Remembering PRESTAGS

The Return of PRESTAGS?

I opened the latest Strategy and Tactics last week and the map reminded me of something!

Of course prettier, but structurally just like PRESTAGS. The leader counters are reminiscent, though again prettier.

The archer and artillery had similar factors, but the absence of skirmishers (on of my favourites) was noticeable.

The combat results table was different, but not completely so - more like an evolution.

The title of the magazine - Fight the Fall. It features two battles from the end of the Roman empire. Desperate times for everyone, but the empire no longer represented anything worth saving: much the way Spetz sees 21st century capitalist democracies.

Wargame Counters and Food

I did a search of images for wargame counters and food, trying to blend Python's two favourite kinds of posts.

What came up was the Prestags card!

When you think of what the card is used for this was actually a very accurate search result.

Interesting new direction from Strategy and Tactics

The latest Strategy and Tactics games has cards. And not just a few cards, but more cards than counters. How interesting!

Note that me map is half size. The cards come in a nice sleeve - US player on one end and Activitista on the other.

The map really does not look like a wargame - almost more like an info graph from a reference book on the period. I like the way it teaches you a bit of history as you play - learn your presidents!

There seems to be an economic module - keep a war profitable and you can fight forever!

Being a period and part of the world where I have almost zero interest - except during the cricket season - I won;t set this one up. However, I welcome the inventiveness and wait from them to apply this to something I like.

Clue

A cryptic clue to the last PRESTAGS quiz.

I needed the precise lengths of wood to solve a problem with a piece of furniture caused by:

What is special about the white Militia Spearmen in SPARTAN?

Gamers View of the Battle of Marathon

I have long loved the simplicity of PRESTAGS: learn one - play them all - but have hated the way quality equates to stacking levels. it is so hard for a side to win when stacking levels are against them.

Marathon is an exception - while the Greeks have superior stacking, they cannot use it without being outflanked. History tells us they spread their centre and left their flank solid for fear of the Persian cavalry. However, the unexpected nature of their attack meant that the cavalry could not mount or deploy, so games tend not to show them.

The Field of Glory battle has a huge screen by comparison (and the problem of exciting computer games - sometimes you forget to move some pieces)

You can hover over the units to see what they all do

You can see how the the game is based on miniatures

Contact takes a few turns while the Persians decimate the ranks. (The Yellow 9 over the Greek line shows the damage.)

At contact, things look equal, with only a few units disrupted.

John Michael Young knows these hoplites will get quickly shot to pieces in  this game, so has a special rule that the archers cannot fire in the first turn. The results are telling - the Persians are 8 down on the panic level of 31 after the Greek charge.

After a few turns, the Greek centre routed off the field

However the wings are telling a the Persians crumble.

The flanks turn on the Persian centre and the Greeks just snatch victory by 60-49

 

The end

• 
• 
• 
• 

The PRESTAGS game was much shorter. The centre just held, but the right wing destroyed the Persians in front of them and turned on the flank. The left wing of the Greeks was mauled as the map allowed the Persians to play some archers and follow up with a Barbarian Infantry charge. Small comfort and the battle was lost.

In the final analysis, both are games and want to give either side a chance. The computer game is beautiful to look at and has lots of special units for you to study. It was a near victory for Greece in the end. If the Persians had a human player, they perhaps would win. I don't see how the Persians could beat a mildly competent Greek played in PRESTAGS, but perhaps a thin veneer of militia at the front and the archers behind could do it.

Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea - Summary

I restarted the scenario with my new learnings of what to do and what to avoid. This time I got quite close to a historical result - the Persians were largely driven off and the Western Empire is in shambles. This was not the result of any game balance - just the luck of the cards. The Visigoths got good cards and gave the Romans a civil war, rise of piracy and several civil disturbances. While they held Rome, they are now fatally weakened and will collapse next turn.

Having a number of settlements (not cities) away from the front make a big difference to your military strength, but these too are vulnerable to certain event cards. Keeping your treasure and cards intact for the combat period is also very important. The event cards are very significant - to the point where I feel I am a captain trying to sail a ship through a tricky gale of cards, rather than an emperor having a plan that has a few event speed bumps to negotiate.

The solitaire system makes for a very challenging game. However with only stylised cultural traits, it lacks the detail to give you the feel of being a late Roman Emperor. Good gaming for mates, but just a game rather than a simulation.

As an FMW game, I think it will be great. It does have the ability for us to play as allies against the AI, but I think it would get nasty quickly as we accidentally fire some event cards at each other. As the VP scale shows who is winning at each point, I think we would quickly slip into balance of power play.

Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea

My first thoughts were: "Hmmm, a bit light on". Where is the geographic features, where are the trade goods, where is Gaul, Brittania, The Black Sea or Persia, where are the phalanxes, legions or triremes? You are presented with a map of the Mediterranean, lots of little discs (50 each) and some intriguing playing cards.

The game is played in Epochs: Bronze Age, Iron Age, Age of Empires and Fall of Empires, and each Epoch lasts 2-4 turns. Definitely finishable on a Boyz Weekend. There are ten possible starting cultures, each with their own benefits. These benefits means that each player will play their own style of game.

The game is played for victory points which are awarded for a combination of culture, wealth, victory and luck of the card draw. At first glace, it appears to be a reboot of Civilization: there are wonders, cards, and cities are build by stacking armies, and who ever goes first gets clobbered. Also NO DICE!

However, the cards are used in a Yugioh (Dueling Monsters) style where they influence each other and provide a interesting variety of effects. However, they can also be used to aid in combat, so you can surprise by saving them for the big battle.

I have set up a solitaire scenario - divided Rome facing Visigoths and Persians. The invaders are controlled by the AI - a sheet of 50 odd priorities, miost of which do not apply, so it is pretty easy to use. And surprisingly hard to predict. The Visigoths didn't go to Rome first - they when to Iberia to get that gold, bypassing my Limitaini!

In the East, things got hairy with a huge barbarian invasion of a cusp in my empire making the Persians hard to get at.

While I cleaned up most of the Visigoth invasion, I forgot about the sea. Next turn, they were in Rome and with a lucky card draw, the eternal city fell.

And was looted

Now we need a PWWWW

GAS Time?

There was no turn this morning, so I was poking around a few sites on the web. I found this beauty:

This Peloponnesian was my introduction to the study of Ancient History. Up to that point, I would read bits, like the short paragraphs crafted by John Michael Young above each PRESTAGS battle or the articles in S&T. It start for me with this.

These photos were taken by a gamer who blogged about it - a best of all - they can read!

Better still they can read French.

This is a typical GMT game with beautiful maps and counters, like we are used to at FMWs.

It seems to have everyone you expect - from Pericles

to Spartans!

Of course, this is just a game, what about Gear. I noticed this in one of the photos - a dice throwing machine!

A perfect game for an FMW, you ask. No. I find this part mind blowing:

However, I cannot buy this for myself - because that would be selfish. Usually Deano of Pip would buy games like this for me. I need a new dog!

The reader will note that this post does not have large slabs of plagiarised text: it is 100% Pure Python.

