Sunday 21 May 2017

FWC Bootcamp 2017

The 8th annual Future War Commander Bootcamp, a weekend of 6mm Sci-Fi scenarios, took place at the Tudor Arms in Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, organised by the very efficient Mark

 There were 10 players this year including a contingent from Reading.

The first scenario is the traditional 1000 point Mad Max 2 themed Gastown where Hunter-Scavenger clans (that's Orks) each try to get their tanker into town to fill up. The game is pretty chaotic with 9 players all trying to avoid destruction due to mandatory assaults when within 15cm of the enemy and still meet the objective.
Gastown and it's lush surroundings - well that's what it says in the brochure.
Most of Gastown is underground.
One of the Scav Clans, David's, on their way to fill up
Rodge'sClan spent most of it's time blundering backwards
Graham's Clan which eventually won through no fault of Graham
My Clan's airforce -  Jagdstaffel 60 - known as Jasta Minute
Steve's Scavs overlook Gastown
Graham & Jon's troops clash
Gordon dropshipped his troops into the back of Dan's Clan
Rodge's tanker can't decide to whether to go forward or backwards
Jasta Minute returns to base after their tanker gets destroyed

An entertaining start to the weekend that saw Graham taking the honours and everyone else taking everyone else apart. 

We then went onto to play 1 v 1 2500 Point Encounter games. There were 5 worlds to play on.

Urban World - Steve's Kraytonians v Mark's Cyber Undead (Necrons)

Abandoned World -  Dan's Space Marines v Rodge's Pac-Fed Humans

Alien World - Mike's Eldar v Graham's I.K.E.A Droids


Ice World World -  Gordon's Imperial Guard  v Jon's Hunter Scavengers

Desert World  - David's Cybernetic Species X31 (Tau) v my Pax Arcadians
You manics - you blew it up
The Pax Arcs advance
The X31s advance 
We meet in the middle and start shooting
Quite a lot of shooting as neither army really likes close combat
David's army was beautifully painted - the models are Okami Combine by Onslaught Miniatures
Another shot of the X31s/Okami Combine/Tau

Sunday began  with our Holy Grail - the 1500 Point Stargate Scenario.  This is where two teams, each with a Home try to find the codes to the enemy's Home world which are scattered on 3 other worlds.

Black Team on the Ice world comprised Gordon, Graham, Mike, Rodge and Steve. Red Team on the Urban World consisted of Dan, David, Jon, Mark and myself.
Red Team's Space Marines form up to go through the gate on Urban World.
Red's Pax Arcs encounter a band of mercenaries on Alien World
On Desert World Black's 's Eldar, Pac-Feds, X31s AND Kraytonians attack Red's Red Guard and Pax Arcs - bring it on lads!
Black's Space Canadians(?) and  Red's Space Marines tough it out on Abandoned World.
Back on Desert World Black's Eldar assault Red's Pax Arc Mammoth tanks in the rear and fail thanks to Defensive fire and support from Red Guard infantry. 
Black's Space Canadians finally reach the Gate Code station on Abandoned World...
...but Red's Scav force comes to the aid of the Space Marines.

So 2 Home World codes apiece but Red controlled two of the three Outer Worlds and had broken Black's Kraytonian force. Therefore no outright winner but a major victory to Black Team in the Never-ending Stargate War

The final game on Sunday was the 1250 point Woken Furies scenario based on the book of the same name. This is a cooperative game  where the players have to clear a city of Mimints - nano-tech cyborgs or something like that. 

Mark runs this game and puts on an excellent show with superb scenery and models
Harlans World - New Hok
The Cleared Area
Jon's Scav Gargant poses for a photo whilst clearing the city
The team advances through the city
After a BBQ and a few beers the Pax Arcs decide to join in the fun
Some of the city's wildlife
Whilst Jon's Gargant kills a few architects (top right) the Pax Arcs prepare to blow away some Mimints

With the city having been cleared someone had killed enough Mimints to claim victory. It wasn't me as I only killed a blue furry thing that was a UN protect species but could rip a tank in half.

And that was the end of another cracking weekend of sci-fi gaming.

Thanks to Mark for setting it all up and thanks to everyone who played especially Dan, David and Jon for trekking down from Reading. 

This was probably Graham's last Bootcamp as he is off to Canada so he will be sorely missed.  

And after 8 years of playing the Pax Arcs, wonderful army that it is, I'm going to retire them and start a new FWC army (honest).




