Bots Going On?

Way back in September last year I wrote the following blog post:

Bots the matter? 2,000,000 plus or is it?

Well, it looks like they are at it again as my page views have gone bonkers and I reckon I will be at the 3,000,000 by the end of the month!

It really makes a nonsense of having page views as there is no way I have that level of engagement within the blog-o-sphere.

In other news….

ACW specs for the new book are very close to completion and the plan is to run a few games using my collection to give them a run out. I am also looking (again) long and hard at some gunboat actions using the hexed version of David Manley’s excellent Steamer Wars rules. 

Oh, and something Conan related, by way of a complete change…. ;-)

“Crom!”

Thoughts on the Recent Battle

The Russian cruiser Oleg beginning to have a bad day….

I have been fortunate in that so far the testing of the rules for my new book has been conducted using real players. This makes for a pleasant change as when I was writing the Portable Ironclads Wargame nearly all the testing was conducted on a solo basis. There is no doubt that having real players attempting to break one’s rules really helps to focus the mind!

Having said that, the last battle I fought was a solo effort and was played with a specific aim in mind that would probably not have happened using live participants! 

It threw up one key issue which was easily fixed. You may recall that I had a procedure in place for determining the location of any damage points inflicted. Basically for each hit a D6 was rolled to locate where the damage was inflicted. I must admit to being a fan of such a system although I prefer to keep it limited to hull/superstructure and weapons rather than everything including the ship’s cat or the wardroom drinks cabinet. The system worked but it did mean another round dice rolling and it felt very much as though it unbalanced the flow of action. It needed changing or something.

I opted for the ‘something’ option and have dispensed with it entirely - or have I? Hit location adds to the feel of a set of naval rules and such an honourable process cannot be easily discarded - so I have not. The system I am now using is determined by the number of hits scored - essentially, the more hits scored the greater the ‘spread’ of damage. This is not new, and anyone that has played Wooden Ships and Iron Men, Air Force and many other games besides will recognise the similarity. This approach works well for ‘normal’ hits so the exciting and exotic damage is reserved for the Critical Hits table. This was the other thing that caused me a few issues - Critical Hits, ore more specifically, what triggers them. I have changed this ever so slightly based on the new damage/hit location system. In a nutshell, flotation point damage is the key - not guns etc and before anyone says ‘what about magazine hits etc?’ These are included in the Critical Hits section so fear not, if you want to see an exploding battle cruiser the potential is still there!

With these various ‘soupcon’ changes the biggest single advantage though, is that for firing guns only a single round of dice rolls per calibre firing is required. This balances out the process immeasurably and adds to the flow of the action.

I feel far happier having done this!

An Affair of Outposts, Yellow Sea, November 1904….Game Number 79 Part 2.

 

The initial staring positions - the Russians are on the left whilst the Japanese are on the right. The two sides were using a similar cruising formation, concentrating the heavier units in the centre with the lighter cruisers deployed as a screen. The Russian formation was more compact than that of the Japanese.

The Russians. The protected cruiser Oleg leads the Aurora in the centre column, flanked by the Izumrud on the port side and the Jemchug on the starboard.

The Japanese. Similarly to the Russians the central column consists of the protected cruiser Kasigi closely followed by the Chitose and flanked by the Niitaka on the starboard side and the Tsushima on the port.

Vice Admiral Dewa Shigeto, aboard his flagship, the protected cruiser Kasigi, observed the approaching Russian squadron with deep satisfaction. His orders were to scout ahead of the main bulk of the fleet and to sweep aside any Russian opposition. The expectation was that their most likely opposition would be cruisers and so when four columns of smoke were sighted in the distance he was confident this would be the case. As the distance between the two forces closed so the expectation was confirmed - four protected cruisers, two large and two smaller. The two larger cruisers were tentatively identified as the Oleg and the Aurora with the smaller being the Izumrud and the Jemchung. He was aware that the two big Russian cruisers could outgun his command - despite the range advantage his eight guns conferred - but he knew the calibre of his commanders and their crews and so was confident that they would prevail. The potential cost of a victory was something he would dwell upon later but for now there was a battle to fight. Vice Admiral Dewa Shigeto, and every man under his command, would do their duty, with honour, and make their ancestors proud.

