Dead Man's Hand: Bank and Saloon.

Last Thursday, Gordon and Tim invited us to the Wild West to play Dead Man's Hand. In the past, I had the chance to play a few games of the first version. The last time I played was Claymore, which gave me a taste of the second version. Now, I've had the opportunity to take a closer look at the latest version, and I really like it. In fact, one evening I found myself browsing through miniature offers for the game. I haven’t bought anything yet, but I must admit I'm definitely intrigued!

SCENARIO: Gordon Smith
UMPIRING: Gordon Smith

SCENERY: Gordon Smith

FIGURES & MODELS: Tim Chant, Gordon Smith

1. Introduction.

Our game involved four players, and we split into two pairs. Jimmy faced off against Gordon, while I played against Tim. We managed to complete two games, while the other pair played three. Each player had a squad of seven characters, armed with various weapons typical of the Wild West. Each scenario presented a situation where one side had to take action while the other had to counteract it. In our first game, my objective was to escape the city with the loot after a bank robbery. In the second game, my task was to take over the saloon.

1. The Bank Robbery.

In my first game, my gang of bad guys had just robbed a bank. They managed to open the safe and now needed to flee the city. A squad of honest townspeople, led by the local sheriff, was tasked with stopping them. Tim deployed a squad of freshly painted miniatures, which included several female characters. I stationed most of my gang inside the bank, with two characters on the rooftops armed with shotguns to cover our retreat.

Early in the game, we came under fire from a nearby hotel. It turned out my gang was better at hand-to-hand combat than shooting, so I decided to launch a bold attack, yelling “Ura!” One of the bad guys jumped from the roof and took out one of Tim's female characters, while the entire gang poured out of the bank to confront Tim's remaining men, including the sheriff. A fierce fight quickly ensued, involving fists, knives, and whatever weapons were at hand. 

Tim's men, terrified by this aggressive tactic, began to retreat. This created an escape route for my gang, especially when my gang leader managed to take down another woman from Tim's unit. That was enough. My gang successfully fled the city with the loot.

3. Attacking the Saloon.

In our second game, both sides had their share of bad guys. One of them, Tim, was defending a Saloon, while my men were tasked with capturing it. Once again, I opted for very short-range combat. A significant number of my men were armed with revolvers and shotguns, making close combat our only strong side. My men's nerves were quite fragile; however, Tim seemed to have the same issues. It turned out that his men struggled to gauge the number of bullets in their weapons. 

I decided to go on the offensive. On the first turn, one of my men rushed onto the saloon's ground floor and engaged the enemy gang. A chaotic shootout followed, during which Tim's men fired their weapons while my men hesitated due to morale reasons. After a brief regrouping, the fight resumed, resulting in both sides losing two men. Unfortunately, we ran out of time before we could finish the game. As a result, we agreed that the situation was a stalemate and called it a draw.

4. Gordon vs. Jimmy.

In the second match between Gordon and Jimmy, the score was much clearer, with Gordon winning all three games. Unfortunately, I didn’t take any photos of their matches. Instead, I have details about Jacqueline Ville’s town, as Gordon’s wife is the architect of this entire project. Most of the buildings are from the Warbases collection, so I encourage you to visit their website if you’re interested in any of the buildings.

5. Links.

SESWC:

https://www.facebook.com/Seswc.co.uk/posts/1102295478594449

FLICKR: 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720330763507/

Two games: Command and Conquer: Waterloo and Junta.

November and December are the two months of the year when my workload increases, leaving me with less time for blogging. I often find myself having to choose between painting and writing blog posts on my days off, and painting usually takes precedence. As a result, I'm now resorting to writing collective game reviews. 

Today, I want to discuss two board games. The first game, which we played two weeks ago, was the Napoleonic version of Command and Conquer, along with the most well-known battle in the UK, Waterloo. The second game we played was Junta, coinciding with our club's AGM at the end of November.

1. Command and Conquer: Waterloo.

Two weeks ago, we played a game that Mike organised called Command and Conquer. Although we had played a similar game set in Roman times before, this one featured a hexagonal board. The French occupied one side, the British the opposite, while the Prussians remained off the board for the time being. The game was based on the Battle of Waterloo, which has become somewhat emblematic in the UK.

Mike arranged for each player to command a wing, with commanders-in-chief above them who distributed activation cards. One player was designated to lead the Prussians. The roles were as follows: Fred played Wellington, Michael was on the British right flank, Tim took the centre position, and Ben commanded the left flank. On the French side, Peter played Napoleon, Andy took the left, I was in the centre, and David was on the right. Gordon led the entire Prussian army.

On the board, there were three historically significant farms that the French were required to capture and hold until the game's end. They earned victory points for each farm held as well as for destroying enemy units. The British, however, only received points for enemy units destroyed. 

