Triangle Simulation Society

This is a blog/website/media empire that is primarily devoted to Flames of War, but also do other games, etc.

They have been VERY helpful in advertising our conventions especially Southern Front.  Go visit them today!

Hello miniatures fans of the triangle and abroad. I was unexpectedly ripped away from the convention today, but while fuddling with irate customers and management on a call-out, managed to upload 40 pics and 3 video shorts of the Southern Front 2011 convention. Enjoy. I’m sure other folks will post more soon as well. My camera is hit or miss with focusing properly unless certain variations in color exist in the shot. I took way more then 40, but these were the only decent ones unfortunately. Hopefully others will follow suit and post more.

A ton of folks gathered (although not all at once) at
the Hughes Gaming Emporium (AKA Chris’ basement) for an
AWI game using _The Redcoats are Coming !_

Present for the initial session on Saturday were Bob E.,
Lyle, Dave and Matt McRae, Mike T., Steve, Ron S. Dave
B., Dave M. and Ed. On Wednesday, the players included
many of the foregoing plus Grant, Ron and Dane O. and
Bruce.

TRAC is heavily into command points, each major formation
(usually brigades)commander having a number of ‘activation’
pips to allocate to his subordinates. Commanders without
allocations may try to self-activate. Command ratings range
from A down to D. ‘A’s self-activate on 1-5 (D6), with a
drop-off of one per as you go down the list (i.e., a D
self-activates on a 1-2). The rating also determines the
radius at which the commander is effective, A’s having a
48″ radius, B’s 42″, C’s 32″ and D’s 20″. Similarly,
A’s have 4 activation points, B’s 3 and C/D have 2 each.

Movement in the game is typical of AWI, Militia don’t move
as well (or maneauver or fire as well) as Regulars. Basic
line move for Regulars is 10″, column 16″ (for Militia it is
8″ and 10″). Artillery classifies as Heavy, Medium, Light,
Galloper and Grassopper, which equate fairly well to 12,
8, 6 and 4-pounder guns. Ranges run from a max of 48″ (12′s)
to a max of 27″ (4′s) although these are extreme ranges.

Muskets fire at two ranges, 0-5″ and >5″ to 8″. The closer
range yields 2D6/firing base, the longer range 1D6/base.
There are modifiers for Militia firing, firer movement, cover
both heavy and light, firer in disorder, target flanked,
firing at skirmishers/gun crews and first fire. ‘To hit’
is always a 6 on D6, both infantry and artillery, although
round-shot ‘bounce through’ scores on a 5 (unit behind the
target within 5″) or a 4 (additional unit behind the
second one).

Morale ratings range from ‘unknown’ (Militia, which check
the first time and will range from 1-6) to 9. The rating
can increase/decrease based upon the tactical situation,
results of fire, friendly routers, casualties, etc.

In the game set-up by Chris, the American CinC was Washington,
an A thus with 4 AP’s. Gen. Howe led the British, a B with
3 AP’s. The British brigade commanders ranged from Gen.
Agnew (an A) to Gen. Grey (a C), with 2 B’s. Col Simcoe
led the Loyalists and I had no opportunity to get his
rating, although I believe it to have been a C. The British
had 3 cavalry and 1 light infantry unit and 4 guns (6#;
4#; 2×3#), if memory serves me well. Most of the British units
were morale grade 8, although there were 2 or 3 9′s and
I think a 10, perhaps a 7 or a 6 among the loyalists.

American brigade commanders were generally as useful as their
British counterparts. Gen Wayne was an A, the other 3 American
Brigade commanders were B’s. The two Militia brigades were
C’s. The morale ratings of the units ranged from predominantly
6-7 up to 9, with an 8 or two in the mix. The Militia was
‘unknown’ to start, and when diced to reveal their morale grade,
the left-most brigade scored poorly (2-3-4), while the other
flank militia scored reasonably well (4-6-6). The Americans
had NO light infantry, and NO cavalry, but did have 3×6#
guns and a 3# gun attached to one of the Militia brigades.

The Americans deployed first, placing the two Militia brigades
upon the flanks to prevent them causing regular units to have
to check morale from routing Militia. Scott’s brigade was
placed next in line (from the left flank), Hogan next to Scott,
and Glover next, his right being ‘secured’ by McIntosh’s
Militia. Wayne was deployed in the American center-rear
as a reserve.

The British deployed Webster on their extreme left, then Grey
(I think), then Simcoe (Loyalists), then Stirn (Hessians)and
finally Agnew.

There is an initiative roll for each turn. Washington was +1
to the ini die, with the result that the Americans won all but
two of the ini rolls.

The game began with Agnew, Stirn and Simcoe advancing strongly
upon the American lines. Matt McRae, in command of Simcoe’s
units, seemed to be unable to fail a die roll, since he made
repeated attacks upon the Americans in his front and succeeded
in pushing them back handily. To his right, the Hessians advanced
in support, while the cavalry menaced American artillery deployed
in the road. On the British extreme right flank, Agnew steam-
rollered the American Militia, putting it to flight and out of
the game. The Militia did manage to inflict A casualty on
Agnew.

On the other flank, Webster and a portion of Grey advanced
cautiously under a bombardment by the guns deployed in the center
opposite Hogan. Glover’s brigade was deployed to meet them
and a fire-fight developed in that portion of the battlefield,
with the lines swaying to and fro as the fire took effect on
different regiments. McIntosh’s Militia, supported by Glover,
withstood fire and charge by British regulars, delivering a
volley on a Scots regiment which assisted the 1st Rhode Island
regiment in charging and routing the Scots ! The Militia then
in its turn withstood a British charge, retiring in good order
after taking casualties.

