Camp Cromwell's Invasion of Canberra

The campaign started with a visit to the War Museum - mainly to purve on the airplanes.

 



Team Cromwell for Bolt Action (Gandalf & Gimli ?)

 

The Bolt Action corner of Cancon.



 

The first 2 days were a 5 round 1000pts infantry competition with 24 players.  Armies used in order of popularity: US, German, British, Soviet & 1 each of Hungarian, Japanese & Australian.   The terrain was a bit disappointing compared to the beautiful stuff we had last year, but 12 tables would stretch anyone's collection a long way.  Like last year the games were played in good spirit & we enjoyed the experience & had some great games.  Draws were very common, though far from boring - I thought one of my draws was the most exciting game I played.  The winner was the only player with 4 wins, second had 3, then there was pile of 2 wins & 3 draws.  Our Chris with his Soviets came in 4th with that score.   My Panzer Grenadiers were way back in the pack with 1 win, 2 draws & 2 losses. 

 

Day 3 was 1500 pts Tank War over 3 rounds.  There was a much smaller field with many players only having 2 day leave passes or doing something completely different like Saga on day 3.  This time it was my Panzers (mainly Mk IV's) doing well with 3 wins but I came 2nd on a countback to the Panzer force with mainly MkIII's.  The Tiger based Panzers came 3rd.  Chris couldn't manage a win this time.

 

The best bit of my tank war day: My Panzergrenadiers have cut their way through the soviet infantry with assault rifles & taken out 2 Soviet tanks with panzerfausts.  They subsequently got the truck as well.

 

Meanwhile spread out over 3 vast halls a horde of nerds player a vast variety of mostly weird games.  But there were also some interesting demo games.  And of course much shopping.

 



The top hall (the air conditioned one where we were this time).

 

The bottom (sweaty) hall.

 

Ligny in 6mm

 



Air War off the floor.

 

 Seven Years War siege in 15mm.

 

Seven Years War Black Powder in 28mm

Big Chain of Command
 

Chris & I were kindly put up for the duration by Steve Daniels - and of course too much wargaming is never enough - so we fought a couple of battles at Steve's in the evenings.

After beer & pizza on Saturaday night: Hail Caesar with 28mm.  Jim & Chris' Romans are about to steamroll Steve's Gauls.

 

On the last night we introduced the Canberrans to Hail Whoever Napoleonics.  (Dale Daniels joined in to a degree from Switzerland via skype on the Ipad in the corner).   Jim's Austrians are on the right.  Greg's French have marched on from the left.  His cavalry division has charged the Austrian cavalry on the far flank.  He is setting up a grand battery on the hill behind the cavalry.  His 4 infantry divisions are mostly still marching into position, one has deployed in the large ploughed area to face off the Austrian left wing cavalry. 

 

In the cavalry fight, French quantity beat Austrian quality. Then with the right flank exposed and a massive battery about to open up on their right, the Austrians decided they had to counterattack the French centre.  The attack failed while n the right the French cavalry forced Austrian foot into square to be destroyed by the guns.  The French infantry finished them off.  A masterful display of grand tactics by Greg Blake.