Tuesday 26 February 2013

Late Crusades

A quest, to return the Holy Land to Christendom.

In the ever ending quest to quench the thirst of Historical gaming, we intend to delve deep into the holy land, bearing the cross of Christ, and waging holy war. 

This Era has really captured the hearts and minds of most of our Members. Sparking a lot of conversation, and of course money spending.

I predict big things for us with this era. From Heavy Templar Knights to Siege engines hurling rotten cow carcasses. And of course masses of Muslim horse archers, what would the Holly land be without Muslim horse archers! 

A few of us have been captivated buy the new range on miniature, coming form FireForge Games.
Their rapidly expanding range of Late medieval miniature, has us packing the rattling the piggy banks, and scouring the internet for release dates.

FireForge Minitures

Non of us really have a bad word to say, beautiful sculpts, with very little mold lines. 
Extremely excited about what this company has to offer.

Rules to use.

For most of our games we stick with what we know, and it mainly comes by way of Warlord Games with there range of rule sets, For this it would be Hail Ceaser.

But with leaked information of other company's, such as one close to home for us, Greatescapegames, bringing out a rules set for this era in the near future, the tides could be turning.
There is lovers and haters of all different rule sets, but we are always open minded and enjoy a new challenge.
Always on the hunt for rule set that drags you into the game, the realistic the better.

Friday 22 February 2013

Tales of the last few weeks.

So we have been absent from our blog for a week or two, a lot of painting has been done, as well as a lot of loving! (Valentines day).

Last night Thursday the 21st of Feb. We played our first game of Napoleonic'sr.
The update, wright up and pictures will be up on the Naps thread. It was a fun game.
Not everyone got their miniatures finished, including some very suspicious Spanish? but, the Battle of Talavera was waiting for no man or Model!
And Fun was had by all!

Friday 8 February 2013

Carnage on the Sabbath day.

Brothers Vs. Brothers

This Sunday we look forward, to a bit of American Civil War.

The First Battle of Bull Run, 1861.


The battle of Bull Run - 3pm The struggle for Henry Hill
Union commander - General Irvin McDowell
Confederate Commander -  General Joseph E Johnston

 Earlier this morning... Confederate forces attempted a full frontal assault on Union forces dug in at Mathews hill.
Union forces defend with not much problem, and force the Confederate infantry back down the hill.
 With Union troops full of vigor  they form up to pressure the confederates that are now in full retreat to Henry Hill, where General. Jackson (nicknamed stone wall during this battle) had arrived out of the woods with his division, at the top of the hill. Union officers in all their wisdom believed that the confederate retreat would be so disorganized  that they would never be able to reform another attack. It took the Union commanders 3 hours before they decide to press home their long lost advantage.
 Union troops form and march on the new confederate position, only to discover that it is much stronger than they could of imagined.
 Coming under a mass bombardment from well placed Rebel artillery. Jacksons Division was being strengthened with fresh waves of Infantry coming from the nearby train station (The first time in American history that reserves had been brought in by train).
 Supported buy artillery union troops push up Henry Hill and Into the fray.

Objectives
Confederates -
1) Hold Henry Hill
2) Secure Henry House, If Union Troops advance on it, Engage and route them.
Confederate Division orders:  to be disclosed on entering the battle

Union -
1) Secure an Attacking position at Henry House. And push on to the summit of Henry Hill.
2) Push Confederate forces off Henry Hill, attempting to route them in the process.
Union Division orders: to be disclosed on entering the battle

Confederate Cav, turning and charging.

Union  Advance with heist up the center. 

Union rear Guard, trying to Catch up with a very hasty central advance. 

Assault on the Union extreme left



And then, we went to the beaches!

D-Day landings

Thursday the 7th Feb 2012

This Thursday we ventured to 1944, And the D-day landings. This game was huge, and a lot of fun.

American G-Is storming up the beaches.

A Birds eye view.











A Report sent back to the allied command, the day after D-Day.

t was an epic struggle; the unbiased umpire (playing on the German side) awarded a narrow victory to the forces of right and good (Allies). 
As you looked from the sea, the allied right flank was secured by the manful storming of the beaches by GI Dai "Hollywood" Smith against a Ukranian "Volunteer" defence force commanded by John "I didn't know they were going to be behind me" Gallagher. John also had to contend with my paras sneaking up behind him; between Dai and I we managed to destroy John's company to a man, and Dai held the objective. Ken "can I come on yet" Butt made a last minute dash for glory with his Stugs, and managed to destroy three para Tetrarchs, but at the cost of four Stugs, so was a case of too little too late for the German left flank. 
I cant account for the other sectors so well, suffice to say that Pete "88mm" Fisher and his defending Germans were sat in the centre ground surrounded by a ring of destroyed and burning allied armour, mostly belonging to Dave "whay do may tanks keep sinking" Lowrie. Pete seemed to be enjoying himself though!
At the other end of the battlefield a beachhead was formed by the determined efforts of Navy Mike "I've got a battleship and I'm not afraid to use it" Edwards, and Ian "this bloody sand is soft" Jones. The beachhead was formed despite the best efforts of Mike "it's a ridge" Baldwin and his small force of Stugs. Giac "call me Wittmann" Scarano, arrived fashionably late to the battlefield with his Tiger force and proceeded to cut a swathe through the allied armour, but I think the damage had already been done by the allies.
Great game, a real spectacle, excellent terrain, both the club's and Mike's!

So, in the gaming trilogy of The Longest Day, that's two down with both being narrow allied victories. I have to say that Pete was very sporting in his analysis of defeat in the first game during conversation on Thursday. I think the last game in the trilogy is 21st Panzer's counterattack on Pegasus Bridge, so opportunity for all you boys preparing para and commando companies to give them an outing!
Also, I believe mike is planning the next trilogy around the allied breakout and operation Cobra, so maybe time to dust of the Lehr or buy that US light armoured company that is so alluring! I hope there is going to be some bocage!

A report sent back to German High Command, the day after D-Day

Postenreportenfuhrer reported,
Having exactly forecast both the exact place and timing of the allied backstossen (back stab), the fuhrer lured the Amis into a skilfully laid trap. Although the ost secktor communications bunker had been treacherously destroyed by red devils, the brave 353 regiment was ready and waiting. By skilfully lying low and covering themselves with shattered debris ,our spandaus took a heavy toll of the nervous forces of the degenenerate races.
On the western end, obersturmbaumfuhrer Gallacher fought like a caged bear. His plan to die to the last man was carried out in full. Bunkengecleaner Peter surrounded himself in glory by cutting a swathe through the ami cardboard tanks. In the West, slave labourers had deliberately built their oversized defences in the wrong place. Here the allied tanks and infantry hid awaiting the small but perfectly formed tigerstossenkiller jac giac Zooprano. The graduate of der brigendenhitlerjugendgestella took out three ami zugs in two turns. At the same time, a perfectly coordinated stug batterie, commanded by die alte fritz ken" die grossenbadensmella' , careered into the reich history books , with a perfectly orchestrated counterattack. Burning tanks and a dead para were strewn all through the flooded fields!
The allied claims of victory will be dashed at the bridge of oustereim as the gallant 21 panzer division is already revving their supercharged engines on their heavily armoured wunder weapons.
Über und out
Michel baldwinnem.
Juli 1944

 Four German company commanders were shotten in an unrelated incident!