Game Report: Hunting Brothers

It wasn't far now to the camp of his brother Qasim, Ibrahim idn Hasan realised, and wouldn't be long before he could not back out of his plan. He could still ride into the camp to join the hunt in celebration of his nephew's upcoming third birthday, compete with his older brother in gathering the best meat and pelts.

But he would not turn back now. The lands he had inherited when their father passed away were the poorer and smaller holdings, short of water and subject to frequent bandit raids. The only thing it turned out in any real quantity was soldiers, and today he would use those to his benefit. 

He crested a rise and saw three men some distance ahead, sentries of his brother's, waiting to announce his arrival. Something he would not allow today...


This game pitted my newly completed Saracen miniatures (from Gripping Beast's plastic range) in a good old fashioned family dispute, given the Frankish forces are still mostly unassembled on the painting table. 

Using the Outremer: Faith and Blood rules, we pitted the forces of Qasim ibn Hasan, with 10 figures (one heavy cavalryman, two horse archers, three foot archers and four infantrymen, variously armed with swords and spears), against Ibrahim ibn Hasan, with 8 figures (three heavy cavalrymen, two horse archers, one foot archer and two infantrymen), in the area around Qasim's camp. 

The area of Qasim's camp before the storm breaks

Ibrahim's forces deployed around the house, with Ibrahim himself leading the cavalry forward, and their foot archer Hasan ibn Nasir deployed on the roof of the building with his compound bow to cover the advance. Qasim's forces were mostly arrayed around the tent in a loose skirmish line, with two of their number, Hasan and Mansour ibn Ibrahim, both with the Sneaky trait, deployed out of sight behind the enemy.

While the attacker's position is strong, they failed to notice two of their foe arriving to their rear.

The opening moves saw the outflanking men advance on the attackers, Hasan moving to a position with line of sight on Hasan ibn Nasir, loosing an arrow at him, but missing, while Mansour moved up to the building, reaching the rear corner. 

Clearly unperturbed, or perhaps unaware, of the threat to the rear, Ibrahim ibn Hasan rode forward to face the enemy, finding himself facing down Malik of Thebes over the open ground, the foot soldier wielding a mighty two-handed sword in one hand, apparently effortlessly. To further unsettle Ibrahim, arrows began to fall around him from the skirmish line, to no lasting effect. 

Not phased by the mounted warrior coming his way, Malik of Thebes raises his sword and bellows a challenge.

To counter the flanking threat, Muhammad ibn Ishmail, a horse archer, swung around the building, loosing a single arrow at Mansour ibn Ibrahim, which slammed into the man, putting him out the fight, giving first blood to the attackers.

Blood stains the sand as the first warrior falls

Moments later, Khalil of Cairo, having moved forward to take a shot at Ibrahim ibn Hasan, lost his mount to an arrow loosed by Hasan ibn Nasir from the rooftop, leaving him to continue the fight on foot. The attacking forces continued to press forward, with the foot warriors moving up to support Ibrahim, while a heavy cavalryman and a horse archer moved to outflank the defenders, the final cavalryman riding his mount down into the wadi, which let out right next to Qasim ibn Hasan.

The defenders concentrate on loosing arrows at Ibrahim, while the attackers surge around and forward

The defenders continued to concentrate all their shooting on Ibrahim ibn Hasan, and finally their persistence was rewarded as, after shrugging off seven hits, an eighth arrow brought down his mount.

Ibrahim scrabbles to his feet after his horse succumbs to repeated arrow strikes.

Behind the developing main fight, Muhammad ibn Ishmail took aim at the remaining sneaky outflanker, Hasan, and taking out a second opponent, ending the flanking threat.

The second outflanker falls, ending the threat to the attackers.

The tide continued to flow against the defenders, with Malik of Thebes drawing particular attention, mostly in the form of arrows, which soon led to his demise.

Another defender falls

Eager to capitalise on their advantage, the attacker's cavalry swept in, Husayn of Damascus riding down the wadi towards Qasim ibn Hasan, ignoring the arrows loosed in his direction, while Mansur al Nadhil closed in upon the defending infantry and the horse archer Khalid al Muharib swept around the enemy line and into their camp.

The thunder of hooves echos across the field as the attackers close in on their foes

To counter the incoming horsemen, Ali of Al-Qasr, wielding a sword and dagger, charged down Mansur al Nadhil, surviving the a first round of combat. 

