HMGS / Pacific Southwest

Tonight, the Bengal Club will be attempting a retry of Plastic Ships & Iron Men — wherein we use the old Wooden Ships & Iron Men rules, a hex mat, and WizKid’s Pirates of the Spanish Main (etc) ships.

Some of us have actual scale model ships, a la “Ship of the Line”, but there’s nothing easier and more convenient than just punching out some ships of the wide variety available in the “Pirates” line and whipping up a battle.

For those who don’t have a copy of the old WS&IM rules, Hasbro has made them available at their website here.

Note that this PDF is missing page 7, so you can find that here. The log sheets here, the counters here, and the advanced tables here.

Here is the latest game report from the Miracle Mile Gamers (MMG) of Los Angeles.

From Tunisia '43

We meet about every five to six weeks for WWII gaming. Our latest campaigns have been in Crete and France ‘40, though we occasionally venture off for single scenarios of interest.

Cheers,
Blue Leader

Bill witthans and Doug Kendrick develop their clever plans!

I have always had a love for things Japanese, the “structure” of life there with its “codes” and rules of conduct fascinated me. This has carried naturally over into Wargaming. Years ago I bought a “Twin Dragons” boxed 15mm Samurai army after playing in a Killer Katanas battle at one of the Southern California conventions. I never sat down and “did” the army at one time but added units over the years as the painting Samurai bug hit me. I also never really played with them as opponents where hard to find. Samurai battles was a real “niche” game and then the 3 or so basing schemes for the different rules sets made it even tougher. I would still get a KK2 game in every couple of years and then paint for awhile afterwards. I became involved several years ago with the Bengal Club and met Doug Kendrick who also had a love for the Japanese warring States period. We soon got together for several battles using KK2 rules but were not that happy with them. Any rule set you try to play without having the help of players already well versed in the game or having a support page to ask questions or get rules clarifications is more than likely going to be tough. Most KK2 games left many questions unanswered.

Doug then played in a Demo game of BAW (Battles in the Age of War) at Brookhurst Hobbies and was quite enthused about the rules. I had 2 Killer Katanas 15mm armies based already and was hardly looking forward to rebasing for a new rule set. We decided to play a game using “counters” of the appropriate size to represent our forces and try it out. BAW does not use figure count, rather each stand represents a number of “real” soldiers and whole stands are removed for losses. This is also nice since you can build your armies “bases” and add the painted figures later while playing and learning the rules immediately. There is a big “before game” section with a chance to do the things so common in “feudal state” period Japanese battles, like Treachery, Battle preparation, weather, family ties, ninja, and more. You get 60 “Koku” dice and “spend” these dice trying to influence the outcome in these different categories. You and you opponent then go down the category list and using the number of dice each has allotted for that category roll against each other, 4,5,6 indicating success, the player with the most successful rolls wins that category and depending on how much he won by consults a chart for the result. These results are very entertaining and help to simulate the maneuvering and fate that effects real battles but is mostly missing in “wargames”. For instance Doug beat me at “treachery” by 3 dice resulting in;

“We must not trust Lord Ishonawa! His troops are not yet mustered”. Doug then gets to pick one of my flanks and force me to roll to see if some of my clan generals troops have not come to the battle as a result of the enemy making a deal with one of my vassals to be “late” to the battle!

I beat Doug in the “Weather” category, for a result of;

“The weather has been good to us my lord. The roads are good. Lady Shinoba has sent many bales of rice!” That resulted in good supplies for one of my clans and the good roads made the journey to the battlefield easy, so each of my units on that flank got +2 activation points on turn 1.

The game has a lot of these types of events that go beyond the scope of most wargames that end up being a straight up “dice roll offs” and make for a very interesting and unpredictable game that lends itself well to repeat playing. The rules for fighting themselves are fairly well organized and complete with no questions left unanswered if you are willing to look! The end of the game also has a point system that when added up gives you a margin of victory result, something else sadly missing in many games.

So the end result is that I spent 10 hours completely rebaseing TWO 15mm armies, about 150 bases! I think it will be well worth it,

Battle report:

News that the fool Dougashika and Mattosan’s armies had invaded my province had reached the castle only days before, I quickly sent messenger out to “Mikkeo” my trusted vassal to rush to the pass of “harmony” to defeat the enemy. Treachery however was used by the enemy and many of our “trusted” men were “late” to the battle! We had hoped to attack the enemy at dawn but were delayed having to wait for most of our troops. We were forced into a defensive roll and picked the “Hoen, Million Doors” formation that gives an army a balanced structure, sort of a wait and see style.

