We made a road trip up to Area 51 in Grapevine and played a couple of games.
Steve's photos.
Steve's comments:
The DFW Irregulars sent a recon patrol to Area 51 on Saturday. We put on an ECW
game that according to a gamer (one of the Area 51 regulars) "raised the bar for
gaming at Area 51". In other words, the game contained painted figures (unlike
the FoW game being played behind us) and terrain that was actually visually
appealing to passers-by. We got Mike Stover to actually PLAY a game. That was a
coup in itself. You missed one great game and one silly game if you didn't
bother to participate.
Clay decided in the second game to deploy a 17th century army in a 19th century
Napoleonic formation (infantry in column of divisions and cavalry brigaded on
one flank). It was quite silly but we had fun seeing if it WAS silly...and it
was!
Contrary to popular opinion; Might of Arms works GREAT for English Civil War. We
had Mike up and running in about 10 minutes. He was neck deep in Royalsts a few
minutes after starting. Easily taught and learned. Both sides were into it on
turn 2. The game was nip and tuck as our games usually are. The cascading
morale effects sent the Royalists home but it took most of the game to wear them
down. This is another great feature of MoA. Units get worn down and don't fight
to the last figure stand unlike our last game using Fire and Furball.
Thanks to Mike Stover for letting us invade his game shop! I am planning on
putting on games once a month there and making them available to LSHM-DFW folks.
I've changed my thinking after playing there and the availability of a Shiner
Bock just down the strip center didn't hurt a bit! I'd like to put on an ACW or
Franco-Prussian War 1870-71 next time. Those games are figure intensive,
visually appealing plus one takes figures off in double handfuls.
I'm late and the game is already underway.
Mike Stover commands the Parlimentary forces.
Royalist cavalry vainly attack formed infantry.
Game two! I will command the Royalist forces against Steve's Parlimentarians.
Too clever for my own good, I'm going to force a column of infantry up the middle
My dragoons are mounted and will turn the flank.
My general identifies the 'point of discontinuity' on his map.
The only forces on the left are a single infantry regiment and the gun.
My cavalry charges ahead - and promptly gets stuck.
The Forlorn Hope captures the building and routs the gunners! I win!
Oh wait, I've got to fight the rest of his army. Will I get there in time?
Uh oh, Steve isn't supposed to know how to handle cavalry....
My battle plan sure looked good on paper!
Steve's horse gun flanks my cavalry, who are tied up in a hopeless deadlock.
supported by a strong flanking force of massed cavalry.
The chain of routs begins. Silly me. Oh well, I tried! (or "Wanted to see what would happen" as Jack would say)
