more NEW game books (okay new to me)

 a fast trip to Vancouver recently allowed me the time to pick up two rules books I had meant to acquire for a while now, and also a new version of one I have had the older one of for many decades

first the new one:

version 3.0 from 2014

 

I have been doing DBA since the early 1990s, introduced to it by gamers in Winnipeg and Minnesota.

I have had versions 1.1, 2.1 and now 3.0.  Giving the quick glance at it, I think I will need to make a new measuring 'fork', otherwise all my minis will still work with the system - neat part is that DBMM stuff is also covered in this rules set (it looks like - I haven't read it all the way yet).

 

hardback Brigade Fire & Fury

 I have been playing this rules set, using others books most of the time and have been busy building my own game set of the full armies for Bull Run 1861 and Shiloh 1862; now started on the battle of Gettysburg 1863 armies, with the aim of having a full campaign set for 1863 (with all of the cavalry for both sides) and the intent to use games like Bobby Lee and Sam Grant for the strategic setup, then transition to an operational system (of my own devising), then to the tabletop - most likely with BF&F, thus the need to finally have my own copy.

softcover P&S

While "Black Powder" might have worked out as well, I chose to pick up Pike and Shotte, as Rob has been using these rules for many of the English Civil War games that we have run and many of the minis I have are from the Warlords set, it was time to have the rules set to go with them all.

2023 a year in Review and looking ahead

 The past year has had a number of shifts take place.

It started off great with a whole weekend of games, the peak being a defend the bridgehead battle:

Defend the bridgehead!

My ACW efforts reached a first battlefield ready condition, Bull Run 1861

the whole 15mm force for both sides in the starting battle
of the American Civil War

 

These troops were then put into action on the tabletop in the Bull Run 1861 battle:

 

 Bull Run 1861

 

Some digital image work was done, in progress towards a potential little game ...

The Alpian Wars moves into a new 'realm'?

 

Still more use of the ACW troops and expanding into the "Operational Level" of battle management.

Operational Level of command

 

The full battle can be tracked here:

Then more ACW potential came to light as the Gettysburg Campaign was put into operation for the first time here, and culminated in a number of battles:

some quick troops were assembled to support the others that already existed, so that we could do some really big battles.

bare metal was brought to full paint quickly
to support the needs for more Union troops on the tabletop

Then the campaign took action and an amazing set of a-historical battles resulted:

UTICA MILLS:

Push on the Potomac:

Cavalry action at Bruceville:

Then Autumn arrived, there were many other things I needed to do and focus on, so games took a back seat, though the itch did get scratched a few more times before the end of the year, most importantly in the Bull Run 1861 game and expo at the local community center.

Victory Without Quarter

SHAKO 2

Bull Run 1861, at the Kelcey Center

I now also have a little painting commission, that will need addressing in the new year, so expect some progress photos of that project in the coming months.

The ACW set has Shiloh on deck, with only the Confederates needing to be painted at the moment, they are all up on the painting shelf, ready to roll after the commissions.

At least three other games days at the local community center are slated, in January, February and March.  So there will be some more tabletop images to come ...

Added on all of this are the continuing home operations, a work prospect that keeps me near my phone and computer most days along with Firefighter duties weekly (& whenever the 'tones' drop) and plans for better marketing of the rescue society needs.

Happy New Year everyone!

AAR Battle of Utica Mills first response

 WOW!

 A whole day of 15mm ACW game, fully worth the tired feet at the end of the day.

For the mini-campaign, this is not actually over ... as there is at least one more battle action to decide Lee's fate.

For the moment I am fully satisfied that the new TURBO rules for BF&F will work (need to correct one item on the QRS sheet side 2) for many future battles.

This was a Union victory, though mostly due to holding ground at the end of the day since both sides took many losses (exact details will take some time).