The true horror of wargames in storage!

No maps! No hexes! No counters or the week, or counters of any kind! Just fading memories and half forgotten glories. I imagine the time when we are sitting in the warm chair of the retirement village rocking back and forwards saying "I really must go and get those games out of storage", but by then one of our daughters will have trashed them!

No safe space without wargames! The is my safe space with a set up game, a crucifix, a chainsaw and a magazine on the war on ISIS. Perfect!

However, what of all those games in the attic? What if I break my back today while hugging the drummer during the kiss of peace? I'll never manage to reach them. I decided to take action. They all came down!

Here is $5000 invested to my retirement. Note the important Ottoman that Spetz introduced me to, so I can have wargames at hand and a footstool too! My wife may a preferred a trip to France, but these do not require a passport or a lengthy travel. But first, I must have piles.

Because they absolutely must be in order! For that I need brain food.

Note how I check my email throughout lest Spetz gets out of his warm chair and plays a turn. In the presence of absence I find solace.

Beautiful! Note how the magazines are getting thicker every few years. From a few year ago, they even have spines. I appear to have lost none (which is a bit amazing), except for the BORING Civil War ones that I give to a friend to have his daughters dispose of in 15 years.

Now I can relax and think of ways that the good King Phillipe might have used a chainsaw if he had one next to his crucifix!

Deary me, I look like my father!

What is it with watches?

Spetz' last post has me thinking. I throw out obsolete stuff with great abandon. However, I do not believe I have ever thrown out a watch. As John Michael Young would say: ' the great thing about Napoleon at Waterloo is that you can set it up in 10 minutes, an every game is different."

What John really wants us to ask, is why are watches special? Is it their beautiful mechanisms? Perhaps the cost friends and families went to to buy one for us? Or the fact that men in Australia were not allowed to wear jewellery until recently, and the watch was an exception? Or the humble service it provides us at a glance reminding us how much time we have left on a wargame before we have to race off to an appointment?

Although I never realised it. but all my watches have history:

I wore this one to work every day in the 90s.

In the noughties I became more managerial and my watch changed.

As a football coach, I need to move players off and on the field at set time to give everyone a fair run and have my best team on at the start and end of the game.

I was an early adopter of the smart watch. The Samsung Gear was great for this time, particularly for taking phone calls while playing tennis and pushing my fitness.

I had a brief foray into Apply Watches, but it was a sad experience. I broke two. I have never broken a watch before or since. I think the Apple Watch suit those who want to track their heart beat while sitting on a pile of cushions on the sofa watching porn.

However, my passion for smart watches did not abate, and I am very happy with the Samsung Gear 3; at least until the Chinese invade. To quote John Michael Young:

The Swiss, armed with pikes, halberds, and other pole-arms, had proven invincible, defeating many Austrian attempts to invade Switzerland. At Arbedo, however, the Swiss ran into the Milanese, unset the Italian Condottiere Carmagnola, with an army divided between mounted knights and bowmen.

That is not a watch...

It does not even tell time! (https://www.prestags.com/2019/06/fabulous-1980s-tech.html) This is a watch!

I sometimes wonder that if the Amish did not exist, Spetz would found them, with 1980's tech (enough to have Empire playing on a Mac Classic) and 1950's theology (only Catholics need apply). Just because the tech is old, it does not mean it is the height of good design - it was just the best we could do at the time. Just like counters and hex grid maps are pretty cool and still have a place in the mouse of one of the readers of this blog, they are not the final word on wargaming.

Just because you have the inferior Russian jets in this counter mix does not mean you ignore all possible future improvements. uyou play on and flan for the FUTURE, because the FUTURE is coming much sooner than the PAST!

Watches can show world maps, modern or old these days. Does it make them less virtuous? No, but they can and will get better. And if you want your watch to tell the time, and now just dumbly show it, you should be allowed to say "OK Google, what is the time?"

 

World at War - Operation Typhoon

I undertook a New Year's Resolution to write in this blog once a week. My resolution is clearly in tatters, but am I a quitter? If I fail, do I throw my hands in the air and curl into a ball? No!!! That is for the likes of Puti and The Chump. I grit my teeth so my tears do not impact my gasps and press on. Here is my February post!

World at War is a Strategy and Tactics offshoot that focuses solely on World War 2. Perhaps a bit boring at times, I took up the subscription last year after a stressful work project, it does contain a few gems.

Operation Typhoon is solitaire game of the final German advance on Moscow in 1941. As you advance towards Moscow, you roll a die to find our what is in each hex. The forest and clear hexes are easy with never more than two rifle divisions in a hex, but the cities and the fortresses are nasty.

The game requires you to form pockets and eat the Soviet army in bites. This was the dominant German doctrine at the time. You can see a pocket forming above. Stalin required all soviet units to break out of pockets. So when this pocket formed, the German 2nd Army faced a break out of 8 rifle divisions, 3 brigades and a Katusha rocket launcher. My units took some damage but held on. Closer to Moscow this is going to get nasty!

The counters are quite simple. All German units have the same movement according to their type. Soviet units just appear when the game system opts to hold a hex. Here are the best units on the map.

I am a quarter way across the map on my first turn. The Fuehrer will be pleased. What could go wrong?

Combat is simple. Each point gets a die roll, so the big Panzer division roll 7 dice each combat, and cause mayhem. I have found four die but I need to find more. While the sheer number of die rolls means you do not have Brendan Mahoney moments, it does make the game very noisy.

I'll have to finish the game quickly. Given what The Chump is up to, I might need to get the Iran solitaire game out quickly!

Bad Python

Bad Python ruined the PRESTAGS card so it has needed to be laminated.

Imperium Romanum III - An Updated Version. Is this Strategic PRESTAGS?

I remember Imperium Romanum from the old wargaming days (later period, 1985) and I have a copy which is currently out at storage. Actually it was called Imperium Romanum II (so was there a I?).

I have just noticed that Decision Games have released an updated version (this would be Imperium Romanum III, which is what it is being referred to on boardgamegeek).

It was originally West End Games, but that company (or its rights) were sold and have been through a few owners. I can't find any reference to Decision Games, but they must have the rights now if they are publishing an updated version of it.

The game is designed by Dr Albert A Nofi, one of the old SPI designers.

Here is the box cover for the version I have:

And a nice picture of my old version, map and counters, I found online:

The new updated version is US $140 plus shipping.

Here is the link to the relevant page at the Decision Games shop.

Here is the box for the new version (I actually prefer the old box, but maybe it's all the nice PRESTAGS era memories):

Some info about the game:

The map - gorgeous:

The map viewed in its three sections. Also note the small map sections on the top. These are Insert Boxes for narrow sea straights hexes.

The narrow sea straights sections are described in the rules thus:

The counters:

I am tempted.

VERY tempted.

But where and when will it be possible to set up the three maps?

On a Boys Weekend of course.

I have uploaded the Rules so Python can have a look and assess the suitability as a Boys Weekend game. I don't think it is overly complex, and there are many three player scenarios. Looking through the scenario book I can see the some scenarios only use part of the map, so it won't always be necessary to set up all three maps.

