Solo Throwdown : Napoleonic SHAKO 2

 Opportunity to get the Napoleonic miniatures on the table came a week ago, it has taken time to process the video and photos into this new game time-lapse.

my tabletop deployment zone marker
for French forces

I had a mind to try out more from the book series by Grant and Asquith "Scenarios For All Ages", so I decided to let by d12 have a go at where to start ... obviously I rolled a "1" - must start at the beginning!

Neat part about this scenario is that it also had basic instructions for running the game solo!

Once again I am doing this mostly as a video posting, as there are no other players to make detailed reporting to or about this event.

 

It was good to get the Napoleonic troops out on the new game mat, with their own new fur bases and get the whole set documented in a game this new way.

a panoramic photo from the end of turn 3

These panoramic photos are the type I used to do with other software and stitching them together by manual processing, now my iPhone does it all quickly.  I think I may do more of them in future games.

The scenario has the Bavarians holding a hill line, they must not permit 2 or more combat effective units from passing beyond the hill-line.  The time limit is based on the number of turns for the Russian line infantry to march from one side of the board to the other, then add 1/2; this worked out to nine (9) turns.

Fast, bold action was called for the Russians (fast is not something they are known for), and some luck from a few failed Bavarian defense rolls could make it possible to get more than 1 unit across in time.

The die rolls for the Bavarians were amazing, they killed the leading Russian skirmishers in the first encounter.

From there things bogged down, though the Russians came within one turn of making it happen all the same.  Good scenario design - showcasing asymmetrical forces and doing a job with what is at hand.

another panorama showing the end of game positions

I also got a photo of one of my 'wrecked batteries', that was not used in the video.

the wrecked battery marker

 

Computer work station has moved upstairs as the temperatures have definitely gone lower overnight and I do not wish to freeze my paints.

More study coming this month and likely a start on the special fantasy commission, expect photos.

Solo throwdown ... English Civil War game of Victory Without Quarter

 Found the time to get the ECW collection out onto the tabletop.

Also the new red and blue command tags and commander ID sabot were used, along with some all new teddy bear fur bases.

Combine that with a time-lapse camera and some clip-2-comic images and I had a great little game and show on the go.

I put together two asymmetrical forces: Royalist had 6 gallopers and 5 pike & shot with two cannon, while the Parliament had 4 trotters and 7 pike & shot with two cannon and two field pieces.

I then used my random terrain cards to set up the tabletop battlefield and then started the time-lapse camera.

I decided to go with mostly video for this posting as everything came together so nicely.

Here are a few stills that I did not use in the video

from deployment, the KING

early in the action, the right wing of Parliament

showing off most of the Royalist foot in the village
along with the two 'pieces' firing

wider view of the Royalist right wing at deployment

Parliament center firing in early action on the day

Royalist horse push on the flank, yet cannot muster
up the courage to charge
(read three failed charge morale rolls)

a closer view of those horse
note the 3 of spades tag
I put my 'deck of cards' system to use this game

with these very cards
here is the end of game as the KING for the Royalists
must decide to move or not
(read the fight does not go well, losing 4-1 at that point)

lights are all repaired in my display case

including a close-up of some of the Napoleonic
large models and my own 28mm Bonaparte

Next up will be some new 'frosthaven' models that I have a commission to paint.

Along with the Shiloh Confederates, likely a move upstairs to painting spaces that are warmer as the weather shifts here on the wet coast of British Columbia.