Aboard the Russian cruiser Oleg the first reaction upon sighting the fast approaching Japanese cruisers was one of surprise. Captain 1st Rank Leonid Dobrotvorsky, commander of the Russian scouting group, was not expecting to meet any Japanese ships this early in their patrol. He, and most of the crew under his command, were secretly hoping for a ‘clean sweep’ - no enemy contact but with orders executed fully. When the composition of the Japanese force became clearer he allowed himself to relax a little. Four ships, for the most part they looked similar to his own command. No matter, he thought as he felt confident in the firepower that the Oleg and the Aurora could bring to bear. He was secretly relieved that the two larger Japanese ships did not appear to be armoured cruisers - there were far too many of them to deal with - so he ordered his ships to increase speed and close the range with the enemy formation as soon as possible.

Aboard the ships of both sides the crews sweated and cursed whilst bringing the guns to readiness until all fell silent, with just the incessant thrum of the engines vibrating throughout the ships, the swish of the waves and the clipped orders of the officers the only sounds being heard. The atmosphere was uniformly tight and filled with both apprehension and expectation. It would not be long.

Turn 1. Both sides seemed to a similar plan in that their screening ships headed in the opposite direction to the heavier units. The Russian Oleg and Aurora (the top two ships on the left)attempted to head off the the Japanese Kasigi and Chitose (the top two ships on the right) and at this stage the Russian flagship did not expect to come under fire.

The two opposing commanders were seemingly of one mind as the two forces simultaneously split into two separate elements heading in opposite directions. Fortuitously the split meant that both sides would be facing their opponents equivalent ship types - heavier against heavier and lighter against lighter. The two large Japanese ships, Kasigi and Chitose possessed a crucial advantage though, in that they were both armed with a pair of 8” guns - one fore and one aft and it was those that opened fire first. All four 8” guns targeted the leading Russian cruiser, the Oleg.

Eight inch shells from both the Kasigi and the Chitose quickly found the range to the large Russian cruiser and after a forest of shell splashes all around her came the ominous rumbling crump with flashes of sparks and black, soot-like smoke indicative of multiple hits. In short order two starboard six inch guns were knocked out along the starboard side and the hull was heavily damaged. Mercifully, her engines were unaffected but being unable to reply with her artillery due to the range was a bitter pill to swallow for Captain Dobrotvorsky - his close range advantage had, in one fell swoop, been removed.

Vice Admiral Shigeto, his face an impassive mask, was inwardly delighted with efficient way the Russian cruiser had been pounded at range. Now it was time to administer the coup de grace. With little time to lose he ordered his two cruisers to a complete one hundred and eighty degree turn. The Kasigi was still completing the manoeuvre when the looming bulk of the Russian flagship approached off the starboard bow. The ensuing broadsides from both ships as they passed harkened back to the age of sail with the guns fired as soon as they could bear. Confusion reigned supreme on both ships as shot after shot wreaked havoc on the decks and in the hulls - ear-splitting explosions, the screech of tortured and twisted metal, the cries of the wounded and the shouting of orders. Miraculously, despite having most of her artillery destroyed, the Kasigi was still able to steam unimpeded. Not so the Oleg.

Captain Dobrotvorsky knew that the ship has taken a fearful battering - guns dismounted and the ominous sight of twisted bulkheads and water appearing everywhere it was not supposed to. A wounded sub lieutenant, his head sporting a bloody bandage, made his way onto the wreckage of the bridge and confirmed the news. The ship was flooding.