“Dougashika” and “Mattosan” lost no time in moving into meet our troops in the center since both flanks were weak or “missing” and hoped to defeat us by using all their forces to crush my center. We held back awaiting those missing troops. The enemies dice gave them only average movement and that coupled with a “mistake” in setting up the deployment (an extra foot of battlefield was included! This made Doug and Matt take longer to get to us) prevented them from being able to fully close with us before the end of the game (each turn the defender rolls a D6, when the total adds up to 20 its game over!). This coupled with good rolls to bring our missing troops on and a disastrous charge by “Dougashika’s” samurai cavalry against my foot Samurai led to a draw do to a blinding early snowstorm ending the battle. We will meet again!

Do you have a 15mm samurai army gathering dust on your shelf! Give us a shout! Let’s play!

Yours in Gaming!

Bill Witthans
President HMGS/PSW

PS: I know some of you are playing games over this Thanksgiving holiday, lets see those Battle reports here!

Mike's late arriving Samurai and Ashigaru cross a stream threatening Matti's flank attack!

Matt adds his troops to the center attack

Doug's Samurai cavalry close with my samurai!

Brookhurst Hobbies.

Will be giving out to the winners of the Catalyst( BatteTech) event the following in Store Gift Certificates. $ 30.00, $20.00 , $15.00

The entry fee is $ 5.00  towards prizes.  Brookhurst is going all out to show the newest Terrain based Miniature version of the game.   Come on out and try it.  Start time is 12 .

Always interested in the “Tour de France”  bicycle race I came across this rare picture of the “Tour” held in 1940! It was by the way won by a “German Feldwerbel” named Helmut Braun shown here leading the pack in one of hilly sections outside Paris. The course that year started in the Ardennes forest and ended at the “Arc de Triumph” in Paris. It was also one of the only two years that the Race allowed participants to carry guns! the other gun carrying year was 1944 and everyone knows that year was won by an American named “Kilroy Washere” although French Bicyclist Charles DeGaulle always claimed that the Free French team was first into Paris. Many believe that this is where the term “the Gaul of that man” came from….

The race years of 1941, 1942, and 1943 were strictly German French affairs with competition between the German “Fortress Europe” team and the French team “Partisans” quite fierce! The British did try and send a team but in a classic British “goof” sent the team to “Dieppe” and were promptly sent home by the Germans for not “having their papers in order”

I would like to extend an invitation to game on Dec 5th, at Brookhurst Hobbies. I am the official area Catalyst Rep (Battletech). Catalyst is the company that runs and owns Battletech.

Yes, a few things have changed for the better as there is variety now, and a good solid serious game company backing up the game.

It is also the 25th Anniversary of Battletech.  Also, for those of you that always wanted to take Battletech to a more realistic level without getting over complicated, Catalyst has created fully developed Terrain Miniatures rules.

Ray of the “Art of War” terrain company and I will be running a full scale Battletech event at the store. Hours will be from 12 PM to 5 PM. I will provide all that you need : the rule books and Mechs and Terrain and prize awards.

Don’t be nervous to try out the newer version of the game. It has remained true to the source. However, now movement is in inches instead of hexes.

Come on over — we hope to repeat the great times at the Mini_Wars Convention.

I also run the Official events at St. Crispin’s Hobby Day every month. You can spot me easily as I will be wearing the company uniform and hat.   The event at Hobby Day is scheduled at 11 AM to to 4 PM there will be prizes and info handed out as well.

Don’t worry if you haven’t played in a long time. We have had several returnees, and they have all been having fun getting up to speed.

Brookhurst Hobbies is located at 12188 Brookhurst St. Garden Grove Ca, 92840

on a microarmor night — and he has nothing but contempt for the Tiny Germans. NSFW, btw.

Some fool suggested they were interested in battle reports to fill the site; well here goes. Monday night at St Crispin’s weekly gathering. I brought my Battletech stuff as I’ve been doing for the last month. The scenario is simple; roll randomly for Mech weight, each player got 2 Mech, there are no allies just lots of targets, when you get destroyed you roll up a replacement. The initial set up was Jeff with a Loki and Nobori-Nin in the northwest corner; Steve with a Madcat and Thresher in the southeast corner; Harmon with a Nova Cat and Ryoken and myself with a Supernova and an Uller together in the northeast corner. (One knife fight in a phone booth coming up) Terrain was a some hills and sparse trees.

The first round is the free turn; a turn to run for positions or declarations of intent (running the Uller right behind the Ryoken for example).

