Category: Gaslight

GASLIGHT at Winter War 2018

2/2/2018

GEARSON'S RAID
THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR BY GASLIGHT

It's the end of January, so once again I ran a GASLIGHT game at Winter War in Champaign. This year it was Gearson's Raid. The Union had to set fire to most of the freight yard and gathered supplies before a large group of Rebel reinforcements arrived (i.e. we ran out of time to play the game). The Rebs started off badly outnumbered (nine units to four) with several of their units handicapped for one reason or another.

Rebel start overview.

On their right was most of the rail yard, supplies, a Mechanical Man, and a unit of infantry. Both had their problems. The Mechanical Man could only attack machines (it lacked the ability to tell friend from foe when it came to squishy living things) and while the unit was veteran, they were at the station trying to recover form the effects of dysentery, minor wounds, and assorted diseases that kept them out of the front line. In game turns they were good shots with a minor save but couldn't charge and had terrible melee numbers.

On their left was a unit of hastily armed railway workers (poor morale and mediocre shots) and an artillery section manned by the sick and wounded.

Overview of Union Side.

The first turn advance for the Union. In the back Major Smith rued the day he let himself be talked into trading his real horse for a mechanical one. He and his bugler spent much of the game stuck at the back. Their "horses" would breakdown, start, they'd advance, one or both "horses" would breakdown and it would all start all over again.

The first turn advance for the Union saw a cannon shot land directly on a tightly packed unit of veteran Cavalry on the Union right with five hits scored! One hit killed one man and the other four randomly determined hits all struck the same guy, with neither saving. After that most of the union cavalry quickly spread out before continuing their advance. Despite being mediocre shots (shoot of 6 in game terms) the Railway Worker squad took down a couple more of the only veteran regular cavalry squad the Union had.

On the Union left, a charge by the Rebel Cavalry reinforcements almost wiped out Steamcycles, but a charge by a nearby Union cavalry badly damaged both units.

On the Union right, a Cavalry unit slam into the Rebel artillerymen before they can fire their reloaded pieces. Reinforcing Rebel Cavalry charge into the fray. In the end the dysentery weakened artillerymen hold their ground dealing out more damage than they take (in game turns they had a scuffle of 4!) while the Rebel Cavalry gets hammered and reduced down to three troopers.

To the great relief of the Rebels the Armored Train arrived. "Dr." Edward L. Ectric rained bolts of lightning from his super-science weapon while perched on top of the water tower at the Union Landship, doing little damage. Meanwhile, having finally made it forward Major Smith's Mechanical Horse breaks down yet again.

On the Union left both the Rebel and Union Cavalry fail morale. The Rebels fall back in good order, while the Union troopers flee the field! The Steamcycle unit also breaks. The Rebel Infantry unit made up of the sick and wounded advance beyond the tracks.

The Rebel line stills holds. One unit of Union cavalry takes loses from the guns of the Armored Train and the Railway Workers. The Rebel artillerymen still hold out!! Can the Union even hope to win at this Point?

But suddenly things change, with one glancing hit from the Landship'S Cannon the Armored Train flees the field. All it had to do to stay was roll a morale check at a +2 to the die. It had a full crew with leader so it could only break on a roll of 19 or 20. A 20 was rolled, then a 2 on the morale chart and the train fled in the direction it had arrived.

The Mechanical Man breaks down again, but Dr. Ectric continues to rain lightning down from his perch.

Then the Landship hits one of the legs of the tower, causing it to crash to the ground, taking it and Dr. E.L. Ectric out. The Union Cavalry on the right finally destroys the artillerymen and runs the Railway Workers off the table. But it is too late. The Union sets many fires but is forced to flee when more Rebels arrive in pursuit (in other words we ran out of time). Just three more fires and the Union could have won but the Rebels win the battle by saving enough of the depot from the Union marauders.

There should be more pictures. I never took any of the destruction of the last Union Cavalry unit on the Union left. With the time to stop rapidly approaching, I was too busy running to stop to take shots.

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GASLIGHT at HEROICON

5/25/2017

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I attended HEROICON a couple weeks a ago In Decatur, Illinois. A new and still small con in its second year Heroicon is mainly RPGs Card Games, and Board Games, with only four miniatures games, one of which was mine. I think there may be more miniatures games next year. I got a couple old time gamers to attend and they are starting to make noises about digging out the Micro-armor (1/285 that is). We'll see if they do.

This year I ran the same game as I did at Winter War, with a few tweeks. I mention Mechanical Men and Ornithopters is my listing for the game and had to add those two things to the scenario. I got rid of the two mines and toned down my modified anti-vehicle rules. Any hit would be a glancing hit with light and medium guns firing solid shot, if it didn't penetrate (2 glancing hits for the big gun). I had been running it as a glancing hit in addition to any penetration, and that was a little too deadly.

