31 January 2014
5th Blog Birthday!
Happy Blog-Birthday to the Man Cave - 5 years old today with some 1500 posts. In that time we have had over a quarter of a million hits and gained almost 400 followers (Hmmm...must do sort of competition when we hit that milestone).
Thanks so much to everyone for the support to the ramblings of the Man Cave Gamers!
30 January 2014
CanCon 2014 Demo Games - Muskets & Tomahawks
The French fort - armed with heavy cannon and manned by French Regular troops |
I hadn't played the rules before and was really keen to give them (and the period - who doesn't love Last of the Mohicans, after all) The gents running the game had been playing a campaign over the weekend and we targeted this day, in which the British forces would be attacking a French Fort. As you can see, the collection of great figures and fantastic terrain really made this a treat to play.
The Battlefield - the Fort is in the top left corner, the British entered on the right hand side and via sea |
Setting up my force (pic courtesy of Chris from the Moruya Marauders) |
Rule Brittannia: the Royal Navy Frigate and boats waiting to land |
Foresters in a skirmish line lead my Provincials onto the table... |
...and immediately come under fire from the French fort. |
Meanwhile the British ships arrive... |
...and start landing the Guards foot troops |
Another perspective of the landing captured by TrailApe |
My troops slowly made their way up the road and were lucky that the artillery fire was inaccurate, as the balls would have chopped a huge swath through them while in column. Instead the French sifted their fire to the landing Guardsmen and they suffered badly but made steady progress onto the French line.
The Guardsmen land under heavy fire |
My provincials move up to support the landings while the Foresters flank the position on the right |
I found the T&H rules quite easy to use and after only a few turns we were working most rolls out for ourselves. The game is card driven in the style of many Too Fat Lardies games, which is a mechanic I really enjoy. The game felt right for a black powder period game and the advantages and disadvantages of the different troop types were evident.
Thanks to Doug and the other guys from the Canberra Gentlemen Gamers for sharing their most excellent toys and running a very enjoyable game. Its a period I have always found interesting but never played. I'm really glad we did.
So very tempted
Its been a long while since I cracked any OGRE or GEV goodies out, but I was very tempted when I saw this 13kgs of awesomeness at the CanCon game show last weekend...
My will power held out though, assisted by an empty wallet anyway!
My will power held out though, assisted by an empty wallet anyway!
29 January 2014
CanCon 2014 Demo Games - Bolt Action
The first game we played at CanCon was Bolt Action, put on by David and his sons from the Demo Gamers (who have a great blog here). My friend Peter and I played the Germans, defending this rather magnificent stone hotel in the middle of the table in a Hold Util Relieved scenario.
David and his sons had done a fantastic job building the terrain throughout the year in preparation, and they had different table for each day. Scattered about them were some rather interesting pieces!
The game saw US forces assault the building (very successfully) while Germans waited eagerly for reinforcements. Modified building assault rules were used to make the most of the lovely multi room features of the Hotel building model.
The German reinforcements came on and forced out the US forces in turn; the assaults were bloody on both sides. Most successful was our Hetzer who entered the battle, immobilised the enemy Sherman tank with its first shot and dispatched it permanently with its second.
Not content with that, the Hetzer then trundled down the road, smashed into the Hotel courtyard and panzerblitzed a US infantry squad at close range, forcing it back just before they gained entry into the building. Give that Tank Commander an Iron Cross!
David and his sons had done a fantastic job building the terrain throughout the year in preparation, and they had different table for each day. Scattered about them were some rather interesting pieces!
A different kind of hung up paratrooper from that at Sainte Mere Eglise! |
A wondeful scratch built WW1 memorial - inscribed with all the names of Australian VC winners in WW1 |
Start the ominous Jaws music... |
US Infantrymen storm the Hotel lobby and start clearing out the German defenders |
HetzerCam: The US Commander now requires 5 Purple hearts... |
A maelstrom of close assaults followed, which left both sides exhausted. The game was called on time before we got to the end. With each side only able to muster one or two unshattered units, the game was declared a most enjoyable draw.
Thanks again to David and our opponents for all their hard work to deliver a lot of fun to all players!
28 January 2014
2014 CanCon Blood Bowl Tourney!
Hi there, Right Stuff here. 2014 CanCon hosted a Blood bowl tournament which is the National Championships. I competed in the tournament for my third time. This time though I took a race that I was not used to playing, That race....Pro Elves. I am normally a Bash coach but I recently took interest in the speed and agility side of the game and have taken the elves to the tourney.
