Command Zone VIRTUAL wrap up

The plan was to do some connection with both local, regional and international tabletop historical game players and the interested community.

That plan came out in spades!

freeze frame from a hold screen on the third day of games

I managed to get in three tabletop games in as many days and also connect with game players in a fun and entertaining way.

started with Victory Without Quarter on Friday night:

Table during deck 4

same view showing more of the 'tech' to keep the data flowing

troops view at the end, Alpia was defeated by the Knights and horse of Vile Stagonia driving them back

the little town became a zone where the two forces swirled

the sky cloth got a full workout this weekend, as did the streams in my terrain set

Alpian General Nate was a good sport about the way the cards fell ...

Saturday was to be the Main Event with a slate of players and viewers from as far away as the UK

The game was a historical battle, Ripple Field, with the Black Powder rules set used Pike & Shotte

table at game start, with the Royalists under Prince Maurice along the north side (where the sky cloth is) and Parliament deployed in some depth behind the small hill in the center of the field

We had Rob doing the book 'rules lawyer' to keep me honest, as I have not been 100% on the rules set.

Plenty of action on the top of the ridge line as the Royalists CHARGE! hit home

Big shout out to Rene Charbonneau for taking on the role of Parliament Commander Sir Willam Waller and for accepting to announce 'gamer's GAME ON!' in the same way as he does from the stage at the Salute convention (which was cancelled this weekend) so as to provide an ambience similar to the Burnaby annual event (which Rob and I had won awards at the past two years).

our UK observer asked for a 'flying camera' view of the field and I took this shot at the same time (hence the tripod slightly in view)

near game end, the Parliament had held the hill!

both sides were much damaged, the Royalists under Maurice were not able to move forward any further due to losses in the battalia

a 'troop level' photo that managed to capture the parliament dragoons in great focus

Rene, as Waller, reversed the historical outcome of Ripple Field

Then Saturday night was a round-table of discussions about various game topics, we came up with a design to go after a 15mm 'army' for Hordes of the Things - sort of like a Callahan's Cross-Time Saloon meets Game of Thrones meets Rome.  Mix it up with whatever 15mm miniatures you have or borrow some from the other players.

There were more laughs and more ideas shared with an interest coming with the game potential once the CV restrictions become relaxed.

Sunday brought out SHAKO II and a Napoleonic tabletop battle with a full set of players who have never faced off before and I had played game with  in years past.

table at start of SHAKO 2 meeting engagement

It was a 1:1 battle, with slight variations in the types of units, under the formation of the Divisions as they would appear historically in 1813.

Chris ably commanded the French, as he had with the Royalists and the Stagonians!  Chris certainly takes the top player award for coming out to nearly every event in this improvised game convention.

Nate, down in the USA was the opponent, commanding the Austro-Russians.

French Command

Austrian Division Commander

Italian and French artillery in front of the town with some Italian light infantry and a battalion of Irish "Wild Geese"

After 8 turns of battle, the Russian Division broke and fled the field, leaving the victory to the French at 7-6 final score.

a view of the forest of my 'weeble trees' with the dead from the advancing Russian columns.

this was a French 'victory', only at a great cost and in no way a one that could be 'followed up'

once again, this very first painted "Saxon" French Hussar unit finds itself on the table on the winning side ... could it be a good luck charm?

I was hoping for some connection and a few laughs with old friends and to find a few new ones.

I had this happen.

I call it a win!

May you find time to game where and when you can.  If you are seeking a different possibility contact me as there are some loose plans to do at least some more 'remote' board-games.

Gamers - GAME ON!

Virtual Command Zone - an online series of games and fellowship

Hello Everyone!

I am planning a weekend of tabletop games via video systems.

You are all invited to attend as you please.

If you are keen to take up a command in the Victory Without Quarter, English Civil War or SHAKO II game then please connect with me in the comments section with an email or direct connect via the blogger system and I will get you the link for the game sessions.

Physical Distancing - Social Connection!