Download ImperiumRom-Rules_V3F

Here are the scenarios in a big book of scenarios which I have also uploaded. This really reminds me of PRESTAGS and all of the different scenarios. This might be Strategic PRESTAGS!

Download ImperiumRom3-Scenarios_V4F

Check out the scenarios:

And in case the rules and scenarios pdfs take too long to download through typepad here is a link to boardgamegeek where they can be downloaded.

The Game Sequence:

VERY  VERY tempted.

Ok, I'll get it.

The time is tomorrow!

The Mueller investigation gets too close. To deflect, The Chump declares that Iran has a nuclear bomb and must be stopped. Saudi Arabia will not miss an opportunity like this and calls for a coalition. NATO is called upon and under pressure from Saudi Arabia also joins the coalition. Russia claims there is no evidence of nuclear weapons in Iran, and Puti visits to declare support and to appear bare-chested on a camel! In an extraordinary coup, he offers to declare a Kurdish homeland and gets the Peshmerga on board. Then in the coup of all coups for Iran, the Shite government of Iraq declares for the Eurasian union!

The Iraqi army is not interested in this alliance and deserts en masse, leaving mostly militia in the country. Only an under-strength corps is left although volunteers are flooding in. The Syrians have no choice but to join the Eurasian union too although their army has still not recovered from the civil war.

With Syria in, and no one left neutral who might be offended, Israel declares for the coalition.

This is the latest Modern War simulation that looks at how things might go pear shaped fast in the middle east. The game postulate is that NATO and a coalition of Sunni states will take on Iran backed by an adventurist, ascendant Russia. It simulates corps sized forces with air support struggling with patchwork alliances across the middle east. You can see on the right the US Marine Corps ready to do Basrah again.

The coalition airforce is at the ready with cruise missiles to kick off with a Shock and Awe campaign to take total control of the skies. The combat tables slightly back their success, although the Russian anti-air capabilities will leave the airforce quite worn down after this. I'll left you know how it plays out shortly.

What is interesting in this game is that number of special forces (also right) both sides have, although the Russians seem to have more.

The western side of the map is most interesting. The Russians will be very tempted to take Turkey out fast. This will give them a rail corridor to Syria, that will be under pressure from Israel quickly. The Kurds at a bit of spice to this. They will never leave Kurdistan, but can attack out. Mostly they can damage Iraq and Armenia, but as they have aligned with the Russians in this scenario (a die roll before the game begins), they will mostly be a no go zone.

Spetz will be pleased to see that the game includes Russia's new fifth generation fighters, and they have the same strength as the US planes. Unfortunately, as NATO has far more planes, I suspect they will not last very long. They might do some damage first.

The wild card is the Islamist rebels, that can fight for both sides. You can see the remains of the Syrian rebels north of Dar az Zawi above. There are many such counters that can spawn in all sorts of inconvenient places.

The beauty of these classic war game board games is the level of realism built into the game systems. They let you reflect on the way the world is in a way ATG and Empire never do.

What were they thinking?

2017 was a very good year for me at the office. I had successfully brought my Manila posting to the originally requested outcome and received my best bonus ever for my development work. I had also written a product that falls into the top five best products I have ever written - largely unsung at the time, it has become a major selling feature late last year. In recognition of my hard work, I knew a deserved a lovely piece of crockery in the kitchen. Unfortunately, the kitchen is brimming with lovely pieces of crockery such that they have overflowed into the dining room cupboards, which are also now full. This left me on the horns of a dilemma, so I had to go with my third option (the second being membership to the art gallery, but when would I find the time!), a subscription to everything coming out of Strategy and Tactics press, at an eye watering US$1000 for two years.

Reviewing it now, I think it was a good decision - I had many evenings of pleasant reading and some great maps and counters to review. From top to bottom:

• the venerable Strategy and Tactics, now up to issue #314,
• Modern War, that provides interesting insights into the current tensions of the world, mostly from a military perspective, which you rarely find the in the news
• World at War, which tries to be S&T but for only World War 2, so perhaps the least interesting of the set, but perhaps the most believable of the games
• Strategy and Tactics Quarterly, the new kid on the block, with a lot of articles on just one topic, no games, but a poster.

A feast of new games, and the anticipation of finding room in the attic for 18 more in 2019. I have failed in one respect, I have not punched the counters of any of them last year. I resolve to so this year. Let the readers of this auspicious blog pausing their eating and spider hunting to hold me so accountable.

The observant would ask why there is a gap? The answer is simple: if a US Civil War game arrives in your mail box, there is a board room I know of where it can be swapped for a Scotch, for some people simply cannot have enough US Civil War games!

And the winner is

I think the best read of them was the Quarterly of Caesar, and how a Roman of modest means, but the highest ambition, can break into the Cursus Honorum. (The article on that was fascinating - young aristocrats were expected to move from government post to post building up an understanding of how the Roman state worked until they reached the role of consul. It gave the state a large pool of experienced leaders to fall back on in times of emergency, and something to consume the energies of the young. The article went to far as to suggest that Rome's resilience during the second Carthaginian War was due to this.) The poster showed Caesar's marches during the Gallic Wars and the Civil war, and is on my wall.

The magazine about Stalingrad was a close second. I do not read a lot of WW2 history, but had heard of this one (and watched the excellent "Enemy at the Gates" with Spetz). Stalingrad was never the objective of the the drive into the Caucasus. The original plan was to get close enough so Germany artillery could interdict the railway and interfere with Stalin's transfer of troops and oil. One of the reasons given for the diversion was that Hitler had become a drug addict. There was a doctor for the German elite who used to mix his own remedies for the wealthy who felt they had lost their vim. These remedies contained stimulants and narcotics. Hitler had appointed him as a personal physician at the time, and soon developed an obsession that a capture of Stalingrad would equate to a defeat of  Stalin.

It was matched with a World at War article where you can attempt to replay the the campaign. You have all that lovely oil to the south and boring Stalingrad to the north. However, the action chits you have to pull each turn keeps pulling you south. I like the action chit idea as it adds a lot of colour to otherwise boring Panzer corps and Guard armies.

An honourable mention goes the World War 3 Quarterly for all the bits that happened when I was little that nearly resulted in me not growing big. I am still reading that one.

Puti-phobia

Puti features in two of the Modern War series. There is much interest in his possible future actions, but the general consensus is that he is more interested with disrupting the US Hegemony to create a series of Russian based alliances, than territorial acquisitions. There is more fear about these alliances backfiring and drawing Russia into a war they did not intend and the US into it. This game, Puti Moves South, looks at the Stans south of Russia and north of Persia and Afghanistan. There is oil and gas there that mostly travels through Russia so disruption to that supply could draw in the Russian army. Interestingly with this game, at the start of each game you roll a die for each power to decide whether it is in the Russian Coalition or US/NATO aligned. Every game would be very different. The latest Modern War, The War on Terror, does the same in the Middle East. It means that every play of the game would be quite different. I think this is one of the games I should set up.

