Happy New Year in 54mm

 

October 25th Charge of the Light Brigade Anniversary

 I've been patiently collecting Britains Crimean War miniatures when I see them for a good price. I decided to take them out of their boxes on the 167th anniversary of the Battle of Balaclava. My aim is to have at least six mounted figures for each of the five regiments that took part in the charge. I am also collecting Russian Cossacks for them to fight at the end of the charge. Not sure what rules I will use for the battle, possibly "About Bonaparte". I also have miniatures for the Heavy Brigade, whose successful charge earlier in the day was over shadowed by the disastrous Light Brigade charge. Finally, I have Highlanders for the "Thin Red Line".

Plastic and Steel 2021 - our presence with 2 games. Western shootout game 54mm and 1/72 Napoleonic

The game we run was a western shootout game, with the same fast rules as our previous, "The Gold of the Confederates" game.  6 players, each of them taking a team of 4 figures, all teams having an objective but each objecitve being the oposite for another team (team cards at the end).   Also, , events can take place during the game. On a 4/5/6 on a D6 something happens. Also see end of the article: the list of 12 events: D12 to decide which.

The OK Coral Cowboys at the Saloon

Earp brothers and bounty hunters.

View on our second game, an alternative history on what if Napoleon had won Waterloo.

The crazy Mexican with the machette:  event 11

The demonstration against fire arms

The Pinckertons on their way to the gallows.

Cows broken loose.

 

1. A demonstration of women against weapons leaves from the church for the Town Hall. They move 20cm per turn and continue to protest for 1 turn in front of the townhall. Player figures that come in their way are attacked with boards and brushes. They attack with a D4. You may not attack or shoot the women yourself, otherwise the 4 nearest civilians (armed figures) will get involved and take an aim at your figures- hit at highest value)

2. Horses from a cart run wild, the game leader throws a die to decide from where and to  the horses run. Whoever is trampled by the horses gets 1 wound.

3. Drunken Mexicans stumble out of the saloon, when they see a man of law, they shoot at him. (1 turn)

4. Drunken Mexicans come out of the saloon, when they see a figure of a player, then one of them throws a stick of dynamite. (1 turn only)

5. Mexican workers are repairing a house. One of them has recognized a bandit who has ambushed him days before. Together with his mates he goes after the nearest bandit: 30cm per turn they stop when the bandit is knocked down or when one of the Mexicans is shot

6. A hungry Mexican has stolen a pig and is running away with it. If he encounters a player’s figure on his way to the edge of the table, he shoots at him.  Each turn 30cm until he is off the table.

7. 2 hungry Mexicans have each stolen a bag of flour each in the general store and are trying to flee with it. If they come across a player’s figure on their way to the edge of the table, they shoot at him. Until they are off the table (shortest route).

8. Cows break loose from their enclosure and run through the city. Each player controls one cow run 40 cm (for 2 turns). A cow inflicts 1 wound when it knocks over a figure. The animal may only knock over one figure per turn and not twice the same figure.

9. A drunk cowboy emerges from the saloon and challenges the closest figure of a  player (with on or two pistols ) to a duel. Both figures fire simultaneously. The cowboy only hits on the highest value . duel at 30 cm from each other. Firing until either one hits, the cowboy is nocked out with one wound.

10. 8 Mexican horsemen ride down the main street, firing at everything and everyone. 60cm per turn. Untill they leave the table.

11. A crazy Mexican runs through the village with a machete. All players roll a D10 die. The player with the highest value controls the Mexican. Throw at the end of every turn. The Mexican runs 30 cm. (or climb up +10cm) He stays in play until shot down.

12. A doctor comes to the rescue. All players roll a D10 die. The player with the highest value chooses one of his figures to be treated and one wound no longer counts.

Yes I know, a lot with Mexicans, but as I have the figures, I can use them that way.

The gold of the Confederates: a 54mm wagame with a "touch" of the Bandolero movie 5/9/2021

I had painted the Mexicans and cowboys from Steve Weston's "Magnificant Seven" figures.

Looking for a game to use them, Patrick VDB found the Comic Strip of the Blueberry Saga.

I had also for some time the movie Bandolero in mind. Combining the two I ended up with this game. Created a rule (see bottom of the article), used some scenery I had, and made some more scratch build ruines.

The script: A group of Confederate soldiers brought gold of the Confederacy across the Mexican border and had buried it near an old Spanish fort. All soldiers except one Lt Silver died in a short time, due to an overduse of lead and other accidents.

 However, once the remaining man wanted to get the gold for himself, the region was by then full of Mexican bandits: Bandoleros. Lt Silver had to hire some teams of unsavory figures. 

With the horses within the fort, some Mexican peasants dug up the gold.

But then, a bigger then expected group of Bandoleros showed up.....

As this is a holywood game the "hero" of each player can have 4 wounds, the secondary figures 2 wounds. The hero infkicts a hit when he shoots with the 3 highst values, the secondary figures on the 2 highs values of a dice throw.  (D4 short distance , D6 a bit further up to a D20). Mexicans are eliminated on one hit and inflicts hits on the highst value of a throw.

For more info and for the fighting rules see bellow.

