Friday, June 22, 2012

Carry On Up the Wa-Zooo


Carry On Up the Waa-Zooo

It was cool afternoon in the Highlands, the sun was setting fast, a chilly breeze swept across the courtyard and cut clean through your coat like a frozen blade, before taking the breath from your lungs. There were several figures were headed towards the lights of the “Gutted Dog”. 
Huddled in a corner near the crackling open fire, several Archaeologists were speaking of the exciting find by Professor Buggarov and his team from the University of Glasgow, the hieroglyphic piece of stone spoke of a treasure beyond belief hidden in the upper reaches of the White Nile. The lost Treasure and Tomb of the Kushite Pharaoh Analmaye on a branch of the White Nile, the group of archaeologists cannot agree on a team leader so they all leave the “Gutted Dog” mumbling under their breathes, “I will be the first” is heard as they head into the cold night.................

Turn 1
Surprise, surprise all of the teams arrive at the villages at the foothills of the Waa-Zooo falls at the same time,  the Submarine cannot travel any further upstream and has unloaded her crews, a river Taxi operates on the river this time of year, and the teams are then split on either side of the river.




(I didn't realise that my mother in Law was around then!!!!)
On the Sudanese village side of the river Professor Buggarov with his University of Glasgow team Prof.Rufus T Firefly of the Freedonia, Lilli Marlene...adventuress...The Browning Brothers, Kid and Boy...Teddy "The Owl" Rosefield...Harry "shotgun"Haroldsen... Tony Greystokell...Drogo Baggins... Toby Samwise and finally Albert Baden-Powell. Professor Buggarov manages to persuade the local Riverboat taxi captain to take him further up the river by boat hopefully saving him some time and the hassle.



Beside them the adventurous Professor Emily Fiterole was sponsored and protected by her long time lover and Chinese Warlord Whoo Flung Dung, and his gang of cutthroats, Capt Yaaatzee, Cpl Dimsum, Lcpl (Lewis gunner) Chopsuuee, and privates How-So, How-Lo, Chill-lee, Fa-lee, Fa-So, and Hung-low.



Prof Crispian Smythe-Murchley (pith helmet)along with Doctor Woodbine Starkadder sensibly employed a local Guide “Hwatt” upon arrival and he served them well till the last, his forever faithful friend Col. Felix Anstruther-Clarke, Jasbir Randhawa Singh his batman, his Mad Scotsman Mattie McWillow armed with a large stick and a bad temper, Mr Tommy Smith is in the plus-fours and holding a brolly, Billy Fish, The Kid (the kid), Bloke armed only with his fists and a simple ethical code and Captain Conrad (the feller with the 303 and the cap)

And on the Ethiopian side of the River,
Colonel Archibald Fenton DCM KFC with his Bengali Volunteer Rifles along with Captain   Walter Walcarpet, Cpl Bill Poster, Lcpl I Wanna Sigh(thompson), Lcpl I Will “monkey hunter” Sigh (boys ATR), Private I Gunna Sigh (lewis gunner), Private I Shudda Sigh ( bren gun), Private Ray Sleader, Private Howard I-No and Private Terry Cotta.


Major Robert “Bingo” Rodgering and his faithful White Russians, lead by Captain Alexander “Bullo” Stroganov, Sgt Ivor Tossoff, Cpl Ivor Igottagoski, Lcpl Imar Flogoff, Private Mickeal Mylifesuckski, Private Ivor Haddenough, Private Boris Kosco, Private Piot Nevergoski, Private Sasha Nevergoski, Private Vasily Igottagoski, and Private Vladamir Zuckski.

