Black Powder ACW 5/26/13 Part 2

In part 1 I talked about the table for our big game.  Now it is time to discuss the forces. The game plan was for 7 players, each commanding a brigade.  It seemed only fitting that the Union get the extra brigade.  My friend Tom O and I supplied all the figures for the game.

Since this was really a training game and not a serious game we kept thing simple.  The stats for both sides were just the basic stats from the BP rules.  Commanders were all rated as 8.  Tom O has done some nice work converting some random unit composition/quality charts from Johnny Reb III for use with BP and I am working on a random commander quality chart for Confederates and one for Union.  For this game we skipped all that but we will be using these things for our next game.

We did not use any of the special unit rules for this game.  We limited the formations to March Column or Line only.  For future games we will probably allow one unit per brigade to skirmish.

Each Union brigade was as follows:

Dave's Brigade

4 Regiments of 28 figures (standard size)
1 Rifled Cannon
1 Commander

Tom O's Brigade

4 Regiments of 28 figures
1 12lb Napoleon
1 Commander

Tom F's Brigade

1 Regiment of 40 figures (large size)
1 Regiment of 28 figures
1 Regiment of 24 figures
1 12lb Napoleon
1 Commander

Al's Brigade

3 Regiments of 24 figures
1 Regiment of 20 figures (standard size)
1 12lb  Napoleon
1 Commander

Each Confederate brigade was as follows:

Mike's Brigade

4 Regiments of 28 figures
1 12lb Napoleon
1 Commander

Tim's Brigade

4 Regiments of 28 figures
1 12lb Napoleon
1 Commander

Robert's Brigade (me)

2 Regiments of 24 figures
2 Regiments of 20 figures
1 12lb Napoleon
1 Commander

Each side also had a division commander that could be move about as needed.  In all there were nearly 800 figures on the table which was really impressive!

My two Union brigades

My Confederate brigade and casualty markers...pay no attention to the plane.

Tom's impressive Union collection.

His equally impressive Confederate collection.

Tom's guns and officers.  I love the division commanders with the flags.

The figures used in the battle came from several different companies.  I believe that Tom's collection is all Sash and Saber.  My collection is more varied.  I have figures from Perry, Foundry, Sash and Saber, and Old Glory.

It is just amazing to me how much stuff Tom and I were able to put on the table.  We have both been working on our ACW collections for about three years and have put in lots of effort to make this happen.  We actually have a couple of other local gamer that have sizable ACW collections and we could easily put on a game of 2 division per side.

Next up part 3 The Battle!

Black Powder ACW 5/26/13 Part 1

 Yesterday, several friends and I met at Crusader's Retreat for a big American Civil War game using Black Powder.  We have been planning this game for several weeks.  We wanted to step this up from our last game in December.  More players, more table, more figures, more everything.  I think we pulled it off.

Part one is about the table.  We used a 12'x6' table for this game.  There was a river cutting diagonally across about a third of the table.  Roughly in the center of the table was a road with a Y intersection.  At the intersection was a small village.  The arms of the Y encircled a large hill.  There was also a second road that branched off the main road.

Each end of the table had woods and hills.  Scattered across the table were fields and fences.  I really think the table looked great and was a step up from our first game.  Take a look at the pictures below.

One thing I have heard players (or potential players) express is a concern about the potentially rapid movement in the game.  I believe this is a legitimate concern but it is an issue that is easy to manage in the game.  First of all, use a big table if you can.  This alone will fix most movement issues.  Second, use lots of terrain and make movement penalties for much of it.  In this game we allowed formed units in the woods but only at half move and only one move.  This meant that an unit in the woods would be severely impacted on movement.  We basically used the same rules for the river.  The bridge was treated as road and only units in march column could use it.  The ford was considered open ground but, again, only march columns could use it.  The large number of fences and walls also slowed movement considerably. 

Stay tuned for part 2 where we will discuss the forces.

X-Wing

I have finally decided to take the plunge into this game.  Like most gamers (that I know at least) my age I am huge fan of the original Star Wars films.  When this game first game out I was tempted but managed to talk myself out of jumping in.  I usually like to wait on new games for a while to make sure they are good enough for me to spend my money on.  So far this game really seems to have some legs.  Is everyone playing it?  It sure seems that way.

I really don't have much more to say about this as I just got the game and have never played.  I will have more to say once I know what I am talking about.

