Cangames 2015 - Samurai Showdown

Howdy all,

Another post from my successful gaming venture during Cangames this year...and for real this time...this is my last Cangames post...

I 'fought' through three wars on the first day and thought I'd try a couple more on day two.  Admittedly I was a little tired from the day before and relatively early start to the day so this is more or less a collection of pictures versus an actual battle report...

The first game of the day was with Mike's 15mm Samurai Battle using the Pike and Shotte ruleset...I had never tried this set before...nor had I tried gaming in the Samurai era before.  I'm not 100% sold on the ruleset yet, but I suspect this is due to my lack of understanding the morning I played...it did take me a bit to wake up. 

However, just as the day prior, the table was outstanding...Mike did a great job of putting a really good looking table together...I think my two favorite pieces were the corner ridge, near my position, and the ville across from me...both looked really well done and would totally work in numerous Asian inspired eras.  As well, Mike had made individual objectives for each player and he deliberately assigned an objective to each player...

Mine was to basically die protecting the 'King'...I am glad to say that I lived up to that expectation! Mike also took the time to post a quick report here so I won't belabour that...I'll just add some pics of another great table.

Cheers.

Game setup from my end...ville just in front of me...

 

alternate view...

 

a look through the trees...loved this tree laden ridge as well, great looking piece...

 

My attempt to achieve my assigned objective...

I fought...I died...objective achieved?!?

 

Some of the action around me...



 

Cangames 2015 - Bandits 2 Battle Report

Howdy folks,

In may haste this weekend to post my Force on Force battle reports, I accidentally stated that those would be my last post from Cangames...I was lying...at times like this I often conjure up my best Arnie accent and paraphrase Commando...

"Remember when I said I'd post you last...I lied"

 

-------------------------------------So...here we go----------------------

 

Once again this past Cangames I took the opportunity to try my hand at David Redpath's Bandits 2 ruleset.  I met David some time ago at Cangames...funny enough, when I signed up to play one of his games (at that time Bandits).  Since then, I have immensely enjoyed every game I've played whether it be Bandits, Bandits 2, or Shipwreck.

David tries very hard to have a modern or ultra-modern scenario for the game...and not just that, the scenario has some feasibility for occurring...maybe not so good when you think of it, but it makes it very tangible and certainly gets folks involved in the scenarios.

The scenario was this...China was encroaching on international interests in the South Pacific...they had established an artificial island that housed a Chinese Air Force base and the US was preparing to strike with air power.  The year was 2018 and the attack was at approx. 0400 hrs.  Both forces were equipped with stealth fighters...the US with the F35 and Chinese with the J20(?)...

The objective...US to strike, China for the defense...



There were 2 of us on the US side and 2 on the Chinese side.  Unfortunately, it was the evening slot so we did not have a full compliment of players...this meant we were limited to 4 aircraft per side.  Each team had to make their plan, present it to the GM, and then weather was set and we began.

South Pacific cloud decks...within 20 nautical miles of the Chinese island...SAM ring around the island approx. 15-20nm.  The clouds are (moving clockwise from top left) at 7 O'clock, 11 O'clock, and 1 O'clock from the island...

 

The US plan was fairly straight forward...deploy at table edge at approx. 3 O'clock position from the top of the island...roughly the point of view from the picture above.  We would push with two 2ship formations configed for air superiority...we wanted to maximize stealth so we would be going with no radar emissions...our second wave of aircraft would have 2 configed for ground attack (internal and external stores) and 2 configed for air superiority.

 

My Gorilla flight pushes from our edge...a little north and due east of the 1 O'clock cloud deck...as it turned out one of the Chinese players deployed near our corner, the other in the opposite corner (essentially as far away as possible)...

 

Overview of the US push...Gorilla's on the right, 'Cost Overruns' on the left...Chinese straight ahead...IR searches picking them up...we remain invisible... 

 

My wingman, Cost, fires off IR missile in hopes of bagging one...this would be the first missile shot of many many for my teammate.  His shooting was very consistent...I continue moving forward, #1 veering left, #2 straight ahead both looking for side or rear aspect shots.

