Miniature Wargames

Seekrieg 5 – Alternate Battle of Samar

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a Second World War naval game using the Seekrieg 5 rules. The scenario was fictional, but included ships present near Leyte Gulf on 25 October 1944.

US:
Battleships West Virginia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Pennsylvania
Cruisers Louisville, Portland, Minneapolis, Indianapolis

Japanese:
Battleships Yamato, Nagato
Battlecruisers Kongo, Haruna
Cruisers Tone, Chikuma

Transport ships of the Leyte invasion fleet were present nearby and provided a potential target for the Japanese.

The models are 1/2400 scale GHQ and CinC. Seven players participated.

The US ships start at 5 knots, with the cruiser line on the engaged side.

The Japanese are in three columns, and will take some effort to deploy.

Color-coded play aids help explain the ship data.

The US cruisers turn to close the reported enemy, but the battleships are not allowed to react immediately.

Careful maneuvering avoids collisions as the Japanese deploy.

US cruisers reverse course to avoid land, but damage limits the turning ability of Minneapolis.

We played seven turns in about 4 hours. Of the US battleships, only Pennsylvania was hit and took one tier of damage. Portland took two tiers of damage. Minneapolis took one tier and lost a primary turret. The two Japanese battleships took little or no damage. Kongo took two tiers of damage and lost a primary turret. Haruna three tiers, an engine room, a boiler room, a primary gun and all primary fire control. Chikuma had significant damage and fires. Tone blew up.

ACW Ironclads

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a game of Ironclads, using the board game rules with some adjustments to accommodate miniatures larger that the game’s one-hex ship counters.

The scenario was to be loosely based on the CSS Arkansas attacking the Union fleet at Baton Rouge in August of 1862. The large number of players that showed up required some non-historical ship additions .

The ships were 1/600 scale models from Thoroughbred.

Confederate fleet.

Union fleet.

Initial setup with a lone Union picket watching the channel.

Signaling errors result in an early collision in the Confederate fleet.

The Union picket ship, under fire from the Confederate fleet, maneuvers out of the way.

Collisions are narrowly avoided in mid channel. The Union picket is on fire and will eventually be abandoned.

The Manassas has maneuvered for a ram attack but suffers a rudder hit just short of the enemy.

The Arkansas runs through the Union fleet. A Confederate sidewheeler’s boilers explode as she burns.

The Charleston rams a Union river ironclad.

Pig Wars Viking Raid

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a game of Pig Wars.

A Viking raiding party led by Eric the Black has been looting the Welsh countryside. Now Eric, his men, and their loot are headed back to ships hidden in large cove to the West of Din Ganwy on the northern coast of Wales. Unbeknownst to Eric, a force of English and Welsh led by Ian Gwynedd stands between the Vikings and their ships.

Vikings

Eric the Black
4 hearthguard with 2-handed axes (Norse Gaels Bodyguard)

Warlord
4 hearthguard with axes
4 hearthguard with hand weapons
8 warriors with spears
4 warriors with Jane weapons

Warlord
4 hearthguard with axes
4 berserkers
8 warriors with spears
4 warriors with Jane weapons

Norse Gaels
Warlord
4 hearthguard with spears
8 warriors with 2-handed axes
8 warriors with spears and hand weapons

Welsh & English

Ian Gwynedd – Gwynedd Clan
4 Fully Armored Warriors (Teulu – Bodyguard)

Warlord
20 Militia Spearmen (Unarmored)

Warlord
15 Militia Archers (Unarmored)

Warlord
15 Warriors

English
Warlord
10 Warriors
5 Crossbow

Viking returning to their ships with loads of loot.

Vikings

English and Welsh

Unarmored Welsh bowmen are cut to pieces by Viking warriors.

At the top of the photo a messy melee ensues. At the bottom the Welsh bowmen have routed.

An English unit at the top of the photo has fallen back after a melee.

Both sides organize the lines for the final showdown. The remains of the Welsh bowmen return briefly, only to be slaughtered again.

The Vikings concentrate in the center against the few remaining defenders.

Since the Vikings clearly can not be stopped, the English and Welsh retire from the field.

Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures – Yavin Avenged

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures game. The scenario was a rematch of the previous game, but with equal points instead of a canonical setup.

Six X-wings faced 8 Tie fighters and 1 Tie Advanced starfighter.

Everyone shifts to the Imperial left except the Tie Advanced and its wingmen.

The lines exchange fire and pass through.

Two remaining X-wings escape off the table.

Four X-wings and two Tie fighters were lost. The last two X-wings escaped.

Ship ‘o the Line Test Game

Today we did a quick test of the Ship ‘o the Line naval rules by Battleline, after converting them from the original square grid to a hex grid. This is similar to what was done to create the Wooden Ships and Iron Men game, but retaining the slightly higher complexity of Ship ‘o the Line.