World War Wonning in the air!

Today, we returned to the skies above Flanders in 1917 with a couple of games of Wings of Glory.

In our first game, we were running a photo reconnaissance of a German artillery position.

Lawrence opted to pilot the RE8 camera plane, Ian and I had SE5a's in escort.

(The Germans, as usual were controlled by my solo rules: TWC downloads page)

Ian (left), Lawrences RE8 and my SE (right)

 The artillery was being patrolled by a flight of 3 Fokker triplanes. 

Our first move. Ian ran ahead of the RE while I manoeuvred behind.

The Germans flew serenely on towards the battery.

  Despite their slow speed, they were soon ahead of our  planes. 

 It was almost as if they hadn't seen us! 

 Ian powered towards the lead Fokker as they finally turned to meet us.

 The RE moved for his straight photo run, Ian raced into the Germans, but neither side got a shot as they passed at speed. 

 The Fokkers were now free to attack the RE, I moved from behind the RE to protect it.

 The stripey Fokker hit the RE and set it afire.

 I moved to attack Stripey but the RE was in the way!

 Amazingly, no-one got a clean shot!

 The burning RE got his picture!

 Ian returned to the fray, and hit Stripey.

 ...everyone else was manoeuvring wildly.

 The green Fokker went nose to nose with the RE and hit it badly!

I lost another shot to the RE being in the way! 

(overview at this point) 

 As we turned, the RE's rear gunner hit the green Fokker.

 Ian had outmanoeuvred stripey, and got another good hit!

 The next move, the only firing was ineffective. 

As the blue tripe tried to attack the RE, the rear gunner hit it again. 

 Ian was fencing with the green tripe, while I turned to attack stripey.

 My SE went nose to nose with stripey, and we both took bad damage...

Stripey had been hit before though, and went down in flames!

 The blue tripe could not catch the RE and took more damage...

...From Ian - who had outrun the green tripe. 

 As the RE left the table, and escaped, Ian tried another shot at the pursuing tripe - but missed.

We then left the table too, having succeeded in keeping the photo plane alive!. The RE had only just made it, it only had 3 points left!

In the second game (I didn't photo this) Ian got 2 planes and a DH4 we were escorting shot down a third, and we suffered no losses again! - we are getting good at this now, and the SE5a is vastly superior to the Albatrosses and Fokkers we were facing.

Maybe I need to do a points system for this game too....?

The battle of 5 armies?

Today we did an ACW skirmish game - using the slightly modified new version of my State of War ACW skirmish rules

The scenario was 3 very small companies of Confederates trying to contest a crossroads with a company of Ohio Federals.

We randomised when each of these forces came on, each one coming on a separate road adjacent to each other.

The crossroads (from the Confederate side)

Rod, once again joining our happy band, would be joining me commanding the Union boys...despite wearing Confederate grey!!! 

 The first force to arrive were the Louisiana tigers, commanded as usual by Lawrence!

 Next, Phil's Virginians.

 The Tigers moved rapidly towards the crossroads.

 Phil was a little further back, but had less distance to go...

Where were the Federals?  

The Tigers were almost at the crossroads, unopposed. 

Ian's  (newly painted) Rebels arrived on a third road, on Phil's left.

 They had a long way to go! 

 Finally, on turn 3, my men arrived on a road intersecting Lawrence's Tigers line of march...

  No one could see any enemy yet though...

Both forces looked certain to meet at short range. 

 The Tigers, having arrived on table first, reached the junction...

 ..and immediately recoiled on seeing the boys in blue!

 Ian's men were marching as fast as they could...

 Phil,(AKA 'Tree Hugger') seeing the Federals approaching, left the road, and not having a wood to hide in, headed for the hills! 

 My men, having been beaten to the road junction, also left the road to take cover in a wood (Phil looking on enviously!!?)

 Rod began to line some fences facing Phil.

...but against my wishes also sent men forward to secure the wood on his left. 

The Tigers had left the road out out of sight of my men and began filtering towards Rod's men. 

Phil's men, having climbed the hill, began shaking his column out into a line. 

 Ian's men were at last approaching the crossroads.

Seeing Rod's thin line facing the crossroads, my Captain moved left to 'encourage' them! 

 The Tigers crossed the road to attack Rod's position.

 Phil had detached messengers to each of the other Confederate players. The one going to Lawrence was surprised to find the Tigers had moved so far and so fast!

 Phi's men fired at long range as Rod's men on the road came into view.

At this long range, the Feds escaped with only 2 men wounded.

Ian's men, hearing the firing, began to deploy.

 One of my squads finally got into position to see the Tigers. 

 The Tigers were heavily engaging the smaller Union force behind the fences.

 ...and were winning!

 Supported by their Lieutenant and Captain, the brave Ohians held their ground.

 More of my men now got into position to help the men at the fence.

 After reloading, Rod's men fired again...

 ...supported by my first squad.

 The Tigers were beginning to suffer from our combined fire. 

 Ian's men were waiting when Rod's men reached the wood edge.

The Confederates opened fire... 

On the other flank, my men got into firing position. 

And joined in the fight with the entrenched Tigers.

The Tigers took losses as they began to lose the fire fight...

...but grimly, and bravely, held on to their position.

Rod's men were not doing so well, and were shot to pieces by Ian's rebels, ably supported by Phil's men shooting from the hill behind.

Having only managed to cause minimal losses to their opponents, the survivors eventually skedaddled back through the wood.

The battle was over, with the Union left in full retreat, their position became untenable, and the rest of the Federal forces withdrew.

This was a fierce little game, and fun to play! For only the second game ever, I actually took NO casualties! (Probably because I didn't get shot at!) 

The Rebs won because they managed to focus a large part of their force against a smaller part of the Union line, while the Louisiana Tigers sacrificially tied down the greater part of the Feds.

Very 'a la Marlborough' !!!