Babylon 16

A funny thing happened on the path to fielding these light infantry skirmishers.

In preparation for playtesting Ian's Rein-Bow Warriors, his rules require more skirmishing troops than does either Impetvs or To the Strongest!.  Ian said, "I need more Hittite skirmishers."  I snapped into action and pulled javelinmen from The Lead Pile and set to work.  It was only after I was part way through with painting these sixteen figures that I realized the figures on the workbench were not Hittites at all.  The figures were actually Babylonians.  Sigh.  I pressed on and finished them.

Off the painting desk today are four stands of four Babylonian javelinmen.  These sixteen figures are Newline Designs.  Next time, I will double check the figures before slapping on the paint.  More Biblicals are in the painting queue but work returns to the Sumerian project.

On the gaming front, a second remote battle of Brawner's Farm is on today's agenda.  This time, I face off against Peter (Grid-based wargaming but not always).  Peter will step into the role of Stonewall Jackson while I try to lead the Iron Brigade to victory.  With a time zone difference of 20 hours between us, I am playing on Thursday while Peter is playing on Friday.  Should be fun.

Battle for Brawner's Farm BatRep

After having sent out a call for players willing to participate in a remote ACW hex-based game in 10mm, juggling time zones proved difficult.  I received two volunteers from the same time zone so Brawner's Farm would be a two-player game.  Jennifer from Florida would command the Federals and Ivan from Michigan would command the Rebels.  This would be both players' first sampling of moderated, remote wargaming.  The game was fought on 09 October.

Prior to game day, each player received a scenario packet including the initial game map shown below:

Battle Overview

Only a few Confederate gun sections begin on table.  Elements of King's Union division were caught in column marching along the Warrenton Turnpike when battle begins.  Startled by the sudden arrival of incoming artillery from the higher ground to the north, Federal brigades of Gibbon and Doubleday snap into action to address the situation.

Let's see how the battle developed.

Gibbon's Iron Brigade swings off to skirt
the east end of Brawner's Woods
while a gun section unlimbers to cover Brawner's Farm.

As Gibbon turns into the woods, reports are received
 that Rebel troops are approaching the farmhouse.

View from the Rebel, overhead webcam.

Doubleday peels off to advance upon the farm.
Baylor and several batteries arrive as Lawton approaches.
King brings up more Federal guns into the woods.

The Iron Brigade working through the woods.

Both combatants take up positions along the fence line
 with a No-Man's developing between them.
Rebels position guns to the east to harass Gibbon.

View from east end of battlefield

The lines are drawn.

While Gibbon distracts Rebel reinforcements,
 Doubleday prepares an attack with artillery support
 upon Jackson and Brawner's Farm. 

Double prepares assault on farmhouse.

The Federals assault!

2 WIS charges Rebel guns positioned at the edge
 of the woods.
With devastating volleys from Lawton's Brigade
 almost on its flank, the 2 WIS wavers.

At the farm, Doubleday takes fire from the west
 and his assault loses steam.

With heavy casualties,Doubleday calls off the attack.

Lawton's Rebels eject the 2 WIS from the field
 as the Federal right is threatened.

As darkness falls, Rebel forces are heard working their way around the Federal left.  With the Federal right also in jeopardy, Doubleday and Gibbon call off the attack and retire into the growing darkness.  What was gained by this action?  Well, besides heavy casualties, Federal troops now know where Jackson's command is situated.  Today, Jackson (Ivan) is victorious.  Tomorrow is another day.

Saturday's gaming session was quite enjoyable.  Having two players unfamiliar with both rules and remote gaming, both took to the challenge with ease.  After a brief introduction and a quick work through the technology, Jennifer and Ivan dove in with little difficulty.  Within two turn turns of play, both players had command of both the rules and technology.  Having conquered those two hurdles, Jennifer and Ivan concentrated on tactics.  I could see tactics developing as the battle progressed.  Quite enjoyable to watch as the battle unfolded.  Well-played by both.  In a post-game retrospective, we discussed adding in additional troops to bolster the Federal position.  King's division had two brigades nearby that could have thrown their weight into the fray.  Perhaps a rematch may be in order?  I would enjoy that.

