Ankh: Gods of Egypt

 Couple weeks ago, became intrigued by this board game with miniatures. having always been fascinated by Ancient Kemet, and with the miniatures looking so awesome, I decided to take the plunge and make the purchase. It has turned out to be what it I hoped for and more. At first I thought I'd just paint the figs, but then I tried out the game. Granted, its not made for solo play, but I wanted to see how the mechanics played out. It was a blast...

The Cole Box comes with the following miniatures, all molded in different colored plastic. (Coded to each of the five Gods, plus the Guardians [lesser known or powerful entities from Kemet/Egypt]) But it didn't take long for me to take a further plunge, and begin to paint each of the figures. And they are beautiful sculptures to say the least. While the Warriors that go with the Gods are for the most part average (although the Isis Warriors are very nice), the Gods and Guardians are excellent, and paint up extremely well. There are supplements for seven additional Gods,  numerous other Guardians, and even upgrade gaming tools. 

So to start the tour, we'll look at the figures that come with the Core Box, the God in the center, flanked by the Warriors...

Spanish Attack on Port Royal

 As one of the Spanish players involved in our Blood and Plunder Campaign still going strong nearly a year later, I've been able to change history and build up a fairly strong Fleet. Combining with the second Spanish player, we have two Galleons, two Merchant Frigates, four Brigs/Brigantines, and six Sloops. The following photos preview an upcoming game that will show the Spanish assaulting Port Royal in 1666. The game will consist of 1/700 and 1/600 scale models from Warlord Games Black Sails; Firelock Games Oak and Iron; and Leviathan Design. The 2D map is taken from a 17th century map, and Fort Charles I constructed out of balsa wood. We're going to use regular Blood and Plunder rules as this may be a one-up game at this scale and don't want to complicate matters by learning another set of rules. 

The amazingly narrow Port Royal peninsula with the Spanish on left (Sloops at top; Galleons/Frigates at center; Brigs lower left), and Buccaneer and Merchant ships on right. Harbor entrance is at top with Fort Charles at the peninsula's tip...

Focusing on the Galleons (l) and Frigates (r) approaching Ft Charles...

Down on the decks so to speak...

Fort Charles. Incredibly I located a source that showed me the exact guns, caliber and positions within the fort. Nine guns total at this early stage, two 12lb; four 9lb; and three 6lb...

While the rest of my Port Royal was simply drawn then painted, I just had to model the Fort in 3D. I didn't attempt to model the actual gun embrasures (afraid that the the balsa would simply begin to fall apart) but I like how the paint effects worked at this scale...

We'll see how the fight goes this coming Wednesday...

An Historical Notice

 Never would we have thought that a wargaming battle from our table recreating an event in the Russian Civil War in 1919, would reappear historically in our present day. Back in January,  we fought the Whites and Reds in the town of Kherson, located in southern Ukraine. Obviously, if you are keeping abreast of present events, Kherson finds itself again in the news. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of the Ukraine as they fight for their freedom!

Slave Revolt: Rome in Saga

 Just a small collection retelling a fight between a roving band of slaves against a Roman Republican force trying to protect the citizens hold-up in the country villa.

Its nighttime as the slaves (at top) approach the villa. The Legionaires at stationed alongside the Villa...

a closeup of the Romans; Velites up front, Hastatus and Princips next, backed up by Triarii, flanked by the commanding Tribune...

Later in the fight, many slaves and Roman have been slain, (the black cutouts show where the fight was fiercest). The Slave commander and a few of his men threaten the Villa, while the Tribune moves up his Triarii (in white near Villa), Hastatus (left)and Velites. (to the Tribune's left)..

A second closeup with the Roman (l-r) Hastatus, Velites, and Tribune. The fight will come to an end, with the slaves setting fire to the Villa, but with only a handful of slaves surviving the fight...

May you always make your throws!

