Sonntag, 17. Februar 2019

COBI 24562 Maserati GranCabrio Sport


Nach dem Trabi gleich ein zweiter Modellbausatz aus der polnischen Klemmbausteinschmiede COBI: der Maserati GranCabrio Sport.

Genauso viel Bauspaß wie bei dem Youngtimer aus dem Osten, wenn auch das Ergebnis ein kleines bißchen größer und sportlicher ist...


Mittwoch, 13. Februar 2019

Slow Mo Piquet Game 2: the story


This post is the brief narrative of this scenario. The dice roll level nitty gritty is here

An Empire corps is in hot pursuit of a roaming Prussian corps that was operating ahead of the mail Prussian line. In the early morning they are trying to rush past a small town, unaware that the Prussians spent the night there.

As the vanguard of the pursuing Empire troops emerges from the hills, the Ansbach Dragoons leading the column take a surprise volley from the Wunsch free bataillon that occupies the woods in front of the city walls.

Flank fire from the woods hits the Ansbach Dragoons leading the Empire vanguard
As the Dragoons mill about, trying to decide between attacking the infantry in the woods or continuing their advance, the first Prussian bataillons  in the town wake up from the infantry fire and start forming up. The first to march out are the Salmuth Fusiliers.

The Empire vanguard tries to push ahead and shatter the Prussians as they march out of town. However, the first Prussian Fusiliers form line in time to receive the cavalry charge with a clean volley and push the Dragoons back.

Ansbach Dragoons charge the first Prussian infantry showing up, just to be beaten back

Some Grenadier officers of the Willemey combined bataillon seem to have spent the evening gambling and drinking, they are definitely slow to wake up. Heads will be rolling when this skirmish is over...
Although the Prussian infantry take ages to form up, enough men march out of town to block any advance of the two batallions leading the Empire vanguard (Ansbach Dragoons and the combined Grenadier batallion).

More Prussians beginning to wake up and march to meet the enemy
The Prussian lines form slowly but in time to block the rest of the Empire vanguard. The Ansbach Dragoons charge repeatedly, being routed with some losses.

As the main body of the Empire vanguard starts to march on the table, a heavy firefight breaks out between the Wunsch Freibatallion and the Grenadiers.
With the Kurpfalz guard advancing on the right, and the Hohenzollern Cuirassiers on the left, a heavy firefight erupts in the central woods

With the Kurmainz infantry, the main body of the Empire vanguard starts to appear

The Empire Grenadiers continue to battle the Freikorps in the woods with little progress and a lot of time gained for the Prussians. 

In fact, the Hohenzollern Cuirassiers do push through an attack on the Prussian right wing, but with the Fusiliers in good order (the Empire's lack of artillery to soften them up shows big here) and supported by their Dragoons, the valiant cavalry charge hurts the Empire troops more than the Prussians.

A last view across the lines of battle before the Empirentroops decide to call it a day and disengage. On the left of the picture, the Prussian infantry managed to form lines just before being hit by a valiant, but unsupported charge of the Cuirassiers. On the right, the Empire Grenadiers are still stuck fighting the Wunsch Frei troops about to retire on their Jager company in the woods at the bottom of the table.
At this point the Empire calls it a day. With only three morale chips left, the Prussian line fully formed and the Empire main body still marching onto the table there is no way they will be able to brush the Prussians aside and progress quickly.

The army characterization built into Piquet made a big difference in this game, giving the Prussians more morale chips and an extra infantry move (which they desperately needed to wake up their sleeping troups), while the Empire barely got its minimum morale chips, and much less effective extra cards (reload and cav move), so they quickly got near their breaking point when the cavalry attacks failed to shake the evolving Prussian line.

The Prussian Fusiliers one-upped the Grenadier batallions by showing up early and beating back two cavalry charges. They will continue the retreat with heads held high until the next clash with the pursuing Empire troops.

