WAB Medieval Campaign Day

Not the biggest turn out for our monthly WAB Medieval Campaign Day at the Game Matrix, but we did have some good games - in fact, I won an overwhelming victory with my Early-HRE army over my buddy Adrian's feared English longbow-heavy army.

The HRE knights' 2+ armor save coming in very handy in defeating two of Adrian's longbow units in HTH combat - even after taking heavy arrow fire.

The HRE knights engaging the first of two English longbow units in HTH

The remaining HRE knights about to take out a second English longbow unit in HTH - in spite of charging through stakes. Actually, the knights, including the Army General, failed all of their attacks, and it was the warhorses that caused the English casualties.

The HRE left flank was well supported by allied Hungarian Szekeler Expert Cavalry. Their Parthian Shot capability never allowing the English Hobilars to even be a threat.

The Szekeler cav rode up to the rough terrain, fired and moved back to safety for every one of the six turns. The Militia bowmen on the hill never did any damage to the English foot knights. Although the HRE light bolt thrower did very well - taking out six knights in two turns.

The picture below has Old Bob's Normans facing off against Ron's Normans - Ron won this game.

Old Bob's Normans charging Ron's Normans in the distance

As Pat was the odd-numbered player, he went against Ron's Normans next. Ron won this second game too.

Finally, I picked up a copy of Saga's Crescent and the Cross from Pat - he in turn had picked it up at his recent trip to Germany to attend the WAB GT there. He got the book from the author Alex Buchel, who also attended the tournament venue. I hope to use my Normans as Crusaders at a Saga game day in November. Haven't played Saga since 2012, but looking forward to getting some games in soon.

WAB Medieval Campaign - First Round

Although we didn't get a very large showing today at the Game Matrix, we went ahead and kicked off a WAB Medieval Campaign being GM'd by Pat L. (aka Socal Warhammer). My Early-HRE army went against Old Bob's Normans. Our game ended in a tie - although I ended up with more points, there wasn't enough of a spread for a win. Our buddies Adrian and Bruce D. fought it out on the next table with their English and Crusader armies, respectively. Adrian won by a slight margin. We plan to meet again next month on the regularly scheduled NHMGS Game Day (every third Saturday of the month). The period we're using for the campaign is 900-1300 AD, or thereabouts - just no gun powder. Today, my dice rolling was not much better than usual, but it was comforting to see my opponent, as well as the other players having just as unlucky rolls. It's not just me!

The Early-HRE battle line. The infantry is now two units of spears and two units of crossbowmen. Previously there were three units of combined spears and crossbows. They performed satisfactorily enough that they will remain in these formations.

Szekeler light cavalry moving up to fire on the Norman left at the top of Turn 1. With their Nomad Cavalry Deployment rule, they were able to march move up during the initial skirmisher free movement before the first turn. They then made a normal move up to fire their bows without movement penalty due to their Expert Cavalry rule. Then they moved back a normal move with their Parthian Shot rule. They managed to do this same maneuver in all six turns. but due to mediocre dice rolls only took out a few enemy troops the entire game.

Center of the battlefield. The HRE crossbowmen held their flank, but didn't score many casualties.

The small militia bow unit did surprisingly well. They moved into the wood line and provided nice bow fire. That is, until they failed their Leadership test after taking several casualties from Norman infantry javelins.

Things got interesting on the HRE left flank. First the crossbowmen fled from a Norman cavalry charge. The charge failing brought the Norman unit close enough for a charge by the HRE knights in their turn. Prior to this, the HRE units on the left all reformed to face the Norman approach - after passing Leadership tests using the General's 9 Leadership.

Thanks to the Normans' counter charge response, the HRE knights were able to just make contact. They have a limited 12" charge range due to their encumbrance of barding. The HRE general going first took out a couple of Normans, followed by another Norman casualty from the rest of the attacks. The Normans failed to cause any damage to the well protected HRE knights. Interestingly - both the Norman and HRE warhorses forgot to use their attacks! The First Charge rule auto-broke the Normans. However, again due to encumbrance, the HRE knights couldn't overtake the fleeing Normans. In fact, the 2D6" move only got them 4" up - just enough for the other Norman cav unit to make a flank attack in their next turn.