Rise of the Solitaire games

Six of these games are solitaire. I should set up a few this year. I have played a couple in the past, but the issue is that there is no marvellously clever play you can make to give you the game. You are grinding through taking objectives that weaken the strength of the enemy play system, while having some flexibility for random events. That said, I should try them as some game systems are brilliant. Perhaps there is a new John Michael Young other there.

The most intriguing of the game is submarine warfare in the Pacific. Unlikely the Atlantic, submarines featured in navel battles. This game lets you play as the Japanese or the US.

Perhaps this article is better named "What was I thinking?" I stand deprived of a new piece of crockery in my kitchen by pure obsession!

 

Thygo Still Hasn't Guessed

Thygo aka Precious has still not solved the riddle of Shirley aka Spetz's new camera "accessory".

I've been deliberately evasive.

It is not a lens to Spetz's Nikon.

It's a different camera. It's got 5 MP. It doesn't have a flash, but it has it's own light source.

Think outside the box.

Anticipation of endorphins - Steam status

Wars of Napoleon: Great experiences but average game

The PBEM club I joined (to learn Alea Jacta Est so I could train the readers of this blog as agreed at the last Boys Weekend) are about to give up on Wars of Napoleon (covered in earlier blogs, and featured in my right column image that never changes). While the chrome is beautiful...

..and the historical detail of units entrancing ...

...and the historical events put you in the spirit of the times...

..the victory point and peace system is horribly broken. In the game where I was France and lost Paris, the English lost 8000 vps because a sign was wrong. In the current game where I am smashing France as Blucher, I cannot go the peace without a risk of a massive penalty:

With my new strategy of controlling the territory around my armies with cavalry brigades, I would like to have another go as France, but while the battles are fantastic, there is no satisfying way to win the game.

The rest of the club is very happy with Advanced Tactics Gold (also covered in other blogs), the Napoloeonic team are out looking for something better. The Wars of Succession looks interesting,  but we are annoyed that it brazen claims to be the same game as Wars of Napoleon without the defects. Why not fix the original!

So while I am grateful for nine months of intriguing gaming, I am annoyed that I cannot get a sense of completion from any of the campaigns.

There is my 50 year old rant. I want lots of turns that challenge. What do the rest of you want?

Coolness of Advanced Tactics Gold

Ever wonder when the next turn is coming? If you buy Advanced Tactics Gold through Steam, and "friend" your other players, you get a popup when they start playing so you can get into position for the turn. You can even put Steam on your phone so you can keep tabs when away from the laptop so you know to be ready in 20 minutes!

The game itself takes some practice to get control of and a very long time to master. The AI is a brutal teacher, as Thygo is finding out!

Early in the game you have to explore and take neutrals. Sounds familiar?

Then you have to take on the AI. So far, just the same.

Then you get pasted! Yep, the AI is that good. The AI can really hurt you, even when fighting a two front war.

... even after it has lost its capital to your ally!

So who is ready to play a modern adaptation of Empire?

 

Nasty start

Kansas and I were defeated by the AI in ATG last night. He managed to increase his production out of our reach and we had to fold. In our next game (you get through ATG games quite quickly), I am China (blue, centre) and he is Russia (purple, north, and we are trying to deal with the Arabs (aqua, east) and the Japanese (brown, west). The Japanese attacked me right away, but fortunately the Arabs are quiet. I have the benefit of militia, so I am not fighting, just flooding the front with Militia and infiltrating everywhere (aka Chinese offensive in the Korean War). However, when the Arabs get involved, I will be in serious trouble!

Kansas in trouble again

I think Paul used to have a rule: "Never play Python when he has cavalry." He needs to explain that rule to Kansas. This attack has gone three times better than I expected. My plan was just to shell the city so that it stopped producing. I have now cut the supply lines to the city and if he does not have some off map reinforcements, it is going to fall.

What is clever about ATG is that capturing an enemy city does not make me much stronger as the enemy populace refuses to make weapons of war. Thus you do not steam roller in this game. I have done well because while the Chinese strength is militia, the Confederate strength is in rangers - elite infantry. I can turn any flank I want, but I can't hold against a human wave attack. However, if the human wave has no ammunition, I am in with a strong chance. And if they lose this much of their army, its good night Kansas.

In the south I tried an experiment of putting a smaller number of rangers into armoured cars. This lets me concentrate on a small part of the line and then pour reinforcements through. That has gone very well and Kansas will lose badly here if he chooses to defend the centre.

Who wants to give it a go?

My Indulgence

Let me humour myself and greet the readers of this blog. They may recall a set of analysis articles I wrote just over a year ago on the Australian designed World in Flames. Well, I indulged myself last weekend during the anniversary of D-Day sale and purchased the digital version. They have tried to remain as true to the game as possible, and I have to admit that I am impressed.

There is no AI, and the map is a bit more dense, and you are less motivated to study the rules (vs just trying things), but you can get through a few turns every evening and it is quite compelling. There is no PBEM feature, but no matter as my friends are illiterate, and it would not work that way with constant back and fro during the turns (air intercept and escort, advance and retreat after combat etc.). There are a number of players on line looking for competitors, but I have too many gaming commitments right now, so I just relax with a glass of wine when there are no PBEM turns and do a turn or two of this ((playing both sides).

Above is the start of WW2, the invasion of Poland. You get the same beautiful counters with nice detail on what they are, but you never knock them all over or have to clean them up because company is coming over!

But you have the whole world and it fits on one desk!

Even the parts you will never play on

 

 

Why Paul must open the latest version of S&T

In the boring brown package, you will find...

...your best friends, the losers,...

...your worst enemies, the winners,...

...and a map showing Washington oh so very close!

Hasn't counter art come a long way since our youth!

Christmas in the Mediterranean

With Christmas duties out of the way, I headed off to enjoy the contest for he Mediterranean between Rome and Carthage.

"Pax Romana" is a beautifully made game with a focus on playability over historical realism. It pits four powers, Rome, Carthage, Greece and "the East" (an amalgam of Diadochi powers) in a contest of supremacy that includes conquest and the building of cities. Rome starts off weak but has a lot going for it. Greece and the East are far more cohesive and effective than historically, but as a game it plays well, gives the players lots of interesting choices and "just works" in the way that "Space Empires" (the game from our last Boys Weekend) did. It would be a good candidate for our next Boys Weekend, if we get tired of intra-galactic space.

I chose the most historical of the scenarios for my first attempt: Carthage against Roma. It took me a few goes to ensure I have a full grasps of the rules: Carthage fell too quickly the first time and then Roma as I missed subtleties.

You can see Pyrrhus on the right of the image in Greece about to land to the aid of the Greeks against the Romans. In Africa, the Carthaginians have subdued the Numidians and are starting to expand into Spain.

As play began, Pyrrhus was blown off course sailing from Greece. Roma tried a preemptive strike which saw it suffer a repulse on the walls of Tarentum. Then Pyrrhus finally arrive and fought his way unopposed through Capua, Roma and into Cisaplina. Meanwhile, the Carthaginians took advantage of the chaos to consolidate with a town building program in the Sicilies.