Ali defies the odds and attacks

Meanwhile Aybak took an arrow from the defenders, failing his faith check and fleeing back. Khalid al Muharib saw an opening and charged into the archers at the rear of the defenders formation, cutting down his first victim, Ishmael Mahzuz.

With a sudden clatter of hooves, death strikes Ishmael Mahzuz

Undaunted by his mounted opponent, Ali of Al-Qasr managed to inflict a crippling strike on Mansur's mount, bringing the warrior down to his own level, before dispatching him with a wicked knife thrust, giving the defenders a glimmer of hope.

Ali brings down the mount shortly before slaying the man, getting the first non-equine kill for the defenders.

While flurries of arrows arced towards Ibrahim from the now desperate defenders, Khalid cut down a second archer.

The lightly armed and unarmoured archers are easy prey for Khalid

One of the last defenders, a spearman named Khalid, attempted to rush towards Ibrahim, but was intercepted by Salah al Khalid, who inflicted a wound upon the steadfast defender. With the last bodyguard now engaged, Qasim lined himself up for a charge towards his dismounted brother, bravely ignoring the fact Husayn of Damascus had extracted himself from the wadi and was lining up to his rear. Fortunately for the proud father, Husayn failed to summon up the necessary courage to charge. 

Brother faces brother as their men slaughter each other around them

Before Qasim could charge, Ibrahim and Muhammad ibn Ishmail loosed arrows at him, striking down his mount.

Qasim scrambled to his feet, extracting himself from the thrashing form of his dying horse

Salah al Khalid managed to dispatch Khalid as Ali Al-Qasr charged towards Ibrahim in an attempt to snatch victory from the rapidly closing jaws of defeat, but Salah closed him down, effortlessly driving his spear through the hapless warrior. 

Salah takes down his first opponent

And then fells his second

Khalid attempted to continue his rampage through the defender's archery line, charging into Khalil of Cairo, the dismounted horse archer, who astonished all by not only surviving, but also cutting down Khalid's mount.

Khalid's mount is taken down in a savage struggle with Khalil

In the final moments of the game, Qasim ibn Hasan stared down his brother and his men, before succumbing to a hail of arrows, falling on the field surrounded by his slain soldiers. Only two defending models remained standing, Khalil of Cairo, unhorsed and trapped in combat would doubtless be overwhelmed and dealt with, while Ishma'il ibn Ishma'il was still mounted and might be able to escape into the desert. 


All around the field men lay, wounded, dying, some moaning or crying, others silent. His soldiers were already moving around to dispatch the wounded foes, looting anything of value, leaving only one of the bodies unmolested. 

Qasim was staring up at the sky, a broken arrow jutting out from his right thigh, a second arrow lodged near his collar bone, blood soaking into the fine fabrics of his outfit. As the shadow of his brother fell over him, his eyes ceased searching the sky, locking onto Ibrahim's eyes. For a moment, it looked like he might speak, but instead he merely sneered as Ibrahim drew his sabre. 

Ibrahim rested the blade at his brother's throat, memories of their childhood briefly dashing through his mind, not, as it usually was, memories of the taunts and rivalry, but instead of moments of compassion and happiness. For just a moment, he considered relenting, of letting his brother disappear into the wilderness to make whatever life he could for himself. But he knew he could not, Qasim would never allow his son to be taken away from him, and would know that the boy's life would never be safe while Ibrahim was his guardian. 

There was the briefest resistance to the blade as he increased the pressure before the skin parted and the finely honed blade sliced through blood vessels and flesh. There was a momentary spray of red mist, which subsided to a steady flow from the gash as Qasim's eyes rolled back into his head, the sand sticky and dark around him. 

Ibrahim couldn't tell how long it took for the blood flow to cease, nor was he aware how long he remained standing over his brother's corpse, the red blade held loosely, staring at the face of the man he had come to hate. 

Eventually he managed to tear his gaze away from the dreadful sight. His work was not done, his brother's retainers would need to be brought in line. His nephew would be useful there, he would claim to be caretaking the lands while he was guardian for the boy. Until Ibrahim could have his own son, the boy would be a better heir than none too. Once his usefulness was done, the boy would have to be disposed of, but that was some time off.

He turned to his men, now assembled after completing their task. "Let us leave this place." he said gruffly, before striding away from the bloodied ground. He looked once more at the sabre, the blood still dripping slowly from the blade, before tossing it away.