Turn 2 - The North. Kasigi and Chitose boldly swung around one hundred and eighty degrees and so the Japanese flagship was now broadside on to their Russian opposite number and at point blank range! A fusillade of 6” guns from the Russian flagship - the Oleg - battered the Kasigi and knocked out her main guns - fore and aft - followed by the complete starboard secondary broadside. Her hull also suffered extensive but fortunately not heavy damage. The Kasigi was not to be outdone though. Both her main guns missed but her secondary and tertiary batteries certainly made up for it. The combination of rapid firing artillery, close range and a large target meant that shot after shot struck home - eight hits in all meaning that a critical hit was also inflicted. Of the eight hits inflicted five of them were flotation hits with the odd three being two secondaries and a tertiary gun. The critical hit was a telling one though - a roll of 5 meaning a flood

Turn 2 - The South. The Russian Jemchung and Izumrud fell in with the Japanese Tsushima (leading) and her sister, Niitaka. Both the Russian ships opened fire at the rearmost Japanese cruiser - the Niitaka - and scored a couple of hits. Both Russian ships launched torpedoes but failed ignominiously in the attempt (two rolls of 1!). The two Japanese ships then pounded the Jemchung into scrap and she was soon in a sinking condition.

Turn 2 - The North. Meanwhile, following their one hundred and eighty degree turn, the Kasigi, with the Chitose following closely behind, proceeded to engage the Oleg at point blank range (the white markers represent hits, the black is for a critical).

The Kasigi suffered nine hits in all and the scores you see above were the location rolls. The three 6s took care of both main 8” guns and a flotation point, the four 5s took care of the three secondary guns with a flotation point. The single 1 was also a flotation point. Whilst the Japanese ship lost most of her starboard artillery, the Russian was less fortunate as her hull took the brunt of the damage, with telling effect.

The situation for the Russian squadron was grim and it was about to get worse. The Jemchung was sinking  by the bows (her roll of 6 meant that it would take six turns before she slipped beneath the waves) and the Oleg had, alongside all her other damage, a flood to deal with. The dice roll of 6 meant that it was uncontrollable and so she to would sink. To add insult to injury, her sinking roll was also a 6 meaning it would take six turns for her to go under.

Turn 3 - The South. With the Jemchung sinking, her sister ship, the Izumrud, chose discretion rather than valour and immediately head away from the action. The Tsushima and the Niitaka did not pursue.

Turn 3 - The North. The Kasigi, heavily damaged, headed away to join up with the Tsushima and Niitaka who would act as an escort for the battered flagship. Meanwhile the Chitose sped around the sinking Oleg and fired a parting shot with her aft 8” at the rapidly departing Aurora, inflicting minor damage on the Russian as she did.

Vice Admiral Shigeto was pleased. His flagship was heavily damaged but sinking not one but two Russian cruisers was a tremendous result. His ancestors would be pleased as he had done his duty with honour. He ordered the Kasigi to break off and rejoin the remainder of the squadron. He also signalled to the Chitose to disengage and rejoin. It had been a good day.

Captain Dobrotvorsky knew the ship was doomed but she showed little sign of disappearing quickly. The remaining ship’s boats were being lowered and the wounded transferred to them. The scene was orderly and disciplined. He mused over his plan and thought that but for the 8” guns of his adversary the outcome could have been very different. Such were the fortunes of war.

So What Did I Learn Then?

I really enjoyed this brief but highly contrived action! The rules worked well although I will think about firing again. I am happy with the ranges and damage etc but I would like to streamline it further if I can. Having said that, when ships get up close and personal the resulting fireworks display will tend to be impressive as anything and everything that can bear and shoot will join in the fun. This definitely feels correct for the pre dreadnought period.

All in all then, a great way to spend a couple of hours and it has certainly given me much to think about and to take forwards as the rules develop.

An Affair of Outposts, Yellow Sea, November 1904….Game Number 79 Part 1.