Round two. My Supernova (90 tons, slow 3-5, 6 Large lasers) backs up a bit hits Harmon’s Nova Cat (70 tons 4 Large laser with a targeting computer semi slow4-6) with 4 Lasers scattered all over. Harmon  fires at the Uller using his targeting computer but gets no hits; he needed 9+. Jeff’s Nobori-Nin (50tons medium speed 5-8 AC2 LRM10 2 Large pulse lasers) and Loki  miss long range shots at to my Supernova. Harmon’s Ryoken (55 tons Medium fast 6-9 AC 10 Large pulse laser2 Medium pulse laser) hits the Loki in the center torso for a possible crit and gets two which knock out the gyro. First dead  mech! My Uller (30 tons 2 Heavy medium lasers A HAG 20 Rifle) hit with a medium laser into the Ryoken Right rear torso for an engine hit crit. Steve just maneuvers behind the hills and doesn’t have shots.

Round two. Jeff’s new Mech is a Night Gyr (75 tons two ERPPCs 4-6 movement and Jump) Enters in the center of the North side near his Nobori-Nin and close to me  and Harmon. My Super Nova adds 4 more Large laser hits to Harmon’s Nova Cat 1 to the head (no Crit). Realizing the threat Harmon targets the Super Nova’s left torso and strips the armor there but no penetration. My Uller adds 1 heavy laser to the Nova Cat but little else. although the right arm of the Nova Cat is destroyed taking out 2 Larger lasers. The Ryoken Hit the Uller in the back hitting an engine from the left rear and opening up the center rear up fairly deep. Jeff’s Nobori Nin adds 1 point of damage from his AC2 to my Super Nova. Steve continues to maneuver.

Round three. Harmon’s  remaining 2 large lasers cut off my Super Nova’ s left torso dropping 1 arm to the ground as my shots flay his center torso to within 2 points of destruction. The Uller adds nothing (Useless POS) The Ryoken and Night Gyr and Nobori-Nin all add damage to Super nova. but the beast won’t go down as I debate withdrawing off my start point to deprive my attackers of the kill. (one is allowed to bail out or attempt retreat when badly damaged). I Stay. Steve continues to maneuver.

Round 4.  Harmon turns his back on my Super Nova and Uller as he figures his back has more armor now than his front. Its a good try but I hit with my 3 remaining large lasers; 1 to the head  destroying that and another to the center torso rear armor that has 8 armor but the hit is good for 2 more points of damage which finishes off the last of the center torso structure as well. The Ryoken, Nobori-Nin, Night Gyr and dieing Nova Cat destroy the Super Nova’s center torso with a hail of shots. Steve has finally maneuvered into position to shoot my Uller in the back but only hits with one LRM 20: Harmon used his evil powers to call minimum number of  missiles on it but, it is enough as 5 missiles hit the center torso rear; finishing of the damage started by Harmon’s Ryoken.  My Uller confirmed it’s title of useless POS  by dieing without hitting. Total 4 destroyed Mechs

Round 5 Jeff’s Nobori-Nin and Night Gyr shoot at Harmon’s mostly intact Ryoken but get a right Torso possible crit roll which gives it a second engine hit and an ammo hit  wrecking it. Harmon opts to bail out. Jeff’s maneuvers deprive Steve of shots at him leaving Steve little to do. I replace with a Mad Cat and Loki and enter in the center of the north edge behind Jeff but head toward the middle of the board and the mostly unengaged Steve. Harmon’s replacement is a Cougar that enters in the South east corner heading for Steve. Total 5 destroyed Mechs.

Round 6 I charged my Mad Cat at Steve’s Mad Cat and get two PPC hits on him but the lucky bastard gets a center torso possible Crit roll that gets two and takes out my gyro (A revoltingly common occurrence that night). My Loki scores some minor damage on the Night Gyr which returns the favor by hitting my leg with a PPC  Ouch time but no holes. Steve’s Thresher wound up with no target and Harmon’s Cougar had no shots as the total destroyed stands at 6 and we call the game as it is getting to be 10:45 and time to go.

Overall a good time was had by all. The clans proving once again how fast their equipment is at destroying one another. I apologize that this assumes some knowledge of Battletech.  Hopefully this wasn’t too tedious but whets peoples appetite to come down and join us next time. I would also be happy to run this somewhere else if anyone is interested. St Crispin’s has the advantage of being nice place to meet with great people to game with but it’s a bit far as I live in Van Nuys.   I’ll be at the next Hobby day at St Crispin’s December 12 and probably the Monday Game nights in between. Check out the Meet Up site to be sure as work might prevent my attendance.

TTFN John

Hi all,

I have reached the saturation point and now must give away some of my terrain I
no longer use. I have my country in a crate that was used for many years at
convention for micro armor battles. I no longer do Micro armor so I will pass
this on. It is still in perfect shape and come in its own Crate with wheels!
8-10 2×4 fiber glassed ceiling tile with terrain ranging for flat, gentle hills,
rivers, to city. This would also be great for Battle Tech games. This is all set up so as to be assembled in different configurations. roads will connect in many configerations.

Give me a call or email!

Bill Witthans
661-257-0196
vonkluge@ca.rr.com