Bolt Action - War of the Worlds

Some enjoyable Bolt Action games of late and with a number of long train journey's got me thinking about how I might adapt them to cover my War of the Worlds Invasion Earth forces.

I much prefer knowing one or two rule sets really well, which keeps games flowing rather than the constant picking over rule sets, so I thought I would have a crack at tweaking Bolt Action and adding in elements from the original Martian Empire Rules.

Where possible I have looked to keep to the main rules for Bolt Action.

A few more play tests are required but feed back was pretty positive given it's first out with a couple of regular Bolt Action players.

On with the game - Crown Forces are looking to hold the line on the approaches to Winchester.

The British line, the cream of the British army, heavy cavalry, lancers and guns in emplacements. Surely this would be enough against the invader. 

Red weed had already started to creep into the eco-system, before the war machines were seen on the horizon, Fighting Machines, Handling Machines and smaller scout machines marched forward.

A fighting machine towered over a column of refugees as the guard rushed words to distract the tripod.

As the Martian raised its heat ray the heavy batteries let fly from behind the wooded ridge supressing the machine long enough for the column to stumble on.

As the local yeomanry advanced the fast moving scout walkers scuttled forwards wading into the valiant militia as they attempted to form up. The handling machine turned to face the tide of humanity trudging down the road. 

In a rare victory on the day the life guards caught a unit of Martians outside of their protective hoods, cutting them down before they in turn were wiped out by the fighting machines heat ray.

The invaders pressed on as the Royal Artillery fell backwards having been stripped of their infantry cover.... England was not yet defeated but the invaders would take some stopping.

A good first run out. Some things to ponder before the next game.

• The Heat Ray needs perhaps a slightly shorter range and when firing at infantry perhaps need the penetration score dropping to stop them all being completely wiped out in a turn.
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• The massed infantry ranks adding additional +1 for each stand beyond 2 felt right, but might need a limit to the number and arc of fire.
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• Artillery worked well at pinning the main tripods several times the main fighting machine was pinned and had to rally/repair themselves to stay in play.
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• Hand to Hand combat needs a slight rework allowing units to fall back rather than simply wiped out, I am thinking the difference between kills, becomes pins and units fall back 12" to keep them on the table.

All in all nice to get these guys back on the table.

England Invaded - London Attacked... Round 2

The people of London continue to endure the threat of Martian attack, Red weed creeps ever closer clinging to the country lanes and abandoned homes of the nations capital.

Black Smoke hangs in low laying land like a black shroud, but still London fights on.

The resilient Londoners continue to bolster their defences earth works, barricades are thrown up at every junction looking to blunt the advance of the out of world invaders. 

London has the advantage of being ringed by rivers. To the south the River Quaggy passes through the borough of Lewisham, before joining the mighty Thames.

It is here that the latest Martian attack thows itself at the human defenders,

The Martian invaders approach  on two fronts, the first force looking to smash it's way through the industrial area covering the approaches to the mail railway line to the capital.

Attacking on two fronts with 2000 points vs the human defenders of 800 this could be the most bloody encounter yet.

Out of the mist advance the the towering sentinals advance the seirens wail "oooohhhh-laaaa" as they sweep towards the burnt out ruins, But the right hand Martian force stutters,  unable to secure a command order.

The militia hidden dug in the factory units and destroyed houses open fire and the latest monsterous creations advance on the valiant garrison. After a bloody fight the handling machines are forced back, their metal claws unable to winkle the defenders from the cellars and roofs.

Finally on the right flank more fight machines appear flanking the factory units and driving head long for the railway embankment and the river beyond.

The Artillery is unmasked and the militia rush to counter the new threat. The Heat Ray strikes the Artillery battery but the crew are able to seek shelter behind their earth works.

A fighting machine is brought down, Artillery shells smash the legs of the fighting machine and rifle fire pours into the Martian driver in his hooded compartment. A valuable morale boster for the human defenders. The Martians retire some what shaken taking their fallen comrade with them.

With another deperate victory the London garrison is bolstered by members of the Queen's Royal Foot (100 pts) who manage to slip through Martian lines as they fell back from Surrey.

With a small encounter in Powys, the initiative is soon to pass to the forces of the Crown, could this valiant defence be the start of a human fight back?

England Invaded - Martian Moves Turn 3

Two months have slipped by since the last outing in the current Martian Empires campaign but the Martian's have not been idle.

The invaders break free from their red weed covered territory into the areas of England currently untouched by the steel claws of the out of world invader. West Glamorgan, Northamptonshire, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire fall to the Martians without a fight, historical cities and and towns that have stood for hundreds of years are razed to the ground, Stowmarket and Cambridge are nothing more than blackened ruins.

Meanwhile the battle lines are drawn in other areas, in the Midlands where the Humans have sufficent troops to hold the Martian invader they form up prepared to stem the Martian advance, will they fight or will they withdraw, pulling the red foe away from their cylinders?

