Gods of War: Robert E. Lee – first blood, EN/PL Środa, Czer 29 2022 

Confederate State of America and GM Boardgames and Gods of War: Robert E. Lee and Union tancreddebeauville 12:30

Yesterday I had pleasure to play my first game in Gods of War: Robert E. Lee – a game from GM Boardgames. GM Boardgames was founded by two brothers Grzegorz (Gregory) and Maciej (Matthias) – more about them is here. I had a demo game with one of them – Maciej and my enemy was my mates Marcin. It was a game, where Maciej taught me and Marcin how to play our first game ever. All miniatures on the table belongs to Matthias.

Let take a look on a game – in this game we use 6mm miniatures and we can be recreate big battles which happend during American Civil war 12.04.1861 to 13.05.1865 where armies of North (Union) clashed with armies of South (Confederacy). Player is general of an army and under his/her command is whole army composed of several divisions at least – it can include also batteries of artillery. Army general have under his command corps general and they had divisions under they command which are commanded by divisions generals – generals can be different – some of them are great individuals, other can behave differently on the field of battle.

Generałowie mają też charakter, który wpływa na trudność zdania rozkazu

So let’s start with game as I saw it:
1. battles are fought beetwen armies composed of army corps – they are lead by generals like Robert E. Lee. Army generals have different skills and some of them can take initiative easier.
2. Generals of army corps and divisions have different levels and skills. Better general can issue order or rally troops easier. Army general can support them by sending his adiutants represented by additional dice.
3. There are battle cards – each army general start with hand of three, plus then each turn take one more.
4. there is fog of war, both generals starts with units of patrol (markers) scouting field for enemy corps. Patrol (markers) can hid corps under them – when both scout parties see each other and there are units hidden – brigades are placed in area close to scouts, but not in front of them.
5. In secrecy units receive orders – so there are three of them:
– Assault – which allow unit to get in enemy zone of control and fire and/or charge.
– Defence – which make unit better in defence.
– March – which add 3″ move more.
6. generals orders they corps one after one – so first is player with initiative, then his opponent and so on.
7. units quality is different from state militia to elite infantry and cavalry – I guess that this system can be good to recreate historical units.
8. different sides have different victory conditions – different for well developed and industrialist north, other for less numerous and agriculture south.

I dla odmiany znowu dwujęzycznie.

Wczoraj miałem przyjemność zagrać moją pierwszą grę w Bogów Wojny: Robert E. Lee – grę od GM Boardgames. Firma została założona przez dwóch braci Grzegorza i Macieja – więcej o nich tutaj. Miałem grę demo z jednym z nich – Maćkiem i jednym z kumpli Marcinem. W tej grze Maciek uczył mnie i Marcina, jak zagrać naszą pierwszą grę. Wszystkie modele na stole to figurki Maćka.

Spójrzmy na grę – w tej grze używamy figurek 6mm i możemy dzięki temu odtwarzać wielkie bitwy które wydarzyły się w trakcie amerykańskiej wojny domowej 12.04.1861 do 13.05.1865 kiedy to armie północy (Unia) starły się z armiami południa (Konfederacja). Gracz jest generałem armii pod którego wodzą znajduje się armia złożona z z kilku dywizji przynajmniej – może także zawierać baterie artylerii. Generał armii ma pod swoją kontrolą generałów korpusów i oni mają pod sobą dywizję, które są dowodzone przez generałów dywizji – generałowie mogą być różni – niektórzy z nich to wielcy wodzowie, inni mogą zachować się różnie na polu bitwy.

