Campaign carnival After Action Report Scenario 4

 After Action Report-  Scenario 4.3  Counterstrike!

Rules-  Chainmail 3rd ed.

Force Composition-  

Baron Elizabeth’s Forces

6x  Heavy Foot 12

6x Armor Foot w/ 15

Hero 30

6x Med Cavalry 24

Hero/ Magic Sword 30

8x Light Cavalry 24

4x Light Foot 4

4x Heavy Foot (Elf Ally) 4

6x Heavy Cavalry 30

Wizard 50

       217

Orcs Gnashers Redux

8x Archers 32

2x Heavy Cav 10

2x Ogres         30

4x Armor Foot 10

Wraiths         10

6x Heavy Foot 12

4x Med Cav 16

Hero 20

6x Light Cav 24

        161

Scenario-

Terrain and Deployment

Humans deploy first, with heavy cav on left flank, armor foot with hero, heavy foot and med cav with hero across the front, and light cav in column on the right flank.  Wizard posting up in the rear.

Gnashers respond by spreading out the monsters, with ogres on the flanks, and wraiths in the center.  The armor foot posts between the 2 barricades, with heavy cav and heavy foot behind them.  Med cav and light cav take the right flank.  

In-Game Events-  Since the orcs are at significantly lower points, they will auto win initiative for turn 1.  Orcs choose to have the humans move first.

Turn 1-  The 4 human units on the left rolled to see if they found the goat trail, no luck.  The light cav swings around the hill in column, staying out of charge range of the orc cav.  The human med and hvy cav make half moves while the infantry make full moves forward keeping them near each other.  The wizard targets the wraiths with a fireball, but they make their save and only the armor foot adjacent the wraiths perish, but it causes the other base of armor foot to lose morale.  The orcs move forward with the wraiths and ogres pushing forward, the med and hvy cav keeping pace.  The archers move behind the earthworks and fire on the human heavy foot killing 3.  The orc light cav presses on the human light cav.

End turn 1  Humans 1, Orcs 0

Turn 2.  Humans win initiative and choose to move first.  The light cav does a left turn and charges the orc light cav, trading wounds and forcing it back in good order.  The hero and med cav charges the ogres and the armor foot charges the wraiths.  The other human hero and the heavy foot charge the other ogre and the human hvy cav charge the orc light cav.  The elves and the light foot move forward staying out of bow range.  Then the wizard fireballs the orc med cav with the hero attached and kills two bases of cav leaving the hero to act alone.  Orcs respond by the hero charging into the human med cav, and the heavy foot charging the center.  The human hero with the magic sword gets a hit on the ogres and slays them.  They also kill the heavy foot and the hero fails morale and surrenders.  The wraiths touch 2 units of armor foot and paralyze them and the armor foot responds by killing all but one heavy foot.  The ogres on the left smash all the human heavy foot, leaving just the hero in single combat.  The human heavy cav slays the orc heavy cav.  

Score end of turn 2- Humans 5, Orcs 1

Turn 3-  Humans win initiative and elect to move first.  

Human light cav charge the orc light cav, but the wounded orcs from the camp mobilize in the face of total annihilation, and some orc med cav manages a countercharge into the melee.  They trade wounds and the orcs are pushed back in good order, all fatigued save the med cav. The wizard fireballs 2 bases of archers, limiting their effectiveness.   They respond by doing 1 wound to the elves.  The human hero and the med cav pivot and charge into the orc hvy foot and the wraiths, i ruled they had to slay the orcs before they could reach the wraiths.  The orcs died and the hero with magic sword moved forward to fight the wraiths but failed to do enough wounds.  The armor foot were unparalyzed by the elves who moved into their rear, but cannot affect the wraiths so they just stayed locked in combat.  On the left side of the battlefield the heavy cav charged the ogres and with the hero did enough wounds to slay them.  All of the human units on the field save the wizard and the light cav and the elves are now fatigued.

End of turn 3 Humans 7, Orcs 1

Turn 4  Humans win initiative again and go first to deliver the death blow to the orcs.  

The elves swing around the armor foot to threaten the wraiths as they are able to inflict wounds on them, but the hero with the magic sword manages to finish them off.  The med cav detach from the hero and about face to cover the orcs cav on the right.  The wizard fireballs the remaining archers who held morale last round, and the rest of the army rests as the light cav receives a charge from the orc med cav, hvy cav and fatigued light cav.  The light cav trade wounds and the orc light cav breaks due to losses.  The rest of the melee holds.  I’m going to call the game at this point as the orcs would probably take the opportunity to run away while the humans are resting.  