Wargames Factory Saxon Thegns

I picked up a box a Wargames Factory plastic Saxon Thegn models a while back from a friend.  As has been known to happen they went straight into a future project pile and nothing happened with them.  Then I got bored and decided I should build them.

The box included 4 different bodies along with several different heads, shields and weapons.  I was not real happy with the thin spears that are included.  They seem more like javelins so I used some old Gripping Beast spears.  I also mixed in a few spare GB shields to add a little more variety.

I think this set is really a great value.  You get 32 figures for about $20.  They may not be the best figures but they are worth the money and I think they will look very nice once I get around to painting them.  This is a cheap way to get a big army together for Hail Caesar!

Sick Reading

Back in March the flu made a run through my house bringing all home improvement and hobby activities to a halt.  While I was down I ordered some new reading materials.  This is not a proper review of any of these books just my general thoughts.

Hail Caesar Army Lists: Late Antiquity to Early Medieval  This book is just what it says it is - a bunch of army list for HC covering about 60 armies starting in 259AD.  My primary interest is the period from about 600AD to 1100AD and this books has lots of armies in this period.  Since HC is a very unique sort of game the army lists are bit eclectic.  The have a percentage breakdown for unit types much like the old Warhammer Ancients Lists.  There is a point system and a set number of point will purchase an entire unit rather than points being based on each model.  I am just getting into HC so this book is going to get lots of use.

Black Powder Albion Triumphant Volume 1 - The Peninsular Campaign  The second BP supplement is the first of what will be several Napoleonic books.  Not too surprising, the first Napoleonic book covers the British Campaigns in Portugal and Spain.  I must confess to knowing very little about the era and what interest I have is more towards the battles between France, Austria, Russia and Prussia.  Having said that this is a great book.  It is probably prettier that the BP rulebook which is saying something.  The historical background is well presented and interesting.  It is probably better than the few Osprey books I have read on the Peninsular campaigns.  The rules modifications and national traits seem to be reasonably thought out and designed for good game play while also allowing some chance at historical results.  This book succeeded in getting me interested in the period and I will probably make my French with an eye to these campaigns.

Bolt Action Armies of Great Britain  Just as it sounds this is a collection of units and army list for recreating British armies in your games of Bolt Action.  The book is pretty good but there is something lacking in these Bolt Action supplements.  I really enjoy BA but I am having a hard time getting excited about it.  This is really strange as I have been looking for a game like this for a long time.  Anyway, this is a nice book and a must have if you are planning on playing British.  One thing that I thought was strange is the amount of artwork depicting Chindits and yet how little time they devote to them in the rules.  The Far East is very sparsely covered in this book.

Bolt Action Armies of the United States  Unlike the British book this book almost seems pointless.  It just does not seem to substantially add to what was included in the BA rules.  There was really a chance to make something special with this book and I was really hoping for some solid lists for the Far East.  Unfortunately, there are only two lists for the Pacific and they are both Marine lists.  The US Army did fight in the Pacific and they were quite different than the ETO units.  The same is true of the Airborne forces.

For the most part I am happy with these additions to the game library and I am sure I will get plenty of use out of all of them.

Mustering the Fyrd

The other night I decided to pull out my Gripping Beast extras box and take an inventory.  My new plans to convert my WAB Saxon army to a Hail Caesar army made me realize that I just don't have enough figures painted for HC.  In particular I am short Coerls.  I need LOTS of Coerls!  The new Gripping Beast Warriors of the Dark Age plastic figures are really calling my name but before I went out and spent a bunch of money I need to know what I already have.

Turns out this was a prudent idea.  I pulled 88 figures out to use as Coerls.  These figures are mostly GB Saxon figures with a few of their Ancient Germans mixed in.  Basically, a bunch of dudes with big round shields and no armor.  This collection will allow me to run either two 40 figure, 4 rank, units or, by swapping out a stand for an extra command, I can run 4 20 figure, 2 rank, units.  This is an entire division for HC!

Even with this I still have plans to purchase some of the GB plastics.  That stuff is just too damn cool not to add to the collection.  Stay tuned for more on the project.

Hail Caesar Anglo-Dane Leaders

I finally got around to repainting and re-basing my commander figures for my Saxon army.  These guys are a must for Hail Caesar as well as Clash of Empires.  The army general will also see table time as a warlord for SAGA.

It was pretty fun to work on these guys again.  I have not touched my Saxons for 7-8 years...way too long.  I do plan on getting this army ready for some Hail Caesar games.  I might have them ready sometime this summer.