SBH - Elizabethan Zombie Wars - "Breakthrough" - AAR#4

Time for another outing for Hernando and his band of Fighters..... In a world riddled by the plague and the undead.

Having escaped the clutches of the witch and her evil hordes Hernando De Leon leads his battered command on towards safety, Julio was injured in the last encounter and will not be available in this engagement, but spending some of his precious Gold coins Hernando has managed to recruit an additional swordsman. All that remains is for the human forces to break through the ranks of undead.

The hamlet of Much Moaning the most direct route to safety and with a tide of death to De Leon's rear he has no choice but to break through the lines of undead blocking his way.

Scenario: Breakthrough
After the defender has placed terrain, the attacker selects which table edge he will use. The defender then sets up his models from the opposite edge up to the middle of the table. The attacker places his models within Short distance of his edge. The attacker must run his models off of the defender’s table edge to earn victory points, and the defender must slay enemy models to prevent this.

Defender victory conditions:
1 victory point per 20 points of killed opponents.
Attacker victory conditions: 
1 victory point per 15 points of models who successfully moved off of their opponent’s table edge.
  

The forces of evil have opted for quantity rather than quality, with two Witches and over 30 Zombies hoping to pin and then swamp the human party.

Not to be caught out this time Henando De Leon advances on mass with his Calviers taking up a good firing position and destroying the zombies as the stumble into range.

The Witches are forced to trigger all their forces on a general advance rather than the planned ambush in the village, a number of Spanish troopers are transfixed by the hags, but are valiantly defended by their comrades, whilst the witches are driven back by musket fire.

 

Winnie is forced to join the fight as the Zombies activiation on a 5,6 is not bringing enough of their number to bear in the melee and whilst many of the Spanish are pinned in combat their greater flexability allows their fellow swordsmen time to gang up and dispatch the cadavers.

Hernando leads the charge his mighty blow dispatches zombie after zombie.

Clash of the titans - seizing their chance with a human transfixed the Zombies close in for the kill, which gives De Leon the opportunity to close on the witch who is swiftly dispatched...

With their number down to less than half and both witches killed the undead break off leaving the table to the living and whilst De Leon did not escape the table the road through Much Moaning is clear for the loss of one injured Swordsman.

A clear Human victory.

Next scenario - Burn them out!!!!!
 
The Living Forces.

Hernando De Leon
Quality 3, Combat 4
Leader, Fearless, Short Shooter, Unerring Aim.
92 Points.

Caliver (5) (-1)
Quality 4, Combat 3
Long Shooter, Lethal (Shooting Zombies) Unerring Aim.
42 Points

Swordsman (7)
Quality 4, Combat 3
23 Points

Total Points 505
Purse 7 Gold Coins

The Evil Forces.

The Wicked Witches of the Woods (2)
Quality 3, Combat 2
Leader, Magic User, Long Shooter, Good Shot, Flying.
120 Points.

Zombies (33)
Quality 5, Combat 2
Slow, Undead
8 Points

Total Points 504

Northstar SCW - Moors - Part 2

Last weeks all dayer proved to be just the tonic to kick start the painting season....

Unfortunately the last few weeks have seen little in the way of activity and these have been sitting at the foot of Lead mountain since Febuary, with the planned first outing @ the Wyverns in April, I need to put my foot down otherwise my platoon will be seriously under strength.

Dressed in the traditional Morrocan Chilaba Northstar's offering lack some of the finer detail of Empress but once painted and based compare well to the others.

The now customary comparison shot.
L-R  Rif-Raf, Northstar, Northstar, Empress, Northstar, Empress

Highway 255 - Galicia 1914 WW1 AAR Part 2

A bright Tuesday morning,  the sound of birds chirping is broken by the sound of marching boots, the Austrians are on the move looking to break the Russian Bear.

The Table at 10.00am the view the Russian side.

Both sides push forward their blinds looking to seize the best firing positions and early opportunities to gain the upper hand.

Johnny Turk - opps sorry the Bosnians - are unmasked in the rear fields by a keen Russian observer in the farm house over looking the cross roads, a great vantage point for spotters.

11.00am German cavalry scout the left flank only to be halted by Russian infantry who have already reached the farm complex.

The Russian right flank, Infantry and HMGs posed to repulse and advances from the Austrian lines.

