What Have I Done?

I suppose I have held a lifelong interest in WWI aerial games.  Beginning with Milton Bradley's Dogfight in the '60s, play moved to The Avalon Hill Game Company's Richthofen's War in the '70s and '80s.

The '90s saw me take to the air with miniatures using Canvas Eagles (CE).  I have vague recollections of a campaign game or two using these rules besides many one-off contests.  Having played CE, who can ever forget the stat sheet for each aircraft?  We really played CE a lot and I began building models so that I could take to the air.  I only maintained a small assortment of 1/72nd kits but I was always on the lookout for more.

Aircraft stat sheet

Meikraft Models of a German Pfalz DIIIa

While Canvas Eagles remained a staple when games took to the air, the late 2000s saw playtesting of Watch Your Six.  I wonder whatever happened to that ruleset?  Even more models were purchased as opportunities arose but the pile of unbuilt kits was not so great.

OK, maybe I exaggerate a bit.  There were probably more models than realized once I began discovering bargains on eBay.  I even managed to buy small chunks of large collections.

By the time COVID disrupted everyone's lives in 2020, WWI aerial combat had transitioned to remote play with players from far-flung reaches of the globe.  A long-running campaign was fought using Richard Lindley's Knights of the Sky which was perfectly suited to remote play via Skype, Zoom, or Google Meet.  In one of these campaigns, my pilot made it all the way through the war only to be met with disaster on the last sortie of the war.  Curses!

All along the way of this journey, newly acquired unbuilt kits were added into the tubs in which these models were placed for storage.  By this time, there were two such large tubs.  Oh, and a few that would not fit.  Did I expect to build and see these kits in a game?  Of course.

Knights of the Sky via Skype

Baron von Freitag's last flight

Where does this rambling trip down Memory Lane lead?

Well, to gain a sense of the scale of the number of models tucked away, I brought the two tubs out of the storage room and emptied their contents out onto the gaming table.  Stacking them up in a quasi-sort by size and manufacturer, I made a count.

Plastic Pile of WWI Aircraft

Now, many of these models are long out of production.  Some go back to the '60s.  How many are there?  More than 140 kits.  Some of the kits have more than one model and were counted as one unless I could verify.  I noticed several bagged kits had more than one model.  Such an interesting assortment of planes and manufacturers.  I had no idea the size of this collection.

What have I done?  Well, bought more models than I can possibly build or use.  Will all of these models ever get built?  Almost certainly not by me.  One resolution for the New Year is to grab a model or two out of the pile and build it just to remember the joy (and frustration) of putting these kits together.  Who knows, perhaps I will take to the skies in 2026?  At least, all of these kits actually made it out onto the table.

Year in Review: Games Played

 

The number of games played in 2025 nearly reached the 100-game mark.  Close but not quite.  Gaming in 2025 saw an increase to 97 games played compared to the 76 games played in 2024.  Why the increase in games played?  Well, Commands & Colors saw a huge increase in the number of games played and that in a F2F setting.  With the large number of Commands & Colors games, the mix between remote and F2F saw a significant shift too with F2F enjoying a resurgence in frequency.

I ended up hosting 40 out of the 97 games played.  This seems a lower proportion than years past, but that may not be true.  My impression is that I hosted fewer games, though.  As mentioned in last year's review, games remotely hosted by others dropped off in 2024.  Records show that I participated in 17 hosted remote games in 2025.  Without going back to confirm, that is likely an increase over 2024 totals. Remote games hosted by me totaled 23.  That is a pleasant and reasonable mix in hosting vs playing in remote games.  Nice having the workload spread around, isn't it? 

Let's get on with the games played review!  In a gaming retrospective, these 97 games were distributed over a variety of rules and periods.  I take a look at each area individually. 

Rules

2024 saw 14 different rulesets in use. The number of rulesets to hit the gaming table jumped to 17 different rulesets.  In the graphic below, note that ten of these rules are first time playing for me.  That is quite a lot of new rules to encounter.  The core rules that I use for remote games continue as in previous years with Basic Impetvs and Fields of Honor seeing repeated action.  Although seeing repeated action at the gaming table, these two rulesets witnessed a marked drop off in play throughout 2025.  Perhaps these rules will see more action in 2026?  As mentioned above, Commands & Colors (including CC Hoth) saw heavy rotation.  Sliding into second place is my Work in Progress WotR rules, Blood 'n Roses.  Expect to see more activity here in 2026 as more battles are brought to the table for testing.  The table below shows Counts of Games Played by Ruleset in 2025 for details.

