Mike's Miniatures: January 2012

Our group wanted to start the new year right. We got together on 1/1 and played our first game of Tomorrow's War published by Ambush Alley Games and Osprey. We were very familiar with the rules and quite confident that we would breeze through the first game. We have played Ambush Alley, Force on Force and Ambush Valley many times. Also one of our group is Jim Wonnacott and he helped author the Force on Force supplement, Cold War Gone Hot.

We played the 1^st scenario in the rule book and it is called Putting it all together:Lost and Found. It is basically a downed pilot is in the center of the table. The Marines (Jim and myself) had to rescue the pilot. We got victory points for making contact and getting the pilot off the board as quickly as possible. The Glories (Ted and Gene) received victory points for wounding, killing or capturing Marines. They were also needed to keep the pilot on the board. The only adjustment to the original scenario is that it was written with 15mm, we used 28mm. We adjusted the time limit from eight turns to ten turns.

The miniatures that we used were painted by Ted Bender. They are Wargames Factory produced the troops that represented the Glories . A mix Game Workshop and Leading Edge represented the Marines. As a side note Ted is a prolific and accomplished painter. At the end of the post I included some photos of some of his miniatures. When you go to his house , one never quite knows what kind of project he is painting up next.

Jim and I decided that we had three squads. One would be the grab team and the other two would give fire support. We have learned through playing Force on Force, use over-watch, it makes a big difference as you will see

The first , second and third turn we win initiative. The support squads move into cover on the woods edge and behind a fence. And the other squad makes it's way to the downed pilot.

Turn 4

On turn three we win initiative and our support teams go into over-watch. The grab squad moves out into the middle of the river. A Glory squad attempts to ambush and they failed their roll. I guess in the heat of battle safeties are a nuisance. I win reaction and roll nine d8. I get 2-8s, 2-7s,1-6 and 2-5s. Ted does not block any shots, one squad down. The Glories wanted to just see if they could slow the snatch squad down. They planned on letting go with all squads

Turn 5

We win initiative. Ted's second squad attacks the Marine squad in the building in the middle of the table. Again they hoping for the Marine squad to be pinned. Again Two squads are on over-watch and I beat Ted on the reaction roll: Ted beats Jim. So I fire, Ted fires and Jim fires. My dice are smoking hot today. All of his troops in that Ted's squad fall to my fire except the medic. He is hoping that the medic survives and can help revive this squad. And on the next turn move to the squad that was squished the previous turn and help revive them. Ted's lone figure fires at Jim without any harm to Jim's squad. Jim returns fire and that is the end of the medic. So unless one of Gene's men tries to move over and help revive them, those two squads are no longer a factor in the game. Jim also rolled a one on his reaction roll for this turn. He pulled watch your step one trooper is down, he ends up KIA and one Marine has a heavy wound.

Sorry it is out of focus, but I wanted to show the aftermath.

Turn 5

We no longer have initiative

I move up, because I have no more viable targets. I get hit pretty hard. Three Marines go down, but I have only one KIA the other two pop right back up. It must have been merely a flesh wound. They must have much, much worse before. Jim exchanges fire with another squad of Glories. The snatch squad moves out into the middle of the the bridge over the river. Jim also rolled a one for his one of his reaction rolls and received a fog of war card.

Turn 6

We do not have initiative.

The snatch squad moves and is targeted. Jim wins the reaction roll and moves instead of firing. The move takes him out of line of site of one squad. So he only takes fire from one squad and in the exchange he gets a Marine with a heavy wound. He moves the snatch squad and it is out of line of site. The other squad rolls another one for the reaction roll. Another fog of war card

His man is unaffected by the fog of war card. I then move my squad and I win the reaction roll also. I too move my squad out of line of site instead of firing.

Turn 7

Marines move off the board and points are totaled. The Marines win.

Tomorrow's War is another fine example of a great game published by Ambush Alley Games. We played this game to the conclusion in about 90 minutes, though we are very familiar with Ambush Alley Games.