Union starting forces. 6 squads of infantry (regulars and recruits), the USLS Salamander again, the USNLS the Cairo with an Assault Squad, two Steam Chargers, and the marksman that I used at Winter War. But I added two Ornithopters with light bombs, and a Engineering Landship with a pile of poles to use in an attempt to fill in the trenchline, so the lighter landships could cross it.

The Rebels had the same equipment as the last game, except for the Mechanical Man (Warmachine Warjack). They also had two extra sections of trench, which I made up rules for so that it is better than just heavy cover. The Big Cannon (a 30pounder Parott) and the Electro-Cannon where only in regular heavy cover.

Since I managed to misplace the Electro Cannon I used last time, I had to quickly paint one up. It was based on a Raygun shaped pencil sharpener (one of those fake bronze pencil sharpeners that look like steam tractors, wagons and other useful items for VSF gaming). I used the same big Parrott gun I used at Winter War, giving it a crack crew (two cards a turn) so it could fire more than a couple times during the game.

The Construction Mechanical Man was a Warmachine War jack. As usual for my games, it was programmed to only attack vehicles, cannons, and other such things. The official reason was that having a human torn apart was "too cruel even for war". The real reason was the Mechanical Men were stupid. They couldn't tell a Rebel apart from a Yankee, let alone a civilian. They would stride by enemy soldiers without noticing them to get after a Landship or Cannon (it was best not put them too close to friendly vehicles or cannons or they might attack them).

The Union went for a weighted attack, putting most of their forces against end of the line with the Electro Cannon, while sending some troops, the Steam Chargers, and the Engineering vehicle against the center of the line. The Mechanical Man strode out onto the battlefield, and promptly broke down.

The USLS Salamander continued it's long standing history of breaking down on a regular basis. The USNLS Cairo faired better, losing just one man on top to rifle fire. Once a glancing hit filled the vehicle with smoke driving out all the crew, but they passed their morale and got back in the next turn.

The Ornithopters moved forward quickly being careful to stay at a height out of range of gunfire (and out of range of dropping bombs successfully). While the Cairo and Salamander hung back (for a variety of mechanical and personnel reasons) the Steam Chargers and the Engineering Landship moved forward, under a constant bombardment from the Rebel Big Cannon, losing movement, armor, and taking other minor damage (a stuck hatch, a bent Gatling barrel, and worst of all a dead driver in the Landship with the Cannon).

Then thernithopyers dove and attacked (OK dropped down, hovered and tossed down a couple bombs). The one attacking the center of the line was shot down in flames, hitting a Steam Charger with a glancing blow that cost it more movement. The other successfully bombed the Electro Cannon, killing some men and damaging the fragile Electro Cannon. Its second bomb missed (probably a dud) and it then flew safely off the field.

Rebel reinforcements arrived, in the form of two green squads of infantry and two Timberclads.

The Engineering Landship successfully dropped its load of poles filling in part of the trench, while the Mechanical Man finally restarted. It then took a shot from the cannon armed Steam Charger that cut a steam line, leaving it immobile for five turns (the player running it refused to call it dead and out of action, and it did last those five turns, being able to restart on the last turn of the game).

The main Union attack moved steadily forward (except for the Salamander of course). Fire from the Infantry and the roof mounted Gatling on the Cairo dropped so many of the Electro Cannon crew that the survivors (the guys who had been shoveling coal into the steam tractor powering the cannon) fled. A flamethrower armed soldier from on of the squads of regulars moved forward to get in range.

The Engineering Landship successfully crossed the trench line while the Steam Chargers prepared to cross while Colonel Cornpone (on the right) looked helplessly on it's crossing. Hurrah for Colonel jubilation T Cornpone, he really saved the day (look it up yourself).

Since it had no weapons and the crew was trapped inside the vehicle by a jammed watch the only thing it could do was run over the reinforcements. RAMMING SPEED!!! Since the reinforcements lacked any anti-vehicle weapons, they had no way of striking back and several died. They then fled to the woods where the Landship couldn't go (without risking being hung up on a stump).

While one Union squad fled the field after taking shots from the Rebs, Colonel Smith and his trusty (or is that rusty) Bugler rallied the rest. From out of the Cairo came the assault squad, throwing grenades and shooting their rapid-fire super pistols. They drove the last of the Electro Cannon crew off the hill.

After a short, futile battle with the shovel wielding remnants of Electro Cannon crew (they bravely charged to their deaths) the Assault Squad began chucking grenades and firing down at the now exposed Rebel regulars.