Wargaming Period

What if these total games played are broken out by wargaming period?  What were the popular periods in 2025?

While the graphic above shows that 17 different periods saw action, Ancients was far and away the most popular period to see action on the table.  Star Wars (both in CC Hoth and Squad Hammer) and Wars of the Roses round out the Top 3 gaming periods.  Quite a diverse mix of periods.  Who could have predicted that Sci-Fi floats up to near the top of the chart in 2025?  Not me! 

Memorable Moments

2025 continued the trend of my hosted games refighting a particular historical battle multiple times.  Below is a listing of some of those memorable games.  I expect this trend to continue into 2026.  I wonder which battle will be first out of the gates in 2026?

Battle of Agnadello: Great Italian Wars - 2 games.

Battle of Solden Hill: Wars of the Roses - 3 games.

Battle of Mortimer's Cross: Wars of the Roses - 4 games.

Battle of Quistello: War of Polish Succession - 3 games.

Battle of Zallaqah: Spanish Reconquista - 4 games.

Adobe Wells: Western Gunfight - 4 games.

Of course, every game has memorable moments but with repeated playings, one gains a deeper understanding of the battle, its likely direction, crucial decision points, and possible outcomes.  I always learn a lot from these repeated outings with respect to rules, scenario design, and scenario development.  Thanks to all who played in one of these games.  I always enjoy your willingness to join into a game.

If you participated in any of these battles or simply read some of the battle reports, which game or games stand out to you?

The next time I return to the yearly review, I dive into the Painting Log and see what 2025 held.

FPW 12th Hussar Regiment

Painted units continue to back up at the photo box while other activities take priority and painting motivation flourishes.  A large variety of projects sees action at the workbench in a year-end uptick in time spent at the painting desk.  Well, except for the forced hiatus during a long Christmas weekend when we hosted a houseful of family.  With a little luck, today will offer a meaningful painting session since the house has gone quiet. 

Out from the photo box today is a 12-figure regiment of Prussian hussars for the FPW project.  Figures are from Old Glory and these troopers muster out as the 12th Hussar Regiment.  With two more foot regiments, I can field Alvensleben I's IV Corps in total.  Progress!  Unfortunately, I have been distracted by so many other projects that getting back to painting FPW may take a while.

In a recent post, I lamented that the wallet can take a hit during the sales' offerings as year-end approaches.  While several boardgames came in-house during these trying weeks, I managed to hold (mostly) firm on figure purchases.  Well, until recently, that is.  One lot of 18mm Eureka SYW British cavalry and artillery came up in my eBay feed with a low opening minimum.  I made an offer and it was accepted.  Hmm!  Anyway, I ended up with 134 cavalry and 84 artillery for about 70% off retail.  And, postage paid!    Really, who can pass a bargain like that?  Not me, for sure.  Now I have lots of cavalry and artillery to bring a fledgling British Army up to requirements.  Of course, having more than 80 artillerymen requires an order to Eureka for guns!  Seems this is a never-ending cycle...

Zallaqah, One More Time

After playing Richard in a one-on-one game (see Zallaqah Round 3) and confirming that the game can be played comfortably in about two hours, I was ready for my next one-on-one opponent.  Next opponent up, Matt!  Being able to eke out a draw against Richard, I reckoned I might have a chance against Matt.  Given my recent thrashing at Freeman's Farm, I should have been less optimistic.

Having offered army choice when I sent out the Battle Briefing, Matt decided upon commanding the Arabs when we joined into the session.  Interesting!  I expected Matt to want to command the Christians and the heavy-hitting cavalry but no.  Recalling Richard's devastating Christian opening attacks, I entertained visions of enjoying similar success.  I am getting ahead of myself, though.  As a reminder, starting army dispositions are as shown in the following two battlefield photos.

Christian Army

Muslim Army

Alfonso VI holds initiative when battle erupts, and the King leads his Christian Army forward as it steps off toward the enemy.  First to strike the Arabs are two bodies of heavy cavalry.  Muslim skirmishers fail to evade and are trampled underfoot as the heavy horsemen plow into the Granada Taifa foot.  The horsemen's momentum overpowers the Granadinos.  The tercio is pushed back.  Alfonso's knights fail to pursue, pausing to catch their breath.

