Practice for the Bunker Rats tournament

A quick game between me and Lowell to practice for the bunker rats tournament

Lowell beat me convincingly, with his infantry hordes just taking too much to stop!

Eclipse Marathon

We finally finished a full game of eclipse. Kristian won, but only just. The game took forever -- Dave's comment near the end was 'I am over this' -- but that may be because he wasn't winning any battles.

I think I'm turning Japanese

A Japanese game double header at the office

Game 1 was Tokaido.

Game 2 was Takenoko -- the bamboo growing / panda feeding game.  I need to watch more TV, especially South Park, as everyone was referring to the Panda as 'Sexual Harassment Panda'. Kristian won, though I did manage a respectable second place.

HOGS -- Castles of Burgundy and Code Words

Went to a HOGS meeting

Game 1 was Castles of Burgundy.  I Saw it being set up when I walked in and commented that I had always wanted to learn how to play it.  Next thing you know I was knee deep in a game.  I came second, though the winner was way, way ahead!

There was a fair turnout.  This meeting was on a Friday evening, and it was a very different crowd to Saturday evening meetings.

The second game was Code Words.  My team won both games, through pure luck.  In the first game there was a good grouping of words, and in the second game a team member guessed a card which happened to be correct, putting us in the box seat.

WWI Dogfight at Barries

See the corresponding post a Camp Cromwell

My Fokker got on the tail of a bomber.  The bomber was on fire.  The rear machine gun jammed.  I peppered it with shots.  But it just wouldnt go down.  Finally the rear gunner unjammed his machine gun and shot me out of the sky!  Very cinematic!

Quite the collection!!!!

Last game with Matt (for a while)

Matt is heading back to Adelaide.  He has one more week at the Launceston club, but I will be in Sydney, so this was the last game I will get to play against Matt.  At least, not until we meet at Cancon some time :)

It was Flames of War, 1750 points of early war.  1750 points is a lot in early war.  Matt had SS infantry with armoured cars and AT guns.  I had French armour.  A ton of French armour.  The mission was fighting withdrawal.

The horde of French armour attacked down one flank, well away from the AT guns.  The game started badly for Matt when his motorcycle mounted SS troops tried to dismount and move into a village, but failed their roll to enter the village and stayed in the open, under MG fire.  Matt dropped his armoured cars out of ambush, and they shot up the French armoured cars.  But they couldn't withstand the French tanks.  I assaulted an infantry platoon in woods near the objective, losing one platoon of tanks as they bogged.  But the second platoon of tanks cleared the woods.  Matt then had to move his armoured cars over to contest the objective, and both bogged in woods.  So a very lucky win to me.

Ancients Double Header

The plan was to play 'Art de la Guerre', but I still hadnt read the rules, so we played DBA (version 2.0) and Armati.  Both games were Romans vs Britons.

DBA.

We played a double DBA game.  Board size is 4' x 4', and 'bases' are 4 bases on a movement tray.  All measurements are doubled.  Its still DBA, but looks so much better!

I was Romans, vs Rod the Britons.

The Brtish Chariots launched a charge against the Roman Auxilia that were in the open.

They broke through, only to be surrounded by Roman cavalry.  The British chieftan died, and victory to me.

We then moved on to Armati.  This was the first time I had played with full size armies correctly based.  The skirmishers and light infantry are on small bases, making them really maneuverable!

I was British, and launched an attach on each flank.

I won on my left flank, but a cohort of legionarries moved over to protect the flank, and blocked off any exploitation.  With the center weakened, I launched my barbarian horde foward.

On my left flank my impetuous charge swept all away that was in front of them.

But the rest of the battle stalled, and I started taking casualties.

On my right, the Roman cavalry ran through my skirmishers.  And my Chariots lost against the Roman Auxiliaries.  Hang on -- I had overwhelming force on this flank -- and the wheels came off!

One Auxilia broke away from the fight and moved towards the center

Where he hit the barbarians on the flank, and my whole line collapsed

Meanwhile on my left my sole remaining warband was fruitlessly pursuing some cowardly Romans!

Victory to Rod -- once my initial charge ran out of steam it was only a matter of time till I lost!!!

Both DBA and Armati are good fun -- we need to do them again!