Tak więc zacznijmy z grą jak ją widziałem:
1. bitwy są toczone przez armie złożone z korpusów – są dowodzone przez generałów takich jak Robert E. Lee. Armijni generałowie mają różny poziom wyszkolenia i umiejętności, niektórzy z nich są w stanie łatwiej przejąć inicjatywę, inni trudniej.
2. generałowie korpusów armijnych i dywizji mają różne poziomy wyszkolenia i umiejętności. Lepszy generał może łatwiej wydać rozkaz lub zebrać swoich żołnierzy. Generał armijny może wspierać swoich dowódców wysyłając adiutantów – reprezentowanych przez dodatkowe kości.
3. są tu karty bitwy – każdy generał zaczyna grę z trzema i co turę dociąga jedną kartę z talii.
4. w grze mamy mgłę wojny, obaj generałowie zaczynają grę z patrolami (marker) prowadzącymi rozpoznanie sił przeciwnika w poszukiwaniu korpusów. Patrol może także ukrywać przed przeciwnikiem własny korpus – kiedy patrol własny i przeciwnika się zobaczą, odkrywa się ich prawdziwe oblicze. Jeśli patrol krył brygadę – jest ona wystawiane obok patrolu, ale nigdy przed.
5. Brygady w sekrecie otrzymują rozkazy – są trzy do wyboru:
– Atak – which allow unit to get in enemy zone of control and fire and/or charge.
– Obrona – which make unit better in defence.
– Marsz – który dodaje 3″ ruchu więcej.
6. generałowie wydają rozkazy brygadom, naprzemiennie jeden po drugim – wpierw jest generał który wygrał inicjatywę, następnie jego przeciwnik i tak dalej, naprzemiennie.
7. jakość jednostek jest różna od stanowej milicji po elitarne brygady piechoty czy kawalerii – uważam, że ten system jest dobry do odzwierciedlenia jednostek jakie brały udział w tej wojnie domowej.
8. różne strony mają różne punkty zwycięstwa – inne dla dobrze rozwiniętej i uprzemysłowionej północy, inne dla mniej ludnego i zasadniczo rolniczego południa.

Patrol markers ahead of main force. Patrole prowadzą rozpoznanie przed siłami głównymi.
Patrol marker – under this one was army corps. Znacznik patrolu – pod tym krył się jeden korpus armijny.
Patrol markers look on each other from distance. Znacznik patrolu patrzy na inny znacznik z dystansu.
Generals should be in appropriate range from army corps generals. Generałowie powinni być w odpowiednim zasięgu od dowódców korpusów armijnych.
Union advance on right flank. Unia w natarciu na prawym skrzydle.
Confederate cavalry, around 1,500 men hidden in the shadow of threes. Kawaleria Konfederacji, około 1,500 ludzi kryje się w cieniu drzew.
Union infantry took position behind wall. Piechota Unii zajęła pozycję za murem.
Right flank and the centre. Prawe skrzydło i centrum.
Confederate infantry and artillery advances. Piechota i artyleria Konfederacji zajmuje pozycje.
Army corps HQ. Sztab korpusu armijnego.
Confederate infantry taking hill. Piechota Konfederacji zajmuje wzgórze.
Right flank of Confederate army. Prawe skrzydło armii Konfederatów.
Hill was taken. Wzgórze zostało zajęte.
Union infantry take cover behind solid wall. Piechota Unii zajmuje pozycje obronne za solidnym murem.
Cavalry brigade general don’t understand orders and in fact charged on defending Union infantry. Dowdódca brygady kawalerii nie zrozumiał rozkazu i zaszarżował na broniącą się piechotę Unii.
Cavalry retreat. Kawaleria wycofała się.
Confederate infantry advanced, shoot and then assault on bayonnets. Piechota Konfederacji podeszła, strzeliła po czym uderzyła na bagnety.
Union cavalry outflanked Confederate infantry. Kawaleria Unii oskrzydliła piechotę Konfederacji.
One brigade of Confederates took guns and prepared for Union cavalry. Jedna brygada Konfederatów wzięła armaty i przygotowała się na kawalerię Unii.
One brigade of Union and one of Confederates were lost. Jedna brygada Unii i jedna Konfederacji zostały stracone.
Confederate cavalry rallied. Kawaleria Konfederacji zebrała się.
Then galloped on Union infantry flank. Po czym pogalopowała na skrzydło piechoty Unii.
Confederate veterans charges on Union infantry. Weterani Konfederacji szarżują na piechotę Unii.
Union cavalry repelled. Kawaleria Unii przepędzona.
Both brigades broken. Obie brygady złamane.