Here's my starting roster:
2 x Blitzers
3 x Catchers
1 x Thrower
6 x Lineman
1 x Re- Roll
Game 1: Chaos
Score: 2-0 Win
Cas: 1-1
Catcher Gained Dodge Skill
Game 2: Undead
Score:1-2 Loss
Cas: 2-3
Bought 4th Catcher after the game. I wish I'd bought an apothecary first.
Blitzer Gained Dodge Skill
Catchers 3 and 5 gained dodge
Game 3:Dwarf
score:1-2 Loss
cas:0-3
Lineman was -av
Thrower gained Leader Skill
Catcher Gained Dodge
Catcher gained +AG
Game 4: Dwarf
score:1-2
cas:0-5
Catcher was -St. Lineman was -MA
Blitzer(other one) gained Dodge Skill
Game 5: Lizardmen
Score: 1-3 Loss
cas-0-7
Thrower was MNG. Lineman MNG
Catcher gained +MA
Game 6: Chaos
score:3-0 Win
cas:4-3
2 St Catcher killed (but I won some new block dice by having the first player killed in the round!)
Blitzer gained guard - this Blodging Sidestep Guard piece was amazing!!!
Game 7: Chaos Pact
score: 2-0 Win
cas: 1-4
After all that I placed 23rd out of 46 players with a record of 3 wins 4 losses, and got a cool Beast of Nurgle figure from the West Coast Quake as a prize. Thanks to all my opponents for the fun games. I am looking forward to next year where I will either take Lizardmen or Skaven but until then... or my next post..... Goodbye!!
Here's my starting roster:
2 x Blitzers
3 x Catchers
1 x Thrower
6 x Lineman
1 x Re- Roll
Game 1: Chaos
Score: 2-0 Win
Cas: 1-1
Catcher Gained Dodge Skill
Right stuff enjoying the glow of a Round 1 win! |
Game 2: Undead
Score:1-2 Loss
Cas: 2-3
Bought 4th Catcher after the game. I wish I'd bought an apothecary first.
Blitzer Gained Dodge Skill
Catchers 3 and 5 gained dodge
Game 3:Dwarf
score:1-2 Loss
cas:0-3
Lineman was -av
Thrower gained Leader Skill
Catcher Gained Dodge
Catcher gained +AG
Clearly something interesting was unfolding at this point...! |
score:1-2
cas:0-5
Catcher was -St. Lineman was -MA
Blitzer(other one) gained Dodge Skill
Game 5: Lizardmen
Score: 1-3 Loss
cas-0-7
Thrower was MNG. Lineman MNG
Catcher gained +MA
Game 6: Chaos
score:3-0 Win
cas:4-3
2 St Catcher killed (but I won some new block dice by having the first player killed in the round!)
Blitzer gained guard - this Blodging Sidestep Guard piece was amazing!!!
Game 7: Chaos Pact
score: 2-0 Win
cas: 1-4
After all that I placed 23rd out of 46 players with a record of 3 wins 4 losses, and got a cool Beast of Nurgle figure from the West Coast Quake as a prize. Thanks to all my opponents for the fun games. I am looking forward to next year where I will either take Lizardmen or Skaven but until then... or my next post..... Goodbye!!
My cool prize (pic from the West Coast Quake site here) |
27 January 2014
CanCon 2014
Right Stuff at the entrance, ready to Blood Bowl! |
Comrade James deploys his Germans onto the field of battle in Bolt Action |
Purchase wise I was very, very bad...which was very very fun! More detail at another time but thanks to John and Ian from War and Peace Games, Nic from Eureka Miniatures and Mick from Mick's Metal Models for looking after me so well. No doubt my credit card will be confiscated shortly. Among the trader eye candy was this impressive couple of chaps from Grotto Wargames Furniture who make wargaming furniture - dining tables that convert into gaming table by removing the tops to reveal the fun underneath. Draws in the side hold terrain and models - brilliant!
And after desert..SAGA anyone? |
The coffee table gaming table was also most impressive |
Something different: British take on Italians in Eritrea in a very early war participation game |
The Flames of War and Warmachine tourneys in full swing |
Part of the FoW Kursk mini campaign; lovely terrain... |
...but somewhat silly in execution to my mind |
A stunning Infinity table |
Like I need more help rolling 1s! |
The Siege of Antioch underway using Deus Vult! |
More on the Deus Vult game at Chris's blog here:
Thats it for now - more to follow after a good sleep!
Couldn't agree more :-) |
24 January 2014
Too busy Playing to Paint!
The annual CanCon gaming show is on here this weekend and I have two good mates up from Melbourne staying with us. So its all far too busy playing and buying new shiny bits to waste time painting! More on CanCon soon. Good luck to Right Stuff in the Blood Bowl competition and Comrade James in the Bolt Action tourney!
