How's it going MrF June 2009?

Well, basically it isn't... Far too much to do, work, work, work, work & soon some holidays. No time for gaming or painting. Sorry folks but it will probably be the back end of July before there's anything new to report. Take care & happy gaming.....

HITT WW1 British vs Turks - Attack on Beni Baloo

Right, straight after our Byzantine vs Sassanids game (click on the link below for a peek),
http://mrfarrow2udba.blogspot.com/2009/06/btgg1-byzantines-vs-sassanids.html
we re-arranged the table, threw on some scenary & came up with a crafty game for HITT.

Middle East 1916, the Turks have been halted and now the British are on the attack. A small rail stop named 'Beni Baloo' has been fortified by the Turk. A modest sized British force has been sent to send Johnny Turk packing....

The British (Jack) would be the attacker & have a third more points than the Turk (yours truly). However the Turks would have a nice amount of Trenches & Barbed Wire. A Road/Rail track dominated the field. Beni Baloo was represented by a few buldings. To the British left, a few small hills were situated. While on the British right, two large areas of rough aided the Turkish defence.

We used HITT version 1 rules (I still haven't printed out version 2, sorry Bad Lad I know), the British would make use of an Aeroplane & some Armoured Cars. Looking at the rules, we think that Armoured Cars can't shoot (Are Tanks the same?), we don't like this so we've upped the point cost by 1 & given AC's a range of 4". The British would also have two Generals & so two PiP dice, the Turks just one. This was because we felt the British forces were too big for just one General. Anything else we encountered, then we would just make up as we went along...

We normally just play lost elements for victory, but we'll give points system a try. In this case Victory is achieved if a third of the enemy is destroyed (I know HOTT says half..)

The British consisted of 2 x Generals, 1 x Aeroplane, 2 x AC's, 12 x Rifles,
3 xMg's, 3 x Artillery, 4 x Cavalry = 64 points (Break at 21)

The Turks consisted of 1 x General, 3 x Artillery, 3 x MG's, 10 x Rifles
= 43 points (Break at 14) (The Turks had some Transport Wagons = 0 points though)

On we go with the battle....

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Beni Baloo & the Turkish Defences.

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British Right Flank

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British left Flank, Jack's plan would feature a strong attack on this side.

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Overall Battlefield View.

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The Turkish defences from both sides....

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Onwards!!!

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Indian Infantry advances...

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KaBOOM!!! The British Artillery is spot on, scratch one Turkish Rifles.

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A new turn & it's double sixes....

'TALLY HO' Ginger.... in his crate, screaches through the Sky!!

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The British Cavalry heads straight for the Turks...

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....but are sent packing.

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'BOOOMM!' Ginger is spot on, Scratch one Turkish Artillery.

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But fierce, small arms fire makes Ginger bank sharply...

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The Turks are fighting hard.... The British Cavalry are sent packing again.

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Poor PiPs and the Indians are left without Orders!!

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The British Infantry are through the wire.

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The Armoured Cars finally catch up to the Cavalry.

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GINGER's bought it!!

The Turkish Machine Gunners shoot him down, cheers ring out along the trenches!

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The British assault goes in, the Turks give ground.

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At last, the Turks give ground on the British left.

Fire from the AC's & Lances from the Cavalry.....

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It's a hard scrap in the trench.

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Fire from the Turkish MG & the Armoured Car is sent reeling....

DBA charts are consulted & the 'ruling on the battlefield' is.... scratch one Rifle element!!

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The Brits are kicked out of the trench.

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Turkish Artillery fire, holds up the Cavalry - But it can't stop everything.

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The British Infantry get ready to attack the weak point.

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View from the Turkish trench.

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The Turks cut down some more Brits....

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Good shooting from the Turkish Artillery, but still not 88mm efficiency!

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Ginger's crate is burning and the deadly Turks cut down some Infantry.

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British Artillery starts to find their target.

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The state of the battle at this point, the British left is pressing hard.

The Indians on the right have sat down & having a cup of tea.

British casualties are mounting, could the Turks pull off a brilliant victory?

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Jack's getting frustrated, the Turks are putting up a stiff resistance.

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ATTACK!! ATTACK!! ATTACK!!

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Another round & they get set to try again....

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Another attack goes in!

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The poor Infantry are mown down.

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Turkish Infantry are cut down...

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The tide begins to turn, The turks loose TWO elements!!

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Jack's on a roll now!

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The Turkish Gunners fight on, it's very close!

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Numbers count, the Turks are being overrun....

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Jack's bloodlust is up, if it moves......

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CHHAAARRGGEE!!!

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Give'Em the STEEL!! British troops doing what they do well.

The Turks in the trench are beaten.