Unfortunately Cost Overrun was consistent in a not so good way for us...as this shot shows, the missile sails by off the side of the Chinese aircraft...

I bank in tight with both my aircraft as the Chinese now have my partner painted on their systems...the Chinese player has his missile shot sail past Cost Overrun as well...I launch with #2 when I can, holding with #1 until the last minute...

#2 scores a hit and damages the Chinese aircraft...my #1 scores a dramatic kill at very close range with an IR shot...not a bad start...the Chinese player elects to display his mood dice...

The following time sequence, my #1 brings the power back, the damaged Chinese plane goes past the nose, and I hit him with a gun attack destroying his aircraft...very lucky rolling... 

 

The Chinese are able to launch a 2 ship from the islands airbase in response...they get airborne and immediately head towards our position...the Chinese aircraft furthest from the fight elect to light up the skies with their radar trying to paint us...IIRC they lock onto my cohort, but still haven't found me...aircraft elements start playing javelin with each other...the missiles fly...

 

Our luck finally runs out...Cost Overrun evades IR shot, but cannot shake 2 radar homers...F35 down...

At this time we switch aircraft so that we can launch the second wave...I push with the bombers from due north of the island and Cost Overrun continues his push westward...unfortunately the Chinese are able to splash 2 more F35s...this allows us to push 2 more air superiority to escort the bombers...

 

Action happens fast, the bombers don't have benefit of stealth with external stores and are pushing hard for the island...I light up the sky and act as radar picket for my escort as they push behind me...the escorts engage and I try to launch radar shots...

 

A flurry of chaff, flares, and jinks...missile shots defeated...we continue our push, the Chinese continue their pressure...

I launch JDAMs strike at range...targeting airfield and fuel farm...flurry of missile shots continue as Chinese and Cost Overrun trade shots...my cohort is now at missile shot 18...and no kills or damage yet...

 

 

 A very dramatic furball occurs as I'm trying to launch my bombs...my cohort launches radar shots behind me...my first bomber is damaged...his missile races in...AND...AND...

A very dramatic fireball as his missile HITS and destroys a Chinese stealth fighter!!!

 

We did not win the fight...the end result was four US F35 splashed...3-4 Chinese aircraft destroyed with one making a successful recovery on the island.  Fun game nonetheless.

 

Cangames 2015 - Force on Force Battle Report...part 2

Howdy troops,

Well this is my last battle report and post from this years Cangames in Ottawa.  If it hasn't been clear, I did enjoy the con this year just as much as I did last year...I think the only difference I would make for next year is to actually sign up for less games...and let the last minuteness guide me to my games...we'll see how that works next year.

The last game I played was another Force on Force scenario.  This did not come from any of the books, instead this was a collaboration between my buddy Duncan and Ed...there were certainly a couple of twists along the way with this one...in the end I think it may in fact have been one of my favorite games yet.

The Scenario: African terrorist group has managed to acquire the components to construct a nuclear device and have a missile and launcher to launch it with!! The bomb-making parts, the bomb maker, and the launcher are located in the heart of a Somali ville.  It is the task of Delta Force to infil via HALO drop, secure the components, maker, and launcher, and extract via helicopter.

Enemy Forces: Simply put, this is Somalia.  Intel suggests that there will be limited enemy forces at time of insertion, however the longer you are on-site the more reinforcements that will be available to the enemy...quelle surprise!!

Friendly Forces: Initial insertion is 4 teams of operatives.  There is a force of Humvee equipped Rangers available on QRF.

Imagery:

 Nowhere-ishu, Somalia

Objective #1, Bomb-maker 

Objective #2, bomb components

Objective #3, missile and launcher

The Game:

The game brought the usual suspects...Duncan (GM), Ed (Ranger commander), Mike (Delta commander), myself (Al), and Chris (Shabbab)...it seems to be Cangames tradition that we end up loudly gaming a FoF scenario to much delight (at least our own...apparently we have a 'rep').  The initial deploy was pretty similar to pictured above...Chris and I had a few small groups of AS (TQ 6) and Mike had his Delta's (TQ 12...ouch!!).