The game: 5 players with each a team of 4 cowboy/gringo figures: 

the teams  :

• The Dalton brothers as in the comic strip of Lucky Luke (Steven)
• Lt silver and his 3 hired killers (Adrien)
• Former Pinkerton detectives subject themselves of an investigation (Kristof)
• Wyatt Earp brothers and Doc Holliday: former marshall due to something not Ok that happend (Thomas)
• Former judge Carter and his bounty hunters, misjudged the liberties he could take with his gang (Patrick)

Goal of the game: survive as only team to keep the gold. So the players had to fight off the bandits and eliminate the other players teams.  after moving their team figures, they can activate 2 D6 bandoleros to led them take a shot at figures of the other teams. 

Al teams had to keep a least one figure close to the dig. Patrick choose to keep his whole team outside the walls.  But the first move of bandoleros was made by me, the game master 1D10 of Mexicans.

It gave 9: the leader of the Mexican horse riders gave the signal, and suddenly the Mexican peasants attacked the gringos, giving Patricks team already 2 wounds.  The peasants now faced crossfire and were shot down. The cart with the gold was quickly brought within the gate to keep the horse riders out of the fort. On the other side, the gate doors were closed.

Patrick took the chance of keeping his team outside, but changed his mind and flet to one side of the fort, were bandoleros on foot were already climbing up the wall.

The Mexicans started to enter the fort, but had suffered already heavy losses

The Bandalores also succeeded into opening the gates on the other side of the fort, but than Ef Jefe was shot down, and the shocked bandoleros left the scene.

Thomas and Kristof had teamed up and started eliminating the other teams, reslting in the other players working together. First Patricks team was done, followed shortly by Steven.  Also Thomas his team followed, leaving two figures standing. 

The Pinkerton boss and one of Adrien secondary figures, the latter winnning the duel.

For a trial game, it went very well. Adjustments of course are needed.

5 players was a bit much with 4 figures each, and maybe to much Mexicans to handle each turn.

Another option is to give al bandoleors to one player. Also not working with the fort, and instead only buildings will speed up the game. and give it more a "Bandolero Movie" effect.

The gold of the Confederacy

Goal of the game

Survive the bandoleros attack and be the only ones able to take the gold.

Game progress

The players place their figures but as at least one figure per player must guard the excavation of the gold. The gold has just been loaded onto the cart by Mexican peasants hired for the job. When the figures of each player are deployed, the game master rolls a D10 and moves the same number of Mexicans.

Then each players take  turn (counterclockwise) : actions of his figures + move 2x6D Mexicans . Note: A Mexican may not move away from the fort except to pursue a  “gringo” figure. The player who comes second in the first round of the game comes first in the second round of the play. Whoever came first a a round becomes last in the next. At the end of the round, unactivated Mexicans take 1 move towards the entrances of the fortress.

If a player has lost all his figures, then he throws every turn 3xD6 to move Mexicans. If necessary, the game master will intervene and some Mexicans who have been hit are only injured and rise up again to fight on.

Actions

A figure may take 2 actions in one turn.

Maximum 1 action is shooting

To move :

·  20cm movement on foot is 1 movement (stairs -5cm)

·  Climbing up or jumping off somewhere

·  40cm with horse is 1 movement

wounded: ½ distance

Shooting

Just as movie heroes, our figures can also survive multiple wounds. Indicate the wound on your players sheet when it has been inflicted. Secondary characters are eliminated by a second ^e wound. The “hero” at 4 wounds. Mexicans are eliminated directly after one hit .

They themselves can inflict hits only with the highest value of a throw. Heroes inflict hits on the 3 highest values ​​of the die roll (eg D6 = 4-5-6)  . Secondary figures the 2 highest values  (eg 7-8 on a D8).

fire table	D4	D6	D8	D10	D12	D20
Revolver	10cm	20cm	30cm	40cm	50 cm	60cm
Winchester	20cm	40cm	60cm	80cm	100 cm	120cm
Musket	20cm	40cm	60cm
Shotgun	10cm (2xD4)	20cm ( 2xD6)	3 0cm

 

Modifications :

Move die column to the right:        

·         when the target is in cover + 2 columns (D4 becomes D8 )   situation at the moment of the shot.

·         Shoot 2X on the same turn with the same weapon for both shots+1 column (eg D4 becomes D6)

·         Shooting with 2 ^e revolvers: shot with, the second weapon +1 column (eg D6 =>D8)

·         Shooting with rifle at <10cm + 1 column (D4 becomes D6)

+1 on die result: shooter when the shooter aims by no moving and takes only 1 shot, this from D8 and higher (otherwise target is too close to aim properly)

Throw dynamite: maximum 30 cm. indicate target spot, then throw deviation die: Deviation arrow: 3xD6 cm. Impact everyone within 10cm D6 (4-6 =wound). Inside building: everyone inside the room D6 (3-6 wound).

When rolling a die value of 1 while firing, the shooter must reload or repair his blocked weapon = this means no shooting any more with that weapon unless he takes one move action to fix it (next turn – show with a token )

If you fire at a horseman and you are 1 point short to hit, you hit the horse. Rider continues on foot.

Brawl

When 2 hostile characters are within 5cm of each other: attacker (the activated figure making the move) inflicts a wound when a higher value than the defender is thrown. Weapons according to the table below.

fight table	D4	D6	D8	D10	D12	D20
weapon	Revolver	rifle	knife	Shovel/beam	Machete	sword

When attacked in the rear -2 on the die roll for the assaulted.