Rome pushes east..a DBA game

My son Nick and I finally managed to get together for a long promised DBA game. Work and life generally had got in the way on numerous occasions, but this time we managed it.

So it was my Early Imperial Romans vs Nick's Mountain Indians.. Rome had clearly pushed somewhat further east than Trajan and others had managed. The armies are both 25mm, using a mix of Foundry and other manufacturers. My Romans stem from a somewhat earlier stage in my painting career, block painted in some cases, with others showing early signs of black undercoats. I still like to see them out on the table though.

With their lower aggression factor, the Indians were on the defensive, and Nick dutifully put out two steep hills and two areas of forest. This first photo shows the game in turn two, with the Roman centre pushing forward, but also somewhat surprisingly the Indian general (the guy in white) pushing his own light horse forward in the centre.. I was worried by what fiendish plan this might represent.



Bow and artillery fire pushed back the Indian Light Horse, claiming two bases as victims and leaving the Indian general not quite so sure that his bold push through the centre had been a wise move in the first place.






In the meantime the Roman centre and left wing pushed forward, intent on pinning and tackling the Indian auxilia settled into the defensive positions on the steep hill in their centre. The Roman legionnaries surprisingly found themselves on the flank, a most novel experience for them, while their auxilia pushed forward in the centre to tackle the Indian line.









In the final turns of the game the Roman cavalry proceeded to move around the terrain onto the Indian left flank, supported by the Roman archers who then managed to kill the Indian general with their bow fire.



All in all a very enjoyable game for both of us, although we were frankly a little rusty with the rules. A few hurried references to the WADBAG guide were in order to make sure that we had things right.

More HotT winter warmth

Well, we are heading into the depths of winter again here in Christchurch, and what better way to warm things up than another HotT tournament. We started last year in July with 'A HotT Winter's day', followed by HotT Carnage in November. At the carnage event we introduced the new 'Emperor Dragon' trophy.

Well, we are off again this year with 'A HotT Winter's Day 09', on 5 July, and the 'Emperor Dragon' trophy is once more there for the taking (as well as the usual world domination so close to the hearts of evil tyrants and other daemons and gods generally).

We will follow the Berkeley tournament format again (it works so well, and plagiarism is the highest form of flattery.. thanks and well done to the Berkeley organisers.. you have inspired me here in Christchurch).

So, heat up your Hordes, dust off your dragons, gee up your Gods....

'ere we go again!!

Dwarven host grows...

The Dwarven host continues to grow, with a unit of Longbeards added to their numbers last week. I have yet to try anything more than a 500 point skirmish with them of course, but we mustn't rush these things, must we. Here are some photos of the Longbeards. Of course, as a 'gamer I have a genetically driven sense of megalomania, and so couldn't resist the opportunity to show the small but growing Dwarven host in its entirety as well.









I still have to paint Runes on the banners.. I'm hoping that won't be one of those jobs that never gets done. In the meantime, I have some Empire Pistolliers on the painting board: Dogs of War as a Rare Choice, this isn't going to be an ordinary Dwarf army, although it's also probably not going to be a game winning army either he! he!... There is a Dwarf Lord, and a banner bearer too, but.. have I ever said how much I hate assembling those metal figures?

Still, the Dwarven host grows....

Those little guys with big axes and attitudes to match

So, here are the first photos of the Dwarf project so far: a unit of Dwarf warriors, and one of Thunderers. I am well behind with the project at the moment as a result of a two week illness that really took away any desire to paint (or do much of anything else at all....).

I had intended to 'speed paint' this army, but frankly I just couldn't bring myself to use dips etc. The best I could manage was some dry-brushing on the mail armour. The rest has been painted using my traditional wet brush layering technique over black undercoat. I'm trying to maintain some consistent themes with the army: all banners for standards, plenty of Norse horned helmets, and of course a limited palette of colours throughout the entire army.

