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Friday, 12 June 2009

HITT WW1 British vs Turks - Attack on Beni Baloo

Right, straight after our Byzantine vs Sassanids game (click on the link below for a peek),
http://mrfarrow2udba.blogspot.com/2009/06/btgg1-byzantines-vs-sassanids.html
we re-arranged the table, threw on some scenary & came up with a crafty game for HITT.

Middle East 1916, the Turks have been halted and now the British are on the attack. A small rail stop named 'Beni Baloo' has been fortified by the Turk. A modest sized British force has been sent to send Johnny Turk packing....

The British (Jack) would be the attacker & have a third more points than the Turk (yours truly). However the Turks would have a nice amount of Trenches & Barbed Wire. A Road/Rail track dominated the field. Beni Baloo was represented by a few buldings. To the British left, a few small hills were situated. While on the British right, two large areas of rough aided the Turkish defence.

We used HITT version 1 rules (I still haven't printed out version 2, sorry Bad Lad I know), the British would make use of an Aeroplane & some Armoured Cars. Looking at the rules, we think that Armoured Cars can't shoot (Are Tanks the same?), we don't like this so we've upped the point cost by 1 & given AC's a range of 4". The British would also have two Generals & so two PiP dice, the Turks just one. This was because we felt the British forces were too big for just one General. Anything else we encountered, then we would just make up as we went along...

We normally just play lost elements for victory, but we'll give points system a try. In this case Victory is achieved if a third of the enemy is destroyed (I know HOTT says half..)

The British consisted of 2 x Generals, 1 x Aeroplane, 2 x AC's, 12 x Rifles,
3 xMg's, 3 x Artillery, 4 x Cavalry = 64 points (Break at 21)

The Turks consisted of 1 x General, 3 x Artillery, 3 x MG's, 10 x Rifles
= 43 points (Break at 14) (The Turks had some Transport Wagons = 0 points though)

On we go with the battle....
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Beni Baloo & the Turkish Defences.

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British Right Flank

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British left Flank, Jack's plan would feature a strong attack on this side.

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Overall Battlefield View.

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The Turkish defences from both sides....

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Onwards!!!

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Indian Infantry advances...

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KaBOOM!!! The British Artillery is spot on, scratch one Turkish Rifles.

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A new turn & it's double sixes....
'TALLY HO' Ginger.... in his crate, screaches through the Sky!!

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The British Cavalry heads straight for the Turks...

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....but are sent packing.

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'BOOOMM!' Ginger is spot on, Scratch one Turkish Artillery.

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But fierce, small arms fire makes Ginger bank sharply...

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The Turks are fighting hard.... The British Cavalry are sent packing again.

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Poor PiPs and the Indians are left without Orders!!

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The British Infantry are through the wire.

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The Armoured Cars finally catch up to the Cavalry.

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GINGER's bought it!!
The Turkish Machine Gunners shoot him down, cheers ring out along the trenches!

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The British assault goes in, the Turks give ground.

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At last, the Turks give ground on the British left.
Fire from the AC's & Lances from the Cavalry.....

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It's a hard scrap in the trench.

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Fire from the Turkish MG & the Armoured Car is sent reeling....
DBA charts are consulted & the 'ruling on the battlefield' is.... scratch one Rifle element!!

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The Brits are kicked out of the trench.

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Turkish Artillery fire, holds up the Cavalry - But it can't stop everything.

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The British Infantry get ready to attack the weak point.

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View from the Turkish trench.

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The Turks cut down some more Brits....

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Good shooting from the Turkish Artillery, but still not 88mm efficiency!

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Ginger's crate is burning and the deadly Turks cut down some Infantry.

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British Artillery starts to find their target.

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The state of the battle at this point, the British left is pressing hard.
The Indians on the right have sat down & having a cup of tea.
British casualties are mounting, could the Turks pull off a brilliant victory?

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Jack's getting frustrated, the Turks are putting up a stiff resistance.

