Cotswold Wargames Day 2019

This weekend I popped along to the second Cotswold  Wargaming Day hosted by Keith Flint in Northleach.  CWD-19, as its now known, featured 8 games in a variety of scales with prizes once again awarded by Stuart the Elder.

There were a couple of 28/30mm 18th Century games, which are always eye-catching. A historical encounter using 30mm Smiths plastics that are almost as old as me and an imaginations battle with a splendid castle as a backdrop.

There was also a wild-west shootout that won best terrain. Can you spot the iron-age pigs drafted into China Town?

A game of Black Powder set in the Caribbean won best game.

I also managed to get a shot of a Spanish-Mexican clash in 20mm and some 10mm Napoleonic's with old school terrain. I failed to get decent shots of a WWII battle and some WWII aircraft in 1/300th.

 

The Big Red One - a project completed

After some months of painting (mostly reds) I've now completed by Forces of the Abyss army. I've played several games against it but have yet to command them. They have lots of tools with fast units, hard hitting units, some big infantry blocks and a good range of heroes and monsters. I'd planned about 2000 point but I think its well over 4000 now.

First up is half the core infantry - Lower Abyssals, Larvae, and some cheeky Imps. These units are designed to hold ground and bog-down the enemy

Imps

Lower Abyssal

Larvae

The other half of the core infantry - Succubi, Flame bearers and Efreets. These bring melee punch and distance shooting respectively.

Flame Bearers

Succubi

Efreets

Next up are the heavy hitters, large demons to break the enemy lines. Here were have Despoilers flanked by Molochs.

Despoilers

Molochs

Every army needs some spend and punch. For the Abyssals its the Abyssal Horsemen and the Hellequins. These three units could be used as either.

Hellequins

Abyssal Horse / Hellequins

The final set of major units are fast-moving troops designed to interfere with the enemy plans or guard the flanks.  Here we have Hellhounds and Tortured Souls. These are mostly purple as I needed a break from red and black!

Tortured Souls

Hellhounds

Finally we have the various heroes and individuals who complete the army.

From left to right a Demon lord / Arch Fiend, Ba'Su'su the vile and the Seductress enchantress.

Another Arch Fiend, very much the centre-piece of the army.

Again from left to right - a warlock, Helllquin Bloodmasque, a Champion, and a standard bearer.

So there you have it an awful lot of red paint.

 

Triple wammy of games

This weekend being a bank holiday I had more time than usual and got in three games - two Kings of War and a Vanguard. So lots of piccies

Vanguard Skirmish 

The demonic Forces of the Abyss took on the beastly Herd contesting a Pillage-style scenario with three objectives to capture. This ended a 1-0 win for The Herd due to my traditional inability to finish-off enemies when they are knocked to the ground.  The Abyssal Seductress hero proved very powerful though.

 

Tale of Two Forts Campaign

The second game was the forth instalment of the ongoing Fishponds KOW campaign between the Salamanders (Lizardmen) and The Herd. This was also Pillage, with 5 objectives up for grabs. As usual with the slow-moving Salamanders I looked to attack with my Ancients on one flank (the right) and refused the other (the left) with this being held by a Greater Fire Elemental, some Tyrants and Blizzard Lizard. The Herd focused most of their troops opposite me with a fast force of Eagles and Chariots against my refused left.      

In the early turns my Blizzard Lizard cleared the Eagles on my left and gave me the chance of a bonus objective I was nt originally planning to content. More centrally though the charge / counter-charge did nt favour me, with the crucial Ancients of Rinosaurs not having the impact needed, leaving my right badly weakened.  

Some fun was had on the left as a I scooped-up the objective and then managed to Surge my Greater Fire Elemental into the flank of The Herd line. After couple of moves I made decent progress in the centre but all too slow to push for a win as the right had collapsed.  

The game ended with 1 objective to the Salamanders, 2 contested and 2 to The Herd. so a 2-1 loss which means the Lizardmen are pushed back to their fort for the final game.

Boarder Skirmish Campaign

The final battle was the third of the Salamanders vs Forces of the Abyss. The scenario was Invade, so points are scored for units over the half-way line. Both sides deployed with their strongest units opposite each other (the lizardmen left).  

The Salamanders sat back initially looking to rely on their shooting before looking to counter-punch against the advancing Abyssals. With both sides largely static on the Salamander right the Abyssals attacked with their Molochs, who were held-up by the Lekelidons before being counter charged and routed by the Ancients on Rinosaurs.  

Centrally the infantry lines clashed and the resilient Salamanders were eventually able to win the grind against the more lightly equipped Abyssals.

Go a solid win for the Lizardmen in this one, ending the weekend on a win. I must admit though to some distraction as the game overlapped with the end of Stokes innings at Headingly.