Little General's Club: August Game, Battle report

So, this past Saturday, we had our monthly club meeting. I put on the game, but received a great deal of help from Brent, Ron, and Dave, as I do not, yet, possess enough painted figures or terrain to run a large game.

Ron brought French, Spanish, and Bavarian troops, with about equal proportions of cavalry squadrons to infantry battalions. Dave brough Dutch, Austrian, Prussian, and Minor German troops, having about 4:3 ratio of infantry to cavalry. Brent provided the very necessary cloths used to cover the tables.

Unfortunately, in the midst of getting everything together for the rules, QRSs, and piling my sons and nephew into two cars, I completely forgot to bring my digital camera. So, I have had to create a battle report from memory, using a program found here http://battlechronicler.com/. However, as the rules I used, Beneath the Lily Banners 1st edition, use simultaneous movement and Battle Chronicler models an IGOUGO movement system, I have had to generate a report by phases and not by turns. So, when reading the maps, you can consider what is being shown as occupying three to five turns of activity.

The scenario I created was a fictional force of Alliance troops (no English present) versus French, Bavarian, and Spanish forces. The setting I chose was the center of the action Blenheim, where, in this scenario, the Alliance force was attempting to push the center of the French Allied army back far enough to cause a rupture in their lines.

Basically, I caused two villages to occupy either flank, with a large area of clear ground in the center. I gave the French CinC three objectives, Hold the left village, hold the right village, and control the center of the field. I gave the Alliance commander three objectives also, take the left village, take the right village, and force the French out of the center area. We started the game at about 11:15 and had to about 4:30 to play the game and clean up (including a short meal break).

Here are the initial deployments. The Alliance commanders chose to reinforce their right flank, significantly, but their center was rather weak, especially since one brigade (the one center right) was composed entirely of Raw troops. Of course, I did not mention this fact to the CinC until after the brigade was placed.

The French decided to keep their entire cavalry force off the battlefield, with the proviso that when they did bring it on, they had to have enough movement orders available for them to do so AND that the force would be considered to be under a MOVE order and thus could not charge an enemy unit the same turn they arrived on the field.

During first several turns, the French had little movement to carry out, but the Alliance advanced boldly.

The Alliance commanders, attempting to use brute force on their right, closely coordinate their assault on the village on this side of the field. The infantry battalions held their fire until the final moment, as did the French defenders, and devastating casualties were received by both sides as a result. On the French right, the Alliance also pushed in heavily, but fate was against them here as the French volleys blew away the light artillery in a single salvo and numerous hits were taken on the infantry battalions, for little in the way of return casualties against the French.

The Alliance steamroller on the left, while suffering a few minor setbacks, was really unstoppable, by virtue of the cavalry support and good die rolling when it counted. The French had been initially very handy with their volleys, but quickly their fire combat and morale die rolls soured and units began breaking. On the French right, the Alliance battalions continued to take a serious pounding at the cost of a single garrison battalion receiving 16 out of 18 casualties, but with a tremendous morale roll, that French unit stayed stuck in.

Although the Alliance commanders feared the French cavalry were going to show up opposite them on their right, the French deployed every last squadron in the center, looking to land a decisive blow before their left crumpled entirely.

Yet, the French left did crumple and, while not shown here, every French/Allied unit on this flank was in rout or had routed off the field by the end of the game.

 This lacks about one turn of movement, but it is a good representation of how things looked at the time we called the game. Yes, the Alliance had completed one objective, decisively, but they failed completely on the French right and the center was not going well for them, aside from repulsing a French cavalry charge in the left of center. So, I gave the French a minor victory, accompanied by a slight bit of grousing by the Alliance, but when taken as a whole, I think the French had earned the palms for this game.

Feedback, post game, has thus far been fairly positive, with the only real gripe being that these rules do not allow infantry to fight back against cavalry in melee. I can understand the designer's purpose in this, but we may need to introduce a club rule in the future, just so the players do not feel there isn't any hope. I do want to purchase the 2nd edition of these rules, but have to await that for a time when my wallet can match my wants.

We were Soldiers, once....

As I am still looking for my camera cable, to upload a picture of my facial hair-free face, here is a photograph of me that was taken in 1998 while in an encampment for the 135th Gettysburg American Civil War Reenactment, about 5 miles from the actual battlefield. I am in uniform...and quite tired from having done a water run for my regiment.