Donnerstag, 7. Februar 2019

COBI 24540 Trabant 601: Unboxing / Aufbauvideo


Inspiriert vom Held der Steine und seinem Aufbruch zu neuen, nicht-dänischen Klemmbausteinabenteuern hab ich mir mal das Sortiment des polnischen Herstellers Cobi angeschaut.

Die "Youngtimer" Serie mit Automodellen der Ostblockklassiker hat es mir gleich angetan, die Modelle sind hübsch, klein und damit auch vom finanziellen und zeitlichen Aufwand sehr überschaubar.

Hier ist ein kurzer Videobericht vom allerersten Kontakt mit diesem Hersteller (und auch ansonsten meinem ersten Klemmbausteinprojekt seit ich weiß nicht mehr wann...).



Dienstag, 8. Januar 2019

SoM NNL Replay: standings after 11 days

National Negro League

Pos.TeamRecordWin %GBTriple slashERA
1Chicago American Giants
6-5
.545
-
249/284/348
4.15
2St. Louis Stars
5-7
.417
1.5
299/349/496
4.73
3Kansas City Monarchs
4-7
.364
2
277/328/386
3.87

Eastern Colored League

Pos.TeamRecordWin %GBTriple slashERA
1New York Lincoln Giants
7-5
.583
-
324/373/553
5.89
1Homestead Grays
7-5
.583
-
330/390/500
6.28
3Hilldale Daisies
6-6
.500
1
282/351/400
5.40

Batting Leaders so far (AVG/OBP/SLG), min. 30 PA, AVG 350 and/or OBP 400

HRs only mentioned if 3+, RBIs only if 15+
  1. Chino Smith (HOM) 482/500/821, 4 HR, 15 RBI
  2. Jud Wilson (KC) 477/549/795
  3. John Beckwith (LIN) 431/482/706, 4 HR, 18 RBI
  4. Oscar Charleston (LIN) 417/482/854, 5 HR
  5. Home Run Johnson (STL) 412/459/618
  6. Biz Mackey (HIL) 396/444/542
  7. Willie Wells (HIL) 392/458/667, 3 HR
  8. Mule Suttles (LIN) 392/436/843, 6 HR
  9. Cool Papa Bell (STL) 382/414/636, 3 HR, 15 RBI
  10. Turkey Stearnes (CHI) 380/392/640, 3 HR
  11. Rap Dixon (LIN) 370/396/435
  12. Louis Santop (KC) 362/375/383
  13. Bonnie Serrell (CHI) 351/342/514
  14. Quincy Trouppe (STL) 316/409/632

Pitching Leaders so far (ERA, IP, W-L, Sv), min. 5 IP, ERA below 3

  1. Max Manning (LIN) 0.41 (22.0 IP), 2-0
  2. Martin Dihigo (CHI) 1.00 (19.0 IP), 0-0
  3. Harry Salmon (KC) 1.04 (8.2 IP), 0-1, 3 Sv
  4. Andy Cooper (CHI) 1.42 (19.0 IP), 3-0
  5. John Donaldson (LIN) 1.88 (24.0 IP), 2-1
  6. T William (HOM) 2.65 (17.0 IP), 3-0


Slow Mo Piquet Game 2: all the dice rolls...


This post has the blow-by-blow, dice roll level detail from the rules perspective of Slo-Mo Piquet game 2. A quick narrative with a few photos is here
To be continued with a part two post.

