My Collection: Napoleon At Bay, The Campaign in France 1814 (1978)

While I was browsing the games in the bring and buy section, during my recent Claymore visit I came across another Kevin Zucker designed game, this one released by Tactical Studies Group way back in 1978. Like my other purchase it was only £5 and in very good condition for it's age. It's not a boxed edition but was in a zip lock bag.

The cat wasn't too impressed. It likes a box to snuggle into! 

 

My Collection: Napoleon's Last Battles (1976)

This is the latest addition to my collection. It's an old SPI Quad game brought out in 1976 - Napoleon's Last Battles. I picked it up for the princely sum of £5 at the bring and buy section of my local wargame show, Claymore, in Edinburgh.

It's been on my wish list for a while so I was delighted to get a copy and at such a great price. The game simulates the last four major battles during the Waterloo Campaign: Ligny, Quatre Bras, Wavre and Waterloo.

I set it up to see if the counter inventory matched the individual game setups.

I only got so far until the cat decided to provide assistance. 

One Hour Wargames: Napoleonic Large Battle

I had been tempted to try out a larger than usual game using the OHW rules so I decided to setup an encounter battle using two 6 unit random army selections per side. 

 

With twelve units I decided to play the game with a slightly wider game cloth.

The period I chose was Napoleonic where I had more painted models to use for a larger game. With Russians on the far side lined up against my French force it looked an impressive matchup. Here are some of the units that made up the forces.

Unfortunately I had to pack my game away as the wife wanted to use the computer. Will have to wait till another day to play a big battle but at least I saw what it could look like and I was pleased with the result.

Meanwhile the cat was outside helping me with another project. I've been given Arkham Horror to playtest by one of my gaming group mates so I've been reading the rules in the summer sunshine.

Command & Colours Napoleonics: Czarnowo 23 December 1806

This is the first scenario in the Russian Army expansion. Not a large battle but a challenge for the French player which I was in this game.

 

It took a while to setup but as usual the end result was worth it. C&C Napoleonics always looks impressive.

 The cat proved helpful with the setup!

After the game I tried some experiments with the blocks set up as a OHW army using my 6mm terrain and cloth mat. I think it looks good and I might use the blocks in future games.

 

Battle Cry: Gettysburg - McPherson's Ridge, 1 July 1863

I used the map on the Battle Cry official website to recreate an action which had always been of interest to me when Buford's dismounted cavalry held up the advancing Condererates under Major General Heth on the first day of Gettysburg.

 

There were a few special rules for dismounted cavalry and horse artillery that worked quite nicely.

The game was close up until the Rebels finally got some better cards. Initially the Union had taken advantage of several good draws to move their cavalry and some of the supporting infantry into proximity of the two key defensive positions: Oak Ridge and McPherson's Ridge. The Confederates finally seized Oak Ridge and claimed the associated victory banners achieving the necessary victory conditions. Despite this I would assess that my Union forces achieved much the same delay to the Rebel advance as in the original confrontation.

The cat as usual intervened and celebrated the Confederate victory!

 

Taken from BattleCry - Commands and Colors System website.
https://www.commandsandcolors.net/battlecry/
Page title: DS01 Gettysburg (McPherson's Ridge) - July 1, 1863 - BattleCry - Commands and Colors System
Page link: https://www.commandsandcolors.net/battlecry/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=93:ds01-gettysburg-mcpherson-s-ridge-july-1-1863&catid=16&Itemid=154

My Collection: Ambush! (1983)

Ambush! is the solitaire game of combat, adventure and heroism in World War Two France. Using a ground-breaking development of the programmed paragraph solitaire system, Ambush! gives the player control of an American squad, faced with a variety of missions against an ever-changing, hidden German foe. So the commentary on Board Game Geek goes.

Another gift from my mate. This is a real treasure as I know it's a sought after collector's item and can go for a good sum on e-bay. It was on my collector's list already so I would have probably gotten around to purchasing it when I could afford it.

The cat is going to love this one. The tactical methodology of the enemy seems right up it's street!

My Collection: Patton's Best (1987)

I got this as a surprise gift from a mate who was clearing out his loft and ended up giving me three other Avalon Hill / Victory Games titles - all very nice and much appreciated!

This is an Avalon Hill solitaire game involving tank command - that is you control a Sherman tank (17 variations) and command a crew assigned to the 4th Armored Division as you move out of the "Cobra Breakout" following the Normandy invasion.

I like the idea of commanding a tank against Tigers and other German horrors. I can do my Brad Pitt impression in a Sherman Fury and try to avoid the Panther!