The next turn had the other (non-fleeing) Norman cavalry hit the HRE knights in their flank. Although the HRE only had two attacks back to the Norman six, only one casualty resulted. Yet this was enough for a loss and auto-break themselves. Both the earlier fleeing Normans and the HRE knights both passed their subsequent Leadership tests and returned to the fight. By Turn 6, the Normans decided not to charge the HRE knights facing them and thus ended the game a close tie. Both armies returned whence they came to lick their wounds and hopefully come up with more dynamic tactics the next time they meet. In fact, thanks to the campaign generator, the Normans can add another 65 points and the HRE army can add a light bolt thrower.

Meanwhile, the English - longbow heavy - are taking on an army of Crusaders with Saracen allies.

"To the strongest" - Successors WAB Game

Being Northwest Historical Miniature Gaming Society's monthly game day today, Old Bob from Oregon and I met at the Game Matrix in Tacoma, WA for a fairly large Successors game using WAB 2.0 for rules. Bob brought his Ptolemaic army and I dusted off my old Seleucid army. As may be evident in the photos, I haven't rebased my phalanxes to the more optimum three ranks for wider frontage per 2.0. I don't play WAB often enough, so don't really mind when the Cool Kids lap me a bit in Combat. Pat L. (Socal Warhammer) also showed up with his Seleucids and played Bruce D.'s NKE army (which hadn't seen the gaming table for several years also).

Seleucids at the start of the battle. From their right to left: Agema cav in wedge, four units of phalanxes with two elephants in between the center units, Cretan archers screening, a scythed chariot, and out of the picture is a unit of Scythian mounted archers (who did very well the entire game). Unfortunately, the scythed chariot was destroyed by enemy missile fire before it could get into charge range. The Cretan archers did very well by taking out a battery of heavy ballista early in the battle.

Ptolemaic army arrayed in the distance

Agema cavalry wielding xyston in wedge on the Seleucid right. The phalanx units each had a character to boost their Leadership. The phalanx unit to the Agema left has the Army General, the one next having the Army Standard, and the other two having a taxiarch each. Both elephants have barding, howdah with shields and three crewmen - one each pike, javelin and bow - actually one only had two crew models, but I paid for three as I wanted the archer.

Seleucid center with elephants interspersed between phalanxes.

After losing an Agema cavalryman from pesky bow fire on the steep hill, the Agema wedge charges into a Peltast unit with javelins and thrusting spears. The missing rear rank of Peltasts being taken out by the charge.

Agema cavalry flattened out after combat, but the Peltasts having passed their Leadership test held the cavalry in combat. With typically bad dice rolls, the Agema cav would eventually be whittled down to four and failing a Leadership test,  had them fleeing off the table by Turn 6.

Ptolemaic and Seleucid center units bravely advancing towards each other. The elephant and phalanx on its right managed to charge into the  phalanx unit to their front. Don't ask me why Bob had one of his cavalry wedges behind the phalanx - but I was thankful for it.

The Seleucids won the first round of combat, but the Ptolemaic forces consistently passed their Leadership tests to have multiple rounds of combat which eventually wore my phalangites out. Yes, the overlapping did come in handy for the Ptolemaics, but my attacks were pitiful unto themselves.

The elephant eventually lost a round of combat, and failing its Leadership test stampeded back whence it came from - never to return to battle.

Bye, bye elie. The phalanx unit with the Army General eventually failed a Leadership test after losing a round of combat in Turn 6, and decided the game in favor of the Ptolemies. At least the three other phalanx units, as well as the other elie managed to survive the battle.