Defence of Powys

700 Martian vs 345 Human

Defence of Staffordshire

600 Martian vs 300 Human

Defence of Cheshire

509 Martian vs 200 Human

Defence of Warwickshire

500 Martian vs 200 Human

The siege of London continues, the occasional scout machine scuttles forward probing the earth works and trenches, however over recent days the hammering from the pits has increased and the unearthly howling can be heard long into the night.

The Martian onslaught is coming.

London

2000 vs 800 - Attacking on two fronts.
The Martians are also attacking the Surrey salient (300 vs 100) but with such a small garrison one suspects the The Queens Royal Foot will have to retire towards the capital if it still stands.

Yorkshire Falls - Campaign Game #7

The last game of the year and it turned out to be a cracker....

Encouraged by their last victory the Human forces pushed on.

Generals Furphy and Dane gave orders to advance on Yorkshire in three flying columns, the Martian invader was already restricted in their capacity to reinforce as their cylinder had been destroyed a few weeks earlier, but being not of human mind and knowing no fear vowed to fight to the death.

Out numbered 2:1 it was always going to be difficult to hold mankind at bay.

The table layout, two of the human columns can be seen, but no Martian is in sight, only the clinging red weed, which was rapidly expanding across the English countryside.

Opting for a very mobile force to counter the artillery of HM land forces, the Martian invader is forced into action as the left hand column brings it's guns to bear, the Martian scutlers, scamper forwards looking to destroy the weaker column before it can become established in the village.

One order to far!!!

The Scout machines are caught in the flank as the local yeomanry line the walls and windows of the nearby village, a savage volley destroy's one metal monster and sends the other back towards the Martian lines.

The Militia advance, but the creatures from Mars stand firm firing their heat rays and launching cannister rounds of the terrible black smoke, the militia waiver but recover their nerve as supporting artillery fire damages a number of the war machines.

Facing advancing infantry on both flanks the Martian smoke projectors fall back to seek shelter on the reverse slop of the hill as more of their number surcum to the rising rifle fire.

Meanwhile for a brief moment the smiles are wiped from the faces of the human commanders as their field artillery look to flank the main Martian force, they stubble into the last Martian force, hidden in an empty farm house, they destroy one of the guns, before they were silenced by shell and bullet.

 

The final Martian machines are cornered and destroyed....

The north is free from the out of world invader... but the Martian invader is due to take the offensive next, so things could change very rapidly.

2016 is looking like a very busy year.....

Merry Christmas all.

England Invaded - The Charge of the Heavy Brigade.

Finally after weeks on the paint table the Heavy Cavalry are finished, the urge came due to the desire to beat last years figure total.
A mere 30 mini's needed to beat last years paint tally.... childish I know, but hey if it gets figures on the table.

Another unit by the guy's down under - Eureka from their Crimea range, far to much detail for me to get the best out of them, but the dynamic poses are just what I was looking for, charging across the battlefield looking to send the evil Martians back to the Red planet.

With any luck you should see these entering the campaign in the coming weeks, given the recent victory in Scotland - I just need to persuade the Human players to invest in a stable....

 

Next up something a little more modern....

News from the Scottish Front...... Campaign Game 6

Tremendous news from the north of Scotland, Highland forces scrapped together an assault column from the remaining garrisons and launched an attack on the martian forces still holed up in their Scottish enclave. 

The forces of war for both sides.

The human player had a slight numerical advantage and had made use of the recent reinforcements, selecting Artillery and both guard and regular infantry, the Martian player choosing mobility with two scutter fighting machines and two black smoke mobile artillery pieces....

Red weed had already started to take hold, springing up near every pool and water course, clinging to roadside verges and the sides of buildings.

The Infantry massed in a brigaded column and advanced towards the metal monsters, the Martians fired their inkey black cannisters towards the gallant red ranks.

The famous Black Watch deploy and let loose an early volley damaging one of the metal machines damaging its launching mechanism forcing the martian walkers to withdraw behind the buildings.

Sensing an early victory the Infantry advanced, pursuing the alien artillery, but in their haste they had left their own artillery far behind, who were pounched upon by two scutters, they came within a few yards of the limbered guns and fired their white hot heat rays.

The gunners broke and ran pursued over burnt ground by the Martian contraptions, this was to be a fatal move. In their desire to destroy the guns and gunners the machines were pinned by the infantry rushing back to aid the fleeing gunners.

Wave after wave of crashing volley hit the martian invader, who in turn fired back with their heat rays, several ranks fell, swept aside by the whoosh of the heat ray, but their morale held and slowly the cracks began to show in the martian armour, weopons were damaged and the walkers became immobile making them more vunnerable to the volley fire. 

The scuttlers green eyes faded as they died a slow death struck by volley after volley of well aimed rifle fire.

The Martian artillery rallied and rushed to their comrades aid only to be pinned back by yet more rifle fire, whilst they discharged their smoke cannisters they were no match for the Black Watch who were in no mood to let their prey off lightly..... A thunderous volley stopped the Martians in their tracks.

The north of England is free of the martian invader, now the action switches to Yorkshire, can victory be repeated?

One Battle down one to go.....