Thanks to both players for a very enjoyable Saturday gaming session.  That was fun!

For Jennifer's battle account from the Federal perspective, please see Brawner's Farm at her Librarian Gamer blog. 

Battle of Tell Dapur II

something interesting going on here.

After Ian and my first remote playtest of Ian's Rein-Bow Warriors on 30 SEP, we were back in action at Tell Dapur for a second fight of the battle only four days later.  A few rules modifications and clarifications were noted and off we went.

Did this battle result in a different outcome than the first?  Please read on to discover for yourself in this brief battle pictorial.

Armies face-off from across the table

Chariots swing into motion
zipping all over no-man's land.

Enemy chariots clash on the Egyptian right in an even match.

While on the left, the Egyptians are outnumbered.

In the chariot clash on the left,
the Egyptians break off and rout away.
Not a good start toward winning a battle.

On the right chariot swarm,
arrows fly as chariots make another pass.

In the center chariot clash,
 the Egyptians are again outnumbered.

The fleeing Egyptian chariots are hotly pursued.
Out of arrows, chariots return to base.

Help!  I'm being tailed!

Showing that chariots have great maneuverability,
Hittite pursuers swing around behind Egyptian lines
while Egyptian chariots swing in behind them!

Ramesses' Guard wheels to face the intruders.

Out of arrows and behind enemy lines, Hittites
sweep behind the Egyptian line then head for home.
Egyptian chariots take up the chase. 

Finally, the infantry step forward to give battle
while Egyptian bowmen find their mark.

With a pair of Hittite chariots resuppled and heading back,
a second pair reach the supply wagons. 
Egyptian chariots spin around and take up position.

The infantry fight continues.

Both battle lines begin to crumble.

But victory rests at the feet of Ramesses!

This version of the battle was exciting from the start.  Chariots from both sides raced out into the middle of the field and came to blows immediately.  Outnumbered, the Egyptian chariotry lost more than they won but were able to drive the Hittites away from Ramesses and the Egyptian camp.

As in the first game, the infantry battle never really begins in earnest until the chariot battle is either decided or the warriors are out of missiles.  This time, it was the supply issue that hampered the Hittite deep thrust into the Egyptian backfield.  Having a shorter line to a supply source and a great movement rate, Egyptian chariots could resupply and return to action before the Hittites could return to camp and resupply.  

Also as in Game 1, Egyptian archery proved that it, again, was the 'decider.'  These bowmen shot up one unit forcing it to break while badly mauling a second.

Another action-packed contest.  Was this truly an Egyptian victory or a result of Ramesses' propaganda?  History must decide.

Thank you, Ian, for another enjoyable game!

Sumerian Javelinmen

Biblical work remains at the fore at present.  Given the desire to make progress on the fledgling Sumerian Wars project and in playtesting Ian's Biblical Rein-Bow Warriors rules (three games in the last week), not much else is on the painting desk. Well, not quite true.  I finished WotR Battle #4 of 52 figures that is awaiting its turn at the photo booth and I begin work on Battle #5.

One troop type needed for the Sumerian project is javelin skirmishers.  Given my mix of Hittite and Egyptian troops, Ian's chariot wars game requires me to field more skirmishers as well.  Killing two birds with one stone, off the painting table today are two dozen Sumerian javelinmen based as skirmishers on six bases of four skirmishers each.  While technically from Wargames Foundry's Sumerian catalog, I will be pressing these fellows into service as Hittites in the Rein-Bow Warriors playtests.  Close enough?  I think so.

Back to Rein-Bow Warriors playtesting.  Over the last week, three remote battle have been fought including the first action recorded here. While I call these activities 'playtesting', a more fitting term would be development.  Some design elements are examined closely too.  With many of the concepts in place, the rules are being tested under game conditions.  Under such stress, some processes work and others do not.  Holes are spotted and plugged. Variance in interpretations must be unified.  Like no plan survives contact with the enemy, playtesting has its own similar corollary.  More on this front in the weeks and months to come.  I may even find time to write up the battle reports on Games #2 and #3.  Is playtesting more difficult in a remote setting vs. F2F?  Perhaps, this is a topic for another time.

