The VSF world's naval elements in HotT

Andy and I have been talking for several months about how we might include naval elements into our HotT (Hordes of the Things) games. Why? Partly the aesthetic.. we both fancy the look of some suitable fantasy and especially VSF naval 'ships'. I'd also had a taste of the use of naval elements in some DBR games with Keith.. and liked what I'd experienced. This was an itch that needed to be scratched. I am careful to make it clear however that we are NOT looking for a naval game, merely an additional layer of 'flavour' in our HotT games.

Currently the HotT rules allow for 'water lurkers', but these are relatively limited in use (as are all lurkers). That is not to say they lack use, merely that they were not quite what we were looking for. That is just a matter of taste.

We decided to see if we could take the DBR rules for Ships, Boats, and Galleys, and adapt them to HotT games. This game was out first 'play test' to see what we had. We placed the games in the Weird World War 1 genre, with our WWW1 German and British armies.

My British army contained:

1 x Hero general
1 x airboat
1 x boat
2 x riders
2 x blades
3 x shooters

Andy's German army contained:

1 x shooter general

1 x Boat

1 x Horde

3 x Blades

2 x Behemoth

2 x shooters

Deployment, with the two boats in the 'waterway' deployed to the left

While the two Boat models look very different, there is no significance in their appearance, the are both simple 'Boats'

The opening round of fire forced one of the German behemoths back

... and a British shooter back

However more telling, was the opening of the naval action when the German Boat eliminated the British Boat. Both boats were carrying their compulsory land element, and so the loss for the British cost them their Boat and a blade

Action continues on land

The German Boat advances towards the British shoreline flank

The British Airboat attacks the German horde.. a mistake as it happens, as the airboat was to be tied up in this combat for the entire game

Action is joined on the British left

The German behemoth makes a break through against a shooter element

The German Boat prepares to disembark it's blade element. Andy placed the Blade element on the Boat base simply to remind himself that it was there.

It gets very messy in the centre

Repeated attempts to eliminate the German general fail

The Germans eliminate the left flanking riders

The British Hero general is eliminated, and the battle is lost for the British

So, how did we think this all went? Basically well.

• Our DBR adaptation requires naval elements to carry one land based element (as with DBR). If we assume that is necessary (we have included that requirement for now) then I learned that when the opponent has a naval element too, it is better to disembark the land element asap.
• The adaptations are probably not a tournament option because if you are the attacker, with a naval element when your opponent doesn't and if she therefore chooses not to pace a river or waterway,, that means you've effectively lost 3 AP (even though they don't count towards losses). The same thing happens with a water lurker, but that of course is only 1 AP
• The option of a Boat vs Boat combat is interesting
• We found several more areas that need consideration. The DBR rules include March moves which don't exist in HotT. Rather than add them in (an unnecessary complication, as we don't intend to change the fundamental nature of the rules.. they work just fine) we have another plan.
• We found we needed to add in 'waterway' as a terrain feature, again essentially mirroring the DBR rules. 

Once we are happy with progress, we'll post our suggestions for comment. 

Arab mounted troops for the Middle East WW1

 I've just completed the painting and basing of 8 stands of Arab camelry, and 8 stands of Arab cavalry, for the Middle East in World War 1. These are intended for my preferred rules set Great War Spearhead, and each stand represents the equivalent of a squadron in European terms. The figures are from the Irregular 6mm range.

I am still thinking about the base label format for these, so they are as yet unlabelled.

Cavalry and camelry on the right, the Arab infantry I completed several weeks ago are on the left.

Orcs and Pirates..

Introducing good friend Jon to some HotT (Hordes of the Things) goodness. He enjoyed the opportunity to play something less serious than usu, something light hearted, something with built in laughs. In this case he took my Orcs vs while I played my Pirates (both in 20mm). 

These are just some random shots of the second game we played.. a lot of fun.

Arab troops for the Middle East World War 1

I've returned to the Middle East 1914-1918 WW1 project, this week with the start of the Arab troops. Here are 9 bases of Arab infantry, all Irregular figures. These could serve with either British or Turkish forces, and of course for the Arab Revolt, which I often felt ought to be called the Wars for Arab Independence. I haven't yet created labels for them.. oh well, soon..