England Invaded - Light Cavalry Reinforcements and Osprey's latest offering.....

With the next round of encounters a few weeks away, the light cavalry join the fray....

These are fantastic castings from Eureka but the detail slowed my ability to get paint on the figures.... Almost too nice to paint.

Just as I was hitting painters block and being drawn to new projects, Osprey's latest Dark Series publication arrived, War Of The Worlds: The Anglo-Martian War of 1895 by Mike Brunton.

I just hope the lancers last longer than the cavalry in the book "The 9th Lancers immediately charged forwards and were slain by the Martians"

 

The book is written from the perspective of Great Britain. 80-pages long broken down into 5 Chapters detailing the strategy employed by both sides, full descriptions of the red weed, the cylinders, and the Martians themselves.

As you have come to expect from Osprey the book contains some lovely prints by the artist - Alan Lathwell, two appendices are included: “The Hunter” and “Winston Churchill’s Martian War.” which I can see appearing in future scenario's in the England Invaded campaign.

 

Whilst some of the centent varies from Well's original text, it does follow the spirit of the War of the Worlds and is a must for any War of the Worlds fan....

Just the tonic to get the rest of the heavy cavalry finished.....

England Invaded 1880 - Turn 2 Human Moves.

After a few weeks on other games - England Invaded is back, with Humanity on the offensive.

After weathering the storm of the initial Martian advances Mankind have not sat idly by waiting for the Mars mens next moves. Far away from the troubles in the South of England, in the isolated Boarders region tradesman and craftsmen have been busily constructing Barracks, Training centres and Munition Factories providing the land army with access to fresh regular troops and Artillery assuming the supply lines can be kept open.

The Crown focus appears to be, to purge the North of England of the Martian prescence, with concerted attacks on the remaining Martians in Scotland and Yorkshire.

Whilst further south probing attacks across the Midlands see's the Martain scouts fall back towards their original pit sites, Low level skirmishes continue in Wales with both man and martian dancing a merry dance looking to find a gap in the others defences.

Elsewhere the London Garrison conducts a raid on the original pitsite at Horshall Common placing HE explosives under the cylinder and blowing it sky high - The Martians have long moved on to concentrate their forces around the Bracknell forest area, but the attack serves to bolster the spirts of the besieged garrison.

The latest moves leave to significant battles to be fought, an even fight in the North as the Martians look to hold Dundee and Tayside and an offensive in Yorkshire with the forces of the Crown out numbering the Martians by 2:1.

Both battles to be played in December.

Feeling a little horse.....

Given the lack of painting time recently, I thought I would prep some of the bare metal in preparation for that rare moment of free time....

Probably not the best I idea......
I took on all of the recent purchases out of the box in one go, I normally like to take batches of the little fella's out of the draw rather than on mass..... for the very reason that I am now staring at a tray full of shiny bare metal..... Thinking how can I get through this little lot before kicking off the Chechin project....
I bloody hate painting horses as well.

Japanese Cavalry for the Russo - Japanese war including the more shock markers.

Eureka heavy cavalary for the Martian Empire Campaign, these are 18mm, whilst most of my collection is 15mm, they weere really to nice not to purchase and give mankind the final piece of their forces...

Now to pick a unit before painters block really takes hold.

"Bows and Arrows against the Lightning" - Part 2

With a few weeks before the next England Invaded outing....

Factories continue to produce weopons for the war effort.

Essex Crew and QRF Guns.
The extra heavy guns will have a Fire Factor of 8 within the Martian Empire rules and will be available to purchase at a cost of 160 points.

I have added a couple of limbers to pad out the order....
There is no call for them in the Martian Empire rules but they do look nice on the table...

The final packs of reinforcements for mankind arrived a few days ago.... I found some nice peices in Eureka's ranges which are fit for purpose (more of these later).

I painted up an additional command stand as a taster... 

Standing 18mm tall they are largered than the other figures in the collection, but look fine once painted and based.

That's all for now folks....

"Bows and Arrows against the Lightning" - Human Reinforcements

Geoff over at QRF was having a sale.....

I was looking for a couple of items to support the war effort against the Martian invader.

These 60 Pdr's seemed to fit the bill.

Having re-read the book again looking for those minor passages of inspiration the following leaps out at me. "...long wire guns of 95 tons..."

I envisage these to be the type of guns found in the coastal forts such as Dover, removed from their housing and transported by rail to the front lines.

The extra heavy guns will have a Fire Factor of 8 within the Martian Empire rules and will be available to purchase at a cost of 160 points.

The supporting crew and limbers are from Essex Miniatures FPW - German limbers, whilst not technically needed they add to the overall feel for the game and at a later date might consider some supply rules?

Whilst I wait for the PVA to dry, I also finished off a couple of light pieces for the Naval Brigade from Peter Pig's Sudan range - these really are "Bows and Arrows against the lightening"

Quite a difference in size to the newer pieces, HM land forces are outgunned they are not by any means defenseless and given the right weapons, correctly deployed can I am sure inflict crippling losses on the out of world invaders, assuming they get painted of course.

Right back to the brushes.....