Battle of Tell Dapur: A Playtest

With all of the remote gaming, rules' development, and playtesting conducted during the Tuesday gaming sessions over the last twelve months, Ian decided to toss his development hat into the ring.  Although relatively late to the party, my understanding is that Ian's rules, Rein-Bow Warriors (RBW), have been in various states of development for a number of years.  Now, he has added RBW group playtesting into the fray of his Late Bronze Age rules.

RBW saw its first group outing a couple of weeks ago as Ian hosted a remote game using 6mm figures.  I was unable to attend but Ian made it through his first remote hosting trial undaunted.  To follow up, I offered my 25mm Biblical collections and table to a remote playtest session for Ian and myself on Thursday.  We wanted to further development and work out any kinks before dropping it onto the group as a whole. 

What follows is the battle report of my first encounter with RBW.

Ian put together a hypothetical battle between the Hittites and Egyptians near the ancient Tell of Dapur with deployments as,

Battle Deployments
courtesy Ian Lowell

I translated Ian's deployments (while rotating the battle 180 degrees) into,

Initial deployments

Initial Deployments

Hittites

Egyptians

With Ian commanding the Hittites and I commanding the Egyptians, on to battle!

Ian's remote battle view from webcam
with three cameras from which to choose.

Chariots and flanking skirmishers head out onto the plain.
Chariots kick up dust as they drive forward.

Egyptian chariots on the left.

Hittite chariots in action.

The third pair of Hittite chariots swings out onto
 the Hittite right while enemy chariots clash in the middle.
  The chariots in the center pass through each
 other firing arrows as they pass.
Yellow circles denote a chariot "No Enter Zone for foot."

Close-up of clash on center-left.
Egyptian slingers pass a Mettle Test as the
Hittite chariots approach.

Egyptian bowmen on right flank are not as lucky
 and waver at the sight of oncoming chariots.

Battle seen from Hittite left.

Chariots wheel around and pass back through
 each other a second time.

Egyptian front line shudders at approach of enemy chariots
(green dice showing erosion of Mettle).

Intense chariot battles rage as the third Hittite chariot
 pair begins harassing Egyptian slingers via caracole.

Out of missiles, chariots retire to resupply.

Back to the supply wagons!

Egyptians resupply.

Hittites resupply.

With chariots out of battle, the fight is continued by foot.

Hittite skirmishers on the Hittite left put a halt to the

 Egyptian advance on that flank while Egyptian bowmen

 begin to make their presence felt.

Infantry advance.

Shaken by javelin fire from skirmishers,
Egyptian infantry buckles when attacked by formed troops.
  They flee in rout. 

Egyptian bowmen keep up a heavy fusilade.
The Hittite line is beginning to break apart.

The battle is in the balance.

Distant view of the game in progress.
  A bit messy on the far end, I think.

Chariots are back in action but not for long.
Chariots retreat for the rear after a brief clash on the left.
The Hittite army is breaking for the rear.

With the Hittite King wounded and his army crumbling
 around him, he orders a retreat.

Victory to the Egyptians!

This battle provided a very interesting introduction into the design of Ian's RBW.  I have been monitoring game development as he sends out bits of documentation, explanations, graphics, and reference sheets leading up to the game.  Many concepts were foreign to me and I was not sure what to expect.  After a few turns of maneuvering chariots and combat, game design and application began to gel.  An enjoyable playtest and a very interesting perspective of Late Bronze Age warfare.  Oh, and while my figures are not based in accordance with rules' specifications, my basing scheme worked fine.

Ian and I have a second playtest scheduled for Monday to reinforce changes made during this game.  On Tuesday, we host this battle for the weekly, remote gaming group.  

Thank you, Ian, for a very enjoyable five hour gaming session!