Back of Beyond Campaign

French clash with Chinese

Whilst making their way towards Urga across the Gobi Desert, the French Citreon Kegresse expedition found their way blocked by the army of Chinese Warlord Wei Phat Mac.

Chinese advance on French Expedition

Unable to negotiate a peaceful solution to allow them to pass, the Expedition attacked this army to force passage. The Chinese bravely advanced to challenge the Expedition only to suffer heavy casualties due to moving slowly during their advance due to the failure of Wei Phat Mac to throw decent movement dice. Exposed in open terrain, the Chinese infantry were mowed down by the French machine guns on the Kegresses, Laffey White Armoured car and heavy machine gun of the Foreign Legion escort.
Chinese armoured car supports infantry advanced

Both the Chinese field gun and the French Mountain gun failed to be effective as the Chinese armoured car attempted to support the infantry advance. A lucky shot from this latter armoured car
French Kressese knocked out by Chinese Armoured Car
took out one of the Kegresses, but it in turn was knocked out by a shot from the Laffey White.
The last gasp charge of the Chinese Cavalry

Having hid behind a hill for most of the battle, the Chinese irregular cavalry made one last bid to change the course of the battle as the raced to take out the French Heavy Machine gun, only to get caught in a fire of the Foreign Legion and the remaining Kregresse.
French Colonials fight Chinese Bandits and remnants of Close order troops

The Chinese close order infantry managed to close with French Colonial scouts as did the Chinese Bandits, inflicting minor casualties. With loss mounting and without having committed his personal guard, Wei Phat Mac withdrew from the field, allowing the Expedition to continue its advance towards Urga.

 

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Back of Beyond Campaign Battle Report: The Japanese vs. The British Museum

Ms Miggins cleans her trusty .600 Holland and Holland ‘Nitro Express’ special

 

Pah! Barbarians! These English lady soldiers are despicable!
Aiiiie! Let’s get out of here before they bring on the jam and scones!

A very hard fought battle this turn between the British Museum and the Japanese Expeditionary Force, won in the end by the stiff upper lip, derring-do and fluffy scones of the ‘Pankhurst Battalion’ (whatever next?). STOP. The Japanese did put up a good fight but were given a sound thrashing by Ms Miggins and her lady friends (ooh err). STOP. Unfortunately, a full report of the battle has been delayed due a strike by Yak herders on the trans-Gobi postal route, so this brief telegram will have to suffice. STOP.There’s only one other game to resolve this turn and then it will be on to Turn Four!

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Knights of the Sky Game

The WW1 aerial game using the club house rules, Knights of the Sky, was a decisive victory for the Imperial German Air Service, despite the best attempts of the Royal Flying Corps and Aviation Militaire to complete the mission. This involved a flight of DH2’s escorting an Re8 on an artillery spotting mission over the Ancre Sector in February 1917. A second flight of French Nieuport 17’s provided top cover, while the Germans were tasked with shooting down the Re8 before it could complete three orbits of the target.

The pilots of Jasta 2 managed to shoot down the Re8 before it could complete it’s artillery spotting mission, although it did make two complete turns around the objective. The French suffered from some repeated gun jams which meant that they struggled to defend the Re8 despite being in position to hammer the enemy on several occasions. Meanwhile, the DH2’s of No29 Squadron did their best to hold off the Alabtros and Roland machines, with a spectacular last breath shot by the flight leader downing a German as his own machine plummeted earthwards.

The final tally was one DH2, a Nieuport 17 and the Re8 shot down, for one Roland CII and several badly damaged Alabtros scouts. A good game and one which will be featuring at the club once again in the not too distant future. Thanks to Andy, Caesar, Colin, John, Gary, Laurent, Martyn and, last but not least, to Richard for the brilliant rules!

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Knights of the Sky 1917

This multiplayer WW1 aerial game, re-scheduled from 24th January, will now be happening at the club on Tuesday 7th February. The game will be set in February 1917 over the Ancre sector, with the German Imperial Air Service out in strength to disrupt the Royal Flying Corps from completing an artillery spotting mission in support of the 63rd Division attacking Grandcourt.

Tally Ho!

