Lasalle 2nd Battle Report

After a long break, Lasalle 2nd was back on the menu. My friend, Ian, loves these rules as they focus line, square or column - traditional of an old rule set like WRG. I very much like Lasalle especially the command system and the interrupt-able order sequence. It only represents a division scale 'battle' with some higher reserve support as chosen by the player. 

We played Scenario 6: The Battle of Noordkerk. It was Austrians vs French at 300 points - the larger size for a Lasalle battle. We normally play the smaller size. A central line of hills - with a ridgeline (we don't normally use ridge rules in any game) - dominated the battlefield. Both players placed a forest cutting down on flanking movements. 

The French deployed 3 of 4 brigades while the Austrians - for reasons best known to themselves - left 2 of 4 brigades off table. Off had to be a reserve as it was a cuirassier brigade and counted as a reserve formation not under divisional command (as represented by this scale of rules.) 

The French started by moving their light cavalry brigade off to the right. I would have liked to continue this attack but Scenario 6 uses the double time rule which hastens the arrival of reserves. With this in mind I didn't want to be caught by any Austrian cuirassiers. At best, I hoped to draw away some Austrians from the centre giving me better odds in the middle. 

Both sides approached the ridgeline at top speed. Then the delay occurred when each player was tentative in actually coming over the ridge. This was due to the interrupt-able nature of the rules. When moving close (4BW) of the enemy - or carrying out just about any order with troops at this range - the opponent may interrupt. 

Each player was a little cagey in coming over the ridge to open themselves to an interrupt which would mean facing a volley or a charge. I was forgetting that musketry in Lasalle doesn't seem too effective with most troops needing a 4+ then another 4+ to lead to an enemy disruption. 

It didn't take too long - due to the 'At the Double' rule - for the reserves to start arriving. 

 

The French were the first over the ridge with a light cavalry charge into a square and also infantry. In the background the cuirassiers were here but - due to the forest at each end of the line - the actual combat zone was limited in size as the heavy cavalry had to just look threatening from behind. 

(Although, I did get a rule wrong and they could have charged a French unit whose front was just beyond a town terrain base. Cavalry cannot enter towns but could hit parts of units extending beyond terrain. Bad me ... then again ...  I can't get it right everytime!) 

On the other side, goaded by the French attack, the Austrians surged over the ridge. This lead to some inconclusive French fire (frustrating - especially as I had retained one battalion in line to increase its rate of fire.) The Austrian charge was also inconclusive but what followed was a glorious French charge. 

Well ... not really. 

In Lasalle 2nd the advantage is ALL with the attacker. Very little damage can be suffered when attacking - a single disruption I believe - but the defender may break entirely if their combat score is bettered by 3 or more. This means a entirely fresh unit may simply vanish if they roll a two and the attacker rolls a five (assuming unit strength scores are even - which they often are.) One of my French light cavalry regiments totally 'popped' earlier in the game. 

This time two Austrian battalions (or was it three?) also 'popped'! These battalions - all except one - were basically fresh. This 'glorious' (translate to 'lucky' attack - although I had done some musketry damage and a disruption or two in defence the combination of which gave me a slight edge) lead to this flank looking very good for the French. An Austrian reserve infantry brigade had just arrived on this side but if I could mop up another Austrian battalion or two, before the reserves were in position, victory would be French!

By this time it was 10:30 and time to pack away. Lasalle had not given us a clear victor but it looked likely the French might win. They held the objective (the town of Noordkerk) and were ahead on unit loses by 2 or 3 units. However, another series of charges could see just about anything happen. This is my only concern with the rules. I like more incremental losses as Mustafa recreates extremely well in Blucher. That game represents the attritional losses of huge formations grinding each other down - a concept which suits very well my understanding of large scale Napoleonic warfare. It would be an easy change to bring something like this into Lasalle 2nd - but it might make the game a bit long for our normal worknight gaming evenings. I'm not sure. I don't think I'll be using the Huzzah special rule anytime soon as combat already appears devastating enough. I would like to introduce the advanced rules for skirmishing but again, I worry about time added. 