Army wing commander MG Slocum
and Brigadier Tyler survey the battle from
a promontory hill north of Fishing Creek
Later this hill would be covered in Union artillery
delivering the fatal final blows to the
Confederate advance ...

Fire & Fury TURBO QRS

 Game day today!

We'll be using this hybrid system of F&F 15mm for the battle game today.

Basically we are taking some of the best & fast elements from the 1st version of F&F and blending it with Brigade F&F, to create what I have dubbed F&F TURBO.

Comments are welcome and I hope to have an After Action Report coming in the last week of July.

The Gettysburg Campaign army labels

 One of the things I have been doing since I started my magnetic miniatures system is having a 'tag' that identifies a unit and may include game details on the tag or other identity markings.

For this campaign I have designed up some tags for a Fire & Fury TURBO system that we are going to showcase on Saturday.

Here then are the tags for your enjoyment.

All of these are first printed on a full sheet sticky label, then the flags get cut out and the tags set is peeled and stuck to a full sheet magnet 'paper' then all are cut out for use on the sheet steel 'tag holders' on my base stands.

One more sleep till the game and I'll post a QRS for the F&F TURBO we are going to use.

ACW Perryville Battle - 15mm Fire & Fury

 4 July 2021 saw an opportunity to get together with other fellow gamers in "the War Dungeon" again, this time an ACW battle in 15mm of Perryville.

the critical road junction, held by the Union at game start
if the Confederates can take it, then the battle is lost

overall view, union on the two hills seen center right
and bottom left in this image

clearer view of the road junction

the hills that the Union troops were on had stone walls

the Confederates were massed to attack

Union support batteries

one of the many creek gullies had much overgrowth on it

Confederates were coming out from wooded areas

with some "dirt tracks" to follow for easier going

the obligatory photo of the outhouse (center left)

Union lines were mostly well ordered

the Confederates needed to bring up artillery to have any hope of changing
the situation

A Union Division commander (seen to the rear of the blue troops)
stays at the forward position as long as possible
to rally and support his men as the forward deployed artillery is withdrawn

this unit would manage to withdraw from the hill
and even see action later in the day

a few turns in and the Confederates really haven't gone anywhere

our turn marker board

Confederate cavalry (flash photo)

Confederate cavalry (no flash photo)

now driven back, the Union formed a new line

With a mass of artillery ready to punish the advancing Confederates

Union rookies, in a brigade mass column,
formed the reserve
You can see in the background the many exhibits
in the War Dungeon - mostly US and UK around
the game spaces now as there have been some
re-arranging of the exhibits in the past 18 months

Confederates keep up the pressure

with massed brigades - still the Union line only fell back
with limited casualties

both hills were still in Union hands

and now the Union gun line would start to deliver
many casualties

Confederates desperately attempt to swarm one flank

keeping count of the melee modifiers
and a good view of one wall of exhibits

Union lines hold!

still Confederate guns are not in position ...
time was ticking

Reserves are deployed, the left hill will not be overcome

cavalry race around on the Union left flank

many casualties (new in the collection) are
now on the field

more close combat accounting

with energy!

for some reason, <ahem RAY!> the Confederates
could not get high enough rolls to overcome
Union troops in close combat
Seen here one McLean is seeking a different
d10 in hopes of changing the luck

overall situation, still the crossroads are in Union hands

more of the Union troops had been lost at this stage
even so, more of a percentage of the starting
Confederate army was destroyed, shaken or in retreat

the latter stages were like two great boxers
neither was willing to concede

a fresh Union brigade arrives
just in time to halt the Confederates
at point blank range of no less than seven (7)
artillery batteries

tale of the timeline

at long last, near the end of the day, the Confederates
took the left flank hill
their division is shattered and cannot advance further

the right flank hill was also taken, though now under
fire from flanking and forward artillery
this division is also shattered

there were no 'undamaged' units at the end of the game

the Union still held the vital crossroads

A good day of game down in the War Dungeon, thanks for hosting again lads.