The Roman attempted to retake Roma but were short of cash and could not muster the right dice rolls. The turn finished with Carthage on top.

The next turn Roma built legions to finish off Magna Graecia and the Carthaginians made an attempt to dominate Spain. The Romans succeeded with the former while the Carthaginians had to contend with a slave revolt in Africa, so only managed a toe hold in Africa.

In the third turn, Rome was finally ready to take on Carthage in Sicily, but again were plagued by bad die rolls. Carthage on the other hand went through Spain easily so continued through southern Gaul and into Cisalpina. At the end of the turn, the Roman position was pretty hopeless. Particuarly as the Carthaginians hold another "Soldier of Fortune" card (= another Pyrrhus type army in Italy) to enhance the pain.

Good game! For solitaire play you do need more realism, but I can see the fun in this. Although I was mostly watching the cricket, three turns (each with 8 operational phases, called Activations) took almost three hours. The right length of a lazy post Christmas day.

Good dog!

I was delighted to find a present under the tree addressed to me from the dog! Even better, when I opened it, it was just the present I wanted.

Anyone can have peace at Christmas time provided they have enough legions under their command!

When life serves you lemons...

you play a wargame!

I find myself home alone for Christmas for reasons too depressing for this blog. I could mope, or I could set up a big war game. And what better topic than the worst bad day in history.

It started off quite ordinarily for Xenophon, an Athenian mercenary working his craft for Cyrus, a prince of Persia. He had a battle to fight. But as a Greek Hoplite fighting a Persian horde twice the size of your army, it was probably equivalent to a Sydney to Canberra drive for us. You had to be careful, but you would probably arrive safely.

Xenophon was careful, and he and the Greek Hopiltes won the battle - twice - once in each direction. You had to be there to really understand it, but think of a wheat harvester. It drives down one row harvesting wheat, and the turns around and comes back through the next row. They probably would have done a third row, but the Persians were sick of the battle by that point and didn't hang around for an encore.

Unfortunately for Xenophon, Cyrus thought he was Alexander the Great (60 years early) and when he saw the Persians crumble, decided to charge through the chaos and kill the opposing king. He didn't bother with his helmet, took a javelin to the throat and game over player one. With the death of Cyrus, none of the other Persians wanted to play King Maker any more, so the 10,000 Greeks found themselves 800 miles into hostile territory.

Xenophon thought he could turn this around and had himself elected as a General. (I know that if the Aussie diggers got to vote on who the generals were, there would be a lot of great haired idiots launching the next attack at Passchendaele!) He lead the boys home through a number of hairy episodes and made Carrhae look like picnic, and even managed to write a book about it.

If he can do it, so can I!

What to do with no EDEE turns...

It has been over a week since the last EDEE turn arrived, and work is getting bizarre. I have four masters and two are whinging about average delivery of requirements they have never specified and a third was just been taken over by a UK company. As a result, I am in Sydney (rather than Manila) with my plans needing an overhaul and Christmas is looming.

What better way to express my feelngs, but to go to Vietnam in 1964!

I received this double map whopper two years ago from S&T and shoved it into the roof. Somehow, in my current mood and with an unexpected weekend, I brought it out and set it up. The black are the Viet Cong, the red are the NVA, the yellows are the South Vietnamese and the greens are the free world forces. If you zoom the image by clicking on it, you can see the ANZ Task forice in Phouc Le (just east of Saigon). Also note the massive number of bombers on the left box of the map. Otherwise, there is not much on the map - a few divisions and a number of irregulars on each side. This makes for lots of maneuver (though as I played, I found everything was happening around bases).

The Free World forces are always visible (that rule is cleverly called "New York Times") while the communists have fog of wag and a number of dummy units. To make that work solitaire, I would roll a die for Free World target selection.

I started with a massive bombing of a base near the border hoping to clear it out. I did cause some casualties but only delayed its usefulness to the Communists.

The Communists hit back by taking Khe Sang with two divisions and a regiment of Viet Cong. The Free World lost a regiment of marines and the base. The NVA then advanced and put the firebase of Quang Tri under siege

Elsewhere the Viet Cong did very well taking two cities. At the end of their turn, they were well in the lead with political and military points. The Free World political points were actually negative (humorously indicated by a picture of Jane Fonda in North Vietnam).

The Free World started with some recon of Viet Cong positions. Delta Force uncovered a dummy unit near Da Lat. Unfortunately, Chuck Norris survived the insertion.

The US First division threw itself at the Iron Triangle just west of Saigon but the attack failed, even with fire support, with the loss of a supporting ARVN division. An attack on another Communist base failed when one of the attacking regiments was ambushed. The only Free World attack that went to plan was a riverine counterattack in the Delta where we caught the Vient Cong in the open. (What's that sweet morning smell?)

At the end of the first turn, the Free World clearly needed a rethink. They needed the facility to take out Communist bases and to launch effective counter attacks. One of the AVRN units was shattered beyond recovery. Even worse, their points had gone backwards. If the Communists lead by 25 on both scales, they win a sudden death victory.

What can the Communists do next turn?

BTW, a recent article in S&T talked about the many wargames the US played before getting involved in Vietnam. Everyone showed a Communist victory.

Carrier Battlegroup Solitaire

So I have played my first scenario of Carrier Battlegroup Solitaire. My summary is that it is a good way to spend a typhoon impacted Sunday, but I would like there to be more chance to finesse the game. In fact, the main decision you make during the game is what planes and crew you put on your carrier. Once underway, you just use what you have without much variation. Also. most of the map does not get used - there is not much maneuver.

I chose the simplest scenario to start with - clearing the Danish straits. There was a contact in the North Sea I had to address too.

Given the short range of the scenario, I opted for a land based aircraft to support my battlegroup. I was given three cruisers and two destroyers as escort. I put a few fighters (never used them) and few bombers and an anti sub helicopter (he was the main hero). I also put on board an Electronic War crew (to help with contact and keeping the soviet alert level down) and a (match winning) camera crew to report on my victories.

I was given an insultingly low leadership skill level - I'd need to play the campaign to increase it.

So my first move was obvious. Sail up to the Soviet contact and hit it with all my air assets. (I can't fly everything because of the limit of my flight deck, but I can put six planes aloft for each battle, and that sufficed.) It turned out to be a guided missile frigate escorting three subs. I had very little in the way of sub handling air power (just my helicopter and ground based P-3, so although I quickly dispatched the frigate, two subs were left at the end of the combat round.

Combat is arranged in inner and outer zones. In the first round, the two outer zones fight. In the second round, everyone left alive going into the inner zone for a final melee. So you can see my CV and helicopter in the inner zone being protected by the planes from the frigates anti-air.

Anyway, my battlegroup stayed in place next turn and launched again and cleared the subs from the map. Objective one complete.

Over the next two turns, I sailed quietly to Germany with only inclement weather to deal with. On arrival, though, I made sudden contact with an unexpected soviet battlegroup with two subs and a cruiser.

