Tuesday, August 10, 2021

An Actual In Person Miniature Game

I've been rattling on this summer catching up on my paitning production over last winter's callenge becasue paiting since summer began has bascially come to a standstill. There's just too many things to keep me buy and by the time I call it a day it's after nine pm and I don't feel like setting my stuff up. 

 
However, there has been a fair amount of gaming activity thus far in 2021, including some in person gaming at Curt's new clubhouse. Back in June I ran a 1879 War of the Pacific Ironclads game using David Manley's excellent  Dalhgren and Columbiad Rules. This was a repeat of a game first played in November 2020 just before we locked down for the pandemic again. I don't recall enough for a detailed AAR but highlights are as follows.
  • The Chilean's had a blockading squadron of wooden vessels commanded by myself keeping tabs on Sylvain's Peruvian force of two ex-US Civil War monitors and two spar torpedo boats.
  • Stacy took the receiving Peruvian squadron including the ironclads Huascar and Indepencia and screw sloop Union.
  • Curt was coming to my rescue with the two Cochrane class ironclads.
  • The Peruvians focused on my squadron aiming to take out as many wooden ships as possible. 
  • I randomized the positions and headings of my blockading squadron with scatter dice, with most of them stirring north towards the oncoming Peruvian ironclads.  Scared of Sylvain's torpedo boats I made the mistake of continuing to steam North towards Stacy.
  • Stacy sank all of my force, but I at least put up a decent fight.  
  • Curt arrived and roughed up the monitors with his much better ironclads.  At this point the Peruvians called it a day to save the Ironclads having inflicted considerable damage while keeping Stacy's sea going squadron in good shape.  Sylvain crept back into port needing some repairs and the Chileans resumed their blockade.
  • Once again D&C gave a good quick game that was fun, quick to learn and gave reasonable results.  All ships are 1/2400 from Tumbling Dice.  Good detail and nice little castings.
A typical D&C confused melee!  My Chilean Was up class, Peruvian TBs excited harbour and a Peruvian IC at the top of picture.

Spar torpedo attack.  Stylvain's comment that it was like something that Space Orks would use wasn't far off!

A hit!  A palpable hit (or two)!

Sylvain monitors slowly exiting the port and coming under fire from the Cochrane class ICs.

Another hit and a fire!



The two monitors taking it from both sides as the Cochrane twins split up.  The Chilean vessels closer inshore steered between the shoals to make it safely back out to sea, while the monitors had enough and steamed back home while they could.


 

7 comments:

  1. Hello Peter:
    Great catching up with you via your blog. This game looks like tremendous fun and I will have to check out those rules. Curt has a new clubhouse? He didn't mention that when we chatted during our podcast interview. I will have to visit Regina again to check it out.
    Hope you're well. Cheers, Mike

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Padre Mike. Yes Curt built a “garage” which only gets used to game in. It’s worked well so far, but we’ll see when the plus 30 weather flips to minus 30! It would be great to see you again.

      Delete
  2. A really splendid looking game Peter..it reminds me that I really should dig out my ships for 1879 again. Which TD models did you use for the spar torpedo boats?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jim. I bought both ASV90 and 91, but I’m pretty use that I used the actual spar torpedo boats in ASV90. However, at that scale and size of craft it doesn't really matter that much. If it looks small, slee’ and fast it’ll work.

      Delete
    2. IIRC these packs come with a variety of torpedo boats including ACW David semisubmersibles, spar torpedo boats, whitehead armed boats and ones towing Harvey torpedoes.

      Delete
  3. Great article and straight to the point. I don't know if this is really the best place to ask but do you guys have any ideea where to get some professional writers? Thanks :) national archives records retrieval

    ReplyDelete