Enfilade 2024 - New Location - Old Friends (And Some New)

Well, just got back from another Enfilade convention. This is my 18th year attending our big annual convention (big for us, anyway). All of the previous ones I went to were held down in Olympia (Washington), and this year was the first time held at a new location. It's now located near the Port of Tacoma at the La Quinta Inn - and actually a closer/faster commute for me. The main hall is about half the size of the one at the old place, but the convention staff worked hard to make it all work out. We had about 350 attendees - some coming from Idaho and California, as well as the loyal crew from British Columbia. There was about 110 games spread over the weekend. I hosted my RJW TMWWBK game in both Friday periods. On Saturday morning, I played in Bruce Meyer's (owner/operator of Company B Miniatures) "Thriller in Tukwila" game - a "what if" scenario of Japanese paratroopers assaulting Boeing Field. Fun game using his homebrew rules. I sat out Saturday afternoon's session, but got into an AK-47 in Africa game that night. It was four of us players in a cutthroat game trying to take over a town. Another fun game and one that I would play again without hesitation. This Sunday morning had me in Kevin Smyth's (A Gamer's Tale blog) "The Wooden Hand of Captain Danjou" game. All in all another great Enfilade and one that was well attended and received - quite an achievement as the new location was only worked out in the last 6 months or so. We will likely be working out new contracts with the hotel for future conventions. The staff really appreciated our stay there and want us back. They were pleasantly surprised at how well-organized we were. Here are some pictures from some of the games over the weekend - including my two RJW games. I should also mention my two game went off very well with the first having a Russian victory and the second one a Japanese victory - an indication that it's a balanced game, maybe?

A couple shots of the RJW game using TMWWBK. The first game had several of our Canadian friends in the game - and most were familiar with the rules as they said they play it often back home.

Both RJW games went for 6 turns. The victory conditions for the IJA was to have a least two units within the first line of trenches and/or one unit within the top trench area. The first game had about four IJA units in the first line and none at the top line. However, as the defending Russians ended the last turn, they were able to destroy all but one of the IJA units. The second game had a sole IJA unit reach the top and survive the game.

The Wooden Hand of Captain Danjou by Kevin Smyth

A miniature representation of the actual wooden hand - the box was made by one of our local games for Kevin. He actually contacted the museum in Corsica where the original is kept to get some specifications of the box. The rep at the museum was very impressed and happy to hear that the legacy of Captain Danjou is being kept alive and honored.

Thriller in Tukwila by Bruce Meyer of Comany B

The AK-47 game - my faction got into the town, but another faction held more of objectives.

A Battletech game run by my buddy's son. He ran it in two periods with great success. Kudos to him.

A nice F&IW game - this year's convention theme was "New World" - so there were quite a few F&IW  games.

Whale Wars - not sure of the rules, but it looked pretty cool - although I don't condone the hunting of whales or other sea mammals.

Gnome Wars.

Not sure of the rules or scenario, but it was a very nice looking game. I think the fortified village in the background was the objective.

Pegasus Bridge game using Chain of Command. I helped playtest this game a few months ago. It was Best of Period on Saturday night.

A Bolt Action Battle of Mahiwa game run by my buddy - the one who's son ran the Battletech game.

Not sure of the rules or scenario, but there were several great looking games with ships. I'm pretty sure it was something to do with the New World theme.

Of course, there were still a few Napoleonic games - can't be a real historical gaming convention without them.

Another nice game with large scale ships.

The German side of the Pegasus Bridge game.

Another shot of the Pegasus Bridge game.

The Battle of Mahiwa game - it had such lovely terrain and figures.

A F&IW game using 40mm Sash and Saber figures. Really impressive. It won Best of Theme for the Saturday night period.

Battle of the Causeway - it won Best of Show. All the terrain and figures were 3D printed by the game master.

The Battle of Mahiwa game using Bolt Action.

Battle of the Causeway - a very impressive game.

Well, time to recuperate from the long weekend - once rested up, plan to start working on getting a Tribal game in using a Heian/Gempei war scenario. Until next time, thanks for visiting and wishing you all the best.

Drumbeat 2024 Gameday

Attended my first Drumbeat gameday in many years. It used to be held up in Seattle at a couple of different places, the last place was being torn down. This year is the first time it was held down in Tacoma (15 minutes away for me), at a nice gaming store called Silver King Games and Hobby. I've been to this location of few times last year for Saga game days, but hadn't been back in a while there too. I hosted my RJW skirmish game in the morning period with 5 players - 3 for the Japanese and 2 for the Russians. In the afternoon period I played in my buddy David's Height of Battle Imjin War naval game. David will likely have his own report of today's gaming on his own "I Live With Cats" blog. There were about 35 folks in attendance - most of whom I've know over the years. In fact, I was honored to have Bruce Meyer of Company B Miniatures in my RJW game in the morning. Without further ado, here are pictures from today.

My RJW game using TMWWBK for rules. The players all said they enjoyed the game - only one player had prior experience playing, but another had the rules and had read through it. The table was a foot short width-wise so the opposing sides started closer and got engagements in sooner. We played for 6 turns with the Japanese winning by making into the first line of trench works. They had taken out one of the Maxim gun teams early in the game with helped their advance.

The usual suspects catching up with each other prior to the first session. The gaming area is the upstairs of a former bank - very plush accomodations.

