Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Incursion into Dahomey




Simpson's Expedition:

Abraham Simpson, DSO (Commander, RN) sent two parralel columns upriver towards the last known location of Dr. Gaspard de Chateaubriant. These columns, under Doherty and Nash were tasked to set up camp beyond the valleys.
There had been some signs that everything was not completely normal, and they had spotted giant lizards in the distance, the sort naturalists had convinced the world had been long extinct.

Nevertheless, when Doherty saw a pair of large armoured lizards ahead of his column, he took it upon himself to ride ahead to take a closer look. His pistol had no effect on its armoured hide, and he waited for his men to catch up.

Doherty advances to take a closer look at the Edmontons

Advancing past a large forested area Nash spooks two large bipedal lizards which he identifies as Iguanadons and therefore no threat whatsoever.

Nash spooks the Iguanadon

Nash's activity attracts the attention of a far more dangerous creature, the Tyrannosaur.

Nash attracts the attention of the Tyrannosaur

The first Iguanadon runs into some high grass nearby and takes cover from both the Tyrannosaur and Nash's column.

Iguanadon moves into the high grasses

Meanwhile Doherty's column advances through high grass, attempting to stay out of sight, and hoping that Doherty removes himself from danger quickly.

Main British column advances

For Doherty has more than the armoured quadrapeds to worry about. Another Tyrannosaur has been hunting them, and has taken an interest in Doherty instead.

Other Tyrannosaur is hunting the Edmontons

Taking his cue from the second Iguanadon Nash rides into the forest to avoid the Tyrannosaur. To no avail! Skillfully avoiding the attack of the terrible Tyrannosaur on his horse, Nash hides in the bushes keeping his horse calm despite the close attentions of the giant predator.

Nash follows the Iguanadon into the forest

Doherty is stuck in a similar quandry but is unable to flee, and his heavy revolver has little effect on the beast.

Doherty's pistol has effect on the Tyrannosaur

Doherty is plucked out of the saddle by the Tyrannosaur, his upper body landing in front of his column which scatters at this grisly sight.

British column scatters at the grisly sight of Doherty's death

Recovering, they take up position to fire at the Tyrannosaur driving it away, at least temporarily.

Column recovers to take aim at the Tyrannosaur

The armoured Edmontons charge the line knocking some of the brave men aside (but thankfully to little permanent damage)

Edmonton charges the line

Meanwhile the other British column marches on through the forest, avoiding the Tyrannosaur which has gone after the Iguanadon.

Other British column marches through forest

The Iguanadon have evaded their predator, making their way past the scattered native porters and across the ford to safety.

Iguanadon moves past scattered native porters

Vanderbolt's Expedition:

Several dozen miles away the first group of American adventurers have been led by H. Jack Vanderbolt to meet up with their vehicles and supplies which are being disembarked from river boat.
They must make their way through badlands and ravines to cross at a safe ford, as they have a field gun in their possession.

American columns approach river ford

Danger lurks! A Spinosaurus has been preparing to attack other dinosaur who are making their way to a nearby lake, but it spots the adventurers.

Spinosaurus lurks behind rock formations

Seeing this gigantic beast approach, the Americans manhandle their field gun up to one of the heights overlooking the river ford and indeed the ravine they are about to move into. But can it get into position before the dinosaur charges?

Field Gun manhandled up onto plateau

It charges indeed, but as it lunges towards the Americans on foot they scamper out of the way (most skillful and fortuitous!)

Spinosaurus charges Americans

Concerted fire from all sides sees the Spinosaurus fall, dreadfully wounded to the ground, the coup-de-grace being administered by Vanderbolt with his shotgun.

Concerted fire from group and field gun above brings it down

The armoured beasts, oblivious to either danger nearby continue to the watering hole. They are obscured by the large rocks on the shore of the watering hole and Vanderbolt send Rosenfeld across the river to get a better line of sight on them while he and Hannigan cover the ford.

Edmontons slowly move to water

Rosenfeld find himself in trouble immediately, barely avoiding the fatal sweep of the dinosaur's mace-like tail.

Rosenfeld avoids sweep of Edmonton's tail#

As the Edmonton flees back to its pasture, Rosenfeld shoots it in the spine and it thrashes around, only yards from safety.

Edmonton shot through spine as it flees back to its pasture

At the fork in the river. Vanderbolt discovered the long-dead carcass of an unknown creature, within which are human remains.

Vanderbolt discovers carcass of unknown creature with human remains inside#

The field gun is brought across the ford, safely covered by the others.

Field Gun brought across ford

The second Edmonton, its speed belying it size, makes it back to the cover of its pasture.