Anyway, we played a grueling 6 Turns and the Ptolemies got the better of the Seleucids through superior dice rolling. For once, I can say I was very satisfied with my tactics - but I am convinced my dice rolling is worthless. For instance, I don't remember how many times I rolled 14 dice and scored 2 hits - followed by even less wounds. My Army General with 3 attacks normally had no hits whatsoever! Oh, and when I needed to roll low for Leadership tests, I'd roll 9's or 10's followed by 11's or 12's with the Army Standard re-roll. Anyway, it was nice to take the Seleucids out from the cabinet where they hadn't seen any action for several years.

NHMGS Game Day at the Flying Heritage Collection

A handful of the Northwest Historical Miniature Gaming Society members made it up to the Flying Heritage Collection up in Everett, WA today. The newly "elected" president of the society, Sven Lugar, coordinated and hosted a wonderful event thanks in no small part the to Flying Heritage folks. Not only do we get in for free, but we get a personal tour of the collection. Today they flew several WW2 vintage aircraft in the marvelous weather. There was a Zero, P-47 and a couple more fighter aircraft which I failed to see. I only saw the Zero when it was taxiing after it's initial flight when I got there.

On the gaming side, Pat L. (Socal Warhammer) set up a WAB tournament, but due to lack of participants showing up it was basically a small affair. In the morning session, I had my Campanians weather the brutal attacks by my buddy Scott's Late Republican Romans. I failed to use my light troops more effectively, and basically had my two hoplite units take on several of his pila wielding units. Here are a few shots from the game.

Campanian center facing Late Rep. Romans

View from the Campanian right; Oscan cavalry with thrusting spears on the right wing. They ended up being routed off after combat with Roman infantry.

Campanian left - Oscan cavalry with javelins, allied Pyrrhic Guards with javelins and thrusting spears, and Oscan Warriors with thrusting spears - all Light units in Open Order. The Guards did manage to defeat an enemy infantry unit in combat. This after the enemy suffering a bit of shooting casualties from a nearby Cretan archer unit.

This is where it got ugly - Campanian hoplites - one unit with the Army General and Standard - stuck in combat with multiple units of Roman infantry. I believe we fought it out for three rounds - the unit with the Campanian General finally failing it's leadership test and being overtaken and destroyed by the enemy.  This was at the bottom of Turn 6, so they lasted quite a while.

Pat played his Seleucids against Scott's Romans in the afternoon. Thanks to our extended lunch, we missed the fly overs of the WW2 aircraft. Here are a few shots from the venue:

The nice display set up by Sven. That powder horn is handmade by Sven - he gives one to the winner of his Musket & Tomahawks tournaments. He also awards drinking horns to his Saga tournament winners. Quite a worthy successor to Kevin Smyth - who headed NHMGS for many, many years.

Besides the WABing - there was a Bolt Action game, an All Quiet on the Martian Front game was hosted by Sven, and a Muskets and Tomahawks game hosted by Daryl N. - which I got to play in for the first time. I really like the rules and plan to pick them up soon.

Sven's cool looking AQOTMF game

B-25 in working condition.

P-51 in working condition - as all of the aircraft and vehicles in the collection.

I managed to get a clip of the Zero taxing when I first showed up in the morning. Sven caught the other aircraft and should be posting the video on the NHMGS Facebook.

Campanians vs. Seleucids WAB Game

Several of the local crew showed up today at the Game Matrix to play some WAB. Although I like Hail Caesar, or at least a simplified version better, I don't mind playing WAB once in a while. This especially so as many of my gaming buddies still like to play it. I cobbled together existing figures for a Campanian army with Pyrrhic allies. There are two Hoplite units, two Oscan cavalry unit - one each with javelins and thrusting spears, one Oscan Warrior unit with throwing spears, a Pyrrhic Guards unit with thrusting spears and javelins, and finally a unit of Cretan bowmen. Pat let our buddy Garry G. run his Seleucid army with several pike units, Argyraspids, an armored Indian elephant and several skirmish units. Gary doesn't play WAB, so we wanted to give him a chance to get in on it. We both had 2,500 point armies.