The only worry I have is this: Dwarves are associated with beer, and it seems that drinking beer while battling with a Dwarf army might be mandatory. Sadly my days of drinking those sorts of volumes of beer are long gone. Will I cope? Maybe the quality of my 'gaming would improve with more beer, but I don't think my physiology is up to it. I'll just have to give it a try.

So now it's onto some Longbeards, a Lord, and a battle standard bearer. I want to get a good base of core units completed before I start the Specials. Miners are my key, along with a unit of Slayers. I'm also contemplating a 'Dogs of War' unit under the Rare category.. some Empire Pistolliers to give some additional mobility. I want a Dwarf army that plays differently, so no artillery is on the horizon at the moment. I have no idea if this is an all-losing army I'm developing, but it will be different, I hope. We'll see... players aren't going to slam me for unsporting composition are they?

Volley and Bayonet in the Sudan

I've made no secret of my opinion that Volley and Bayonet is arguably one of the best 1700-1900 rules sets written. That is to say, it's the one that best matches my own 'gaming paradigm. Good friend Adrian has written some nice little amendments that allow it to play very nicely for the Colonial period. The British and Egyptian infantry are mounted onto linear stands, while the Dervish infantry all fight on massed stands. The photos below show our most recent Colonial adventures, with chaps fighting hard under the hot desert sun for the sake of the Empire (British, or Dervish, depending upon your preference). The troops are 15mm (mostly Essex, painted by Adrian Powell). The steamer was scratch built by Adrian.

The British forces have a mule 'train' of wagons carrying wounded soldiers, including the esteemed Lord N Derwear) that they must get to the waiting paddle steamer for evacuation down river. The assembled Dervish forces know that it would be a great victory for their forces, and a slap in the face for the invading British, if they can stop the 'train' making it to the steamer, and capture Lord Derwear.

The photos follow the sequence of the battle, as the Mule train races forward, covered by both Egyptian forces and those brave few British. They are oriented with the British 'train' travelling from right to left in each photo. Adrian commanded the British, while Andy and I commanded the Dervish forces.

The early stages saw the Dervish attackers looking as if they would to stop the train in its tracks (as it were), with Dervish cavalry entering from behind the right flank of the fleeing forces. With the aid of fanatical Dervish troops advancing from the right of the train, they wiped out the escorting Egyptian forces. But the valiant Egyptian infantry had sold their lives dearly, winning the time necessary for the mule train to be passed into the hands of the waiting British Camel Corp troops. The Camel Corps was able to escort the train towards safety, holding up the bulk of the remaining Dervish infantry long enough.

The final photo shows the mule train racing towards the welcoming arms of the waiting British forces and the steamer in the river, with the last of the Dervish cavalry coming up short in the face of fierce volleys from the British infantry standing waiting.

In the midst of the battle photos are Adrian and Andy, facing off mid battle as Andy's Dervishes throw themselves at the Egyptian infantry.

Dwarfs.. a small problem????

I was tempted into starting my Dwarven host for WFB as a result of a fascinating discussion on the South Island War games forum about how boring dwarves are to play. My first thought (already recorded on an earlier blog) was, how could you be bored by a lot of very short guys with lots of attitude and big axes? As I have also been 'gaming for 40 years this year (yep, 1969 I started) my experience suggests that if an army is boring then either the rules are rubbish, or players have developed stereotypical ways of playing that cause the boredom.

So, I thought, there's only one answer: build an army and start playing differently. So, i bought the army book and my first battalion box of GW figures, and have already started painting them (a small confession : I had planned to 'speed paint' them to get an army on the table. Sadly my painting habits - I am a fan of layering- have meant that I just can't bring myself to 'speed paint'.. damn). I also thought.. I've heard nice things about tournament players in WFB.. hard but good humoured etc), I've even anticipated playing in a tournament or two. An inspection of the army book seemed op present a number of appropriate alternatives that would allow for a range of interesting tactical alternatives that might make for interesting games instead of the 'boring (or predictable) games' that, I'd heard, are the norm.