Turn 1, phase 1

Roll 1: Prussians 9, Empire 12 for 1:2 pips
I won't jother mentioning that Prussia doesn't act before any Empire troops enter long fire range of the Wunsch Frei troops.
Empire: turn a dud and a Cav Move

Roll 2: 3:11 for 2:6 pips
Empire
move the Dragoons to just outside fire range, turn two duds, turn heroic moment, and the most appropriate Inf Move in Open to bring up the Grenadiers
Prussia is inactive

Roll 3: 4:4, turn 1 ends

Turn 2, phase 1

Roll 1: 16:13, 2:1 pips
Prussia inactive
Empire turns elite reload

Roll 2: 12:5, 5:2 pips
Empire turns another reload and a cav move

Roll 3: 15:15, turn 2 ends

Turn 3, phase 1

Roll 1: 9:17, 2:6 pips
Empire turn deployment, Cav move and use the it. Draw fire from the skirmishers in the woods: D10 up2 firing at flank, up3 at col. of route for D20+3 vs D6, 14:4, 3 stands (for skirmishers, this means OOC, DO, and lose a morale chip), and the Prussian guard can act now.
Empire then turn Maneuvre. Both units form line.
Prussians turn two useless cards.

Roll 2: 6:20, 2:10 pips (only 12 pips left in initiative)
Empire turn and use inf move, turn two empty cards and officer check. Cav try to rally from DO, D20 d3 (DO, rally, point blank range): D8vsD8, 6:1 ok
Then turn 4 useless cards.
Prussians turn move III/IV and reload.

picture: reformed cav face Wunsch

Phase 2, roll 1: 3:20, 5:12 pips
Prussians turn and use reload, turn another one, fire D10 up1 (point blank) 11:5 for another DO and chip lost, and reload again.
Turn inf move, march out the Salmuth bataillon.
Try to wake Willemey Grenadiers (fail) and HQ (fail).
Turn maneuvre and form line with Salmuth, turn another (now useless) maneuvre.

Empire turn a useless card, then heroic moment for Elites reload - but the Grenadiers field of fire is blocked by the Ansbach Dragoons... turn a melee and a musket reload for no use.

Roll 2: Prussians get the last 3 pips of the phase, turn 3 useless cards.

Phase 3, roll 1: 11:1, 8:2 pips
Empire turn a dud, then Officer Check. Rally the Dragoons D20 d1 DO, d1 rally, d1 point blank D8:D8 8:3.
Turn a dud, then inf move.
Turn and use cav move to retreat thr Dragoons out of the way of the Grenadiers.
Turn a dud.

Prussians turn two duds.

Roll 2: 3:11, 2:6 pips
Prussians turn 3 duds, then inf move to bring the Fusiliers forward to protect their bridge exit, then try to wake HQ again and succeed.
Empire turn two duds.

Roll 3 for two remaining pips: go to Empire who turn 2 dress lines.

Phase 4, roll 1: 1:5 for 1:3 pips
Prussians try to assemble Willemey (fail) and Hoffmann fusiliers (success), turn a dud.
Empire turn cav move.

Roll 2: 3:13 for 2:8 pips
Prussia turn heroic moment for (dud) cav move for no use.
Turn inf move to march out Hoffmann, fail to wake Willemey again, fail to wake the Dragoons.
Turn another inf move.
Empire maneuver and move the Dragoons towards Salmuth. Catch skirmish fire from the woods D10 up2 flank, 4:6 for no effect.

Roll 3 for 6 remaining pips, 7:9 for 2 Prussian pips marching out Hoffmann and failing to wake Willemey again.

Roll 4 for 4 pips: 5:6 for 1 Prussian pip waking the Dragoons.

Roll 5 for 3 pips: 14:17, 1:2 pips
Prussians turn two cards with no current use.
Empire turn cav move and charge into Salmuth. I will let the fusileers fire at short range, D10 up1 for 1st fire, 7:5 for 1 stand loss.
Prussians turn musket reload.

... photos cav charge, Plettenberg in town

Phase 5, roll 1: 14:17, 1:2 pips.
Prussians reload and fire the Wunsch free bat. D10 vs D6, 5:3 for no effect.
Empire turn a dud.

Roll 2: 20:17, 2:1 pips
Empire turn reload and end the turn.

Turn 4
Empire main body becomes available to march on the table as one corps.