After taking a couple of casualties from rifle fire the green Rebel troops did what any sensible soldiers would do, they charged the enemy. They did kill the man with the flamethrower that had been moving into position to use his weapon. They killed a couple other soldiers, but were gunned down to a man. One squad made it up the hill further securing it for the Union and flanking the trenches.

The two squads on the extreme left who were going after the Big Cannon took a beating from the Rebels in the trenches. One squad fled the field, while the other dropped a couple men manning the Big Cannon.

Which took umbrage at this and dropped a shell on the squad. Leaving a pitiful few survivors that with the help of Lt. Smedley stood their ground and stayed on the field. Smedley and the flamethrower man move up the edge of the trench, in perfect position to burn a bunch of Rebs. Smedley and Colonel Cornpone exchanged a couple shots, both surviving with one shot stopped by Smedley's bible and one stopped by Cornpones pocketwatch. Then the Colonel realized the flamethrower was far too close to his men and shot him down.

The Steam Charger with the Gatling safely crossed the trench at the poles.

But the one with the cannon fell to a shot in the rear by a revolver canon and in that most rare occurrence in GASLIGHT, brewed up.

The game was called and I judged it a minor Union victory. The Union had taken the hill on the right, captured the Electro Cannon, and was slowly rolling up the trenchline. The Union left was almost wiped out. The Union center made it across the trenches but was unsupported by infantry and surrounded by Rebels. Hopefully the other attacks at other points of the line were more successful.

Once again the flamethrowers turned out to be of little use. The Salamander never got into position to use its large flamethrower, two of the men with flamethrowers got into position but died before they could use theirs, and I think the third soldier with a flamethrower fled the battlefield with his squad. So much potential for destruction, with no results.

THE HAND, THE GIANT HAND!!!!!!

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Gaslight at Winter War 2017

2/7/2017

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ASSAULT ON BATTERY JACKSON

MORE ACW BY GASLIGHT

It seems that most of the wargames I have played or seen are meeting engagements. Battles with one side the defender and the other the attacker are pretty rare, despite being very common in the real world. And attacks on prepared defensive works, after 30 plus year of gaming I've only seen a handful at best. So I decided to go with an attack on the lines (Petersburg maybe, certainly some late ACW battle).

The Trenchworks and other Field Fortifications gave special bonuses to the defenders. Heavy cover of course, no automatic hits on ones, standing up and going into full cover doesn't count as moving (only for handheld weapons like rifles), and most importantly round all fractions down. In GASLIGHT fractions matter. A Shoot of 7, goes to a Shoot of 3.5 at long range. Since you have to roll under the Shoot to hit, you would have to roll a 3 or less. With this rule the shoot would go to a 3, which means you would have to roll a 1 or a 2 to hit.

To balance these bonuses I gave the attackers triple the manpower (6 squads to 2) and four Landships to two "cannons". Three to one is usually considered the minimum odds for attacking a prepared defensive position.

Union starting position, 24 inches from the Confederate line.

Confederate starting line (sorry the pictures a bit fuzzy).

A bit of fluff on my part. The USNLS (United States Navy Land Ship) Cairo. Manned by sailors and part of the navy (the Navy having created the first Union Armored Landships because of their experience with steam power and armored ships). Note the Sharpshooter next to it, which despite being able to ignore cover and having a good Shoot managed to kill no one all game.

Electrocannon (+1d6 to hit armored targets +1d6 SRM).

After some desultory long range fire, things heated up on turn 3, when a hidden Dynamite bomb killed several soldiers and knocked out one of the steam Chargers. A glancing hit burst a steam pipe, scalding the crew to death.

The general advance of the Union on Turn 3. Note the Assault Squad abandoning the Cairo because a hit from the Electrocannon killed it's driver. They decided to advance on foot rather than waiting for a new driver (and at 2 cards a turn they were faster than the Cairo anyhow).

After wading through some rifle fire, which they survived because of their good save (body armor) they stormed the Electrocannon and it's crew.

Things didn't go so good for the Union at the other end of the battlefield. A shot from the 30 pounder Parrot rifle penetrated. The penetrating round rattled around the inside and passed out of the other without doing any damage. But I had made a modification to the rules that any hit (from certain weapons) also did a glancing hit. That burst a steam pipe, killing four members of the crew (they got lucky 8 hits on the crew and four ended up being hit twice). Still they failed their morale roll and fled six inches. Since the range had closed, rifle fire started picking off the regular soldiers.

Confederate reinforcements arrived in the form of a couple green squads of Infantry and two Timberclads. The Rebs brought them in near the Electrocannon, where there was a unmanned section of the line.

