Lead Adventure Forum

Miniatures Adventure => Colonial Adventures => Topic started by: guitarheroandy on March 25, 2015, 09:04:02 PM

Title: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: guitarheroandy on March 25, 2015, 09:04:02 PM: A multi-player game at the club on Monday. Andy Mac and I commanded the Pathan tribesmen as Carl and Grahame took charge of the British. The forces were the same as the previous game, as I still haven't quite completed the reinforcements in the form of a British Mountain Gun and another unit of tribal swordsmen.

We played a scenario where the British were attempting to escape down the length of the table, representing the pitiful survivors of a lost battle trying to make it to safety (the retreat from Maiwand, for example). The Tribal warriors had to deploy with half the units in the same half of the table as the British deployed, with the remainder lurking in the final half of the board.

I took overall charge of the tactics, deciding that traditional Pathan tactics of weakening the British by sniping at them then hitting them with massed swordsmen was the order of the day. Jolly good decision as it turned out, as the British played right into our hands.

To be fair, the British were a tad unlucky early on, as our sharpshooters pinned one or other of the British and Sikh units a couple of times, thereby allowing us to shoot them even more and also to get our swordsmen into position...

Here's the initial deployment, Brits at the far end...(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad276/guitarheroandy/NW%20Frontier%20Afghanistan%201880/IMG_0249_zpsczqxkkti.jpg) (http://s943.photobucket.com/user/guitarheroandy/media/NW%20Frontier%20Afghanistan%201880/IMG_0249_zpsczqxkkti.jpg.html)

Here's the British deployment...(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad276/guitarheroandy/NW%20Frontier%20Afghanistan%201880/IMG_0250_zpskk8goav6.jpg) (http://s943.photobucket.com/user/guitarheroandy/media/NW%20Frontier%20Afghanistan%201880/IMG_0250_zpskk8goav6.jpg.html)

The Gurkhas fail a leadership test when attempting to double-move, leading to a staggered advance on the part of the Brits...
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad276/guitarheroandy/IMG_0252_zpsf4pztkcd.jpg) (http://s943.photobucket.com/user/guitarheroandy/media/IMG_0252_zpsf4pztkcd.jpg.html)

Pathan swordsmen lurking in the hills waiting for their rifle-armed colleagues to do their job...(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad276/guitarheroandy/IMG_0254_zpspcggr88y.jpg) (http://s943.photobucket.com/user/guitarheroandy/media/IMG_0254_zpspcggr88y.jpg.html)

The Gurkhas open fire on the Pathan jezzails, pinning them. The poor leadership of the jezzail-armed unit's leader means that he fails his rally roll and his troops rout off table...Bu**er...that wasn't meant to happen!! Clearly the Mullah needs to find some inspirational words for the rest of the tribesmen...
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad276/guitarheroandy/IMG_0256_zpswabeyv3m.jpg) (http://s943.photobucket.com/user/guitarheroandy/media/IMG_0256_zpswabeyv3m.jpg.html)

Under fire from the Pathan sharpshooters, the Sikhs open fire, attempting to shield the Suffolks from the incoming fire...
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad276/guitarheroandy/IMG_0257_zpsye0tgucq.jpg) (http://s943.photobucket.com/user/guitarheroandy/media/IMG_0257_zpsye0tgucq.jpg.html)

The retreat is now moving faster, the Gurkhas attempting to engage the Pathan riflemen hiding in the hills...(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad276/guitarheroandy/IMG_0259_zpstsghdt8x.jpg) (http://s943.photobucket.com/user/guitarheroandy/media/IMG_0259_zpstsghdt8x.jpg.html)

This was the Gurkhas' dice...they needed 5+ to hit, with 3 hits to cause each kill (target at long range and in hard cover means that it takes more hits to kill. Neat mechanism!(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad276/guitarheroandy/IMG_0260_zpsnvrpzjlz.jpg) (http://s943.photobucket.com/user/guitarheroandy/media/IMG_0260_zpsnvrpzjlz.jpg.html)

The riflemen are forced to withdraw. Meanwhile, the Ghazis wait in the nullah as the infidels approach. What you cannot see here is the swordsmen attacking the Sikhs...(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad276/guitarheroandy/IMG_0262_zpsisjmfvcj.jpg) (http://s943.photobucket.com/user/guitarheroandy/media/IMG_0262_zpsisjmfvcj.jpg.html)

The swordsmen butcher the brave Sikhs...(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad276/guitarheroandy/IMG_0263_zpsbz4652mn.jpg) (http://s943.photobucket.com/user/guitarheroandy/media/IMG_0263_zpsbz4652mn.jpg.html)

