tisdag 7 april 2015

By fire and sword Championship 2015 - the report

I started my Warsaw trip by going by train to Kastrup airport in the morning on Friday, on the train I meet up with Robin and his friend Martin. Without any problems we arrived at Warsaw airport where we got picked up by Jakub (Kuba), a Wargamer employee that were kind enough to meet up with all of the foreign players and give them a ride to their hotels. On the way to our hotel we picked up Anders that arrived the day before. After check-in at the hotel we went and spend some hours at the Polish war museum looking at weapons and armor through the ages.

After some dinner in the evening I went to the Hotel for some much needed sleep. In the morning we
meet up  in the lobby and shared a taxi to the venue, which was located in The Museum of the Palace at Wilanów. We were not playing in the palace, but in a building next to it.

At arrival we got our tournament package, which included a special edition model and ducats (Wargamers own currency, that can be used to buy limited edition stuff). The gaming hall was one big stone building, not ideal for a large group of gamers. To add to the volume, there was lectures during the day that used a speakers!

Teh tournament began with a list over who should fight who, the problem with that particular for us foreign players that real didn't know that many of the players. It was kind of hard to find your opponent of the 66 players, as we where not assigned to a specific table. But the organizers helped us to find our opponent so we could start playing.

Game one - Attack on the village

Against: Skoczek FSP: 5 Rec:2
I used my second list: FSP: 11 Rec: 28
Skozek had a quite small list (not small enough to count as a small force though) and hardly any reconnaissance, so lots of things that was affecting our game. Both my commanders got 'Cowardly commander', one of my boyar sons was 'Delayed', he had two 'Reinforcements' and his commander had a 'Good day'.

With my difference in reconnaissance I choose: 'Delayed', 'Cut of the retreat' (which would proven useless as Skozek had two reinforcements) and 'Flank march'.

The mission we played was 'Attack on the village', I used my field dragoons to get in to the village and fight for it, while my cavalry tried to threaten my opponents troops as they moved towards the village. The later didn't work that well mostly because a cannon decimated  my cavalry so that I had to withdraw. Skozek secured two buildings and I one. I hadn't really gotten my head around the scoring yet, but I was told I lost a 0-7 in small points, which was a strategic defeat (one big point for me) .




Game two - Patrol

Against: Pug FSP: 12 Rec:21 (Polish force)
I used my second list: FSP: 11 Rec: 28
As we were almost equal in points we got to play the 'Patrol' scenario. As we were almost equal in both Force and reconnaissance there were not that many additional effects. So a straight up fight between two equal forces, I thought I at least had some control of the game until I was reminded of one of the rules that I dont like in BFaS, 'Open order', and this Polish force had alot of it! Suddenly the Polish force was charging in directions I had not anticipated  and my sluggish cavalry had really no chance to counter this charges. I got four scenarios points and one point from acceptable losses, while Pug got six and three points. So I lost a tactical defeat so two points for me.





Game three - Capture the crossing

Against: Pancer 23 FSP: ? Rec:? (Polish force)
I used my third list: FSP: 8 Rec: 20
This turned out to be my weirdest BFaS games ever, as my opponent didn't know any English at all. To make matters worse he didn't have the standard order markers, instead he had home made once with Polish text so I had no idea what orders he had. Quite early on I gave up on having a proper game as it was evident that my opponent didn't know the rules very well, I failed to make him understand that we should roll for additional effect and reconnaissance. I am not even sure what the final score was... But I did loose, if i calculate my total aganst my other games, I think I lost this as a Strategic loss. One big point for me.


Game four - Attack on the village

Against: Plusman FSP: 10 Rec: 8 (Swedish force)
I used my second list: FSP: 11 Rec: 28
Another attack on the village and this was by first my most rewarding game of the whole tournament, and not entirely because i managed to win it. In this game we both took the time to play the game and discuss the rules and situations in the game. I used my advantage in reconnaissance to bring as much of my dragoons close to the village. I also tried something that I have noticed some of my earlier opponents used, they but their second commander with a cavalry unit and use the to try and get around the enemy army to attack them in the side or back. As we only managed to play three turns they only got in to position to threaten my opponent and at the end of turn three I controlled two of three buildings in the village, so six scenario points to me and I had only minor loses (as my opponent). So nine small points against three, which gave me a tactical victory. Four big points!


Game five - Capture the crossing

Against: Tomek FSP: 11 Rec: 15 (Polish force)
I used my second list: FSP: 11 Rec: 28
Another strange battle as we fought for control of the two crossings over the river. I uses 'Forced march' to get to the crossings first and take control over them. Tomek played cooler so I took control of both crossings and held them until the last turn. Most of the battle we only traded fire over the river, and firearms from this time period being not very effective it didn't do much. All the time I feared that Tomek would commit his winged hussars, so I but my best cavalry on the river bank where they have the advantage of defending against cavalry in water. This didn't help as the winged hussars charge in the last turn and pushing away my Boyar sons. I controlled the bridge, while the Polish troops held the ford and had troops on my side of the river. So three points each in scenario, and we both had lost minor loses. So six small points against six. A draw and three big points to both.



My result was a total of 12 big points, which earned me a 53 placement of 66 players.

What did I think about the tournament?

+ Wargamer was very welcoming, Jakub that picked us up at the airport and all of the friendly staff at the tournament,
+ Players, most were very easy to talk to, and the once that that didn't speak that good English could easily get help from players on the next table to translate.

- Time limit, this was really what sunk this tournament for me. I went to the championship to learn the game, but in two hours there is no time to discuss the rules. And with all the new effects in the Deluge book there is quite a lot to consider before you can start playing.
- Space, it was a bit crowded for me, nowhere to place your army and gaming stuff.

As a whole it was a great event, the commitment from Wargamer made it better than the other events I´ve been too. They really made us foreigners feel welcome!

Top three (in the middle)
First day in Warsaw



Hind

Sturmovik


Tomb of the Unknown soldier
Our hotel 

The gaming area

Rest of the gaming hall

First price

Weapons

More weapons

Armour

"Santa is that you?"
Almost all participants










2 kommentarer:

  1. Bra rapport! Vad spelade första killen för något där han bara fick ett par p recon?

    Hade varit underbart att få sitta brevid och se på när man spelar ett spel där man inte kan prata med varandra och både är osäkra på reglerna :P

    SvaraRadera
    Svar
    1. Han spelade någon av de nya listorna från Deluge.

      Radera