Friday 12 May 2017

Fire In The Bush - Modern Africa using BBB

Rodge has a lovely collection of modern African kit in 15mm. We mainly use RFCM's AK47 v1 which is a great set of rules but can be quite random. Rodge has been tinkering with his own set, Fire in the Bush, for a while but he has taken Bloody Big Battles and tweaked it for modern bush warfare.

The Baako township held by the rebels under Beeko Mumfasa

Shaun played the Government forces led by General President the Right Reverend Jomo Bangbalaonabulu. I played the Rebel forces under Beeko Mumfasa. Our objectives were to destroy the opposing forces and kill or capture their leader.

Government Forces
Unit Morale Bases Attributes
Armoured Car Trained 1 AC Class 2, Cannon, Load 0, Fragile
Armoured Car Veteran 1 AC Class 2, HMG, Load 1
APC Trained 1 APC Class 2, LMG, Load 5, Fragile
APC Veteran 1 APC Class 2, LMG, Load 5
Lorry Raw 2 Lorries Class 1, Load 5, Fragile, Tactically Inept
Lorry Veteran 1 Lorry Class 1, Load 5
Limo Veteran 1 Armoured Limo Class 2, Load 1
Jeep Trained 1 Technical Class 1, HMG, Load 1, Fragile
Infantry Trained 5 4 x Assault Rifle, 1 x LMG, Fragile
Infantry Trained 5 4 x Assault Rifle, 1 x LMG, Fragile
Infantry Trained 5 4 x Assault Rifle, 1 x RPG, Fragile
Infantry Veteran 5 4 x Assault Rifle, 1 x LMG, Aggressive, Infiltrate
Infantry Veteran 5 4 x Assault Rifle, 1 x LMG, Aggressive, Infiltrate
Rebel Forces
Unit Morale Bases Attributes
AA Lorry Veteran 1 Armoured Lorry Class 2, Wheeled, AA, Load 1
Technical Veteran 1 Technical Class 1, Wheeled, HMG, Load 1
105mm SPG Veteran 1 SPG [105mm] Class 2, Tracked, Load 0
Infantry Raw 5 5 x Rifle, Tactically Inept, Aggressive
Infantry Raw 5 5 x Rifle, Tactically Inept, Aggressive
Infantry Raw 5 5 x Rifle, Tactically Inept, Aggressive
Infantry Trained 5 4 x Assault Rifle, 1 x LMG, Fragile
Infantry Trained 5 4 x Assault Rifle, 1 x RPG, Fragile
Infantry Veteran 5 3 x Assault Rifle, 1 x LMG, 1 x RPG, Infiltrate
Infantry Veteran 5 3 x Assault Rifle, 1 x LMG, 1 x AT, Infiltrate
Infantry Veteran 1 Sniper, Infiltrate, Devastating Volley 0-12”

The battlefield looking west

All vehicles have an Armour Class which certain weapons have no effect against eg a rifle can cause no damage to Armour Class 2 but can disorder it.

Some weapons must fire on their own eg the 105mm SPG can not combine fire with Assault Rifles

Load is the number of bases a vehicle can carry.

Infiltrate is basically the ability to move from one piece of cover to another and is based on Brucie's Play Your Cards Right

Rodge may well post his variant to the BBB Yahoo Group

I deployed the Rebels in the Township and Shaun had the choice of arriving on the Norther East or North West road. He selected the North West road
The approach road taken by the Government forces
Beeko Mumfasa admires his trusty AA truck "Ndege Bunduki"
It's not all work for Mumfasa - he also plays in goal for Baako Rovers
The 105mm SPG "Kunguruma Tembo" spots a Government APC
Government traffic jam on the road to Baako
Government recce scouts the local lock-up
Ambush! A Rebel RPG takes out a Saladin A/C 
Government and Rebel troops get into a fire fight north of the township
General President the Right Reverend Jomo Bangbalaonabulu remembers an urgent appointment in the capital and heads for his limo
With most of their armour destroyed the Government forces fall back
After the battle Mumfasa leads the Victory Parade...
.. and finally The Victory Speech in front of his loyal supporters

A most enjoyable game - it ran very smoothly and quickly as we all know BBB. The Rule tweaks worked well. BBB is a very good rules engine that lends itself to adaption to other periods. I'm looking forward to Mumfasa's march on the capital.

Rodge made all of the buildings and converted the vehicles. The majority, if not all, of the figures are 15mm Peter Pig.