Cog Collective Open & Field of Battle: Italy, 1859

Yesterday saw the Cog Collective Invitational and the accompanying Cog Collective Open at Guardian Games, a pair of Warmachine tournaments. The Invitational was the culmination of a year's worth of tournaments, with the best players in the Portland and Salem metas competing for bragging rights and a Cephalyx army. Congrats to Adam for taking first.

I, on the other hand, played in the Open and came in dead last. But I did have fun. I brought Circle Orboros, pairing Krueger 2 and Kaya 2.

Round 1: Krueger 2 vs. Siege Brisbane. Lost on assassination after a failed assassination run.
Round 2: Krueger 2 vs. Haley 2. Lost on assassination after a failed assassination run.
Round 3: Kaya 2 vs. Kromac 2. Lost on assassination after a failed assassination run.

You may notice a trend... Ah, well. To be fair, my dice did kind of fail me on round 2, but I didn't play terribly well, either. At this point, I think I'll just finish painting my Circle force in time for the Ticket Takedown in December, and then flip back to Skorne for 2016. I'm looking forward to messing around with the new Skorne Active Duty Roster - Hexeris 2, Morghoul 1, Makeda 3, and Zaal 2. (I'm also probably going to swap out Kaya 2 for Morvahna 2 so I can have some sweet, sweet dice-fixing in Circle.)

After the Open, I sat in on Victor's Piquet Field of Battle game, taking on the left flank of the Imperial Army in the 1859 Italian War of Independence.

Austrian center, as seen from the left, at deployment

Italian cavalry threatening the Austrian center

Austrian and Italian centers move into rifle range

It's a fun system, and Victor's 10mm Pendraken figures are almost enough to sell me on the scale. Unfortunately, I didn't get to do much due to the vagaries of Piquet and and the need for an early departure. I think Piquet - Field of Battle specifically - is better suited for one-on-one games instead of team games, just due to speed of play and the likelihood that one flank (i.e., mine) may end up rolling rather badly for activation and thus not do anything for two hours. C'est la guerre.

Battle Report: His Majesty's Army vs. Some Damned Rebellious Colonials

I recently had a chance to participate in a game of Field of Battle 2 run by Victor at Guardian Games. (Also in attendance: Kevin, Andy, Dave, and Peter.) This was my second experience with a Piquet-based game, my first being at Enfilade 2014.

Victor presented us with a pretty straightforward scenario: The Continental army (under Andy & Dave) had seized a ridgeline overlooking a road. Our British army, commanded by an aristocratic poltroon (and under myself and Kevin), had chosen to press on without waiting for reinforcements to oust the rebel from this advantageous position.

The British mustered three command groups, each comprised of four regiments, with a small artillery battery. The Americans were likewise. However, the British were blessed with more consistently trained and disciplined troops, while having to deal with the aforementioned poltroon as their commander in chief; the Americans appeared to have the reverse situation.

As the battle played out, the guns on either side did little work; the British marched up, clashed with the rebels; and in the end, American morale broke first, and the British took the ridge.

Preparing for the game

British left and center, deployed, with the guns safely nestled in the woods.

American right, with a regiment held back in reserve.

The American center, anchored by a pair of guns.

British right at deployment.

The British left forming up neatly at the base of the ridge prior to the charge.

The British right slowly advances toward the American positions.

Results of the first clash on the British left; two regiments in rout, more entering the fray.

Action on the hill.

British left flank, Americans moving in to push them back.

Rather blurry photo of the British right flank.

Hessians fire at point blank range at the Americans, supported by the 64th foot (soon to be outflanked by rebels).

Overview of the British left flank late in the day. Three British regiments are in rout and one is out of command, but an American Regiment has been destroyed and two others are in rout.

British assault forces the rebels back, for the moment.

British assault forces the rebels back, for the moment.

British 64th Foot, outflanked by American rebels.

British guns firing from a forest.

On the whole, a very enjoyable game. Thanks to Victor for putting this on! Piquet played more smoothly than I expected, and I'll probably pick up a copy...