December Bathurst Take Three

This, the third of my Bathurst Battles, was very much a case study in how things occasionally go right for me...

The opponent was Nick, from Parramatta Attack Wing. He played Rebels, and deployed a fleet with two Assault Frigates and one of the new MC80 Big Scary Battleship Things (Naturally, with Admiral Akbar). Nick also made the brave decision not to take any fighters. Six of my eight fighters have the "Bomber" special, and the A-Wings are rolling a black die against ships, so that's pretty one-way traffic.

With only three ships, Nick's whole fleet was deployed after I had only put out 2 Corvette's. I chose to go heavy on my left, as there were fewer obstacles.
Again, I won the initiative bid, and chose to go second. Nick chose the bad thing to happen to him: most wanted. I chose his battleship (top centre), and my Corvette (bottom right) as the target ships.

This is the start of turn 3. Nick has moved his ships into the centre, and my left has swung around. The fighters have not yet engaged the battleship very hard, and my far right Corvette (the Target ship) is off exploring the Death Star.

 

I was able to get both Neb B's, the Corvette, and the Assault Frigate to fire on Nick's single assault Frigate (with some A-Wings as well), and blew it to bits in a single turn of shooting.

At the start of turn 4, I am now in a position to concentrate fire on the Battleship with everything, including a whole heap of fighters. One of my Neb Bs has succumbed to the fire from the Battleship and the Assault Frigate. The other Assault Frigate is just dancing around the edges.

Start of turn 5, and the Battleship is gone. My fighters are redeploying to engage the last Frigate, but to no effect. The Neb B in the centre has a critical damage card forcing it to take a hit every time it moves faster than 1. I have no orders to slow it down, so it explodes in the final turn.

 

The game is a 10-0 to me, with my losses as two Neb B (51 points each), and The Target Battleship counting as double points as destroyed.

 

 

Quote of the Game: Nick: "Fighters are the bane of my existence."

 

 

Lessons learnt: Apart from a small mistake with the movement of my target Corvette in turn one and the orders on my Assault Frigate in turn 2 or 3, everything went pretty much like clockwork. Losses were acceptable, and the devastation was delightful.

 

I'm quite happy with Garm's Alphabet Soup, and apart from buying a Shrimp Frigate, I think it will do me nicely well into the future. Multiple activations, buckets of flexibility with deployment, and a nice mix of fighters and bombers means I can react to almost any circumstance.

 

As usual, the only problem is with the operator, when I confuse Tactical Advantage for Strategic Outcomes.

 

Thanks to all the players - I had lots of fun.

 

I am yet to face an Imperial Star Destroyer, however.

 

Cheers!

 



The December of all our Decembers in Bathurst

Or, how I learnt to stop worrying and love the B-Wing...


This was my second battle at Bathurst on Saturday 12 December.

This time I was against my primary opponent, Theo, the reigning champion of Task Force Orange.



Theo was playing Rebels as well (I played three rebel fleets - though very different in composition).

There was no photo of the start of the battle - we were so keen to get to fisticuffs... This must be the start of turn 2.

Theo had four ships - an Assault Frigate, a Corvette B, and two of the new "Shrimp" frigates, with powerful broadsides. He had some A-Wings and some kind of bounty hunter chap.

My fleet was the same as the last battle (though I should mention I have two As, Bs, Xs, and Ys as the fighters, including Tycho Celchu - hence: Alphabet Soup).


Again I chose to go second, and Theo chose the bad thing to happen to him: Most Wanted. This allows double points for killing a unit chosen by the second player, and bonuses for shooting at the target. I chose to make Theo's target unit the Assault Frigate (a mistake? perhaps?), and for my target unit to be a Corvette A, which you might notice floating out over the death star on the far right.

We both moved forward quite aggressively, and I focused fire on the closest Shrimp Frigate, which had all kinds of special dodging abilities, and took a fair bit to kill.

The fighter battle was much more balanced in this game than the last, with Theo's typical flight command skill limiting my capacities to inflict damage. We both had fighters left at the end of the game.

I think this is the start of turn 4. My right hand frigate has made its flanking maneuver and is heading back into the fray. My left hand frigate is also turning back in from the top left. Theo's frigate has gone through the asteroid belt and is heading in from the bottom left.

In the centre, my Neb-B's have succeeded in wiping out the Shrimp Frigate with a little bit of damage in reply, and are gently brushing off Theo's A-Wings and bounty hunter.

In the centre right, my Assault Frigate is trading broadsides with Theo's frigate, which is taking the worst of it, being the target ships. My bombers are also shooting as often as possible. Things are looking so good at this point that I start to get excited, and ram the second Shrimp Frigate with my Assault Frigate, not once, but twice!

And that's when it all goes wrong.

But fortunately there are no more photos of my disaster.

Theo's Assault frigate escapes with a few more scratches, and manages to finish off one of the Neb B's with some long ranged shooting.

