Game Reports
Following are reports on recent battles played by the Club
Big Bethel
June 10, 1861, American Civil War
Played: January 13, 2024
Scale: 15mm
Rules: Regimental Fire and Fury
Confederates – commander Col. John Magruder: players = George and Dave
Union – commander Militia Gen. Ebenezer Peirce: players = Don, Vince and Alex
Host and scorer: Jeff
Number of turns: 10 out of 14.
Results: very convincing Confederate victory
The original battle fought before Bull Run was characterized by Union ineptitude. In our replay, the Federal advance was handled by competent players who in many cases were able to overcome strange dice rolls. All in all, the dice produced some interesting results.
Basic set up: the Rebs were entrenched around Big Bethel with two forlorn hope positions.
After some initial resistance, the Federals brushed aside the outposts and made a co-ordinated assault on three sides of the fort.
Jeff and Jackie were excellent hosts. Jeff scored a very enjoyable game, made even more so by his beautiful terrain and well painted 15mm figures.
Battle of Shiloh Church
June 3, 2023
American Civil War
Union players: Jason and Mark
Confederate players: Glenn and Don
Rules: Regimental Fire & Fury
Game Designer & Umpire: Mark
Hosts: Mark & Lucinda Moriarty in Granger, Indiana
Result: a close Confederate victory
The game was a recreation of the initial Confederate attack on the western part of the battlefield, centered upon Shiloh church. The Union forces under Sherman had the difficult task of holding off the surprise Confederate attack. Despite being outnumbered, they repulsed multiple charges, helped by the rebels spending time looting the Yankee camps, but finally the third wave of Confederate charges broke the Union line and achieved the game victory condition. So the game was a Confederate victory, but their losses were substantial.
It was a fun game. Thanks to Mark and Lucinda for hosting.
Battle of Guagamela
January 21, 2023
Battle of Guagamela - 333 BC
Macedonian Players: Glenn and George
Persian Players: Jeff and Vince
Rules: Armati 2nd edition modified
GameDesigner & Umpire: Don
Host: Jeff
Result: Macedonian victory
We fought the Battle of Guagamela between the Macedonians of Alexander the Great and the Persian Empire this past Saturday at Jeff's home. It was a massive battle with troops lined up end to end on an 8 ft. table. Rules used were the Armati 2nd edition ancient rules with modifications to simplify command and control. The Persians had the advantage of greater numbers but the Macedonians had better troop quality and command structure.
The Macedonian battle plan was to advance their phalanx to contact in the center while holding back their flanks, and the Persian plan was the opposite trying to use their more numerous cavalry to defeat the Macedonian flanks and then hopefully to encircle the phalanx. The Persians also hoped to use their greater superiority in the number of missile troops to cause high Macedonian casualties before the melee was engaged. This was not the case as the dice gods did not favor the Persians that day with only minimal Macedonian losses to bow fire.
The fight on the Persian left went back and forth with the Companion cavalry able to offset the Persian numbers, but with neither side achieving a decisive advantage. On the Persian right things were going better for them, and it was only by the arrival by the Macedonian reserve were they able to stave off a complete collapse. However, by this point, the Macedonian phalanx was able to get into contact with the Persian center with decisive results as unit after unit were destroyed. Darius, the Persian King of Kings, was still holding out with part of his royal guard, but the results were clear, and a Macedonian victory was declared.It was a fun game which was clearly decided by early afternoon despite the large number of troops and only having four players.
English Civil War Battle
December 3, 2022
English Civil War game - The Battle of Limerick 1642
English players: Jeff and Guy
Irish players: Scot and Don
Rules: George's homegrown ECW rules
GameDesigner & Umpire: George
Hosts: George and Miriam Geib
Photographer: Dave
Result: a draw
On December 3rd our group played our annual English Civil War battle as put together by George. In this case, the action was in Ireland in 1642 around the town of Limerick where an English army fought an Irish confederation army. It was an evenly matched game with both sides having an assortment of regular troops as well as various militia units. The result of the long fought battle was that the Irish right flank division completely destroyed the English on that flank, but the Irish left was mostly routed by the English on that side, which resulted in the umpire calling the game a draw.
The game had a special condition that if the English captured the Irish standard (the ox drawn cart in the photos), they would automatically win the game. The English cavalry was able to launch a charge on the standard, but the guards on the standard were able to turn back the charge and wiped out the English horse.
It was a fun game. Thanks to George and Miriam for hosting.
Here are some photos taken by Dave of George's nice looking figures and the battlefield.
Battle of Heraklea 280BC
Played on February 12, 2022
Roman players: George and Glenn
Pyrrhic player: Jeff
Rules: Armati Ancients modified
Game Designer & Umpire: Don
Hosts: George and Miriam Geib
Result: A Roman "Pyrrhic Victory"
The Battle of Heraklea was the first battle between the Roman Republic and King Pyrrhus of Epirus and his Greek army. The game was set up with two Roman legions and allies engaging Pyrrhus' army of Greeks including some from southern Italy. The Romans did a general advance across the stream and were successful in pushing back both of the Pyrrhic flanks. This was especially the case on the Pyrrhic right flank where a Roman heavy cavalry unit charged and completely destroyed a Greek mercenary hoplite unit which opened up that flank. Meanwhile the Pyrrhic phalanx was able to destroy the Roman center, but it was too late to offset the losses on their flanks, resulting in a Roman close victory, but which was costly.
This was the first battle where the Romans faced elephants which in the actual battle helped result in a victory for Pyrrhus. In our game, the elephants arrived on the table and did cause some Roman units to panic, but their presence was not as significant as the actual battle.
Battle of Gazala - May 1942
Played on October 23, 2021
Tank Battle: An engagement between elements of the British 4th Armored Brigade vs. German 15th Panzer Division
British players: Scot, Mike, and Morgan
German players: Jeff, George, Guy, Dave
Rules: Battlefront World War II variation of Fire and Fury
Buildings: 15mm Battlefront
Scorer: Joe RotiRoti
Hosts: Jeff Nicholls and Jackie Nicholls who once again provided coffee and donuts plus a safe gaming environment during the Covid epidemic. Thank you!
Photographs: Dave Waite
Result: British victory.
Weather: raw and dank. Of the last 5 days only Saturday was dry enough to play a game.
Purpose: a second test game to gain familiarity with the Battlefront game rules and mechanisms [first one in September].
Scot put up a gallant defense against George and Jeff until rescued by Mike and Morgan. Their opponents may have lost but made the British pay a price in burning tanks much to Guy's enjoyment.