Pleasant dreams

Yesterday, I received a copy of the first "physical" kickstarter I ever supported.

It is a card game called Pleasant Dreams.

It is a simple push your luck card game, no better or worst than bulk of the print and play games appearing every year on BGG solo print and play competition.

Challenge and re-playability level for one player is pretty low. Game seems to fare a little better for two players.

The good thing with the game is production, which is done properly, and the art is really nice.

Jatacenje 2015

This weekend, the 9th Jatacenje gaming conference was held.

And it was bigger and better than ever.

Long time ago, Jatacenje started as preparation Warhammer tournament for ETC.

But now, WFB took less than 25% of tables.

We also played lots of Flames of War and DBA

And lots of board games.

 

 

As special candy, we were able to test prototype of the new Demigods Rising boardgame, which had a very successful kickstarter campaign middle of last year.

Hey, there was even a Subbuteo football!

And what is very important for me, this was the first Jatachenje gaming conference that my son, now 4 years old, could participate on equal terms with me. He played a lot of Kids of Carcassonne, Angry Birds card game or Spuzzle. And he was not the only kid around, so it seems that our gaming community has a future.

Very successful two days indeed! 

3 to dance

I pre-ordered GM guide in early November, and finally, after almost two months of waiting, all 3 books are here.

Now I can test them with solo roleplaying :)

Defending Orcland

While my napoleonic battle still rages on turn by turn on my gaming table, I decided to do a change of pace and try Ancient Battlelines Clash rules by Shaun Travers. Rules are free and can be downloaded on this link.

While rules are written with ancients wargaming in mind, they can double for low magic (actually NO magic) fantasy, so I played a game of Orc Vs. Dwarf/Human alliance, using 10mm figures from Copplestone Castings.

The stories of the precious metals in the mountains of Orcland were well known to all dwarfs. But they never dared to cross into Orcland alone. But once they connected with humans, who always needed new places to settle and expand their kingdom, the attack on the Orcs who were minding their own business was immanent. But Orcs were ready.

Alliance force:
1xDwarf warriors, general, high fortitude, high missile protection, drilled, line relief.
2xDwarf woodcutters, high fortitude, high missile protection.
2xHuman rangers, auxiliary infantry, long missile, long bows.
2xHuman riders, auxiliary cavalry, some missile protection
1xHuman barbarians, warband
1xCity guard, low fortitude, long spears
1xHuman settlers, auxiliary infantry

Orc army:
1xSpearmen, warband, high fortitude, general
3xTrolls, replace elephants
2xOrc warband
2xOrc archers, auxiliary infantry, long missile
1xWolf riders, auxiliary cavalry, some missile protection
2xGremlin skirmishers (models from Mantc 28mm range, but they fit in :) )

For the first game I decided to play pitched battle, with no terrain. 
I deployed first, and than the solo system coming with the rules deployed alliance troops. This was done very smart, by positioning light units against my Trolls, who have disadvantage against them.

Alliance army selected Break through center tactics, so they moved fast forward, with front line of troops soon reaching proximity zone of my gremlin skirmishers, who fired and retreated. Most of the enemy line (except barbarians) reacted to fire by moving half they move allowance. This again, brought the line in proximity zone of my cavalry. One troll and wolf riders charged, while two trolls decided to stay in place, probably arguing with each other....

In melee that occurred, troll destroyed city guard unit, but settlers replaced them and sent troll running, disordered. Wolf riders clashed into shields of dwarf woodcutters, that left both units disordered.
More to my right, barbarians left the attacking line and rushed forward, coming again into proximity of one skirmisher. It all ended with gremlins retreating disordered behind the orc line and barbarians charging orc warband. Orcs counter charged, and it resulted in both units being disordered.

On the Alliance left wing, riders reached proximity of archers, who fired, missed, and allowed riders to charge home. The first rider unit got stuck in melee with archers (both units disordered), but second rooted my light infantry and then started pursuing them off the table, never to return (I hoped for this, since riders are superior troops than archers. This was the reasons I decided to wait for enemy to come close, instead of meeting them in the middle of the field)

All this happened until the middle of the turn 2!
It was my turn, and I was starting from the right. Archers and riders stayed in combat, as well as barbarians with orc warband. But then orc general wheeled into combat, destroying barbarians and being forced to pursue.
Gremlins moved into firing range, and wolf riders continued melee with woodcutters. On the left, impetuous trolls charged settlers, but this was not good move since they couldn't get better result than all disordered.

Human rangers finally arrived into firing range, but too late. Settlers rooted one troll, but the other kept menacing them. Woodcutters and wolf riders kept fighting with no result. Dwarfs decided to split the line. Second unit of woodcutters charged Orc general, and dwarf general rooted gremlins and then joined the charge on orc spears. Melee resulted in woodcutters being destroyed, but orc general being forced to retreat, disordered. Little luck for me here, since dwarf general rolled 1, and was unable to pursue.
On the left, riders finally broke my archers and pursued them off the table. With riders out of the picture, alliance moved over the army breakpoint, and therefore Orcs have won the day and saved their homeland from nasty invaders.

All in all, Ancient Battlelines Clash is a great game. It plays quickly (all was over in 2,5 turns) and the game was fun. Programed opponent for solo games is well developed, and can be used even in other similar games, like RRtK. I will have to test more of it, next time with board little more crowded, and maybe with some scenario from One Hour Wargames book.

Naprzód psiekrwie!

So, it is time for full scale attack using Muskets and Shakos rules by 2 Hour Wargames!

Battle takes place around small village. There is a creek on my right wing (through sections 3, 6 and 9).
In first wave, I deployed my guns on the right wing (made a mistake, one of the guns should have been deployed on the other side of the creek, it would give more space for my units to maneuver, and clearer line of sight for guns). French light infantry and line infantry were deployed on the right also.
On the left I deployed first Vistula legion accompanied by brigadier.
British response put Highlanders in the line opposite to my Poles, some rifles in the center and a unit of British line accompanied by brigadier and section of guns to my right.
Some Spanish guerrillas were positioned on far center, and independent unit of 3 horse skirmishers hussars were on the far right. There was one unresolved PEF in the forest on the left.

Initial bombardment and some quick infantry action brought me advantage on the right wing.
Things were not looking good on the left. Highlander skirmishers took position in the building and they were able to shoot at the flank of my column. Rifles positioned themselves in the church, while British hussars tried to flank my forces by crossing the creek.

Precise gun shot managed to kill British brigadier, so the unit he was attached to decided to quit the field.
I changed facing of the French line unit that was idle during the first turn (another bad deployment) and send it to help Poles. But Highlander skirmishers were hot, they reacted to the new threat and made my French line unit disordered!
Fire from the Highlander line reduced 1st Vistula legion under 1/4 strength, so they also decided to go home, taking brigadier with them. As reaction, both my remaining units lost some troops and become disordered.
It is obvious that first brigade was in desperate need of all the help it can get, so I decided to send in the cavalry!

 

Few turns later, on the left lancers are chasing Highlanders, after suffering heavy casualties from rifle fire. To save them, French line unit decided to perform strange maneuver - they first entered the building, and on the next turn exited it on the other side, disordered. But they are now 2 inches from the rifles, who had to run away and can no longer fire to lancers flank.

On the right, British reserves are gathering. So, it is probably time to send my own reserve into action.

To be continued....