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It's all over now!! Down go the heroic Turkish Gunners.

At least the British AC is repulsed....

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BOO HiSS BOO

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Poor Show from the Indians!

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Final view of the British Left.

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Well that was close, a British Victory but with very heavy losses. The Aeroplane was fun, but it didn't last long. We liked the Armoured Cars, though they're a bit slow. Artillery performed better.... Must try Mortars in the next game, they could enhance the Assaults!

DBA 15-19K Ottomans vs Imperials

Whoops! we've been neglecting this site recently, getting caught up in '1066' fever. So, here's a clash between the Ottoman Turk's & the Imperial's.....

The time, early 16th Century, the place Central Europe. Babbelsburger, the home of pig farming & turnip growing. A mighty Ottoman force under General Suleybad the Unmerciful has crossed the frontier eager for booty & slaves. An Imperial army is sent quickly to the area & set up camp outside Babbelsburger. The sun rises & lead elements of the Ottoman force arrive.

Jack would play the horrible Ottoman's & yours truly the Imperial's. As usual we have a twist to the game. Only a few elements would appear on the table at the start. An extra die roll would be made at the end of each turn, this would determine how many elements for each army would appear. The Ottoman's would show up on one of two roads leading to Babbelsburger, the Imperial's would appear from their camp. The Ottoman's would not have a camp for this one.

67 Ottoman Turk 1512-1570.
4x3Cv, 2x2LH, 2x4Sh, 1x3Bw, 1x3Bd, 1x2LH, 1x3Dr.


19 Spanish/Imperialist 1519-1559.
1x3Kn, 1x4Pi, 1x2Lh, 1x4Pi, 2x4Pk, 1x3Bd (Sword), 4x4Sh, 1xArt.

I always love these games, as they consist of three disinct phases. The initial mobility phase where both armies rush for the best field position. Skirmish phase, minor actions take place. The big battle phase, the lines are drawn & off we go...

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The Battlefield

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Imperial forward units, Artillery & Blades

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End of turn one, reinforcements....

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The Ottoman's use their mobility.

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The horsemen of both sides move towards each other.

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Ottoman reinforcements, 'heroic' Dragoons. These would perform poorly throughout the battle.

(we just put together a Light Horse & Psiloi together for this game, looked Ok...)

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More Imperial's get out of bed...

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The Imperial's are outnumbered on the right.

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'Come On!!' Landsknects with Big Swords utter taunts to the Ottoman's...

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Jack's reinforcement roll is spot on.....

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I opt to give ground until more troops arrive...

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Hooray! More Landsknecht's get out of bed...

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Nice overview....

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Jack sends in the Ottoman Light Horse.

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All the Ottoman's have arrived

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All the troops race to deploy.

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Typical, first skirmish to Jack!

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Oh dear! My D6 hasn't warmed up yet,,,

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A few turns on & Jack's Janissaries are ready to rock...

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A firefight & the Ottoman Dragoons leg it from Babbelsburger....

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The battle is shaping up nicely!

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The main lines about to clash on the Imperial left flank.

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The Imperial Pistols still haven't woke up...

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But help from Imperial Stradiots result in the first kill.

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Meanwhile poor PiP's & my indecision result in the Landsknecht's not doing much.

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Jack's Ottoman's have had their 'Weetabix' today & are straight in..

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Bah Humbug! The Ottoman's take out the Artillery & force back the Imperial's...

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The Imperial line is quickly reformed.

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Aha! It's looking better on the Imperial right.

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Typical!

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Errrrr.... I try to dazzle Jack with my amazing battle formation....

He just mocks me. :o(

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The Imperial Knights are left alone with the Ottoman Light Horse... A big no no!

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More recoils....

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The fearsome Ottoman Dragoons add support to the Light Horse......

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.....with the obvious result.

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Jack takes too many turns redeploying the Ottoman Bows & I take advantage.

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A mixed result...

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Overview of the battle so far.

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DAZZLE! Polished shields blind the Imperial's....

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The Imperial Pistols fire blindly.... With success!

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The main line is back & forth.

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More troops arrive on the Imperial right for both sides.

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The Ottoman Dragoons are off again!!!!

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Jack's Ottoman's just lacked the 'killer blow' on the left.

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Eventually, I manged to get the upper hand....

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I even 'throw in' the Imperial General to help out....

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The main Ottoman line gives ground...

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I fancy my chances now, one more kill needed....

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Rahoo!!!!! Victory to the Imperials!!!!!

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Landsknecht Pike & Shot win through in the end...

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A cracking game, it could of went either way. For a long time I thought Jack's Ottoman's would do it. Never mind, he's won too many recently, got to bring him 'back down to earth'!