The Battle of Pearl's Harbour

 

Greg & I had our first game of Dystopian Wars last night. While most reviews of the game concentrate on the naval aspect, Greg had prepared for us the land battle instead. This had lots of (beautifully painted by Greg) dystopian war machines from lowly battle tanks to massive Landships and Walkers. As can be seen from the pictures, it was a very impressive sight to behold.

(As always Britt wrote the report and i took the pictures, I have added the forces that were used)

Greg said that the forces were equivalent to 2 ‘Starter Sets” on each side. I chose to be the ‘Federated States of America’ leaving him to play the most honourable ‘Empire of the Blazing Sun’.

THE FORCES

FSA

• 2 x Washington Class Land Ship.
• 12 x Trenton Class Medium Tank.
• 6 x Yorktown Class Bombard.
• 20 x Pioneer Class Small Tank.

EotBS

• 2 x Taka Ishi Heavy Walker.
• 12 x Chi Ri Class Medium Tank.
• 6 x Ho I Class Bombard.
• 20 x Ke Ho Class Small Tank.

The terrain was rolling hills with a few farms and a forest or two. The EotBS forces entered along the northern edge of the table, the FS the southern. Both sides mixed up their deployment so that there was no real concentration of any special types at any point. The EotBS “Walkers” were certainly were eye-catching!

 

Turn 1: The FS won the toss and had the EotBS move first. This turn was mainly one of maneuver as both sides jockeyed for position.  On the western flank, the EotBS blows up a FS tank. This turns into a disaster as it explodes, blowing away a light supporting tank and causing both tank units to fail a morale test. The FS commander is concerned.

Turn 2: The battle now quickly heats up. On the east flank the FS Landship takes a position on a ridge, turning to bring all its turrets to bear as its light tanks race along the flank.  This is met by EotBS light & medium tanks, with their huge Walker in support. Casualties escalate at an alarming rate, with both sides taking heavy losses. In the west, the slender forest there poses some unusual problems of whether to try to go through and risk damage or be funneled toward the centre.  EotBS forces destroy several medium FS tanks, wiping out one unit and forcing the supporting light tanks to retreat. The FS Landship is taking a terrible beating. The EotBS light tanks move through the central forest and suffer no damage, though they inflict little as well. Bombarding Rocket launchers destroy an EotBS medium tank unit, but the other units keep on coming!

Turn 3: The EotBS wins the initiative and moves out with its huge Walker on the eastern flank, destroying several FS tank units. The FS Landship and escorts fire in return for a couple of hits on this gigantic mechanoid spider. FS light tanks move through the western forest to destroy an enemy tank, otherwise the battle here is definitely going against the FS as casualties mount and units fall back.  The centre is going better for the FS, the 2 units of rocket tanks doing their lethal work, though EotBS medium tanks here are still causing casualties. The eastern forces of both sides have been decimated! Small, desperate fights are taking place all over the board as the casualties mount. Sadly, the FS is getting the worst of it.

Turn 4:  More explosions everywhere as tanks brew up & men die. The FS wins the initiative, and tries ineffectively to hold back the EotBS drive on the east, or what’s left of it. Things are even worse on the western flank, The FS Landshp has taken so many hits that it’s all but harmless. Most of the tank units have been destroyed, and the light tanks try to screen the Landship. Only in the centre has the EotBS thrust been stopped, but that has been with the Bombard rocket tanks, which really can’t launch an offensive. Tanks on both sides continue to explode, with few light tanks remaining in the west.

Turn 5: The Federated States commander has no choice but to order a withdrawal. Even that will be difficult in the west as the FS Landship is about to be over run. There’s precious little left of the eastern flank to withdraw. Fortunately, EotBS forces are equally exhausted and pursuit is not vigorous. There will be other times, and other battles! So ended the Battle of Pearl’s Harbour.

 

That was an excellent game Greg. Most enjoyable. The rules worked well and the models and painting were stunning. I’m looking forward to next Monday night when the Dystopian Wars go to sea.

Hope the dice roll high for you

Regards

Greg

UCS BATTLE

 

Greg & I had probably our best and certainly most hard-fought, game of Uncharted Seas last night. He brought over his beautifully painted Thaniras Elves and Iron Dwarves, and gave me the choice of which to use for the upcoming battle. I chose Iron Dwarves, remembering what a pummelling they gave my Shroud Mages in our last fight.

