‘Battlecry’ – Meeting Engagement

Tags

Battle Cry, Command & Colours, Military History, Scenario, Solo Wargaming, Wargame, Wargaming

Regular readers will know about my fondness for the Commands & Colors series of games by Richard Borg. This fantastic range of games is often referred to as  ‘light’ wargame due to the simple, easy to learn rules and lack of tables or charts, but I think that does it a disservice.

One of the strengths of this game is that it simulates the problems inherent in commanding armies in an elegant way. The command card deck limits the maneuverability of your forces and covers the plethora of problems that can cause orders to be lost or misinterpreted, etc, without complex rules.

It also allows me to spend my time concentrating on my tactics rather than looking up rules, thus allowing me to stay engaged with both the game and my opponent.

Several years ago I made a hex board on which to play Battlecry with my 10mm miniatures and the other day I setup the for board for a solo battle.

Rather than playing one of the many historical scenarios from the rulebook, I setup a ‘meeting engagement’ with random forces. Each army was lined-up in march columns at the side of the table and units could be brought on to the battlefield by playing a Section card and ordering units to march on from off table.

The board setup with march columns top right and at the bottom right the solo playing aid.

Early on, Confederate artillery routes a Union cavalry brigade whilst infantry in the wood engage yet more Union cavalry…

The Confederate’s early success is finally stymied as Union reserves make it onto the field…

The Union counter attack gains momentum as one Confederate cavalry brigade is destroyed and the other repulsed…

The Union cavalry presses the attack and destroys the Confederate artillery whilst deadly musketry from the infantry puts paid to the Confederate cavalry…

The march columns show that the bulk of the Confederate army is still marching to the sound of the guns…

Confederate infantry build hasty fieldworks…

Union artillery is rushed forward…

And opens up a bombardment on the Confederate positions…

The Confederate counter attack begins with a cavalry charge from the right flank…

The Confederates have committed more brigades to the fight…

With a solid defensive position secured and fresh units coming forward, the Confederates are victorious.

All in all this was a very entertaining game which swung back and forth. It was an interesting challenge to balance taking the offensive with the units you have on the battlefield and bringing on reserve units, which take time to get into the action.

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Ardera IV – Campaign #3

Tags

campaign, Scenario, Solo Wargaming, Wargame, Wargaming, warhammer 40k

The struggle for Ardera IV raged on through what was known as the cold year, which is caused by the rather strange, elliptical path by which the planet orbits the main sun-star Artemis.

An entire single orbit of the Artemis sun-star takes 2 terran-standard years, one of which takes Ardera IV three million miles away, dropping the planet’s atmosphere to freezing temperatures.

However, the sub-zero temperature did nothing to quell the bellicose nature of the orks and fighting continued at a relentless pace.

Campaign move

I decided to create another level of attack to allow me to use more titans and superheavy vehicles. By using 625 tons of supplies an army can conduct an All-out assault, using 2500 points to build their army. In the first battle I allowed 2000 points for the defenders, but I may have to think about that.

The Orks conduct an all-out assault from their bridgehead at the Malcador river.

Scenario – Battle at Highway 45521 South-East

The Imperial defenders and their defence-works were deployed first. Dug-in, along the fortified highway, they covered a dense network of minefields and razor wire, creating deadly kill boxes.

The ork horde deploys to assault the Imperial positions..

On The ork left flank Warboss Eisengore orders forward his heavy armour..

On the right flank greenskin infantry, along with Wierd-Boy towers, face-off against the warhound titan, Pack-Hunter ‘Leo’…

In the centre the ork gargant, ‘Owd Yella’, takes heavy fire from Pack-Hunter ‘Kessler’ and Shadowsword ‘Damocles’.

An ungodly armour battle ensues over the open steppe and ‘Owd Yella’ is laid defenceless with power shields down and all weapon systems destroyed, burning but still unbowed.

Campaign Move

With the Ork’s all-out assault failing with much slaughter, including the near destruction of the scrap titan Owd Yella, the Imperium hit back with a major attack at a vital crossroads.

Battle at the crossroads

The Iron Eagles space marines assaulted the ork positions from the south-east. Ork defences were light, with the dug-in infantry stretched over a wide front. The adeptus astartes conducted a precision strike on the right flank of the ork forces.

Iron Eagles muster ready to attack…

Tactical, assault and devastator marines press forward with heavy support from terminators of 1st Company…

Devastator squad captures the bunker and holds it against greenskin infantry and heavy armour…

On the space marine’s right flank, the assault smashes through the thin green line as heavy artillery attempts to destroy a satellite array…

As hell rages on all around, a command squad of Iron Eagles battle with the ork warboss…

The ork defences were no match for the ferocity of the space marine onslaught and the line was rolled up with contemptuous ease. When the ork warboss was slain by the Iron Eagle commanders, the greenskin’s will to fight was sundered and the marines ran down the scattered survivors.

With an astounding victory at the crossroads, the forces of the Imperium managed to push the orks back to the natural choke-point between two major rivers. A brilliant strategic victory.

Battle over the Malcador river

Tags

40k, 6mm wargaming, board games, campaign, Campaigning, Command & Colours, Games Workshop, miniatures, Orcs, orks, Scenario, Sci-Fi, Solo Wargaming, space marines, Warhammer, warhammer 40k

Following on from my last post, here is a quick update on my memoir 40k narrative campaign. As an ork force tied up the space marines reserves at the Ormffidian river forks, they struck out to secure the bridges over the Malcador river.

Ork and space marines face off across the Malcador river.