Despite, or maybe because of, being green troops a squad charged the Rebel line, and gained a toehold in the trenches.

With orders from Lt. Jackson, the Electrocannon crew who had been tending the generator, charged up the hill and engaged the Assault Squad. The even killed one!!! (not easy when the Assault Squad had a save of 14).

But to no avail. Running out of enemy to fight (but forgetting to damage the Electrocannon first) the Assault Squad threw themselves at the Rebels in the nearby trenches.

With the Assault Squad in the trenches the green troops that had first taken them headed up the hill to attack the 30 Pdr Parrott.

On the far end of the trench line the Union troops were taking steady casualties, but urged on by both Lt. Smedley and Colonel Smith they advanced into the hail of gunfire. To make matters worse a penetrating hit blew the wheels off the USLS Salamander, keeping its deadly firethrower out of range of the enemy (because the Salamander was full of fuel for the firethrower I ruled that any penetrating hit went to the Catastrophic Hit Table).

The Infantry at the far end of the line, urge on by Lt. Smedley and Colonel Smith struggled across the abatis and engaged the Rebs in Hand to Hand combat. Things looked grim for them as green Union soldiers struggled with Veteran Rebs. Lucky shots from the Gatlings on the Salamander and a Steam Charger and close range fire from the Union Infantry whittled down the cannon crew and Colonel Cornpone was forced to assign his runners to keep the gun in operation. Col. Cornpone's Runners and Colonel Smith's Bugler allowed them to have a command radius of 12 inches instead of the usual 6.

The Rebels tried to drive the remaining soldiers of the Assault Squad out of the trenches with rifle fire, but they gave as good as they got (nothing like weapons that fire twice a turn without reloading to even things up).

Finally, the green Rebel troops mustered the courage to charge the trenches, forcing the squad that had gone up the hill after the cannon to charge back down into the melee. They and what was left of the Assault Squad threw the Rebels out of the trench.

A Union squad charged the Electrocannon, but just fell short. The cannon fired it's last shot of the game, which sizzled harmlessly over the USNLS Cairo. Don't you just hate it when your figures get stuck on a slope so they can't stand.

Lt. Smedley and Col. Smith joined the faltering Union squad by the abatis. The squad was quickly wiped out, leave Smedley and Smith to fight on alone (even the Bugler was killed). The Smedley, with pistols in both hands and evil grin on his face, went wild, singled handedly slaughter a third of the Rebel squad.

Down to one man, the Assault Squad fled the trenches, but was quickly replaced by the remains of another squad (complete with firethrower!!),

Which allowed the Infantry squad that had been in the trenches with the Assault squad to attack the cannon emplacement.

The game ended as time ran out and people hurried to the convention auction.

On the Union side they had a section of trench, a nearly complete squad was about to overrun the Electrocannon, more troops were coming up, and a fight was going on at the heavy cannon emplacement.

On the Rebel side Colonel Cornpone was dead, Lt. Jackson was dead, they were down to two units of green troops, and both timberclad landships had broken down (but could still shoot)'[

A minor Union Victory

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WINTER WAR 2014- TO KILL A LEVIATHAN

2/6/2014

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Here's Marc not looking too happy about being on the side of the Rebel Scum (a true Yankee he is). In the middle you see two units of cavalry, the USL (United State Leviathan) John Adams, the Hornet and the Wasp USALs (United States Armored Landship). To the right is a unit of Mechanical Cavalry, to the left is another unit of conventional cavalry. In front of Marc is the Grand Battery of five cannons, a Whitworth breech-loader, two 12 pdr Napoleons and two 10pdr Parrots. On his right is the CSL Memphis and the timberclad Jackson. A couple of special rules. Everyone passes their sustain the first turn. and if you start on a road you don't need a sustain check. Note, the Adams is too big for the road. The objective put the Adams on one of the hills where the Grand Battery is now for the win, or get three other Union units, more or less intact, off the far end of the board for a draw.

One of the regular complaints people have made about GASLIGHT is how hard it is to kill a landship. You shoot and shoot, and rarely does anything happen. Even if you penetrate, many of the results on the table do little or no damage. Not this time. The shot from the Hornet penetrated the Memphis for a Critical Engine Hit destroying the vehicle (though 4 of the 5 crew did escape). I don't think in over a dozen GASLIGHT games that I have ran or played in have I seen such a result.

Here is a general overview of the general advance of the Union forces. The Adams set back out of range of the Grand Battery and tried to shell it at long range. It missed and promptly broke down. Note the steam-cycles heading up behind the tree line. The Hornet (by the wreck of the Memphis took a hit from the Grand Battery and lost some speed.

