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Post by zuludon on Mar 14, 2021 20:42:46 GMT
Cross posted in pmcd-mobilisatie.blogspot.com/. After a hiatus of half a year, we had our first club meeting, outdoors, wearing masks, yesterday. I had prepared my Alamo model, whose large size, I figured would encourage social distancing. The rules I used, called "Come and Take It" were originally published in the Courier Magazine Vol. IX, No.5. The rules heavily favor the Texian defenders. The Texians have 10 cannon and their riflemen hit on a 4-6 on a D6, so the Mexican columns have to brave a firestorm before getting to the walls. Once at the walls, the defenders continue to have a big advantage, as only one Mexican figure can climb a ladder and melee at a time. The Mexicans come in 3 waves, casualties recycled, and, realistically, the Texian firepower is reduced each wave. Still, you have to be something of a masochist to play the Mexicans, although you get the satisfaction of killing all the defenders in the end. Yesterday's game played typically and the four Mexican players took their loses in good stride. The Mexicans soon discovered that the corners of the fort were the most vulnerable and that's where they concentrated their attacks. But it was the west wall that saw the final Mexican breakthrough that spelled the end of the defense.         |
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Post by spiritofethandune on Mar 14, 2021 22:03:30 GMT
Very impressive-I like it!
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Post by gonefishing on Mar 14, 2021 22:37:08 GMT
Jaw-dropping work, Nick. It all sounds like tremendous fun!
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Post by aducknamedjoe on Mar 15, 2021 3:13:09 GMT
Gorgeous! And those BMC figures even paint up pretty nice.
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Post by 79thpa on Mar 15, 2021 15:22:18 GMT
How did you manage musket and cannon fire before the troops ended up on the same table?
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Post by zuludon on Mar 15, 2021 18:17:07 GMT
Lots of BMC figures. To get to 350 Mexicans, I had to cut corners somewhere.  Nick |
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Post by zuludon on Mar 17, 2021 21:23:55 GMT
79thPA, The Mexican columns each started 30 inches from their respective walls. We set up four tables and set the columns the accumulated distance from the walls. Each column rolled 3 D6 for movement per turn and we moved them that distance off board until they could reach the wall. Of course, they took casualties each turn and we removed them from the rear of the column, even though that wasn't accurate. Some columns were completely blown away before they reached the wall.
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Post by zuludon on Mar 17, 2021 21:29:55 GMT
I hope you don't mind me posting a few more photos from the game. My friend took these with his proper digital camera and he was able to get closer to the action than I was with my phone camera. |
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Post by gonefishing on Mar 19, 2021 18:59:15 GMT
Nick, whilst the first set of photos was pretty marvelous these definitely raise things a few notches; much clearer and a much better showcase of your beautiful collection. An Alamo-themed game (along with a good baker's dozen other conflicts) has always been on my shortlist to at least dream about - something about the personalities, the uniforms, the setting (I have a deep and abiding love for Texas) and the sheer drama of it all makes it immensely appealing. I have a copy of "Come and Take It!" and they look like they'd be heaps of fun.*
Inspirational work, and many thanks again for sharing.
Daryl
* Though the best title still goes to "Houston, We Have a Problem."
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Post by twogunbob on Mar 19, 2021 23:41:24 GMT
Have to agree that it’s a gorgeous set up and I envy that Alamo set up. I was close to pulling the trigger on an unpainted set for 28mm but the owner was a little too proud of his profit margin. The pictures look amazing and I am NOT going to do anything related to Texas even though I live here. That is to say I am going to remain focused on the French & Indian War project.
My main question is, is it fun? I mean the outnumbered force in a wargame it would seem to be a foregone conclusion as to the outcome.
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Post by zuludon on Mar 20, 2021 15:16:00 GMT
twogunbob, thanks for your kind words. Even after I explained, before the game, that the game strongly favors the Texians, the four Mexican players were excited to play and kept up their high spirits until they were able to breach the walls on the third and final wave. The game was more stressful for the three Texian players, but, by the third wave, they seemed to enjoy the inevitable outcome and sold their little figures' lives dearly. It's probably a sign of immaturity on my part, but I am attracted to gaming last stands. So far I've run Isandlwana, Camerone, Maiwand, the Fetterman Battle, and the Little Bighorn at our big local conventions. With the right victory conditions, usually having to cause the same or more historic percentage of casualties on the attackers, players on both sides seem to enjoy themselves right up to the end of the game. Several players said that my 54mm Little Bighorn game was the best game they had played.
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Post by rossmac on Mar 20, 2021 15:48:53 GMT
Looks fantastic. I've played in 2 Alamo games at conventions, (once on each coast) both great looking but 25mm and NOT as great looking as this.
Played Mexican both times by choice. You don't expect to win but the first time out, by a combination of a good plan, some good luck (Davy Crocket heaving a keg of powder over the rampart only to fail the easy roll, have it bounce back and explode and then proceeding to fail every saving roll!) and a very badly timed Texan mistake (moving most of the defenders from a wall section not under attack to reinforce a hard pressed part of wall - just before the second, purposefully delayed column came on as ordered, exactly where they had left a skeleton defense!) , we managed to take it on the first assault. It was a good start to a good weekend!
Ross
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Post by gonefishing on Mar 20, 2021 18:46:17 GMT
That's an excellent point about last stands. Though it takes a certain kind of player, if the will and enthusiasm are there they tend to make some of the best games, full of drama, heroics and nailbiting action. In the end it's all about dying gloriously!
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ulzana
Lance Corporal
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Post by ulzana on Aug 6, 2023 8:45:00 GMT
I have been collecting Mexican and alamo defenders 54mm/60mm figures for over 50 years and have a massive collection of nearly 1500 BMC KING AND country figures plus lots of scratch built conversions plus over 250 defenders of various types. My mexican figures include 200 plus well painted cavalry——-some conversions and i have many old adobes/churches etc to put up San Antonio next to the Alamo fortifications ————will put some pics up sometime if anyone is interested? Plus Captain don’t know where you are but if ever you would like to hook up one weekend i am sure we could do something very interesting.
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ulzana
Lance Corporal
Posts: 15
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Post by ulzana on Aug 6, 2023 15:06:19 GMT
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