A little bit of this and a little bit of that

This past week I have been flitting between periods on the tabletop and painting table. On the tabletop, earlier in the week, I had my older Warhammer 40K Ultra Marine and Tyranid armies out using some simple rules with an activation approach. 

Messing around with W40K armies.

These sci-fi game was later replaced with a WW2 game using Tank on Tank board game rules using free movement instead of hexes.

WW2 Game

On the painting table are orcs riders and samurai. I was short one orc rider and found enough spare bits to create another rider with the addition of some green stuff to create the missing boar leg and some ears.

Enough pieces were found and with a little green stuff the missing front foot and ears were made.

The finished model with 3 previously painted orc riders

I purchased a few more MiniFig S Range Samurai from Caliver Books which arrived this week. The S Range are an old range and the horse models are unavailable due to missing moulds. As an alternative I have used the horse from a set of 1/72 plastic samurai cavalry. It is possibly a fraction smaller but is not noticeable. My aim is to add a few additional units to my current armies.

Recently completed samurai cavalry. Very simple block painting and gloss finish.

1/72 plastic horses are used

A combination of samurai cavalry, arquebuses, and spearmen to be added to the samurai armies.

Arquebuses and cavalry unit

A few Sci-Fi games

In between playing French Indian War campaign games. I thought this week I would get some of my Warhammer 40K figures onto the tabletop. The reason for this choice was I had a few rule ideas for a One-Hour Wargame style Sci-Fi game. These were thought up while walking on my lunch breaks. I am yet to find or write a simple set of Sci-Fi rules that work fully to my satisfaction. This proving both enjoyable, as I get to test out different rule mechanisms. Yet at the same time frustrating, as the new rules often don't work out they way I expected.

In this game a group of Space Marines prepare to defend against the advancing Tyranid horde.

Another game where each side tries to take and hold objectives.

Anyway, it is so far so good with these rules, and it is now time for me to take all my notes and write them up. All being well I should be able to write the rules in a sufficiently concise way, so that I can create a little booklet of the rules. Just like I did with my WW2 house rules.

 Soon it will be time to clear the tabletop for the next instalment of the French Indian War campaign.

The problems of returning to house rules

Returning to self written rules after a break always has problems for me. Namely, the reasons for choosing a certain rule mechanism has been forgotten and so I start questioning aspects of the rules. Then comes a rule modification and after a while of playing the realisation that the original rule did serve a purpose. My little grey cells eventually kick into action and recall the reason for the approach. Doh!

While I have a mini French Indian War campaign on the go, I did not feel quite in an 18th century gaming mood and instead opted for a return to some Sci-Fi gaming using my Warhammer 40k collection. Minus their complicated rules which require too much referring to the rule book for my tastes now-a-days, which is why I use my own house rules.

So this week's wargaming time has been spent mucking around with rules and pretty much going full circle with the reworking rules. Although on the upside, I have notes on a different activation mechanism which I will use on occasion depending the style of game I am looking for.

Only a few photos taken of one of the games...

Space Marines arrive

Tyranids in wait

Towards the end of a game

On a visit to Games Workshop this weekend to top up my paint, I found it all too tempting and came away with the new Necromunda game. (Early Christmas present perhaps!) I really like the models and I am planning to use the Fistful of Lead Reloaded (wild west) rules with modifications for playing the game. Again my aversion to overly detailed rules. Although, I am currently reading through the rule book and will use the rules when having a game with my Son on one of his visits. He has a preference to using a rule book and his youthful memory gives him a definite advantage.

Succumbing to temptation

More gaming with Swatters ruleset

Having tried out some different combat and shooting mechanisms earlier in the week which worked in a fashion, but at the same time seemed to go against the grain of the Swatters ruleset. I decided to go back to the original rule mechanism and have another look. It was probably laziness on my part that took me down my first path of using multiple dice.  I also spent some time glancing through Mutants and Death Ray Guns, Flying Lead and Of Gods and Mortals looking for ideas (over the years I have collected a few rules based on the Song of Blades and Heroes rules).

Orks press forward as the space marines try an out flanking move

Anyway, after a couple of tryout games sticking as much as possible with the rule mechanisms and using adjusted special rules. I found I settled on an approach which for me seems to work for me and the W40K models I use.

