A Gaming Potpourri

Americans advance in CoC

The gaming table has seen better than average activity over the last three weeks.  In addition to my continued solo work with Two Flags - One Nation, four FtF games have made appearances.  A BatRep for Fox Gap is still in the works from my last solo game.  In work?  I need to begin!   2017 has seen much more gaming activity than past years.  To date, I have exceeded two dozen games.  Most years, I am lucky to participate in a half-dozen; some years fewer than that!  Two more games are on the slate for next weekend.  Seems like either feast or famine at the gaming table.

Since no notes were taken for each of these actions, a brief recounting from memory is provided in chronological order of playing.  This approach allows a summary of each action without dragging the events out over a number of posts. Four birds with one stone, so to speak.  I am attempting to clear out the backlog since more Assyrians are in the parade queue!  

Canvas Eagles:

After the introduction of Scott and Kevin to Canvas Eagles a few weeks before, Jake got his initial outing with CE.  Played two games each of which Jake was the victor.  In Game 1, I recall getting shot down.  Curses!  In Game 2, Jake made his scheduled observation run as I attempted to line up a narrow field of fire onto his Whalfisch.  I had forgotten how difficult it can be to bring fixed guns to bear in a one-on-one engagement.

New Brigade Fire & Fury

My first outing with the recently released New Brigade Fire and Fury rules saw Terry's 12mm Scruby ACW collection out on the table..  The Battle tackled was the Second Battle of Ream's Station in 1864 during the Petersburg Campaign where Hancock faced off against A.P. Hill.

Battle of Ream's Station

The Confederate objective was to throw the Federal defenders out from their breastworks.  Drawing the command of Wilcox, I was assigned the task of leading the Confederate attack.  Note, Wilcox's Division is unsupported in his mission until later in the battle.  A tough task to take-on, for sure!

Federals lining the defenses with abatis discouraging attack

Wilcox advanced slowly towards enemy lines waiting for support to appear before pitching into the Federals.  Once Heth's Division appeared on his right, Wilcox attacked.  Notice the abatis protecting the Federal emplacements.  Nasty ground to cross.  This looks like suicide!

Wilcox prepares for assault

Harassed all the way in by artillery fire, Wilcox closed with the enemy.  Casualties were heavy but most of Wilcox's Division remained intact covering the Confederate left and effectively pinned the Federals in their place.  Heth, then made his attack after neutralizing a Federal battery or two.  Still, when I left, Hancock looked firmly in control of the position.  

Wilcox attacks the abatis

As for the new BFF, it sure seemed to be a direct port from Regimental Fire and Fury with little distinction between the two games. 

Commands & Colors Tricorne: The American Revolution:

Got my first game of the recently released CC: Tricorne.  The Battle of Bunker Hill was chosen and I took command of the Rebels.  When we called the game on account of time, the Rebels led two flags to none although the British had just taken the earthworks on Breed's Hill.  Several interesting twists are present in this latest CC offering adding a bit of nuance to long established tactics.  After the game, I read the rules and noticed we made a few errors.  Not unusual when playing a game for the first time. 

Battle of Bunker Hill

Chain of Command:

The Layout

Capping off this gaming summary is the most recent event from last Friday's Friday Night at the Fights.  That is, an impromptu game of Chain of Command pitting Jake's newly recruited Americans (see Dog Faces Part II) against my Germans.  Looking back at game notes, the last time CoC saw action on the gaming table was more than two years ago.  My, how time flies!  Given that two-year hiatus, we were quite rusty with the rules but the game flowed well once we got underway.  I consider myself quite lucky to game with fellows that not only absorb a new rule set quickly but can remember them after long periods of inactivity.  Something for which I sometimes struggle. 

Americans advance on farm

The objective of this action was to clear enemy forces from the vicinity of a small farm.  After the Patrol Phase, the Germans held the farm while the Americans were in position to assault along more than one avenue of approach.

Americans laying down fire on the farm

As the Americans approached the forward building, fire erupted from the house.  Several Americans went down in the initial hail of lead but quickly counterattacked taking a number of Germans out of action.

Jake's Kickstarter Americans

While two of the three American squads made their advance on the farmstead, the German squad on the left laid down a punishing fire and drove off the third US squad.  Seizing the opportunity, the Germans dashed out of their cover in an attempt to outflank the Americans and distract the US from their main objective.

Germans bust a move

 Having thrown the Germans out of the farm, the Americans advanced.

Americans envelop the farm

But, the Germans, having flanked the American line of advance, began attacking along an unexpected axis.

German flanking fire

Again, due to time constraints, the game was called and victory assessed.  Casualties were very heavy and both sides lost Jump Off Points.  After the final tally, a bloody draw was the outcome.  "Bloody" draw, indeed!  At least two-thirds of the combatants had been rendered out of action and both sides would be hard pressed to claim a victory.

With such heavy casualties and no catastrophic break in morale, we wondered if we had missed something in the rules.  Possibly.  This requires more investigation.  Of course, it would be helpful if the game was trotted out onto the gaming table more than once every two years.  I await a dispatch assessing our play within the rules.