The Campanian right flank and center facing Seleucid pikes and an Indian elephant

The Campanian left - Oscan cavalry and Warriors - after scaring off the Seleucid light cavalry and Argyraspids.

Seleucid Indian war elephant in combat with two Oscan Hoplite units. Earlier, the Pyrrhic Guards had forgotten they were Stubborn and broke after failing their first Break test.

The poor elie fleeing after losing combat to the two Hoplite units.

The Campanian army arrayed prior to the battle. From left to right, Pyrrhic Guards, Oscan cavalry, two units of Hoplites, Cretan archers, Oscan Warriors and another unit of Oscan cavalry.

I will likely add a few more missile skirmishers as my initial list had the Army General, Army Standard and a Leader (sub-general) on warhorses in the cavalry units. I took Pat's sound advice prior to this game and put them in the hoplite units.

Battle of Worringen (sort of) - WAB Game

Stopped by the Game Matrix in Tacoma for my first Warhammer Ancient Battles (WAB) game in over a year. My buddy Scott A. and I had wanted to play a game using our late-13th/Early 14th C. Medieval WAB armies for quite some time. Today, we finally got around to actually getting a game in. My army is based (loosely) on the army led by Siegfried, the Archbishop of Cologne at the Battle of Worringen in 1288. Scott's was going to be a similar one, but ended up changing it to an Ordenstadt (Teutonic) army after WAB 2.0's Armies of Antiquity came out. I kept my army pretty much the way it was listed in the old Armies of Chivalry supplement as an Early-Holy Roman Empire army. Here it is with a carrocio - which is basically an Army Standard wagon in the rules.

On the far right flank is a unit of Szekler Hungarian light cavalry. Below is a close-up of the unit of knights led by the Archbishop.The heraldry is taken from the Codex Manesse.

Early on, I recalled how much I disliked not only individual casualty removal, but also the tedious (to me) shooting and combat resolution - not to mention the multiple attacks of his Army General and those of the Warhorses. Scott ended up charging his Order Knights into my center unit of mixed order infantry - crossbows and spearmen. Although I managed to take out a few of his knights by mainly crossbow fire, the knights ended up defeating and breaking the infantry.

The broken infantry unit being within 12" of most friendlies, required multiple Panic tests. Siegfried himself failed his Leadership test of 9 - even with a re-roll using the Army Standard. The first roll was an 11, and the re-roll 12! In fact, I rolled very high for most of the Leadership tests during the entire game. We called the game after the 5th turn, after Scott had captured my Army Standard wagon which was one of the Victory Conditions.

Meanwhile on the table behind us, Pat L. (aka Socalwarhammer) and Old Bob from Gresham, Oregon were playing out their Successor Campaign, also using WAB. Their 6 turn game ended in a tie.

Scott M. was playing a nice looking Fields of Glory game - a ruleset I have yet to try. I think it was the Battle of Dara.

WAB GT AAR

Well my buddy Pat L. (aka Socal Warhammer) and I just returned from England where we not only participated in the WAB GT, but also managed to see a lot of fine historical sites - and great pubs too.
Suffice to say it was an impressively run tournament by Andy Pickering and Phil Vernon. There were 32 players, including Phil, and chock full off experienced players with great armies. The period was all the way from Chariot Wars through 31 B.C. Pat placed a very respectable 7th with his three-elephant strong Seleucid army. I was lucky to end up at 24 (no doubt my early list entry with attendant gimme-points helped toward this). I made several critical (read, stupid) tactical errors in several of my games, but managed to finish with a clear win in game 5.

All of my opponents, as well as all entrants as far as I could tell, were very courteous and friendly throughout the tournament - and also after hours at the bar downstairs of the tournament area. Most of the players also went to a fine dinner at a curry house on Saturday night.

