Gnome Wars: The Battle of Saragarhi part 2

To All,

The Battle of Saragarhi, Gnome Wars style, started out with some German deployment issues. They decided to keep units in column on the road, which is a great way to get across the board quickly, but a terrible formation if you do not want to get trampled by a charging War Elephant.

Which is, as you can see here, is exactly what happened. The war elephant was able to move first and decimated a full German unit before they even had a chance to move a figure. This was devastating to the German players who, as we like to sat in Connecticut, "went into the bunker." The players then sent in their troops piecemeal and got chopped up.

(Sikh reserves keeping out of sight)

After a couple of turns and some tough fighting, The Germans managed to take the heavy mortar on top of the building in the upper left of the picture. The only problem is that it cost them the rest of the unit to get there, and the gnomes were dead when the Swiss card came up.

Here we see a the "Grey" German unit supporting an attached heavy machine gun....

....and here we see the unit victimized by the Cheese Thrower.(After two turns the dreaded "Cheese Suffocation" rule comes into play)

The 36th Sikhs haven't lost a gnome.

The last of the Germans attempt a suicide run to the fort....

...and bravely, or foolishly, stand on the bridge.

The Orangemen, abandoned by the Germans for the second time that day, wade into the fray and end up serving up some pain to the Swiss.

Did our friends decide to take a nap before the assault?

Unfortunately they took a 'dirt nap' when the Sikh card comes up, thus ending the Gnome Wars version of the Battle of Saragarhi.

A complete Sikh/Swiss victory!

Gnome Wars: The Battle of Saragarhi

To All,

Here is an AAR of the second game I ran at NJcon 4 - Gnome Wars: The Battle of Saragarhi

Description: Northwest Frontier Province - 1897. A signalling relay post called Saragarhi stands on a bluff mid-way between Fort Lockhart and Fort Gulistan to provide heliographic communications between them. On September 12th, hordes of enemy laid siege to Fort Lockhart and Saragarhi, with the aim of overrunning the fort while at the same time preventing Saragarhi for signaling for help.Twenty one Sikhs from the 36th Sikhs under the inspiring leadership of their detachment commander, Havildar Ishar Singh, resolve not to hand over the signal post to the enemy and seek safety elsewhere, go to the walls and wait for the assault. Havildar Singh knows well that Saragarhi will fall, because a handful of gnomes in that make-shift fort of stones & mud walls can not stand the onslaught of a six hundred enemy. These plucky gnomes know that they will go down, but they have resolved to do so fighting to the last.

Here is the set-up: The German column consisting of a tank, four units of Germans, the witch, and a unit of cavalry...

...is marching toward...

...this fort defended by two small units of Sikhs. They do have their light tank and a War Elephant.

A small detachment of Swiss is holding a village near the fort. They have two heavy mortars, a bike tank, St. Bernard medic, Nurse , and a Cheese Thrower.

On the far end of the board the Irish have settled in to defend a small village against some pissed off and seeming out of place British Marines.

The Highlanders are defending their village against a smaller version of the Army of Undead.

The battle begins.....

Gnome Wars at NJcon: Lunkhead's Brewery continued....

To All,

The Brawl for Lunkhead's Brewery was broke down into two different styles of play by the attackers. On the right side of the brewery were what you would deem "Gnome Wars" guys, who just went balls-out all attack. No one check with anyone, there was no plan, it was just a race to the wall.

After a couple of turns here is what we had. The tank that was sitting in the breach was doing its job, keeping the enemy out while destroying the Clurichaun walker. the Sikhs marched forward, losing their tank and the driver for the elephant. The elephant ran amuck, crashing into and smashing one of the towers. but stayed on its feet. The Highlanders pushed the siege tower to the wall but the Orangemen destroyed it with their tank.

The Highlanders resorted to using the ladders, and were successful taking the wall. Here we see a questionable decision by the defenders - the tank from the breach moves forward....

....leaving the Irish Tank and the Blue Sikhs racing toward toward it.

The next turns has the Irish tank inside the walls, along with some Leprechauns who "Rainbowed" in...