Finally, would I play it again (I've already played Lasalle 2nd about 10 times) ... absolutely. Would I change the rules yet. No. I'd like a few more games in successive weekly games before I'd move to house rule anything. You must give the rules a chance under varied circumstances before springing to any judgement. 

The Gauls Return

With the advent of ADLG - as the dominant ancient rules - armies do not demand the same number of miniatures they once did. With this in mind. I decided to get my Gauls back on the table. This was the first army I collected for ancients. I never used it very often and, when I did, it never performed very well. As it would cost me nothing (almost nothing I purchased new bases), I retouched the paint and rebased by Gauls. 

This is certainly not my best work with the brush, but I'm pleased with the mass effect and will only use the army on occasion. So, it works for me!

Most miniatures are Old Glory 15s with a smattering of Museum and Irregular thrown in. Some were truly horrible sculpts and many of these were thrown away - but I did keep one or two and sneak them in across the army. 

I've six bases of cavalry, two of light cavalry, seven light foot (jav and slingers) and - the meat and potatoes - fourteen bases of heavy foot. So far, I've done 2 generals in chariots with one more on the painting desk. 

I do like the irregular, surging effect created by the mixed poses. It portrays a seething mass of humanity ready to charge forward. 

Above is the shot from my drone. 

The big cock at the back is my camp. In most ancients games, a camp is required and with the symbol of France being a rooster ... what better than a giant cock to waggle at your foes! 

My thanks to my friend, Mick B, who gave me this miniature some years ago. It is Corvus Belli's Boudicca. She'll be my 2nd in command. 

I only have 8 bases of medium infantry Gaesati to paint - that's only 24 miniatures. This will give me the earlier option of medium elite infantry for ADLG. I believe this is the better option. My current version is the later solduri option with two bases of heavy elite swordsmen with armour. ATM, I intend to use my cavalry to support the main line almost from the back - plugging gaps and looking for a flank to exploit. As the heavy foot are all impetuous, I view this as the only part of the force I can actually control with any certainty. 

 

Frustrating Frostgrave

I've played about 4 games of Frostgrave after high anticipation for over 6 months. I have mixed feelings. The spells are very good with a range of ways to effect any game. 

(Above shows the 3rd scenario 'The Crypt' - could be tomb or mausoleum? In this game I tried to just grab the treasures closest to me and leave quickly. This conservative battle plan was formed in the utterly shithouse rolls/results in every previous game.)

Here the Snake cult has moved quickly to secure the loot. In this way, the game is working as every other game of Frostgrave - ie: running up to grab nearby treasure and running away. 

My snake cult is led by a witch who tries to utilise magic that controls or blocks LOS or movement rather than using direct attack. Above a wall of fog temporarily blocks the dwarvern apprentices view to cast spells. 

Unfortunately, there are no more images. The game followed a now familiar pattern ... the dwarfs punched the crap out of everything while I took massive damage from whatever. EG: The Dwarfs killed 6 or 7 skeletons - which generated at the doors of the crypt. It took me 2 turns with my crusader AND treasure hunter to drop a single skeleton. This continued in the final turn as the Dwarf leader just cast Fools Gold to rob me of a chest to make sure I had 2 while he secured 3/4. 

I must say I find the Fool's Gold spell very frustrating and it just prolongs a game you thought was over some time ago. It might be funny once or twice buy every damn scenario? Nah! Slowly dragging treasure away gets a bit dull over time ... and this is half the game! 

