SKOMC Part 3

 The situation at the end of Year 4 of the Simple Knock Out Mini Campaign was as follows:

Psuedo-Klasica had absorbed Mooritania, and Mythica taken Keltica. The two remaining powers were now embroiled in a protracted war, each hoping to achieve total dominance with a knock-out blow...

Year 5

In Year 5, Pseudo-Klasica attacked Mythica. The random terrain once again generated a board with a river (crossable only at the bridge) but to the horror of the attacking General, the second die roll rotated the board so that he was forced to cross the river just to get onto the battlefield...

The Mythicans rushed forward and took control of the centrally positioned hill whilst the attackers queued to get across the bridge.

A fire fight between the two army's archers ensued. Mythica then committed infantry on the flanks of the hill. The Pseudo-Klasican General was forced to personally lead a charge at the hill to quell the arrow storm.

The Mythican Infantry made short work of the attacking archers, and the Pseudo-Klasicans found themselves exhausted before they could even get all of their force to bear.

The Mythican's closed in

And suddenly it was all over

Year 6

In Year 6, the tenacious Pseudo-Klasicans attacked Mythica again. This time the terrain was more favourable. 

The Mythican General spread his force wide and attempted to out flank the more tightly bunched aggressor.

The two commanders met in a clash in the centre of the field, but the Pseudo-Klasicans didn't seem to have their heart in it, and were soon on the back foot.

Ground down by the battering from the flank, the attackers were reduced to Exhaustion Point, and then soon afterwards, routed.

Two attacks and no conclusion. Will the Campaign reach a denouement anytime soon?

SKOMC Part 2

 Year 3

In Year 3 Mythica attacked Keltica

Welcome to dank, drear Keltica (picture taken on the day it didn't rain)

The random terrain gave a balanced battlefield and it was the defenders who went on the offensive. The Kelticans had 4 infantry and two archer units. The Mythicans, 4 infantry, 1 archer and 1 cavalry.

The Kelticans advanced and set to aggressively 

but they were soon reduced to Exhaustion Point (30% hits) by the solid Mythican soldiery.

Having lost their archers, and now unable to take aggressive action, the Kelticans were an easy target for the Mythican bowmen...

who let loose volley after volley until the Kelticans reached Rout Point (50%), and fled.

A decisive win for Mythica. The Campaign Map now looked like this

 
Year 4

Mythica was again on the offensive in Year 4. For this battle the terrain generated favoured the attackers with two hills close by. 

The Pseudo-Klasicans pushed forward hoping to quickly drive the enemy out of their territory, however things weren't going their way

The Mythican General captured the hill to his right and was using the height advantage to put the hurt on the attacking infantry.

However, the tenacious Pseudo-Klasicans fought on and began to push back their opponents. Despite the Mythican General personally leading a charge that drove the enemy off the hill, his centre collapsed and suddenly his army began to rout. The day was lost (as was an Aggression Point).

With this indecisive result the drawn situation continues and another battle needs to be fought.

(Campaign Rules are in the previous post).

 

Simple Knockout Mini Campaign (SKOMC)

 A Knock Out mini campaign was fought over the weekend; well that was the plan. In fact it's not finished yet, but more of that later. The system was based on IanH's version for DBA (HERE). I used four protagonists, assuming that would speed up matters. My version of the Campaign Rules is below the initial map; battles were resolved using the Portable Wargame, though for a really quick version DotS might be used.

Campaign Map with obligatory silly names

SKOMC Rules (click to make legible)

To make the terrain and Orders of Battle fairly random I used some pre-made terrain boards (see Rules) and a random Unit table a la Neil Thomas (this was designed on the units I had available).

On to the games.

Year 1

In Year 1, Pseudo-Klasica attacked Mythica.

The Aggressor - sunny Pseudo-Klasica

Misty Mythica

Terrain rolled up was Board 2, rotated so that East became North; this gave the defenders the advantage of a hill to perch on from the start. The Pseudo-Klasicans arrived with 4 Infantry units and two Cavalry; the Mythicans, 3 Infantry and 3 Cavalry, so neither side fielded archers. All Infantry and Cavalry were heavies.

The battle began with cavalry fighting in the centre

 and ended with an attack on the well defended hill

Both sides reached Exhaustion Point (30% hits) on the same move; units in close combat fought on until Rout Point (50% hits). The attackers reached Rout Point first and the battle was over. Pseudo-Klasica had failed in their attack and their Aggression rate went down to -1.

Year 2

Despite losing an Aggression point in Year 1, Pseudo-Klasica was Attacker again in Year 2.

The designated Defender for this game was Mooritanian.

Full of Eastern Promise (ok Southern, but you get the idea)

Terrain for this battle was board number 3. The Pseudo-Klasicans fielded 3 Infantry, 2 Archers and 1 Cavalry; Mooritania, 4 Infantry and 2 Archers.

Both sides dashed to reach the height advantage afforded by the hill. The Mooritanian General sent an Archer unit up the other side of the river hoping to sent some arrows into the enemy's flank.

Fighting for the hill

The hill taken

Mooritania reaches Rout Point

So, with a successful attack Pseudo-Klasica has captured a territory and regained an Aggression Point. More to follow... 

Map at the end of Year 2

Arnor Project - First game

 

Yesterday evening witnessed my first game set in J R R Tolkien's Lost Kingdom of Arnor. It was not a great success as I wasn't happy with the rules I was play testing (an adaptation of the 3x3 PW). Still, I'm not one to waste stuff if I can help it, so here are a few pictures of the action.

A large Army of Orcs has been sent by the Witch-King of Angmar to ravage and plunder the lands beyond the North Downs. The leading elements have encountered, and pursued, a retreating band of Arnorians led by Harl the Helmless. 

 Harl's rearguard warn him that the fast moving Orcs are almost upon his column. The men of Arnor, mostly farmers and herdsmen, turn and make a stand on a ridge, with their backs to a wood.

Men of Arnor

Advance of the Orcs

Wolf Riders about to hit the Arnorian flank

The end of the beginning

Having been whittled away by the overwhelming strength of the Angmar force, Harl and the surviving men of North Arnor escaped into the forest, and made their way towards the Downs, picking up stragglers on the way...

Pareidolia

Pareidolia (noun) "the illusory perception of meaningful patterns or images of familiar things in random or amorphous data, as a face seen on the moon" (Dictionary.com) 

Can anyone else see a face or is it just me?

It's in the trees - it's coming!

A late 1970s Ent crashes out of the forest  - the Hinchliffe Miniatures Ent, from the Peter Gilder designed range of Fantasy Minis, is once again available thanks to Mike at Broadsword Miniatures.

Hopefully there will be a game to report soon...