Summary:
– Confederate won over Union 11:5,
– it was interesting experience, so I want my own Confederate army.

Podsumowanie:
-Konfederacaja wygrała nad Unią 11:5,
-to było interesujące doświadczenie, tak więc mam zamiar rozpocząć swoją własną armię Konfederacji.

Useful links/Użyteczne linki – versions are PL and UK – wersje po polsku i po angielsku:

 

Bolt Action – Take a bridge/Zdobądź most Czwartek, Czer 23 2022 

Armia Czerwona and Bolt Action and Germany and Warlord Games tancreddebeauville 23:21

Last Wendesday we played in Bolter.pl with Karol (Germany) and Franek (Soviet Union) scenario where Red Army should take a bridge, to stop German trucks going out. Red Army was advancing from the forest, Germans were deployed in the town and also on Soviet side of deployment as rear guard. We played for around 2,000 points per side. Red Army main task was to control area of bridge on 4 turn, German side had to prevent from it.

W ostatnią środę zagraliśmy w Bolterze z Karolem (Niemcy) i Frankiem (Związek Radziecki) scenariusz, w którym oddziały Armii Czerwonej powinny zająć ważny most, by zatrzymać konwój niemieckich ciężarówek próbujących się ewakuować. Armia Czerwona nacierała przez tereny leśne. Niemcy byli wystawieni w mieście oraz po radzieckiej stronie wystawienia, jako tylna straż. Graliśmy na około 2,000 punktów na stronę. Głównym zadanie dla Armii Czerwonej było kontrolowanie mostu do czwartej tury, Niemcy mieli za zadanie niedopuścić do tego.

1945′ somewhere in Germany. 1945′ gdzieś w Niemczech.
Famous acht’acht. Słynna ósemka ósemka.
German rear guard. Niemiecka straż tylna.
German artillery observer for 8.8. Niemiecki obserwator artyleryjski dla 8.8.
Red Army advances. Armia Czerwona naciera.
Panther. Pantera.
Of course Franek will paint those grey shades of grey. Oczywiście Franek pomaluje te szare cienie szarości.
Tankodesantiki jumped from tank, after someone targeted it. Desant pancerny zeskoczył z czołgu wtedy, kiedy zauważył, że ktoś do niego celuje.
For Mother Russia, hooraaaa! Za Matkę Rosję, uraaaa!
Germans took defensive positions. Niemcy zajęli pozycje obronne.
German infantry advances in cover of Panzerkampfwagen V – called Panther. Niemiecka piechota naciera pod osłoną Panzerkamfwagen V – zwaną potocznie Panterą.
Hidden and dangerous. Ukryta i niebezpieczna.
Boom, IS-2 destroyed Panther, before that one of T-34-85 tanks was destroyed. Bum, IS-2 znisczył Panterę, przed tym jeden z T-34-85 został zniszczony.
My favourite tank losed track at start, then losed another one and crew evacuated. Mój ulubiony czołg, stracił gąsienicę na początku, następnie stracił kolejną i załoga opuściła wóz.
Bridge was hands of Red Army at the end. Most pozostał pod kontrolą Armii Czerwonej.
IPN workshops in Bolter. Warsztaty IPN w Bolterze.

Podsumowanie:
– dzięki Franku i Karolu za grę!
– następnym razem postaram się opisać nieco zasady tej miłej i przyjemnej gry bitewnej, a w dodatku taniej na wejście.
– brzydzę się szarością, ale jest to najłatwiejsze, by nimi zacząć, tak więc o ile sam nigdy nie gram niepomalowanymi, akceptuję je u moich kolegów.
– jesteśmy w stanie zrobić gry pokazowe dla osób zainteresowanych, a moi koledzy bez wątpienia pomogą w dobraniu farb i nauce malowania, ja maluję ale znam po prostu lepszych ode siebie.
– jeśli ktoś myśli, że gry bitewne, RPG czy karcianki są tylko dla chłopców, to grubo się myli. Usłyszałem to kiedyś, kiedy zaproponowałem parze przyjaciół mojej dawnej sympatii i w sumie moich zagranie w Warhammera: Inwazję – usłyszałem od faceta – to nie takie babskie… zatkało mnie. Czyli co, płeć piękna nie może? Też byłem na tym kierunku co on, ale uważam, że naprawdę fajnie, jak dziewczyny grają z nami facetami.

