Around the world in several games

On top if the current Sudan campaign I've played a few other games over the last couple of weeks. 

Medieval Japan

The first is some samurai skirmish using Test of Honour. The game scale is fairly small with either individual figures of blocks of 3. Activation is done using drawn from a bag with leaders have more possible actions available than ordinary troops.       

A peaceful looking village

The rules are fast and furious with options to act honourably /dishonourably, special events and a wide variety of troops / weapons.   

Persian Civil War - The Society of Ancient battle day

 I also made my first visit to the SOA battle day just off the M4. The idea is to play the same battle but using different sets of rules. Some games have spare places and there is a chance to wander about and speak to the other players about their games. 

 

The game I played - Armati II

This years game was Cunaxa - a Persian civil war scenario from 401 BC. In the real game the outnumbered rebel forces under Cyrus the younger attacked the larger Royal army under Artaxerxes. The battle is possibly best know for the presence of 10,000 Greeks under Clearchus, who ended up on the wrong side and had to march back to Greece through occupied territory.    

An interesting feature of the day was the number of games using grid or hex based systems. I would say about half the games featuring this mechanic.

Pillage - Ransacking the dark ages.

The final game in the round-up is another game of Pillage. In this game I was attacking and had to attack a fortified tower surrounded by a high wall. The aim was to get a flag to the top of the tower within 10 turns.  

The distraction unit - guys in red shirts

Ladders up - my Helmsdeep moment

I weas able to win the game in turn 9 by attacking the outside wall of the tower while some sacrificial troops kept the defenders best troops busy.   

 

I reach the top of the tower

Italian Wars Finale

Over the Christmas break we played the finale of the Italian Wars campaign with a grand battle over a days play, involving the East (Montegrifone / Roccamurata) vs West (Virezza vs Taverno). It was a hybrid scenario:

• Points awarded for destroying enemy units with these units recycled as reserves. 
• Points for holding the large hill and bridge from turn 5 onward

Taverno / Virezza at the top and Montegrifone / Roccamurata at the bottom

We lined-up with Virezza opposite Montegrifone facing the hill and Taverno opposite Roccamurata facing the bridge. The river was Difficult and impassable to artillery.  

Taverno horse

Taverno foot

Montegrifone horse

Montegrifone foot

Roccamurata foot

Both sides advanced looking to capture the objectives and get into range of the enemy. The first action was Taverno vs Roccamurata horse, which favoured the Roccamurtaians who pushed their opponents back.   

Centrally Taverno managed to capture the bridge but that unit was destroyed by fire allowing Roccamurta to get into a stronger position to hold it. The Montegrifone vs Virezza infatry clashed was more of a stalemate.      

Virezza attacks through the corn field

Around the strategically important hill there was a swirling melee with both sides getting troops behind the enemy but neither able to claim the hill. The Taverno infatry made good progress, throwing back the Roccamurata foot but crucially not managing to destroy them and claim the points.   

Taverno pushes Roccamurata back

After 7 turns of play kills were pretty even and the hill was contested. Roccamurata had though been able to hold the bridge for a few turns and so the Eastern alliance run out winners after a closely fought contest.   

The hill is contested

The bridge is secured

   

Italian Wars - the final battles

This week is the final round of games before a season ending grand battle, which we will play over Christmas. The scenario for was Unexpected Attack - the defender finds themselves surrounded in their camp with their generals starting off table as the attack was, well, unexpected! 

Game 1 -  Fiorento / Roccamurata vs San Barzano

The San Barzano forces deployed with a field square in each corner and a cavalry reserve in the centre. The attackers chose to focus their energies on the front of the camp with attacks at each corner.  

San Barzano defenders

The initial attacks were quite deliberate as they sought to weaken the defenders with artillery fire whilst moving a charge position. First into action were the Roccamurata infantry, who assault the eastern corner and pushed back the San Barzano troops.    

 

Defenders stand ready

Roccamurata shot

Slightly slower into action were the Fiorento Hussars, who eventually attacked and broke into the camp before being thrown back. After 5 turns there was 1 point in it. A further round of combat saw the defenders losing more units and the attackers winning by 6.     

 

The decisive attack

Game 2 - Taverno vs Montegrifone

This game had some additional jeopardy as the winner would place second and so be one of the commanders for the campaign finale. The defenders massed their infantry in the front of the camp, with horse holding the rest.     

Taverno infantry ready to attack 

Montegrifone defenders

The attackers surged forward, looking to exploit the absence if the defenders generals, and met with initial success as they broke into the camp. Some strong counter attacks pushed them back with the results in the balance.  

Eventually the Montegrifone army was able to eject the Taverno forces from their camp and claim the win. 

Defenders break out of the camp

Campaign Results

This final game left Roccamurata (8.5),  Montegrifone (8) and Taverno (7) in the top 3 spots. Fiorento (5) were just clear of the pack who were mostly on (3) to (3.5) points. So the final battle will be Red vs Blue.   

Italian Wars - Turn 7

Only two games this week as bad weather and demands at Court kept some armies away.

West Gallomagna vs Roccamurata

This game was the reverse of the previous week for Roccamurata as this time they had to attack a fortified border tower. As they had allies from Virezza they used their Tercios to attack the tower with artillery support and used their own infatry to block-off the West Gollomagna reinforcements.

West Gallomagna stands ready 

Roccamurata blocks the reinforcements 

This worked well with the Tercios slugging away in the centre. The attackers lost a few units but were able to damage the tower and score sufficient points to win by the end of turn 6. Roccamurata / Vierreza win

Virezza allies attack the keep

Game 2 - Montegrifone vs San Barzano

This is another scenario we played last week - the attacker must get from one quarter of the table to the opposite quarter without too many loses to break through enemy lines. Montegrifone massed their foot on the corner of the quadrant with supporting troops flanking them.   

Montegrifone foot

San Barzano intercepting forces

Initially they seemed to have forgotten the mission and attacked the San Barzano forces instead of seeking to break through and so were making slow progress. Eventually they remembered the brief and were able to score a win. Montegrifone win.

Montegrifone attacks

Pushing through the lines

And so with 7 turns played Roccamurata and Montegrifone remain the front runners. Some armies are a little further back but not everyone has fought the same number of games. We've likely got 3 more weeks before a campaign ending climax game over Christmas.