Game Report: A Desert Brawl

North-East of Al Qosimah, March 4th The Year of Our Lord 1168

Sir Egburt's great march to the south had sounded like such a good plan to him when he'd agreed to raise a force to support it. Now James, Son of Mathew, was becoming to undermine the moniker he had gained. "The Calm" was beginning to feel an increasing frustration at this march, their scouts had seen signs of enemy cavalry moving in the area, but there was no sign they were willing to offer battle. If they couldn't be forced to fight soon the army of Jerusalem would be forced to turn back, short of food and water, having accomplished nothing but expending vast quantities of money. 

A rider came bounding over to him. "My Lord, Sir Egburt begs you join him for a council, the enemy army has been sighted near the town." The Calm reasserted itself.

The Game

This game pitted a Crusader States army against a Fatimid Egyptian army in a straight up fight, using the excellent Soldiers of God rules. An additional complication for the game was the fact that the commanders were tasked with accumulating 'Honour Points', mostly at the arbitrary whim of the umpire, and had to roll on a dice listing the seven deadly sins and seven heavenly virtues, each of which could lead to different outcomes. 

The Frankish force consisted of two units of Knights, two units of Mounted Men at Arms (one of each in each flank battle), two units of archers and a unit of Foot Men at Arms in the centre battle. 

Jerusalemite forces deploy. The left battle will make an uncontrolled move forward under the urging of their commander who was driven by his rage.

The Fatimid forces consisted of two units of Mamelukes, two units of Arab Tribal Cavalry and two units of Horse Archers split evenly between the two flanks, two units of Archers and two units of Infantry forming their centre. 

The army of the Fatimids marches onto the field

The opening moves of the game saw the two armies advance upon each other, before first contact was made when, on the Crusader left, a unit of knights hammered into a unit of Horse Archers they caught in the open, and the Mounted Men at Arms, backed up by their general, smashed into the Mamelukes on the right flank of the Fatimid line. Despite the massive impact of the charges, the Fatimids held on, if barely.

Fighting erupts on one flank of the battle, while other elements close upon each other.

Not to be outdone, the Frankish right flank stormed into the Saracen forces, their knights smashing into the Mamelukes, who were backed up by a unit of Horse Archers, giving them a serious bloody nose in the process. Meanwhile, the Mounted Men at Arms charged into the infantry forming the front line of the Fatimid centre, nearly shattering the unit in a single turn of fighting.

With their cavalry wings fully committed, the Crusader infantry pushes forward.

On the Fatimid right, the Mameluke unit became disordered, breaking up from close order to open order, while, to the astonishment of all, the unit of Horse Archers managed to survived their ongoing melee with the knights.

The knights fail to break the plucky horse archers, while the Mamelukes begin to suffer in their ongoing fight.

The infantry lines continued to close upon each other, exchanging flurries of arrows in the process, meanwhile the cavalry fight reached a critical moment as the Mameluke unit on the Fatimid right collapsed into rout.

The Mameluke unit ends up in dire straits and breaks

On the far right of the Jerusalemite line meanwhile, the knights facing the Mameluke and Horse Archers took an absolute beating, becoming unformed in the course of the fighting.

The knights attempt to hold on after taking a savaging from their opponents

Meanwhile, the Mounted Men at Arms fighting the infantry mass found themselves on the receiving end of several Fear cards from the Fatimids, as well as some dire dice rolls, and broke and fled, leaving Sir James the Calm alone to face the horde alone.

Sir James the Calm puts his moniker to the test again as his cavalry force disintegrates around him. 

On the Jerusalemite left, the Mounted Men at Arms went out of control and charged into the Arab Tribal Cavalry, getting involved in a brutal melee. Both units were battered to breaking point in short order. In a single turn, the Mounted Men at Arms, the Arab Tribal Cavalry and the Christian knights on their right flank all broke and ran, leaving the Frankish right completely open.

Holes appear in both sides' lines as the armies bloody each other.

Going into the final turn, the situation could be best described as precarious, with the Fatimid Army morale at 2, the Franks at 1. In a scrabble for survival, the Horse Archers on the Fatimid right held out against the knights, their stubborn resistance impressing all. 