The center became a stale-mate, with the Loyalists finally
succumbing to casualties (and Matt had to leave !) and the
Hessians losing in melee and retiring. On the British right,
Wayne and Scott collaborated in routing and retiring the
British regulars, suffering very little in return. Glover was
holding firm on the British left, inflicting more casualties
than he was taking. Hogan was standng firm in the American
center, despite being pummeled by the British artillery.

At that point, the game was called and, although it wasn’t
specifically stated, was an American victory.

One thing unmentioned was the super supper break on Saturday !
There’s a new Irish pub on Spring Forest road – the Balymore.
The food was great, the prices reasonable, and the Guiness
(I’m told) quite acceptable !

Thanks to Chris for setting-up a beautiful table, an
engaging scenario and a heckuva good pub at which to eat !

Ed

Moussa Hafez nervously ran his hands over the rough twill of his uniform trousers, not daring, without orders, to drink from his canteen. He eyed the kilted enemy across the small valley which separated his ridge-top position from that held by the enemy – and the enemy’s artillery, situated not five hundred yards away. He knew the reputation of those djinn, the fierceness of their attack, the hoarse ululations with which they stormed into battle. He heard the order to fix bayonets and reacted as he’d been trained for years, right hand snapping across and down to the scabbard while his left advanced the rifle’s muzzle to accept the bayonet. Sweat began as he saw the foe begin to run over the ground, faster and faster they approached Moussa and his fellows. Would he die today ? ‘Inshallah !’ he shouted, then with 500 other throats roared out ‘Bilady !’
‘My country’ indeed was in the hearts and minds of the pewter Gyppos deployed in opposition to the British on Peter Hume’s game table three weeks ago. Grant, Bob W., Randy, Bruce, Mike, Marty and Ed met across the wooden battlefield to determine the fate of Egypt. Would it gain independence, or would the British gain the control lost in the Revolt of the Colonels against the Sublime Porte ?
A mixed bag of Egyptians, reinforced by a pair of guns, deployed on a ridge to the south and east of Cairo, hard by a small village. The initial Egyptian position was atop a ridge, into which trenches had been dug. The Egyptian high command deployed their second-line infantry in the trenches, which extended almost to the village, anchoring the center of the line with a gun. The ‘good’ infantry was held in reserve behind the ridge, ready to move to and reinforce any point of attack. Messages had been dispatched to the desert tribes, and it was hoped reinforcements would arrive from that quarter. The village was fortified with odds and sods of baggage and vegetation, the buildings being occupied by a ‘good’ infantry unit, backed-up by a ‘second-line’ unit.
The Egyptian OB was made up of six infantry units, two cavalry units, the two guns mentioned and a ‘hoped-for’ reinforcement of Desert rabble. The Egyptian CO would have to dice, each turn, to see if the rabble indeed made it to the battle field. During the course of the game, four of them did, one having a decided impact upon the game. The quality of the Egyptians was mixed, the ‘good’ infantry being a notch below the British in morale, the ‘second-line’ being two notches and the Desert nomads being of questionable value. The gun crews were killed-off quickly enough that their morale grade didn’t really matter, and the morale grade of the cavalry was good enough for them to carry-out their primary mission, which was to divert British rifle-fire from the Egyptian infantry.
The British OB consisted of , if memory serves, 17 units, four of which were guns and 1 cavalry unit. The strength of the units was roughly half that of the Egyptians, the infantry being 10 figures in number for each unit. The cavalry numbered 8 figures. The guns were Gatlings (2) and field-guns. Dice luck of the ‘bad’ sort limited the effectiveness of the British guns and helped the Egyptian cause no end.
Peter’s normal rules, described in other articles, were in use with a small change. He allowed units out of contact, defined as beyond small-arms range (24”), to execute a strategic move (12” or 16”) up to being brought into rifle range. Units which were ‘out of contact’ could not fire on the enemy, even if the enemy could be seen. As the game developed, it turned out a minor flaw was uncovered by this ruling, since artillery, with its much greater range, could be deemed ‘in contact’ but would be ham-strung by the ruling. The Egyptian forces had a small handicap in that their fire had to be directed at the nearest enemy unit. The card deck used for the game had the normal run of cards, but with the added fillip of ‘free’ move cards (one each) for each side.
The game developed as the British deployed in linear fashion, all along the far edge of the table from the Egyptian position. Given the nature of the cards turned, it was difficult for the British command to co-ordinate a group of units to move towards and fire upon the Egyptian positions, except for the artillery, which had the aforementioned ‘bad’ dice. There were a couple of turns where the British managed to get a unit in position to fire upon the entrenchment, while another advanced. This lead to the sole assault upon the Egyptian position by the Scots, who closed with the bayonet upon a Desert rabble unit which had replaced the regular Egyptian second-line unit , shot to pieces by British artillery and rifle fire. The rabble fought well enough to claim a ‘locked in melee’ result versus the Scots, and the game gods were good to the Egyptians, the very next card being an Egyptian move card, allowing the reserve ‘good’ infantry to charge the Scots unit engaged with the rabble and destroy it.
The British had, all game long, tried to close on the Egyptian positions, both along the ridge and over on the Egyptian left flank. Spoiling attack by the Egyptian cavalry and rifle fire by the ‘good’ Egyptian infantry on that flank secured it from harm. The British tried, in late game, to advance upon the village, but were denied when the Egyptians advanced, withstood a volley by passing their morale test, and then delivered a devastating volley in return. At that point, the British commander opted to withdraw, await reinforcements, and have a gin in the relative comfort of the gunboat which had accompanied his expedition.
Moussa Hafez survived atop the ridge, one of the very few in that front-line unit. ‘Bilady’ echoed again and again through the ranks of the surviving Egyptians.
Their country, indeed.