11.20 am Austro Hungarians and Bosnians push down their right flank and highway 255.

The cavalry seek cover within the meadow pinned by the massed ranks of Stotic Russians.

12.30 - Dead lock apart from a long range HMG dual casualties are light as both sides probe for a weakness and await reinforcements. The clock is ticking three and a half hours to go.

The Austrian reinforcements start to arrive.

1.00pm On the Russian left a strong flanking moves satrts to develope with the Naval brigade advancing against a single section in the farmstead, Austrian blinds start to enter the table.

Meanwhile an Austrian probe in the centre is repulsed with heavy casaulties.

2.00pm  yet more Russians flood the left flank. Pressure starts to mount on the Austrian right and still no Russian Cavalry in sight.

The Russians start to buckle on the left as Bosnian Artillery puts them under fire and more infantry begin to filter through the fields.

2.30 pm Austrians are forced out of the farmstead having faced odds of 5:1

2.45pm A secondary defence line is formed in the stone walled field but still the Russians press forward.

3.00pm The Austrian right starts to crumble, repeated Infantry attacks forces the Infantry back, whilst Russian cavalry pours down Highway 255.

A HMG team valiantly deploys in the road looking to stem the advancing Russian cavalry.

The mighty Cossack horde.

The Russian left forces the stone wall and whilst sustaining heavy casualties drive the Austrians back with several shock points.

The Austrian HMG lets off a stream of lead but it is unable to stop the charging cavalry and are ridden down, wiped out.

The cavalry are forced to retire, but their work is complete.

The second wave of cavalry pushes further down the road, hitting the latest wave of Austrian reinforcements, who take to their heels.

3.45pm the Austrians surge forwards on the left flank but time was running out and with cavalry now moving to counter the attack will make the Austrian attack hard going.

4.00pm A Russian victory, the crossroads are clear of Austrians and Highway 255 is open.

A great days gaming, played using Mud & Blood from the Too Fat Lardies, the perfect balance between skirmish gaming and big table tactics all wrapped up in 6 hours.

Highway 255 - Galicia 1914 WW1 - Russian Front AAR - Part 1

That's the trouble with running a blog it reminds you how long a go, games were, over 12 months ago we re-fought an action around the Battle of Lemberg between the Austro-Hungarians and Russians.

http://dusttears.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/the-fall-of-lemberg-galicia-1914-part-2.html

Tuesday saw a follow up engagement as the Austrians attempted to encircle the advancing Russians, the Russians for their part needed to keep open the main road - Highway 255.

Orders

You continue to command elements of the Fifth Army dug in defensibly around Lemberg. Ammunition and food has been resupplied and morale is high after the defeat of the Austro-Hungarians only days before.

Fresh orders have arrived instructing you to advance just North of Zolkiewskie, a small hamlet on the outskirts of Lemberg, where the 255 Highway runs through.

Intelligence received from High Command suggests that elements of the Austro-Hungarian Fourth Army have circled around and are attempting to block all Northern supply lines into the city.

You are to advance to this location and reconnoitre the area. The strength of the enemies’ forces must be established and reported back to High Command.

The 255 Highway must remain open in order to allow supplies into the city.

My Forces consist of the following:-

Commanding Officer - Big Man 1 (status IV)

Second in Command - Big Man 2 (status III)

Cavalry unit – Big Man 3 (status II)

Cavalry unit – Big Man 4 (status II)

Cavalry unit – (Mongolian Irregulars)

6 Units of Russians (10 men each) – Big Man 5 (status III), Big Man 6 + 7 (status I)

1 Unit of Militia – (Mongolian Irregulars)

2 Units of Sailors (10 men each) – Big Man 8 (status III)

1 HMG and crew (Support One)

1 Artillery piece (Support Two)

Supply Wagon

Scenario Rules

I have available on Turn one 6 of these units and the supply wagon. I am  able to deploy as many Big Men as you like.

At 12:30 hours I will be allowed to be reinforced by the remainder of my units supported by any remaining Big Men.

If the supply Wagon is destroyed or captured then ammunition will become short in supply and this will affect combat efficiency.

The game will stop at 4pm and I will win if Highway 255 remains open. If it is contested then it will come down to the number of casualties inflicted.

Tune in tomorrow to see if the Two headed eagle of the Austro-Hungarian empire can defeat the Russian Bear.....