Score at end of turn 4-  Humans 10, Orcs 1

Final Score-   Humans 10, Orcs 2

Duration-  5 turns (turn 5 was just the orc hvy and med cav routing the human lt cav in melee, scoring 1pt)  they then flee with the rest of the orcs.  About 3 hours of play including set up.  

Conclusion-  The Baron Elizabeth’s forces won 3 out of 4 games in the Campaign Carnival.  Their original goal was to beat down the newly reformed tribe of Gnashers Redux from the Whitehart Wood enough to consider her hex in the Wood cleared, which would then allow the construction of her keep.  The next phase of the Whitehart Wood Campaign will be the arc of Baron Elizabeth gathering her materials and resources and constructing a proper keep and wall and defending her territory while doing it.  The Gnashers Redux are severely whittled down but still will cast a presence in the hex.  Their surviving numbers are 3 bases of heavy foot, and 1 base each of armor foot, light cav, med cav, and hvy cav.  This force will be added to the map for future campaigns.  

Status of Casualties- The orcs skulk away off the battlefield into the dense wood with just 3 bases of heavy foot, and 1 base each of armor foot, light cav, med cav, and hvy cav.  No additional human units are killed as a result of this battle.  

Thus ends the Baron Elizabeth vs Gnasher Redux Campaign Carnival.  The Baron’s forces started the campaign with a fairly successful retreating action, followed by a disastrous escorting of a supply train that affected their resources and numbers.  They managed to muster strength and counter with a successful surprise attack on the orcs and then a masterful assault on their main camp.  With 3 victories out of 4 2 being rather large victories, I proclaim the Baron successful in her efforts to put down the Gnashers and make her hex safe for keep construction.  This campaign has been an absolute blast, kept me solo wargaming all summer!  Big thanks Purple Druid!

Giving Away a 2mm Ancients Army! Mini-Wargaming Pay It Forward To Our Community

*Update- It has been paid forward*

 I would like to give a big thanks to Jon Mollison for sending me a mini wargaming gift.  He sent me this sprue of  Black Powder Epic Prussians all the way from HI to MA free of charge and asked that I pay it forward.  A friend of mine just built up a big army of French, so these Prussians will definitely be getting some use.  You likely already know the man, but if you don't check out his amazing youtube channel and website which are both linked on my blog.

So here's how I would like to pay it forward.  I'm giving away a small 2mm Ancients/Fantasy army from metal minis from Irregular Miniatures and bases.  I'm happy to pay forward the miniwargaming love by sending this to anyone interested in 2mm minis that will paint and use them.  Perfect for Chainmail or all kinds of wargaming/RPG uses.  Configure the minis however you want, here's one config I put together.

It's enough minis for 2x Armor Foot, 3x Heavy Foot, 1x Light Foot, 3x Archers, 1x Medium Cavalry, 1x Heavy Cavalry, 2x Heroes/Characters using Chainmail rules, but you can configure them many ways.  

So I will be posting this blog post on Twitter, and hope some member of the miniwargaming community will take me up on the offer and somehow pay it forward to someone else, possibly even a miniwargamer. I WILL PROMPTLY MAIL YOU THIS ARMY FREE OF CHARGE to the first person that messages me either here or on Twitter.  I will post when/if someone claims this offer.  Thanks again Jon Mollison, be sure to check out his amazing Youtube channel "The Joy of Wargaming", and his website jonmollison.com

Historical Minis Wargame Rules I'm Reading/Reviewing

For the last few weeks I have been researching some possible choices for rules sets to use in my fantastic historical wargames campaigns I am planning.  I have definitely decided to use The Solo Wargaming Guide to plan and manage the campaign, but I need to find a rules set or sets to use to work out the actual battles of the campaign.  So far I have acquired the following rules, pictured below clockwise from top left-  Quick Kill (6mm WW2), Oh What a Lovely Wargame (WW1), The Portable Wargame, One Hour Wargames, Hell By Daylight, Hell in Microcosm, FUBAR Vietnam, and Battle for 2mm Earth (2mm WW1).  These choices are specifically for my planned upcoming WW1 and Vietnam campaigns, and I have several others that I have found but haven't printed out yet.  The goal is to choose a rules set that is not overly complicated that can be adjudicated in a solo setting, and the games move along and don't cause mental fatigue, but still being fairly representative of the period.  So far I have yet to really hook into a particular set, definitely need to deep dive several of these systems and decide if I'm going to try one system for both WW1 and Vietnam, or separate systems.  So far I have played One Hour Wargames a few times, and I find that system to be a tad too simplistic, but pretty close to how simplistic a system I want for solo play.  I'd love to find a system one or two clicks more complicated than that.  I think for solo play I will more enjoy the campaign planning and map movements more than the in game tactics, and I think completing games and getting on with things is a better approach than overly complex, long games where its difficult to remember everything.  I would appreciate any feedback from anyone that may know about any of these systems.  