The final fight of the game took place in the centre, with the command group of Sir John the Calm taking on the infantry ahead of them, both sides inflicting one point of disorder. Both sides then spent their last cards to recover this point. Critically, this left the two Fatimid infantry units with as much disorder as they had bases, taking a point of morale off for each of them. The Fatimid army, at 0 morale to the Jerusalemite 1, collapsed into flight. 

A gallant stand by Sir John the Calm sees off the Fatimid army, much to the relief of the Franks

While it was technically a victory for the Crusaders, they were an utterly spent force, the losses to their cavalry arm undoubtedly rendering the army unable to continue their campaign. 

The final tally saw the commander of the Fatimid right, and the stubborn horse archers, squeaked to first in the Honour Points tally, winning a personal victory even as he and his men made their escape.

The figures used in the game were from Baccus 6mm.

March 6th, Dusk, Outside Al Qosimah

Sir John the Calm's arm ached, his head was pounding, sweat soaking into the lower layers of his armour. Around him lay the broken bodies of men and horses from both sides, the cries of the wounded and dying drifting over the carnage, the sounds cruelly juxtaposed with the silence and stillness of the dead. 

Dust clouds marked where the enemy forces were withdrawing, the remnants of the Christian army were too exhausted to pursue the foe and were staggering around, looting what could be stolen, some aiding the wounded, or disposing of the fallen enemies.

It was clear the campaign was over, so many brave knights lay slain, or with their horses lost. Without cavalry, the army could not advance. A return home was all that could be expected now, after so much blood and gold had been expended, for no real gain. No doubt a great fuss would be made about driving the infidel from the field. Sir John was sure it would be a great comfort to the men lying dead all around him. 

Game Report: A Mountain Hike

 71 BC, South of Noricum

Gauis Decimus Merula was tired, tired of the cold, tired of trudging around the wet, miserable, barely civilised frontier of the Roman world, but Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus had been clear in his orders: None of the rebel slaves from the Spartacan revolt could be allowed to escape. Half the legion was scouring the passes in small hunting parties, mopping up any likely looking fugitives. 

His group gone over a ten days since they last caught anyone, a solitary old man. He'd not provided any useful information before his death about other escapees. Now though, they'd sighted a party, a group of armed men, undoubtedly rebels. He had fought throughout the war in Spain for Magnus, surviving the worst of the brutal fighting against Surtorius and his forces, he would not fail his general now.


This game pitted was set at the very end of the Third Servile War, Spartacus' army has been destroyed and the last few survivors are trying to escape Roman territory, while the Romans try to hunt them down. Our scenario set a group of gladiators the task of fighting or evading their way through a Roman party to escape into Noricum. We used the Outremer: Faith and Blood ruleset, with both forces being built using the Crusader faction, with a 1500 Livre limit. Both sides ended up with 9 figures.

Romans:

Gaius Decimus Merula (Centurion)
Gnaeus Numiunus (Hastatii)
Gaius Numerius (Hastatii)
Marcus Albinus (Principii)
Marcus Cornelius (Principii)
Sextus Sequanius Carnifex (Triarii)
Arisotcles (Archer)
Titus Sabinus (Triarii)
Septimus Julius (Hastatii)

Gladiators:

Nemo (Dimachaerus Gladiator)
Leonidas (Murmillo Gladiator)
Borux (Thraex Gladiator)
Numenus (Gladiator recruit)
Tetriates (Gladiator champion)
Scarux (Murmillo Gladiator)
Bellua (Thraex Gladiator)
Icarus (Scissor Gladiator)
Castor (Hoplomachus Gladiator)

The pass where the gladiators and Romans will meet, an abandoned watchtower guarding the route towards Noricum.

The Game

The Romans were deployed along the table edge with the watchtower and road running along it, deployed in a skirmish line along the entire length of the edge, while the gladiators deployed with a strong central force and the two of their number with the loner trait, Tetriates and Borux out on the flanks. Both sides then began a general advance, with the Romans all making best speed to reach the enemy, while the gladiators began to drift to one side of the play area.

The Gladiators advance

The Roman skirmish line sweeps towards their quarry

Marcus Cornelius began to outpace his accompanying triarii, moving to confront Tetriates, while Arisotcles began to size up his possible targets, although he judged himself to be out of range. 

The forces brace themselves for imminent contact

The first combat of the game occurred when Tetriates pounced on Marcus Cornelius. While the first blow of his two handed axe was deflected off the Roman's shield, his second smashed through all of Marcus Cornelius' defences, instantly taking the Roman out of the fight.

