opponent to be the target of their rage, and with no other objective they advance upon each other.

Both side took advantage of the terrain

Heavy fire from the Earps drove back their opposition

A Drifter (the man in black) was 'recruited' to fight the Earps and their allies

Tuco and his ally gang up on one of the Earps underlings

May 30th second Midgard Heroic battle game

 

Empire initial deployment

So this was a repeat of the Bloody Beck scenario but with both armies having only 350 points and two players. I had reduced the point total from the earlier game as we only had two players and the games was starting around 5:30-6 pm and we did not want to go too long. That would not be a problem!

Once again Orcs took advantage of the uncontested areas and sent their cavalry charging across the shallow river

Fortunately Empire cavalry had arrived on the table in reserve

In an unexpected move, the Empire sent their hand gunners across the river!

The hand gunners eliminated one skirmish unit, but failed to wound the Orc Army Commander, then the Giant attacked!

May 30th Game day Midgard Heroic battles first of two games

 

Defenders deployment 

So, our recent gameday saw us play two games of Midgard and one game of What a Cowboy! Both Midgard games were the same scenario, The Bloody Beck but with different players and different army values. Game one saw two 450 point armies and four players battle it out while the second game saw two players using two reduced armies of 350 points each.

Orc disposition 

Mad dash across the river!

Midgard AAR May 2nd Game 2

 

The battlelines are drawn

Orc right flank

Orc defenders

Hilltop defenders

Dwarf attackers

Opening moves

Assault on the hill, while Dwarf scouts harass the advancing Orcs