Phase 1, roll 1: 19:8, 8:3 pips
Empire turn a dud and Inf move.
Grenadiers attack the Frei bat in the woods.
Main body marches on the field, led by Kurpfalz guards and the Cuirassiers.
Two more duds, then turn cav melee. Dragoons at D8 up1 charging, d1 -1 stand, Salmuth at D8 flat, 2:5, 1 stand cav lost and rout.
Prussians turn two duds and cav move.

Roll 2: 3:3, turn ends

Turn 5, phase 1, roll 1: 16:9, 5:2 pips
Empire turn a dud and a cav move for the routing dragoons, then turn two more duds.
Prussians turn two duds.

Roll 2: 16:8, 6:2 pips.
Empire turn two duds, then inf move, and move their main column.
Then remember to fire their Grenadiers at Wunsch: D10 up 1 1st fire, up 1 point blank, d1 for II light woods. 7:3, 1 stand loss.
Turn one dud.
Prussians turn inf move and bring Hoffmann into the line.

Roll 3 for 5 pips: 8:11, 1:2 pips
Prussians try to wake Willemey, still fail. Then try Burgsdorf, get up immediately.
Empire dress lines.

Roll 4 for 2 pips: 10:17
Prussians turn two duds.

Phase 2, roll 1: 5:10, 1:4 pips
Prussians turn maneuver, form Hoffmann into line.
Turn officer check for no action, then inf move
Empire dress lines.

Roll 2: 19:18, Empire turn a dud.

Roll 3: 20:7, 9:4 pips
Empire turn cav move and rout the Dragoons. Move the Cuirassiers towards the left flank, going ooc.
Turn dud, then officer check. Rallying the Dragoons at D20 d2 formation, d1 ooc, d1 for losses, up 2 for distance to enemy makes it D10 vs D8, 7:2 success. Then move staff forward.
Turn inf move, bring on more troops, starting with the on board Kurpfalz guard.
Prussians try to wake Willemey again, this time it works.
Turn a dud and a reload, reload the Frei bataillon.

Roll 4 for the last pip: 19:3
Empire bring up 1/Kurmainz.

Phase 3, roll 1: 11:2, 6:3 pips
Empire attack Wunsch Freibat in the woods, being on 2/Kurmainz, then turn a dud.
Then a heroic moment for musket reload, and reload the Grenadiers for a fire attack up 1 (next).
Prussians reload Salmuth, replace one opportunity pip, and fire Wunsch at the Grenadiers D10 d1 for stand loss, up1 point blank, D10 vs D6 6:3 for an OOC result.

Roll 2: 10:0, 2:0 pips
Empire Grenadiers fire at Wunsch D10 up1 for heroic moment, up1 point blank, d2 target cover, d2 target formation D6 vs D6, 6:6 for no effect.
Then dress lines.

Roll 3: 12:19, 2:5 pips
Prussians reload Wunsch and fire them at the Grenadiers again, D10 vs D6 1:6 no effect.
turn a dud and a heroic moment for melee resolution (bad news for the Grenadiers?)

Roll 4 for two pips: 6:13, 0:2 pips
Prussians: Wunsch melees the Grenadiers at D8 up1 heroic, up1 charging, d1 stand diff, no up1 for terrain cover for the Frei troops charging the Grenadiers in front of them, d2 skirmishers = D6 vs D8, d1 for opponents terrain (they don't get the bonus but somehow the advantage should tell) = D6, 4:3 for a close Prussian victory disordering the Grenadiers.
... do 1 more thing

then Empire do their two pips forgotten from the previous phase

Mittwoch, 19. September 2018

Slow Mo Piquet Game 2: preparations



Here are some setup notes for a second attempt at Piquet SYW with the Grünewald flats. 

1. House rules unchanged from the first game version (plus learnings) here

2. Playing field with very special Ankerstein town wall (see this post)

Battle field with Ankerstein town wall. Wunsch Frei troops visible in the small woods bottom right. Empire will enter from the right.