...with the War Elephant crashing through the walls.

On the left we had "seasoned" wargamers whom had a plan. First off they knew they were facing off against the one of the better Gnome Wars players, Lon from Brigade Games, so they were careful. Here we have the British Marines marching out in order, making sure they have the ladders with them. You can see the Swiss doing the same.

Another turn of the ordered advance...

...and here we have Lon sitting back, waiting for them to come. Actually he is looking at the Undead and Union Cavalry battling out. My son, a Top Ten Gnome Wars player in his own right, understood the danger the Undead posed to the success of the attack, told the rest of the attackers that he would "handle it." They asked him what he needed, to which he responded "the Union Cavalry." An older gentleman asks if he can occupy the 112 figure Undead Army with 20 cavalry. "No worries" as he wipes out the 112 figures while losing 17. I'll take that ratio anytime.

So with the right crumbling and the Swiss cheesing all the Pirates, Lon makes an easy decision....

...and packs up and gets away.

Lon did prove himself in this game as he got all three objectives: His unit, Lon's Lunkheads were alive, Lon was not captured/killed, and he kept possession of the "Cursed Gnome." The attackers did a great job getting in but focused on carnage rather than objectives, and came up on the short end because of it.

All in all a great game - with fun had by all.

Gnome Wars at NJcon: Lunkhead's Brewery....

To All,

The Stout Smurf went to NJcon and put on two games of every body's other favorite GW, Gnome Wars.The first game of the day was Gnome Wars: The Brawl for Lunkhead’s Brewery.

The set up/description for the game was as follows: Upset over the rising cost of beer Swiss, Irish, and Scottish gnomes attack Lon the Lunkhead’s brewery to secure their stash for the winter. Can Lon hold out, or will he have to make a run for it?
Here is the initial set-up for the scenario: The brewery is inside the castle walls and the defenders are trying to 1) Survive until sunset, 2) Protect Lon the Lunkhead, the master brewer, and 3) keep possession of the "Cursed Gnome" statue. (don't piss on it or you will be sorry!)

The Germans and Orangemen are holding the right corner and the gate. They are supported by two tanks and the Orangeman's wooden A7V. The German players decide to put their cavalry in reserve. (I thought it was a mistake to do so)

Attacking were three units of Scottish Highlanders, King Stanton's Irish, two units of Irish Cavalry supported by a walker, a tank (machine guns only), and the balloon (heavy machine gun).

The Pirates, let by Captain Alvarado (single toughest figure in Gnome Wars), plus Lon's Lunkheads attempt to hold the left. 

The Germans did have the Vampire leading the "Army of the Damned," which consisted of 60 zombies, 30 skeleton warriors, and 20 angry gingerbread men. They started outside the walls on the left flank.

The Left was being attacked by two units of British Marines, three units of Swiss, a band of Gnomosapiens with three Dinosaurs, the Wizard (four wolves and two bears) and two units of Union Cavalry. (This is why putting the German Cavalry into reserve was a mistake - more on that tomorrow)

The Swiss get ready to tunnel...

The battle was on! More to come....

28mm Skeletons: 2nd Batch part 2.....

To All,

Here is the rest of the the Basic Skeletons tutorial. (Sorry it took so long but I have had a crazy month.) The Skeletons, as always, are from Emperor's Choice: Emperor's Choice Basic Skeletons.

After priming and hitting the figures with Skull White, The Scorched Brown for the leather, Bittersweet Chocolate for the wood. These colors are painted on.

Then a drybrush of Bestial Brown for the leather, Dark Chocolate for the wood.

Drybrush of Milk Chocolate for the wood...

...and Snakebite Leather for the leather.

Light drybrush of Honey Brown for the wood.

All metal is painted with Boltgun Metal.

Dwarf Bronze to highlight the weapons and the buckels.

I painted the bases black and then washed the bones and metal with a diluted Delvin Mud - 50:50 ratio of Delvin Mud and water.

I flocked the bases with my "grass" mixture...

...and these guys were ready for the tabletop!

Here they are as part of the Undead Army during one of my games at NJcon.