HistorX 2

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b20f08
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Re: HistorX 2

Post by b20f08 »

First day was freeboard, which is interesting as in my limited time playing FoGN, I've never really been an active proponent of the terrain and Pre-Battle Initiative setup. And in the small circle I play in up here in Brisbane, we tend to just go 'feral' and play scenarios all the time or dispense with the aforementioned setup for a more simplified option.

Anyway, second day were scenario-based games: Basle (loosely based on ACW's Antietam), Ravenna (a night approach game using hidden markers to denote movements) and Ostankinsky (FIBUA - fighting in BUAs - with three river/bridge chokepoints) were the three used. The latter proved to be quite difficult the first time it was used. Consequently, for the second round, the bridge/rivers were removed to cater to the desire for an equitable gaming experience. Basle is similar, but uses river fords as the natural chokepoints. The difference with the chokepoint added was significant.

General consensus (thanks Keith) was that Vorenburg was too broken and, thankfully, it was never used. Kazimierz (too open) and Kolditz (renamed and recycled from HX1) were also not used. But they may make their appearance in HX4.

Playing-wise, these scenarios posed a few problems with a fair share of the problem being the actual scenarios. Choke points (rivers/bridges & BUA) were, from my understanding and communications with those who play these tournaments more frequently, and remain contentious issues, i.e., they're ultimately avoided and contrary to the general spirit of tournament scenarios. That being said, I wanted to present some challenges, and to that end, from my personal point of view, it was achieved...albeit with some on-the-spot modifications.

Having guys like Keith and Al present were very useful in critiquing these played scenarios. And the comments and criticisms from them and Paul and Geoff are most welcome in helping me to further refine these scenarios.
KeefM
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Re: HistorX 2

Post by KeefM »

For the very astute, my army list above only adds up to 770pts because there was also ...

... wait for it ...

1 x large redoubt = 3 FF !!

More soon once I have a pause in travelling - but a great event and major "ups" to Lawrence for his work in putting this together ! And fab opponents and games all round.
b20f08
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Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2015 6:57 pm

Re: HistorX 2

Post by b20f08 »

KeefM wrote:For the very astute, my army list above only adds up to 770pts because there was also ...

... wait for it ...

1 x large redoubt = 3 FF !!

More soon once I have a pause in travelling - but a great event and major "ups" to Lawrence for his work in putting this together ! And fab opponents and games all round.
Didn't want to scare them by including it. Thanks again for attending. Learned a great deal from you, and the others.
BrettPT
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Re: HistorX 2

Post by BrettPT »

What, bringing fortifications to a tournament? What cad would stoop to such lows.
Mental note to request that the organiser for our NATCON next year banns such shenanigans. :mrgreen:
geoff
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Re: HistorX 2

Post by geoff »

I'd just like to give a plug to one of the tournament sponsors. I got a voucher from Elite Miniatures Australia - run by a bloke called Nathan. I contacted Nathan by email. Not only does he stock an awesome range of 28mm figures but he is a pleasure to deal with. Only ordered the figures this morning and they are already in the post on their way to me!
Sponsors like this should be really supported by the gaming community. It is their sponsorship many times that makes tournaments possible. A big thanks to all the sponsors.
b20f08
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Re: HistorX 2

Post by b20f08 »

BrettPT wrote:What, bringing fortifications to a tournament? What cad would stoop to such lows.
Mental note to request that the organiser for our NATCON next year banns such shenanigans. :mrgreen:
Yep. Such shenanigans might be acceptable with Baileys however... :wink: It only played a prominent part in two of his games however.
geoff wrote:I'd just like to give a plug to one of the tournament sponsors. I got a voucher from Elite Miniatures Australia - run by a bloke called Nathan. I contacted Nathan by email. Not only does he stock an awesome range of 28mm figures but he is a pleasure to deal with. Only ordered the figures this morning and they are already in the post on their way to me!
Sponsors like this should be really supported by the gaming community. It is their sponsorship many times that makes tournaments possible. A big thanks to all the sponsors.
Nathan's been a stalwart on the Qld historical scene for a while now. When first approached as a potential sponsor, he did not hesitate to respond in the affirmative. As Geoff points out, he needs all the support he can get. You'd be surprised how many more 28mm players there are out there in the garage gaming scene who are Napoleonic enthusiasts, though not FoGN players.

In saying that, FoGN is perhaps the best tournament package I can find for corps-level gaming at the moment, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone thinking of running such an event locally. Which probably isn't saying much because the Napoleonic scene is so much larger outside of FoGN. Which is a shame really but far be for me to point this out to those who've been involved in the tournament scene far longer than I. I am just happy to organise them and ensure FoGN remains uppermost in the minds of those looking for a competitive avenue. Tournaments such as these (not just here in Brizzy) perhaps help to attract 'new' adherents to FoGN; but it's more likely, it's the skill level of regular tournament players which really convince many to 'try FoGN' either again or as newcomers.
KeefM
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Re: HistorX 2

Post by KeefM »

Ignoring my obvious bias, this was a great competition being a blend of straight-up points based games and scenarios.

Lawrence's summary of the scenarios is an accurate potrayal of the complexity offered in as much as each of the scenarios offered quite different challenges; mostly around how to deploy and win a game in circumstances not normally faced in a straight-up points game. Having brought a large redoubt as part of my army mix in order to try and set the shape of the games, I was mostly dissatisfied with what I managed to achieve with it. It remained completely unoccupied in the two scenario games on the 2nd day and so effectively left me 30pts short. In the very first game on day 1, I had placed it centrally to force Paul to attack my right side. And, notwithstanding its large heavy battery blasting an over-rash charging large infantry unit to disorder, it actually took a flank charge from Cossacks within 2MU to break the infantry on morale (auto drop + failed CT for charged by cavalry in the open). And in the second game on day 1, Lawrence only decoy-advanced so only 1 large unit ever came under fire from the redoubt. So using it was an interesting, if ineffective, experiment. Otherwise the tourney comprised 4 great games.

First game up was Paul with his 1805 French comprising mostly vanilla (no attachments) infantry units plus a strong HC division with 2 superior shock HC units each with a gun attachment.  Terrain was very favourable to my defence and having forced Paul to my right (with the redoubt placed bang in the middle of the table), my wall of large infantry units with guns and supported by 2 artillery batteries discouraged him from trying his hand with his heavy cavalry. The game ended with him having lost 2 infantry units (1 large, 1 small) on my left and me being unable to close with his very measured withdrawal from contact.

Game 2 was against Lawrence using a borrowed 1805 French army. Again the redoubt placed centrally saw him deploy light infantry to a wood to the centre-right and cavalry wider out right with the bulk of his infantry arrayed against the redoubt. Apart from a sole Cossack unit to my far far right, I massed against the centre and French infantry on my left. My Cossack unit on the right served to distract a number of French units by threatening to sweep around to his LoC and thus kept them out of the game while I concentrated my main attack onto my left.  One large French cavalry unit swept around a wood towards my rear but veteran artillery and Oplechenie militia saw them off. Lawrence came within a whisker of securing a draw with his well managed withdrawal from his feint toward the redoubt having lured my attack that way. But my concentrated pressure folded in the French infantry on my left while my jaegers and another Cossack unit finally won the central wood to see Lawrence's army collapse. 

Game 3 was the first scenario game, Basle, against Bryce's 1813 Spanish.  The scenario required us to cross a river via only 3 crossing points to try a seize the opposing LoC. Bryce's mix was a very good quality army including 3 veteran light infantry units. Despite a number of attempts from us both, an opposed river crossing proved just too difficult.  In the end we had exactly shared our losses for a dead even draw.

My last game was the 'final': a "showdown" against Geoff'scompetition-leading 1805 Russians; a fantastic mix of an army - check out Geoff's list in the posts above ! We played a modified town fight (with the river removed) in the Ostankinsky scenario. In practice the deployment options constrained us both and I opted for a major assault on my right attacking the town there with jaeger and concentrating my line infantry between that and the table edge. On the far left I sent a sole jaeger unit with my large heavy battery to keep Geoff off the town there. In the centre I concentrated my LC and other 2 artillery batteries. Geoff responded by retiring from the assault on the right and built a defensive line using the town as his hinge. In a key couple of turns, Geoff's previous good luck deserted him and he had a series of failed rallying attempts that saw my attacks break through across a wide frontage. His luck culminated in a battery failing to stand a cavalry charge leaving a wavering square facing 2 cavalry units in melee and routing into the centre of his already wavering units. A series of failed CTs later and Geoff's army collapsed in spite of his best efforts. 

All in all, 4 really tough games against opponents who all played extremely well: Paul's well measured and tidy withdrawal under considerable pressure; Lawrence's calm near escape all the while still pressing attacks wherever he could; Bryce's skillful series of attacks and withdrawals across bridges in conjunction with some tenacious defence; and, Geoff's well organised tough defensive line undone by bad luck. 
b20f08
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Re: HistorX 2

Post by b20f08 »

Very detailed report there Keith. Spoken like the gracious champion you are. :)

Speaking for myself, once you plonked that redoubt down, I decided 'uh, uh!' Unfortunately I got so overawed by your pesky lone Cossack unit tying down my mixed division that I should have just relied on those two units I had despatched to look after my LOC. It was quite accidental how my feint developed, although my intention was clearly to demonstrate in front of your redoubt. Had a couple of things gone the way I intended, it might have developed into the bloody nose you were anticipating on giving my neatly aligned units.

As it was, you assisted me in my inevitable withdrawal by pressing my exposed right flank with your lights whose weight of fire certainly told on my right and my left centre. As you said later to me after the game, I should have stayed in the woods (left centre) and forced you to enter. But it was never meant to be, to be honest.

Enjoyed the game personally and learned an awful lot (that I'll promptly forget!).
b20f08
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Re: HistorX 2

Post by b20f08 »

How stupid of me to forget to post some pics....

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The game between myself and Keith, as described above. Looking from the French left flank.

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Joe. Part of another Napoleonic gaming group that are keen to try FoGN. They are based on the southside of Brisbane.

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Geoff's Russians performed really well, as Keith pointed out.

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HX2 Champion 2015. Enjoyed watching him think as he planned his next moves.

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Bryce loves his Spanish to death. And he's a fan of Russians too. Maybe he will play reformed Russian next tournament, that's if we can drag him from his Spanish.

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Loved the fact that Clint showed up very sick (he did go home first day after his first game), persevering with his 1805 French. Won Best Sport.

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Paul and Alasdair not enjoying Ostankinsky. But they play it nonetheless.

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These lovely close ups are courtesy of Simon Evans, a fellow member of our historical gaming group who couldn't make the event but kindly popped down both days to take these delightful pictures. Every one displayed here (except the first) are by him. Thanks Simon.

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English soldier after a night out on the town, sleeping it off. :)

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Russian guns...

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Russian Hussars

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Russian command figures

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Russian Uhlans

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Spanish Dragoons

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Spanish commander belonging to Bryce's army, I believe. Not too sure.

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Massed Russians

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Colourful photo of Keith's LOC. The Opelchenie are hovering close by protectively.

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French light cavalry.

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Pesky sandfly Russian lights...:)
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