A Japanese squadron looking for the Russians

For a variety of reasons the planned naval Russo Japanese War game for next week at the club has been postponed until early February. In the meantime though, I thought it would be a good idea to have a solo run out of the rules at their current stage of development, just so you could see what is what and where is where. The action was fought using my WoFun collection and my Hexon seascape on a 5ft by 3ft playing area or 15 by 8 hexes if you prefer. I have opted to use two forces of protected cruisers that essentially run into each other whilst on patrol. Contrived I know, but there is a method in the madness. The two forces consist of the following and at this stage do not worry overmuch about the abundance of letters - they all mean something and this will become clearer as the action unfolds.

Japan

Kasigi and Chitose

Tsushima and Niitaka

Oleg and Aurora

Izumrud and Jhemchug

The ship charts you see above are very much a work in progress and have been made deliberately large so that notes etc can be easily recorded if required. The top half - speed, turn increment, hull size, armour class and flotation points are pretty much self explanatory but the weapons fit may seem a little complex. In a nutshell, each box represents a D6 roll for combat - either a guns or guns or torpedoes. The letters within the boxes are the firing arcs that the weapon can bear upon. There are six main firing arcs and a further twelve combined arcs making eighteen in all. Straightaway that will seem overly complex but in practice it is surprisingly simple to work with and has the advantage of better representing some of the unique weapon fits carried by ships over the period - wing turrets, casemate batteries and so forth. Every permutation of firing arc has its own diagram which avoids any ambiguity and the ship specification tables for each sub-period will also include the appropriate abbreviation.

Armour and Guns range from very light to very heavy with the former also having an unprotected category. Looking at the charts above you can see the appropriate initial by the gun or torpedo line - for example the Japanese protected cruiser Kasigi has a pair of medium weight (M) main guns with two gun boxes. FWPS means forward wide part and starboard whilst AWPS means aft wide port and starboard. In each case this translates as being able to bear in either the port, starboard or forward wide firing arcs. P/S means a gun box that can bear either port or starboard. Simple eh?

Where there is an overlap in gun types - where two calibres fall within the same category - the larger of the two gains a * next to it to distinguish it, as well as a positive D6 modifier. 

Guns classed as main or any ironclad era rifles have one box per barrel, secondary have one box per two barrels whilst tertiaries have one box per three barrels. Guns classed as light (L) or very light (VL) - typically 6” or smaller - gain a positive firing modifier to allow for their generally faster rate of fire.

I could witter on about this stuff for ages but for now I will leave it there as I have a battle to get ready for.

Somewhere in the Yellow Sea, November 11th, 1904….

To Be Continued….

Seven Days In….

Between these two (along with Conways and Janes) I reckon that I will have more than enough technical detail for the ships of the Kaiser. As well as the ships that served with the High Seas Fleet there are also details of projected types as well as those that were German built and served in other navies.

At long last my annual throaty, chesty thing seems to be petering out and as a result I am feeling rather more with it! A start has been made of the reorganisation/tidy up of the man cave and as expected, this has nudged my brain cell in various unexpected directions. The biggest single thing thus far is that I now have my boardgames in some kind of order, at least more so than previously. Amongst the collection by far the largest ‘space taker’ is Memoir ‘44. I own a lot of what was published (except for the Air Packs, some of the scenario packs and the books) but in truth most of it has languished on the shelf for sometime - at least until the new, refreshed version appeared. That served to reignite my interest in the period (not that it ever disappeared) and as it makes for an easy WW2 fix I fully intend to get some mileage out of it this year - possibly using the Axis and Allies miniatures along with the Tanks collection recently acquired (and added to!). 

Needless to say there are a few disposals arising from reorganisation including some that may be rather surprising. I have decided to let my Air Force collection, along with Wings and Spitfire, head off into the sunset. I never thought I would ever do this but game mechanics and rules have moved on from their heyday (late 70s to mid 80s) and the chances of me getting any of them to the table top, let alone against a live opponent, are slim to zero. I could say the same about Flat Top but I am to emotionally invested in the game to part with it - especially as I have an unpunched copy signed by S Craig Taylor.