Summary:
– thank you Franek and Karol for a game!
– next time I will try to write down review of rules of this nice game, in addition it’s cheap to be collected.
– I hate grey plastic of all shadows of grey, Franek knows it.
– we are able to do demo games for ppl who are interested, my friends can help with paints and teaching painting, I’m painting, but I know better than me.
– if someone thinks that tabletop games, RPG or card games are only for boys, it’s a big mistake. I heard it once, when I proposed a couple of friends of my ex sympathy that we can play Warhammer: Invasion and I heard from guy that it’s not for ladies… I didn’t know what to say to him. So that more beautiful gender shound’t play? I was on the same studies and I know, that’s it’s really nice when girls play with us.

 

General d’Armee – blow after blow, 2nd game Niedziela, Czer 19 2022 

Black Powder - Napoleonic Wars and General d'Armee and Polish and Russians and United Kingdom tancreddebeauville 21:48

Yesterday we played with Tomek another training game in General d’Armee. We practice it with smaller armies than proposed in rulebook and without some rules as at now they could make our game practice totally impossible. But we will return to those rules in the close future.

On Saturday we played again with small forces deployed on table – no fog of war, no reserves, visible units as they are – just learning in simplest way. So on one side were Tomek British and on the other were Europeans from Russia and others – as we wanted to have all miniatures painted.

We played on standard 48″x72″ table representing some crossroads and different types of fields – some of them were difficult terrain limiting movement to half. Everyone in those armies were regular (excluding British infantry), gun batteries were Elite. Both sides had four regiments each and up to four dices from adiutants.

Infantry in line move slower.
Cavalry rode ahead.
Several lucky cannonballs panicked Polish Uhlans.
British against Russians.
Cavalry clashes as Polish lancers countercharge British hussars.
Russian batallion finally losed they nerves and fled.
Another regiment of Uhlans broke hussars.
One of the British batallions broke from Russian infantry and artillery fire.
Another batallion broken by heavy artillery and muskeet fire.

Summary:
– up to this point I know that there are some more important things we have to use in our games, at now we focus on basic rules, as we want to know them well. We will play with more rules next time.
– there are different sort of soldiers avaible – so for me playing this system in usual meeting engage scenarios armies should be created with system points as irreguar cossacs or freshly recruited soldiers behave different way than regulars, veterans or elite units. Rulebook says which formations can be elite – those famous units like guards, 95th regiment and so on. It will need some investigation in the future as bulk of most armies were regular or recruits with some exceptions.
– unit can be of different size, small, standard and large. We field them the same way as we do it in Black Powder.
– ranges and movement are shorter for units than in Black Powder – muskeet has 9″ of range of fire, rifles are much better so it’s another reason to use skirmishing units like Jagers. I have to paint my own unit of that infantry. Units move less than in Black Powder, it’s a plus as tables are not from rubber 🙂 .
– I discovered some useful things on this blog: Sir Able Brush and on this blog Chasseur Acheval – there is useful army creator – really nice work. On second blog I found some ruleset called 321 – Fast Play Napoleonic Rules.
– there will be more about General d’Armee on my blog, just need time – me and people I play.

 

General d’Armee – first blood Sobota, Czer 18 2022 

Black Powder - Napoleonic Wars and General d'Armee and Polish and Prussian and Russians tancreddebeauville 19:55

On last Friday finally with Kuba „Karaś” we played first game in General d’Armee. It was discovering something new – we played it first time and limited some special rules like Fog of War which can be really interesting addition to this game when we will know well all basic rules – at first sight all those tables scared me, but after we started everything were more clear.