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ATTACK!! ATTACK!! ATTACK!!

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Another round & they get set to try again....

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Another attack goes in!

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The poor Infantry are mown down.

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Turkish Infantry are cut down...

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The tide begins to turn, The turks loose TWO elements!!

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Jack's on a roll now!

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The Turkish Gunners fight on, it's very close!

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Numbers count, the Turks are being overrun....

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Jack's bloodlust is up, if it moves......

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CHHAAARRGGEE!!!

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Give'Em the STEEL!! British troops doing what they do well.
The Turks in the trench are beaten.

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It's all over now!! Down go the heroic Turkish Gunners.
At least the British AC is repulsed....

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BOO HiSS BOO

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Poor Show from the Indians!

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Final view of the British Left.

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Well that was close, a British Victory but with very heavy losses. The Aeroplane was fun, but it didn't last long. We liked the Armoured Cars, though they're a bit slow. Artillery performed better.... Must try Mortars in the next game, they could enhance the Assaults!

Thursday, 11 June 2009

BTGG1 Byzantines vs Sassanids

The first game in our 'Beyond the Golden Gate' Campaign. Jack took the Sassanids (boo hiss) while I had to have the Byzantines. Double sized armies on a large table, plenty of Horsemen as well. It would be nice to see the large 6 figure Byzantine Cavalry elements in action too. One side of the battlefield had small hills, while rough terrain was placed on the other.



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Byzantines on the left & Sassanids on the right.

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Set-up & direction of attacks.

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A large open area dominated the centre.

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The Byzantine right had Light Horse & Psiloi, I'm after Jack's camp...

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The mighty Sassanid host, Clibinarii, Cataphracts & Elephants

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The Byzantine centre, Cavalry, Knight & Blades

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On the Byzantine right, the Horsemen manoeuvre for position.

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On the other flank, the Byzantine have the numbers, could I make them count though?

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Arrows fly across the field as the Horsemen clash...

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Ha Ha! Back go the Sassanids...

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The Sassanid lights race for cover...

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The centre lines are about to clash...

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Jack's got the numbers on this side...

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Boo! Down goes one of the big Byzantine Cavalry elements.

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Another round & recoils...

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The Sassanid line is in a nice shape, I'm struggling to adjust the Byzantine line.

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Come on... Hopefully the Byzantine Light Horse will 'do the job'.

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Wooaa Lovely pic... The centre engages....

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Bow & Lance, Man & Horse.....

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I'm banking on this one, the Elite German Horse seek out the Sassanid Hordes....

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The Sassanids get the upper hand in the centre....

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....and again another Byzantine goes down. The best I can do is force back the Sassanids.

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Gggrrrrr.... Back go the Byzantine Light Horse on the flank.

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The Sassanids bully the Byzantines...

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RaHOO!!!! The Mighty Sassanid Hordes get ready for action!!!

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The centre is all over the place.

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The Sassanid Light Horse get the better of the Hun Light Horse.

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Pile in everything!!!! Surely the Byzantine left flank can win through...??

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Even the Byzantine General is committed to the action.

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AAAAARRGGHH!! Just when the dice roll for me..
Jack 'invokes' the Sassanid General's special ability, Divinity.
He gets to re-roll the dice and.....down go the Byzantine Light Horse.

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I'm shaking my head at this point....

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At least the Byzantine General is fighting back.

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Down goes casualties 7 & 8, Victory to the Mighty Sassanids.....

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We finish off the turn... A small consolation for the Byzantines....

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Well on the scale of 'Whoopings' that has to be the Biggest Whooping of all time....
Jack is happy once more, he's back to winning ways. Cue the sound of 'EASY EASY EASY'
Procedure for an EASY (Cocky teenager teasing their father)
1. Place both arms, out-streched to the side
2. Bring both out-stretched arms together overhead & clap hands.
3. Throughout shout EASY EASY EASY!
4. Repeat.... Getting faster & louder!
Oh the shame! My Byzantine generalship is truly appalling.