Other Edmonton reaches safety

Friday, October 16, 2009

4th Kawanakajima - Scenario

[I've just added some photos of the battlefield setup to this post].
Things have been pretty busy here, preparing for Gaelcon (next weekend), so everything else has taken a back seat. I have been tapping away at this scenario though, and it's set up now. Probably won't get to play it until November though...
It's for Piquet's 2nd edition of its medieval rules set, Band of Brothers.

The 4th Battle of Kawanakajima was fought between Takeda Shingen of Kai Province and Uesugi Kenshin of Echigo Province in the plain of Kawanakajima, in the north of Shinano Province in 1561.




Following the first three largely indecisive campaign, Uesugi Kenshin was determined to destroy Takeda Shingen. He took up a position on Saijoyama, a mountain to the west of, and looking down upon, Shingen's Kaizu castle. The castle contained no more than 150 samurai, and their followers, and he had taken them completely by surprise. However, the general in command of the castle, Kosaka alerted his lord by signal fire, of Kenshin's move.

Shingen approached Kawanakajima on the west bank of the Chikumagawa, keeping the river between him and Saijoyama. Neither army made a move, knowing that victory would require the essential element of surprise. Kansuke, a senior Takeda advisor formed a strategy that he believed would prove decisive.

Kōsaka left Kaizu with 8,000 men, advancing up Saijoyama under cover of night, intending to drive Kenshin's army down to the plain where Takeda Shingen would be waiting with another 8,000 men in a crane's wing formation. However Kenshin guessed Shingen's intentions, and led his own men down to the plain, descending from Saijoyama by its western flanks.

Instead of catching them fleeing Kosaka's dawn attack, Shingen's men found Kenshin's army ready to charge at them out of the fog...




Plain of Kawanakajima
Plain of Kawanakajima

Takeda Army

Morale Chips: 17
Effects: Extra Infantry Move in Open Card, Up1 for Cavalry Melee
Stratagems: Heroic Leader
Leaders:
Takeda (Army Commander) Skilled
Kosaka (Group Commander) Superior



Takeda Crane's Wing awaits
Takeda Crane's Wing awaits

Kosaka force marches through hills
Kosaka force marches through hills

Uesugi Army

Morale Chips: 18
Effects: Extra Missile Reload Card, Cut off its Head!
Stratagems: Reinforcements

Leaders:
Uesugi (Army Commander) Skilled
Honjo (Group Commander) Average
Kakizaki (Group Commander) Average



Main Uesugi army marches towards the Takeda
Main Uesugi army marches towards the Takeda

Amakasu holds ford
Amakasu holds ford

Monday, September 21, 2009

Muster of Ruritania



King Friedrich of Ruritania, a hotblooded and foolish youth, went on crusade without securing his line. He died in battle, along with his army and most of the nobles of the Kingdom, at Nicopolis.
His infant son, a weak and sickly boy, died four year later leaving the realm bereft of a rightful heir.

Muster of Ruritania

Two candidates have come to the fore during the interregnum.

Johannes, Bastard of Bohemia. Claimant on the throne of Ruritania by no real right, but put forward by Wenzeslas, King of Bohemia.

Johannes, Bastard of Bohemia

Alexios Doukas, Byzantine Knight in Exile. Claimant on the throne of Ruritania by the fact that he is married to the dead King Friedrich's sister.

Alexios Doukas, Byzantine Knight in Exile

Nobles war amongst themselves, both to gain land and power in the chaos, but also to push their preferred candidate forward.

Francesco Savorgnan, younger brother of the ruler of the Italian city of Udine, here with a trusted hunter.

Francesco Savorgnan of Udine

Massimo de Montacada, an Italian German man-at-arms in the service of Francesco Savorgnan of Udine. Here with his four heavily armed sergeant and archer.

Massimo de Montacada

Ulric Meinhard, a nobleman from the powerful nearby city of Görz. Seen here mounted and with his squire attending and the infamous saracen archer Yusuf Edrisi.

Ulric Meinhard of Görz

Baldric von Lienz, a German man-at-arms in the service of Ulric Meinhard of Görz. Here with two sergeants and a crossbowman.

Baldric von Lienz

William Wittelsbach, a nobleman connected with the ruling dynasty of Bavaria. Seen here mounted and with his squire attending.

William Wittelsbach of Bavaria

Siegfried von Scheyern, a German man-at-arms in the service of William Wittelsbach. Here with two well-armed sergeants.

Siegfried von Scheyern

Leopold von Neuhaus, a German man-at-arms in the service of William Wittelsbach. Here with a sergeant and an archer.