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Back of Beyond Campaign Turn Two Results

The results of Turn Two in the club Back of Beyond campaign are now in:

The British Museum – Force March = one step back ( step 6)

The Chinese Warlord – Force March = one step forward (step 4)

The French Expedition – Victory = one step forward (step 4)

The Mad Baron – Force March = stays put (step 6)

 The Japanese Column – Defeat = stays put (step 6)
The Bolshevik Shock Brigade – Force March = stays put (step 6)
The Xmas break meant a lot of forced marching was unavoidable but there are two games scheduled for Turn Three already, so plenty of action to look forward to next month. The Chinese Warlord and French Expedition are now neck and neck, with the other forces trailing behind, but anything can happen in the Back of Beyond!
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Back of Beyond Campaign Battle Report: French Expedition vs. Japanese Flying Column

Initial reports are coming in of a major defeat for the Japanese Flying Column of Colonel Sushi Miyagi by the French Trans-Asia Expedition of Commandant Henri Lostagaine. Although details have yet to be confirmed, it would appear that the Japanese have suffered a significant setback, with losses in men, equipment and heavy weapons. The French have now renewed their advance to Urga leaving the Japanese to lick their wounds and gather reinforcements from local Chinese Bandit factions.

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Naval Games

Wessex Wargamers Winchester has always had a long established and enthusiastic naval wargaming interest, with a wide range of periods and scales featuring in various club games over the years.

These have included Napoleonics in both 1/1200 and 1/2400, with a complete refight of the Battle of Trafalgar all the way down to  one on one frigate skirmishes. We have also played ACW riverine games in 1/1200th scales and ironclad clashes including the Battle of Lissa in  1/2400th scale. There is further scope for some Ancient and Medieval naval gaming but as yet this is an area that we haven’t really explored.

A firm favourite is World War Two using Victory at Sea, with many club players owning rival fleets of Allied and Axis warships in 1/3000th scale.  One club event is a U Boat vs Convoy multiplayer battle organised by the resident naval enthusiast, Dickie, which has been replayed several times and is always really hard fought. There have also been a few coastal warfare games in 1/600th scale, which is definitely an area in which there will be more games in the not too distant future.

We have even stretched to some none too historical but very enjoyable VSF naval gaming in the form of Aeronef, including a club multiplayer Scramble for Africa campaign. We’ve also been known to play a few pirate games using Galleys and Galleons in 1/450th scale. There is even the occasional game of piratical boarding actions in 28mm, with rival pirate gangs skirmishing across the decks of scratch built pirate ships.

If you are interested in naval wargaming, drop us a line and drop into the club for an evening, where we will be happy run  something nautical!

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Knights of the Sky January 24th Game

There’s a big multiplayer game of Knights of the Sky, the club WW1 aerial dogfighting game, on the 24th January. The game will have up to six a side and will be a free for all, last man standing dogfight, with victory for each pilot being measured by the number of enemy aircraft damaged or destroyed.

The game will be set in Early 1917, so the RFC / RNAS will be able to fly Sopwith Pups and 1 1/2 Strutters, alongside RE 8’s, Spad 7’s and Nieuport 17’s. The Huns get the Albatros DIII and the Roland DII, together with two seaters like the Roland CII. The French have the Nieuport 17 and the Spad 7.

There are plenty of planes to use if anyone doesn’t have their own, although there’s still time to glue together an Airfix or Revell biplane kit from your Xmas stocking. So, drop by the Yahoo group and sign up for your chosen side if you would like to join in, as places are running out fast.

Tally Ho!

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Back of Beyond Campaign Battle Fixtures Turn Two

img_4706Colonel Kagemusha in Action!

This turn there’s a lot of forced marching going on and only one battle to be fought. The Chinese Warlord, Bolsheviks, British Museum Expedition and the Mad Baron have all decided that it’s far too cold to try to fight anyone else and have found a nice warm yurt to hole up in for the winter.

They will all be FORCE MARCHING in the general direction of Urga, with the outcome to be decided in due course by the D6 of doom.

The Japanese Flying Column and the French Expedition are, however, made of sterner stuff so will be battling it out to see if they can get ahead in the race to the campaign objective.

The French have ATTACKED the Japanese, so expect to see a fiendishly cunning defensive strategy deployed by the Japanese master of artful cunning himself, Colonel Kagemusha, who they can employ this turn as a Special Character.