Monsters Menace America - crazy beer and pretzels fun! |
21 January 2014
Painting Comp Update - Week 6
Six weeks into the Painting Challenge and while the race between Alan, James and I is far from over, Alan has a lead that will be tough to beat. I'm slightly above the curve to meet my 500 points and am about half way through my Brit Para force which is worth around 300 points and will get me over the line well. I know Comrade James has some 28mm WW2 US Infantry on his painting desk too, but CanCon will no doubt take the next week from us painting to enjoying some actual playing!
I asked the boys and they all agree that the fortnightly bonus rounds are great and working well. Apart from the extra points, it lends a great focus on top of just the projects on the table. The quality of the submissions are just amazing too.
You can see that that cad Alan took maximum advantage of my Community service in Weeks 3-5! |
20 January 2014
Saxons: Unpopular Chaps mostly
Not Saxons, but amusing nonetheless |
http://thepublici.blogspot.com/2009/07/family-values.html
14 January 2014
Part 2 of the SAGA of Paul the Hairy and James the Tall
Having seen the Vikings victorious in the Sacred Ground scenario (see here) we played a second Battle in the Man Cave this week. This time it was the River Ford scenario. We took the same 6 points armies as the previous battle, but James this time deployed his 3 Hearthguard units as two units of six figures. I continued to deploy my 3 Warrior units as two amalgamated units of 12 figures.
As Odinn's Ravens saw it, the setup looked thus:
We both went with the same strategy - push hard on the right flank and defend the left flank. Of course we were looking at it from different directions though, which meant that our offences and defences were aligned from the start...
On my right I pushed up hard to threaten the ford with Warriors and Hearthguard while my Levy took up position on the bank to add support with their bows. James brought up a unit of warriors for guard the other bank and committed everything to the other flank.
Meanwhile, on the other flank the Anglo Dane units were advancing and my units guarding that ford were going to be seriously outmatched. I held back the warriors out of bowshot range and decided I would make the enemy advance to my warriors, and kept the Bezerkers in reserve to carve up anyone who broke through. It was a pretty thin line though.
My new 4Ground building (on its first outing) broke up the massed Anglo Dane advance nicely, and with some well timed charges and withdrawals I was able to stave off the onslaught. In this regard, the 12 figure Warrior units had a much greater degree of resilience, and being the defender, the conversion of attack dice to defensive dice significantly helped this unit to survive and remain in its blocking position. The Berzerkers were committed to intercepting the 6 man Hearthguard as they crossed, effectively wiping eachother out. I have concluded that the Berzerkers are a very powerful but single shot weapon. You have to protect them from missile fire and unleash them at the right target...and don't expect them to come back!
Warlord Paul the Hairy discovers the Odin-blessed panorama feature on his iShield |
The Vikings looked forward to burning down the new 4Ground building to celebrate its first outing on the tabletop |
On my right I pushed up hard to threaten the ford with Warriors and Hearthguard while my Levy took up position on the bank to add support with their bows. James brought up a unit of warriors for guard the other bank and committed everything to the other flank.
The Vikings threaten the right hand ford (the dice in the river show the limits of the ford) |
For the Anglo Danes, it looked a bit menacing! |
Meanwhile, back on my right flank, the Levies continued to not do much as I wasn't getting the SAGA dice rolls I needed to activate them: a nice mechanism reflecting how difficult peasants can be to control at times! Things were came to a head though, when I moved up my warriors to force the crossing...
A cinematic moment as opposing Warriors clash in the Ford! |
...and sent the Anglo Dane defenders fleeing with half their number slain. An interesting side bar discussion at this point was on the lack of Morale rules- why don't units have a test after taking significant casualties to avoid routing? Our conclusion was that the player effectively does this himself. Faced with a reduction of SAGA dice the player tends to be far more cautious with small, fragile units. Anyway, it speeds up game play.
So my warriors broke through, and the Anglo Danes sent their Warlord and a Hearthguard unit to contain them. After all, no VPs are won until the end of the game so if they could be eliminated they would spawn no VPs. My Levy continued to sit dumbly on the river bank - so I bravely ran my warrior unit away and committed my flank reserve - a Hearthguard unit, to intercept the enemy elite in the last turn bloodbath...
..and in the mutual annihilation that followed the Anglo Dane warlord fell. These hearty chaps really aren't as resilient when they get isolated.
And thus the evening's SAGA fun ended. A great night in which we learned lots about the rules, and our Army's Battle Boards. We felt a little guilty about not trying to get stuff done for the painting challenge, but when friend plays friend, everyone wins!
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