Leopold von Neuhaus

The ambitious Brabanzon mercenary captain Geoffrey of Brabant has also taken an interest in the war. Here he is with attending sergeant. Under his command are three separate mercenary lances, each with a man-at-arms, mounted sergeant and crossbowman.

Geoffrey of Brabant

Jean de Leuven, a mercenary in service with Geoffrey of Brabant

Jean de Leuven

Johannes de Baesweiler, a mercenary in service with Geoffrey of Brabant

Johannes de Baesweiler

Markus de Namur, a mercenary in service with Geoffrey of Brabant

Markus de Namur

Surely God will be merciful upon the unfortunate people of Ruritania and make the interegnum a short lesson of humility and wisdom...

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Showdown at Evans' Ranch



The Pinkertons have gotten wind that the townsfolk have sent to the county sheriff to intervene against them. Creeping out to the Evans Ranch through the badlands the Pinkertons arrive to find Ol' Jeb with Evans across the stream with the Peterson brothers and Farrell at the Evans house.

Evan's Ranch

Ol' Jeb can see the Pinkertons approach but he won't waste his shotgun ammunition at this range.

Ol' Jeb sees the Pinkerton approach

Zeke White has climbed up a rock cliff overlooking the ranch walls to get a better shot, but is shot by Farrell from the front door of the Evans place. He stumbled and falls off, twisting his knee in the process.

Zeke White is shot and falls off his perch

The Peterson brothers skirt the McEwan house, hoping to outflank the Pinkertons' advance.

The Peterson brothers skirt the house

Evans and Ol' Jeb reach the road having considered trying to cross the ford but taking shots nonetheless.

Evans and Ol' Jeb reach the road

Rucker charges ahead of his crewe. For some reason he's advanced with no regard for cover, while his men run from rock to rock.

Rucker charges ahead of his crewe

Evans and Ol' Jeb head for the bridge, picking up speed on the good surface and somehow aren't hit by the volley of fire coming from Pete Walsh beyond.

Evans and Ol' Jeb head for the bridge

Jake Peterson and Farrell wait for Rucker to appear around the copse of trees. When he does, he's surely done for...

Jake Peterson and Farrell wait for Rucker to appear around the copse

They open fire on Rucker over the wall, but miss due to Rucker's canny use of cover.

They open fire on Rucker over the wall

Rucker returns fire, but missed completely as well.

Rucker returns fire

McFarland has caught up at this stage and has slinked up along the tress. He takes aim at Peterson and shoots him dead.

McFarland takes aim at Peterson and shoots him dead

McFarland leapfrogs Rucker's position to take aim at Farrell with deadly effect.

McFarland leapfrogs Rucker's position to take aim at Farrell with deadly effect

With Peterson's brother in the McEwan house, and Ol' Jeb and Evans at the bridge, the Pinkertons has taken control of the Evans Ranch and the others surrender. The Pinkertons have mastered the town's most important people. Will the County Sheriff save them?

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Holidays & Blog Prospective


Off on holidays to Connemara (hoping to catch some of that cruel back-to-school weather) for the next two weeks.
Our first real family holiday so here's to Isabel really enjoying her time on the beach. With that there's going to be previous little activity here for a while. Indeed there'll be no gaming to be had either, but I am bringing down a few figures to paint up in the evenings.
They're 12 or so 20mm figures from Britannia's Vietnam range. A little project for my first group build over on the Guild. It's the first time I've painted 20mm, and the first time in years I've painted anything that wasn't 6mm (or a spaceship). So wish me luck!

I shall also be doing some work on my scenario for 4th Kawanakajima soon as part of my continuing Sengoku Jidai obsession.

The poll on projects just closed early today, some interesting results (should appear to the left of this post on the blog page), but nothing like the clear-cut outcome it seemed like a week ago. Two people out there agree whole-heartedly with my project list from this post
Thanks for all your votes.

The projects which were higher up on my list tended to get the most votes anyway! With Gladiators being the notable exception.
I'll have to do the North African Desert in WWII (4 votes) immediately after my Medieval Skirmish (4 votes) and Napoleonics (4 votes).
Both the British Civil Wars and Present-Day Afghanistan got some support (2 votes each) and I'll have to obey the wishes of the masses and promote these to longer-term projects alongside or even ahead of Gladiators (1 vote). I was surprised the Afghan option wasn't taken by the Ambush Alley readers out there...

Some teaser photos from the top of the poll

Ritter Leopold von Neuhaus, participant in the First War of Ruritanian Succesion
Leopold von Neuhaus

Austrian Column on the March in 1809
Austrian Column

Cheers
Donogh