Attack on St. Eustatius, 1666

 It has been a while since we had a Blood & Plunder game, as most of our moves have been on the map. This game involved a group of Buccaneers from Tortuga moving against the Dutch colony of St. Eustatius (which had actually been occupied by English Buccaneers out of Port Royal. When the attackers demanded 1000 pieces/eight in lieu of an attack, Captain Morgan (Henry's uncle) answered back, that Governor Modyford of Jamaica, would hang them as pirates. As the defenders burned their Bark drawn up at the dock (knowing they couldn't defend it, The attackers then landed many of their men south of the fort. Unknown to the attackers, the defenders had moved three groups of Freebooters and one of Sea Dogs into the woods, to oppose the advance.

As the first group of Zeelieden made it onto the table, some Freebooters rose up and blasted a volley into the Dutch, dropping four!

Two more additional Zeelieden appeared, answered by two Freebooters, who inflicted more casualties. 

The attacking commander now realized he had recruited no muskets for his force. He would have to make it into melee...

More and more Dutch arrive, while two 9lbers from the Fort (top left) score tow more hits...

On the third turn, the Dutch finally make contact and inflict the first losses of the English, but the Freebooters are able to retire in order towards the fort...

The will of the Dutch commander is finally broken as additional cannon fire and musket fire rip into his men. But the final straw was the counterattack of English Sea Dogs, who wiped out one of the Zeelieden units. He decided to attempt to besiege the English instead of a direct assault...

Til under time, may you make your saving rolls!

Test of Honor:16th Century, Age of Sengoku

 The group has played several games based on the Test of Honor system. A possibility of a campaign has led me to restart painting my troops.

The following, from left to right includes the Clans of: Uesugi; Shimazu; Hojo; and Takeda. They show (from front to back for each) Samurai, Ashigaru Yari (spearmen), Yumi (bowmen), and Tempo (arquebus). These figures are from Footsore, Perry, and AW Miniatures.

A closeup of some Ashigaru, all from AW Miniatures...

Some Ashigaru holding Nodori 

The famous Daimyo Takeda Shingen, (Perry Miniatures)  the 'Tiger of Kai'...

The final photos (for now) are several very old samurai (from the 1980s), in fact so old I don't even remember their manufacturers. Fortunately the craftsmen making our miniatures today have come a long way!...

Four more Clans including (l-r): Chosokobe; Date; Mori; and Oda...

Another Attempt at Kherson:

 Following two days of ineffective artillery bombardment, the Reds moved into the eastern suburbs and began pushing towards the Station. Meanwhile they launched another wave of men from the north as well.

While the Red Artillery failed to inflict casualties, the French Armored Train (offboard) and MMG to the right of Station, succeeded in dropping a total of four from one unit although it passed its morale check... 

At the end of the first turn, a Bolshevik unit appeared on the Greek's flank, from the eastern suburbs. Being a low-trained unit, they can't move and fire, so they had to wait for the Greek response. It was quick and deadly, as half of the unit was mowed down by the Greeks in the house on left along with the Evzoni in the cemetery. They also failed their morale, so they could not advance until they recovered (if they got the chance). The only possible good news was the Evzoni rolled for low ammo! Another such roll (x2 1s vs x1 6) and they would be out of ammunition!

Turn Two on the Red's right flank saw the unit take more losses from French Artillery and MMG fire, and losing their morale, are suppressed now as well. Two additional Red units passed them by to their left...

At the Station, enthusiastic Red Guards pushed quickly forward, but like their compatriots further to the left, they can't move and shoot. The Greeks along the RR tracks punished them as well, with half the unit going down. They too, came up short on their morale roll and they are suppressed! At least the Red Artillery finally found the range and destroyed a French MMG (upper left) and two Greeks dug in along tracks. (to the right of MMG)

The remaining half of the Red troops in the eastern suburb chose to fire at the Greeks inside the building to the left, but they missed everything! The Greek return fire was nearly as deadly as the first, as only the unit officer survived. Miraculously he passed his morale and didn't have to retreat. Unfortunately for the Greeks in the house, they too rolled for low ammo!

At the start of the next turn, French Artillery downed another Red, while their MMG took two more! Surprisingly, the 'Bolshies' passed their morale check...for now.