This time I put my destroyers in the outer zone to try to get the subs before they made it to the CV. The Soviet cruiser shot down an F-14, and the soviet subs damaged both my destroyers before they could get into action. My planes got rid of the cruiser, crippled one sub and damaged another. This meant another round with a damaged nuclear sub in the same zone as by CV!

Fortunately the sub went after damaged destroyer and sunk it. The cruisers accounted for the sub and my victory was complete. Well, only just. I was penalised heavily for my losses. It was the fact of the camera crew that my victory was assured. I got good footage and propaganda on all but the latest battle. (Perhaps the camera man was on the destroyer!)

Anyway a victory is a victory, so it called for wine and cheese.

What to do on a quiet Saturday morning in Manila?

Well, I was hoping to play a few turns, but it takes three to tango.

My plan B is to attempt to sail a 1980's Nimitz class carrier force though hostile Soviet fleets. I received this almost a year ago from S&T, and thought this trip would be a great chance to try it out.

So here is my counter of the week.

Bored, bored, bored

Margo is finishing a Girl's Weekend in Melbourne, Jordan is off with friends, the dig is sleeping and it is too hot to go out of the house. Worst of all, I have had no turn since 8:00am!

I have decided to code up some Moderni Agone to keep sane.

I have created Axemen, Chariots and Improved Bowmen, coded up the Chariot map and set up The Delta scenario (ref Egypt vs Hyksos). I am working on Chariots picking up other units now.

The very least Paul can do is write a "Charts of Doom" blog!

Back at the wargaming table!

Seeing Australia up close is quite an experience, but I am delighted to find myself back at my wargaming table!

Last time I was here I was previewing a WW2 strategic simulation called World in Flames. Paul asked why there was no Pacific theatre. Well, I have just set it up with just such a theatre.

Japan (red) has a big navy, a strong airforce and a high quality army. They are trying to force China (yellow) into a negotiated settlement on resources. However, the USA (dark green) is about to start giving aid to China in the form of aircraft, which will precipitate a collision in the future. at the present, however, Japan does not want this to appear like a war, so must keep its attacks down to 1-2 per turn.

However, with the benefit of 20-20 hindsight, I know that Japan will do bring anyone else to the negotiating table with violence, so I will prepare them for a World War. Their strategy will be to stall the USA in the Pacific once hostilities start, try to take out China, and when Germany declares war on the USSR (brown), support it in the East. Only with the USSR out, can Japan survive the USA economy.

Meanwhile, on the connected map, WW2 begins.

S&T: World War I

Python was only just asking whether the latest S&T had arrived. Today S&T #294 (Sep-Oct 2015) arrived. It includes a strategic wargame of World War I which looks quite interesting.

This game is a remake of the original World War I game from S&T #51 (published in 1975 and hence a true PRESTAGS era game) which I'm sure Python and I played back in the day. I also have a recollection of playing the original game solitaire.

The game does not have separate counters for Australian troops (it is very strategic, there being only 30 counters for the Germans). However there is one British counter titled "Imp Ex" which is described in the unit abbreviations as "IEC. Imperial Expeditionary Corps (various elite units from the British Empire: ANZACS, Canadians, Indians, South Africans etc)". We are therefore part of one counter!

There is also a good article about fortifications in the American Civil War.

This game certainly has three player Boys Weekend potential.

Welcome Moderni Agone v0.5

The great project has resumed! My travels around Australia have stalled in Canberra for a few days, leaving me stranded with internet. At the same time, EDEE turns have completely stalled - mostly due to the Irish, paedophile priests and the Gay and Lesbian agenda. So, when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Of course, a good hat, a good tee shirt, a cup of coffee and a bit of chocolate helps the process immensely.

Moderni Agone v0.5

The previous version is v0.4. (Now a climate change change skeptic would say that 0.5 is no different to 0.4 as they are unable to understand mathematics that involves decimals point. "If God meant us to use decimal points, we would have decimal points, we would have 4.4 fingers, they claim. Alas I cannot refute those who put on a blind fold and say that there are no galaxies. However, I can show that this version of Moderni Agone has new features and bug fixes over the last.)

The key new feature in v 0.5 is the facility to play solitaire games. Before, testing involved using two browsers, both in debug mode, which got fiddly. Now I can test twice as fast.

The game remembers your preferred orientation for each side, and rotates the map as the turn changes.

The other benefit I have found is that a PRESTAGS game always appears to favour the side with the higher stacking level, or better generals, but they are far more balanced than that. So playing them solitaire a few times quickly reveals the strengths and weaknesses of each side.

The other main enhancement is with the addition of the Chariot marker. I have not added the chariot phase into the game yet, but that will be soon now.

I intend to offer a few variations of the Chariot rules to let us determine what John Michael Young intended - archers only, Armageddon units or extra archers for each chariot.

Eventually I will need better graphics for the counters, but that can come.

Further, I did fix several defects with the game. Some rotations of the map bent some units and a couple of events could crash play.

Finally, I have begun documenting the code better, as per the suggestion from the Open Source Developers Conference.

Farewell to arms

Well, I have left my beloved wargame collection behind, and I am not even getting a turn to comfort me. Such is my woe.

Before I left though, I did manage a few more turns of World in Flames - up to the declaration of war by the USA. This is driven by a series of die rolls which adjust a default declaration date of mid 1942. For example, the declaration of Vichy France brought the date forward a turn. The escorting of British merchant men by American destroyers pushed it back. Thus you know its coming, but not when.

Anyway, back to 1941 and the fall of France. The following turn, Italy joined the war (on the Axis side). Different from history, Morocco and Algeria joined the free France, so the Italians launched a landing in Algeria to protect their possessions. There was a small British fleet based in Gibraltar and joined by a couple of Free French battleships guarding the coast. The Italian fleet sailed covered by naval air from both them and Germany. The fleets found each other (via a merciless system that could give either side a surprise advantage) but the Italian preponderance in the air let them settle it without surface contact.

The British drove off the first wave of bombers, but the second and third damaged the CV and two battleships, and sunk a number of destroyers and light cruisers.  The remainder of the Allied fleet retreated. With the East Mediterranean under control, the Italians could land a couple of corps on the Algerian coast.

The British responded with a large daylight bombing raid of Germany and France with fighter escort. The die rolls favour the Nazis this time with minor damage and more Allied planes down than defenders.

At the end of the turn, the Italians managed to destroy most of the British shipping through the Mediterranean, making it a bleak month for Churchill. The turn ended like this.

The build draws favoured the Allies, although the German build advantage was huge.

The next turn (and last turn of 1940), the British land in Morocco to support the Free French. Germany responds by attempting an outflank by invading Spain.

 

The Germans make some progress but the die rolls do not allow a quick victory and the Algerian front steadies.

The British try a different aerial tactic and throw everything a Dusseldorf. Losses are even, but the damage to German industry is light - the earlier charmed British die rolls are over!

Losses are even for the turn, although the Germans can better afford them.

