A test battle - With MacDuff on the frontier ...

 In preparation for a convention that just passed, I had opportunity to join players from across Canada in a game put on by Ross Mac of  Battle Game of the Month

 We discussed some layout items and lighting issues for running games and then divided into our combat commands.

 Ross was not able to take pictures (running the game solo) - so I took on the task where I could.

start positions

each 'wing' of the Revolution forces had to
cross a river before engaging Royalists

the aim was to stop a convoy waggon
from getting across the field (left to right)

took a bit of time to sort out the commands
and what effectiveness they would be

it was good being able to watch others take their
actions before doing my own

cards were used to determine which 'command'
was activated - meaning you never knew when
your 'turn' would be on

thanks gents for the game

Full battle review is from Ross here: Trying it On

Workbench: King of the Tabletop

 I have been a role-player in times past, including AD&D, and played the little game from Dragon Magazine #77: King of the Tabletop.

I found a copy online a decade ago and printed the pieces and parts and stuck them to foam core, my sons and I all played it a few times.  Trouble is that the parts wear so much that we cannot read them properly.

So this spring when I discovered these neat thin wood pieces at a local dollar store I decided to re-do my set of pieces and make them personal.

the 'troops' for King of the Tabletop

the full set, just finished painting

now gloss varnished

I decided to use hexagon shapes for the 'terrain tiles' since they are not pulled from a bag randomly.

I also had some coin molds, so I busily cast up all the coins needed for a full game and painted them all gold.

Terrain and heroes along with gold
from the original set

 

Sometime this summer we shall have to go back to the tabletop to determine a KING.

Taste of Corunna - LIVE SHAKO 2 game

 

Shako2 Rules Set

A Taste of Coruuna tabletop miniatures game will be on today at 2 pm Pacific; 5 pm Eastern.

Watch on Twitch channel:

https://www.twitch.tv/murdocksmarauders/

All going well there will be an AAR here later in May or June.

Virtual Huzzah! The Maine Historical Wargames Association convention

 I have put in an entry for the MHWA Hold The Line convention that is replacing the in person Huzzah this year.

Just as last year the COVID-19 issue has disrupted the events and I have chosen to support where and when I can.

The best part is that I can do this without the travel expenses and meet some new game players!

Check out the information here at MHWA

My plan is to give a "Taste of Corunna" using scenario 1 details from Charles Stewart Grant's book:

 Check out the program and see if there's a game of interest for you.

Warre Without an Enemie - somewhere in England 1643 - Peletoot's revenge

 Those dastardly French were still in England and itching for another tangle.

Peletoot was ready to engage again (the table was still set up and I wanted to test out the solo game play system again).

Peletoot seen here with drummer and dog.

Again I was using the cards for tactical options and the blocks for 'momentum'.

The plans are made, Royalist defender (left) will have an overall plan
to use powder, with the foot force using a plan (clubs) and the horse
using a preservation of force or life plan.
For Parliament (right), all cards are diamonds, meaning they will
burn powder and use up any and all resources to win.

the deployment (same terrain) the Parliament are to the
top of the image with the hills and stream dividing their 'wings'
Royalists are in the town and around the town with horse and foot

the Royalists to the left of the town

Royalist Catholic Frenchmen in the town commanded
by Seigneur Noir

Parliament horse

Parliament foot with Peletoot in the center of two
Veteran lines

the Major had the others who were trained and raw

a column of pike & shot formed a reserve behind Peletoot's wing

the initial 'momentum' Parliament on top, with even
Royalist on the bottom with a 'random' that gave them
freedom to choose to give an order if desired

both sides opened up volleys

being behind walls and in the town the Royalists were
well positioned to hold ground

Compte Lucroy was confident he could hold the flank

action picks up in the second turn

now the 'block' draw gives Parliament no momentum
and Royalist a slight edge to 'choose action' but only at
the cost of giving momentum to Parliament

the column moves up

Loraine Frenchmen blast away

now though Parliament has pulled up a troop of horse
their pistols now add to the wearing down of the lead
regiment from Loraine

stepping forward the Parliament fires again

my game was interrupted by a few days of other work
the minis had to stay put while other things were done

this shot was an evening later, with only the setting sun for light

Picked up the game and missed a turn of photos

though not much had changed

the shooting exchange continued

though the command rolls for Loraine were
starting to slip ... causing the Disruption Points
(DPs) to build up ...

