DreadBall

Not taken part in any 'fantasy' sport boardgames since 1st edition Bloodbowl. Since it's the week before the Super Bowl, which seems to based in a fantasy world all of it's own, I decided to give it a try at the club.

I watched on for the first game, looking at the Crib Sheet and trying to work out what was going on.

I then took part in a tryout against Tristan. Being late in the night it was probably never going to get finished.

The games got a lot in common with Bloodbowl, in that they are both games where the competitors are trying to violently eliminate the opposition from the game.

Weather violent sports games will be en-vogue in the future could depend upon how the 'concussion scandal' plays out in the US and whether it spreads to over here to other contact sports like the two Rugby's.
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Great Hex War

The homebrew hex based micro-scale rules, that are currently being bashed around by the historical gamers at the club, now take their turn at representing World War One.

The British Expeditionary force takes on the Germans in some Early War action. Each unit represented an Infantry Battalion or equivalent, with around 16 units in a division\force including cavalry and artillery. The sides consisted of 2 forces each.

The Germans edged the battle through casualties inflicted, but on the field the position was fairly static as the forces got pushed back and forth between defensive positions, with alternating periods of offence and defense.

I'm not sure that the decision to switch certain units, infantry in particular, to a 6 to hit, rather than the formally universal 5+ from the WW2 games, was a good idea. It makes things rather labourious to try damage the enemy sufficiently so that the free 'regroup' replacement per turn does not automatically bring them back to full strength. The fact that the 'regrouped' unit can be placed immediately in the front line and then moved freely makes the casulty taken redundant.

The lack of casualties also make difficult to change the tactical situation on the field, and apply localised pressure on positions. This might be appropriate for the static mid-war actions but not really for the earlier period.

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When doing photographs of Great War based games I tend to tweak them to a Sepia tone to give them a faux period feel; Here is a link to someone who's achieving a similar effect but by a radical different method. Great War Greyscale
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Fast Patrol Boats

A mini campaign based on the naval action of the Arab-Israeli War, with the original Yaquinto Fast Attack Boats rules converted from hex based to 'tabletop'

The tabletop in question being a partition of the floor of the church hall.

From Furness Wargamers at Sea

Colonial Mars. pt 3

Unfortunately I was ill this week, but the campaign carried on to it inevitable end.

With the Americans being in thier own little section of the map, and with their strongest assets being conventional Naval, and so slow and canal bound, there was nothing much they could do to intefer in the main theatre of action anyway.

An Email explains the conclusion as follows...


Rear Admirals,

The struggle for control of the great Coprates valley on Mars is over for the year 1889.

The gallant High Martian enclave surrendered in similar fashion as the Japanese to the advancing might of the British aerial steam navy, ensuring the British achieved overall single nation control of the valley.

The superior tactics of the British commander, backed by highly efficient crews and the awesome aerial steam gunboat squadrons carried the day.

The (apparently) free availability of massive French funding and constant aid (meddling) from Belgian sabotage (including seemingly Belgian controlled sandstorms) both served to ease the British victory.

Commiserations to the losing nations who did the best they could with the increasingly meagre resources available.

Peace descends on Mars again, for the time being...

Thanks to all for a fun mini campaign.

regards,

Paul

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Colonial Mars, pt 2

The campaign on Mars continues...

Tony is missing and the French commander Jim is replaced by Dave S.

From Furness Wargamers from Mars

Colonial Mars, pt 1

A campaign run by Paul, and based upon Space 1889 universe, and the Corprates Valley as shown in Conklin's Atlas of the Worlds. The British (Matt), Americans (Tel), French (Jim), Germans (Tony) and Japanese (Dave M) all decide they want a slice of Belgium's (Mark) contested Martian (Paul) domain.

Having the original RPG for the setting, along with Conklin's, I was at least prepared for the idea of aerial warships fighting on Mars.

From Furness Wargamers from Mars

Night Train to Cairo

A mini-campaign using modified Horde of the Rings rules.

Based on the Anglo-Egyptian War, the British launch a campaign to seize Cairo from the Egyptians.

Two separate British forces attempt to march across Northern Egypt, opposed by tow groups of Egyptians.

From Furness Wargamers in the Colonies

The first two simultaneous battles both went the way of the British, but not by much.
The British were then quick to build some Armoured Trains to double their movement on the Campaign map. Movement became cagey between both sides, as the Egyptians attempted to keep both route to Cairo protected, with the British having to resort to brute strength to try and force the passage.

A loss by the British actually helped them in the campaign as the Egyptians advanced too far opening up a route to the Capital for the other British force.


It all came down to a final battle on the outskirts of Cairo, with all forces converging there.

The British scrape a victory in the end, mainly due to the Machine Guns, both on the ground and on the Armoured Trains
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