There are many more ‘modern’ aerial rules I can play around with that do not require copious amounts of record keeping and so for me that is where I shall be looking.

The New Book

Work has continued on the new book, despite a couple of self-inflicted speed bumps, and so I am now tackling the ship specifications for the American Civil War. I have nearly finished the Union ships - much of the data I already had available from the Portable Ironclads Wargame - and then it will be the Confederates. I will also tackle the ships for the War in the Pacific so the adventures of the Huascar. The Great War will then follow - at least a certain portion of it.

I am hoping to get another Russo Japanese test game in this month which should, all being well, ‘wrap’ this part of the book. Fingers crossed!

 

End of the Year and All That….

Not gonna lie - seeing these two on the shelf and available to purchase is a real pleasure! I have said before that the whole writing process and all the associated model making, testing and research I really enjoyed!

First of all a very Happy New Year to one and all - let us hope that it will be a peaceful one. When I say ‘peaceful’ I am using this to cover a personally stress-free 2026 along with a wider no global escalations or newsworthy unpleasantness!

From my perspective the current year has been mixed. The serious stuff concerned Laurel’s health - not her ongoing disability (wearing though that is) - as she managed to swerve not one but two cancer scares. Both of these involved numerous hospital visits - 21 appointments in all - and nervously waiting on phone calls. Both situations ended on a positive note for which we are all eternally grateful. I had my own run in with a hospital when I managed to half fall out of the loft. My right arm (which was by far the most painful) is now fully recovered but my left elbow is still niggling - nothing serious though, for which I am heartily relieved. The year ended with my seasonal chesty/throaty thing which is still lingering but nowhere near as wearing as previously. Not to be outdone our daughter Holly managed to suffer a small break in her ankle the day before her birthday (15/12) meaning the use of crutches and a boot. She is mobile now though. 

Looking forward to giving this a spin - the production standard is very high and the artwork is gorgeous!

It also uses a combination of blocks and cards….

The library of the Reconquista!

A view from the Alhambra

One of the many buildings - this was the palace of a lesser member of the nobility

Looking up!

A typical Moorish style gate and tower

On a more upbeat note Laurel and I had a two week break in Andalusia way back in June. We stayed at the same place as we did last year - near Alcaucin, about fifty minutes from Malaga. It was wonderful with the highlight being a visit to the famous Alhambra Palace. This was a long term wish of mine and it certainly did not disappoint! It was hugely inspiring and the period of the Reconquista is certainly one that appeals from a gaming perspective - not sure in what way yet though. We are going back for another visit in June next year as the hotel is fully set up for people with mobility challenges and we can fly from our local airport so the journey is relatively stress free.

Anyways, enough of the day-to-date stuff!

This year I have not been able to attend a single wargames show! For a variety of reasons - usually calendar clashes - this has been quite a disappointing turn of events but I aim to rectify this sorry state of affairs in 2026! 

The biggest gaming news of the year for me was the publication of Developing the Portable Ironclads Wargame: The American Civil War in June. A lot of work went into this - Bob Cordery did his writing and editorial stuff and both Messrs Fox and Huband, along with Messrs Slater and Kightly, combined to contribute to an epic battle for the grand finale of the book. It was a tremendous effort and I am truly grateful to them all for their help and assistance.

Captain Nathan Hubbard USN, officer commanding, U.S.S. Manhattan aka Nick Huband

Captain Noah “Redeye” Fox, officer commanding, C.S.S. Atlanta aka Neil Fox

Work on the new book is progressing well. For the most part the rules are ready and have been tested a couple of times with a third game to take place in the next couple of weeks. The ship specs and charts for the Russo Japanese War (specifically the Tsushima WoFun collection) are complete and so I am now turning my attention to the American Civil War for the Ironclads portion of the book. The biggest challenge with this is pinning down firing arcs but I have this ‘dialled in’ for the rules - it is just for the ships I need to worry.