Part of the table we hasn’t used.
Cavalry charges, Polish Uhlans in Tzar service vs Prussian Hussars
Lancers broken in combat.

Summary:
– thank you Kuba for a game, it’s seems that we will play in it in the future. It was our first game, so I try to think all things I saw during our game play in General d’Armee.
– we played six turns, so it was good game on Friday evening, we started around 19 and finished a little before 22:00.
– thank you Rafał for proposing rulebook for General d’Armee, after some talk how to improve playing in Napoleonic times. I still like Black Powder from Warlord Games, but we should also play system from TooFatLardies studio.
– there will be one more article when I gather my thoughts – as on Friday (17.06) I played first game and on Saturday (18.06) I played another game with Tomek.

 

Middle Earth: A battle for hidden relic Sobota, Czer 18 2022 

Games Workshop and Middle-Earth and Mordor and The Dead of Dunharrow tancreddebeauville 08:00

Yesterday we played with Łukasz small game on 500 points per side – we played scenario, where six tokens are placed on the table – one of them is relic. Relic can be found after model get in contact with it and 6 is rolled – then all other tokens are removed from the table.

I found it behind those stones on left.
Most important battle, I thought I would be smashed to a dust.
Final countdown.

Summary:
– it was great game, I won it 11:1 but I was more lucky than usual during our games with Łukasz. Had to paint some Gondor, for some variety of troops.

 

Black Powder: Officer for cavalry brigade Piątek, Czer 17 2022 

Black Powder - Napoleonic Wars and General d'Armee and Russians and Warlord Games tancreddebeauville 15:19

Today morning I manged to finish base for my newly painted officer – so now my Polish Uhlans will be deployed as separate brigade, never again to be field with infantry and artillery. Now officer is waiting for his second brigade of Don Cossacs.

We will soon start testing of this game.

 

Bolt Action: Dawn strike, Soviet Union vs Germany Środa, Czer 15 2022 

Armia Czerwona and Bolt Action and Germany tancreddebeauville 22:57

Today I played on one side with Łukasz playing Soviets, on the other side were Sławek with Germans. With Łukasz our platoons had 2,000 of points and Sławek as defender had 1,500 points – it was test, as usually in reality attackers overhelmed defenders with numbers. The main objectives was to have control over bridge and/or two fords – both fords in points were equal to bridge. In addition Germans could blow up bridge, but no one would earn points for it.

As Soviet military intelligence reported area was full of retreating Germans unit, so assault started in the morning without artillery barrage.

Red Army advances. On the top Łukasz force, on button my platoon.
Germans on forward positions covering in the forests.
German Panzer IV – one of the best tanks of IInd world war.
Soviet sniper (original one is spending time at Marians place).
Red Army advances.
One of our T-34-85 tanks losed track and started burning. It crew well fought with fire, but after all Fubar was achieved.
Everyone advance, Red Banner above them!
Panzer IV firing at T-34-85.
Soviet tankodesantniki advanced, German mmg fled in advance.
Moment later Germans tried to retake position in hand to hand combat.
Red Army cleared house from enemy sniper.
Advancing toward bridge.
Clearing area of bridge.
Scouts appeard in turn five.
After losing second track T-34-85 crew left they tank.
Brave German defenders runned out from trees and throw some grenades into M3 White Scout Car.

Summary:
– thank you Łukasz and Sławek for great game. Thanks to Bolter.pl for terrains and table to play.
– I’m pretty sure that assaulting troops should have more points than defenders.
– it looks like German victory as there were more German troops in area of bridge and fords.

 

Bolt Action: Assault in area of Termoli Środa, Czer 8 2022 

Bolt Action and Bolter.pl and Germany and IPN and UK and USA and Warlord Games , tancreddebeauville 23:44

Today (06.06.2022) we played 3rd game of Italian campaign – battle of Termoli – town which has port and road to the north and south Italy. It’s part of games played in Bolter and supported by Polish Institute of Remembrance (called shortly IPN – Instutut Pamięci Narodowej).