6mm Sci Fi Tanks

 

A Heavy Hover Tank and Hover Troop Transport 6mm

2mm Ancients Pike Blocks and 6mm Siege Weapons

 Hobbied up some bases of 2mm pikemen blocks along with some 6mm catapults and ballistae, and some kind of trebuchet or heavy catapult.  I'm not quite sure what Irregular Miniatures sent me or if I glued on the launcher correctly, but I did my best to make it look correct.  I hope to use the pikemen in a faux Alexander the Great Campaign at some point.

Campaign Carnival After Action Report Scenario 3

This Scenario required the orcs to set up in the north all in column, and the Humans to set up in 2 groups-  1 all mostly foot set up in the south, and 1 all mostly cavalry set up in the east.  The cavalry unit must wait 1 turn before acting in the battle but can't be targeted by the orcs.   

After Action Report-  Scenario 3.2 Outflanked

Rules-  Chainmail 3rd Edition

Force Composition-

Baron Elizabeth’s Guard

4 Light Foot  4

8 Armor Foot 20

8 Archer         32

8 Heavy Foot 16 2 killed game 2,  4 wounded out game 3

8 Light Horse 24

8 Medium Horse 32

6 Heavy Horse 30  2 killed game 2,  2 wounded out game 3

Hero Magic Sword 30

Hero Bow 23 captured game 2

Wizard 50

        220 points (minus wounded)

Gnashers Redux (using normal troops points, not orcs)

10 Armor Foot     25

8 Archer             32

10 Heavy Foot     20

6 Medium Horse     30 2 wounded out game 3

Hero/Bow/Mag Arrow 33

Hero     20 captured game 1

6 Light Horse     18

6 Heavy Horse     30

6 Heavy Foot     12

Ogres     20

Wraiths             10

            220  (minus wounded)

I’m also going to swap out the giant for the rest of the campaign.  I’ll replace it with a unit of ogres, 2 units of heavy cav, and 2 units of lt cav.  (adjusted above)

Scenario-

Terrain-  as per the scenario map

Deployment-

Orcs-  all in column, Armor foot, hvy Cav, and hvy foot in front, cav, small infantry unit and the archers behind.  

Humans-  Armor foot in front of defensive force, med cav and hero in front of flanking force.

Turn 1- after movement

Humans get initiative, have orcs move first.  All the front columns advance, and the 2 cavs in the rear go from column to line.  Humans respond by having the 2 small units flank out, armor foot charges the hvy cav, but before that the archers fire indirect, taking out 3 hvy cav.  The wizard drops a fireball right on the wraiths, ogres, and 4hvy foot, taking them out.  

Turn 1 After melee-

The human armor foot only had 2 dice hitting on 6, vs the hvy cav 4 dice hitting on 5, but humans rolled box cars and the remaining hvy horse surrendered to failed morale.  Incredibly lucky for the humans.  

End of Turn 1-  Humans 3Vp, Orcs 0

Turn 2- Movement

Orcs won initiative and elected to move first.  The hero and armor foot and the unit of hvy foot both charged the human armor foot.  Orc archers went to line, lt cav and hvy foot in the rear pivoted east.  Med cav pivoted west.  Human Archers were out of range of anything not in combat, so pivoted and moved forward.  Wizard moved forward and dropped a fireball on med cav and the archers, taking out 4 med cav and 2 archers.  The Human  cav all moved west, lt cav going north around the trees, hvy and med cav going south.  

Turn 2 melee-  the human armor foot got double charged by the orc armor foot with hero and hvy foot, but they were in line.  The hero and armor foot killed 2 armor foot, and the other combat resulted in 1 casualty for each side.  This caused the humans to lose morale and rout, bumping into the wizard causing him to rout and move back.  The orc hvy foot lost morale but only moved back in good order.  