Professor Lawrence of Argh-Rabia and his Protectors of the Sands lead by Captain Mustapha Poo, Sgt M’Balz Es-Hairi , Cpl Haid D’Salaami, lcpl Hous Bin Pharteen, Private I-Bin Pharteen, Private I-Zheet M’Drawzz, Private Yuliqa Mididiq, Private Al-Suq Akweer, Private Yul Strokheet Al-Wauch, and  Private Mustaf Herod Apyur Poupur .

and finally Professor Witchheimerand his gang of adventurers, Colonel Sebastian Cutthroat-Smythe MC and Bar, the celebrated novelist Eric Blair, Naughty Lola (in the aircraft) Dennis “machine gun” Thompson, Hamish Mctavish, Sophia Lockhart Flawse, and...........



Turn two

Prof Fiterole and her crew set off at a fast pace and are the first to enter the long Elephant grass, a Rhino is surprised and charges the crew goring private How-So of the warlords gang.


Meanwhile in the middle of the River Professor Buggarov and his River boat intrudes on a Bull Hippo who doesn’t like boats invading his territory and surfaces only to get a gob full of lead for his trouble, several times




 On the other side of the river the four teams push on flushing some Hippos and their calves out, Major Rodgering loses the twin Brothers of his team, trampled to death Private Piot Nevergoski , Private Sasha Nevergoski. Private Mustaf Herod Apyur Poupur is pulverised and has ended up a looking like a brown pile, and Private Ray Sleader of the Bengali Volunteer Rifles is now minus an appendage.



Turn Three
Prof Fiterole continues up the mountain, but fails to notice a Idol in the brush, upon passing the sacred idol the hat hunters pounce, taking two hats  (with heads attached!) for the chiefs hat collection



Dr Starkadder and his team travel in safety with the faithful guide preventing them getting in any trouble.

 Prof Buggarov departs his river taxi and elects to travel by foot, meanwhile  Naughty Lola surveys the lay of the land from the safety of her aircraft



And the teams get to view the Waa-Zooo Falls and the great stepped Pyramid and Giant temple atop them



Turn Four
Prof Fiterole continues across the rope bridge without any further problems.

Dr Starkadder’s team follows close behind as they head up to the caves.




However things on the other side of the river have become quite nasty for Maj Rodgering with a certain Skull rock was passed a rather peeved large ape appeared, and takes out three members of his team Sgt Ivor Tossoff, Private Vasily Igottagoski, and Private Ivor Haddenough.




All of the gangs got a shot off but the kill shot was performed by “monkey hunter” Lcpl I Will Sigh with his boys ATR.


Turn 5 and 6
The teams enter the cave and are bothered by some locals upon exit
Professor Lawrence of Argh-Rabia team loses another two members Privates Al-Suq Akweer and  Yul Strokheet Al-Wauch. 


The rest of the teams pass by without a loss.
Professor Lawrence of Argh-Rabia is the first to make it too the temple and mounts the steps



Followed by Maj Rodgering

And all the teams read the inscriptions and those who can translate the hieroglyphics decide to descend into the dark tavern below.
Professor Witchheimer takes head of the hieroglyphic warning and remains outside

Turn 7
The first team to descend is Professor Lawrence of Argh-Rabia team, who find a nasty surprise at the bottom of the rope and lose three members Hous Bin Pharteen,I-Bin Pharteen and I-Zheet M’Drawzz,  to the crocodiles leaving only four team members left in his party.



Professor Buggeroff team make it down safely



Dr Starkadder’s team make it down safely
“Hwatt” Starkadder’s guide doesn’t make it and is taken by the crocodiles! It was heard “Jolly Good, no need to pay the chap now is there” in the semi darkness.


And finally Prof Fiterole and Colonel Archibald Fenton DCM KFC with his Bengali Volunteer Rifles.


Turn 8
The hieroglyphics on the walls warn of the impending doom and some teams are scared and leap into the water returning to the waterfall, leaving on Professor Buggeroff, Dr Starkadder and Colonel Archibald Fenton DCM KFC and there teams to seek out the sarcophagus of Pharaoh Analmaye.
Dr Starkadder sends Bloke and the Big Willow backed up by Jasbir Randhawa Singh to move the sarcophagus




They successfully move it only to find the mummy of Pharaoh Analmaye protecting his treasure, Bloke surprised lays a quick three punch combo and the Big Willow  finishes him off with a Glasgow Kiss, and a swift boot in the crown jewels for his troubles.