My dice have been very shit ... or is it my lack of hmmm ... dunno??? I'm reaching the treasure first and limiting my opponents moves and view but this is having no effect. Speaking of no effect are the 3 Frostgrave scenario's I've seen. Both sides just do the same thing regardless of scenario - you just grab the treasure near you then bugger off trying to mitigate losses. After 4 games, my cultists have gathered almost no useful treasure, while the dwarfs are jetting along. I've found two grims with spells completely opposed to my witch and utterly useless ... and I can't sell or profit from them in any way! 

Comes down to a D20 game. That results in damn swing-y-ness constantly. And that can be fun ... to a point ... then it just gets frustrating especially with a low game turn-over. A smaller game time would lead to more games resulting in (probably) some swings both ways. As it is, one game per night (which can go shit based solely on rolls) leaves a disappointing feeling behind. 

Its a good game but I'd like there to be something else ... like Mordheim. Ahhh, the sweet Mord ... will there be another fantasy skirmish to match you??? After Warcry and Frostgrave. I'm beginning to have my doubts. 

Also, we're finding Frostgrave a bit slow with the ability to only play one game per evening. This is a bit crappy in my book for a skirmish game. 

Otherwise, my figures look great as does the terrain. 

 

Achaemenid Persians 15mm

My project for the last six months (a WILD guess on time) is nearing completion. As usual with any project, I set up and take photo's as I can't wait the final few days for the last couple of bases. 

My love of the ancient world surges forth from time to time while usually just bubbling along beneath. I teach Persepolis at work, have read Herodotus over many years and recently gobbled up Lloyd Llwellyn-Jones book on the Great Kings. All this made me enthusiastic to paint Achaemenid Persians. In wargaming terms, these are an interesting choice as they're a bow army in a period with few all shooting forces. I also had many bases in my Diadochoi armies that would slot in - saving some painting. A friend of mine, Ian, is has committed to painting hoplites too adding a historical opponent. 

Above is one cavalry wing. I have 8 bases of heavy cavalry and 4 of medium cavalry. If I put all on, I can make up a decent Late Achaemenid list too. I painted various coloured Persian 'bonnets' to mark some as elite, ordinary and mediocre if needed. 

Next are my immortals. I think I will change the basing to get 8 per 40x40 mm base. This will reduce to only 3 units but they are expensive in terms of ADLG points and, as elites, shouldn't be too numerous - despite Herodotus' idea of 10, 000. 

Next the colourful Sparabara. These have spear in front rank and bow in the second. I decided to paint in different colours to mark units from among the 23 (or more) subject peoples of the empire - as listed on the Behinstun Monument. Reliefs carvings about Persepolis also emphasise the cultural differences which could be represented by bright colour changes. Not a true uniform but I tried to use a simple colour scheme with some variation to represent different groups within an army.  

Next the Bactrian elite LC. These are xyston while most of the army is Forged in Battle. This creates some size differences but this is unavoidable due to not needing the larger number of miniatures that come in the Forged in Battle boxes for all units. One xyston pack here was enough. 

A already had scythed chariots for my Mithridatic army so ... 

Behind the chariots are some assorted units ... two of mercenary Greek peltasts and two of assorted Persian bowmen. Just some cheap units to flesh out the line. I intend to pick lots of miniatures - especially in my Later Achaemenid force - and just see what happens. (I'll lose, I imagine.)

The other cavalry wing. More of the same but I failed to mention my 4 bases of javelin LC. These represent arachosians or paphlagonians or something similar. Plenty of such troops for the Persian king or satraps to draw from. 

Behind the front sparabara line - all used in an Early Achaemenid force - stand my heavy options. I recently painted the Apple-Bearers on the end of the line but the 4 units of hoplites come from my Macedonian army. May need 4 more one day if I ever put both forces on the table. 

And lo! The Great King, the King of Kings, the King of Anshan, the ... I had great fun painting this miniature chariot. Lots of bright colours. I was well into the painting before I remembered the Alexander mosaic from the House of the Faun in Pompeii. Could have used that colour scheme. Oh well, I imagine if little Tutankhamun can have 4 or more chariots the Great King can have as many different ones as he pleases. 