It appeared that there was a flaw in the scoring system, as the French focused their efforts on capturing one farm and thus accumulated a large number of victory points, even while losing a greater number of their own units. More on that later.

Unfortunately, the scenario did not allow for a change in the timing of the French forces' attacks. It also compelled Napoleon's troops to assault farms that should have been left untouched, diverting their focus away from the British forces. We decided that I would attack La Haye Sainte, David would assault Papelotte, and Andy would not attack Hougoumont; instead, he would provide cover for my attacks.

Our plan worked partially. I managed to capture La Haye Sainte and held it for a time with varying degrees of success. David's attack on Papelotte was halted, and Andy engaged in a futile firefight with the British right wing, which forced his forces to shift to my side of the map, inadvertently fulfilling their original mission. Meanwhile, the Prussians finally arrived on the battlefield, but they were significantly delayed and did not demoralise the French forces. David was able to hold his flank.

Ultimately, the game ended in a French victory. However, I believe that points for holding villages should be awarded at the end of the game rather than for each turn the villages were under French control.

2. Junta.

Last Thursday, we held our club's AGM. This occasion also provided us with the opportunity to play our annual game of Junta. For those unfamiliar with the game, it revolves around a fictional banana republic where families compete for influence and international aid dollars.

This year, our club meeting extended significantly due to a multitude of issues we needed to address, including the election of new committee members. Although this meant we had less time to play, it also brought plenty of excitement and fun.

The meeting kicked off with our first presidential election, which Alasdair won. Shortly after we adopted our first government and budget, I grew dissatisfied with my position and sent men to assassinate the president. The assassination attempt was successful, leading to Tim becoming the new president, who then appointed me as Minister of the Interior. This scenario has become a recurring theme in our games.

After several budgets passed almost unanimously, there were multiple assassination attempts, but all failed. Michael came the closest; he pinpointed my location, but his man ultimately abandoned the mission. 

As the game progressed, Alasdair staged a coup. Initially, I was the only one loyal to Tim while everyone else joined the rebellion. Eventually, we managed to persuade David to support our cause, and Andy lost all his troops. Unfortunately, we ran out of time before we could fully resolve the coup.

In the end, I won the game by accumulating the most funds in my Swiss account.

At the end, I wanted to share some exciting news—I was elected to our club committee!

Guns of August: 1918 Scenario.

It has been over two years since we last played Guns of August. It was great to revisit the game and use the boards and miniatures that Michael had prepared. This time, at my suggestion, we decided to play the 1918 scenario. By then, Russia had already been eliminated from the game, the United States had just entered the war, and they could finally deploy tanks and aircraft on a massive scale. The game promised to be truly exciting.

1. Forces.

We played a 3-on-3 game. In our team, the Entente, Mike represented the British and Americans, I took on the role of the French, and Jimmy commanded the Italians and managing operations in Greece. On the opposing team, Ben played the Bulgarians and Turks, David represented the Austro-Hungarians, and Michael portrayed the Germans.

2. The game.

We played through five months, from January to May 1918. During this time, the Central Powers achieved some success on the Greek front, but that was about it. On the Italian and Western fronts, the Entente began to see gradual successes. The Italians managed to cut off the Austro-Hungarians from Switzerland and initiated the encirclement of Trieste. In the west, the British and Americans advanced into Belgium and started attempts to capture Antwerp. Although these attempts had not yet succeeded, the Entente's advantage was becoming increasingly apparent. The French also launched an attack in the centre of the front and moved closer to Metz.

However, the most significant event was the Royal Navy's invasion of the Baltic Sea. At a tremendous cost in terms of losses, the British defeated the German fleet and took control of the Baltic Sea. This victory allowed the US Navy to enter the area, land troops, and capture Danzig. In response, the Germans contemplated ending their occupation of Russian territories, but such a decision could have led to their ultimate defeat. Ultimately, they chose not to take this step, and the game concluded with a narrow victory for the Entente.

3. Links.

SESWC:

https://www.facebook.com/Seswc.co.uk/posts/1102295478594449

FLICKR: 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720330447237

By Fire and Sword: Kircholm 1605.

Sometimes, we come up with ideas that seem fundamentally impossible to achieve. However, with a bit of perseverance and some outside help, these ideas can become a reality. That's exactly what happened with this game. Initially, I announced that I would organise a game of By Fire and Sword, originally intended to be a Task Force-level game. Over time, the concept evolved into an attempt to recreate a historical battle. Given that we recently celebrated the anniversary of one of our greatest military victories—a significant milestone—it was only fitting to focus on the Battle of Kircholm (17.09.1605)!

