AFRICA FREE FOR ALL

This was a new approach to an African warlords game using the AK47 Republic rules from Peter Pig. Instead of just one faction per side we played with two per side. This allowed more players but we weren't sure it would work. In the end all players agreed it had worked well and the game was enjoyed by all.

One faction had South African & British equipment with good quality troops. They were allied with a lower quality warband with US equipment. The defending enemy factions both had Russian equipment, one being a regular force and the other militia.

It was a hard fought struggle with the western forces winning the day due to receiving reinforcements just one game turn prior to the end which alowed them to overrun all the objectives.

CONVOY AHOY!

This game involved a supply convoy of English Merchants escorted by a Frigate screen and a 74 Ship of the line.  Apposing this was 3 squadrons of American Frigates. 

At the start of the game a bad storm was blowing which required the club members controlling the convoy to dice for their turn of arrival on table; one D20 dice roll per ship. Also they rolled a pair of percentage dice for damage caused by the storm for each ship in the convoy. 

The American commanders on turn 1 needed to roll one D10 to discover which game turn each of their squadrons could leave port as the storm was keeping them bottled up in harbour.

The convoy rolled well for damage getting away with only a few rigging and hull damage points with most of the fleet arriving between game turns 5 and 10 with the added advantage of the escorts mostly arriving in the lead. 

For the Americans their first squadron left port on game turn two, the other two squadrons being delayed in port until game turns 6 and 9 respectively. Given the distance it was going to take to get to the convoy it put the Americans at a disadvantage straight away.  As soon as they got into long range, not only did they face the fire power of the escort frigates but also two strong elements of merchant ships most of whom were armed between 30-50 guns a piece. 

The first American squadron of the frigates Congress and President with the brig Ranger in support pushed home their attack with aggression. But broadsides from even poorly rated merchant crews were doing sufficient damage each turn.  By game turn 10 the President was forced to strike and the Congress forced to beat a hasty retreat from the action as she was badly damaged. The Ranger by now was a floating wreck with broadsides hitting it from the escort vessels of the frigates Naiad, Polyphemus and the merchant vessel, Bombay Castle. It lay dead in the water after losing all its masts. 

By turn 8 the second American Squadron consisting of the frigates, United States and Essex supported by the schooner Wasp was getting in on the action. But with British long range fire from the Ajax (74) and the merchant ships Earl Camdon and Majestic already causing damage, the American commanders realised that even if they could get in close range to the convoy the fire power that was being brought to bare was considerable and they would not achieve their victory conditions of sinking or capturing 50% of the convoy. 

The Americans called it a day and sailed the remaining vessels in their fleet back to the safety of port making it a clear Victory for the English commanders.

For more photos click here.