In the background - no, not the house - are one of two lines of light foot - 4 bowmen and 4 javelinmen. These give further options for skulduggery from the scrub or screening the scythed chariots. 

Oh, I forgot to put an elephant in the photo's too - I've got two that will do - but only need one. 

The view I'll get most games. Funny, you rarely see the front of your army ... and this is frequently the best modelling, painted and decal-ridden part. The above looks suitably colourful but will never be on the field together as those troops were not found in the same period armies. 

One eastern satrap urging on the cavalry. 

Back to those heavy cavalry. I really hope their numbers and mobility will win many fights on the wings. 

Hand painted Apple-Bearer shields. I found I could do an eagle - despite not being particularly prominent in Persian art. The more common lions or fantastic creatures were beyond my ability with the brush. Although, Ahrua-Mazada does have splendid eagle wings while hovering above the king. 

Ah, King of Kings ... no more running away like Issus please. 

Again, my hand painted shields - this time on my Immortals. I did like this design - taken from a border in a Persian palace. 

This Immortal shield design was inspired by the 'evil eye' charms so prevalent in the Middle-East. 

I purchased some turquoise paint (or emerald I think is on the bottle) just because it looked nice. I finally found a use for it. To my mind this suits Persia as their massive empire had access to many different colours from the purples of Tyre to the blue stones in Afghanistan. Again, I have no direct archaeological reference but its within plausibility (and it looks good.) 

And there we go ... only 2 bases of kardakes (or Later Achaemenid medium swordsmen infantry) and my single base of satrapal cavalry elite guards - to be complete. These are being painted now. 

Combined, this gives me a hugely varied army that should be fun to play. Will they be effective? Well, the Madaxeman just got quite a few wins with the Early Achaemenid ... but he can actually play ADLG. Not sure I'll do the same - but my army will look GREAT even when I lose! 

 

In Her Majesty's Name - Monkey Island

It was more than rumour. Mick the One Armed, One Eyed, sexually predatorial pirate was in Port Royale. More than that he had coin, so much he had contracted a depraved crew and even paid for the ministrations of the lowly strumpets and pox-ridden rent boys that were his penchant. 

Something was deeply amiss ... 

(In IHMN terms, this game consisted of 3 warbands. 

Each had a Captain (+3 FV, +2 SV Sword, Pistol or Assegai - 3+ Pluck), 

a 1st Mate (+2 FV and SV, Sword, Pistol or Assegai. 4+ Pluck) and 

9 crew (+1 FV and SV with Sword/Spear and Musket/Pistol, 5+ Pluck.) 

Only the Captain and 1st mate could swim.)

It took little time to uncover that his continual odyssey to plunge to the deepest abyss of human degradation had borne unexpected fruit. Mick had uncovered a syrupy substance more precious than ambergris. The more mentally aberrant members of his crew readily divulged Mick's secrets and his dark perversions ... but - to the misfortune of a good many - these were already well known. 

Mick set sail to an island normally shunned by all sane men - Monkey Island! This was home to simians of prodigious size whose lusts surpassed even the rapacious hunger of Mick. Somehow, he had divined methods to extract their male viscous bounty which was highly prized by alchemists. 

Mick was pursued by Abudullah. the Slaving Bastard. and also King B'Donga. the Cannibal Chief of the M'Bopo River. Each had their own ways to extract the luxuriant liquid - using pheromone grenades and whistles to mimic she-apes in the dire throws of heat. Further, a corpulent idol depicting a voluptuous feminine form was the subject of the Great Apes repeated advances. King B'Dongo hoped debased, lascivious dancing before this idol would produce the required effects. 

The slaving bastards heaved to on their oars, plying the shark infested waters. One boat headed for the isle of the Great Ape (Kong) while the other headed for the island of lesser beasts. However, dark legends told that this bejungled rock was home to a brute more bestial than any creature ... 

