Loss, draw and win

I played 3 games of Bolt Action this week. The first was against my long term partner in crime, Steve. We were playing the 2nd scenario in the Western Desert Book. The Italians were defending and the British had to take the buildings in the rear.

The British advanced forward but were held up by two units of Italians in foxholes who proved to be very difficult to remove.

Despite several shots on the defenders, they prove resilient.

Unfortunately, in the last turn of the game I decided to go for the win. I charged out of the foxholes at the British. I should have easily beaten him but the dice were against me and I was destroyed giving Steve an extra dice. He was also now within 3” of the objective giving him yet more victory points giving him the slenderest of victories.

Game 2 was played against Mick and it was the first in our Bolt Action league. We rolled for a mission and got Top Secret. Mick advanced out to capture the objective but was gunned down by my Mmgs.

In the end however, although I captured the objective I could get it off the table, meaning the game was a draw. Although by the end of the game Mick was left with just a few men.

The last game was against a US airbourne army. It must be said that my opponents dice were awful, rolling 4 1’s on a preliminary bombardment. Meanwhile my dice were rolling high. By the end of turn 4 I had tabled him in the game mode sectors.

Next week I return to A Game of Song and Fire. It will be my giants against Steve’s dragons. Also more Bolt Action as the league continues.

Bolt Action and Lion Rampant

Our first game using my new desert Italians.

We played the first game from the Western Desert book. I needed several light tanks and trucks. Steve needed several armoured cars. Consequently we used lots of proxies. In the end the Italians got the victory. Steve had equipped his trucks with MMG’s. I had not. Initially I thought I had made a mistake but as it turned out Steve’s trucks were very vulnerable. Anyway, a good game and good to play Steve once more.

Our first game of Lion Rampant involved trying to protect and reach an objective. The game was over very quickly. My troops were fast moving and my light cavalry quickly advanced up and reached the objective. Mick’s forces were slow moving and he struggled to stop the advance.

The second game’s objective was to advance off the opponent’s board edge. Mick advanced his cavalry up quickly but they were hit hard by my bidowers hidden in the wood. The bidowers were eventually eliminated by Steve’s fierce foot. Eventually Steve held the bridge with his foot men at Arms and his crossbowmen. The latter destroyed 3 units but eventually overwhelmed by a third unit of fierce foot. Another good game and we look forward to the new edition of the rules coming soon.

Celts

I have played some games recently but forgot to take any photos. However, I have been gradually adding to my Celtic army. All figures are from Victrix. they are from the Victrix Celtic warriors set apart from the druid who came with the chariots. I have yet to start on those. I must say that the shield transfers from Little Big Man Studios do a lot of the heavy lifting when painting these figures. However, I am pleased with the outcome.

Lion Rampant: Byzantines v Normans

Norman bidowers and spearmen guard the Byzantine escape

The objective of the game was for the Byzantine troops to escape from the field and for the Normans to destroy the Byzantine units. Half the Normans were on the field guarding the Byzantine exit. The other half were chasing the Byzantines from their board entry point.

More Normans, light cavalry and more medium infantry

After a first successful activation the Byzantines struggled to advance. Meanwhile the Normans quickly advanced and tightened the vice on the Byzantine troops.

The Byzantines need to move across the board and exit the table.

Norman cavalry chase the Byzantine mounted archers

The archers do escape the table but not before being shot up by the Norman bidowers.

Byzantine troops seem reluctant to move across the field

In the end the only Byzantine troops left on the field were the cavalry and some Byzantine bidowers were the only troops left. Normans won by 3 points to 2.

Italians first outing

By the end of the game, 4 of these units will have been destroyed.

On Tuesday I played Stewart down at the club. It was a learning game for Stewart. it was the first time I had used my Italians so I wanted to see what they could do. I was hampered by my lack of dice, 8 to 11. However, my larger units meant that for most of the time I did not need to take an order test. Only when his forward artillery observer scored a direct hit on my regulars and they ran away did I have to take a test. My shirkers kept their heads down and apart from the NCO, that was taken out by the sniper, they remained unscathed. My armoured car and tank proved rather deadly, but the stars of my army were the destruction group that soaked up lots of damage and destroyed 2 units. I think I would like a sniper at some point but am waiting for my Warlord order to arrive. I have another game on Tuesday and plan to use the same army.

On Monday my Byzantines took on Steve’s Normans.

Steve’s forces had to defend baggage.

My Byzantines advanced against the defenders.

Although Steve’s mounted troops advanced up quickly. They failed to act in the last turn and that spelt the end for Steve’s baggage as my cavalry made contact with them. More adventures this Monday.

Italian Reinforcements

Over the last few weeks I have been gradually building up my forces for the upcoming campaign at Incom Gaming. I bought the Italian Army Support Group from Warlord Games. It comes with a medium mortar, medium machine gun, two officers, a medic and an artillery observer.

I used a spare figure from the Wargames Atlantic box for an observer for the mortar.

The spotter was a Wargames Atlantic figure and head, with Warlord arms. They fit together quite well despite the fact that the Warlord figures and somewhat chunkier.

I like the sculpts from Warlord. They are dynamic and well proportioned.

These figures will have their debut this Tuesday in my first game of the campaign.

Lion Rampant

Last week at the club I met up with Mick for a game of Lion Rampant. He had come with a French army. Two units of mounted sergeants, crossbowmen, two units of fierce foot and a unit of foot knights. My army was more shooty. It consisted of a unit of armoured foot, crossbowmen, two units of expert archers and some bidowers. This is my Burgundian army.

The first battle consisted of holding a bridge. This Mick did very successfully. My units were unable to shift him off the objective.

My foot knights take on Mick’s but are defeated in combat.

In the second game, my archers came into their own and sent the French packing.

The Night’s Watch

The crossbowmen shoot the sword masters from behind.

This week I took a very shooty army over to Steve’s to face his Targaryen army. Two bolt throwers, crossbowmen and trackers. Although they worked quite well at a distance and certainly led to Steve withdrawing a unit. They did not really seem to be able to remove enough figures. Steve’s units on the charge, particularly the swordsmen proved to be rather handy removing on their own, three units.

This coming week I shall try Night’s watch once more.

New Bolt Action force

Creating my force for The Normandy to Ardennes Campaign due to start in June at Incom Gaming. I have decided to go for the Italian army. First unit completed. Divisione Costiera Section. Not only are they shirkers but they have the special surrender rule. When hit by enemy fire you roll a dice. On a roll of a 1 or 2, they surrender and are removed from the table. I don’t imagine these guys will stay long on the table.

2 units of 5 riflemen.

Star Wars Legion

This week I played my first games of Star Wars Legion in a long while. In previous games we played with Alex’s original box set. There was rather a good deal going at income Gaming and although I was determined not to start any new games the offer was rather too good. I could have bought the original game and Alex and I could have shared the contents but I decided to go for the newer box and I opted for an army of droids. For less than the price of a starter box , I got a starter box and three boxes of troops, an expansion pack, Darth Maul and Count Dooku.

The starter box content of droids, General Grevious, 2 units of droids and 4 droidikas.

Droid Commandos

Definitely my favourite model, Darth Maul.

My army in action.