SCENARIO: Bartek Żynda
UMPIRING: Bartek Żynda

SCENERY: Michael Schneider, Bartek Żynda, SESWC

FIGURES & MODELS: Neil Danskin, Bartek Żynda

1. Forces.

KINGDOM OF SWEDEN

(Bartek)

King Charles IX (###)

First Line, Infantry

Lennartsson (##)

2 x Swedish National Infantry (M, Regimental Cannons)

2 x Swedish National Infantry (M)

2 x Mercenary Infantry (M)

Second Line, Cavalry

Right Flank

Mansfield (##)

2 x Swedish National Cavalry (M)

1 x Mercenary Reiters (S)

Left Flank

Brandt (##)

2 x Swedish National Cavalry (M)

1 x Mercenary Reiters (S)

Third Line, Infantry

Prince of Luneburg (##)

2 x Swedish National Infantry (M)

2 x Muskeeter Squadron (S, Regimental Cannon)

2 x Muskeeter Squadron (S)

Fourth Line, Cavalry

1 x Swedish National Cavalry (M)

4 x Mercenary Reiters (S)

POLISH-LITHUANIAN COMMONWEALTH, DUCHY OF COURLAND

(David, Neil, Michael)

Left Flank

Tomasz Dąbrowa (##)

2 x Husaria (S)

1 x Mercenary Reiters (S)

1 x Cossack Style Cavalry

Centre

Prince Friderick

1 x Husaria (M)

1 x Husaria (S)

1 x Armoured Mercenary Reiters (S)

1 x Haiduks (M, Regimental Cannon)

2 x Haiduks (S)

Right Flank

Jan Sapieha (##)

1 x Husaria (M)

1 x Petyhorcy with Lances (S)

1 x Cossack Style Cavalry (S)

Second Line

Jan Karol Chodkiewicz (####)

1 x Volunteers (S)

1 x Tatar Cavalry (S)

Camp

2. The Game.

The game started with a preliminary round. First, the Swedish player tested his frontline infantry's reaction to Chodkiewicz's feigned retreat. Each unit was required to take a skill test. If a unit failed the test, the soldiers were ordered to manoeuvre and move towards the camp in a double movement. Commanders had the option to intervene and override this order. Ultimately, I only failed one order, so the entire line moved forward together with the second line cavalry. Ouch!

Now the Polish-Lithuanian-Curland forces could issue orders to their troops. David commanded the right wing, Michael led the left, and Neil held the centre, also taking on the role of Hetman Chodkiewicz. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth forces charged at the unprepared Swedish troops.

The Husaria initiated the charge, inflicting significant damage that resulted in the loss of four Swedish infantry units within the first two turns. Soon after, the Lithuanians engaged with the Swedish cavalry. Although the cavalry attempted to counter the charge, they were ultimately forced to retreat under the relentless assault. The charge persisted without interruption.

During the heat of battle, remnants of the Swedish infantry attempted to assassinate Jan Sapieha but were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, the Lithuanians began to ascend the hill occupied by the third and fourth lines of Swedish positions. The Swedish infantry's cannons and muskets made their presence known, decimating two large units of Husaria. However, as the battle progressed, additional lines of Lithuanians managed to reach the Swedish positions. In the chaos, the Earl of Mansfield was killed, causing Swedish morale to collapse. This marked the beginning of the retreat for the Swedish forces.

The Lithuanians required five turns to secure victory in the battle, mirroring the timeline of the historical event. However, their losses were significantly higher than those recorded in reality, with a substantial number of Husaria being defeated. During the game, the Polish-Lithuanian side had the option to utilise their camp. By issuing a Rally order, if their units were within a double march of the camp and no enemy units stood between them and the camp, these units could replenish their lances, particularly for the Husaria and Petyhorcy. Nonetheless, they didn't need to do so.

I created the game unit setup based on the work of Mariusz Balcerek: "Armie walczące pod Kircholmem w 1605 roku", published on Academia.edu, sent to me by Michał Paradowski. Thank you very much!

3. Links.

ORIGINAL BATTLE ON WIKIPEDIA:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kircholm

SESWC:

https://www.facebook.com/Seswc.co.uk/posts/1102295478594449

FLICKR: 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720330306248

Eldritch Horror: The time was crucial!

As October transitions into November, it’s time for the annual Halloween game of Eldritch Horror, organised by Alasdair. Last time, we saved the world, but this time, I was chosen as the Lead Investigator. I quickly realised that running the game effectively requires at least a basic understanding of how to play. It took me some time to get the hang of it, and by the end of the game, I was managing a large number of Investigators. Unfortunately, the time I lost at the beginning proved to be crucial. We only managed to solve one mystery; another was still in progress, one Investigator died, and evil lurked somewhere, ready to strike. This time, we weren’t able to finish the game. Maybe we’ll be able to complete it next time.

© SESWC

Links.

SESWC:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/631841809210352

FLICKR:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720330170694/