Sunday, December 8, 2013

Hail Caesar Baltic Crusade AAR



A few weeks ago I, Jonas and some of our mates at the club run a Blatic Crusade game using the Hail Caesar rules here follows a short AAR.

First we have the OOB´s for the two forces, The Early Russians and the Swedish Crusaders.



Background
Early spring 1240, the Bishop of Åbo, Thoms have urged his Suomi followers to gather the taxes from the newly convert Tavastians to there support they have some Swedish Crusaders under command of the to be Earl Birger as there have been rumours that the Tavastians still pay tribute to the Novgorodian Princes and the Karelian tribes...

As the Suomi tribesmen approaches a Tavastian settlement they can see the pagan Karelians also are here to collect the tribute...

The Karelian sledges are tryint to eascap with the collected tribute as the Karelian Warriors are moving to welcome their Suomi foes...

At the same time there appereas some Swedish ships...

Far away they can also see some Swedish Crusader knights approach in support of the Suomis...

Every one thought they now wold flee in the face of the supperior power...but they stayed and continued to scream insults to the Suomis and their Swedish allies...

The ships moved very slow in the cold and icy spring sea... 

The Suomi warrior and the Swedish Knights had almost reached the Karelinas when a large host of Novgorodian infantry appeared from behind the village...

With the Novgorodians approaching the Karelian launched a fiersome attack against the Suomi warriors...just to find out that the Suomis was toughter when expected... 

The Karelian unit that charged the Suomi skirmishers ofcourse won their fight but the other Karelina unit was puched back against the willage...

As the Suomis seemed to handle the Karelians by them self the Swedish Crusader Knights shifted target and started to move in high speed against the approaching Novgorodian infantry...

As lightning the Novgorodian spring their ambush, the Novgorodian Heavy Cavalry that had been hiding in the forest on the Crusaders left made a charge in the back of the Crusader Knights...

To support their Knights the Swedish ships started to unload some of the Ledung infatry...

A fierce fight in the center...

The Suomis did manage to win over their nemesis the karelians but was very damaged so when the Novgorodian skirmishers started to shower them with arrows they started to rum for home...

The Crusader knight was had pressed by the Novgorodians...

The Novgorodian infantry lined up to fight it out with the landing Ledung infantry as their Cavalry gave the Crusader Knights a hard time...

The Swedish Crusader Knights was eventual wear down by the Novgorodians and puched out in the sea, last to flee down in the cold whater was the Swedish Commander Birger Magnusson, that luckely managed to save himself to the Bishop of Åbos ship...

As the Swedish Crusaders and their Suomi subjects had lost 2/3 of their battles theyr had to retreat and leave the Tavastians to be taxed by the Novgorodians and Karelians this time...

But the Swedish Crusader under command of Birger Magnusson would be back for revenge in a few month at the river Neva...

We had indeed a greate game, the Hail Caesar rules worked very good and we will use them more again, was a quite long time sins last, upcomming will be some Kalmar Union War games using Hail Caesar and of course my newly painted Knechts.

35 comments:

  1. Great AAR.

    Some very nice and atmospheric pictures.

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  2. I really liked this report and loved the ships turning up; something you don't see everyday on the wargames table. And as always great minis.

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    1. Thanks Steve ! Got to use the ships when I got them;)

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  3. That's a beautiful looking table again. Looks like great fun was had by all.

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  4. Thanks for the excellent write-up and for hosting the game Michael!

    It was fun to play my Novgorodian force again – this was only the second time ever, and the first in HC – and of course, to continue my winning streak. ;)

    Things didn't start too well though. Ulf, my opponent, seemed to roll like a god and I like ... well, like crap actually. When the numerically superior Karelians broke in the fight against the Soumi I was literally about to give up the fight.

    But instead I switched to some new dice and could spring my trap. The poor Swedish crusaders once again came up short against the druzhina and that lost them the battle this time.

    Once again, a very fun game of Hail Caesar! The fact that you can play a game to conclusion during a regular club night is a big, big bonus in my book. Also, the rules are fun and give an action-packed game. Although I think the fact that they are generic means there's a risk the games will feel a bit "samey" after a while.

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    1. Appreciate that you participate Jonas and brought your lovely painted novgorodians !

      Was a very nice game and I to realu like that its possible to conclude the game in a couple of hours.

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  5. Very nice report and the table/minis/photos excellent as usual. How would you rate Hail Caesar? I'm an ex-Wab-coholic and looking for new drugs for my Ancients withdrowal syndrome

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    1. Appreciated comment !

      I love Hail Caesar and Black Powder give me fast and good looking games, and are not focused on the army listas and its point calculation. I use the brief point system to see that the forces are mor or less balanced, But most often I dont calculate points at all, as long as I feel that I have balanced the forces and the events during play I thing we will have a good and entertaining game. It was a realy long time sins I played a game of WAB but I suppouse that Clash of Empires and War & Conquest would give you a game more similar to WAB then HC. But my choise would be HC every day;)

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  6. Very interesting and colourful game with plenty of nice mini's on the table

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  7. I love the opening shot with the longships, iceflow and grey sky. That would be enough to make me pack up and run. Great table and writeup, Michael!

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    1. I´m realy glad that you liked the picture Monty, thannks for spelling it out, very appreciated!

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  8. What an awesome looking game. Lots of colour and the table looks cold with the lack of green and the ice floating in the sea.
    Well done.
    cheers

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    1. Thanks !

      Glad that you like the colour contrasts in our game.

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  9. Thanks Andrew ! Indeed it is, like them alot !

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  10. Very interesting game. Your terrain and figures are fantastic. I agree with you, HC is a very good rulebook.

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    1. Thanks Juan !

      Glad that you to like HC, then I can´t be to wrong:)

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  11. Great report and photos Michael!

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  12. Hi Michael,

    great pictures of some very nice miniatures and terrain piece. And a good report as well.

    Thanks
    Stefan

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  13. Good story and a fantastic looking table. Always a pleasure to read your reports.

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  14. I like this! Lovely figures and a rule set I also enjoy. I'm encouraged to try it out with my Early-HRE army. Dean

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  15. You have been fantastic, and the board is very nice!

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