The Greeks started taking casualties in the house facing the eastern suburbs...

Bolshevik Artillery finally scored as they destroyed a French MMG along with two Greeks at the Station House. The Greeks failed their morale and so are suppressed (yellow cap)...

In turn Four, the Bolshevik unit that passed their morale on the right, failed this time. Losing more men plus both their commander AND the Commissar, virtually guaranteed that result...

Luck finally caught up with the Red Guard unit as well when suffering more casualties they became suppressed...

Back at the House, the Greeks moved more men to be able to bring fire on the Reds in the eastern suburb. Fortunately for them, no attacks took place this turn (Reds were pulling back and rearming)...

Turn Five saw the routing of the Red unit on the far right. An exchange of fire at the Station saw a Frenchman go down, but more numerous were the Red's losses. This unit went low on ammo (red cap) and failed morale check forcing it to retreat next activation (two yellow caps)...

The Greeks succeeded in breaking the Red Guard (literally one man, the NCO!), but they suffered two casualties as well...

The Greeks holding the House dropped two Reds, but seeing that they will be outflanked may cause them to retire or counterattack next turn...

On the next Turn, the Bolshevik attack on their right is in complete retreat, one unit with one man left...

The attack in the center is not much better (one lone Red Guard fleeing, while the men facing the Station House are suppressed. Support is moving up (lower left) but better yet for the Reds, The Greek Unit in front of the cemetery has run out of ammo! (two rep caps)...

In the eastern suburbs, while one Red unit is suppressed, another is coming up in support. The Greeks who retired out of the house, have sent word to the French commander in the Station House; help is needed!

Turn 9 saw the Whites miss with their artillery, but the Reds brought down one Frenchman (center of Station House). The Greek unit which had run out of ammo, decided to fall back (top left center)...

Over at the eastern suburbs, the Greeks charged into melee, and proceeded to lose in a 2-1 advantage fight! Fortunately for them they passed their morale check. Meanwhile a 'Bolshie' unit (bottom right) which had lost men to the Evzoni, gambled that they would get the initiative before the Greeks next turn, by charging into the open towards those Evzoni...

Turn 10 saw the Reds shoot down one of the retreating Greeks, while the Greeks in the Station House brought down one of theirs. And both passed their morale...

Evzoni on left after shooting down some Reds, go out of ammo!

The gamble payed off as the Boshevik got the initiative and blasted down three Evzoni who finally failed a morale check! Before they ran out of ammunition, the Greeks did get two Reds in revenge. Not good for the Allies however...

The lone White unit with the Allies, failed its morale (very shaky at best) and so failed to move forward ( seen at top). The last French MMG redeployed next to the Russians while the melee between the Greeks and Russians (at bottom) continued...

This time, the Greeks did very well. After defending themselves with no losses (and getting two Reds!) against the counterattacking Reds this turn, they succeeded as all four Greeks defeated their enemies, which broke the Reds morale to boot! Great time for that to happen as it appears the Allies will continue to fall back in this sector...

Turn 11 saw the Reds inflict two more casualties of the retiring Greeks, including the units officer, which helped caused them to fail their morale...

The unit of Whites recovered their morale, while the French MMG got one casualty near the Church (before a Greek unit retired into their line of site), but it was the unit's officer! May help the Evzoni withdraw from the cemetery (lower right)...

Turn 12. This could be it. Can the Allies make their move successfully to Kherson's riverfront and possible evacuation? A Bolshevik unit charged into the cemetery, only to be greeted by fire from the Greeks still holding part of the Station House. Three Reds go down, and they become suppressed. Most of the Reds cannot pursue the Allies so hope grows...

While the White unit continues to advance (a great surprise), The Greek Howitzer places a well-aimed shot that takes out two Reds...and they become suppressed! The French MMG downs two Reds including the unit's LMG! No Bolshevik unit can advance. All three Greek units retire, although the poor Evzoni only roll a move of 3"! Guess they don't like retreating...

With the closest Bolshevik units all suppressed, the Allies successfully retired towards Kherson's waterfront and evacuation. It was quite the fight.