The name on the bottom is that of the photographer, who was a university professor from Georgia, if I remember correctly.

The damn dirty apes

I have always been a fan of Charlton Heston, from his work with C. B. DeMille to his playing El Cid to, yes, his playing the sole surviving (mostly intact) astronaut who had the misfortune to land on a version of Earth where humans no longer reigned.

And so, after dealing with issues, again, at my university, I decided to gift myself with a couple of hours of cinematic entertainment...and a large soda, a hot dog, and a Philly cheesesteak sandwhich.

I an generally hesitant to view a movie in the theatre at full ticket price. Hollywood has not found in me a ready and accepting drone for their lowest common denominator entertainment and since I don't do "art for art's sake" films either, I usually wait for DVD releases...after reading up on them first. However, in this case, I had read about Andy Serkis' performance as the human actor behind the CGI character and chose to go ahead and spend out of my very limited budget. Overall, it was a good call.

Andy Serkis and John Lithgow give great performances in their roles, of course Serkis as Caesar is outstanding. Frieda Pinto plays the ubiquitous love interest for James Franco's character, and she, while playing a rather limited, unnecessary, and empty role, does it with flare and natural beauty...her looks are likely the reason she was in the film (not a slight against her acting ability) as the producers probably thought "we need someone worth looking at in this film...let's get the Indian woman from Slumdog Millionaire!" Otherwise, her character provides little for the plot other than to tell the main protagonist that he should be afraid of his chimp "son."

Which brings me to James Franco. I don't know what Hollywood producers, directors, and studio chiefs see in this guy. In every film I have watched with him in it, he has always come across to me as giving a wooden, shallow, and unconvincing performance. My opinion of Mr. Franco, as an actor, was not changed by this film. In virtually every scene where he appears, my preference was for a change of focus. By the end of the film, I was rooting for Caesar and hoping that Mr. Franco's character would be on the receiving end of cosmic justice for giving Caesar over to this man 

 

 whose abuse and neglect, we are supposed to believe, are partly responsible for Caesar's violence. 

Well, the producers succeeded with one thing, I was all for the apes making good their escape into the wooded hills north of San Francisco. By the climax of the movie, I wanted every human character, except that of Ms. Pinto (who is someone I'd invite over for tea, any day or night of the week), deader than King Tut....and I am happy to report, I nearly got my wish. 

In a nutshell, Andy Serkis OWNS this movie. As long as he dons the virtual reality gear upon which Caesar's image is drawn on screen, then I will continue to support this rumored trilogy with my full price ticket purchase. If Mr. Serkis withdraws from the project, for any reason, then I'm going to await a $1 rental from http://www.redbox.com/ and, as far as I am concerned, James Franco's character can die of cancer/being buried alive/car wreck/firing squad/Asian bird flu or suicide by cop before the next movie's first scene. 

Now, we need more apes with guns miniatures that are more up to date than what can be seen here http://andrewnz2.tripod.com/id61.html

Movie Grade: 3.0 out of 5.0 packs of miniatures. Had James Franco's character died on screen or had this guy

 

lived long enough to play in the role, then it would be 4.0 packs of miniatures.

Busy busy busy

The past couple of weeks have been really busy for me, preparing for the new semester, for my year of student teaching, fighting with the university over financial aid (student loans), and being impoverished whilst awaiting a paycheck.

BUT, I did shave my beard and mustache off; I have to "look professional" for student teaching...career building I think they call it.

I also received an order of 15mm Essex Napoleonic French and Russians. A small order, really, just to fill out a few bases for DBN armies. Several of us in the local club are going to be participating in a Napoleonic campaign soon.. I hope soon.

I also received this game http://compassgames.com/show/product/no_peace_without_spain which looks like a good, fast, game; a game that may also be used for running a WSS campaign. I am hoping to play it this week and post a review of it to go with a battle report.

Oh, I also received this http://www.spartangames.co.uk/games/dystopian-wars rulebook, as well. One of my sons has expressed a real interest in playing it, so I expect to build a couple of fleets for him and I to battle each other with. That is, once my finances are sorted out.

I should get a few posts in this week, to round out some painting news, battle report/game review, and other things.

And as a final note, my 17 (almost 18) year old painted his first miniatures last week (15mm Napoleonic Russians). He did a good job on them and I hope he enjoyed the experience, in spite of developing a pain in his neck...but that is because he has never used those muscles before.