What was the last rules set you played 2019

Started by Duke Speedy of Leighton, 01 January 2019, 08:19:59 PM

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Terry37

Well Leman,  I guess where I'm going is that I play almost nothing but HOTT, with an occasional DBN or DBAHX game. I am however, reading through a new set of solo skirmish rules  (Doom Squad) that I may give a try (although I've never been much of a fan of skirmish games form the ones I've seen). You definitely need to get into HOTT and then join in one of the Good, Bad and Ugly Tournaments near you - there are several in the England and Scotland. Other than that being honest - HOTT provides me with everything i need, so go with the old adage - If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Terry
"My heart has joined the thousand for a friend stopped running today." Mr. Richard Adams

sunjester

Quote from: Leman on 23 August 2019, 08:32:50 PM
It is not even mentioned in the rules and there is no supplement for later C19th Europe.
To be honest the basic rules do not really reflect the WSS, ACW or Napoleonic periods either, but they can give very enjoyable games for those periods with a bit of adjustment.
BP works well as a basic mechanism to add "period flavour" with either official supplements or home-brewed adjustments. I'm still working through my own ideas for the mid-19th century wars.

paulr

1) What ruleset did you use in your last game? – General Quarters I/II
2) What armies navies were confronted? – US v Japan
3) Did you feel comfortable with the ruleset? – Yes
4) and... was this the first time you used this ruleset? – Not by a long way, these are our go to WWI & WWII naval rules, we also use them for pre-dreadnought
5) How many players were in the game? – Four, sort of
6) What went well? – Japanese gunnery   
7) What could have been improved? – American gunnery, the Japanese destroyer squadron actually getting on table (so only 3 active players)

This was a refight of the Battle of the Komandorski Islands, 26 March 1943. It was always going to be tough for the Americans, they had one heavy and one light cruiser and four destroyers. The Japanese had two heavy and one light cruiser supported by one light cruiser and two destroyers. The Japanese heavy cruisers both exceeded the Washington Treaty limits so their heavier armour and greater displacement made it difficult for the one US heavy cruiser to inflict damage on them. The Americans did have radar fire control, would it be enough :-\

We hadn't played naval for a while and the US players didn't fully realise just how over matched they were. Their cruisers closed to under 8,000 yards to support the torpedo attacks by their destroyers. At these ranges the Japanese optical gunnery was accurate enough to sink the US light cruiser and immobilise the heavy cruiser. In exchange one of the Japanese heavy cruisers was crippled by the final salvos of the US heavy cruiser before she lost power.

A tactical victory to the Japanese, almost warranting promotion :)
Lord Lensman of Wellington
2018 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
2022 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
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paulr

1) What ruleset did you use in your last game? – General Quarters I/II
2) What armies navies were confronted? – US v Japan
3) Did you feel comfortable with the ruleset? – Yes
4) and... was this the first time you used this ruleset? – Not by a long way, these are our go to WWI & WWII naval rules, we also use them for pre-dreadnought
5) How many players were in the game? – Four
6) What went well? – Japanese gunnery, the Japanese destroyer squadron actually getting on table (but never getting to fire a shot)   
7) What could have been improved? – American gunnery and torpedo damage

The first game had taken an hour an a half so after our regular coffee/tea break we ran the scenario again. The American players elected not to swap sides as they hoped to do better the second time

This time the US cruisers stayed at longer range where their radar fire control meant they hit more often than the Japanese but were not penetrating due to the heavier Japanese armour.  The US destroyers charged!

They managed to close the range without suffering much damage and the two leading destroyers launched 10 torpedoes each at the Japanese heavy cruisers. The Japanese cruisers turned to avoid the torpedoes and avoided all but one spread of 5 torpedoes. None of which managed to hit :o
The leading US destroyers withdrew under smoke #:-S

The US cruisers shifted fire to the Japanese light cruiser and immobilised her.

The second pair of US destroyers used the smoke from the leading pair of US destroyers as cover to close the range and both launched 8 torpedoes at the Japanese heavy cruisers. One Japanese heavy cruiser managed to turn and avoid the torpedoes, the other was caught in a spread of 8 torpedoes :o Fortunately for the Japanese only two hit and both did the minimum damage possible #-o

At this stage the US forces broke off the action with all four destroyers withdrawing under smoke and both cruisers withdrawing at their best speed of 18 knots

The Japanese decided not to pursue as one of their heavy cruisers was down to only 8 knots following the torpedo hits. One of their light cruisers was crippled and dead in the water. The Japanese destroyer squadron was disappointed as they were still trying to close on the Japanese heavy cruisers and hadn't got to fire a shot (as scenario designer I commanded this squadron in both games)

The Japanese had one light cruiser crippled and one heavy cruiser damaged in exchange the US heavy and light cruisers were damaged and three of their four destroyers had some damage.