For shooting:

• I don't graduate the range. It's either in range of not.
• Flamethrowers +2 against troops at range 6" and in combat.
• Support Weapons (e.g. Heavy Bolter, Assault Cannon) +2 against troops range 24". Cannot be used in combat.
• AT support weapons (e.g. Plasma Gun, Lascannon, etc) +2 against vehicles and monstrous creatures range 24". Cannot be used in combat.
• Pistols (Boltpistols, Stormbolters, etc) range 12".
• Automatic Guns (Bolters, Lasgun, etc) range 24".
• Missile Launcher +2 against all units at range 12". Cannot be used in combat.
• Grenades range 6" against vehicles and monstrous creatures.
• Veteran leader (e.g. space marine sergeant) +1 to units shooting and combat.
• Hero +2 (e.g. space marine commander) +2 to units shooting and combat.

To calculate the effects of shooting both sides (shooter and target) roll 1D6 and add the above. The defender cannot add any weapon benefits. If the defender scores more or ties, then they can return fire if they are suitably armed. Otherwise, remove target unit casualties up to the winning margin:

1 point for a lightly armoured figure (2 if in cover)
2 points for a power armoured figure (3 if in cover)
3 points for a terminator armoured figure (4 if in cover)
4 points for a light vehicle or creature (e.g. land speeder)
5 points for a medium vehicle or creature (e.g. Dreadnought, Rhino)
6 points for a heavy vehicle or creature (e.g. land raider)

For combat:

• Talons and claws +2 against troops
• Large claws/power fists +2 against troops and vehicles/creatures
• +1 if outnumber opposition
• Some weapons (see above) can be used.
• Cover is ignored

Combat calculation is the same as shooting, but with no cover allowed. If no casualties are inflicted roll again until a side suffers casualties, except against vehicles/creatures where only one attack is allowed.

A Killa-Kan bites the dust

Next week I will be getting back to my WW2 campaign and hopefully completing a couple of games.

SciFi house rules and campaign army lists

Recently Kaptain Kobold tried playing a game using my grid-based SciFi house rules (which are inspired by the One Hour Wargame ruleset). A link to the Kaptain's - The Stronghold Rebuilt - blog is here. The use of one's own rules by someone else is both very pleasing and also daunting as to how they may interpret them. Especially as they are one page rules which limits explanations and examples are pretty much out of the question. If you are interested in how a couple of armies based in the Warhammer 40K universe line up -  here are my campaign army lists with details of the units and their attributes.

The droid ability for the Hive Tyrant and Prime (read Hive Tyrant number 2) both had Tyrant Guards. Generally I only allow one ability per unit or character, but I decided to allow the Tyranid commanders to have two as they had fewer character models.

Sci-Fi Mini Campaign - Battle #5

This was the last chance for the Tyranids to progress to the next campaign phase having suffered two defeats. The scenario from One Hour Wargame was number 10 "Late Arrivals" which had a third of imperial forces defending an industrial complex and waiting for the rest of their force to arrive as reinforcements on turns 5 and 10.

The Imperial force selection lacked some solid Tactical squads and appeared to be cobbled together. Whereas, the Tyranid force had a nice balance of large creatures, Hormagaunts and deep-striking units. The tactics were simple for the Warrior Prime and his Tyranid hordes, advance as quickly as possible and take the industrial complex before reinforcements arrive.

Tyranid Unit Selection

Imperial Selection (Space Marines and Planetary Defence Force)

A small delaying Imperial force was quickly in retreat before the advancing Tyranids and their outflanking Genestealers. The Devastator squad in the Industrial Complex was able to provide valuable fire support to cover their retreat.

Genestealers use their stealth ability to enter behind the delaying force

A Devastator Squad provides cover fire to the retreating units

The very depleted delaying force just made it back to the Industrial Complex and held on with the Devastator Squad until the first of the Imperial reinforcement arrived. Deep-striking Tyranid units quickly appeared to attack the newly arrived reinforcements and Commander Bariel.