The Gurkhas gain the hill summit, beating off the riflemen and an attack by the Ghazis (defending cover gives a huge advantage, so even the Ghazis are repulsed)(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad276/guitarheroandy/IMG_0265_zpsvpqbx557.jpg) (http://s943.photobucket.com/user/guitarheroandy/media/IMG_0265_zpsvpqbx557.jpg.html)
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad276/guitarheroandy/IMG_0266_zpsa469ryx7.jpg) (http://s943.photobucket.com/user/guitarheroandy/media/IMG_0266_zpsa469ryx7.jpg.html)

However, for all their valour, the Gurkhas are assailed from all directions...shot at, pinned... Luckily, the Ghazis failed about 5 rally tests in a row and only managed to do so on their last chance before fleeing the table!!! blooming' dice!!!

(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad276/guitarheroandy/IMG_0268_zpsqceszvlt.jpg) (http://s943.photobucket.com/user/guitarheroandy/media/IMG_0268_zpsqceszvlt.jpg.html)

Shortly after this pic, the brave Gurkhas were cut down. Victory to the Pathans!!!

This was another great game. The result was historically plausible, especially given the Pathan tactics, which did work - pinning the British units caused them to be sufficiently weakened so that assaults actually finished them off. After the game, the British commanders were discussing the tactics and wondered if they might have been better off splitting their force early on and trying to drive the Pathan sharpshooters out of the rocks - they may be right, as it was their gunfire that pinned the Sikhs and Suffolks and led to the annihilation of those units. The Gurkhas certainly had things much more their way having driven off the riflemen.

I'll not post any more NWF reports now until I have some extra troops painted, so you can see the effect of, firstly artillery and, after that, cavalry. We'll also try some much bigger scale games once those extra troops are painted.

However, in a few weeks, we intend to try a Maximillian Adventure game, as Grahame has forces for both armies... :D
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: Harry Faversham on March 25, 2015, 10:13:28 PM: Look forward to reading future reports from the front...
fun to read and very inspirational piccys!

:-*
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: Ray Earle on March 25, 2015, 10:19:54 PM: Great report. :)

Look forward to seeing how the rules play out in other theatres.
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: Leigh Metford on March 26, 2015, 04:05:31 AM: It makes perfect sense that rocky ground should provide cover from firing, but in melee? A random scattering of rocks isn't an unbroken linear obstacle; tribesmen would just flow through and around the rocks and come at the defenders from all angles. I've never seen this type of terrain treated this way in any other set of skirmish rules, and with - I think - good reason.
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: Atheling on March 26, 2015, 05:53:29 AM: Blimey! I'm getting left behind with the playtesting! Ten or eleven more Beja on my workbench despite cutting a chunk out of of my thumb off yesterday!

Getting ready for the Sudan playtesting.

Great rep Andy. I've really enjoyed reading each and every one of them thus far and it's provided me with a nice insight into the game that compliments my reading of the rules 8) 8) 8)

Darrell.
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: danmer on March 26, 2015, 07:54:31 AM: Hey Andy, what fate befell the Suffolks? Cut to pieces again?!?
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: guitarheroandy on March 26, 2015, 08:03:44 AM: Quote from: Leigh Metford on March 26, 2015, 04:05:31 AM
It makes perfect sense that rocky ground should provide cover from firing, but in melee? A random scattering of rocks isn't an unbroken linear obstacle; tribesmen would just flow through and around the rocks and come at the defenders from all angles. I've never seen this type of terrain treated this way in any other set of skirmish rules, and with - I think - good reason.

To be fair, the rules do state that each piece of terrain should have its effects discussed and agreed before playing. We mistakenly classed the rocks as hard cover when working out combat - we should have classed them as soft (natural cover tends to be classed as 'soft' and man-made walls, sangars, etc, should be 'hard'). Classing the rocks as soft cover would have given the defenders some advantage in melee, but not much. Silly really, as we'd been treating them as 'soft' cover against shooting... :?

The terrain rules, as with much of the whole set, uncomplicated (as opposed to 'simplify') things considerably to avoid too many stats, etc. I like this, as it means that, once a rule set is familiar to me, I make less errors than the one noted above!! ;)

Players who like a more detailed (or a more 'simulation-esque') approach to everything probably won't get as much out of TMWWBK, as it is deliberately designed to keep everything un-complicated. This leads to some degree of generalisation. However, one can easily customise to suit the theatre of war being played. This is something I really like, as it's something that I can easily do with friends at the club, as we trust each other to design a good game for both sides. I wouldn't ever consider this set for any type of tournament play. It is emphatically NOT designed for such a beast!!! I also wouldn't use it for re-fighting well-known actions at conventions. There are other sets that I'm sure would work many times better for that sort of thing. I would use it for a participation game at a convention. It's ideal for that!