Here the Hornet crashes through the graveyard (bad luck that) and suffers a hit from the Grand Battery that kills the driver. Meanwhile the poor bloody cavalry loose a man to the heavy Gatling on the Jackson. But bravely they charged forth.

And got shot to pieces, The Grand Battery had two cards as long as Captain Pelham stayed alive and here they are massacring the Mechanical Cavalry.

The advancing steam-cycles were jumped by a squad from the woods, and fled ignobly.

After the Whitworth damages the cannon on the Hornet (-6 to shoot), Dynamite Jack blows off some armor (-6 to Save). The Lt. in charge of the Hornet shoves the dead driver out of the way and takes over the controls.

Captain Smith bravely charges part of the Grand Battery.

And is promptly shot down.

Charging the hill the Hornet tries to crush the guns.

While a much reduced squad of cavalry (they started with eight men) take on the other section of the Grand Battery. And loose to a bunch of Artillery men armed with rammers and other artillery tools.

Slowly the Adams advances (at eight inches a turn that is the only way it can advance). The Wasp (the Gatling armed landship to its right continues to be unable to restart its engine. Note the remains of the cavalry squad next to the Adams. Artillery fire and fire from the Jackson have reduced it down to three men. The cavalry played a bloody price for leading the charge, but they attracted the fire of the Grand Battery so the Adams could advance unmolested.

The rocket armed Zouave fires into the Hornet, killing the last crewman, after it has crushed both 10 pdr Parrots,

Cavalry Squad 2 is wiped out to man, leaving only Captain Pelham still standing amongst the carnage.

Late in the battle the Wasp (the landship at the very back) finally starts. Only two are left of the Mechanical Cavalry, one regular cavalry squad has been wiped out, another is reduced to just three trooper, but the last one is still fairly strong (the one in the graveyard). Pelham stands on the hill waving his sword about, trying to get the surviving artillerymen to return to the cannons. All the while the Adams continues its indomitable advance.

The Steam Cycles try to run the gap between the woods and the hill, but are attacked by Confederate Infantry.

The elite Zouaves start to move towards the center of the battle, followed by the Mechanical Man (which spent most the game broke down- it would fail its sustain, the start, then fail its sustain), while the Jackson also breaks down.

The other regular Confederate squad slaughters the last of the Mechanical Cavalry (who finally failed their sustain roll) but lose a man. They fail their morale check and fire at the nearest enemy. A volley of firebombs takes out the Wasp. The sacrifice of the Wasp meant that the infantry had nothing with which to attack the Adams!!!

The Adams goes up the hill. There is one final chance to stop the Adams. Professor Zappinni unleashes his electro-gun upon it. It hits but fails to do damage.

Victory for the Union Huzzah!!! Huzzah!!!

The game ends before the Confederates can launch a final assault on the Adams, as time runs out on the clock (the game started at 9AM and was set to end at 1PM).

Da Guys who played Da Game

It was a real nail-biter to the end. So many ifs. If the Memphis hadn't been destroyed on the first turn, if the Mechanical Man hadn't kept breaking down, if a morale check hadn't made one squad waste its precious firebombs against the Wasp instead of saving them for the Adams. But it is a good wargame were the result is in doubt until the end.

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THE TRAIN JOB

1/20/2014

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Since I was heading to Decatur last weekend anyway, my friends there talked me into running another GASLIGHT game. This one attracted even more gamers, including a friend I hadn't seen in two years. Word gets out that the opportunity to push miniatures around a table is available and gamers come out of the woodwork.

THE LEAGUE OF SCIENCE VS. THE GOVERNMENT

Throughout the West banks had been robbed, gold shipments had been intercepted, bridges destroyed, and other general mayhem. The difference was that, unlike the normal run of robberies and destruction, evidence was mounting that something strange was going on. Giant mechanical men were seen carrying off safes, other times a beam of light was seen that cut the gold car off from the rest of the train, posses chasing the outlaws found themselves ambushed by people armed with unusual weapons. Agents A. Gordon and A. Oakley were sent into investigate, and found that a league of mad scientists had formed and was raising money for some nefarious scheme. Learning of a planned robbery of $5 million in gold bullion, they got word to the Army. A plan was made to ambush the ambushers.

The League of Science

Lead by Doctor Light this band of scientists, were supported by a few highly skilled mercenaries, plenty of mechanical men, and assorted riff-raff which consisted of "rustlers, cut throats, murderers, bounty hunters, desperados, mugs, pugs, thugs, nitwits, halfwits, dimwits, vipers, snipers, con men, Indian agents, Mexican bandits, muggers, buggerers, bushwhackers, hornswogglers, horse thieves, train robbers, bank robbers, ass-kickers, shit-kickers and Methodists!" who while skilled in killing were not so happy with standing up to people who shot back (counted as half their numbers for morale purposes).