... the sadistic Mongo!

Slavers struck forth blowing whistles. Soon the foliage resounded with the hoots of aroused monsters. 

The cannibals surge onto the Isle of the Great Ape. 

Several cannibals discharged their muskets in a long range duel with Mick's pirates. 

Mick's pirates amassed on the lesser island. 

Then, a savage and turgid ape burst from the shrubbery showering spunk as he gibbered victoriously at the accomplishment of his passion.  

Elsewhere, natives writhed in lascivious coils before the corpulent mistress. The Great Ape (Kong) lurched forth, tromping over B'Donga and several others - who narrowly passed their pluck tests. 

The ape delivered his payload dangerously close to the shark infested waters. Here he stooped and taunted the marine carnivores who circled the isle hungrily. - a pastime which greatly amused his limited mind. 

Abdullah rebuked his crew for their failure to, as yet, deliver him upon the large island. 

Once again, the indefatigable Great Ape tore from his prodigious log-pile house leaving a trail of beslimed ground behind. The cannibals grinned at this valuable cargo that they would soon secure. 

In his passing, Kong had once more trodden on sable warriors who seemed immune - or strangely aroused themselves - by the heavy steps of this massive masculine monkey. 

In a show of insane bravery and unparalleled greed, Big Chief B'donga used his royal fly-whisk to stimulate the ape's nethers. All the while, tribesman Salami gyrated before the curvy fetish. 

Back on little island, emboldened by Kong's example, other gorillas ran forward to taunt the denizens of the deep. This one decided to fling his excess man fluid to inflame the shark's savagery. 

Standing too close to the shore, one pirate was mauled by a shark - whose rage could not be withheld. 

Slavers now thrust themselves forward at the great prize. 

As cannibals ran for their boats, arms and torsos dripping warm slime, the pheromone grenade was hurled. This drove Kong's mind into fresh spasms of engorged, bestial desire. 

The Great Ape burst forth ... swollen and potent ... 

... and made a sizeable double deposit - coating the hapless Sa'id the Bald. 

Now all combatants fled the smaller isle as the hoots of whistles had summoned the fiendish Mongo. This woefully backward primeval freak exploded from the jungle. He violently violated the nearest pirate releasing his cravings while crushing his foe. Mick fled with the screeches of Mongo in his ears. Any pirate bearing the precious cargo also ran to the jolly boats. 

With eyes stuck fast, hair matted and feet slipping, Sa'id the Bald made it back to the slaver's boats. All the Turks swarmed onto the land to hold up the cannibal attacks. 

B'Dongo himself surged down the slope, crashing his bulky form into the slavers. His heavily knotted club battered Abudullah's tulwar before the Slaving Bastard succumbed to the hammer blows. 

Assegai's and musket-balls whistled through the air ... the cannibals were emboldened by Abdullah's martial vigour and each seemed immune to the slavers desperate sabre cuts. 

And the result was ... catastrophic. Not only their leader but 5 other slavers perished in combat with only 3 natives. Their bloodied corpses slipped down the rocks and into the water. 

Every shark in the vicinity now crowded the shores, driven into a maddened blood ecstasy. 

Now Mick's pirates closed into melee with the cannibals. But the day grew short and the apes ardour waned. The spoils of war were safely in the arms, or sloshed into vessels, of each warband. 

The greatest treasure was secured by B'Donga (who had unfortunately died after performing a astonishing leap into a slaver boat only to be beheaded as he recovered) and his cannibals with three loads of Great Ape sediment. The double load was only just taken back to the Turkish galley by Sa'id the Bald - sole surviving slaver from Abdullah's crew. (The Slaving Bastard himself was possibly dragged off as a post-combat digestif.) Finally, two bundles of lesser ape freight made it to the jolly boats of Mick. 

Strangely, he was the only Captain to survive the battle ... 

thus - of course - ensuring a future encounter of depraved and rum deportment.