(As always Britt wrote the report and i took the pictures, I have added the forces that were used and who won)

The captains of the forces in question in the above pictures

FORCES ENVOLVED IN BATTLE

IRON DWARFS(1235 PTS)

Squadron : 160 Points Chainmail Class Flagship

Squadron : 120 Points Forge Class Battleship

Squadron : 120 Points Forge Class Battleship

Squadron : 255 Points 3 Anvil Class Heavy Cruiser

Squadron : 140 Points  4 Mortis Class Frigate

Squadron : 150 Points 3 Hammer Class Cruiser

Squadron : 140 Points  4 Mortis Class Frigate

Squadron : 150 Points  3 Hammer Class Cruiser

 

Thaniras ELFS(1265 PTS)

Squadron : 145 Points Chimera Class Flagship

Squadron : 110 Points Phoenix Battleship

Squadron : 110 Points Phoenix Battleship

Squadron : 165 Points 3 Cobra Class Cruiser

Squadron : 165 Points 3 Cobra Class Cruiser

Squadron : 165 Points 3 Cobra Class Cruiser

Squadron : 225 Points  3 Griffon Class Heavy Cruiser

Squadron : 90 Points 3 Raven Frigate

Squadron : 90 Points 3 Raven Frigate

Battle Report

The 4’ x 4’ board was set up with four islands, 2 near the centre and 2 on the player’s right. Greg’s Thaniras Elves deployed along the north edge, my Iron Dwarves along the south. I deployed conventionally, with frigate squadrons on the far flanks, then cruisers, with Battleships & Flagship in the centre of my line. Being faster (or craftier I) Greg also had light units on the flank, but deployed more in depth with his Flagship well behind the line, on his left centre.

 

The 4’ x 4’ board was set up with four islands, 2 near the centre and 2 on the player’s right. Greg’s Thaniras Elves deployed along the north edge, my Iron Dwarves along the south. I deployed conventionally, with frigate squadrons on the far flanks, then cruisers, with Battleships & Flagship in the centre of my line. Being faster (or craftier I) Greg also had light units on the flank, but deployed more in depth with his Flagship well behind the line, on his left centre.

   As is usual, the battle opened with Frigates on both sides hammering each other. I soon became aware of the facts that not only were the elves faster than me, they had longer ranged weaponry. Fortunately, Dwarf armour is second to none! My central battleships soon began to work on the Elf cruisers to my front, but the large form of the Elven Flagship appeared from behind an island soon had all my attention. On the west side, Elven Heavy Cruisers are winning the fire fight against my Light Cruisers, eventually ramming and boarding the lot. What they didn’t win by boarding, other elf cruisers finished off by gunfire. My left flank west of “West Island” ceased to exist, though my Frigates put up a good fight. In the centre, things are looking better for the Dwarfs, as the BB’s there sink most of the Elf Cruisers (including one which struck an unknown sandbar). In the east, the Elves continue to advance. A Frigate penetrates the Dwarf line and stern rakes my Heavy Cruiser,  then the Elven Flagship wades in and with a horrendous overkill, blast apart a heavy cruiser.(I never saw so many 6’s).. Next turn the Elf Flagship also plasters the Dwarf Flagship. The damage was bad, but the critical hit of -6 to future firing made my flagship near unusable. Near, but not quite I thought. I’ll ram. And I did, only to be bounced back 2 inches by some elven force field! The Elven Admiral laughed at me. Cruel. I While that transpired, most of the Elven Flagship’s support units were going under, often accompanied by the same number of my own. Still, it now had to fight alone, and the Dwarf Flagships ram the next turn was successful. It would take 2 more turns, but the Elven Flagship was captured.

   On the West flank, calamity followed calamity for the dwarfs. Even the sending in of a BB and a cruisers squadron couldn’t reverse the tide. In a bit of low cunning, a beached Elf BB blew up, killing both one of his cruisers & one of mine, and almost also destroying my BB nearby. Treacherous sods, these elves! Now the Dwarfs were in trouble as a squadron of heavy cruisers and an Elven BB swept around the West Island and toward the rear of my badly damaged fleet. A quick check told the story of the Dwarf fleet with 2 half strength BB’s, a useless Flagship, 3 Frigates and a Heavy Cruiser facing  equal firepower of 3 Elf Heavy Cruisers and a Battleship with the advantage of position.

 

 

But night was falling (i.e., 11PM), and an add up of points gave the Dwarfs a victory (mainly due to the capture of the Elf Flagship), though as viewed from the Dwarf Flagships Bridge, it certainly didn’t look that way. Both sides broke off the action and headed for port.

Points cost at end of game

IRON DWARFS: 1000

Thaniras ELFS: 710

That was an excellent game Greg with beautiful models. A most enjoyable evening indeed.

May the dice roll high for you.

Regards

Greg