Desperately needed reinforcements arrive

Deep-striking Raveners and Gargoyles beset the reinforcements

Larger Tyranid creatures continued their advance down the road hot on the tails of the delaying force,  running into the reinforcements. The the flank waves of Hormaguants attack the hard-pressed defenders of the Industrial Complex.

Advancing Tyranid units engage with Space Marine reinforcements

Fierce fighting in the Industrial Complex

The final reinforcements of Planetary Defence Force units arrive as the Warrior Prime and Commander Bariel are engaged in combat. They quickly moved to make a last stand in the Industrial Complex just before Commander Bariel was defeated.

Final reinforcements arrive as Commander Bariel and the Prime battle it out

The last stand inside the complex

A victory to the Tyranids...

Summary

This proved to be a most enjoyable game which could have gone either way. The battle between force commanders and final brave, but futile, last stand providing an exciting end to the game.

The changes to the combat mechanism had worked out well. 

Unit of the game goes to the Warrior Prime for leading the attack and final combat showdown with the Space Marine Commander.

Warrior Prime (and pet) - Unit of the game

Mini Sci-Fi Campaign - Battle 4 Part Two

The battle was fought using scenario 6 from One Hour Wargames by Neil Thomas. The layout was modified for a 6' x 4' table with a 12" grid for use with my Sci-Fi Grid-Based rules, a variant on rules from One Hour Wargames.

The Tyranid battle plan was quite simple. Leave a couple of Hormagaunt units to defend the Habitat and the rest to be used in an all out assault on the road crossing of the lava flow. The combined Space Marine and Planetary Defence Force (PDF) of the Imperium had plans to hold the crossing and counterattack on the flanks, using gaps in the flow that only they knew about and could use in the game by Imperial forces.

Battle Report

The Tyranids threw themselves against the barricaded crossing, which was treated as broken ground from a rules perspective. They lack of distance shooting capability meant the quicker they engaged the better.

The Tyranid in full swing and supported by sep-striking gargoyles

Deep-striking Raveners quickly eliminated the Basilisk within a turn of its arrival. A good start for the Tyranid hordes.

A surprised Basilisk assaulted by Raveners

A second wave of Imperial support arrived on the flank using a gap in the lava flow. Far away at the road crossing the beleaguered Imperial forces were standing firm and starting to take a toll on the attacking Tyranid units.

Imperial Support arrives on the flank (the Sergeant on top of a vehicle indicates the Tactical Squad are passengers) 

The counterattacking forces arrive with the fast Motorcycle unit attacking with all support guns blazing, thinning out the Tyranid attackers.

Space Marine units head for the Tyranid flank and Habitat objective

As the Tyranid assault was faltering under a hail of fire, the Assault Marines swooped in using their deep-strike ability to engage and eventually dispatch a Carnifex. The threat of the assault was gone.

Assault Marines put the final nail in the Tyranid's coffin

The Space Marines attempt to achieve the game's second objective of the ruined habitat. While the Warrior Prime was left trying to extract itself from the assault on the road crossing. Only to be run to ground and eliminated by Terminators and Assault Marines.

A Tactical Squad attempt to take the Habitat

Space Maine units hunt down the Warrior Prime

The Habitat was eventually taken as additional weapons were bought up to support the assault. The game ended with both objectives, the road crossing and habitat, occupied by the Imperial forces.

The final moments before taking the Habitat

Unit of the Game

The Space marine Motorcycle squad was for me the unit of the game, arriving just in time and with effective flanking fire to end any opportunity of a Tyranid victory. I almost went "Brroooom! Brroooom!" as I moved them across the table ;-)

Brooom! Brroooom!

Summary

While not the most exciting game once it became apparent the Tyranid assault was going to fail. There was interest as to whether the Tyranid Prime could extract itself and escape. However, this game prompted me to look at the attack rules and the pinning of units. As a result I updated the rules (see link on top left) to:

• use half the number of dice for cover rather than having to roll a higher dice score; 
• modified the to hit scores for full and heavily armoured troops; and
• the removal of unit pinning so a double 6 on hits now stops a unit immediately counterattacking as a reaction to the attack.

This changes worked ok in the next battle which I now need to write up. It takes longer to write up the battle report than it does to play a game.