I hope you can join me online.

Dr Who Chess Set and more in the Trading Post

Time ...

A new chess set and more production miniatures are on the Trading Post NOW!

See the Dr Who selection.

A changed Star Wars chess set.

New Glass board and image for Star Wars set

With more to come in the form of a new Star Wars chess set and the long anticipated SUPERS!

Fire & Stone Game at Trumpeter Salute 2019

There were a full five players, two on defense and three on offense for this tabletop exposition of the Fire & Stone game system.

I was most pleased that the players were fully engaged right from the start and had the system figured out within the first two moves.

I had a couple of 'changes' that were suggested and players agreed, at the table, for one of the move changes.

attackers liked the ability to dig their own plan of saps & trenches

the defenders took a fully hold-back plan ...

the visuals of the developing trench works drew in many attendees

my oversized flags drew in some to see the spectacle

cards laid out to 'cover' the actions overnight of the digging of trenches by the attackers

by the fifth day of siege the third parallel was done ...

on Day Six the DEFENDERS under Lord Lacey came out to assault and mounted artillery on the walls

The defense was creatively set up and managed to include a mine that took out one of the attackers artillery AND engineer team along with some of the troops digging in the planned third parallel.

view from the Investment line, with Parliament Dragoons hold back in reserve looking towards the wall and across the siege lines

caught digging (they were working on a tunnel of their own) the attackers rushed to stand-to in the trenches

two regiments formed up in the third parallel

Then movement in the assaults began.

attacking players move their troops to counter the defenders having come out from the walls

even the Colonel Marsh moved forward to bolster the attacking line!

a good overview of the game table in progress, and the other games nearby in the busy game room at Bonsor

the full line was in range of the defender's artillery, indeed they were taking casualties from the fort guns

There was a series of exchanges and the Lacey horse fell back behind the walls ...

While the foot in white, had to retreat via the other side as the attackers Dragoons had now blocked the escape route ...

the Cornish foote retreated along the wall

followed closely by Colonel Marsh's Dragooners

Straight into another MINE!  The defenders had set a strategic trap that was executed very well ... sadly they rolled a dreaded '1' for damage here in the mine explosion and having lost many men in retreating they only had a d3 shot from the regiment ... again rolling a '1'.  Bad luck in the damage, brilliant strategy and tactics in getting the chance to do damage!

Now the defenders tried to end the tactical day by pulling back from the wall and leaving the attackers with nothing to shoot at ...

powder supplies had been used up by the attackers as well

while many casualties had been taken, they still had their 'ladders' to scale the walls with

so the attack continued with the troops surging out from their trenches to 'touch' the walls and scale them with the ladders in with the pikes

two moves, half-hour simulated, later they were over the wall in one section (just barely as the regiment was one casualty above 50% = when a morale roll could have ended the assault) and held back by Lord Lacey himself in another section, while the third regiment (the red flag with yellow blaze) had pulled back from the wall failing morale and Captain Leckie had ridden up to urge them OVER THE WALL!

Captain Leckie with the dismounted Dragooners and trained band push the wall

Colonel Marsh keeps the pressure on.

The armored leader of the Red-Black with cross regiment gains the wall, with the Lacey Horse troop having failed morale must fall back

the moment of capture of Arenskirt Castle ... only a few more casualties and a failed morale roll could have seen the opposite outcome ...

the carnage outside the walls

I have saved the best part of this tale for the end.

Rob and I put this together with the intent to show what could be done with siege works and have a game resolution in a four hour time period, with the potential for fun on both sides.

We also would like to have won a best of show for Trumpeter Salute, which was announced at the 4 pm mark of the 2 pm to 6 pm time block.

WE WON!  Second year in a row for Trumpeter Salute Best of Show in the 2 pm - 6 pm Saturday time block.

So this time, as I did not have the boys with me, Rob agreed to my using the gift certificate to expand the planned Pirate collection:

winning put towards PIRATES

the swag