06 May, 2011

Ready for Action!

The guys over on Ambush Alley Games have released a few game aids over the past week or so. These should help make playing the new Force on Force a bit easier.


Handy two page cheat sheet with all the major tables and such

AAG will also be releasing a commercial quality card deck soon, but in the meantime there's no need to cut up your brand-new Force on Force rulebook

A sneak peek at the basic rules and mechanics of the game. The PDF contains an explanation of the game's basic mechanics and a sample scenario to try them out with!

Happy gaming!

02 May, 2011

Battle of the River Coa

After eliminating the garrison at Ciudad Rodrigo, Marshal André Masséna ordered Marshal Ney’s 6th Corps to advance on the fortress of Almeida. Rather than retreat and cross the river as ordered by Wellington, Crauford courted disaster and chose to hold his bridgehead. Crauford and the French both wanted to control the narrow stone bridge which was the only way to cross the Côa for several miles.


Putting the "fighting" into a fighting defence

A fighting defence

Portuguesse Cacadores hold the redoubts, supported by the Rifles

The Portuguese hold the redoubts

French hussars sweep around the British left flank to attack, the Rifles there have moved forward into the mill

French hussars to attack

The first French attack in the centre is repulsed, even the presence of Lolson cannot keep the French advancing

French are repulsed

The French hussars' further attack seems ill-judged as Anson leads the cavalry forward, supported by the Rifles and artillery fire from Almeida. Somehow they survive the onslaught!

The cavalry battle

The second wave of the French assault, concentrating on the hill and leaving the redoubts at the bridge to their left flank

Second wave of the assault

Without being broken, this attack is forced back again, with some casualties

Forced back again

A concentrated effort on the redoubts has little effect, beyond prompting a limited British counter-attack

The last attack

The ruined French army has taken severe losses and the British have begun to pull some units across the bridge

Ruined French army

The British counter-attack on the left is a success

British counter-attack on the left

The British withdraw in good order, Crauford is lauded in the press!

British withdrawal

Counting those units which moved across in the last turn (3) the British won this an amazing 9-0!

Great game (and that's not just the heady victory talking!) - christened Mr. Kinch's new gaming table, good company and some nice wine to wash it all down

29 April, 2011

Stylish Blogger (apparently!)

This Stylish Blogger Award is doing the rounds (I can't imagine that it originated in the gaming sector!) but I am happy to be in such august company. It doesn't have the usual threat of a Chain Letter (i.e. do this or else!) so I took the time to compile my lists...


1. Thank and link back to the person giving you the award.

Ashley, of Paint it Pink was kind enough to mention me in dispatches

2. Share seven things about yourself.

a. My first wargaming experience was Little Wars-style shenanigans between the Afrika Korps and the 8th Army in the furrows of our back garden.

b. I am a qualified library and information professional, though I have only worked a year in an actual library since I got out

c. I've always been an avid reader (though my teenage practice of re-reading stuff has definitely passed). Click on the My Library tab on the blog to see some of the 2500+ books in the house

d. In school and at university I had a summer job testing barley and deciding whether we would buy it for beer. Oh the joys of negotiating with farmers who may not have agreed with my assessment!

e. Before the two girls arrived our holidays were usually trips to Mediterranean countries. My wife would get sun, and I would get historical sites - a perfect compromise!

f. Calvin & Hobbes is the funniest comic strip I know - give Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons a try, you will thank me later.

g. I am also a roleplayer, though these days I'm mostly running games rather than playing in them. You can catch up with my current fantasy setting The Giyhonan Chronicles

3. Select 10-15 blogs who you think deserve this award.

This list is neither exhaustive nor in any particular order, and I have avoided choosing blogs which have already received the honour.

While the Campaigns of General William Augustus Pettygree haven't been updated as often recently, the posts there are just of a fantastic quality. Such drama and story-telling isn't common in wargaming.

The quality of Chris' painting and conversions on 20mm Moderns over at Small Scale Operations is just fantastic.

Vinnie's work on Lonely Gamers, especially the sheer scale of his 28mm games continually take my breath away.

Again with the conversions! Eduardo at Hetairoi Wargames hits all those projects I dream of: 28mm Samurai, Gladiators and Galley Warfare.

The first hint of nepotism, Conrad Kinch is a good friend and regular gaming companion. But his thoughts over on Joy and Forgetfulness are always very interesting and his interpretation of what's on-topic keeps his readers on their toes.

I'm a big fan of Piquet, and in Eric Burgess' Din of Battle, I find someone who can turn it to siege warfare in the Age of Reason, through Colonials and all the way to 40K!

Ruaridh fights a losing battle against the Ooh Shiny Complex it seems that all wargamers are afflicted with.

Tiny Solitary Soldiers takes on 15mm Sci-Fi with gusto.

Another gamer concentrating on a single period in Golconda Rising. As well as expounding the historical context, there is some really well-turned out armies on display.

Fran, aka The Angry Lurker discusses a lot more than just gaming, reviewing book and films in gamer-friendly genres.

4. Contact these bloggers and let them know about the award.

On it!

More like this