Builds for the start of 1941 see newer models of planes appear

In two more turns (after winter) Spain falls. A really lucky Italian die roll in Algeria destroys the British HQ putting the line out of supply and unhinging the defense. To try to get back to history in 1941, the Germans invade Yugoslavia and Greece while the Russians invade Finland and Rumania. Neither make sense within the context of the game - giving advantage to the other side, but we are beginning to get far from history.

Germany is beginning to do well in Africa and against British shipping with their long range Condor bombers flying from Spain, so opt to leave USSR alone and just garrison the border. By the time it was time to leave for the trip, Gibraltar had fallen, as had Morocco and Algeria, Europe was mostly German, British bombing raids had moved to ineffective night raids, British merchantmen were a dying breed, and the eastern front looked very promising for another Blitzkrieg. However, it was September 1941 (a few months late) and the Day of Infamy had happened, so USA was riding to the rescue.

More in three months!

Game Review

I give this game lots of thumbs up. apart from needing a lot a space, the game plays well and smoothly, and some of the concepts feel really good. A turn takes about 30 minutes, but with only 6 a year, you can make a lot of progress in an evening. The counters are fun to use, particularly when you get a lucky pick. The combat systems are quite bloody - you need 3:1 odds for a land victory (2:1 if you have armour superiority) but also needs lots of reserves as an unlucky throw happens regularly. I never got a surface naval battle, but naval air is spectacularly effective and the system us convincing. The game will ultimately be won in the factory, but the odd great battles on land, in the air and on the sea are very compelling and feel like turning points.

Maybe we need to give this a go one boys weekend!

World in Flames - AAR - Part 2 - Fall of France

With the weather finally improved, in May 1940 the Battle of France commenced. It ran very much to history this time. Germany declared war on the Netherlands and Belgium taking the Allies by surprise. The Ju87's neutralised the defenders in the Low countries, (benefiting from the surprise).

Ground attack rules are simple and effective: You have to roll less than the half ground attack strength (on the button left corner of the bombers) rounded up, but not halved when you have surprise. This does not kill the defender, just disrupts them stopping any counter attack..

The German armour rolled through The Netherlands but the BEF reached Antwerp and Brussels first (fighting the previous war right this time). The French shifted defenders to the west. Note the German attackers have been disrupted by the attack, but general Manstein can flip them back up (flipping himself upside down to show he can do it only once).

The British respond by an air raid on the coal fields of Aachen. The escorting Spitfire manages to down the German interceptors (one of two serious air losses taken by the Germans this turn).

The Germans respond by an assault on Brussels, which hurts them more than it hurt the British. Next round though, they get clever and launch an armoured assault to the east between the BEF and the French with air support and paratroopers. The result was spectacular and unhinged the defence.

The French and British counter-attacked causing significant casualties in the invaders but were unable to the restore the line.

Then the unexpected happened: the turn ended. A turn has a number of impulses and you have to throw higher than the modified impulse rating to continue. To continue past the third impulse you had to not throw a 1 and that is what the Germans did. (It is quite an effective rule in general, as you do not know how far you can push your forces before the turn ends. Too hard and you are susceptible to counter-attack. Not hard enough and some units are unused.) How to interpret this odd event? I suggest that Hitler intervened to attempt to negotiate an early end to the war. The upshot was that the shattered Allies could recover and the French reinf0rcements had time to arrive.

The casualties at this point definitely favoured the allies, with some big units destroyed quite cheaply.

The French production was damaged by the loss of Lille. The Italians and British both got unlucky picks for fighters. This is the implication of the tea cups - you are not sure if what you get out of the factory is useful. Both these units will be scrapped upon production (ensuring they can never get picked again).

The next turn started with the Germans with the upper hand by the Allies able to counter attack. The Germans managed to win the initiative (another good system that means you are not sure who will go first each turn, but you can request a reroll if you have the ascendancy - you pay for it in the following roll. The Germans lost the first roll but went to the video referee and got the second roll.)

The Germans resumed with ground strikes against the Allies followed by an assault on the Rhiems and the Brussels pocket. The air forces where heavily engaged on both sides, but the bombers generally got through. The Germans took Rhiems but Brussels was a bloodbath.

The British responded bravely by landing two more corps in Dunkirk, putting their forces in Brussels back into supply. The French stripped troops of the Maginot line and counter-attacked towards Mons.

The Germans responded with a successful panzer action to Dunkirk and finally the Brussels salient surrendered.

With a ground strike preceding, the Germans finally entered Paris. Ahistorically, the French responded by abandoning the Maginot line and counter attacking. (French must surrender at the end of the turn where Paris falls and their armies mostly disband. In this game, there is no point holding onto the Maginot line in this case, but in reality, many French forts took months to surrender after Paris fell.) The attack caused casualties, but failed to dislodge the Germans.

The Germans stream through France as the turn comes to an end. Italy stays neutral for the present.

Casualties are high, but worth it for the Germans: They get most of the French resources next turn giving them 31 build points compared to British 18, the Soviet 8 and the Italian 4. (The British CV is not a casualty, it is on the resource track.) The Soviets will get more once they mobilise.

During the production phase, the Germans got two lucky draws - an SS Panzer Corp and a Fockwulf fighter squadron. The Russians were unlucky this time. The British had a mixed bag, but the elite Australian Corps will be very helpful in North Africa.

Next issue will be the operations in the Balkans and North Africa.

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World in Flames (5th Edition) - After Action Report - Part 1

World in Flames (5th Edition) - After Action Report - Part 1

Paul was right - this quiz answer was a strategic level WW2 game.

Australians Create Great Games Too

After finishing Crimea, I thought of other games I had which had great counters too. This one came to mind that I bought ages ago - World in Flames - about 1995 I think. I don't recall why now, because WW2 is not my period, but I did play it solitaire a bit at the time (as I had lost track of my wargaming friends by that time). I really like the plane counters that they provide that show the different types available.

Clockwise from the top left are air-air strength, naval attack, strategic bombardment and ground attack. The circled number is the range. (The arrow for the French bomber means that it can double its range if it halves its strengths.)

This game has a number of nice touches.

• When you purchase a unit, you draw it out of a cup, so do not know if it will be a hero or a goat.
• Your high command has to decide whether to focus on navy, land or a combination. This requires compromise.
• After each attack, land units are flipped over unless they achieve a break through. However, a general can flip them back (just once per turn) into active mode so they can exploit situations.
• Very different naval, land and air combat systems

Best of all - it was designed by the "Australian Design Group". They are not as prolific as John Michael Young, but they have a few winners

September 1939

Germany has just declared war on Poland and Britain and France have declared war on Germany. The Soviet Union has agreed to the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. (Click the map to expand.)

 

Germany had the first impulse and launches an land impulse. It attacks towards Lodz and infiltrates elsewhere. The  German Airforce supports the panzers while the Polish airforce does its best.

The French and British respond with a daylight strategic bombing of the German factories.

The results are mixed - the British bombers are mauled, but the French get through to their target and remove a production point from the Germans. Using the Maginot Line as a base, the French attack Saarbrucken and shatter the German position there.