Tetriates storms into the Romans

While there is no applause, the victory is just as satisfying as one in the arena.

The Romans were understandbly alarmed by this turn of events, and further disappointment when Arisotcles' first arrow fell short of its target. Meanwhile Castor, bouyed up by the success of his colleague attacked Septimus Julius. Unfortunately for the gladiator, Septimus was able to smash his shield into Castor's face, before following up with a thrust of the sword, sending Castor crashing to the ground, out of the fight.

Castor falls, struck twice.

Borux attemtped to avenge his fallen comrade, rushing in to strike the Roman's rear, but Septimus was able to fend off the attack, while Scarux failed to attack the Roman, now facing his attacker. Tetriates meanwhile charged Titus Sabinus, although the Roman was able to survive the first round of fighting, while Icarus squared off against Marcus Albinus, after having taking a wound from Arisotcles' second arrow of the game. Meanwhile Nemo used his impressive pace to break past the Roman hunting force.

Scrappy fighting breaks out across the pass, with casualties even between the two sides.

Fighting continued, with Gnaeus Numiunus being charged by Bellua, the brief clash of steel ending with Bellua falling.

Bellua falls to Roman blades

Clearly inspired by his victory, Numiunus charged into Leonidas who was facing off with Gaius Numerius, only to be cut down by the gladiator, cutting short the Roman's jubilation.

The gladiators extract swift vengeance for their fallen brother.

Elsewhere on the field, Icarus found himself on the wrong end of Marcus Albinus' sword, losing his second wound and falling. Aristotcles hit Scarax with two arrows, failing to cause any harm, but pushing the gladiator back. With Leonidas stuck in combat with a Roman soldier, and others threatening to close in, Nemo chose not to escape but came back to assault Numerius in the back, an assault the Roman barely survived. 

Nemo returns in an attempt to rescue his comrade in arms

Tetriates, far on the other side of the field, claimed his second victim, smashing through Sabinus' guard and cleaving into his flesh. 

Tetriates stands over his second victim, his axe slick with the blood of the fallen

Gaius Decimus Merula joined Septimus, and between them they managed to dispatch Borux, while Scarax failed his morale roll to charge into the Centurion's exposed back.

The Centurion demonstrates why he is in charge, dispatching his enemy in one savage blow.

Despite being surrounded, Numerius was able to dispatch Leonidas, before Nemo cut him down in turn.

Leonidas falls in battle, as befits one bearing his name

Nemo exacts a swift vengeance

Scarax finally managed to overcome whatever fear had held him back, storming into Septimus Julius and putting him down, while Numenus, rushing to aid his brothers in arms, was hit by an arrow and fell.

While Scarax cuts through one opponent, Numenus suffers the indignity of falling to an arrow

Merula decided that he could outrun Scarax, so charged towards Nemo, hoping to catch the gladiator before he escaped. Sextus Sequanius Carnifex meanwhile, not feeling like facing Tetriates' charge chose instead to charge the gladiator, not only inflicting a wound, but forcing the gladiator to flee from combat. 

The field is increasingly littered with the dead and dying

Tetriates and Nemo clearly sensed that the odds were firmly against them, and turned to flee, quickly outpacing the Romans burdened by their heavy armour. Meanwhile, Scarax, stuck in the centre of the Roman force and slowed by his equipment found himself under the eagle eye of Arisotcles, who did not miss his mark this time, felling the last gladiator in play.

Scarax falls, as Arisotcles racks up his second kill.

So in the final tally, the Romans had five men down (in the post battle roll up only one was permanently lost, two suffered permanent harm and the remaining two not only made full recoveries but actually gained positive traits), while seven gladiators had fallen, any still alive to be crucified. However, one of the escaped gladiators, Nemo, was actually Spartacus, having avoided death at the Battle of the Silarius River, so while the Romans achieved a points victory, the gladiators achieved a victory of sorts. 

The rules we used were Osprey's Outremer: Faith and Blood, which played very well and gave a very cinematic feel to the action. I have a horrible feeling a set of Crusader era figures suitable for the game will be added to the painting pile in the near future, and these rules will undoubtedly be back.

