SDS Spanish Campaign - Let the Hostilities begin 12 Feb

The CMH SDS Campaign is getting closer to the start.  The first draft of the Campaign rules have been posted to the CMH File section.  I will start getting force compositions, checking the points, etc., from our SDS players.  The After Action Reports will be posted here and submitted to our CMH newsletter.

The first battles will commence at Vimiero (1808).  Each player will fight two actions against various opponents collecting experience points that will be used to replace "killed" soldiers and/or improve on their squad abilities.  After Vimiero (1808), we will move to Talavera (1809), Busaco (1810) and Salamanca (1812).

After each of these rounds, a winner will be recognized with an overall winner at the end of the four (4) year campaign.

Its going to be fun!

SDS Battles (Jan 8)

I wasn't sure how many players we were going to have but as usual more than I was ready for which is always a good thing.  At the next club meeting we are going to setup a few more tables.

We had a full house of SDS

I setup two 3 x 3 felt tables and Jeff and I threw down some terrain.  The table on the right was meant to be the last scenario in the SDS rule book.  Since we had so many players we made both games "Doubles" which turned out to be a blast.

We played Doubles.  Each player was designated a card, their turn when their card was turned.

On the table with the River, the SDS scenario, it was two British Rifle Squads commanded by Andrew and John defending the House against two French squads on the attack.  The French Light Infantry force consisting of Chasseurs, a Voltigeur, Sapper and three Carabinier were commanded by Rick.  This was a 520 points and I gave them a fording area across the river on their side of the board.  On the left we gave John W. four Dragoons that were to cross the bridge.  This battle was very bloody for the French.  Rick was not able to get across that ford quick enough. John and his Rifles were already starting to pick them off as they crossed the small stream.  The attack on the right was repulsed with not one Frenchman  getting into the Farm Area.

Andrew and John (Rifles) fend off Rick and John W. assault.  Dragoons can be seen on the Bridge.

On the left John W. and his Dragoons were on the move.  Andrew got his Rifles into the Fenced area getting ready for their attack.  As the Dragoons advanced into action they started taking hits from well aimed Rifle shots.  They pushed them back and even put one of them on the ground.  After taking two casualties including the Leader the Dragoons were still able to charge into the Rifles.  The Rifles didn't take a Fear check because they were defending an obstacle.  If the second attack came after the Dragoons getting around the fence then we would have rolled for Fear.  But the first attack was repulsed and the Dragoons had to take a Morale check which had them retreating toward the bridge.  That was then end of the French attack on the left.  And pretty much that ended the battle.

Jeff's Rifles hunkered down behind the walls. 

On the Village Board it was a different story for the French.  We had Ben with the British Lights and Jeff with his Rifles moving into the Village on one side.  Dave with the Old Grognards Grenadiers and Nate with the French Light Infantry moving in quickly from the other.  Dave (Grens) and Ben (Lights) were hammering it out on the left side of the battle.  Ben was able to secure the building on the left and held on to it the entire battle.  On Ben's flank the Rifles were getting ganged up on while defending the Walled Building with the Tower.  Nate and Dave both got French forces into the walls and eventually forced themselves into the first floor.  With Jeff's last few Rifles firing from the Tower it was time to end the battle.  It was a very well fought battle.

Their is John W. moving his Dragoons.

So I think we are moving close to the SDS Campaign.  Tony and I will be releasing the rules based on what we have found on the Ganesha Web Group. I will create a separate blog to explain the Campaign rules.  And when they release the Tournament rules in English we will use them for the Tournament at the end of the Campaign.

Early stage of the battle.  French moving in.

So thanks to everyone that played and the patience while I created extra squads from my collection.  As I mentioned we will be placing at least two more tables at the next meeting.  I think its important for everyone to play in a singles game before the Campaign so you get the feel of the tempo or lack of it during  these fast paced battles.  Those battles should last about an hour tops.  We will set time limits and count up points for the victors record experience points on your squad sheets so you can start improving your squads or having to recruit any killed troops.

Ben's British Lights taking the building on the left!

Take care, see you next battle.

Dan

SDS Battles (Dec11)

Today Tony and I attempted to put on three introduction games at once.  I think it went pretty well.  We had a few players who had played before which helped us out.  We had 16 players show up to play and we had just enough troops.  Well, I say that, but it seems like new squads are coming out of the woodwork which is great.   I saw new squads of Royal Marines and Sailors with long boats!, Highlanders, Rifles, etc.

So we will be scheduling more battles through the winter and will start a semi formal like campaign which should be a lot of fun.

So here are some pictures I took and Tony on his blog will have more to check out.

Thanks to all that played!  I had a good time seeing everyone else having a good time.

Dan

As the Dragoon Patrols close the Rifles take the walls..

Nate, Colin, Greg, Dave, Stan and Matt in battle.

Greg's Mission.  A Beautiful place for a spanish fight.

