Hawkins Ford

Bruce popped over for a game this week. I was keen to get my War of 1812 plastics out for a spin so I dusted off Rebels and Patriots (part of the Osprey Rampant series). It looks like we'd last played these rules in 2019 with the Battles of Pork Rind and Baby Duck Ridge. I decided to play Hawkins Ford, which is a bit of a cheesie race scenario as the British defend a key river crossing against a superior American force.

The Americans had three line units, two half-sized skirmishers, a light cannon, some dragoons, and a leader. They started in the top left (by the white dice) and needs to capture Hawkins Ford (mid-board on the right. 

The British had two units of militia dug into hard cover by the ford plus two units of line and one of Indian allies that started bottom left (by the red dice). The river was impassable except to the Indians and the dismounted dragoons. Points-wise, this was 3-2 for the Americans.

Bruce advanced the Americans up the road, swinging his line units towards the river's edge and his cavalry and skirmishers to the other flank. This was the reverse of the approach I'd taken in my playtest but didn't seem make a big difference in the end.

The British managed to advance their line units towards the ford to reinforce it but kept crapping out on command rolls for everyone else. Based on our 2019 experiences, we amended the rules such that a failed unit activation caused initiative to switch (more in keeping with the rest of the Rampant series). The game was to end when turns plus 1d6 =16.

The Americans formed up into close order to assault. I missed getting a picture of the dragoons approaching and getting absolutely murdered by a lucky British fire. Meanwhile, command blunders stymied the British. Eventually, I got the Indians moving towards the flanks of the formed up Americans.

A nasty fire-fire and set of charges sea-sawed at the ford. Bruce had terrible combat rolls. Meanwhile, the Indians plowed into the rear of the American advance, with devastating effect.

One unit of American line was routed by the Indians while a second was damaged by fire and forced to retreat. This was enough for Bruce to call off the attack. A couple of thoughts. First, having initiative switching on failed command rolls made the game more interesting (because the sequence of activations now was a more consequential decision) but still not super interesting.

Second, having played Xenos Rampant, really what the game needs is to bolt-on the newer Xenos mechanics to create more differentiated units and more interesting choices and caused units to fight more like they did historically. So I think that's what I'm going to work on next. It should be a pretty easy adaptation. That also streamlines the kind of clunky morale tracking, I think.

Random painting

Another hodge-lodge this week. I started off finishing the basing on an old WEG Star Wars figure (Hammerhead?) and a Clix Talosian (who vigorously popped off the clicky-base earlier this year and then disappeared into the mess of my painting table).

While retrieving the Talosian, I also found an old base of War of 1812 Canadian militia that must have fallen off the table two years ago when I was rebasing. So I popped them off the multi-figure base and put them on washers to match the rest. I see one of them also needs his trousers touched up.

Up next: No idea. Maybe more 6mm?

The Battle of Pork Rind

I ran a game of Rebels and Patriots at the club: The Battle of Pork Rind. This is a War of 1812 scenario based around the Yanks capturing a British supply base. The base is mid-table and there are four loot token for the Americans to win. The British are outgunned but set up well and can bring on some reinforcements.

Andy (right above) declared for King while Bruce and Scott played for Congress. The Americans came on the board quickly and pushed the British pickets back.

Andy had amazing activation rolls and was able to bring on his reinforcements early. This include the Indian Allies I had painted up earlier in the day (still a bit wet on the bases!). These I pointed out as aggressive so they melee on 4+ (I mention this because it becomes important).

The American advance was steady from Bruce's side of the board while Scott struggled with his activation rolls. I can't tell you how happy I am to have finally gotten the British camp onto the table. I painted it 7 (?) years ago!

Bruce eventually worked his cavalry into position to rush the supply base and did so dramatically! The British never really recovered from that set back, although they did rout the cavalry shortly thereafter.

At about the same time, Andy got his Indian allies into position to melee Scott's stalled troops.

These fellows must have been from the Lawnmower Tribe because they chewed through five of Scott's units before finally being whittled down. The 4+ melee coupled with good (Andy) and bad (Scott) rolls were shocking. Scott was close to the break point for his troops.

However, Andy's activation rolls got bad and Bruce pressed forward this attack and eventually the British just ran out of bodies to throw at them. Overall, a solid American win and we only played one rule incorrectly (when units routed they should have caused a morale check around them).

The rest of the gang played Escape from Dulce. Basically a sci-fi escape game. Very cool minis but I've no sense of the mechanics.

Overall, a good club night. Nice turn out and good games.