Imagine then my surprise when, talking with a 'gamer whose opinion I have no reason to disbelieve, I discover that the alternatives I am contemplating are 'cheesy'!!!!

I HATE the word, but I've met the concept before. In the last nationals competition I played in (WW2,.. Natcon 1981.. in which Brian S and I took out the title as a team) we played an army that consisted of two Tiger Is and a Panther.... in WW23 terms that's 'cheesy'!!! I resolved after that experience that I would never play in a competition again.. I broke the resolution on 2008 and played at TagCon in their DBA competition.. thanks guys for showing what a good competition can be.

However provided you stay within the legal army book I am a little puzzled about why army composition could be considered 'cheesy'.. (I hate the word so much, I'll refrain from using it anymore in this post!!). But apparently I'll lose sportsmanship points 'big time' if I do so.

OK.. now I'm really puzzled. In any games that I play, I'm looking for interest and entertainment. I tend to lose at least as many games as I win, and I'm certainly NOT a power 'gamer. But if using the legal army list is frowned upon by one's opponents, and sportsmanship scores suffer as a result, it's NO WONDER that games involving Dwarf armies are boring.

Really, guys... how can you expect anything else if you basically 'cower' players into one paradigm of army composition, and therefore of play.

I have no problem organising armies that are legal, and looking for ways to create interesting tactical situations that make for entertaining armies.

But this attitude (if I have this correct): does this mean that if WFB players played Modern Spearhead, then you would frown upon opponents using Counter battery fire, or attack helicopters, is MRLSs, or Gas??? These were technically a possible part of any warfare on the modern battlefield, and are encompassed within the rules system as a result.

If specific army compositions are allowed for in the army book of a fantasy games system, isn't that an equivalent to CB fire, or gas or.... I had planned to lay outside the existing paradigm in order to create interesting games, fun games.

I am puzzled by why they are in the lists if they are considered to be 'ch...'.. no I can't say the word any more. Surely dwarf miners, or gyrocopters or.. whatever, anything in fact that alters the style of play, can't be that dodgy. Or maybe some folk just feel threatened by out of the box (but inside the army list) thinking.

I am hoping that someone else reads this blog post, and can assure me that what I have been told is not true, that this little rant was unnecessary... if it is true, then I've invested $$ and quite some time already for a 'gaming experience that I may not enjoy,

Big axes and attitude to match

Yup.. it's happened again.. It's no secret that I've pondered WH Fantasy for a while.. and even bought those mostly painted Tomb Kings figures as a start, only to convert them to HotT with a new base job.

However discussion on our local war games forum of how 'boring' dwarf armies to play with and against perked my interest.. how could short guys with big axes, and an attitude to match, be boring?

So.. I've bought the 'battalion box', and started my first Dwarf regiment.



No this isn't them... this is the GW promotion photo from their own web site. Hopefully I'll post a few photos in a week or two. I had hoped to 'speed paint' them, but life has intervened with other priorities, and also i just can't bring myself to use dips. I am still a layering man.. I still like the old fashioned layers and highlights.

I played a small trial game a couple of weeks ago, and was pleasantly surprised at the 'layers' of play possible with move, magic, fire, and close combat, each adding a fascinating series of layers to what I'd thought to be a simplistic game. Now that's not to say think this game is the best thing sliced bread (I know better!!), but at its own low level it did remnd me of what I enjoy about the Spearhead family of games.

I am a fanatical fan of Great War Spearhead, and also play WW2 and Modern variants of the game. Take the Moderns period: movement, fire. close assault, ECM, chemical warfare, artillery/counter battery fire, air attack and defence.. the tremendously appealing aspects of this rule set are those multi layered challenges that the rules present, built around the need to first create a plan that combines time, space, objectives and forces.

OK.. The WH Fantasy rules don't go anywhere near that level of complexity, but I have the feeling that they are going to be a little better than I'd thought.

And anyway, how could you resist short guys with big axes and a great big pile of attitude to match???