The Government Forces

With information provided by Agents Gordon and Oakley, the U.S Army advanced onto the field. These forces consisted of three squads of cavalrymen, and two Small Armored Landships, all lead by that great leader Colonel Armaggedon P. (no it doesn't stand for Poopsie) Fluster. Men would follow Col. Fluster to their deaths, and probably will some day. Agents Oakley and Gordon had hidden themselves carefully to strike at just the right time, as had a surprise for the League. Another surprise for the league was hidden in the League was hidden in the boxcar at the end of the gold train.

The initial setup had a group of Riff-Raff, lead by the Gunman Gunter in the woods by the logs that blocked the tracks. Another squad, Doctor Light, two other scientists (including Two-Gun Macintosh) with their Mechanical Men, and two Mechanical Servants were in the woods north of the train. The armored train was coming up the tracks, with a Mechanical Man on one side and the Dark Gunman and a group of Riff-Raff on the other side. The train had come to a complete stop while the engineer and the fireman fled (were they paid off to flee, or did they just flee in fear).

A close up of the right. The Mechanical Man promptly broke down, and despite the best efforts of Professor Smith and the Mechanical Servant remained so for a couple of turns.

The two Mechanical Men right north of the train began their advance.

While Professor MacIntosh's Driller Mechanical Man punch a hole in the side of the armored gold car, the other went up a hill to prepare to attack another part of the car. dozens of shots from carbines and the Gatling gun bounced harmlessly off of both.

In the corner farthest from the train Colonel Fluster bravely lead a troop of Cavalry and an Armored Landship onto the table. Only one squad and one Landship could enter each turn.

The Armored Train, the Dark Gunman and a group of Riff-Raff advanced toward the gold train, with the Armored Train blocking the gold trains retreat (which it could have done if someone had taken over the train's controls). Meanwhile Professor Smith continues to pound on his Mechanical Man with a large wrench trying to get it to start.

With the approach of the army Dr. Light lead a squad of Riff-Raff to the other side of the woods, while Professor Jones and MacIntosh kept the Mechanical Men bashing on the gold car of the train.

While the second Armored Landship crested the hill, the first cavalry troop fled after Gunther gunned five of them down on two cards. Those long ranged gas-operated heavy pistols were nasty, especially since Gunther could use one in each hand.

After having smashed and torn more holes in the armored train car carrying the gold (forcing a morale check on the soldiers in the car). The army's armored walker crashed out of the boxcar. Instead of dealing with the Mechanical Men it began a gun duel with the Riff-Raff on a nearby hill.

While the Riff-Raff wisely stepped back out of sight of the Landships on the hill, Doctor Light tried to destroy one with her death ray. Caught a cannon round right to the face.

Meanwhile, Gunther was gunned down by the Landship armed with a Gatling.

It took several turns of maneuvering, but the Fluster finally had his troops in place for a charge.

The two Mechanical Men who had been tearing open the train both came to a halt. One just broke down, but other one was stopped by Sgt. Granite, who stepped out on the gold car's platform and threw a firebomb at the Driller Mechanical Man. The burning liquid seeped into the working and stopped its steam engine.

Taking advantage of the broke-down Mechanical Men, the Army Battlesuit attacked the nearest one. He hit, then did no damage, and promptly was knocked down by a cannon shot in the ass from the Armored Train. After gunning down a couple of the Riff-Raff on the hill near the Armored Train, Agent Oakley killed the Dark Gunman when he tried to get closer to use his Gatling pistol.

After guarding the logs blocking the track for several turns, the Riff-Raff on the hill by the front of the gold train began to move towards the approaching cavalrymen.

Colonel Fluster and his second in Command. Otherwise known as Grandpa Marc and Nate. Grandpa figured out the tactics, while Nate moved some of the figures and rolled the dice. I argued it was unfair for Nate to roll the dice since he hadn't used up all his luck yet at that age. Still they worked well as a team.

Back at the train things were looking bad of the Agents. After gunning down Professor Smith (you only have to stay in 24 inches of the Mechanical Man to control it, not right behind it) Agent Oakley was felled by fire from the Riff-Raff on the hill. Agent Gordon, who had damaged the armor on the Armored Train slightly with a preplaced bomb and badly damaged the sights on the cannon on the train (-6 to shoot!!!), fell to the metallic pincers of a Mechanical Servant (to the right of the boxcar- I need to learn more about doing close ups with this camera). All the Mechanical Men had restarted and continued to attack the Armored Train Car with the gold in it. Except for one, which smashed the fallen Army Battlesuit, killing the soldier manning it.