Spartacus looked back towards the valley, feeling a crushing sense of guilt quite the equal of the one he had felt after leading his forces to defeat in the battle only a few weeks previously. Yet more good men dead, yet more suffering marked against his soul. He contemplated finding Tetriates who he had seen struggling away from the battlefield nursing a wound, but banished the idea from his mind. Nemo he had become, and Nemo he would remain, a nobody, all the easier to pass as with no one who might ask uncomfortable questions. He turned his back to the Roman world and forged ahead into the mountains, and, he hoped, out of sight of history.

Battle Report: Battle of the Hampton Roads, August 4th 1908

Aboard the USS Kansas, 36nm ENE of the Hampton Roads

Admiral Sperry, USN paced about the bridge of his ship, only occassionally allowing himself to glance at the coast of Virginia, just a few miles away. Every minute he and his fleet withdrew exposed more of the US coast to the depridations of the Royal Navy. Wireless reports had been spotty at best since the fleet had been ordered to withdraw from around Newfoundland, but had included tales of burning towns, massacred crews and other horrors. "I hate retreating." he muttered to no-one in particular.

The war was supposed to have ended by now, a crushing blow on land to knock Canada out of the war, while the fleet cut off the flow of British ships from across the Atlantic. The Royal Navy couldn't spare enough vessels to send against them had been the line from the War Department, so the fleet could trivially destroy the fragile lifeline that kept the British Dominion fighting. A line they had repeated over and over, right up until the day of the Battle of Gulf of St Lawrence. Sperry and his force had been sent after a supposed convoy, although in reality it turned out to be nothing more than destoryers and cruisers acting as if they were escorting something. He had pursued them for nearly a day, always closing, but never by enough to engage, before suddenly the British ships had sped away. Meanwhile, the rest of the fleet had moved into the Gulf, aiming to destory ports and other facilities to slow the flow of supplies and troops.

That was where the Royal Navy had struck. Sperry had received scattered radio reports as he rushed his force back with all speed. First the fleet had engaged what appeared to be a small force, then out of a bank of fog the main enemy fleet had descended upon them, a wall of steel and fire across the fleet's tee. Several ships were disabled or destroyed instantly, others ran aground in the treacherous waters. Hundreds of men were killed. When the fleet had turned to run, another British force had appeared behind them, destroyers and cruisers attacking with torpedoes, yet more battleships raining fire down.

Sperry and his ships had met some survivors as they tried to return, before receiving the general order to flee back to the Hampton Roads, where fortifications could protect the fleet from the enemy. Their ships had been battered, many had lost turrets, had damage to their engines and could only limp along, their hulls riddled with holes, compartments flooded, the bodies of the men who had drowned in them still floating there, carried like some macarbe cargo. Sperry had tried to escort three of the ships, but off the coast of New York the enemy had caught up. He hadn't even had time to take off their wounded or any crew who could be spared, and faced with an unwinnable fight he had ordered his ships to make best speed, leaving the Alabama, Massachussets and Indiana to face the British. He hoped to God some of the men from those doomed vessels had made it to shore.

Now here he was, feeling like a coward and a failure, only a few hours from relative safety. Perhaps he would be remembered as a disgrace to the uniform, but at least his men would be home. "Smoke on the horizon!" bellowed a man aloft in the conning tower. "To the North!" For a brief moment Sperry allowed himself to imagine it was the three ships he'd abandoned, but the cold hard reality was that it was the British. He rushed up to the conning tower, training his binoculars on the point indicated by the lookout. Sure enough, a black plume, no, several black plumes. Coal smoke. "Smoke on the horizon!" bellowed another looked "South East!" That could be other survivors making their way to the roads, perhaps help for the coming fight. He turned to scan for the other ships. "Get the squadron ready for battle." he ordered, clamour breaking out as the order was carried out.

An hour later, the ships to the north became just about visible. Their grey hulls cut a path through the waters as they bore down on their prey, the White Ensign fluttering in their upperworks. The ships to the south east appeared to have changed tack, cutting towards Sperry's ships, not towards the Roads. It had dawned upon him that this almost certainly meant they were British too. The race for home was on, and had just become far more deadly.

Game Setup

This is the latest game set up in an alternate history of 1908, where the US and Japan (now with UK support) have ended up at war after US arbitration at the end of the Russo-Japanese War failed. In this game, the US ended up going to war with the UK after boarding British merchants which had been running their blockade of the Japanese home islands. After initial successes, their advance into Canada was turned back when convoys full of British forces arrived, and the US fleet, when sent to cut the flow of troops, ran into the Grand Fleet off the Canadian coast. A general order had been sent out to all surviving US ships to rally under the fortifications in the Hampton Roads.