There have been a fair number of acquisitions this year - gifted and otherwise. For the former I (re)took delivery of the Axis and Allies WW2 collection - much of this originally came from Bob Cordery and Archduke Piccolo with a small dollop of stuff from yours truly. I have a full set of the hexed gaming mats that came with the starter sets which I had laminated and these have been used many times with my block armies. I had an idea about using the A and A kit with Memoir ‘44 - certainly there is enough of it. The Redoubtable Mr Fox added to my 15mm pile (the Axis and Allies kit being the same scale) when he offered me his bits and pieces from the Tanks game from GF9 Games. These will also be destined for some kind of Memoir ‘44/Portable Wargame ‘mash up’ in due course

Basing experiments with Zulu Wars British infantry

The 15mm Mike’s Models Colonial collection was the big acquisition of the year and so I now have everything I need to tackle the Zulu War and much else besides. I am still planning what to do with this collection in terms of painting/organising/basing etc so it is a bit of a slow burner. In the short term though, I have been thinking about a pair of Portable Wargame forces to go with the Royal Navy and Turkish ironclads I have under construction. This would have the advantage of being relatively easy to organise as many of the figures for this are already painted. Something to think about.

Fighters of the Pacific

Fighters of Europe 

Fighters of the Pacific and of Europe I am really looking forward to gaming with - there is a huge amount of potential with this system and as per usual I have already been thinking ‘outside the box’ at looking at other rules etc. Having both the full kickstarter sets with the stretch goal add-one makes a huge difference and as I have mentioned previously, the accompanying neoprene gaming mats will be very useful indeed!

Boardgames and books have been added to the collection with a good number heading out in the opposite

direction. The library is due an extensive cull - mainly because there are books contained therein that are unlikely to lead into any serious gaming and I am mindful of the need to keep the collection on a tight rein. The following are a random selection of some of the books and games that have found their way into my collection this year. I should also mention the refreshed version of Memoir ‘44 which will certainly be getting some use in the new year!

I am hoping that next year that I can get more games in, more shows in and to actually get some projects off the ground and to a gaming state. We shall see.

In the meantime though, a Happy New Year and here’s hoping that 2026 is a better one.

Belated Seasons Greetings!

What a haul! Certainly enough to provide me with plenty of inspiration!

Well Christmas Day came and went with a rush - so much so that by the time I had thought about writing a blog post the food induced coma had set in, aided by some very nice I.P.A and a lovely Rioja with dinner….

So a belated merry Christmas one and all! On the plus side though, I am now able to post about the Christmas haul and boy oh boy, I did really well!

The Battle of Tsushima needs no introduction - this is a relatively compact account but a welcome addition to my Russo Japanese war collection. The Kaiser’s Cruisers is a comprehensive overview of the development of German cruisers up to the end of the Great War and will be useful for the final phase of my new book.

The Persian book goes with the Greek volume I acquired last year. I am rather fond of this series as I like the way the troops are depicted by re-enactors rather than traditional artwork. I have a soft spot for the Greek and Persian wars - Hoplites, Immortals and of course, galleys - although this is a long term project for sure, at least the land side is anyway.

Assassins and Templars tackles the activities of both these famous (or infamous, depending on your point of view!) protagonist during the period of the Crusades. Again, this is another period I have aspirations about gaming at some point. A recent edition of the magazine Wargames Illustrated contained a derivative set of rules from the ‘Never Mind the Ruckus’ stable covering the skirmish level combat of the Crusades between the Assassins and the Templars. The big advantage is that only a few figures are needed which should suit a notoriously reluctant painter such as myself….

The final book is the latest Portable Wargame compendium and it is a real treat - especially with the high naval content! The four compendiums are fast becoming constant sources of inspiration and so Bob deserves a big thank you for compiling these - as does everyone else for contributing and to my eternal shame I have yet to do so!

Perhaps next year!