But it was too late, the cavalry had arrived in the nick of time (which is what they are supposed to do). One troop, led gallantly by Colonel Fluster, crashed into a bunch of Riff-Raff. They took 50% casualties but managed to deal out the same to the Riff-Raff (the Riff-Raff may have poor morale, but they are better fighters than the newly enlisted cavalrymen). Note the Armored Landship with the man on top. That is a Riff-Raff from another group that had boarded the landship and was trying to force his way inside.

That other group of Riff-Raff, that had finally made it too the woods, and was promptly charged by a troop and a half of cavalry. The slaughter on both sides was great, but still both sides fought on

It was over. One group of Riff-Raff broke and fled, leaving the Professors that controlled the mechanical men to the not so tender mercies of the remains of the cavalry. All the leaders of the League of Science were dead. Another gang of Riff-Raff was outnumbered and being overrun (though at great cost to the cavalry doing so). The armored trains cannon was badly damaged and couldn't be counted on to stop the oncoming landships. A victory for the good guys, but at a terribly cost.

A couple things learned. First, even if you have a good Save, you can still die if hit often enough (I may think about giving the leaders 2 hits). Second, timing is everything, Colonel Fluster took his time to establish the landships on overwatch, which killed two of the leaders and kept the Riff-Raff off the edge of the woods (you have to be on the edge of the woods to shoot out or be shot at). Then he gathered his cavalry and was able to make a grand charge, rather than feeding his men in piecemeal to be chopped up separately. That last is just common sense, but too often in gaming players just act rather than plan (which is OK for orcs or French Knights but not OK for everybody else).

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GASLIGHT AT WINTER WAR 2015- Part 1 the Confedrate Aircraft

12/2/2013

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For the past two years I have run a GASLIGHT game at Winter War in Champaign, Illinois.

In 2012 I ran
http://mysteriousbill.weebly.com/2/post/2012/01/winter-war-part-21.html

In 2013 I ran
http://mysteriousbill.weebly.com/2/post/2013/01/gaslight-at-winter-war-40.html

In 2014 I shall run TO KILL A LEVIATHAN (more about that in a later post).

But in 2015 I want to run something different, an air/sea battle with airships, ornithopters, backpack steam-powered wings, steam helicopters, steam launches, and a good size steamship to serve as the main target.

I've been collecting what I need for this game for a number of years and I think I'm ready to start putting things together.

I've got four Crucible Dwarf Ornithopters and have modified one with bits from the bits box and a Dixon 25mm Mounted figure. The second picture is a close-up, showing the light bomb in his hand ready to throw, with another strapped to his machine

But the big aircraft for the South will be a twin-hulled catamaran zeppelin. I'll use two Revell Hindenburgs with a platform between them. Possibly with some helicopter blades for extra lift (see this link for a modern design of an airship helicopter http://blog.flightstory.net/851/boeing-to-build-heavy-lift-rotorcraft/ though mine would be more VSF). Definitely well equipped with bombs and at least one Gatling.

This gives the South one large airship, and four one-man ornithopters. Since the people running Winter War want at least six players, I really should come up with some more aircraft for the Confederates. Another airship? Pterodactyls ridden by boy soldiers? I need to figure this out.

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G.A.S.L.I.G.H.T. AT WINTER WAR 40

1/30/2013

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Saturday morning I ran a GASLIGHT Game.

INDIANS AND DINOSAURS VS. THE STEAM-POWERED 6 AND 7/8'S CAVALRY

On one side were the Indians, valiantly trying to defend their home against the white men who wanted their land and dinosaurs.

On the other where the brave men of the 6 and 7/8's Cavalry, lead by the gallant (if a little headstrong) Colonel Armaggedon P. Fluster (no, the P. doesn't stand for Prettyboy).

The Indians advanced in a broad front with a Horned One (with guiding Indians) spaced evenly across the battlefield. Lt. Johnson advanced quickly to seize the waterhole (the whole point of this battle) as regular cavalry and Mechanical Cavalry advanced behind him.

But where was the pride of the Cavalry, the USLS Vicksburg? Broken down at the back as usual. It spent half the game trying to restart, failing, succeeding, then failing a sustain, and so forth. It's absence through much of the battle cost the Cavalry dearly in the end.

Lt. Johnson bravely faced a third of the Indian forces. Using his machine pistol, with help from the Mechanical Cavalry he shotup one band of Braves. Could he survive the Horned One and the other band?

Meanwhile, on the Cavalry right. Colonel Fluster and the Steam-Cycles took the hill, while a unit of cavalry deployed dismounted beside it.