Kevin Smyth's "Hand of Captain Danjou" game in the first session. I'm sure he'll also have a report on his own blog - "A Gamer's Tale".

A Chain of Command WW2 game, also in the first period.

French and Indian War skirmish game using homebrew rules.

My RJW game nearing the end of Turn 6 with Japanese forces inside the Russian first line of defense.

Wings of War game.

The "Height of Battle" Imjin War naval game in the second period. I ran a squadron of Korean ships and took over another squadron after one of the players had to leave. We called the game after a few turns calling it a close Japanese victory as they had captured a few more ships than the Koreans had. If we continued to play, it could've went either way. I haven't played the rules since running game a couple of years ago at another game day. In fact, David was a player in that game and ended up ordering up the rules and a couple of fleets of ships.

A Battle Tech game run by the son of my buddy James. He's trying to get more experience GMing as he'll be running this game at Enfilade in May.

It was another nice gathering of old friends, and meeting new ones, all the while playing great games. Until next time, wishing you all the best.

Battle of Motien Pass - RJW - TMWWBK Playtest

Just finished up a very nice and successful playtest of an RJW skirmish game using The Men Who Would Be Kings. The rules seemed to work out very well for the scenario - which was based loosely on the the Battle of Motien Pass. A small engagement during the early part of the Russo-Japanese War - a few months after the larger Battle of the Yalu River. The Japanese objective was to storm the  Russians who were in hastily built entrenchments. The Russians were to survive 6 turns with half of their army fir a victory. The Japanese had 15 units at the start of the game and the Russians,  12. At the end of turn 6, the Russians still had 8 of their units, but the Japanese had taken over the first line of trenches. The game was called a close tie. However, if more turns were to have been played, the Japanese would've likely destroyed the remaining Russian units.

The table was set up with two lines of trenches in an oblique facing on the table. The Japanese were allowed to have up to three units occupy the small hamlet with native huts along a stream in the foreground. The Russians were allowed to arrange their units within their defenses prior to the start of the game. All cover and obstacles, including the hastily dug trenches were rated as light cover - increasing hits for casualties by only one more needed. All unit leaders were rated at 6. The Japanese infantry and Russian Cossacks cavalry were given a Discipline of +2, Japanese cavalry +1, and Russian infantry and all crewed weapons having no increase.

It was pointed out after the game that the Japanese should have some of their artillery moved up by around 12" from the table edge at the start of the game. This would allow for their more effective use as crewed weapons only have a movement of 4". As the set up has the Russians in an oblique line, only half of the Japanese guns would need to be moved up.

I ran half of the Japanese force and charged their sole cavalry unit into a Russian infantry unit in light cover. This was more to do with fleshing out the HTH rules more than common sense. They ended up being killed off in a later turn.

Japanese were unlucky in failing to activate a lot of their units in a couple of turns. However, the Russians had decided to vacate the first line of trenches early in the game, so balanced their lack of movement a bit.

One of the Russian players distracted by an enemy Poodle agent.

One of two Cossack mounted units - late in the game the Cossack units used their Skirmish rule and got some shots off at the enemy.

All in all a very successful playtest with only the more forward placement of some Japaneses artillery at the start of the game was felt needed to balance the game better. I really like how the rules played out - especially the way shooting and combat uses a D6 per figure - unlike the usual 6 or 12 for half or full strenght units in the Rampant family of rules. The tests for Pinning and Rallying also seemed to flow smoothly too.  Thanks again for checking out the blog and wishing you the best.

RJW Skirmish Game Set-Up

It's been awhile since posing an actual gaming post - and this one is just the set-up for a game this Friday. The scenario is loosely based on the Battle of Motein Pass in the early part of the Russo-Japanese War. Plan to try out (for the first time) The Men Who Would Be Kings for rules. In the past I had planned to use Bolt Action for RJW skirmish, but figured more of the local gamers might be more interested since a lot of them dislike Bolt Action.

That's an actual IJA cap from the period - it was graciously given to me by a local gamer many years ago. He has a large collection of authentic military gear. The cap is very old (over a 100 years) and fragile, and normally kept in a bin with packs of silica gell to help preserve it.

Edit: Reconfigured the table to give the Russians two rows of trenches - one elevated. They are slightly outnumbered in infantry, but have two mounted Cossack units to only one mounted unit for the IJA.

The game will be a playtest for hosting it at a game day later this month. Only using a 6X5' table area as the venue for the game day will have similar sized tables.

IJA center with the sole cavalry unit. Artillery and machine guns are interspesed between infantry units. Players will be able to rearrange their units at the start of the game.

IJA right with Imperial Guard units.

IJA left with line units.

Russian center with two Cossack cavalry units. Again, players will be able rearrange placement of their units before the start of the game.

Russians behind their trenches.

Well, so much for now. Hopefully the rules work okay. A few folks who've played the rules say they work best for European/Colonial troops against natives best. A full report will follow, in any case. Thanks for stopping by and apologies for not visiting your blogs for the last week or so. I was entertaining an old Army buddy who I hadn't seen in 40 years. He and I were both at Fort Ord in the early 1980's, then we both went to Jump School and ended up at Fort Bragg. I left for Korea and he went into Special Forces. He was an SF Medic and spent most of his time in Central and South America in the 1980's and 90's. He had a lot of very interesting stories. He got out an became an orthopedic surgeon - so very proud of him.