Historicon 2012

I was only able to attend Historicon this year on Saturday.  But, it was a good day.  The venue is very good, I especially liked that everything, gaming rooms and exhibit hall, were all so close.  Got to play in two games: a Sword and the Flame Sudan game and Dreadnaughts of Mars.  Both were lots of fun and had a great bunch of players.

There were four of us playing the Sudan game.  I was one of the Mahdist players and in the end suffered a crushing defeat.  The scenario envisioned the Mahdists fighting a defensive battle to hold the towns along the Nile.  Well, defensive fighting is no fun and we decided attacking would be much better.  At least the game highlighted why you need lots of Mahdists to attack the British in the open.  The highlight of the game was when we tried to storm the British gunboat as it was landing marines.  Unfortunately, after killing one of the rear deck gunners, the second held off the entire Mahdist boarding party.

The Mahdist last stand.

Crimean game that had just finished.

Skydreadnaughts of Mars.  Set after the League of Allied Nations invasion of Mars in retaliation of the Martian attack on Earth.  The Martians, and expatriot disgruntled humans, have attempted to rally and throw the League back to Earth.  Here, the League sent a Sky Dreadnaught Fleet and ground force to reduce the skyship construction yards of the Nefarious Dr. Xao.  Light-hearted, beer swilling game which was great fun for all.

Transformers in 15mm played at the table next to the Sudan game.  My son played the Autobots and participated in a great victory over the Fallen.

Pride of Lions game that was kicking off on Saturday Night as we finished the Sky Dreadnaughts game.

Some other games from Saturday evening.

Endgame

Turn 6 continued the pounding.  The Imperial Knights have been getting the better of the elven cavalry in the center, but the elven light cavalry and rangers are sweeping around on the wings.

Turn 7 saw both sides reduced to 0 morale. The elven forces passed their morale check. The Imperials failed forcing morale checks for each command.

Turn 8 was the end of the game.  The elves drew 3 lull cards.  The Imperials drew a melee, morale check and then march.  After further losses from melee and failed morale checks, the Imperials used the march moves to retire from the field.

View from the Imperial side of the table

View from the elven side of the table

Battle Mid-Game

We are fighting out this battle using the Ager Proelii rules which were published in Miniature Wargames 345.  The rules were written for the Punic War, but they are working just fine for this battle.  Based on how this is playing, I think I will look into Hostile Realms which is based on the same mechanics but specifically a fantasy battle set.

Turn 2 - The elves made a quick advance sending cavalry skirmishers far to the front.  On the wings, the ranger skirmishers battled in the rocks and the town.  In response, the human cavalry advanced on the wings, but both infantry divisions failed their move rolls.

Turn 3 - Shaping up to be a cavalry fight.  The knights advanced, and the elven cavalry moved up to challenge with one unit getting a bit ahead of itself.

Turn 4 - The knights and elven cavlry clash, and the knights come out better, driving the elves back.  On the far wings, the evlen skirmishers are whittling away against the human rangers.

Turn 5 - The elven cavalry is giving way in the center, but on their left they are driving the human forces back having destroyed one cavalry unit and routed another.