Lt. Johnson kept dropping savages with his gatling pistol, unconcerned about the other approaching band and Horned One. On the very left a squad of Cavalry and a band of Indians clashed in mounted combat. Oh the terrible slaughter on both sides! The Mechnical Cavalry managed to score one wound on the Red Horned One.

On the right Colonel Fluster and Chief Rides Like the Wind engaged in one on one combat, while the charge by an Indian band fell short of the squad of dismounted troopers.

Lt. Johnson drove off one band of Indians and, thanks to losing a guiding Indian from Johnson's deadly aim, the white Horned One wandered off. On the very left the clash of the Indians and Cavalry left the Indians holding the field while the Cavalry fled in disgrace.

The red Horned One and it's guiding Indians smashed the Mechanical Cavalry, with the last trooper being attacked by Medicine Man Buffalo Skull (in the center). The victorious Indians on the very left charged the troopers in the middle. Johnson was cut off and facing two bands. Did he flinch? Never! Coolly he ignored the arrows falling all around him and gunned down two of the band nearest him (I've never seen so many misses and saves in a GASLIGHT game for one character). The white Horned One meandered around out of control.

Finally, the Landship Vicksburg advanced.

On the right the band of Indians was drivden off by accurate fire from the Troopers. Chief Rides Like the Wind, after an epic battle, felled Colonel Fluster, and was then gunned down by the Sergeant leading the Troopers. The yellow Horned One's charge fell just short on the now immobile Steam-Cycles, who luckily dropped two of the guiding Indians (on a 1-6 shots from extras hit the dino, 7-10 they hit the Indians guiding it).

It promptly failed it's control roll, I mean was driven off by the massive fire of the gatlings, and wandered away from the hill, out of control.

The Indians that had charged the Troopers in the center fled, but where replaced by the red Horned One and it's Indians.

Despite a valiant attack by an un-named Trooper that wounded the red Horned One before he died, it crashed through to attack the Landship. Gatling rounds bounced off it's thick hide, as it smashed into it (doing 3 damage to it's Start, just what it needed).

In desperation, Medicine Man Buffalo Skull charged Lt. Johnson, and in one mighty blow cut him down. Johnson would earn a posthumous Medal of Honor and his single-handed successful fight against over-whelming odds made a story told over and over again around Indian campfires.

The red Horned One destroyed the gatling on the Landship, which promptly fled. While advancing towards the Steam Cycles it was dropped by a lucky shot from their gatlings (third and last wound). The remnants of the Indian bands gathered around Medicin Man Buffalo Skull at the waterhole. Leaderless and battered the surviving Cavalry forces withdrew.

It was a good game. The high point was Lt. Johnson's stand. He lived a charmed life dodging or saving from everything two bands of Indians could throw at him, while dropping Indians with his gatling pistol. The low point was the Landship commanders bad die rolling. At two cards of a turn it still couldn't move forward until the very last, when it did little but get pounded on by a Dino. Oh well, that's GASLIGHT for you.

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GASLIGHT at Winter Wars in Champaign, IL

1/1/2013

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On January 26th at 9 AM the steam-powered Cavalry of the 6 and 7/8 Regiment lead by Colonel Fluster will engage the Sioux Nation and their Dinosaurs at the Battle of Big Big Horn.

The landship USLS Vicksburg, Colonel Fluster on his mechanical horse, and a section of regular cavalry.

The White Horned one and handlers, Medicine Man Buffalo Skull, and a band of braves.

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What color for a Dinosaur Beak

12/26/2012

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I need some advice. Should I go for Bone or Black for the Dinosaurs Beak. These are the Indians dinos for a upcoming GASLIGHT game.

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Time to Get to Work

5/7/2012

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Finally, I have to room to do the many projects I've been collecting stuff for. No more putting stuff up every week because the wife needed the room for her projects. I am now the proud owner of my own mancave. Ha Ha Ha.

Unfortunately, during the move I found out how many projects I had gathered for but hadn't done much with. No matter, when faced with a big task you hammer it out one piece at a time.

Task I- A VSF Ornithopter.

Having been impressed by anothers use of a Ral Partha Dwarf Ornitophter

http://www.lead-adventure.de/index.php?topic=14230.0

I decided to make my own. Out came the box of Ornithopters and much to my surprise I found each box held two. How wonderful. Then I noticed that they lacked landing gear. Expletive deleted, I bought the wrong kind.

What to do, What to do.

I remembered that I had a Fast Lane construction train and it came with a crane (I'd bought it just to have four more pieces of straight track, Fast Lane and Goldlock make nice cheap trains but they never come with enough straight track pieces).

I decided that my Ornithopters didn't take off from a landing field, no they were launched into by a steam catapult.

The crane as it was orginally.