The Portable Wargame at Salem Church

I should have written this when some of the questions were fresher in my mind but I didn't. Part of the reason for that w=is that the floors are being re sanded and we spent much of the weekend moving things, more things than we should have. Part of all this is why playing The Portable Wargame was the choice for this weeks game.

It was just Howard and I as Matt was working and Nate is enjoying his newborn. We decided to give PW another try this time using my 15mm ACW figures. I pulled out the Salem Church scenario done by Johnny Reb as it's seemed to be the right size for this game. I used one stand per unit of infantry and three gunners for the artillery. I didn't have commanders but should have used at least two per side.

The Union advances.

Confederate's delay the Union advance.

Reinforcement arrive for the South as the Northerners advance on the left.

Yankees flanking the right.

Reb artillery dueling with the invaders.

The Union closes in on the Confederate left.

The Rebs have been flanked on the right.

An enjoyable game all in all. The squares are 2.5 inches and the board is eight by thirteen squares. I think I should have used two stands per unit to get a better look. Most of my figures based for Johnny Reb2 are on inch squares, four per base mostly. The fences were place in the center of the square to show which square would get the benefit but I think putting them on the edge would be better appearance wise and still show which square benefits. Maybe some new fences will be needed.

We had a few questions about flank attacks, line of site, figuring weapons ranges. Many had to do with the use of a grid and adjusting our own perceptions. Another reading of the rules and a few more games should get us there. 

75 degrees and low humidity

What else to do put sealcoat the figures I've painted this month.

2nd Connecticut Foundry

Sodermanland Infantry Warfare Miniatures

Sodermanland Infantry Warfare Miniatures

Warring States Chinese John Jenkins

Pirates Artizen

Today was not as nice at 35 degrees and 80% humidity so we went on a hike to Claudius Smith's Den . Inspiration for a scenario no doubt.

Why there's good beer in France.

We got together for a game of A Gentleman's War this time doing a fictional Franco-Prussian battle. Matt as the French defended the town while Howard and I as Prussians assaulted across the river.

The French along the edge of the village

The square defended with Artillery.

Prussian sharpshooters cover the crossing.

The Prussian Guard trying not to get their white pants dirty advance through the river.

On the Prussian left the Infantry engage the Chassuers D'Afrique.

The French face the Prussian steamroller.

Finally the Guards reach the other bank and engage the Zouaves.

The decisive Cavalry melee mid stream.

Inspired by Alan at The Duchy of Tradgardland I took a few Black and White photos.

Left flank melee.

French cavalry run down the Prussian skirmishers.

Check out the new Facebook page for A Gentleman's War

OK so Kronenbourg started brewing beer before this battle but still it's good.

Disposable Hero's second try.

We gave Disposable Hero's another try last Thursday. Matt pulled out all the buildings he had to set up a dense cityscape. We were under a strict time limit and I could have spent an hour just admiring all the terrain and photographing it. We started the game with Matt as the attacking Germans and me as the defending GIs.

Matt's tiger waited at the end of the street while his infantry cleared the houses down the block. My 50 cal kept pressure on the tank while the infantry slugged it out.

When Howard arrived he took command of two Shermans. One became bogged down while attempting to cross the river the other fell to the Tiger.

We had to call time before much else happened. The game moved along well. I'm enjoying the rules and feel they hit the right level of detail for me. The question now is do I buy a used copy of the first version or spring for DH2.

Old is new.

We met last week for a WWII game and used Iron Ivan's Disposable Hero's rules, not the new version but the older set. Last year we had played Chain of Command six times as part of the 6x6 challenge and when done decided that although it was a good game it didn't hit all the points that we were looking for. I was a bit reluctant to drop $40.00 on DH2 having never played them. Matt had the first version and having played them often a few years back broke them out and ran us through the game. He did say he had streamlined a few thing but for the most part it was rules as written. I must say it was a fun game easy to remember the mechanics and gave s good result. Matt has let me borrow the rules and I think this is a set that needs more exploration.

The scenario had Howard and me taking a US platoon supported by two shermans and attempting to capture a crossroads defended by Matt's German platoon and the new Panzer I had bought a few weeks back. It was tough going for the Americans but in the end we raced forward and captured two of our three objectives.

US jump off point

Americans start their advance.

Defending the village.

LMG and the mortars FO.

Sherman approaches the village

Out pops the Panzer

looking good on the table.

The Sherman gets knocked out.

A great game played out just under two hours. Check out Matt's blog for more.

Displaced Miniatures closes.

Way back when a site was put up to host photos of miniatures. A fan site of sorts it was set up to allow people to upload their photos and have other view and comment on them. All this and free to boot. The site was called Displaced Miniatures now after 13 years it's now closing down. As the owner says there are many new ways to host photos and share them with others also regulations and customer views have changed.

I used the site for some of my photos and always enjoy purusing it to see others work. I think with facebook, blogs and forums the site lost some of it's input and traffic. I'll miss it and I thank Brad for hosting it.

Here's a few of the pictures that I had up there.

These are from a display I had done at the local Historical Society.

Here are some Front Rank and Perry First Nations and Militia.

Front Rank

Front Rank

Perry and Foundry Militia

Perry

Foundry Street Violence

Camo Girl

Lepard Girl

Punks

Wild West

Shadow Forge

Foundry

Shadow Forge

WWII

Foundry Germans

Thanks for looking.