End of Turn 2  Humans 3, Orcs 0

Turn 3-  Movement

Humans win initiative and go first.  With the wizard and armor foot routed, the archers move forward to absorb a charge from the orc armor foot.  The small unit of hvy foot pivots to harass the small unit of orc hvy foot.  Before getting charged the archers fire at the orc hvy foot and kill 3.  The lt foot pivots back towards the orc armor foot, and the human cav continues west, the lt cav getting in a charge against the orc lt cav.  The movement of the human hvy cav is slowed due to pivoting.  The hero and med cav get closer but unable to charge.  The orcs respond by the hvy foot in the north also charge the lt cav, and the armor foot goes into the human archers.  The small unit of human hvy foot are double charged by the orc hvy foot and med cav.  

Turn 3-  Melee

The human lt cav vs orc lt cav result in no casualties, continue melee, and the combat with the hvy foot yields 1 casualty on each side, also continue melee.  The orc hero and armor foot do 5 wounds to the archers slaying them.  The human hvy foot resists the charge of the orc hvy foot, but the med cav takes them out.  The lone base of orc hvy foot saves morale.  The humans manage to keep the wizard and armor foot from getting charged, so they will rally next round.

End of Turn 3  Humans 3, Orcs 2

Turn 4-  Movement

Humans get initiative and go first.  The newly restored armor foot does an about face, the wizard backs up and prepares to drop a fireball.  The lt foot charge the flank of the orc armor foot, the med cav charges the flank of the armor foot, and the hvy cav pivot and get ready to charge next turn.  The wizard drops the fireball at the rear of the armor cav near the orc archers, killing 2 bases of armor foot and 4 bases of archers.  Orcs respond by charging the newly turned around armor foot with the 2 small units on the left.  The orc hvy foot wraps the flank of the human lt cav, and the orc archers do a wound to the lt foot.

Turn 4-  Melee

In the combat with the human armor foot they lose 3 units, are pushed back in good order but hold morale due to casualties.  The orc armor foot repels lt foot making them retreat, but the med cav hits hard into their flank and causes them to lose 3 bases and surrender, capturing the orc hero, they still failed morale even with the hero morale bonus.  The lt cav don’t manage to inflict any wounds, but the hvy foot into their flank do, they lose 3 and are pushed back in good order.  Everyone but the human cav and the wizard are about to be fatigued, and there are no units in melee, so it might be wise for the whole board to rest and reset, but the orc med cav are in charge range of the wizard, so next turn initiative is crucial.

 

End of Turn 4-  Humans 5, Orcs 2

Turn 5-  Movement

Turn 5 Orcs won initiative and elected to go first, resting all units except the med cav which charges the wizard.  The orc archers fire on the lt foot, killing 2.  The rest of the orcs rest and reset on fatigue.  Human cav decides to strike because they are one turn away from fatigue.  The hvy cav charges the orc hvy foot, and the lt cav charges the orc lt cav.  The hero and med cav charge the orc hvy foot, as it is the only target in range.  

Turn 5 Melee-

The med cav charges the wizard but fatigued so it attacks as lt cav.  They can only do 1 wound so the wizard lives but is pushed back in good order.  The hvy cav wipes out the orc hvy foot, and the lt cav does a wound to the orc lt cav but they stay in melee.  At this point, with the med cav unable to take on the wizard, the battle is essentially over.  The humans will graciously allow the remaining orcs to retreat off the field and claim victory.

In-Game Events-  I forgot to add fatigue points in the first few rounds of the game, so fatigue may have affected the game differently, but I decided to just keep that omission throughout the game to keep it fair.  There were a few more mistakes here and there, but I’m learning every game.  

Final Score-  Humans 7, Orcs 2

Duration-  5 turns, probably an hour of setup and 3-4 hours of gameplay, played over 3 sessions.

Conclusion-  Humans have a pretty solid victory, but orcs had several opportunities to strike hard.  It was definitely a challenge to try to get the whole orc army out of column formation efficiently.  The wizard’s fireball continues to be very powerful, the wraiths did get a roll to resist but failed, the ogres do not seem to get a roll to resist spells.  Now that I realize the power and range of wizard spells I’ll keep them further apart so they can’t be targeted together.  This scenario felt balanced, the orcs had to deal with coming out of column, and the humans had a split force.  Things probably would have gone differently if either the wraiths or ogres had gotten into combat.  

Status of Casualties-   Orc Killed-  4 units armor foot, 4 hvy foot, 2 units med cav, 2 units hvy cav  Orcs Injured-  2 armor foot, 6 hvy foot, 2 med cav, 2 hvy cav, 1 orc hero captured.

Humans Killed-  2 armor foot, 4 archers    Injured-  4 archers, 2 hvy foot