Royal Marine Raiding Party

A Hussar Messenger making a run for it.  Nope, didn't make it.

Room to Room fighting was fierce!

Matt's Old Grognards in the woods

Grenadiers.

Napoleonic Skirmish - French Grenadier and British Light Infantry

Today I wanted to show off the latest units off the line for the big Song of Drums and Shako (SDS) battles coming up.

I finished those darn British Light Infantry.  Man those were so hard to paint.  All that white and red, well it gets to a point where you get tired of having to "fix" your messes and hope that the wash at the end miraculously covers up mistakes you didn't see.  Well, here they are.  As long as they look British then I did my job...haha.

British Lights ready for action!

SDS Officer showing his Elan and a Trumpeter who provides a re-roll for Group Orders.  

Can't wait to use the Sapper!

And today at our practice game Matt finished up some Perry French Grenadiers for the skirmish battles.  I had given Matt some these Grenadiers to paint up and he did a fantastic job!  I think those were the first 28mm he has painted in years if not ever.  He mixed the colors very nicely and you can see one Grenadier wearing the "spanish" brown cloth in the pictures below.

Matt excellently painted these Grenadiers

Grenadiers are pretty tough Hombre's in SDS.

Napoleonic Skirmish - French Line Voltigeurs

More troops coming off the line.  Just finished some Line Voltigeurs.  We will probably use a couple of these to supplement the Grenadier Squad that will be fielded.

Napoleonic Skirmish - French Light Infantry

Another Group ready for action at the December Skirmish Battles.  These are French Light Infantry Voltigeurs.  They are from the Perry Miniatures line.

Next in line are 12 British Light Infantry Figures.

French Lights ready for action!

Colonial Barracks Convention - New Orleans Nov 4 - 6

When I heard that Larry and Lori Brom putting the first The Sword and Flame at Colonial Barracks I decided right away I was going.  If it wasn't for Larry Brom's Rules and the movie "Khartoum" I never would have been a war gamer.  So it was a pleasure seeing Lori and Larry after seeing them at Historicon in 2004.  This is the 32nd year that TSATF has been around and has stood the test of time.  

"The Train" Battle

The convention was at the Sheraton Metarie which is only about 25 minutes or so from the French Quarter.   I took Julie and her son Aaron and we had a blast.  For this first visit I took most of my time with sightseeing and playing in the evening.  I am ready to go again next year.  This is a perfect trip to bring your family and everyone will be happy.  I took the opportunity to vista the French Quarter, eat some great food, visit the WWII National Museum, road the Street Car, etc.  Great fun.  Of course I kept sending pictures and text message to Tony Fryer, just to rub it in.  

WWII National Museum

French Quarter

The convention was also a fundraiser for the Creutzfieldt-Jakob Diseasse which took Sara, Wife and Mother in 1999.  It is a worthy cause.  

I met new friends there and ran into a fellow Californio, Ethan Reiff.  Well he lives in California but is from the east coast.  I will be definitely visiting him in California to play in some games or conventions on the West Coast.   Now Ethan drove all the way from California and put on the nice looking terrain of the battle of Maiwand.  I added Ethan's Blog in my Favorite Blog sections, check it out.  Here are some pics from his Maiwand Battle.

Maiwand Troops

More Maiwand Troops

Battery on the move.

Maiwand

Maiwand

Ethan's beautiful Maiwand Table!

Besides seeing Lori and Larry I got to see Jeff Baumal whom I have not seen for many years at a past Historicon.  He put on some great battles and I was fortunate to play in his "The Wind and the Lion" battle.

But if anyone has played the Sword and the Flame before you know the mechanics.  It is a blast, especially in the Wind and the Lion battle where the Raisuli got away but Pedecarus was wounded and taken down.  It almost went according to our Berber plan.  The terrain as I have mentioned is fantastic and I hope to play in another of Jeff's battles at Recon in Coco Beach in the Spring.

Here are some pictures of The Wind and the Lion Battle.  "Mrs. Pedecarus alive or Railsuli dead!" (The Wind and the Lion 1975.)

Jeff's Beautiful Wind Lion Market!

Wind Lion Defenders

 Jeff Far Right next to Ethan

Market Place

Berber Cavalry

Pedecarus goes down!

Raisuli Breakout

Marines!

Germans.

Berbers ready to start the Charge!

Berbers on the move!

Germans, French and Moroccans defenders

Building where the Raisuli is being held!

Germans just made it to the walls!

The Honorable Larry Brom. 

The Wind and the Lion Battlefield

French Cavalry ready to charge the gates

Larry overlooking the battle

Berber Cavalry swarming everywhere through the defences.

Berber Surprise attack on the left flank gate.

French Cavalry defend the gate by charging into my Berber mob.

Berbers taking rifle fire from the walls before contact is made

Oh is that Frenchie on the ground...haha!

If you saw the movie, the Marines start the Fire Works!

Larry Brom 1958