Professor Buggeroff, Dr Starkadder and Colonel Archibald Fenton DCM KFC depart the tomb laden with treasures beyond their belief!


Bought to you by the Goulburn Valiant Stormers
Terrain by Bluewillow
Figures in no necessary order from
Bob Murch (chinese acting as Russians , Chinese)
Foundry (tribesmen)
Artizan
Hasslefree
Daze miniatures (King Kong)
Essex Miniatures
Westwind
Copplestone
Ral Partha
Games Workshop (mummy)
Schleich animals
mixed plastic dinos and animals from Starkadder's and Bluewillow's collection
scratch built sub and steamer (built by Bluewillow, now in Starkadder's and Vinnie's possesion respectively)

Cheers
matt






Sunday, June 17, 2012

Argentoratum/Strasbourg refight 2012

Down at the Goulburn Valiant Stormers club meet today I finally ran out my late Romans (along with units from Richard, Andrew and Dave's Late Romans) against my Germans (made up of my Germans, Vikings, and Richard and Dave's Saxons) we played the re-fight using the Impetus rules, which we have started using since the demise of WAB at the club. Impetus is simple fast and looks good, all pluses in my books and I have been looking for a new system for my late Romans and dark age armies.

The Battle of Strasbourg, also known as the Battle of Argentoratum, was fought in 357 between the Late Roman army under (future emperor) Julian and the Alamanni tribal confederation led by the joint paramount king Chnodomar. The battle took place near Strasbourg, called Argentoratum in Ammianus Marcellinus' account, Argentorate in the Tabula Peutingeriana.
Julians Army was outnumbered by a substantial margin, Julian's army won a complete victory after a hard-fought infantry struggle, the Romans finally drove the Alamanni beyond the river Rhine inflicting heavy losses upon the confederation. 


After set up we worked out the points around 600 points of Romans,  the Alamanni army had 900 points.



the Alamanni generals kicked off with confidence knowing that the large Germanic warbands could really stick it to the Romans on this day!



This bade well when in the first round a double six is rolled so a expert general is born!!!!

The Alamanni cavalry start with confidence

The Roman Cavalry are not intimidated

The Roman Infantry were set up historically, legio in the middle, and Auxillia palatina on each flank

Tarty's very Fine Late Romans from the A and A Range

The Auxillia Palatina were the Roman's secret weapon, taking the impetus away from the huge Germanic units.

Julian directs his sub generals



the Romans advance off the Hill


the Alamanni left and right flanks surge forward hoping to overwhelm the Romans on their flanks


The Alamani cavalry commander (me) is overconfident, my Commander Chnodomar, points out that I should not be overconfident..........it proved to be very true!


Bad Alamanni cavalry rolls and amazing Roman rolls result in disaster for the Alamanni  cavalry, nearly all destroyed in three turns of fighting.

the Alamanni  right flank also loses to many to high archery casualties, bolt throwers are nasty........bad cohesion rolls result in the collapse of the Alamanni right flank on the forth turn.

break point is reached without the center even being engaged, the small Alamanni cavalry command and the right flank are all but destroyed by turn four, turn five the army losses result in a win for the romans........

History is replayed with lots of prisoners and loot for the Romans I guess!


reminder to self when playing Romans, the Auxilia palatina (negating impetus) and Saggitarii (especially at close range) are deadly, along with the Clibanariorum, who rode down three units for two casualtys.


