The Force Awakens at Christmas?

Today, to avoid the New Year, I had a try at the new X-Wing models I got as a Christmas present!
The new solo rules...

...I did this week needed a try too, so 2 birds with one stone?

(I have since discovered I have been playing X-Wing wrong! I should have been doing all movement first, then shot in Pilot Skill order! )

The scenario was a simple one, 2 X-Wings flying back from a mission being ambushed by 4 Tie fighters hiding in an asteroid field. We had to get off table without any enemy being able to get off table within 6" of us within 1 turn. We also had to cause more hull damage on the Ties' than we had received.

 I ran a T-70 X-Wing (Poe Dameron) and had a Blue squadron Ace accompanying me.

 The T-70 is a big bird, unlike the old X-Wing it has 3 shields

Our opponents, 4 Tie/fo fighters. 

1 Epsilon leader, 2 Obsidian squadron pilots, and a Zeta squadron novice!

We were well outpointed!  

I turned to attack the First Order fighters, and Blue 2 diced to do a shorter turn. 

 The First Order fighters decided to spread out to attack from multiple vectors.

Off they went... 

Epsilon Leader got a long ranged shot at me! 

He diced one hit, but my 2+1 for long range green dice meant Poe evaded.

We had managed to get target locks on the nearest 2 ties. We opted to continue our turns to go nose to nose with the enemy. 

 I moved first, and got a shot at Epsilon leader. 

The Tie easily avoided my fire! 

Epsilon leader flew right past Poe, not getting a shot. 

Blue 2 got a shot at an Omicron pilot, but it evaded too!

 The other Omicron squadron Tie moved and shot me at point blank range...

(Blue 2 was cross based with his enemy, so no shooting!)

3 Hits, I got zilch on my defence dice! I lost all 3 shields!

 New turn, I tried a new manoeuvre, a Talon turn... 

... to get me on a point blank shot at Blue 2's enemy! 

1 hit, 1 evade...we are doomed!

Blue 2 moved to attack the Zeta Tie... 

Guess what...MISSED AGAIN! 

 After all moves, this is how things stood...

I moved first again... 

...and missed again.

 Omicron 4 did a Kiogran turn and took a long ranged shot at me.

Damn! - that was close! 

 Omicron 6 got a long shot at Blue 2...

 ...another close shave!

 This is how the turn ended. No more shooting. 

I flew straight at Epsilon leader and fired... 

At last! I blew off his single shield!

Blue 2 fired at Omicron 4... 

...and missed (sigh!) 

Being in a position to leave, I decided it was wise to do so! 

We hadn't got any damage on the Ties, but I settled for a draw, and got away to fight again!

I had a good game, and the solo rules seemed to be quite challenging. Blue 2 got away completely intact, shields and all! Maybe I should have played Blue 2 and let the solo system run Poe! 

I will have to try it again using the rules correctly! It should be interesting!!

Happy Christmas!

At this festive time of year, most wargaming activities are on hold, so all there is to say is..

...and have a Very Happy New Year!

I be a zumba, zumba, zumba?

Today, I finally got my 360 Zulus out for an airing, against my British...

Alex and Lawrence (Welcome back!) took the British company of the 24th - I took a patrol of Frontier horse. The scenario was a small British force being detached to burn a small Kraal. Unfortunately, some of the uThalwana Ibutho regiment of Zulus is bivouacking nearby, and move to engage!

The left 'Horn' (I based all the Zulus on plastic sabot bases so they could be moved more rapidly on the table) 

The 'Chest' and 'Loins' in the Zulu centre. 

The right 'Horn' - with their Induna. 

A view from the flank. 

 A view from the British lines of the Zulu centre... 

... and the left Horn. 

The British, fortunately, had a hill to deploy on. 

My horse deployed on our left, facing the right horn. 

Lawrence was on the right, Alex in the centre. 

Unable to fire at the advancing Zulus, I advanced over the little knoll which had obscured them from me. 

The rest of my men moved to extend my line. 

The Zulus were advancing rapidly, so the left unit of horse fell back to the knoll before opening fire.

Combining their fire with Alex's British, the local levies on the Zulu right horn took a lot of casualties.

Meanwhile...
...Lawrence opened fire at long range at the left Horn. 

Despite the long range, several Zulus were hit.

Undeterred, they marched on, looking for the flank of the British position.

The Zulu Centre now advanced...

The British changed targets to the large force advancing in the centre.

This fire was rather...less effective!

Alex's men also began firing at the centre of the Zulu line.

...with some effect.

The Zulu 'chest' began to catch the 'horns', obviously not wishing to stay in the British firing zone longer than necessary!

I was feeling overwhelmed by the Zulu right...

My men dismounted and fired as the men on the knoll retreated behind them.

The Zulu local levy were stopped...

..and broke!

The British were now firing rapidly at the rapidly advancing horde!

The left 'Chest' unit took heavy casualties...

...as did the centre unit. Both units were halted by the fire.

Alex's men saw the right 'Chest' units pushing forward and changed his target to them.

The front unit was halted.

My poor horsemen were charged by the right 'Horn'.

The horse held their own...

...and skedaddled back to form line with the other half of their unit. 

As the Zulu 'Loins' closed, having passed through the halted 'Chest' units,  the British fired as fast as they could.

Many Zulu fell in the murderous fire.

Enough Zulus survived to charge home though!

The furious Zulus began breaking into the British front line, ignoring their own casualties.

Casualties mounted.

The British struggled to maintain a coherent front line... 

...The Zulu left horn now engaged, shooting down 2 of the rear line.

The frontier horse now began to ride off...

The right Horn swept them away!

Lawrence's line was getting surrounded, as casualties mounted.

The battle was over, the fresh flanking units of Zulus were about to cut the British line to pieces...

Most of the front line British units broke and ran...The slaughter began!


Perhaps we will have a few more men next time?!