the DPs can be seen at "3" on the Loraine
pike & shot unit

the Parliament lines just poured on the fire

turn 6 saw the command points come up again

now the Royalist horse would be put into action

though the fire continued to be heavy
keeping the Loraine foot really disrupted

Parliament horse kept up the pace of fire

now the Parliament horse had made an attack on the
Royalist horse

then command rolls for Loraine came up again high
so the DPs were going to be managed

command pips of '7' seen next to the Loraine foot commander

veteran Parliament shot pour on the Royalists

each turn 3 bricks are randomly pulled from a bag
Parliament at the top have no momentum
neither do the Royalists at the bottom
the red brick will cause a 1/2 re-set of the
bricks, which will still leave both side with
no momentum or ability to change orders

after 're set' and drawing 3 bricks each, again the red brick
was drawn to trigger another re-set

parliament horse are broken

more engagement of Royalist horse, now against a shot
'sleeve'

further Royalist horse are moving to cover the right flank

down went Royalist horse

now a pursuit would happen ...

turn 9 and the flanks were still holding

though the command pips were again low

again the red brick would trigger a re-set

the Royalist brick set could be seen to the left here

another cavalry clash ...
the Pistols of each fire

the infantry grind continues

Royalist fortunes turn positive in command
and they have driven off another horse unit (though not destroyed)

again the red brick, so the momentum would 1/2 re set

Colonel Roper of the Parliament horse
struggled to keep his command together and
to find a way to reach the enemy with pistols

the blocks re-set and draw still had both sides unable
to give orders

more Royalist horse would have to muster on the flank

the forward unit of Royalist horse was prepared
to press home ...

Parliament horse was ready to charge in also

now the DPs were high again on the foot for
Loraine ... command pips would be critical the next turn

the command pips came and Loraine holds
Now the red flagged trained and larger Parliament foot
advance through the smaller green flag one
then deliver a punishing point blank fire
Parliament horse continued their pistol fire

yet the damage was not enough

it was looking like the Royalists could hold ...

again the blocks would be re-set

the battle looked to be on a tipping point

Royalist could change orders!
the lower group allows for two new orders

orders were changed ... now the Royalist horse would
take more aggressive actions

then again  the red brick would re-set 1/2 of the situation

again many hits were suffered in DPs by that large
Loraine pike & shot unit

the horse and foot clashed again, this time ending with a draw

now both sides could give orders
though only one for the Royalists and two
for the Parliamentarians

the horse and foot melee continued

the grinding musket duel also continued

now though the town was suffering more hits
and unable to recover them all

the melee was broken by the Royalist horse fleeing
now the score was even ...

the Baron was changed orders again
hold was called for now ... too many foot
units were close to break point

the next bricks were totally favoring the Royalist
having freedom to act

I had to find my other turn counters
now that more than 20 turns had elapsed

I was also close to the end of my camera data chip

the losses

in turn 21 the red brick did a re-set

again in turn 23, still no results from the foot musketry
duels

now though the large Loraine unit was at the 5 DP stage
any more and they start loosing troops

the command momentum was open for both sides

now the Royalist horse was shattered

Parliament was ascendant on the flank having pistol shot
their was through the marshy ground

grim situation for Royalists

Parliament horsemen had reached the town street!

and the momentum was gone for the Royalists, just
barely present for Parliament

I swapped to my backup memory chip for my camera

in order to capture the final moments of the breaking of the Royalist line

a town unit morale roll was terrible

the switch of the Royalist horse to attack was now
seen as a truly bad decision

there would be NO WAY to correct it
neither side had any momentum to work with

two turns later and the town was shattered
Parliament veterans were in the town

the flank horse had all but vanished and one
Loraine commander was gone ... with his foot commands

Parliament finishing blasting their way into the town

a morale roll 'made' but only just to
switch all troops to retire and no way to hold them

the red brick came, neither side could change orders, so the
rout would be on ... Parliament grinding out a grisly 'victory'

This was a second go round with my solo 'add on' system and I plan to do a write up soon regarding it.

I have pictures of all the parts and the ideas noted down, just not in a detailed form.

Keep an eye out for them coming soon.

Also coming soon will be an AAR from a face-to-face GAME!  Played on May 15, 2021.

I am also in the games list for "Hold the Line" and I shall be doing a post regarding that tomorrow.

Cheers all.