Delta's quickly and quietly inserted...without hesitation they started moving to secure their objectives.

First engagement was Delta stacking to take down this 4 man AS team...it went relatively quickly and quietly...except for Ed 'whispering' head shot, head shot, head shot as each terrorist went down...

You can see the rooftop in the top-left, now secure...Delta troops are on the bomb parts and near the launcher... 

all objectives secured by Delta...out of view are the team that took the Bombmaker...that as well went very smooth, TQ12 vs. TQ6...not much of a fight...another 4 man AS team down...Bombmaker secured... 

all objectives secured by Delta...

GM Narrative:

Delta has secured the objectives and called in for extraction.  As the helicopters neared the centre of town, SAM fire erupted from hidden positions in the hilltop ruins.  One helicopter is shotdown.  Delta's objectives are now: 1.keep initial objectives secured, 2. secure the crashsite, 3. takeout the SAM sites on the hilltop.  The Q has been alerted, Rangers inbound...Delta are now TQ10 (I believe the Rangers were too...can't recall now that I think of it)

Chopper down...

The sound of the SAMs and crash has brought out the trash...hotspots are now full of AS terrorists...

As well as 2 machinegun emplacements covering the crashsite... 

UAV footage of the crashsite and SAMs to the left of it in the ruins... 

The rest of the Game:

The next few turns saw the Delta's and terrorists exchange fire...Delta's took several light wounds and terrorists kept dropping.  All the hotspots were active with AS groups starting on them...the most bothersome for the duration of the game was #3 (immediately near the launcher and bomb components)...as the dice Gods would have it, Chris and I consistently rolled for reinforcements of 6+ troops that showed up at spot #3...

Here come the Rangers...AS group above the arch at hotspot #1...they didn't last all that long, caused some trouble...Fog card turned that building into swiss cheese...and then it burst into flames...goodbye hotspot #1...

Rangers in contact...#1 annoyed Ed a lot...even if it was for a short time...mobility and maingun hits on the Hummers...

Burning building means the Rangers have to skirt around to the right...they also receive 3 more Hummers as reinforcement...

Nice big group of soft-skins...clearly visible to hotspot #5...



While the vehicles and the Rangers took a beating...the Delta's continued to rack up the light wounds and a couple of severe...they did manage to get a sniper team via the Fog cards...

Sniper team was placed in the tower to provide near-all around support...it quickly made short work of the terrorist team atop the green-roofed warehouse and hotspot #5. 

Rangers fighting through...

The Rangers make it through...battered but they get to Delta...enemy hotspot in the building next to them will keep them occupied...



#3 hotspot continues to harass the Rangers...just as the Hummers make it in they take a pasting from the terrorist...

Lead Hummer down!! The third vehicle takes a mobility hit and snares up the middle vehicle...the Rangers get out of the vehicles and over the next couple of rounds fight their way into the #3 hotspot...at one point the Rangers have the roof, they did not shutdown the spot, and this resulted in AS fighters in the basement...the hotspot was shutdown the next turn...

While the Rangers are occupied, the machinegun positions continued to harass the Delta troops with the Bombmaker...they eventually get bored with this and go about securing the SAMs...they do what TQ10 troops do best...

Delta moves into cover...

Races past the positions...Chris and I failed our TQ test to react to their movement...

Delta spidermans up the wall and moves into position...

It looked a little tenuous when a group of AS reinforcements popped up at the hotspot between the two SAMs...

...but a ill-timed Fog card put them to sleep...they were eventually taken out by Delta...

Approx two turns later both SAMs were secured an all terrorists in the ruins were wiped out...

Endgame:

The Rangers managed to clear out around their convoy and we conceded that the US had met their objectives.  The cost was fairly high for Mike and Ed...they had lost 2-3 hummers, at least 2 more were damaged...there were a couple of KIA amongst the Rangers and Delta and there were numerous light wounds and some severe... 

All in all...a great scenario and another excellent FoF game to be had...can't wait for the next one.