Huns versus Illyrians - The Semi Final

The Club's Basic Impetus League competition is coming to a close.  I faced Simon's Illyrians (lots of men with javelins) with my Huns (men on horses with bows).

Things started out very badly for the Illyrians.

Not only out scouted (no surprises there)

but no terrain to speak of.

Just one patch of boggy ground where the Huns must have corralled their horses overnight.

Both sides advance, refusing their right wings.

The Hun skirmishers get pinned (they have the same base colour as their opponents unfortunately,

but one Hunnic cavalry unit makes a charge down the Illyrian centre,

giving time for the rest of the Huns to get into position.

That charge went onto to heroic glory,

allowing the main body of the Huns to start to close in on the Illyrian right flank

 which has become separated and seriously exposed.

The Illyrian commander's unit is almost wiped out...

And with its demise, victory to the Huns

and on to the final.

Will it be against Dave's Egyptians

or Phil's 100 Year War English?

Homer's Iliad

Not sure whose other Iliad it might be, but this was a retelling by Vitezslav Kocourek, translated by Vladimir Varecha and beautifully illustrated by Jiri Behounek.  From around 1993/4 and I reckon I have had it since then as well.  Finally read (and enjoyed).

I've had an interest in Greek mythology for a long time, probably inspired by movies such as Jason and the Argonauts and the cartoon series Hercules.  I note both of these date from 1963 and would have been running in Australia probably into the early 70s.  My first ancient army was WRG's Later Hoplite Greek based on the Tin Soldier Hellenistic range, an army I am still using and still adding to.

Renewed interest in Greek mythology was spurred by watching Kaos on Netflix, which got me to read Gods, Heroes and Men of Ancient Greece by W. H. D. Rouse, followed most recently by watching The Return (a movie based on Odysseus and the Suitors).  By happenstance I came across my copy of The Odyssey as well as this book on the Iliad.  Rather than start at the end, I thought I should start at the beginning.

Now, and more relevant to this blog, I have the boardgame Troy by Donald A Dupont published in 1977. It has five scenarios in ascending complexity.   The first two have been played a few times long ago and I am hoping to revisit the game soon.

More information can be found here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy (game)

The Flight of the Terrier

Time to set sail again in Renaissance galleys using the Skull and Crown rules at the club's Saturday games day (which provides time for bigger games).

The terrier stands out with its distinctive blue sail.

The engagement started well for the combined Papal and Venetian fleets,

aided by some Spanish and Maltese ships including the English Terrier.

But the Venetians had trouble reloading and the Turks were upon them before they knew it!

The Terrier makes a getaway

Seljuk Turks versus Later Crusaders

This time I went Seljuk Turks and Mark B started with the Crusaders.

Not surprised at being out scouted, the Crusaders hide behind some boggy ground.

The dark green patch on the top right-hand corner is the impassable edge of the table.

It becomes important later.

The Turks surge forward and the Crusaders start to redeploy

their crossbowmen becoming disordered in the bog.

The shooting starts.

It is going to require luck and patience to get results.

The Crusaders' Syrian archers are run down,

but their crossbowmen have control of the bog.

The shooting is yet to take effect,

but more Crusaders are entering the bog.

Finally Turkish missile fire gets some results.

At this stage the Crusader commander flees the field.

Simon de Not Monfort takes over.

Counters are replaced showing the damage that has occurred to the Crusaders.

The Crusaders start to advance.

The knights rundown one unit of Turkish light cavalry that failed to evade.

The Crusader attempts to seize the initiative.

The reroll was another tie,

but on the third attempt they made it.

The knights charge again, but while they won, they didn't manage to eliminate the Turkish cavalry.

More knights come up while the other Crusaders are variously pinned or locked in combat.

The pinning, inconclusive combats and evading continues,

however it is backs to the edge of the table time for the Seljuks.

The knights are getting worn down and two units of Crusader sergeants have been routed.

Time to call it a night.

Weimar

A first play is always a learning exercise, but this game based on the politics of the Weimar republic played well and gave a good feel for the political challenges of that period in history.

It's a four player game.  Richard was Zentrum (centre right), Peter DNVP (right), Russell KPD (left) and I was the SPD (centre left).  The two centre parties start as the Government  alliance.

Each player has a stylised counter, distinguished by colour and hats.

My guys wore bowlers or perhaps more correctly, Homberg's.

Not a great image, but the debating track (top left), social issues (top right),

 zones of influence (cities) and the seats in parliament can all be seen,

along with the unique player cards for Zentrum and SPD.

After three turns (about halfway through, although there are numerous sudden death and automatic victory conditions that can occur) we called an end as our time was running out.  At that stage I had 28 VPs, Zentrum 23 and the "fringe" parties 15 each.  We had just gone through an election and change of Chancellor and so had worked through most if not all of the game's mechanics.

Turning Point Stalingrad - Concluded

Took another two sessions to complete, but I feel our game was just a learning exercise as we made some serious errors around rubble and groups taking casualties.  Still a very challenging game and I am looking forward to playing it again.

Unfortunately the disruption markers make it hard to see who is who.

The disruption system (which occurs as a result of combat or just from moving)

is a good and the associated counter works well once you adjust to it.

However it does spoil the visual effect of what otherwise is a very attractive map.

Soviet reinforcements keep arriving, but they are best just building up their strength.

The day and night impulses are also effective in portraying the fighting.

But as this game went, the Axis did not have enough VPs to take the game into the next stage.

Burgundian Ordonnance versus 100 Years War English

Dave wanted some medieval practice and I was happy to get the Burgundians out.

The Burgundians, having out scouted the English, find them deployed on a hill.

Both sides advance.

The Burgundians start to bombard.

The English decide to continue their advance.

The Burgunidans are happy to keep shooting.

The Burgundians come off the worse for the hand to hand,

but they hold.

The Burgundian knights ride down the English foot

and things start to look bad for the English.

A desperate charge by the English knights fails to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Another unit of French Infantry given life

I found these figures too cute to let languish on lead mountain (where I fear they had been for many decades). Obtained gratis from Carlo.  Thanks! They have painted up a treat. Not sure of the manufacturer though...

Looks better with the tuft.

Later Crusaders versus Seljuk Turks Again

Still on a Crusade, Mark B took the Seljuks this time in what was to prove a very exciting game. Played at home this time though and using a different camera angle.

Out scouted and on a very bare field of battle.

There was a patch of difficult ground on the Crusader's right flank,

but it didn't feature in the game and has been trimmed out of the images.

The Crusaders advance while the Seljuks send the Turcoman light cavalry

to sweep round the Crusader's left flank.

And sweep they did, but not without suffering some casualties.

The Ghulums have held back, 

but the Syrian cavalry is heading for the exposed flank.

In one of many "I just need to throw a six" moments,

the Crusaders hit the Syrian cavalry.  

It was a stick which was good for the Crusaders 

as it meant they were safe from Seljuk bow fire. 

In the centre the Crusader advance is proving irresistible.

The Ghulums are now in the fight.

The Turcoman are lining up for some potentially game winning charges

right into the rear of the Crusaders!

One unit of sergeants has been routed,

and the Ghulums are getting the better of the knights.

At least the threat to the rear has been partially countered.

Another unit of sergeants lost.

Both sides are approaching their break points.

However a fresh unit of knights faces off the remaining Turcoman cavalry.

Only Seljuk cavalry remain, all badly degraded.

One is locked in combat with knights and sergeants

and that will decide the battle.

After what must have been at least eight rounds of combat,

the knights finally prevail.