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'!

HITT Battle of the Yalu River

Japanese & Russian Cavalry clash on the Yalu River.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Yalu_River_(1904))

We've based this clash on the Battle of Yalu River, using the HITT rules the Japanese would try & force a crossing. Consequently we gave the Japanese 45 points (including the Dreaded Barrage). While the Russians had 25 points. The Russian positions would benefit from trenches & barbed wire. General JACKovski took the Russians while MRFamoto the screaming Japanese.

(I'm writing this while keeping one eye on the BIG Football match tonight BORO vs Newcastle...)

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Initial set-up & plan of attacks.

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The Russians & the Japanese.

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View of the Russian trenches.

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The Japanese advance & Russian Artillery fire forces a recoil.

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Japanese Artillery force the Russians to Recoil..

(The HITT rules allow recoils in trenches to go sideways..)

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The clash of Cavalry.....

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Back go the Japanese..... 1-0 to the Russians.

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The Japanese hit the wire....

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Next round they're through....

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The Japanese attack the trenches.

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It's going well for the attackers.

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Japanese firepower knocks the Russians...

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A Russian fightback...

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Into the trenches... Hand to Hand combat... While the other troops turn the flank.

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The flank has gone now......

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The Japanese attack the Russian artillery...

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The Japanese now attack the other trench.

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Down goes another Russian element.

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Victory to the Imperial Japanese Empire.....

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The Battlefield & 'The Dreaded Barrage' didn't turn up!!!!!

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Good Game, Good Game, that flowed a lot better than our previous Jap/Russian game. Plus there was no need for the Barrage ( I didn't roll anything higher than a 4 for PiPs all night.) Lessons learnt, we felt that the Barbed Wire was placed too far from the trenches, next time right up close.....

Artillery performed slightly better, but still nothing great.


Oh dear, the BORO have just been stuffed by the Geordies in the BIG relegation Football battle... Guess it's relegation to the Championship for the Boro now..... :o(

(useless *&*%$£%*)

War Illustrated Prints 1

A few prints from 'The War Illustrated' Volume One. A collection of Weekly Newspaper snippets, pictures & prints form World War One. The date when they appeared can be seen in the corner, 1914 for this lot. Obviously, a very one sided view of the War, doing it's best to beef up morale of the nation against the 'Horrible Hun'.... Given we've done two games of HITT, one based on Mons in the Western Front & the other a clash on the Eastern Front, these prints add to the theme.