The US fleet was made up of two squadrons:

1st Squadron

USS Kansas, USS Minnesota (Conneticut class Battleships)
USS California, USS Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania class Armoured Cruisers)

2nd Squadron


USS Virginia, USS Georgia (Virginia class Battleships)
USS Missouri (Maine class Battleship)
USS Wisconsin (Illinois class Battleship)

The Royal Navy pursuit forces consisted of:

1st Squadron

HMS New Zealand, HMS Dominion (King Edward VII class Battleships)
HMS Caesar (Majestic class Battleship)

2nd Squadron

HMS Cornwallis, HMS Exmouth (Duncan clas Battleships)
HMS Vengeance (Canopus class Battleship)
HMS Victorious (Majestic class Battleship)

3rd Squadron

HMS Agamemnon (Lord Nelson class Battleship)
HMS Swiftsure (Swiftsure class Battleship)
HMS Achilles (Warrior class Armoured Cruiser)

The odds were definitely stacked against the US forces, even with the presence of two land forts. The game set up was simple, the US forces needed to scape into the Roads to evade the British, while the British needed to destroy the US forces.

Forts on the coast, under orders to protect the Roads from the expected British forces

For the game we used the Perfidious Albion rules which, if a little silly, are fun and fast. The models come from Tumbling Dice's Age of Battleships range.

From: Admiral Fanshaw, RN HMS New Zealand

To: Admiralty, London

Report on the Action of the 4th August, 1908

Sir,

It is my honour to report on the action my force took part in off the coast of Virginia on the 4th of August, 1908. Visibility was good, with calm seas and light winds. Early in the morning, at approximately 0840 we sighted vessels on the horizon and moved to intercept. HMS Cornwallis' squadron was closest to the sighting and led the pursuit. Soon we were about to get close enough to confirm that the vessels were American. My squadron and that led by the HMS Agamemnon's pursued the enemy directly, while the HMS Cornwallis and her squadron closed on them from the East.

The fleets engage, the USS Georgia and USS Virginia coming under fire

Shells rain down around the lead US vessels

Fire was opened at about 2 nautical miles by the HMS Cornwallis and her squadron, firing on the lead two US vessels of the nearest squadron, now identified as the USS Georgia and the USS Virginia. The USS Georgia exploded very suddely, testimony from the survivors indicate that the ammunition hoists were hit and a fire spread to the magazine.

Disaster strikes the US fleet as the Georgia explodes, taking most of her crew with her to the bottom

American fire was concentrated on the HMS Agamemnon, who took several hits, two of which penetrated her armour and hit ammunition hoists. Her crew managed to successfully flood both magazines before any fires could spread to them, but this did leave all her main armament without ammunition. A major fire also broke out onboard the Agamemnon.

HMS Agamemnon burns as her crew floods the magazines to prevent their ship following the Georgia's fate

While the Agamemnon was unable to fire, the Swiftsure and the Achilles fired on the USS Wisconsin. Several shells were seen to hit near the Wisconsin's stern. After this firing, she began turning to starboard, apparently out of control, so we presumer her rudder or steering gear was hit.

While the first US squadron continued their run for safety, the second squadron turned into the fight, while the Cornwallis moved to cut off the American retreat and the Agamemnon pressed the US vessels in.

British forces harry the US fleet as they attempt to escape

With the Agamemnon's heavy guns disabled, her squadron were only able to direct fire from lighter guns onto the enemy, achieving no immediately apparent damage. The Cornwallis' squadron again split their fire, with the Cornwallis and Exmouth targetting the lead battleship of the second US squadron (identified as the USS Minnesota) while the Vengeance and Victorious fired on the USS Virginia. In a testament to the excellent gunnery of the crews, both vessels exploded within a few minutes of each other.

 

The USS Minnesota explodes after being hit in the magazine

USS Virginia suffers the same fate as her sister

 After some more manoeuvering, the HMS New Zealand's squadron was able to join the fight, coming upon the USS Wisconsin, which was still stuck in a starboard turn, although she had slowed. The fire from the Wisconsin slackened after the first broadsides from the squadron. The Cornwallis' squadron engaged the Missouri and the Kansas. Once again, excellent gunnery was rewarded when the Kansas exploded.

