Russo-Turkish War 1877

Finally, a chance to play a Volley and Bayonet game with Adrian's latest period and armies: the Russo-Turkish war of 1877. The armies are 15mm and as always beautifully painted. Adrian took the time to fit the armaments of the two armies into the VnB framework, with Turks equipped with better artillery than the Russians, and also better advanced cartridge rifles. This gave a different feel to the more normal mFranco Prussian sub period we might play, yet another example of the amazing flexibility of the rules set. From what little I know of the war, the outcomes were quite nicely historic too - perhaps the best sign of a good rules set.

No AAR this time, just a small selection of photos of the beautiful figures.

Mycenaean demise ....

Another most excellent evening of DBA 3.0 games with Keith and Jim. My first game saw my Mycenaeans up against Keith's Hoplite Greeks.

The Greeks were defending and, being Littoral, had the obligatory 'waterway', along with a village, a piece of rough going, and a road.

Deployment

The Greek shield wall up close

I flanked the Mycenaean pike with heavy chariots.. looking for the big punch

The first attack was pushed back for all except one of the pike blocks

Attempts to daly with the Greek left on my right didn't end well

The auxilia defending the right flank of the heavy chariots were flanked, while the chariots were repulsed again

The pike were flanked in their turn ..

The right flank, with the auxilia destroyed

The pike block fends off the hoplites to front and flank, still trying for the breakthrough with pike and chariot

The heavy chariots on the right in their turn are now taken in their flank

The battle still rages around the Mycenaean pike

However the right flank heavy chariots are destroyed, the battle is lost

But what a great game. The second for the evening saw my Ottomans versus Jim's Poles. The Ottomans nearly had the game, being up 3 to 1, when I threw '1' on the PIP die leaving me very exposed. Jim followed this with a 6 in his turn, allowing the Poles to 'get all over the Ottomans'... but what a great game. A real cliff hangar.

The magic of DBA!!!!

I love a challenge

Hmm, so .. Okay.. here's a wee challenge.

These figures are some of the remnants of my very first ancients army, those Airfix Romans. They are pretty much painted up, have nice shields that need re-attachment, and include some Roman light cavalry that were converted from Airfix ACW cavalry, with Roman head swaps. There are even some ACW conversions that were meant to be Gothic cavalry.

They need no longer do service in the historical/DBA scene, so what can I make of them in HotT?

Initial thinking and discussion suggests maybe Roman gladiators/Blade, with wolf God, and circus animals as beasts .. Lions and all that.

It seems such a waste to do nothing with them. Other suggestions are welcome.