ACW 20.2.10

We had another low turnout this Saturday (6 and 1 visitor) and it led to a fair bit of discussion about the club's future. The past few weeks attendance has crashed at times falling short of the 6 people needed to break even. It's true we are a small club in an isolated area and we are a very diverse group.

The younger lads eventually start to drift away into other activities as wargaming becomes uncool and us older guys have frustrating job patterns as well as family responsibilities. We are all in the same boat and also we all get different things out of the club some will drive miles to get their gaming fix and me I suppose I like to see my freshly painted men moving about the table while sharing a laugh with like minded folk. We are also struck with the same problems smaller football teams are (We have Hamilton, Motherwell, Airdrie and Albion Rovers all within a short drive of each other with quite small attendance yet because of history they will not join together and we have Motherwell Wargaming close by with a small turnout).

I started this blog to hopefully help keep the interest amongst our guys and make us aware what each other had planned but we have not been the best at arranging games with a lot of it last minute stuff. A few times people have turned up with armies hoping for a game and they were disappointed (A big apology to Von Hannah who went and got an army looked out last week and almost know one was available). Anyway, the next couple of months I'll keep posting and emailing everyone and hopefully our numbers will pick up and if not as the guys were saying it might be back to garages and lofts. A big thank you to the guys who have come along from other clubs over the past year not only giving us some excellent games but have helped the club keep going.

Anyway enough of the serious stuff: We had another ACW game on the go with JP, Billy S, young Thomas and myself, Billy was a late arrival (travelling up from Glasgow, a real wargaming trooper!) and he took over the Rebs left.

Thomas was on the Union right

And JP was on the Union left

Thomas playing his 1st full game of ACW assaulted the very experienced positions of Billy S

It was a confusin old day for myself. Last time I played was GdB naps and you struggle to get flank fire on the enemy and JReb II is the complete opposite.

So I put a cunning plan into operation (I thought it was a great idea) and I opened up a slight flank and lost a gun. My unit was untouched otherwise however I was advises to disengage and fall back to regroup. Despite JP's criticism it proved to be the right move. I'm lost with ACW at the moment as everyone has a different idea of what you should do, 1 player might think your idea is nuts while the other agrees, you would have to be a mind reader and your units are so fragile. It's fair to say my head was pickled on Saturday (and not from the bottled of Red wine my wife and I shared the night before!).

Meanwhile Thomas's unit began to break up and Billy S went on the offensive.

I set out my new line of defence.

JP cautiously moved forward towards me.

While at the same time his right flank began to totally disappear and decided the only option left was to retire. I managed to take a good number of casualties off his forward unit before they moved out of range.

A victory for the Rebels was declared.

And JP accepted defeat graciously.

Good against Evil

Well Stuart and young Stephen had a challenge match of Warhammer Fantasy this Saturday. Stephens awesome friendly dragon pictured left

Stephen had his High Elves on the field

And he reassures me that they are now starting to be painted!

The Dark Lord Stuart had his fiery Demons out for more blood fresh from riping JP's Orcs and sods apart a few weeks back.

1 of the Demon blood brother twins (hemo) pictured left

and also pictured left the other (globin)

Hemoglobin, blood brothers, do you get it? Ahhh comedy, my talents are wasted.

Some of the Dark Lords hounds of hell.

with another picture from their family album.

Anyway I don't have much time to spend on stories at the moment so basically the big man moved his evil force forward to confront the young lads good guys.

And really terrifying they looked too. They will look even more terrifying when they are actually finished!

So the 2 armies met had a bit of a fight. POW, KABLAM, WHAMO etc, etc . . .

The good guys dragon tried to catch some of the baddies in the open . . . more fickting . . .

And there was a big showdown with the evil twins getting the better of the forces of light.

In the end a victory for the forces of evil . . . Kind of like real life to be honest . . .

CWC News 20.2.10

Just to let everyone know the club will be on tomorrow and at the moment there will be a couple of games on the go.

Stuart and Stephen will be playing Warhammer Fantasy (casting spells and stuff) and the 3 Johns and myself will be playing ACW. If anyone wants to join in no probs.

I will have David P's ACW figs with me.

See you tomorrow

CWC News 13.2.10

Just to let everyone know that the club will be on this week 12pm-5pm.

Last week we had a small turn out with just six of us but had a very enjoyable Napoleonics game

http://napoleonicsinminiature.blogspot.com/

Hope to see our numbers pick up over the coming weeks.

Rebel in the Room 3

The Battle : Us Union lads stepped out the room for a little con flab about tactics leaving the Rebs to do the same. We had decided on an offensive in the centre (JP and myself attacking the new player John M and inexperienced General Z) while David C and Jon B (when he arrived) would hold the flanks solid.

1st off we all begun to move our troops into Position.

David C advanced into the woods on our left in extended line to await the predicted assault from Billy S.

Placing his guns on a small ridge overlooking the battlefield.

Good news from our right flank, Jon B's troops had begun to arrive with the General just finishing of the rest of his egg sandwich. Our flanks were secure.

JP set up his troops in waves for the coming assault

In his army 2 newly finished units of Minifigs Turks I picked up years ago! JP saved them from the lead pile and turned them into very convincing Zouaves!

I edged forward in column for speed to try and get a good position before forming line.

But what was this?
A unit of General Zebadiah's Texans still stinking of p*** and moonshine from the night before heads a thumping to the beat of the drums started to advance alone towards my Union brigade.

With cries of "Madness" and "Go for it if you want to throw away your whole brigade at the start of the game" from his fellow Rebel Generals and sighs of disbelief from the rest of us (plus the odd word or 2 of French from JP) Zebedee ordered his unit to Charge!

A little side note : General Zebadiah arrived late and promptly announced he would be leaving at 3pm (we play till 5pm) so I really should have seen this 1 coming!!

For those of you who are easily disturbed or faint at the sight of blood please look away now!!

Both of us did our rolling as regards the charge and all were past, the sound of metal grinding and groans of frustration filled the room as the guys worked through the charge procedure for the 1st time in a very long while. Zebedee rolled some of the highest dice I have ever seen him roll and my dice were average.

Amazingly I didn't do enough damage to stop him and not only my artillery but 1 of my infantry units were sent into full rout!!!

Ahhh, it's enough to make a grown man cry :-( I couldn't believe it, in a few minutes from the start of the game the Union advance had been dealt a severe blow. This was going to be a very long day!

Meanwhile the Confederate columns began to advance shielded by tree cover and a kitkat bar?


to be continued . . .