Goblin v dwarfs 2nd Warband outing..

        "Getting moving boyz we is off ta Bash sum Stunties heads"

We ran our second Warband game last Weekend at what a cracking game it turned out to be! this time I took command of the Goblin army against my Dad and his Dwarfs. I took CnC, 5 warrior units who were fierce, a bow unit, 1 ogre unit, Giant spiders, wolf riders and a unit of cave horrors (squigs). My Dads dwarfs were made up of CnC 2 units of bezerkers (troll slayers) with the rest of the army made up of dwarf warriors. All of which were resolute.

In the opening moves my ogres made fast progress across the battlefield and charged into the dwarf honour guard who resolutely held their ground. They were then reinforced in the following turn by a warrior unit which swung tne combat in the dwarf favour as the ogres retreated out of the combat. However in the following turn they went crashing back into the Dwarf infantry.

The impetuous TrollSlayers go in a bezerkers rage as they fail their command roll and charge distraught towards the Squigs hacking at themselves in the process. 

With the Viant spiders now threatening there flanks the honour guard fight with added zeal and along with the Warriors inflict 6 hits on the ogres...ouch!

Failing there protection roll the ogres morale is reduced to 0 and they turn heels and rout. However my Goblin general moved over towards them in the following turn and rallied them with his remains command points. This was to prove very important in the later turns of the game.

With the Ogres rallied the main Dwarf and Goblin battle line clash in the centre, many rounds are fought as slowly the Drwafs start to get rnd upper hand as the goblin warriors morale starts to drop dangerously low.

The fight goes along the battlefield with only 1 unit from either side not in combat. The Hounour guard on the far hill rout the unit of Giant spiders but themselves are now close to breaking.

My Wolfriders join the fight against the TrollSlayers after riding around their flank as the squigs prove a tough unit in combat, more than a match for the TrollSlayers.

After a dwarf warrior unit routs from combat with the goblin archers & Ogres, I get the initiative again in the following turn and the ogres sucessfully charge into the flank of the Hounour guard, who finally have enough and rout from the combat.

The battle in the centre continues as the Goblins find it tough going to inflict casualties onto the dwarf warriors. However they still remain in the fight.

After falling back in the previous round of combat the Goblin line throws its self back at the dwarfs despite already having suffered heavy casualties in true Greenskin style...wa aargh 

The Squigs finally get the better of the troll slayers and rout them and pursue into the second unit of trollslayers. Before they rout, the troll slayers manage to rout the Goblin wolf riders who swiftly leave the battlefield. The Dwarf army is now only 3 points from been broken, all I had to do was break one more unit, the only problem was that the majority of my Goblins were dangerously close to routing too!

The Ogres fresh from routing tne Hounour guard turn and smash into the dwarf warriors just as a unit of Goblin warriors are routed. The Squigs Aldo turn there attention to a unit of warriors and charge into the flank as the Goblin army sensed victory.

However the Dwarfs refused to buckle and hung on as every remaining unit is locked in a desperate combat. All my remaining units are now down to 1 & 2 morale points. Luckily I was managing to roll good command points so I was able to keep my units just about in tne action.

In what turned out to be the final turn crucially my dad rolled a 1 on his command roll meaning he would have little influence over the combats as he would be unable to roll for extra saves etc as so many of the troops were locked in combat. This proved the decisive factor as my general had enough command points to make sure my Goblin units didn't break from combat. 

And the final blow was struck by those Ogres, inflicting 3 hits on the dwarf warriors. Only needing edging one casualty to win the game my dad rolled his saving throws and cruelly failed one roll meaning his Dwarf army had broken..

What a fantastic fun close run game this turned out to be. The game went back and forth with both sides taking tne game to their opponents. Importantly I managed to win every initiative roll in the game so I was always able to exploit any opportunities at the start of the turn. My Goblin army was really hanging on by a thread and had I rolled a couple of poor Command rolls towards the end of the game it could of been my army that collapsed and the outcome would have been very different. The dwarfs were hard to beat with the resolute rule but once I got around their flanks I was able to turn the combats in my favour. My ogres proved to be the Man (ogre) of the match as after been routed early doors I managed to rally them quick sharp and get them back into the battle where they accounted forthe  loss of 2 warrior units and the Hounour guard unit.  The game has twisted my arm into doing a Undead/Vampire army(s) which I've already got my shopping list for, roll on Sheffield tripples show!!  great stuff!!!!

The final battle position

A Napolionics clash

Last weekend saw my dad and I run a French v Austrian battle using Blackpowder rules. We both pretty much used all our armies available and set to in a pitched battle. My Dads Austrains won the day after his Dragoons and Hussairs out maneuvered my Dragoons and caught them in flank and breaking them and also bettering the fire fire fight between two of our line infantry brigades. I managed to break a Austrain Infantry brigade due largely to the effective long range battery fire from my French artillery. In one last throw of the dice I committed my guard brigade into an attack on the hill where they overcame heavy cannon fire to charge into combat but ultimately were unable to break the Austrain infantry who countered with their reserve Currasiers forcing the Guard into retreat. A good afternoon game, here are the pictures of the action.

The first command roll of the game from my dad Blunder. This brigade blundered 3 more times during the course of the game.

French infantry  and Hussairs brigades in Attack coloum 

French light cavalry brigade leading the way with the Old Guard in support.

French infantry form into line as the Austrians engage in a fire fight.

French Hussars watch on as the Dragoons after early sucess against the Austrian cavalry are caught in the flank and routed.

Under heavy artillery fire a battalion of Austrian line infantry breaks

The Old Guard advance towards the hill with Currasiers in support.

The French infantry brigade begins to waver under heavy Austrian fire.

The Guard move onto the hill ignoring the closing canister fire as the Currasiers force the Austrain infantry to form square. The French line infantry in support were unable to capitalise as they charged into the square but were unable to break them

After been unable to break the square the French infantry are routed after the Austrain Currasiers and Grenadiers join the combat in support of the square.

After some desperate hand to hand the Guard fail to break the Austrian infantry and are forced to retreat giving the Austrains a deserved win.

10mm ACW encounter

With my dad still unsure what rules to use for his 10mm ACW games we decided to play test Rank and File rules set as my dad had a couple of solo games under his belt. The game played very easy and the action moved along at a good pace. I played the Union force and after some fierce fire fighting ( and better dice rolling to day ), particularly around the action on the hill, I managed to come away with a winning draw. I was just starting to push the rebels back on there right flank after I had repelled the Rebs initial attack and my right flank was secure holding the farm area when the game came to a close. We will definetly have a second outing using the rules but as for a first go are concerned they ticked a lot of boxes. Here are some photos of the action.

The set up

The Union right flank takes refuge behind the fencingaround the farm house, 

The Rebels launch their main attack against the hill just off the centre of the board after ceasing the initiative.

The Unions launch a counter attack against the hill

Union troops quick March from the right flank to reinforce the centre and threaten the flank of the Confederate centre.

Union skirmishes occupy the farm house as the union rifle fire holds the rebels at bay.

The unions now push forward after checking the Rebel attack on the hill.

The union right flank holds fast in the farm area. The confederates struggle to loose their disorder for much of the later stages of the game.

The union forces make a final push to break the Rebel brigade in tne centre but the veteran morale of the Rebs holds strong despite some telling union fire at point blank range.

Close quarters fire fighting

The union troops start to attack the flank of the Rebel centre threading to flank them.

As night falls the Rebel line is still holding but only just as they start to take some heavy casualties.

The end of the game resulting in a winning draw to the unions!!