The remaining Shrimp Frigate lets off a devastating broadside (Thanks, Akbar!) which gets through my otherwise intact shields and does exactly enough damage to destroy My Assault frigate. Had I not rammed the blasted thing so often, it would have survived (and I probably won the battle, using it to send bombers against Theo's assault Frigate).

Hubris, thy name is David!


Theo won this game convincingly, but up until turn 4 I was pretty sure I was going to come out on top. Such is the nature of the game.


Lessons learnt:

Same as the last one, really. Concentrate fire on one target. Don't go for the slaughter - work on winning.

On this occasion, I probably went towards the enemy too quickly, as he came towards me very fast. I should have started slower, tried to win the fighter war, and then gone for the kill.

Also, I think I should have chosen a different target ship - that Shrimp Frigate could have died a lot quicker, and then I could have turned on to the other ships.


[William Shatner] THEEEEEOOOOOO!!!!! [/William Shatner]

December Armada at Bathurst

Some photos from the Star Wars: Armada tournament held at Bathurst on the 12th of December. These are all from my games - there were twelve players participating, including four from the newly dubbed Task Force Orange.

Game One: My Rebels vs Ken from Parramatta Attack Wing's Rebels.

Ken took 3 Assault Frigates and 5 A-Wings including Tycho. My list is "Garm's Alphabet Soup", and consists of one Assault Frigate, 2 Neb-B Support, and 2 Corvette As.

I choose to go second, and Ken chose the bad thing that happened to him: Superior positions. He deployed first, swinging to his right, and I deployed to counter him, swinging to my right.

This is the start of turn 2 - my force is moving rapidly, and turning towards Ken's frigates. He has Akbar, and is looking forward to many red dice...

 

This is the start of turn 3. I cannot work out for the life of me why this photo refuses to rotate to the left. I blame those blasted Imperials. Anyway, I deployed Tucho Celchu to the front of my fighters, and Ken's A-Wings jumped all over him - but from FIVE squadrons of shooting, Tycho lived. My X-Wings then jumped in, and rapidly shot the A-Wings to bits.

 

This must be the start of turn 4. My flankers are rapidly closing on that Assault frigate, and my fighters are victorious against the A-Wings. My bombers are forming up near the frigate, ready to engage Ken's aggressive ship...


*** MISSING PHOTO - START OF TURN 5 - BLASTED IMPERIAL HACKERS ***

This is the start of turn 6. My bombers have not been particularly effective against the Assault Frigate, especially with my own Frigate moving away from the engagement to hide behind some rocks. One of Ken's beasts has been blown to bits, and I have lost a corvette and a Neb-B. Sigh.

This game was concluded with a 70 point margin in my favour, thanks to destroying the A-Wings, and gaining 2 victory tokens.

A good game.

Thanks to Ken!

(Two more battles to come - in time!)



Lessons to learn:

I should have sent all the bombers, etc, at the Assault Frigates in front of me, rather than leaving them behind. Once I had fighter superiority, I should have pressed the advantage.

Russian Military Doctrine: Reinforce Success!

Hold the Line!

Played at Gunnedah on Saturday the 11th of May 2013.


This game was conceived by Adam, and played in my Garage. Andrew was there as well. And me.

Adam is new to the hobby, so thought a fortress would be fun. I said, yeah, maybe, as long as I get the fortress. So that's what happened.

A continental force is surprised by the British, and unable to escape, occupy a small town and the Star Fort (which is a Rectangle) and decide to fight to the bitter end.

I play the Continentals (Liberty! Justice! Convoluted System of Checks and Balances that Rewards Inaction!), while Adam and Andrew play the British.

The Continental Army deploys in the town and rectangular star fort. The British deploy by Brigades to the left, centre, and right.

The right of the field - a lovely open space, ideal for heavy guns and light cavalry...

 

The British cross the river, slowly, cautiously.

 

 

And on the right, not at all. "It's cold, sarge."

"Quiet you fool! We must sneak up on the rules summary page!"

 

The British attack the Continentals in the town, who immediately run away - but never fear, there are reserves!

 

The British finally cross the river on the Continental right. Every step brings them closer to the heavy guns...

Continental field guns open fire on the left.

Steady advance in the centre and on the right.

Plenty of reserves in... uh... reserve.

 

The hand of Andrew sends more brave boys into harm's way...

The ponderous advance on the right continues - oh wait! puffs of smoke in the centre! The continental light troops have broken cover and engaged a British line regiment in the flank.

Considering his options, Andrew decides to attack!

Closer, ever closer!

 

Assault the town! Give them the cold steel!

"Hold the line, Yankees!"

The long arm of Adam sends the flanking force home...

And the Redcoats charge the Militia on the hill, who deal a crippling volley, disrupting the attack.

We decided Mel Gibson must have been leading them.

The afternoon sun brings light relief.