The US would go on to win the "battle of the Memoirs" :)

If those two torpedoes had inflicted maximum damage the Japanese heavy cruiser would have sunk and the US commanders would have earned a promotion :D
Lord Lensman of Wellington
2018 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
2022 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
2023 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

Steve J

1) What ruleset did you use in your last game? – Bloody Big Battles
2) What armies were confronted? - Russia vs Turks in the Crimea
3) Did you feel comfortable with the ruleset? – Yes
4) and... was this the first time you used this ruleset? – No
5) How many players were in the game? – Two
6) What went well? – Pretty much everything as it was a dry run of the Battle of Kurudere, but this time on a full size board, for a show on Sunday.
7) What could have been improved? – Slight tweaks to our deployment, both on board and placement of reserves.

paulr

Good luck for the show on Sunday, hope it all goes well :-bd
Lord Lensman of Wellington
2018 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
2022 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
2023 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

Big Insect

Quote from: Terry37 on 24 August 2019, 07:02:06 PM
Well Leman,  I guess where I'm going is that I play almost nothing but HOTT, with an occasional DBN or DBAHX game. I am however, reading through a new set of solo skirmish rules  (Doom Squad) that I may give a try (although I've never been much of a fan of skirmish games form the ones I've seen). You definitely need to get into HOTT and then join in one of the Good, Bad and Ugly Tournaments near you - there are several in the England and Scotland. Other than that being honest - HOTT provides me with everything i need, so go with the old adage - If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Terry

I'm rekindling my HoTT interests after a 'rest' period - where can I find the Good, Bad and Ugly Tournament detail Terry?
'He could have lived a risk-free, moneyed life, but he preferred to whittle away his fortune on warfare.' Xenophon, The Anabasis

This communication has been written by a dyslexic person. If you have any trouble with the meaning of any of the sentences or words, please do not be afraid to ask for clarification. Remember that dyslexics are often high-level conceptualisers who provide "out of the box" thinking.

Leman

Settled down with my copy of HoTT last night and had a look at some of the semi-historical stuff - particularly Da Vinci Italian and Boxer Rebellion  armies (I have a beautiful 10mm Warmaster dragon). Also quite like the idea of a WWI War of the Worlds setting inspired by Atte's recent work).
The artist formerly known as Dour Puritan!

Leman

1) What ruleset do you use in your last game? - FOGR
2) What armies were confronted? - Early Gustavan v Poles
3) Did you feel comfortable with the ruleset? - Getting much better at last
4) and... was this the first time you used this ruleset? - no
5) How many players were in the game? - two plus an observer
6) What went well? - My cavaliers saw off an early incursion on the right flank of my Gustavan army, freeing up the cavalry and dragoons there to go to the help of the left wing. My artillery played havoc with some approaching Russian cavalry seeing them off with a charge from my reiters, who, although weakened stood firm against a unit of winged hussars, thus preventing them forming a continuous line with the other unit of winged hussars. The latter were also roughly handled by my own cavalry and mini-unit of cuirassiers.
7) What could have been improved? - a number of sub-period play sheets to enable us to move away from the mass of tiny tables that are incredibly confusing to look at. Two of us reckon this will much improve our game enjoyment.

Gustavan right flank


The right flank with two units of winged hussars approaching


The artist formerly known as Dour Puritan!

FierceKitty

Swedes are the one enemy that I find really can give my Poles trouble. Those wonderful lancers can't dent the pike and shot line, and there are enough guns to make any dithering fatal.
I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.

Last Hussar

1) What ruleset do you use in your last game? – Black Powder
2) What armies were confronted? – 1866 Austrian vs Prussian
3) Did you feel comfortable with the ruleset? – Very
4) and... was this the first time you used this ruleset? – No
5) How many players were in the game? – 2
6) What went well? – the look on Sunjester's face when the Austrians rushed on and made a near perfect deployment.
7) What could have been improved - Sunjester's legendary dice gods not turning up in the denouement.

This was the tweaked version SJ and I tried. I know very little about this war, but wanted to get his 15mm Austrians on the table.

He'd rewritten the needle gun so instead of twice the amount of shooting dice,the Prussians got to reroll misses, which should decrease hits on average by 25%, but still 50% more than non needle gun shooting. The command tweak encourages the Austrians to use battalionmasse, or what ever they called it in 1866.

It was a historical scenario, both sides rushing down a road to attack the other, not realising they were both coming down the same road. The Prussians suffered from their entry being one the corner quarter behind a river which takes time to ford, and arty can only use the bridge. The dice gods slept for the first 3/4 of the game, SJ deploying in a confused mass, with divisions getting in each others way.  Meanwhile the Austrians rushed on, deploying correctly in position to  block with 1 line, and smash with 2 columns. One Prussian AdC was heard to say shut they can't be be Austrian. They are doing it correctly." My single cavalry unit even had success in a frontal charge to disrupt a division by catching a brigade (we play this period at next level up) as it forded the river.

Then the dice swung back, and my shooting became abysmal, while his save throws demonstrated the familiar SJ luck, my commands went askew, leaving a division that should have charged part way to target and enfiladed by his massed artillery.

A battle that historically had the Prussians fleeing back the way they came ended with a tactical victory-draw to the Austrians.
I have neither the time or the crayons to explain why you are wrong.

GNU PTerry

Glorfindel

Leman,

I do like those pics - very nice painting and basing.


Phil

Duke Speedy of Leighton

You may refer to me as: Your Grace, Duke Speedy of Leighton.
2016 Pendraken Painting Competion Participation Prize  (Lucky Dip Catagory) Winner

Leman

Mostly Pendraken stuff done by my mate (and opponent in this instance), Paul.
The artist formerly known as Dour Puritan!

Steve J

1) What ruleset do you use in your last game? – Honours of War
2) What armies were confronted? – 1744 French vs English Militia
3) Did you feel comfortable with the ruleset? – A bit rusty as it's been some time since we last played.
4) and... was this the first time you used this ruleset? – No
5) How many players were in the game? – 2
6) What went well? – Dave's die rolling, with lots of 6's allowing him to move rather quickly. The scenario in general as this is the start of a mini-campaign, with a strong narrative to drive it.
7) What could have been improved - Not a lot really. We were a bit rusty but if we weren't sure on something, we went with what seemed most reasonable.