3. Scenario: Empire vanguard is pursuing retreating Prussians and trying to forge ahead, bypassing the town as fast as possible. They are not aware that a Prussian rearguard was in the town for one night and will run into them as they march by the town.
Prussians need to slow down or stop the Empire troops, Empire need to exit as many units as possible on the short table end by the town.

4. OOB

Prussian garrison

Pickets in the woods outside of town:
  • 10 - 8 - 6 II/Wunsch Frei Infantry
  • 2 bases of Wunsch Jägers (I'll have to come up with a simple house rule that turns these guys into s simple speed bump without full unit capabilities)
guard unit on duty (start game in the town gate, start moving when enemy is within 20" or first shots are fired):
  • 10 - 8 - 6 I/Salmuth
rest of the garrison (start inside town, roll a d6= 5 or 6 to wake up and show up at the gate as soon as the Salmuth guard start moving)
  • 12 - 8 - 8 Willemey Grenadiere - elite
  • 12 - 8 - 8 Burgsdorf Grenadiere - elite
  • 10 - 8 - 6 II/Hoffmann
  • ×  - 6 - 6 Malachovsky Hussars
  • ×  - 8 - 6 Plettenberg Dragoons
  • average rear guard staff (rolled D20 = 10, +3 from army list)
Empire vanguard

advance guard
main body of vanguard
  • 10 - 8 - 6 II/Kurpfalz Garde zu Fuß (1st rate inf stats, but treat as elite for reload)
  • 10 - 6 - 6 IR Kurmainz (4 bataillons) (2nd rate inf)
  • 10 - 6 - 6 I/Hohenlohe (2nd rate inf)
  • × - 10 - 6 Hohenzollern Cuirassiers
  • average staff (no large base yet) (rolled D20 = 18, -3 from army list)
5. Army Characterization Cards

Prussia: 7 units +2 elites divided by 3 just about makes the minimum of 3 cards
They draw (from the 34 card deck) 6, Movement Effect Infantry, Movement Effect Artillery. They remove the useless latter card for  Movement Effect Cavalry, discard that for a 10 for a total of
  • 16 morale chips
  • one extra Inf Move in Open card
  • 4 opportunity pips (independent of cards drawn)
Reichsarmee: 9 units + 1 elite, divided by 4 is below the minimum of 3 cards.
They draw 10, Infantry Combat Effect, Cavalry Movement Effect for
  • 10 morale chips
  • one extra Musket Reload Card
  • one extra Cavalry Move card
  • 2 opportunity pips
I won't bother replacing the Artillery cards with Dress Lines, it doesn't matter whether I skip or replace them.

Freitag, 14. September 2018

Anker: GK NF 14 city wall by Falk Gundel


I'll try to combine two modelling hobbies of mine by using an Ankerstein building as a backdrop for a miniatures tabletop game. 

When I made plans for projects with GK-NF 16, and a kind of "last hurrah" round of GK-NF 14 projects, I saw the Falk Gundel "city fortification" model from this CVA archive entry I immediately thought this might be a great backdrop for a tabletop miniatures game. 

It was great fun to build, and looks fantastic. 

As always, you can click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Vire from inside town. On the right you can see I used some stones from 16A to show a bit of city wall.

This was the most fun part to build - nice timber framing over the large city gate, and a small stairs leading up from the building on the right to the walkway over the small gate.

The whole ensemble with a renaissance facade building on the right, a small tower and the city gates in the middle and a large tower in the background. 

View from the outside

The covered walkway above the city gates
I built this fortification in a corner of my gaming table, as a backdrop for my next game of Piquet.

Empty gaming table awaiting the deployment of troops. Actually, one Prussian bataillon of the Wunsch Frei regiment and its Jäger company are already deployed in the woods in the bottom right corner.

By the way, combining Anker and flats is not a new idea, of course. See for example this old magazine with a picture on page 2. Nice.