 

The militia stopped the attack, and now the Continental regulars stick it to the lackeys of the Royal Tyrant!

The assault on the town heats up - the Continentals are winning and advancing on the far left, but are one battery down in the centre.

The British strike back at the hill. They have no reserves on this flank, this is it, and the whole attack relies on a Regiment of Redcoats charging a fresh HEAVY battery, UPHILL, and the Continentals have a GENERAL. A roll of anything but a "one", and this final British attack fails and the battle is over.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I rolled a "one".

 

 

 

 

I got a bit emotional, so the photos got blurred by my tears. The Heavy Artillery were wiped out, which started a chain reaction, and long story short, the whole flank was gone. All that was now left were three units of Light Cavalry and a suicide charge.

 

Yeah, that didn't work.

 

 

The cavalry gone, and the redcoats swarming forwards, it was time for a final last last stand in the rectangular star fort.

 

 

 

 

But those fights are boring, so we called it a day.

Continental casualties - all four Generals, all four Artillery Batteries, all bar one Cavalry Squadron, and the vast majority of the Infantry.

 

 

I was absolutely convinced I had this one in the bag, I was even planning my consolation lecture.

 

Uphill! Heavy Artillery! General Present!

 

a One!

 

 

 

Oh, do Doth Fortune play the huswife with me now?

Chimes AT MIDNIGHT!

 

 

 

A good game, but a frustrating conclusion for the Continentals.

 

 

 

 

Adding some links to other things I have and do

I have some other pages, many of which are just for storing stuff I use in forum games, or for past forum games.

https://sites.google.com/site/erfworldempires/
Is my main site for artwork relating to the various erfworld games I run. Visit erfworld.com/forums for the site where they happen.


https://sites.google.com/site/drvontemplin/
the site for "Drachen Regiment von Templin" my on-again almost-entirely-off-again webcomic. Maybe. Maybe. One day. Probably not.


https://sites.google.com/site/daveswargames/
A page that I really should delete, but who cares?



https://sites.google.com/site/davergrounds/
An older page that holds some things I've tinkered with.

Baby Brandywine II

This a game that was played at The Salvation Army hall in Gunnedah on April 25, 2013. Most of the players had never played a wargame before, so the rules were simple (but I think quite fun). The rules are my AWI version of 2 by 2 Napoleonics. I call them "3 by 3 Revolution".

This is the hall as we have it set up - plenty of space, plenty of light. We could fit a 12' by 12' table in here quite easily.

Table set up. Dillworth is the village in the front left, the Brandywine stretches across the field.

The forces before deployment - Continentals on the left, British on the right.

The players assemble and prepare to deploy. Andrew and Peter command the Continentals, while John and Adam command the British. Darryl and Laurie stand back as the "brains trust", to give helpful (and not so helpful) suggestions.

Continental deployment complete, the British prepare to march on board.

At the end of the first time, the British have performed their flanking march, much to the consternation and surprise of the Continentals, who have been told the British are coming across the river. Fortunately, the Continentals have deployed in depth, and right across the field, so are ready for any contingency.

His Excellency, Lt. General Lord John, gives some confidential suggestions to Major General Adam, unaware (or perhaps unconcerned) that Continental General Peter has surrecptiously moved into ear-shot. The Continentals are able to use intelligence thus gained to inform future actions.

Adam advances under the watchful eye of John.

The Continentals strike back - or at least move to sure up the line.

Lord all he surveys, John waits for the inevitable outcome.

Confident of sweeping the field, the British charge the hill in the centre, but to no avail.

The field at the end of the battle. The British were on the cusps of victory, sweeping forward on the right. With darkness closing in, and time for a final turn, the Continentals counter-attack - and send the Redcoats running in several places. The Continental left is saved by a desperate charge, and the far right is the scene of repeated charge and counter-charge, which leaves Continental Light Cavalry the only unit of both sides in a position to perform any actions.



The end of the battle leaves the Continentals all smiles, as they have grabbed a draw from the jaws of defeat. The British have taken heavy casualties, and will have to withdraw to Philadelphia. The Continentals have also taken heavy casualties, but held Dillworth and preserved most of the Army.

A Good Night was Had by All.



Baby Brandywine

"Baby Brandywine"

A small version of the famous battle using 15mm troops on a 6' by 4' table.

The rules are "Three by Three Revolution"

This was a test run for the demonstration game in a couple of weeks time.

  Continentals deploy to defend the direct approach to Dillworth.

British right, Continental left.

British and Continental Centre.

British Left, ready to march on board.

The Continental Artillery opens the action.

British columns advance.

The British encircle the enemy positions.

On the British right, the columns are delayed by a line of Continentals.

Some brave charges break the line.

A brave regiment holds the high ground against two regiments of Guard class troops and one of line, and while taking long range Artillery fire.

The British right holds back, and so does the centre. All the action is on the left.