Cold Wars Day1

       

          My first game Friday morning was Phil Gibbons’ “Advance to Longueval” on  14JUL1916. 28mm WWI Highlanders trying to push the Germans back. Rules were quick to pick up. Phil used a deck of cards to activate units. The game moved fast with little to no sitting around.

Objectives:

German; Cross and hold the road. Hold the Ridge on their left flank.

·          Highlanders; Take and Hold the cross roads. Sweep the ridge clear of enemy.

         To help the Highlanders out as they marched into the German HMG positions, a cavalry squadron would come on in turn 4. Also the Piper could play once to remove all wound counters in 12”.

   

      I lead the Highlander right flank. Early hot dice kept the HMGs focused on my side. My platoon was tabled by turn three. The center 2 platoons were able to clear, take, and hold the house and cross road. The Highlander left performed outstanding, rolling up the Germans and taking 2 guns.

           The second Friday game was Shawn Reis’ WWII 28mm Force on Force.  I had a blast. Force on Force is a tough game to teach in a convention setting. The game flow was slow. Shawn did not have any handouts for the players. So they had a hard time with turn sequence and of course reactions were rough. I was on the German side and Shawn on the US side. The others had zero experience with FoF. By the end the lights started to come on and the rounds of fire became quicker.

         I didn’t get tabled, but got zero objectives.

         My 3^rd one was at 8PM Friday. No one seemed to want to play. Only Phil had pulled a ticket. Which was great, we all grab what was left. Phil, Berry, James, and me played Brinkerhoff’s Ridge at Gettysburg. Berry and James took the CSA. We got the Union. Phil wanted the CAV, I took the INF.

Objectives:

·         Union; Keep the CSA off the ridge. Stop any from leaving the table thru our deployment area.

·         CSA; Take and hold the ridge. Exit the table down the road on the right flank.

        Once again early hot dice completely stalled the Confederate advance. The MA marched on and James took a beating. Berry shot his way in and charged. That charge swept the ridge. The Union INF was shaken and being pushed back. NY cavalry came pouring onto the table, charged.  Then everything went up in flames. We got mauled. They took the ridge and exited the table.

         I just about got tabled again, but it was the best game of the day. There were beers and 4 friends laughing at each other’s misfortune.