Back up to full strength this week and three cracking games enjoyed by the Friends in attendance.
28mm ACW – Encounter Battle – Black Powder with Glory Hallelujah! by Warlord Games
As both the Federals and Rebs fought for control of the boarder lands between Kansas and Missouri, the commanders of both armies had identified a key strategic road junction. Hoping to steel a march and take the cross roads first, both armies set off before first light. Marching alone the road in the pre dawn mist the young soldiers of both armies were keen to get to grips with the enemy. Waiting for the cavalry scouts to report contact, the troops could only be ordered along the road in column . At the end of each turn spotting distance was determined by 3D6 and only a March order was allowed if outside this distance. The scouting cavalry could be ordered forward and any subsequent orders having their movement direction determined by a scatter dice.
First contact was made by the brave cavalry troop in blue, but the young troopers failed the order roll to inform their infantry of the Confederates on the road. This gave Johnny Reb the advantage and with a successful order their front brigade deployed and charged. Taking supports with them, and the advantage of Rebel Yell, everything was looking good until the dice gods played their part and the two front Reb regiments lost their combats, one of them having to pull back.
With their ganders up, the Federals tried to press their advantage, moving their Artillery up and a 2nd brigade forward. This brigade moved forward but had failed to deploy into line from column. The artillery fared no better moving forward but they remained deployed. The union army was in a mess, largely in column and in sight of the Rebs.
The Rebs charged again including a long charge by their cavalry against the limbered Federal guns. The Federal guns were destroyed the Rebel cavalry swept forward into the flank of a Federal infantry regiment. This was the beginning of the end for Billy Yank and it was only a matter of time before John Reb took the day.
28mm Napoleonic – Somewhere in the Peninsula – Valour & Fortitude v3.1 by Jervis Johnson
Following on from last club’s scenario, while the rules were still fresh in our minds (!), this engagement saw the British force continue their pursuit of the French. The French had been reinforced and turned to hopefully give Les rosbifs a bloody nose. A close engagement with both sides’ infantry taking the lead in attack. After a run of lucky dice for the French, and some appalling luck for the British, Napoleon’s boys brought home the bacon!
28mm Fantasy – Ogres v. Savage Orcs – Kings of War by Mantic Games
The battle was fought over the ruins of an ancient city. For the savage orcs it was their first time out but they were confident of success especially as they had a secret weapon in the form of the ‘fight wagons’ drawn by tamed trolls.
Initially the two sides move forward cautiously, each trying to get the measure of the other, however early shooting from the ogres stunned a troll unit. In the centre an elite ogre units stormed forward felling everything in their path. The orcs struggled to hold them.
On the flanks, where the orcs had concentrated their boar riders, the conflict was more evenly matched. Flanking manoeuvre by the orcs through some woods destabilised the ogre left flank as the orc ‘fight wagons’ stormed forward and wiped out a unit of red goblins who were fighting for the ogres.
On the other flank the orc cavalry launched a charge against the ogres, but the ogres stopped them dead. In the centre the mutual destruction continued, until both sides had passed their break point. The orcs had lost by a higher margin so the game was declared an ogre victory.