Somewhere in the Peninsular .. maybe.. 1809 .. maybe

Spain, maybe... 1809, maybe... and a semi historical game using my 25mm armies, and the Volley and Bayonet rules. I say maybe, because the forces used included O(for example) British heavy cavalry which were not a feature of Wellington's Peninsular army. But this is only a semi historical game, with a small Spanish force held up in a fortified town complete with star fort, a besieging French force, and a British column on the way to relieve the seige.

The Spanish began the game occupying the town and fort (Jon's 15mm terrain, and a beautiful piece, too). Their troops were stationary. They were besieged by French troops occupying hasty works. The British relief forces were due to arrive turn three.. The French had 8 game turns in which to eject the Spanish and occupy the town and fort.

On the first turn Jon's French (including brigades of converged grenadiers M6 shock troops) assaulted the fort.

The Turn 1 French assault on the Spanish.. soundly defeated

The first assault was defeated, the net result was an entire French division going into morale collapse.

A close up of the first assault, which included a charge by a brigade of French Chasseurs, top right

The Spanish had occupied an outlying village on the left with a single regiment. The aim was to draw French troops away form the main works, buying time for the relief column to arrive. The French however eject the Spanish in turn 2.

Two successive assaults by the French on the right flank of the fort see the right flank defending Spanish division exhausted, with a single defending regiment remaining

The British relief column arrives, the cavalry taking the left to pin a force of French cavalry.

French forces fighting their way into the fort on the right

The relief column assaults the French forces holding the outlying village on the Spanish left

French infantry are now swarming into the fort.. the end is near for the few remaining Spanish defenders

French cavalry pinning the British cavalry

The aforementioned British cavalry ..

The final French assault on the last of the defenders, the second of the two artillery batteries

One of the two Spanish defending batteries in the fort remains... but not for long

The relief column has ejected the French from the outlying village

British artillery advancing with the relief column

Rule Britannia ...

French infantry are now completely in control of the fort and town

This is turn 6, and it is clear that the British relief column has failed to relieve the Spanish force which has been completely eliminated. In addition, with only two game turns left there is no chance that the British can retake the fort.

The game was fascinating. When Jon suffered one division exhausted in his first turn assault things didn't look hopeful for the French. However as we learn repeatedly with Volley and Bayonet, 'it ain't over 'til it's over'... 

An 'aircraft carrier' for HotT.. one final naval element

Can you ever have too much of a good thing? Well maybe. There was a craze went around the 'modelling' web a year of two ago for building space ships from clothes pegs... it eventually went quiet, but not before folk had demonstrated some wonderful creativity.

Having created three 'naval' elements for my HotT armies, I had the bug, but realised this was not something that could go on forever. However I wanted to create just one more.. a matter of indulging the creativity, and the old fashioned model building, rather than any necessary desire to create elements for the games, simply because I had enjoyed the process and the challenges so much. After all we have not yet trialled the 'naval' rules, so have no guarantee that this will actually work.

That said, as friend Jon and I have discussed, this is a hobby of multiple dimensions, one is the gaming, and another is the modelling. So .. given that in our 'mind's eyes' these naval elements are likened to airboats, it did seem reasonable that one of the elements should be some sort of 'VSF aircraft carrier'. Aren't airboats about projecting airpower? This is it.

The core of the ship based on a couple of shapes carved from core board.

The core is 'clad' in light card. I wanted some sort of pseudo- carrier/dreadnought (a bit of a cliche, I guess), so it needed gun turrets down each side

A flight deck is added

A bit of a superstructure, and three funnels

Based, and the water texturing added to the base

Basic painting, some flight deck markings, and a base deep green applied to the 'water'

Lighter blue water and white foam added around the ship

I wanted some sort of 'flyer' on the flight deck, and it took four failed attempts before this came out .. a sort of gyrocopter.. far from perfect, but at arms length it looks okay, just don't peer too closely

The finished product

The final products, from left to right an orc ship, two VSF ships, and a VSF submarine

This has been one of those projects that hasn't necessarily been 'gaming focussed, but a lot of fun. The project engaged some good old fashioned imagination, and model making skills, using spares, scraps, and recycled materials.. the sort of thing I love most. I am pleased with the final products, and am looking forward to seeing some of these on the table. Now I just hope we can generate some 'naval' rules that work. Watch this space.