In this scenario, I decided to play using the more traditional victory conditions from the C&C games, in this case the winner would be the first side to reach 6 victory points.

Permanent victory points are gained by destroying enemy units and temporary victory points are gained by having a unit in a bridge hex.

A near run thing

I took command of the ork army this time round and used a solo playing aid (as mentioned in the last post) to generate the space marine orders.

It was a very close battle, with the bridges becoming focal points for the fiercest fighting and changing hands several times. Finally the might of the Adeptus Astartes won through, securing two bridges and destroying five ork units (including the warboss)

On the right flank tactical marines secure the bridge as terminators and heavy support, provided by Vindicators and Land Raiders, take up position to cover them.

In the centre of the line, Predator tanks sweep the bridge clear and repel all counter attacks. The third bridge is well within the green skin’s grasp.

Packing away Christmas & Going on Campaign

Tags

40k, campaign, Command & Colours, Games Workshop, miniatures, Orcs, orks, Scenario, Sci-Fi, Solo Wargaming, space marines, Wargame, Wargaming, Warhammer, warhammer 40k

Over the Christmas holiday I have been playing plenty of games of Memoir 40k, attempting to tighten-up the rules and stat-lines.

I now have a very workable set of 60 command cards which is composed mainly of Memoir ’44 cards, along with leader cards from C&C Ancients and “hit & run” cards from Battlecry. This creates the right combination of modern combat elements with a sprinkling of heroic sci-fi.

Battle for the Ormiffiad River Forks

Closing stages of the Battle of the Ormiffiad River Forks

Following the success of the space marines during the Battle for Macharius Bridge, the orks attempted a probing attack at the Ormiffiad River Forks. A small Iron Eagles task force rushed to plug the gap with orders to hold till the last man and last bullet.

The battle ended in a stalemate, the space marine force took heavy casualties but managed to hold the line. Meanwhile the orks were merely conducting a diversionary attack whilst, in the north, their main body struck out for the bridges over the Malcador river….

Ork and space marines face off across the Malcador river.

Bridging the Gap

As well as all this excitement, I have been packing away the Christmas decorations and I took the time while I was in the attic to sort through the general detritus that had been left by the previous owners. While I was up there I found this…

I have no interest in playing this game but it will solve one particular problem I have been experiencing with my campaign until now, that of a distinct lack of bridges.

Problem solved…

Scenes from the Corner of My Room

Tags

1/600 tanks, Canada at war, Crossfire, Crossfire WWII, Military History, Scenario, Solo Wargaming, Wargame, Wargaming, WWII

I don’t have a dedicated ‘games room’ and so instead must adapt with the space I do have to use here at Chez Tinpot. I can set up a 4′ x 4′  table in my front room but it has to be taken apart and stored after use. This will most likely be the mainstay for most gamers and is generally considered the norm.

However, I sometimes want to lay out a battlefield and conduct a solo war game, which may take several days to conclude and I really need space for this. The most suitable spot is in the corner of my bedroom and so from there comes this scene of ‘little Italy’ 1943…

Vanguard elements of the 14th Canadian Armoured Regiment
observe the scene ahead from a low ridge.

They’ve found a section the river which is fordable to their
tanks and support vehicles

However ‘Jerry’ artillery rains down, forcing them to withdraw
until the infantry catches up to support their attack.

Going Solo

Solo war gaming is a rather niche element within an already niche hobby and it seems a rather odd idea on the face of it. Most war games are conducted between at least two opponents who will plan their strategies and conduct faints and decoys to throw each other off their real intent. How can this be replicated by oneself?

I have seen some rules which create an opponent which conducts actions by the rolling of a dice and consulting the relevant tables. I’m sure there are many more ideas besides, but I have a system of my own devising.

The biggest problem with solo gaming is the idea that both Generals are the same person who would, naturally, know how to counter the enemies next move and thus ensues a stalemate situation. What if, however, we as the war gamer consider the general plan as somewhat out of our control?

Instead of playing the role of General I play the chain of command that will have to receive orders in the field, the Junior Officers and NCOs who truly conduct the battle on the ground.

For this ‘Orders from Above’ game I will generally use cards or counters with generic orders, sometimes rolling for the number of orders allowed, thus creating a certain amount of randomness whilst also allowing me to use my initiative to best serve the battle plan which is quite simply the objectives and parameters of the scenarios themselves. Having a bad hand of orders can force you to work outside your own plans and beliefs as to what would be the best plan going forward, which is, I am sure, the story many officers and NCOs had to face in real life.

I find it interesting to watch the battle with less of a vested interest in whether one side or the other wins and simply enjoy the process with time to think on the progression of the engagement as a whole, researching historical accounts as I go and it provides a great problem-solving game!

Not So Solo No More

This newly set up board is for a game with a difference. This game will be in part a ‘solo’ war game as I will conduct the battle myself as time allows, but there will also be a ‘Blind’ player who will play the role of the battalion commander planning his attack on a defended position by way of maps and best intelligence available to him at the time.

I will play the supporting command structure to set his plan into motion and collate the information of events as they unfold. I have already set up the defensive positions and will conduct reactions from the Germans during the battle, using a handful of solo ‘house-rules’ and a copy of Crossfire WWII.

I have done this once before with a friend. It was interesting to see him create plans and orders with much more hesitance than if he had been at the game board himself enjoying the luxury of perfect information of the battle (he normally believes almost wholly in the ethos of Tora! Tora! Tora!). This time round The Old Guardsman has agreed to have a go and will be taking on the role of the Canadian Commander so I’d better get off and collate the Intel for the boss!