Anyway, we'll see how the Foreign Legion get on against the Mexicans in a few weeks and I will be back on the NWF with artillery in a few weeks as well. By the summer, I hope to be on the South African veldt fighting the pesky Boer as well...

...And yes, Dan...the Suffolks were hacked down by swordsmen. They really should have stayed at home ploughing their fields and growing their barley... :D
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: danmer on March 26, 2015, 09:38:15 AM: I love the pinned markers by the way! Great stuff :)
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: wulfgar22 on March 26, 2015, 10:55:58 AM: Gripping stuff!
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: Harry Faversham on March 26, 2015, 12:46:35 PM: Andy, are the rules available to buy yet, or are you still working on 'em?
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: guitarheroandy on March 26, 2015, 12:52:57 PM: Quote from: Harry Faversham on March 26, 2015, 12:46:35 PM
Andy, are the rules available to buy yet, or are you still working on 'em?

Summer 2016 release, I believe. I hope that appetites are being well and truly whetted so that there'll be a big sales run come release day!! :D

We are just into the second phase of playtests at the moment. It's a fascinating process to be part of. Am incredibly grateful to Dan for allowing me to be a part of it.
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: wulfgar22 on March 26, 2015, 02:41:40 PM: Quote from: guitarheroandy on March 26, 2015, 12:52:57 PM
Summer 2016 release, I believe. I hope that appetites are being well and truly whetted

Well and truly! Going to be a long time till Summer 2016...plenty of time to build up some armies, I guess!
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: Malamute on March 26, 2015, 02:43:25 PM: Another splendid report. These rules are sounding rather good. :)
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: Ray Earle on March 26, 2015, 03:22:16 PM: Quote from: Malamute on March 26, 2015, 02:43:25 PM
Another splendid report. These rules are sounding rather good. :)

Time to get some Artizan NWF? ;)
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: Malamute on March 26, 2015, 03:31:54 PM: Quote from: Ray Earle on March 26, 2015, 03:22:16 PM
Time to get some Artizan NWF? ;)

lol

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

I've just dived into the F&IW instead ;)
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: Dr. The Viking on March 26, 2015, 03:39:06 PM: Quote from: Malamute on March 26, 2015, 03:31:54 PM
lol

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

I've just dived into the F&IW instead ;)

Muahaha! I will go for this!
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: Alcide Nikopol on March 26, 2015, 06:28:07 PM: Brilliant presentation. Thanks for sharing your photos.
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: Harry Faversham on March 16, 2016, 03:24:42 AM: I'm interested to know what make and shade of khaki paint was used on the British Empire figures?

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JWmwYlu_Tmw/VR-wesW6IqI/AAAAAAAADZc/hrUlsE-VW4s/s1600/IMG_0153.JPG)

???
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: Atheling on March 16, 2016, 10:06:20 AM: Nice AAR Andy 8)

Judging by the interest generated by your posts it looks like TMWWBK are going to be a big hit in the wargaming market which is great 8) 8)

Darrell.
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: guitarheroandy on March 16, 2016, 10:04:01 PM: Quote from: Harry Faversham on March 16, 2016, 03:24:42 AM
I'm interested to know what make and shade of khaki paint was used on the British Empire figures?

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JWmwYlu_Tmw/VR-wesW6IqI/AAAAAAAADZc/hrUlsE-VW4s/s1600/IMG_0153.JPG)

???

On the Sikhs and Gurkhas, Foundry Drab Light, washed with Army Painter Strong Tone, matted down with Testors Dullcote, then highlighted back up with the Drab Light. The actual Queen's British unit uses the Shade and mid-tone of Foundry Drab plus the Light Drab in typical 3-layer style.
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: James Morris on March 16, 2016, 10:14:48 PM: Fine game report and good pics too! Thanks Andy.
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: Harry Faversham on March 17, 2016, 02:15:14 AM: :) Thanks Andy. :)
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: rokurota on March 17, 2016, 10:16:04 AM: Andy, this rules could work fine with the Boshin war (1868/69)?
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: guitarheroandy on March 17, 2016, 12:51:17 PM: Sorry, I don't know anything about the Boshin War, but the time frame is about right. If it has regular vs irregular troops you'd probably be fine.
Title: Re: One More TMWWBK Playtest Game...
Post by: rokurota on March 17, 2016, 02:35:44 PM: Boshin war was the last civil war in Japan, not is a colonial war, so I fear that would not work with these rules.