I need to finish off some units completely before I post some pics of individual units(most are missing weapons and shields ....also awaiting transfers or some hand painted shields!)

cheers 
Matt


Friday, June 8, 2012

Argentoratum/Strasbourg refight

This our clubs upcoming game  in June on the 17th of June. Between, Dave, Richard and myself we decided back in Feb to put together a refight of Argentoratum. I have been slowly working through my Roman army and also Daves! Along with this I have also been madly painting the Alamannic army, with only about a week to go it will be tight but worth it! I am yet to base any figures for the game hence no recent posts of painted figures so I have put together a list of waht is done and what needs doing!!!!! We will be playing with the Impetus rules which I am still reading at the moment!


CavalryEquites octavo Dalmatae (vexillationes comitatenses unit) light cavalry Painted
Scola Scutariorum Sagittariorum Painted
Scola gentilium seniorum (heavy cavalry) Painted
Scola Scutariorum Clibanariorum (guard extra heavy cavalry) Painted
Equites Sagittarii Clibanariorum (vexillatio comitatensis) Painted
Scola Scutariorum Prima (guard cavalry) probably light .......Dave
Scola armaturarum seniorum (with Julian) (heavy cavalry) Painted Dave

SeverusPrima Flavia Gallicana Constantia (Pseudocomitatenses) Painted
Sagittarii Tungri(auxilia palatina) painted
Sagittarii venatores (auxilia palatina)painted
Sagittarii Nervii Gallicani painted
Balistarii pseudocomitatenses painted

First Line
Petulantes seniores (auxilia palatina) painted
Heruli seniores (auxilia palatina) painted
Moesiacii seniores (comitatenses) Richard Painted
Pannoniciani seniores (comitatenses) Dave
Ioviani seniores (Legiones palatinae) Richard Painted
Heculani seniores (Legiones palatinae) Richard Painted
Cornuti seniores (auxilia palatina) painted
Brachiati seniores (auxilia palatina) painted

Second Line
Celtae seniores (Auxilia palatina) painted
Primani seniores painted
Batavi seniores (auxilia palatina) painted
Regii seniores (auxilia palatina) painted

Alamannic
16 warbands x 2 deep (32 bases)....still being painted!
8 light cavalry 4 painted
6 light inf bases painted


next post will be the battle report!!!!!!!

cheers
Matt




Monday, June 4, 2012

Ross Skimmer Memorial Game

Last year we lost a member of the Goulburn Vailiant Stormers, Ross was almost exclusivly a ww2 gamer, he primarily collected Wehrmacht for Rapid Fire and loved to beat up yanks, so we decided to conduct two memorial games for him. In German warrior tradition I did not cut my facial hair and Chris did not have a haircut for 100 days.

Ross loved a well terrained table and Chris and I done our best for his memorial games. We conducted two games both vs Yanks, with a win for the Yanks on my table and one for the Germans on Chris's table.

Chris's RF game


And my Game!





cheers
Matt



Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Bloody April

The month of April 1917 was known as Bloody April by the Royal Flying Corps. The RFC suffered particularly severe losses — about three times as many as the Imperial German Army Air Service  during the spring offensive in support of the ground assaults. 






This year at the club we decided to get out some of the 1/72nd planes I have been building and have a game using a set of rules I threw together for conventions, a sort of a play test before I run them out to the public in June.






We played 5 games in four hours (with two coffee and one lunch brake in between) we tuned up the game mechanics a little as we played, the game was on a six by five table with four players and was normally over in 15 minutes although one did last less than three minutes. The game basically has a card activation deck for initiative with three coloured cards each (hearts, diamonds, spades and clubs) and three jokers which allowed someone to step out of  initiative, 3 lengths of movement, stall, average and top speed, and five maneuver turns, sharp, drift, half, full and a  Immelmann loop. Interrupt fire was permitted at close range if someone flew past in their turn, and A D10 damage chart, with another D6 dice roll for engine and rigging. 






We had a good day out, the Germans however had the worse of it and this April ended up very bloody for them!  I was happy how the rules played, the key to convention rules is simplicity and speed so you can churn players through the game. A big thanks to Ryan, Boyd, Ian and Greg for helping me fine tune the game mechanics and to Greg for the pics!






cheers
Matt