Anyway, here are photos of my five games from the tournament with my Myceanaean Trojan War army -

vs. David Pearson's Sumerians - a tie (my only actual Chariot Wars army opponent). The river was fordable at both flanks, and there was a bridge in the middle.

vs. Michael Curtis' (of 1st Corps/Curteys) Warring States Chinese - my loss (his crossbowmen on the hill - taking pot shots at one of my chariot squadrons while his heavy chariots crash into my spearmen).

vs. Dave Johnson's Classical Indians - another loss for me (he had troops armed with longbows, as well as elephants and heavy and light chariots - with bows also). My initial deployment of troops didn't help, but Dave did mention he plays WAB twice a week! Thanks for the schooling Dave.

vs. Grahame Middleton's Syracusans - the worst defeat for my army; I did some seriously dumb things which I don't even want to recall. Grahame placed 3rd overall by the way - my crushing defeat likely assisting in this. That all said, Grahame is a first class player and gentleman. I really should've done a lot better in this game - maybe I was still feeling the effects of jet lag (yeah, that's what it was).

vs. Kerry Rayner's Armenians - my only victory! Kerry played her army very well - which by the way was composed heavily of Nomadic cavalry with all the bells and whistles of the "Expert Cavalry" rule. The terrain probably hindered her a bit with her heavy cavalry, but a bad leadership roll had her allied heavy cavalry flee off the table. I had also managed to chase most of her light cavalry off with my chariots. Kerry was quite the sport as all the rest of the players. This game brightened my day though.

1st Place for the tournament went to one Martin Gibbins with his Seleucid army; Seleucid armies, by the way, were heavily represented at the event. Which reminds me that the Best Painted army went to Mario Kkonnous' splendidly painted one-off Seleucid army. His painting style made me think of fine Renaissance artwork. What is even more amazing is that he sculpted his whole army! I believe the figures will be going into production some time in the near future - keep an eye out for them.

A hearty congrats to all the winners, as well as to Andy and Phil for hosting such a great event. The Mansfield Games venue was also first class - plenty of table space upstairs and a built-in pub below with a friendly serving lass. Something missing from this side of the pond, I think.

I would also like to thank fellow blogger Paul (aka Scrivsland) for his hospitality at the tournament and also a couple of nights afterward when he hosted a fantastic Bolt Action game for Pat, me and Stuart of Great Escape Games. Please visit Scrivs' blog for a great AAR and photos of this fun game.

Exhausting as it was, our visit to England was rewarding. We saw many interesting sites like Old Sarum, Stonehenge and several castles.We also visited the Royal Armouries at Leeds and the Bovington Tank Museum. We even managed to pay a visit to The Foundry - and when I say pay, I mean Pat bought another 3K WAB army to paint. Pat had to redistribute his haul of lead so he didn't exceed the weight limitations for his checked luggage. Thanks again to Neil at The Foundry for taking the time to show us around and also giving us some great deals.

WAB Campanian Army

Using existing units, I came up with a 2,800 point WAB Campanian army. It looks pretty potent on paper - for instance the Oscan Horse have WS 4 and can take several types of allies including Pyrrhic forces.

In the photo above, starting from the right flank - first row: Pyrrhic Guards as Light Infantry with thrusting spear and javelins, Aetolian Peltasts and Cretan archers; second row: two units of Hoplites in phalanx formation with thrusting spear and large shield, and a unit of Warriors (Light Infantry) with javelins; last rank: Oscan Horse with light armor, shield and javelins, Army Standard (still needing an appropriate one), Army General, and another unit of Oscan Horse, this time with light armor, shield and thrusting spear.

This unit of Oscan Horse was converted from A&A Macedonian Companion Cavalry. Added some shields and swapped their xyston with thrusting spears. All the shields are plastics from a Wargames Factory Numidian Light Infantry box - they are attached using tack putty and can be removed without damaging the paint on the figure. The standard is also from the Numidian set; LBMS transfers are added to to the shields - luckily I had just enough left over from past projects. The Army General is the Pyrrhus figure by Relic.

Here is what the A&A guys looked like in Macedonian wedge: