Sunday, January 19, 2025

CoC SID - Sicily 43

I decided this week to re-acquaint myself with Chain of Command using the SID solo play rules created by Geoff Bond and published in the Lard Mag 2020. 

This uses a card driven activation and reaction system to simulate a defender that the players forces can attack. 

For this game I wanted to put on the table the new pre-painted mdf Farm set my daughter brought me with the 15mm US Army I've been building. Additionally I wanted see what sort of Mediterranean table I could build from my existing stock of terrain.

So the scenario is Sicily 1943 and US troops are pushing inland, a US infantry Platoon with a Sherman tank in support is to probe the road ahead and engage and clear any resistance they meet.



Through the center of the table we have the main road along which the american forces are advancing. to the right fields of wheat lead to  a dry river bed before an upwards slopes up  into woodlands. On the left 
 the road branches off by a walled orchard and goes up the hill past a farm and small thicket of trees on top of the hill.


The two Geman Major and one Minor JOP atop the hill


The last minor JOP is hidden at the end of the road.

  

US forces have two JOP's. One behind the orchard wall and the other behind the barn on the other side of the road.
 
I didn't take notes during the game so the following pictures are a selection from play.


First US section deploys with the Platoon Sgt. and begins a cautious adavance through the orchard.


As they clear the orchard the Minor & Major JOP's in the Farm Yard both draw from the active deck resulting in two German Squads deploying . The first Squad in the farmyard hold fire. However a second squad revealed from the bushes on the slope open up causing pins and kills to the first US section.



The firefight continues for a number of phases with the German MG's inflicting severe losses and pins. The section JL is injured and then killed knocking back the US Force Morale. The platoon Sgt. is working overtime just to keep the survivors in the line till reinforcements arrive. 


Eventually the Lt. Shows up with third section, Two having been dispatched along the dry river, and the Sherman tank arrives. It's arrival doesn't elicit a response from the Germans.


The Sherman advances again and this time a German PAK gun in the Farmyard opens fire but misses. The Sherman responds with it's main gun killing two of the gun team and adding pins.


The Sherman continues to target the PAK gun keeping it suppressed. Third Squads arrival at the orchard wall produces a further German response as a third section appear and open fire. This is too much for first squad whose rifle team is wiped out while the BAR team rout back into the orchard. With a section gone and another already suffering damage the US commander orders a withdrawal. 



So SID was the winner of this game. I don't think I've ever thrown so many fives and sixes in the command dice rolls ever! So in spite of a number of double phases the US forces were bogged down and unable to build any momentum. With the German forces in cover on the hill in strength the US commander was left with little option. I'd also been playing for about 3 hours and need to pack down :(

I've played a few games the last couple of years using the SID system and it's never failed to deliver a good game. In the 2023 edition of the Lard Mag Andreas Feigl evolved ASID or Attacking SID to allow a player to play a defensive game against the ASID controlled attacking force which I've yet to try but look very interesting for a future game or two.

Sunday, January 5, 2025

RavenFeast - A Skirmish with Raiders

I've spent the later part of 2024 painting up some additional Vikings so that I could bring RavenFeast to the table so it was good to make it the first game of the year. I had built and painted a small host for SAGA a year or so ago but the only player with all the rules and dice needed at SWWG had to stop coming and I was never able to get hold of a set for myself so they sat in a box. I was recently made aware of RavenFeast as a good simple skirmish game for Vikings.

RavenFeast was designed to be used as a, freely available, introduction game to the world of historical wargaming. It has a low figure count, only needs D6 and Ruler and the rules, which can be downloaded at http://www.ravenfeast.com/, to play. The Little Wars TV team produced a number of videos and scenarios to support the rules which you can find on their YouTube channel.

For a first game to get my head around the rules I opted to play a narrative solo game. 
BloodBeard has been raiding the lands of Jarl Erik with a small band of Huskarls, Hirdman & Bondi Spearmen. Jarl Erik has a force of his Huskarls, Bondi Spearman & Thralls armed with Javelins. He must prevent BloodBeard from crossing the table and fleeing to the coast.

The Battlefield



Looking from West to East , BloodBeard must enter and leave the battlefield along the centre line.


Looking from South to North the high ground each side of the gully and the abundant cover will make the defenders harder to defeat.

Deployment



BloodBeard deploys Bondi Spearmen and Hirdman Swordsman in two ranks with his Huskarls close to his side.


Jarl Erik with his Huskarls holds the southern summit in clear challenge to BloodBeard , Meanwhile his Thrall's are hidden in the trees of the Northern slope and his Bondi Spearmen lay hidden in the gully.

Turn 1

Erik wins the initiative but holds his ground waiting to see what BloodBeard will do.



BloodBeard advances down towards the gully with his Bondi spearmen and Huskarls, however the Hirdman peel off to the south using the cover of the trees to head for the southern slope. 

Turn 2

Erik's forces stand allowing BloodBeard's men to advance deeper into the gully and around the back of the woods to a hidden slope upto the southern bank.


 Turn 3

BloodBeard and his men continue their advances forward but Erik's forces are on the move. His Thrall use the treeline to maneuver behind BloodBeard's forces.


In the centre of the gully Erik's Bondi Spearmen move out from cover to challenge BloodBeard's advance.


Turn 4

Seizing the initiative BloodBeard heads towards the emerging Bondi feeling safe that his Hirdman cresting the southern slope can protect his flank if Erik moves down the slope.


Erik's Bondi form the shield wall and prepare for battle as the Thralls move through the trees ready to attack BloodBeard's rear.



Turn 5

Battle is Joined. While Eriks forces hold ready BloodBeard's Bondi crash into the Shieldwall. 


In the initial crash of shields one of BloodBeard's men falls wounded. The Thralls launch their Javelins down the slope at BloodBeards  Huskarls but only one hits and is deflected by the targets armour.

Turn 6

With the blood up BloodBeard's Huskarl join the assault on the Shieldwall which is soon overpowered with two of Erik's men receiving 'Deaths worthy of a song' and another wounded.


On the southern slope BloodBeard's Hirdman advance and form a shield wall in challenge to Erik and his Huskarls.


Turn 7

Amazingly the last man in Erik's Shieldwall passed both morale tests caused by the 'Death's worthy of a song' and while his survival was limited he did manage to take out another of BloodBeard's Bondi before he to was dispatched to Valhalla.



Seeing their Lord's predicament Erik's Thralls have run across the gully and up the slope behind the Hirdman Shieldwall but cannot get into range to loose their Javelins.


Turn 8

BloodBeard along with his Bondi and Huskarls reach the far end of the. gully and safety.


But up on the southern slope the Hirdman are in trouble. with their path of retreat cut off by the Thralls approaching from behind they decide to advance their wall into combat with Erik and his Huskarls.


With Javelins coming from the rear and Erik and his warriors in front the Hirdman are slaughtered till only one man remains! His morale fails as his comrades fall.


Turn 8

Realising his fate is sealed the last man rallies grips his sword and swings for Jarl Erik who deflects the blow as one of his Huskarls cuts the man down, The Battle is over.


BloodBeard has escaped Jarl Eriks trap but at a high cost in men.

Conclusions

Wow what an excellent game. 
It took about two hours to play through from start to finish, only really needed the QRS sheet when playing.  Played out the narrative in a twisted way from what I anticipated.

I enjoyed playing SAGA but found it a bit complex with the battle Boards and never really invested in it. This game however was simple to play , dynamic in the way it flowed and with a healthy online community supporting it I intend to delve much deeper maybe with a Saxon Warband (included in the core rules) or perhaps a Norman, Pict, Irish or Welsh warband for which the community have created lists. There is even an expansion to include mythological creatures like Giants and Trolls. 
This is also gonna make a great game for SWWG club night multiplayer games.





"Get to the Chopper!" A FNG:Unconventional Warfare Game.

FNG:Unconventional Warfare is a supplement that expands on the concepts in FNG: Tour of Duty for running Special Forces in the Vietnam Confl...