BACK OF BEYOND AB1 WEEKEND GAME

A few weeks ago I was away at the weekend at Lundin Links in Fife for a 28mm Back of Beyond game.  Over the 2 days 14 gamers attended from the AB1 group.  We used the Setting the east Ablaze rules.

View along table - Angus Konstam in far distance

The Baku oilfields

 Each player commanded a different faction of 10 units - there were 2 Bolsheviks, 2 Turks,  British, Americans, Italians, Bokharans, Islamist rebels, 2 German Freikorps, Poles and Chinese Warlords

Myself and Angus Konstam were the Bolshevik players but we were both worn down by the attacks of the Turks, Poles, Italians, British and Freikorps who all seemed to have something against Bolsheviks.  Angus’ armoured train was destroyed by a suicide head on run by a Freikorps commandeered locomotive.

Turkish airpower

My Bolshevik faction advances

 

A massive and very enjoyable game and a fun weekend.   Officially it was won by the Italians as they held the tower of Silence holding the Tsars hidden treasure.  Thanks to Ken Pierce who organised the scenario.

The deadly Islamist armoured elephant stampedes into US infantry

Angus' Red faction moves to support me

Tragic end of the  'Red Victory' train in the massive rail crash

Red airforce hero goes down in flames

There is a longer report on Bart’s blog at

http://asienieboje.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/ab1-big-back-and-beyond-game-weekend.html

Thanks to everyone who has helped me get over 250k page views.

THOMOND - IRELAND 12TH CENTURY

On Wednesday I was at Hugh Wilson’s for another Medieval game designed by Dave O’Brien.   It was a variant of his previous French raid game this time set in Ireland in the 12th century.  5 players commanded the English supply missions  whilst Dave umpired and commanded the ambushing Irish.  The table was 14ft long and we used Hail Caesar.

 

Map of the layout showing hidden Irish deployments

Background

Henry de Clare Earl of Pembroke finally managed to marry Domnall Mor Ui Briain’s daughter and ‘surprisingly’ Domnall suddenly died leaving all the lands of Thomand one of the largest areas of Southern Ireland to him and he quickly set about erecting castles to protect his inheritance.  The natives have been extremely upset by this and have launched attacks against isolated castles.

 

Player Briefing

A number of knights have been sent to deliver supplies and reinforcements to the castle at Knock.  Each knight has a small force of troops and either a wagon of supplies or herds of sheep or cattle to deliver to the castle, once the supplies have been delivered that Norman player will then take command of Irish troops. 

Each wagon is worth d3x10 VP’s, a sheep is worth 1 VP and a cow 2 VP’s.  Each skirmish unit destroyed is worth 1VP, each formed infantry unit is worth 2 VP’s and each Fianna unit is worth 4 VP’s.  Troop losses will be deducted, mounted knights are worth 10VP’s and formed troops 4 VP’s.

If your character is killed then all VP’s are lost and your troops will disperse and not take any further part in the game.

 

English press onto Knock

Disaster for the first supply group as their cattle stampede of the road

Hugh's group with their flock of sheep cross the last obstacle before Knock

The game was won by Hugh commanding the 2nd supply group who managed to slip into the lead when Tim's leading group was ambushed by the Irish. A situation made worse when his cattle herd repeatedly stampeded.