The Standard Bearer

NEWSLETTER OF THE BLACKWOLF WARGAMES CLUB.
NOVEMBER 2007.
EDITOR: Mr Peter Day,Walnut Way, Ickleford.HITCHIN. Herts. SG5 3XZ

Hi all,
Well it's been a busy Autumn so far at the club with a lot happening.
Firstly many thanks to all those that turned up at the Quiz evening. I hope you had a good time and look forward to next years quiz! Paul raised a total of £114 for the Poppy appeal so a big thanks to all those that contributed items for sale and also to those that bought.
Many thanks to Jim and lan for arranging big Sunday games of late and of course thanks to those that turned up to game on those days and also my own big Sunday ECW game and Roman Civil War WAB game.
Also many thanks to John Dixon for helping out at the Letchworth Model Show. If you attended I hope you had an enjoyable day or few hours at the show. Also thanks to all those that helped run/play practice games before hand.
We welcome to the club Simon Thedy who some of you have met over the last few Thursdays. Simons contact phone number is 01462 ######, which can be added to the phone list I provided at the beginning of the year.
Once again I need to know if you are rejoining the club so that I can work out the cost for membership. If you could let me know as soon as possible that would be helpful.
Also I would like to update my phone contact numbers list and also make sure that I have your correct Mobile number for use in emergencies etc.
As Christmas is fast approaching we have organised a club Xmas meal, or I should more correctly say Colin has. The meal will be held at the Millstream pub, Hitchin as in previous years. The date for the diary is Tuesday December 18th. Please see Colin as soon as possible if you would like to come along.
We continue to run the Kit Swop evenings once a month now. The next one is December 15th. Remember the idea behind these is to bring in any odd unwanted items to see if there are any takers at the club before selling them off elsewhere. Remember to price them and put your name on them.
Chris Fitall has managed to procure a number of playing boards for the club. These are propped up behind the 'Lancers' grey storage boxes and spare chairs. These should allow us to have larger table tops without using three tables. Many thanks to Chris for his efforts in obtaining these. I think now we are safe for table tops and playing spaces.
Chris Banks and David Buchanan have delayed the Big Flames of war game for a bit whilst they work round the rules to allow a more playable game. More news as and when I get it and a re-planned date hopefully soon.
Tony May is organising a fan Xmas game to be played out on the December 20th Meeting. This is to be a 'Gladiator' contest with a prize for the best painted figure. Tony has figures available that he would like you to paint up and bring along on the evening. Figures should be based on a 2p coin sized base or similar (please note The Blackwolf Club does not actively encourage defacing the British Coinage!!) Expect lots of cheering, thumb waving and lots of Frankisms! (if you don't know what I'm on about try watching Up Pompeii ). Please see Tony if you haven't got a figure yet and would like to take part.
Talking of the Last meet of the year. So far we have booked the hall up to the 20th December. If you would like to attend on the 27th December please let me know (or better still add your name to the poster on the notice board). If I don't get more than 7 people interested in attending then I personally don't think it worth booking the hall. Let me know if you want to wargame between Xmas and New Year please thanks.
Don't forget we also have two slots left for Big Sunday games if anyone is interested in putting on one before Xmas. The dates are 2nd December and 16th December.
Well that's all for this newsletter, if you could let me know as soon as possible if you are rejoining the merry band of wargamers that would be helpful. I expect next years hall hire to be the same costing and going by the numbers of people we have at the club at present I'd say the cost to each member would be about £45 approx.
Cheers all see you at the club soon.

Magazine Article Summaries

My idea of a wargames publication 'syndicate', has sort of fallen on stoney ground!? Only Colin and Alistair showing any interest. So, how about a cheaper version?
I have taken to scanning interesting articles from magazines, to make it easier to store them. So, I thought 'why not post a short summary on the blog?', then if anyone else is interested, I will happily send them a copy of the article. I hope that if anyone else comes across an article of interest, then they can just send me a short summary, which I will post on the blog, along with the name of the submitter. That way any interested folks can ask them for more information (no full names used).

Phil T

This batch of articles includes;

“Firefight”, Historical Miniature Gamer #7
Simple 6 page set of WW2 skirmish rules. Uses activation chits to control the turn sequence, drawn at random. A typical squad gets 3 chits, whereas a veteran squad may get 4. The chits are drawn to determine the turn sequence, but the drawn chits are kept in view, so you have some idea what may happen next. Each chit allows the player to activate one soldier, or group of soldiers under an NCO. Each activated soldier gets 4 ‘Action Points’ (AP), which are used to complete actions, eg, 2AP for aimed shot, etc. Looks simple, but I like the multi-chit activation idea.

“Quickdraw”, Western Skirmish, Battlegames Issue 9.
Looks like a nice simple set of Western skirmish rules (6 pages). Initiative is controlled by the drawing of playing cards. Each character is allocated 2 cards and the joker causes a reshuffle of the deck. A nice touch is the need for a “guts” test, if a character wants to move toward an enemy, or leave cover, etc. Looks like a nice simple, but sensible set of rules.