In the center, Alfonso's white knights charge forward against the Sevilla tercio.  This time, the protecting skirmishers evade falling back behind the safety offered by the tercio.  For the knights, the distance is too great to reach the enemy's main body.  Disordered from their efforts, the horsemen's attack stalls.  On the Christian right, a body of heavy cavalry charges forward into a body of enemy cavalry.  The Christian cavalry is repulsed!  Already, Alfonso's plan is falling behind Richard's impressive schedule of success seen in Game #3!

Charge drives the enemy back...

but the attacks stall.

Christian charge repulsed!

Yusuf swings cavalry out to the right wing.

Seeing Christian cavalry charges all but stopped, Yusuf goes over on the offense and takes the fight to the enemy.  Advancing with the Badajoz and Sevilla tercios, Alfonso's white knights and a body of Caballeros Villanos are driven away.  While unable to pursue the fleeing horsemen, Arab spearmen grind forward into the red knights.  These heavy cavalry are, likewise, sent trotting to the rear!  All of the Christian cavalry in the center are on the run!  The only fleeting bright spot for Alfonso is that a Muslim body of camels is repulsed after a failed charge out on the Christian right wing. 

With Christian cavalry stalled...

Yusuf attacks!

A small consolation sees camels repulsed.

Into the red knights...

Christian cavalry on the move...to the rear!

Infantry oblige by leaving a large retreat path!

The situation is not all bad for the Christians.  Having repulsed the camels, Christian horsemen counterattack.  A body of Muslim cavalry is driven away and the Christians follow-up in pursuit.  The camels are caught and scattered.  Now, the cat is among the pigeons but has the cat ventured too far?

Wrecking the Arab Left.

Arab battle line is breached!

While Yusuf's Left is crumbling, he presses on in the center.  With crossbowmen shooting and then falling back out of the way, two large blocks of infantry step forward into their place.  Out on the right, Arab light cavalry drives off a body of enemy light cavalry and lunges forward in pursuit.  The enemy is destroyed!  Facing Christian heavy cavalry blocking their way forward, the Sevilla and Granada tercios strike.  First, the heavy horsemen on the right are driven away and then the black knights retreat.  The pride of Alfonso's Army is in tatters.  Even the knights not put to flight are wavering.  Is Alfonso's Army nearing a breaking point?

Crossbow shoot and retreat as light cavalry charge in.

Muslims advance on the enemy.

Christian cavalry are forced back.

Christian light cavalry scattered in pursuit.

Even the Christian cavalry holding on are wavering.

It seems it is!

First, retreating heavy cavalry are caught from behind and dispatched.  Then, Muslim camelry destroy the black knights.  With most of the Christian cavalry neutered, Yusuf's Army advances with impunity.  Still clinging to hope, the Christian battle line regroups.  As the enemy continues to bear down throwing back his Christian warriors as they advance, Alfonso sees the writing on the wall and disengages.

First, one Christian cavalry destroyed...

and then another.

Noose is tightening around Alfonso...

as infantry push on to take the ground.

Determined to keep on fighting...

until Alfonso orders a retreat.

With Alfonso disengaging and Yusuf holding the field, this battle is over.  Victory to the Almoravids and Matt!

Yusuf holds the field.

Congratulations, Matt, for a battle well-played!

When the Christian Army broke, the Butcher's Bill suggests that losses were not so uneven.  The near parity in units lost is deceiving, however.  The Army Breakpoint Clocks showed a big advantage to Matt's Muslim Army.  The point differential (7 points differential) between the two armies suggests that Zallaqah ends in a major Muslim victory.  The Christian knights and Caballeros Villanos are worth much more than other units when destroyed.  Alfonso cannot play a battle of attrition by trading his heavy cavalry for other units.  This is an exchange Alfonso cannot ultimately win.  And he didn't!

Butcher's Bill

Since this outcome follows the historical account closely, what could Alfonso have done differently?  Facing Matt, perhaps nothing!  I certainly did not see the same level of success that Richard enjoyed against me!  However, once the initial Christian cavalry charges were either blunted, stalled, or turned back, withdrawing some of these valuable heavy cavalry from battle may have been a better solution.  Would deciding victory or defeat by the spearmen offer a more sensible approach?  Christian infantry hardly saw serious action.  A tactic to consider next time the Reconquista armies hit the table.

Thanks again, Matt, for a very fun, entertaining, and challenging game.  We finished off in about two-and-a-half hours.  Very good result for a remote game!  As an added bonus, the recently introduced dice frames and smaller dice are working brilliantly to show unit status.  Yay!