The alarming tend of American ships to explode under fire continues with the USS Kansas

American return fire was concentrated on the HMS Cornwallis, several shells penetrating her belt armour and causing damage in her machinery spaces. The engineers of the Cornwallis are to be commended on their repeated efforts throughout the battle repairing the damage and keeping the Cornwallis in the fight. Fire from the USS Wisconsin struck the HMS Swiftsure, destroying her conning tower and killing Rear Admiral May. She was also forced to flood the magazine supplying her secondary battery after a hit on an ammunition hoist.

Despite now being massively outnumbered, the US forces continued to fight, tuning in to the action. The Wisconsin came under the fire of the entirety of the HMS New Zealand's squadron at near point blank range. The concentrated firepower proved too much for her. Before she exploded a raging fire was seen breaking out on her decks.

The crippled USS Wisconsin finally succumbs after being pounded by a full British squadron

The US armoured crusiers took fire from the Exmouth and Cornwallis, with the lead vessel, USS California, exploding shortly thereafter.

USS California explodes after point blank range fire.

In a final act of defiance, the last two US ships launched a charge towards our ships. The USS Pennsylvania took the full weight of fire from the HMS Cornwallis and her squadron, with predictable results.

Burning wreckage is all that remains of the US 1st Squadron

That left just the USS Missouri in action, on her death charge towards the Agamemnon's squadron. The HMS Swiftsure, with the damage to her conning tower impeding her ability to manouever, was unable to avoid being rammed, taking very heavy damage and experienceing major flooding. The Missouri took fire from the Swiftsure, Achilles and Agamemnon before surrendering, her upper works having taking significant damage.

Before she is forced to surrender, the USS Missouri rams the HMS Swiftsure, causing massive flooding.

Thus it is my duty to report the destruction of three enemy battleships, two enemy armoured cruisers and the capture of one battleship for no permanent loss to our side. The state of our ships is as follows:

HMS New Zealand: No damage, 10% ammunition depleted
HMS Dominion: No damage, 10% ammunition depleted
HMS Caesar: No damage, 15% ammunition depleted
HMS Cornwallis: Significant machinery damage, torpedo tubes disabled, heavy damage to prow, forward funnel lost, one port side secondary gun destroyed, moderate flooding. 48 casualties 45% ammunition depleted
HMS Exmouth: No damage, 40% ammunition depleted
HMS Victorious: No damage, 50% ammunition depleted
HMS Vengeance: No damage, 47% ammunition depleted
HMS Agamemnon: Ammunition hoists to A and Z turrets destroyed, one secondary turret destroyed, minor machinery damage, one funnel destroyed. 23 casualties. 95% ammunition rendered unusable
HMS Swiftsure: Conning tower, one funnel and two port secondary guns destroyed, extensive damage to hull, massive flooding in machine spaces. 88 casualties. 35% of ammunition depleted.
HMS Achilles: Minor machinery damage, damage to prow. 12 casualties. 70% of ammunition depleted.
USS Missouri (Captured): Fire damage to upperworks, port side secondary batteries destroyed, heavy damage to prow, heavy flooding. 94 casualties.

In addition to the 467 survivors of the Missouri, we rescued an additional 640 men from the water.

Your obedient servant
Admiral Fanshaw.

Onboard the HMS New Zealand, 4th August 15:30h 

Admiral Fanshaw looked over the water, where boats from the British ships were pulling the dazed American survivors from the water. A short distance away, the Agamemnon and the Achilles were helping the crew of the Swiftsure with damage control, pumping out the water she had taken on after being rammed, the Missouri still buried in her flank even now. With the guns of the forts silenced, the delicate process of seperating the vessels could begin.

His squadron had performed well, the total destruction of the enemy fleet had been accomplished with only light losses. All he needed now was a supply ship and his fleet would be back up to full combat readiness, apart from the Swiftsure. Even the Agamemnon was reporting she'd have her guns back in action by dawn.

He looked back at the shore, where smoke from the small fires caused by the bombardment marked out the forts' locations. With the entrance to the Roads now sealed, the US fleet was as good as doomed, which meant the convoys from home would now be safe for the duration of the war. Hopefully that would help bring it to a conclusion rapidly, before too many more died.