The Germans, unfazed, enter Warsaw and Poland surrenders. Before they do, the Poles launch some desperation attacks and destroy some of the attacking formations. The French attack again towards Cologne, but some unstuck and take heavy casualties. 

The turn ends surprisingly early as a heavy winter comes early. (Global CO2 concentrations had little impact on the weather 80 years ago!) The toll has been high.

At the end of the turn, your production plans for the next turn are laid out. The Germans go for boots on the ground, the British for their navy and the rest a bit of mix. These are placed on a chart that shows when they arrive.

Despite the onset of winter, the Fuehrer demands the recapture of Saarbruken. The Germans throw 6 corps at it and their Stukas. The French are smashed and the remaining forces return to the Maginot line. They retaliate with another strategic bombardment, this time at night. The fighters duel for the sky, so the bombers have to abort.

The campaign season comes to a close with nothing further than the Soviets quietly taking the Baltic States. Everyone is too busy to complain!

Winter 1939-1940

By the roll of the die, a very severe weather takes place - so heavy than in January no air operations are permitted. All that happens for the next few turns is rebuilding armies and upgrading airforces. The French, British and Germans need more pilots. The Italians and Russians follow suit because it seems like a good idea.

And ditto the next month

The winter continued into March/April and the high command convinced the Fuehrer to wait.

Finally in May the weather cleared. Germany promptly declared war on Belgium and the Netherlands

 

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Crimea - Part 1 - Battle of Alma

Crimea - Part 4 - Assault of Sevastopol

After the Battle of Balaklava (historically more of a combination of Balaklava and Tchernya River), the allies had a quandary. They could beat back another Russian attack  but that would leave them facing winter in a weakened state - potentially losing 3.5 steps per turn - 10.5 in all - and after that, they would be nearly defenceless against the Russians in spring.  Wisdom would involve evacuating the Crimea and returning in spring to finish the job. But wisdom is boring.

The Russian attack on Balaklava involved most of three divisions and all their cavalry. They left only two divisions in Sevastopol and assorted marines and Cossacks. What wouldn't be boring would be a surprise assault on Sevastopol itself (historically the Storming of the Malakoff). The French could muster 5 nearly full strength divisions and the English had two. The Turks were given the job of slowing down the relief column.

The assault was preceded by a preliminary bombardment which reduced two Russian fortifications down to level 2. Then the boys went in! 

The Russian Naval guns fired at point blank range. (These had been stripped from the Russian ships prior to scuttling at the start of the campaign.) The results were devastating. The British were routed (historical) and most of the French checked except the glorious 1ere division, which garnered a foot hold.

The Russian forces to the east crossed the Tchernya River to draw off any reserves. The forces in the Star Fort (just over the harbour) also marched down to the ferry to get across.

The Allied siege guns fired again, this time with less success. (The rules do not prevent them firing on the fortification that the 1ere French was assaulting. I presume this was something like WW1 rolling fire - discouraging the counter-attacks.) They reduced one fort but the Russians repaired it right away. The French charged again.

With the British is disarray, the Russian artillery facing them began to shoot up the French reserves. The French brigades, after two lots of point blank fire power, began to break and routed troops headed towards the rear. The 1ere division did cause significant casualties but were forced out. Seeing their comrades routing, they too became disorganised. Meanwhile the Russians in the East got terribly stuck in the Tchernya River and didn't manage to mount anything of an attack.

The Russians finally got our of the river and began to make their presences felt. They drove the Turks back from the river and a regiment of Cossacks began to threaten the British siege guns.

The Allied Siege guns fire one more time, but again the damage they caused was repaired immediately. They were now out of ammunition, and the Allies had to concede the battle.

Historically, the allies failed in their first assault too, but they had the troops to spare to launch another after a better artillery barrage. The Siege of Sevastopol finished very much like a WW1 battle with trenches, massive bombardments and counter bombardments, and massive casualties.

This game however was over. The casualties taken by both sides precluded anything more that skirmishing, and the Russians had a lot more coming in spring.

This painting depicts Russian soldiers in the Crimean War. The artist was V. Nesterenko who entiteled it "Sebastopol". Thus the depiction is of the Allied seige of Sebastopol, the principal Russian port and fortress on the Crimea. The Russian Marines are fighting desperately to hold the port. As in the American Civil War, boys and youths were still used in armies. The boy here looks to be an officer candidate.

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Crimea - Part 3 - Battle of Balaklava

Crimea - Part 1 - Battle of Alma

Crimea - Part 2 - Battle of Evpatoria

Crimea - Part 3 - Battle of Balaklava

After two months of reinforcement and replacements,. the Russians were ready to attack the siege lines. The Allies had made this difficult by fortifying the heights of the Tchernya River (that were unoccupied at this time historically). It did leave their lines extended, but was telling the their victory in this battle. At stake was the survival of the British army - if the Russians controlled road to Balaklava, most of the British army would be out of supply. (The Russian dared not go into Balaklava because of the British fleet's devastating fire-power, but they did not need to - they just needed to have the road in artillery range.) The Russians attacked with three divisions of infantry and two of cavalry.

The opening fire was very inauspicious for the Russians - a right fiasco. The river attack was driven off and the rest ineffective.

The Allies responded by moving up their troops and with the Charge of the Light Brigade- the 8-8 in the middle of the photo, also the "Counter of the Week". (Same valley as the historical charge, but much more effective! They attacked two regiments of the Russian 10th infantry and drove them off, although with losses.)

The second Russian fire phase drove off the Turkish defenders to the south, while the British 4th division drove off the remainder of the Russian attackers.

The Russians advanced to the edge of the Balaklava road - all they needed. The French and English counter-attacked. The French second Cavalry brigade charged the Russian left flank.

The next fire phase saw massive casualties on both sides. The Allied morale held, and the Russians retreated except the 12th division, which drove back the Cavalry screen. As you can see, the number of demoralised Russians grows. This is their biggest problem: they cannot sustain an attack for long as losses generally demoralise their troops.

The Russians were driven back in the south with heavy losses, but advanced again in the north. Given the river was secure, the British fourth division came down from the hill and hit the Russian right flank.

The next fire phase again saw heavy casualties with most of the Light infantry division destroyed along with several Russian regiments. Both sides were just abut finished, but the Russians still held the crossroads. The Allied had the French 2eme division coming up fresh.

The French attack turned the tide, supported by the British Heavy Brigade (cavalry) drove off the Russians. Most of their forces were disrupted, but they launch one last attempt at victory

The 61 Don Cossacks charged the fourth division causing casualties. However, the Russian soldiery had had enough, and almost all the remaining foot soldiers broke.

The Russians withdrew towards their supply lines, and the British Army was saved. However, the cost was for the Allies three divisions of infantry and two of cavalry, and the Russians two divisions of infantry and one of cavalry.

The Allies have a choice, try an attack on Sevastopol with their weakened forces while the Russians are retreating, or try a hard counter-attack on the Russians to destroy their army. Whatever they choose, Winter is Coming! (Winter will put most of their units out of supply with attrition taking a toll. Historically, this is what nearly destroyed their army.)