We had a mix of board games and miniature games with a lot of good times.
Each game had 2 to 8 players and we managed to get in seven different games over the weekend.
Friday
- Fief 1429 (4 players game)
- 1775 (4 player game)
- French vs Spanish in Spain (Shako II, 15mm figures)
- Command & Colors Napoleonics (6 players)
- 1812 (5 players)
- Jungle Fever (15mm Pacific Theatre)
- Vendee (For God and for King) - 2 player board game.
First the board game photos.
With Command & Colors Napoleonics (GMT Games) we setup 3 games side by side with one game of Austrians vs. French, one of Russians vs. French (snow map in the middle from Memoir '44), and Brits\Portuguese vs French. This was light weight wargaming and is a real joy to play.
We didn't get any photos of 1775 or 1812, but these are truly great games from Academy Games. Highly recommended. You can fight the entire American Revolution or the War of 1812 in 2 to 3 hours. Splendid!
On Sunday I played Pour Dieu et pour le Roy from Vae Victus magazine game. I've put the counters on blocks and painted the blocks blue for the Republicans and Red for the Vendeans. This was a learning game for Phil and I, as this game has a lot of unique features (which is needed for the Vendee Revolt). We are both still trying to figure out the best strategies for our respective armies. Very enjoyable game.
We played Fief 1429 first on Friday. We had one player not show up so we were down to 4 players. I think this game needs 5 or 6 players to really get that backstabbing and alliance gratification. With only 4 players, the alliances are too easy and the board is easily carved up.
Friday night we tried Shako II for the first time in our group and had a pretty good time. I have some problems with volley fire vs. skirmishers mechanics, but otherwise they are a solid set of rules. With Division activation there is some randomness to the game. Steven's figure collection is outstanding, with AB Miniatures and his brother is an artist when it comes to painting.
Here are some of the Spanish cavalry that shows off the beauty of these figures.
Spanish Dragoons:
Spanish Hussars:
Scenario: Spanish troops defending a ridgeline with a walled brothel as the main victory location for the French! The Spanish, being outclassed and outnumbered, did everything they could to stop the massive French assault.
My Spanish infantry Division before the game began. They are located to the right of the brothel and in defensive positions on a ridge.
Spanish on the left and the French on the right. This is a good shot of the battlefield. A Spanish militia division is at the bottom of the photo south of the river. They put up a good fight but at least half of them ran without firing a shot.
Me (Eric) kneeling at the table to get a nice view of the battlefield. Jan is standing to my right. He was the left wing Spanish commander.
My division had one grenadier battalion, one regular battalion, and lots of 2nd rate line units. It was going to be a tough day for the Spanish. Good thing the French were not much better that I was facing, except for the Vistula Legion which was bad mamma-jamma!
Spanish Militia hiding in the woods. Next two photos
Charles says "hi" as he leads his French Division against the Spanish Militia in the woods. Nobody can roll ones like Charles!
Ben sent his division straight into my thin Spanish line, but was pretty much halted by the tenacious Spanish infantry. Much to my surprise!
Meanwhile, Charles' division crashes into the militia in the woods. This was a bloody affair with the Spanish artillery doing some serious damage to the French attack columns.
Spanish left flank (The cavalry battle), showing Steven's French Dragoons laying waste to the Spanish cavalry. It was ugly early and often. The Spanish Cavalry Division was broken fairly quickly.
Ben tries again to assault my Spanish, and my Grenadiers give him a lead volley that shatters the assault for a second time.
Here you can see the successful assault of the brothel and the French can now happily continue their campaign in much better spirits! The Spanish will just have to wait for their revenge.
This ends part 1 of my E-Con report. Part two will contain a battle report of the Jungle battle. Here is a teaser photo:
Great to see that You and your Friends had a great and varied three days of Gaming ERIC. I've only ever played two Board Games - 'King Maker' and 'Isandulwana"- I think the Zulu War game was by 'Strategy & Tactics'. All the best. KEV.
ReplyDeleteShako 2 is a solid set that I have played before and would play again. I don't like the order arrow and orders in general as a mechanic for practical reasons, so I usually just ignore that part of the rules. The game looked great, and those AB Spanish are indeed lovely!
ReplyDeleteI am also not much of a board game player. C&C is much more of a miniatures game. I really must play some of it. Of course, I would have to play it on a big table, with 28mm troops, though! How did the three games come out?
Your Jungle terrain is of course fantastic. Even pictures cannot do justice to the marvel that Mal created!
Quite an event all in all. Your wife is very tolerant, Eric. Or was she away on a shopping spree or a spa junket as payback? :-)