20mm Indian Allies

With a game of Rebels and Patriots looming at the club, I found myself short of troops and bereft of Indian Allies for my 1812 British. Irregular Miniatures made a fast shipment after I could not lay my hands on any decent 1/72 plastics (Italeri's great set is out of production apparently).

Fortunately, these fellows are a quick paint. A few layers, a dip and some sealer and we were done.

I've no idea what is going on with the eye on the guy on the left below. I would guess a bubble in the sealer? He looks a little Marty Feldman. No one noticed on the table, though.

These Irregular 20mm figures fit in pretty well with the 1/72 plastics I have. And they did yeoman work in the game I hosted last Tuesday.

Up next: The Battle of Pork Rind

Rebels and Patriots: Baby Duck Ridge

Bruce popped around last week to try out Rebels and Patriots (part of the Lions Rampant series from Osprey). I pulled out my newly rebased War of 1812 troops and pointed out an encounter battle.

The armies were pretty similar except the Brits had light infantry and cannon while the Yanks had some light cavalry. My Indian Allies are still en route so we didn't have any on the table. Note in the picture below that Bruce is working his cavalry around to the right.

I rushed out to try and gain some early victory points by being the only side with units within 3" of Baby Duck Ridge (specifically the tiny wagon in top of the centre hill hex). Bruce took the time to develop a proper attack.

My plan was to sweep the hill with my cannon which worked, to a degree. The rules differ from other Lions Rampant offerings by allowing you to troll for each of your units. I wonder if the game would be more interesting if initiative passed back and forth with each activation failure?

We had some early melees and managed to work out the fighting mechanics. The key mechanic seems to be morale tests at the end of combat which can add disorder (which affect activation and combat). Three disorders and your unit is gone. And, if you roll low enough, you can pick up extra disorder, even while rallying!

About this point I was sure I was I trouble. The cavalry showed up to turn my flank but had some morale problems when I hit them with a volley and advanced to the rear.

However, Bruce managed to crest the hill in force and start to concentrate fire on my units. My cannon weren't super effective.

Right after this picture was taken, I had a series of morale failures (terrible, terrible rolls) and half my force routed. We called the game shortly afterwards.

Overall, these rules seemed to work well. There was some chrome (around officers and honour points and snake eyes and box car rolls) that I didn't narrate but that gave the game colour. The mechanics all seem to work and the morale mechanic was very nice. I'm going to try to bring a four-player game out to the club in mid-August.

Ireland and Gaming

So the family took holiday to Ireland. We didn't see much gaming related (although I did stop in a few game shops in Cork including on really cool, old model shop), but there were some things that touched on gaming.

For example, I was surprised to find Guinness Hitler during a tour of the brewery in Dublin (seems off brand, somehow).

There was also this cool mural in Dundalk.

We took a tour of the town of Carlingford. The ruins of King John's castle were close for renovation.

The town had lots of other medieval buildings though, including this merchant's manor house.

On the west and south coasts, we saw a few castles, including (below) Blarney castle.

I managed to get out to the club despite my rather messed up clock this week. Terry hosted me in game of Imperial Settlers.

Chen and Brandon played some Kings of War. Chen brought out his dwarf war dogs, which were very nice models.

Terry slaughtered me at Imperial Settlers (total rout).

And I left before the KoW game really got going.

I spent yesterday finishing up some Ware of 1812 rebasing after finding a tub of static grass in a box.

These foot include some Canadian irregulars (above) and militia (below).

I also found enough for three units of British regulars. I plan to run a test game with Bruce this coming week before bringing this out of the club.

I'm present rebasing a few US cavalry and I had to order some Indian allies from Irregular as I think I sold my plastics with my AWI figures and the good Italeri set is OOP.

1812 rebasing

No gaming for me this week but I did manage to finish a tonne of rebasing. These are older 1/72-scale War of 1812 guys guy I had on multi-figure bases.

I wanted to move them to individual bases so I could play some new Osprey rules that are out for North America. First up at 80 or so US foot soldiers.

I have a bunch of mounted left to do. I also have some cannons that are half done (ran out of washers!).

I also rebased a bunch of militia. These are a grab-bag of mostly older figures, including a bunch of Airfix confederates. These seem have taken more damage to their paint jobs over time.

There are several units of this guy (doing the "juke box hero" pose).

There are some of there figures mixed in. I think these guys with the top has were from a US-Mexico War set (Alamo?).

Then there are some Italeri, including this guy from an AWI set. He's wisely hiding behind a fur tree.

I pulled the British and Canadian troops off the shelf to start debasing them in anticipation of a run to the washer store this week.