A Wargaming Visit to Adelaide -The Fritzerland Invasion

I have just returned from a visit to Adelaide with Paul, David, Nigel and Jamie. I travelled by train to Melbourne where I stayed a night at my mother's home. The next day I again got on a train into Melbourne city centre. I visited Minotaur book shop and bought some new plastic zombies. I got on the train again, this time to Gisborne, West of Melbourne where the five of us travelled, the following day in two cars. Fortunately I was able to lay down with my legs up for almost the whole journey.

I brought my Snookum Ookum guard of the Trans-Slovanian Federation, whilst Paul brought his Rustoc (his name for Crussia) Cossacks and David brought a few hundred of his new Fritzerland army. The rest of th figures were provided by Bob.

Below: Bob Bolton's shed. Even the ceiling is chocka block with stuff.

 

Below: Bob's Bretonnians (Redians)

 

 

Be;ow: David's Fritzerland troops

 

Below: More Bretonnian (Redian) troops.

Below: My Snookum Ookum Guard commanded by Colonel Charbens, support the diplomatic mission of King Slobbo, ruler of the Trans-Slavanian Federation. Countess Alexi has even been sent to win over the tribes. In his greed, KIng Slobbo has stipulated that the Bobistanis make some ample contributions from their diamond mines in return for military assistance,

 Below: An assembled army for the ACW game, which involved about 2000 figures

                                                   Below: Bobistan reception committee 

                           Below: Bobistan irregular cavalry rush to intercept the invaders.

          The Bobistan baggage train attempts to leave the city but is stopped by the invaders.

 Below: My favourite shop in all the world - Military Hobbies at Hindmarsh, Adelaide. Andrew stands behind the counter and looks happy; it could be because I just spent $400 on Games Workshop second hand assembled kits and toy soldiers. His shop stocks a wide range of military and SF items, both new and second hand.

                                                           Below: The Bobistan war board.

 Below: Allied Bretonnian and Fritz cavalry columns arrogantly ride into Bobistan.

 Below: One of two Bobistan field pieces prepare to intercept the invading forces as scattered tribesmen try to stem the tide with their sniping.

 Below: Contessa Alexi and General Vladock are on a mission to cement an alliance between Trans-Slavania and Bobistan. The tribal leaders cheer when they talk of expelling the Bretonnian (Redian) and Fritzerlamd forces. However, such is the force of the invasion that it is soon apparent that the meagre forces offered to help the Bobistanis will be insufficient to support the scattered tribal forces. Despite her reputation for bravery the countess has already implemented her escape plan. .o make things wirse, news has arrived of the death by cannon blast of one of the princes. Abdul Paulommad. Jamul, his borther is devastated.

                                                             Below: Paul's  Rustock cossacks

                     Below: My Snookum Ookum guard from the Trans-Slovanian Federation

                                                   Below: Bob's Bretonnian cavalry

                                                   Below: David's Fritzerland troops

 

Bob set up a game, the Bretonnian (Redian) and Fritzerland invasion of Bobistan with three players a side. Two Afghan leaders, who were brothers were at either end of the board. One of these princes had to get his baggage train to the other. The invaders cavalry was successfully stemmed by tribal cavalry at this end but such was the invader's strength that no forces could leave the city.

 

At the other end of the field tribal forces attempted to stem the invaders but were destroyed piecemeal. However, the Bretonnian cavalry failed to capture the prince. They had found a wooden bridge too perilous to attempt a crossing with the cavalry.

Pan-Slovanian and Rustok (Crussian) forces were too little and too late to help. The Snookum ookum Guard confidently charged Bretonnian infantry, only to more than meet their match. Bretonnian cavalry had even dismounted and taken position in the foothills to add their firing to that of the infantry.

 The Contessa spurns General Drakos's offer of marriage. 'Besides this is not the time for your idle infatuations and your mother and father were dirty goat farmers.'
This may seem harsh gentle reader but what you may not know is that the smitten general has been imposing on the usually good natured countess for the past several weeks of the diplomatic mission. He has even threatened to blackmail her by exposing her family's supposed vampire past. This had no effect at all except to anger the countess. (As a practical joker she had even encouraged the rumour that she lusted after blood, appearing in the shadows of her castle at night with red dye dripping from her mouth. Although.. perhaps it was not red dye and the family 'traditions' are real. Whatever the case, they certainly kept the serfs in line but did not deter General Drakos from his obsession.

                                                          Crussian forces arrive too late.

                                                             Below: Steve's collection

                                                        Steve's Frankonian nation

                               The commanders wind down after some gruelling wargaming.

                                         More shots of Steve's figures

                                          Bob poses next to Steve's large scale working tank

                                          The ACW game with 2000 figures. My camera battery went flat so there are not many pics. After many hours of massive slaughter the game was declared a draw.

                                                           On the way home