Gaming in the Great Outdoors Pt2

The first couple of turns were a bit hesitant as I strove to understand, then fix, the rules and get a feel for interpreting the terrain. Once I got down and close to the figures and the ground, and cleared away various tufts of grass clippings that had escaped the rake, suddenly various paths, hillocks and gullies became clear as the troops encountered them. I started checking lines of sight from ground level. Excitement increased.  

<<NOTE: Click on the photos to go to full size to see many of the figures in cover.

The Highlanders and Grenadiers deployed quickly and pressed forward under a heavy fire while B Battery opened up as soon as they had a line of fire to the enemy's powder smoke.

I had wondered if rolling dice was going to be an issue and so had initially reduced the use of dice as much as possible but between the tray I brought out for rolling, and a few level patches of sun hardened clay, it was a none issue so I reinstated my usual variable length moves. 

Bullets were soon whizzing around the gunners ears, but their accurate fire drove the enemy back. The infantry rose and advanced into the gully only to be hit by a storm of bullets from both flanks. Hurriedly they took cover and returned fire as best they could. It was time for the guns to move up to the crest of the gully and silence this enemy fire as well. 

I also tried, then removed, saving throws for cover etc, going back to a simple "to hit" die modifier, and reinstated an old fashioned, simple, morale roll for losses. Just right.

  

As the Dominion forces pressed forward they could see the enemy camp in the distance (see Red arrow). If they could get the guns across the gully and over the high ground, they'd be able to drop shells right into the camp. Moving forward was a problem though, a hail of bullets from hidden sharpshooters, drove the infantry to cover and the gunners back into dead ground. 

The subtleties of the terrain and the effect on them on the game rather surprised me in a pleasing fashion. Over the last decade I have been moving farther and farther towards abstract terrain. No doubt its partly a result of mostly playing small, quick games, often on a grid, using at least four different sizes of figures in multiple periods, and of being lazy. I'll have to give some more thought to the matter though. 

If you can't go through, go around!

I don't feel any desire to upsize and fight a multi-day battle on a huge battlefield (Especially not with a deer path running across it, even though its only used occasionally!)  or a desire to recreate the Wilderness with my little Airfix ACW guys but its possible that Prince Valiant might take a turn in between the occasional 54 mm game. 

On the left, the Royals and Highlanders drove back the Kree, yard by yard despite the cost. On the right, the Rifles used the dead ground to flank the enemy, routing a Kree band and driving the Hunters from their riflepits with cold steel.

The enemy had suffered heavy losses and been driven back but not routed. Dominion losses had also been heavy, and the sun was seeking low. Colonel Ross decided that a lesson had been taught and further bloodshed would be pointless. He ordered a return to camp.