Monday, November 16, 2009

Edward Woodward

Edward Woodward died today of pneumonia. While I very much enjoyed his work in The Wicker Man and Breaker Morant, I didn't know until now that he was a wargamer.

RIP Sgt Howie.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

One night two DBMM games

For our third match-up, George brought over his Mongols and Sung Chinese. Prior to his arrival, I had chosen to play the Mongols and had put together my first list* of 250 points. As these games are for me a matter of pushing lead - win or lose and for George an exploration of the 1.1 rules, I went with a 3 command structure. CinC with 6 Cv(S) and 8 Hd(I), as Sub general Cv(S) with 6 Cv(O) and another Sub-General Lh(S) with 6 Lh(S) all backed up with a train command of 3 Bge(F). George went with a two command structure For his Sung. The CinC's command was composed of Bw(X) backed by Bd (I) and a Cv(I?) force under the CinC. The other command was again of Bw(X) backed by Cv and a heavy stone thrower.

Again we eschewed terrain even though this time George had brought some. Rolling for aggression, I was the invader. The Sung setup forward CinC left and Sub Gen right of centre with the Bw(X) in a single rank line, and with the flanks a little deeper. The respective CV groups were positioned behind th Bw(X) lines. The stone thrower was centrally located on the left flank of the right command.

The mongols setup in a box right of centre to hit the Sung CinC command. The Lh command in column formed the left side of the box, the Cv command again in column the right, with the CinC's Cv(S) driving the line of Hd forward to form the front side. The pack ponies loitered in the rear munching Chinese grass. Of note was the use of Mongolian air-cavalry. The table we use is lacking in width so the last couple of elements of the two Mongol horse columns found themselves suspended in midair by their respective movement trays.

Turn one saw my Cv and Lh commands charging out in a double envelopment. The Lh wound up deep behind the Sung right flank but facing Cv(I). My Cv, not being as fast as the Lh, made it to the left flank of the Sung line whereupon George marched his CinC Cv group into them and threw out a Bw(X) group to further threaten their rear. The Hd trudged forward ineffectually opposed by George's counter trudging Art(S).

Turn two was mostly a pushing match between the two Cv groups while the Lh moved deeper and the Mongol CinC moved out with his Cv to counter the Bw(X) group.
Turn three saw the Mongol Lh charging into the rear of the Sung right flank Bw catching one archer base. On the mongol right, The CinC and his Cv began to deploy out against the Bw group while the other Mongol Cv command chewed up the Sung CinC and his horsemen. I was rolling a 30+ year old Avalon Hill die - probably from Panzerblitz or Blitzkreig. It managed to bring at least four straight sixes to the table causing George to change his die in disgust. The Cv group was crushed, the CinC killed the game ended there on points.

Not having played with a lot of horse before, it was educational (really it was fun) to see how fast they can move. George's counter charge with his CinC Cv highlighted the speed of the new march into contact rules. I was a bit disappointed that the Art and Bw didn't get to shoot as our games so far have not seen any missile action.

We reset to the same dispositions and had another go at it. The result this time was rather different. At the starter's gun, Georged marched his Sung as far forward as he could, penning in my horse very effectively. I was able to push the Cv command out only to be countered by the Sung Cv and flanked by Bw(X). Carrying on with the Crecy theme, I pushed the Hd forward into the Bw(X)allowing the Mongol CinC to advance his Cv under cover but to no avail as the Cv could not interpenetrate the Hd to get at the Bw and enough Hd bases remained intact to break up my chargers. It might be a worthwhile tactic with Ps. On my left, the Lh command was more than decimated by the bowmen. In the end it was my turn to be crushed - I have a lot to learn about using cavalry properly ;). However, George was able to get some shooting in with the Bw and Art In all an enjoyable evening in Southern China.

*While I have played some 6th and DBM in the past, it has always been with "whatever is in the box" - Usually Airfix plastics. Having a generous opponent with many varied armies has been a godsend. Thank You George.