Thannuris 528AD again

 I had left the game from Sunday set up and today Simon joined me to run through it.  He too is experienced in the ways of Command & Colours Ancients and was very keen to try this version.  

Simon opted to lead the Persians which left me as Belisarius. And rather apprehensive after the game on Sunday!  This is a far more brief report as we were focused on the game mechanics and decision making. 

Unpleasantness soon broke out on the Byzantine left. The Persian caraphracts took a bashing and their general died!  

There were still plenty of Sassanids galloping about and my chaps were soon under pressure. 

At one point the Sassanids were ahead by five banners to two - six being needed to win.  These being desperate times I took some wild risks and sent my right into action, with Belisarius (on white horse) in the middle of things. This got my up to five banners and which point the affair hung in the balance until some further desperate cavalry charging clinched the narrowest of victories. Phew!

A great game - and thanks again to Simon for the sporting spirit which which he approached it. 

Command & Colours 'Medieval' - first game!

 

Being a long standing fan of the Ancient and Napoleonic C&C games, I ordered this and it arrived a few weeks before lockdown in 2020.  As games moved onto Zoom and there were plenty of options, C&C remained largely unplayed for the past three years. I eventually got round to playing CCM last weekend, having taken the opportunity first to sort out and refurbish some suitable toys.

At this point I feel it only fair to issue a warning.  If your idea of 'Medieval' battles starts with say, the 11th Century Crusades and takes in Crecy and Agincourt, you need to be aware that this game deals with the 5th and 6th Centuries.  Mostly the conflict between the Sassanid Persian Empire and the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire.  Now as it happens I already had a fair few otherwise unemployed Byzantine and Sassanid toys so this all worked out quite well for me.  "Toys?" I hear you ask, "what about all the wooden blocks?" I was originally introduced to C&C (in 2010) and have only EVER played it with toy soldiers.  For the Ancient version I use old-style 25mm figures (you know, the ones actually 25mm tall) from the likes of Hinchliffe, Minifigs and Garrison.  So for CCM it would be more of the same.

Anyway, back to the game and here is the setup for Thannuris in 528AD.  The terrain is deeper than CCA by two rows of hexes.  As you can see it only just fits on my table!

The game mechanics are basically CCA but with enough added features to make it a very different game.  And now some gratuitous toy porn.  

Adding the two extra rows of hexes was going to be a challenge so I ordered more single hexes and made up five 5-hex tiles.  This is actually the first time I've used the Hexon clips to hold them together.

Anyway, enough setup and theory, on with the game.  Here we go. Byzantine card.

Persians do some moving and (more effective) twanging.

Rolling a lot of flags sees the Sassanid SHC retreat!

Sassanid cavalry charge!  On a +1 they roll 5 dice and score 3 hits. But cavalry in this game can take 4!

Byzantines using an Inspired Leadership action to do a lot of twanging.

….and chew up the SHC.

Feel the ground shaking?

Phew!  A bloody business. The Byz MC on the left evaded while the HC got the drop on their opposition.

Tea break!

Super Heavy Sassanids break into the Byzantine line.

The Sassanid cataphracts continue to run (or gallop?) amok, killing two Byzantine units and a general in a single turn!

Score now 4:1 to the Persians.

The Byzantine fight back!  On the left the event cataphracts are finished off, and a momentum advance nearly does for an evading medium cavalry unit

Sadly the plucky Byzantine HC falls in a hail of Persian arrows

More crazy cataphracts. This time they’re Byzantine and with Belisarius himself at the helm, killing one unit and damaging another which evades.

But now they’re in trouble!

The end of Byzantine hopes. The cataphracts perish, but somehow Belisarius manages to escape.  A broadly historical outcome.

OK, so this was only the first game, but despite appearances, in many ways a different experience than the Ancients version. And who knows- all these chaps on horses might just be the future of warfare…

I'm planning to play this scenario again later in the week.

Saturday Knight Fever - part 3

Back at the Kickyerhead Inn, things are hotting up.  Russell twangs off an arrow at Peter but this is deflected by the latter's leather outfit(!)  

Having caught Lady E in his arms, Robin proposes marriage.  An angry Lord John asks his daughter what the hell she thinks she's playing at.

Battered by the combined effects of beer and Doris, Mark stumbles upstairs and collapses.

Fred announces - rather late - that Robin isn't in the inn.

Clearly wanting to move up the billing somewhat, Russell twangs at Robin but misses, hitting Martin

Martin then attacks Robin who is soon beaten to the ground and killed.  Bending over the corpse, Martin dodges another arrow from Russell.  The Inkeeper tries to collect payment from his increasingly rowdy guests.

At this point Doris reappears, whispers in Lady E's ear and the two run off.

Lord John pursues, grappling his daughter to the ground.  Doris attacks John and between blows, pours beer in through his helmet visor.  Soon John expires.  Russell tries to sneak up but is felled by Martin.

In the final scene, Doris and Lady Ermentrude run off hand in hand into the sunset.

A very entertaining game to run and my thanks again to the players who entered into the spirit of the thing with some splendid role playing.

Of course, like the ending leaves the way open for a sequel!

        Who is Lord John's heir?

            

                    Who will lay claim to his estates?

                                    Why is Doris still carrying tankards of beer?

                                                        How bad is Sir Mark's hangover?

No doubt these and other questions will be sorely neglected when we again return to this era.

                                

Saturday Knight Fever - part 2

Meanwhile back in the middle ages....  As Russell skulks on the woods....

Lord John's party approaches the inn.

Outside the inn is Gaston, a handy-looking bloke with a staff and the inevitable lute player.  The white box I used to indicate who was in the inn - upstairs and down.  So Ye jolly Innkeeper and Doris the barmaid are in the bar while Robin and Lady E are upstairs.  In separate rooms, one trusts!

Gaston challenges the party as it approaches and on hearing Fred the bodyguard announce Lord John he moves aside.

A combination of having read his objectives and an ear as tin as his helmet leads Sir Martin to kill the lute player.  He'll not be missed.

The innkeeper and Doris issue forth to offer refreshment, assuring Lord J that they didn't like the bloody lute music either.

Friar Paul tries to engage Gaston in religious debate while Sir Mark sneaks toward the barrels of beer.  Or Doris.

Russell skulking in a different wood.

The drinks are soon flowing.  The innkeeper tries to persuade Sir Martin to pay while Friar Paul chats up Doris.

Lord John sends Fred indoors to search for the fugitives...

...while Russell sneaks ever closer.....

...and closer.  Sir Mark disappears into a quiet corner with Doris.

As Fred clatters up the stairs, Robin leaps dramatically from un upstairs window (actually Lady E pushed him) and then catches the lady when she too jumps!