Thank you Michał for representing IPN and IPN for support..
Thank you for prelection Mr Piotr.
Uboat blown up in secret raid of British commandos done on Monday.
Left flank covered by British troops.
American infantry advance to take control over harbour.
Germans have the same plans related to harbour.
Right German flank.
M10 heading toward railway.
Sniper took position.
Americans advance into the harbour facilities.
Germans try to prevent them.
More M10 arrived on the battlefield.
British reserves arrived.
Panther covering road to the town.
Duel beetwen M10 and German tanks of different types.
Commandos emerges from they hidenout.
Sniper switched position.
Panzer from the church.
British commandos arrived in poontons.
Ubboat started going down.

Summary:
– spliting table for several zone areas for Order Dices was great idea, we played six turns.
– thank you all for game and for borrowing models for me.
– thank you for interesting prelection before game started!

About Audie Murphy – the most decorated American soldier. He took part in Italian campaign.

 

Bolters Birthday, Black Powder, Gods of War: Robert E. Lee and others Sobota, Czer 4 2022 

Black Powder - Napoleonic Wars and Bolter.pl and French and Polish and Russians and Spain and Warlord Games tancreddebeauville 20:54

Today Bolter celebrated it 5th birthday in current localization on Podwale, Wrocław, Poland. There were many different tables with different systems – like Bolt Action, Black Powder, Gods of War: Robert E. Lee, Star Wars and others. I promised that I will be on Black Powder, but I managed to take some photos from interesting battles in Gods of War and from Star Wars with famous AT-AT taking part in the struggle on Endor. Today I played with comrade Michał as combined Russian&Poles and Spanish brigades, on other side were French of Jędrzej and Germans lead by Damian. It was nice to see that people were observing our struggle.

Jędrzej French arrived.
Generals should control bridges and villages at the end of battle.
Michał Russians arrived.
My Russians arrived.
French moving thru forest.
Fire!
Michał artillery started fire and French batallions.
German batallion failed to charge on Russians.
Russians took bridge and started volley of fire at incoming French.
Enemy reinforcement arrived first, unfortunately it was cavalry brigade on our left wing.
Right flank composed of Russians and Spanish.
Hand to hand combat.
Left flank waiting for support.
Broken French batallion retreat from the field of battle.
Cavalry fight beetwen French and Polish cavalry loyal to Tzar.
Broken Russian batallion…
and another one from right flank.
Shaken cavalry regiment of Polish uhlans.
Charge!
Jagers did what I should do at the start – they took village.
Many brave cavalry charges.
Russian securing bridge.
Bridge we wanted to take.
When whole flank started to collapse.
Run Roberto, run!
One Russian batallion of Eastern Oblast try to fight (current and former Poland, Lithuania, Bialorussia).
They gone away. Left flank was lost.
Game created by Maciej.
Gods of War: Robert E. Lee – American Civil war in small scale.
Star Wars, battle of Endor with rules from Bolt Action.
AT-AT in all it’s glory!

Summary:

  • thank you Bolters team for great place to meet and play – for all time smart talk, advice, great atmosphere – to Adam, Basiorek, Kuba, Piotrek, Rafał, Wiktoria. You all do a great job!
  • many great people I meet here and know that there are much more I don’t know.
  • wish happy birthday, hundred years and better times!
  • With Michał we failed and that bad French and Germans won battle.
Let’s say – soldiers should stay on the tables. Real soldiers should shake hands, politicians should avoid wars.

 

Bolt Action: Salerno – Allied landing by air and sea Środa, Czer 1 2022 

Bolt Action and Bolter.pl and Germany and IPN and Italy and UK and USA and Warlord Games tancreddebeauville 23:42

Today we played second part of campaign on Sicily. It was recreation of combined action of Allies forces in area of Salerno, Italy. American and British troops landed by air and sea in area of Salerno. This campaing we play in Bolter and is supported by Polish Institute of Remembrance,

Institute of Remembrance (IPN).
My borrowed force (thank you Dudzio and General).

Summary:
– thank you all for good game.
– as German side we forgot briefing and losed initiative.
– Allied side won this battle.