“Skulking in the Rear”, Historical Miniature Gamer #7
Simple 2 page skirmish game initiative system, for use in gangster / pulp games, etc. Each ‘team’ / faction, gets 7 cards (ace, 1, 2, 10, jack, queen, king). The ace, 1, 2 allow one character to move (including characters within 2 inches), the jack, queen, king, allow all of a player’s characters to move. The “10” allows civilians to act in the player’s favour. A card can be used to allow a character to take up to two actions, or “hold” one action in order to interrupt another player (but this too can then be interrupted by a held action).
There are also two jokers in the pack, drawing the first is just a warning (or can invoke some pre-planned random event). The second joker ends the turn and the deck is reshuffled. Using cards like this, allows up to 4 factions to play, which is good for gangster, or ‘pulp’ type games.

BATTLE OF GUADELOUPE

The Battle of Guadeloupe was a Napoloenic naval battle fought on 21st October 2007 between the Black Wolf club (British) and the Guildford Wargames club (French) at Hitchin.

8th May, 6pm (3 hours to dusk) - The French
The French Admiral L'Hospitalier Villemadran (Andrew F) is in command of the French Caribbean fleet. He has has been raiding British possessions and is now preparing to join with the Spanish for an invasion of British-held Jamaica. In Fort Royal, Martinique, he has 1x 120 gun, 2x 110 gun and 26x 74/80 gun ships-of-the-line plus 5 frigates.
On May 8, he departed from Martinique with his entire fleet and headed south for a rendezvous at a minor anchorage with 10 Spanish ships-of-line commanded by Admiral Don Louis de Flores and 15,000 troops for the invasion. His priority is the Spanish fleet which, should it be captured by the British, would defeat the invasion.
Nearing the rendezvous, late in the afternoon at 8 knots, his frigates spotted a large fleet. Thinking it to be the Spanish, he approached, only to discover it is the British fleet of about 30 sail, about 15 miles distant to the south west. The wind is brisk, from the north, variable.
Villemadran decided to turn the fleet by Squadrons to the WNW, hoping to draw the British away from the Spaniards.

8th May, 6pm - The British
Admiral James Hargood (Kevin P) is in command of the British Caribbean fleet. The French have been raiding British possessions so his spies and frigates have kept watch on the French fleet. Learning of its departure from Martinique on May 8, he set off in pursuit with 4x 100 gun and 25x 74 gun ships-of-line plus 5 frigates to destroy the French fleet.
Late in the afternoon, his frigates discovered the French fleet about 15 miles distant to the north east. He decided to continue on his current course but slowing to 4 knots.

8th May, 7.30pm
Villemadran now presumed that the British were aware of the Spaniards, so he turned the squadrons to the SSW and increased speed to 8 knots.

Hargood observed these manoeuvres but maintained his slow SE course, waiting for the French to manoeuvre again and unaware of the Spanish presence.

The frigates of both sides were given orders to engage the enemy frigates to hide a manoeuvre both intended to carry out at dusk. Each side had one frigate badly damaged, forcing them to return to port. Under cover of darkness, the French turned SE as the British turned south, both slowing to a few knots so as to maintain formation during the night.

9th May, 6am

The British were surprised to find a large number of Spanish ships at the island, mainly transports. Not yet appreciating their significance, Hargood continued slowly south, awaiting developments and news of the French.

The Spanish were also surprised to see a British fleet a few miles away. All the ships prepared to depart in considerable panic while a frigate reported the British presence to the French.

Villemadran, learning that the Spanish were at the island and that the British were to the SW, immediately reformed his line to the SSW and increased speed to get between the British and the transports.

.

9th May, 7am

The Spanish transports began to leave the anchorage while the Spanish warships made a 'demonstration' towards the rear of the British line.

A confused Villemadran, wondering why the British weren't attacking the transports, turned WSW to support the Spanish attack on the tail of the British line.

Observing the French movements, Hargood turned east and increased speed.

9th May, 7.30am

The battle started with the three French squadrons turning ESE on a converging course with the British line. The Spanish joined the tail of the forming French line.

The first French squadron (Pete D) cuts across the front of the British line.

The lead British squadron (Chris F) has engaged the French van closely (top right). The centre French squadron (Andrew F) is passing in front of the centre British squadron (Kevin P) which has become separated from the van.

The lead squadrons are mauling each other off top left. The centre French squadron has turned round the starboard side of the British centre, meanwhile the rear French squadron (Chris R) engages its port side. The Spanish squadron (Jim C) is about to engage the rear British squadron (Colin B).

1st Nov 2007

Warhammer Ancients

A mixed force of Carthaginian, African and Spanish mercenaries, take on a mixed force of Spanish and African mercenaries!?

Ancient Britains vs Romans

The British chariots try to turn the Roman left flank......

....while the British warbands crawl up the centre.

Flames of War

German armour starts the advance to the British positions.