Club Night

My turn to organise a game for Rob this week, an introduction to War and Conquest, Rob at first was interested in Ancients but as I gave it some thought bringing Romans and Seleucids to a first outing was not a great idea, both armies are complex, the Seleucids especially. So I turned to the good old Dark Ages and their not overly complicated style of warfare, besides, I like a good Dark Age stand up fight.

I simply chose two small armies which mirrored each other with the Romano-British having a slight edge in that they had large shields, I gave these to Rob while I once again led the Saxon hordes. I explained the overall gist of the game and we set up one unit at a time, as it turned out the only thing which worried me was that I had split my skirmishers while Robs were all on his right flank, suddenly my archers there looked vulnerable. As the battle commenced I turned my javelinmen and sent them to help my archers, I advanced my left which contained my King and his bodyguard, Rob advanced to meet me, his left however was a tad more cautious, but then I did not push forward my right to meet him. The cavalry on both sides merely stood around watching each other to see how the infantry battle went.

Rob works on his fiendish plan.

Rob slammed into my left flank with two warbands, one was quickly overwhelmed and outclassed by the King's household and sent packing, while the other initiated a fight which swung too and fro for several turns. This unit fought with passion as did mine opposing it and the slaughter was great, eventually my King and his men joined in and flanked the Brits, even then they only just failed to stand.

The Brits attack.

By now Rob had attacked my cautious right, his leaders bodyguard cut through one of my warbands like a knife through butter while his Pedyts saw off my Ceorls, I could see disaster on the horizon, I would be left with only my King's troops and the cavalry as a fighting force. Lady Luck came to my rescue, The Romano-British Dux and his men had to take a morale check for some reason, they needed nine or less on three dice to pass, Rob threw three fives, they bolted and found my Gedriht on their flank as they fled, game over.

A great slaughter ensues.

An excellent little game with quite a bit of excitement during several of the melee's, I did manage in the end to win the skirmish battle but these troops played no role in the main events. Still not convinced about those Saxon dice.

I have been lucky this year to host two weekends of wargaming at Casa Anderson, one with my son and another with Mike Jordan, this weekend I have mate Matt Smith of The Wargames Table blogspot coming for some Bolt Action and War and Conquest. Matt has put together three linked Normandy scenarios to fight hopefully Friday night and Saturday, while I have organised the battle of Deorham 577AD between the Romano-British and an invading Saxon force for Sunday morning. I have fought this battle once before solo, so I am looking forward to having an opponent this time, Matt will be taking the Brits as they hail from his neck of the woods. Will he change history and save the West Country for the locals, we will see.

The phrase 'Harry Redders' came to mind during the recent warm spell, this is a Naval weather term and things were either Harry Redders of Harry Icers, there is no Harry Unsettled Showers or Harry Don't Travel if you Don't Have To warnings. Anyway, I looked it up online to make sure I had it correct and found the items below, can't wait to try em.

I almost forgot I took these very interesting photos of AP rounds fired at a sheet of metal at Tankfest, they show the entry and exit holes, fascinating if frightening.