'Where the Iron Crosses Grow...' - gaming with Sgt. Steiner

Now the history to this one is pretty straightforward. Realising that the venerable Sgt. Steiner lived within 30 minutes of my house, a game was in the offing...and who could pass up the chance of playing something new.

Piquet Field of Battle has all the traits of more modern appreciations of the difficulties of managing troops on the eighteenth century battlefield, where those damned subalterns don't always do as they're bloody well told. Being card driven however, there is a real tension in the air too, where luck plays a part, but what you do with that luck is what counts. Brent Oman's famous take on these aspects with the Piquet rules are a real joy to behold (and Sgt. Steiner's excellent grasp of the concepts meant that the game rolled along with real ease).

There's also a WWII version which I've now got. That Bastogne campaign that I've always wanted to do could be on!

I really like these rules. Main highlights were:

• A nice 'pre-game' where deployment, reconnaissance and relative strength can be determined. The 'prologue' to the battle if you like.
• Limited maneuverability, where you watch troops move forward, but find them unable to perform any more complex maneuvers (as you gnash your teeth in consternation). If only Potokovski had listened to my damned order!!!
• Nailbiting melees, which because of the dice spread, have outlying results which can make your position fold with very little provocation from the enemy, if your troops are having a 'bad day'. We had a few of these 'less than average' rolls, but it works.
• If everything goes to plan, you can perhaps make the battle follow your aims, but you encounter the same issues as in Maurice, where management of crisis points becomes your focus, and being card driven, you have to make your card match what you need to do as closely as possible.

You get a real sense for wanting to ride over to the brigade commander who ain't doing what he's told, grabbing him by the lapels, and giving him a damned good shake!

 The battle was Seven Years War...a little Russian vs Prussian clash...

The Russian right, where I'm sure these two cavalry brigades will just sit and watch each other ...uhhh, perhaps not.

The Russian drive in the centre. Everything seemed to go right for them here.

Clearly, the Russian brigade commander on the left flank was convinced of the wisdom of staying in column...*sigh*

Early Prussian moves in the centre...

 ...as the situation develops on the left flank. The Russian left became a real meatgrinder, with cavalry charge and countercharge. (I don't think I have any fingernails left!)

 Though the centre stays reasonably manageable.

Nope...the right flank disintegrates into mayhem too. He who controls the flanks, controls the battle. There was carnage on the right.

Some real tension in the centre and left too in the latter stages. 

Some shots of the table at game end. Just look at the scope and number of units here, and that excellent terrain, and all completed within 2-3 hours. 

I've also been convinced of the wisdom of 15mm scale with those excellent figures and painting.

And finally, thanks to Milord Steiner, for hospitality and great gaming. Next time, he's coming chez Le Duc.

'Hex' and Violence

We have looked at GDW's excellent 'Team Yankee' and the First Battle system before, but Steve's recent replay over at Sound Officers' Call (between bouts of Muskets & Mayhem) gave us the urge try some hex&chit boardgames again.

There are several rules mechanisms in typical boardgames which really lend themselves to miniatures and the table; no accident of course, since one feeds the other, both historically and in the minds of the designers of these classics.

The obligatory 'damaged' box that appears to be the staple of all 2nd hand copies of 'Team Yankee'

Hold the town, Soviet hordes and M1s to the rescue. It's got all the tropes.

 Oops. Wrecks are mounting up. We need M1A1s. Damn that 105 !!!

 'Troops in the Open!". It's all over for the Soviet side.

That said, Team Yankee has the added advantages of :

• An excellent turn sequence incorporating unique (for the time) fire and movement, that allows use of units to fulfill missions without being really tied to a rigid turn sequence as we see in some other games.
• A nice scale of one counter=one tank/squad

We replayed scenario one from the game, with a predictable US win - but we need to look at this gem some more (and the First Battle Desert series that I have tucked away somewhere).

***

 
We then proceeded to set up and play 'Red Tide West' (well, the first turn or so), from a recent Modern War magazine. Still owned by the Strategy and Tactics people/company, these mags are great - with game rules, game, commentary and excellent articles in each issue. We even discussed a potential game/project that we'll talk to the publisher about on this one.

The game itself is very large and time intensive, and we quickly realised that it was a game for a free weekend, rather than a few hours - its focus being that West Germany would be the 'centre of gravity' for the entire hypothetical war. That said, it does bring in almost every conceivable point of interest that I'd ever wanted to see in a WWIII game, including:

• Initial force dipositions (for when we do a campaign)
• Effect of nuclear release on overall victory condition (i.e. how quickly armageddon comes and ends the game)
• Good (and complex) approximation of airpower and its use
• Excellent terrain breakdown for the north German plain, for use in campaign and mini-campaign games.

A wonderful (if epic) game. (I won't say we'll go back to this in case we never get time to. But we really should...)

 The setup with a large chunk of Northern Europe. Ouch!

 These force dispositions are sparks for many..many...mini campaigns.

Closer analysis of the zone and the British sector say, really give us the context and organisation for a mini game. very useful.

Game 28 - Muskets & Mayhem 'part deux'

A second foray into the new M&M rules that we're playtesting, developed over at 'Sound Officers' Call'. This time, we delve into a little American Civil War clash.

With a Rebel Yell...


The Union troops got the mainstay of the artillery (which really made a difference), while the Confederates had the edge on veteran troops. A very basic scenario, where Billy Yank had to defend a vital road as Jonny Reb tried to take it.

Battle report first, then the conclusions. The system still works very well, and I think we have a real gem here...

Reb and Union forces were pretty much equal, though with Union artillery being more numerous and the Confederates having the edge on Veteran units.

Initial Union moves were designed to take the initiative and limited defensive positions around the battlefield. A real risk, as the road was left defended by a small reserve force.

The centre would quickly become a focus for early action...

...while the lack of cavalry action on the Reb right would make it a stalemate (and stalling tactic for two Union units) throughout the game.

The centre became the focus...

 ...with some very good shooting from the Union troops,

 (In the words of Billy Idol...)

while woodland action on the right flank would prove less than pivotal.

Confederate charges begin to go in - proving VERY costly.

The flanks remain static as the actions in the centre determine the course of the remainder of the battle.

Confident Union troops attack in the centre, but the Rebs aren't quite defeated yet, and counterattack successfully. The road is begging to be taken, but Jonny Reb just can't break through.

The Confederate cavalry tie up their Union counterparts, an infantry regiment and some precious artillery on the Reb left flank.

In the end, we called it a stalemate. A few more turns might have decided the issue, but matters were very close to call.

A Great game with some thrilling points during the battle, and real battlefield resource management problems.

Some queries/additions for the rules:

• Attacking (charging) uphill or downhill (-1/+1 to dice to hit).

• In woods – we adjudicated that defenders should receive +1 to saving throw during fire and/or melee.

• There must be a chance for officers to be killed in combat, if involved in melee and/or attached to units – though we managed to miss this during play (say 1 in 6 after melee). We opted to allow attached officers to remove one hit - without any other officer rules - though these could have been added (radius/re-rolls etc.).

• Firing inside wooded areas (if both inside), range reduced to 3”. Units should be within 3" of wood edge in order to see/fire at enemy.

• Flank charges – double dice for attacker (this should include cavalry, which should not receive bonus for charging head on). A morale check is still required prior to charge - even when flank is open.

• All fire is simultaneous and casualties recorded during each phase before being removed (our understanding from the written rule anyway) - though course of play still goes in strict artillery (casualties removed), non-movers (casualties removed), movers (casualties removed) order.

A great game, and more to follow.