Doubling Up


Shedquarters goes from strength to strength, this Monday hosting its first double header. As promised in the previous post we had some classic "AK47 Republic" action, and with four of us in attendance we ran two games side by side.

Such an event was not without its teething problems, especially as I haven’t solved the “Where to put coffee cups” problem for the far end of the table. As I indicated in my previous posting this was a bit of a walk down memory lane for us. The “Brixcon” AK47 day in the village hall ran for 6 years and most of the Monday Night Regulars played on most occasions. It was one of the milestones of the year for me, and our local players usually put in a good effort with their imaginatively put together armies. Particularly for Phil & Chris, who are our more ambitious modellers. As they opened up their boxes of toys last night there was a lot of mulling over conversion triumphs and unfinished work. Phil’s motorcycle cavalry looked really good, and are still a work in progress, cut off I fear by the termination of Brixcon.
 
For last night’s game Ian, with a Religious Army, took on Chris K, also with a Religious Army. This is a high stakes gambler’s army, with everything bet on getting a good turnout from the political chart. Both Ian & Chris did pretty well, and Chris turned out to be the attacker by 2 points. The starting forces were 3 for the attacker and 2 for the defender and after a bit of familiarisation with the rules they set to it.
 
The outcome was a decisive win for Chris. Two main reasons for this, I think. Firstly Chris is quite a good player and soon recalled all the nuances of the system. Ian is a part timer at best. Secondly Ian didn’t get any reinforcements on, so his box of tanks, professional technicals and upgraded infantry bristling with heavy weapons never made it on to the table. In the end Chris overwhelmed him.
 
Phil had his super-power backed “PAN-african Treaty Organisation” (PANTO - geddit??) army against my colonial Swamibians. Phil had a bad start to the evening, knocking a box of figures over and then knocking another box off the corner of the board whilst he tried to sort out what unit was in what box. Like Chris he’d brought along an army list last used in 2008, and in deference to my known antipathy to too many helicopters, was pulling out his one list without them.
 
I defended and got on a couple of enhanced Professional infantry units, and set up defending the two villages. Phil had a fairly chunky militia unit with armoured car support, a regular infantry unit and his C-in-C with two AA mounted vehicles, an APCs and an Armoured Car.
 
He gamely attacked me and as is the way of these things my professionals blazed away ineffectually and one of them failed the obligatory morale test by rolling a one.
 
Phil eventually ran out winner, again for two reasons. Firstly I made a serious tactical blunder. I should have just sat in the village template, but recalling that professionals are lethal in close assault I stormed out of the village to see off the militia infantry unit. The unit concerned on my side then proceeded to fire blanks for the rest of the game, inflicting minimal damage on their opponent, before succumbing to massed small arms fire.
 
The other professional unit held on, whilst both sides poured on reinforcements, with both of us getting all of the toys on in the end. It then fell to two further “1” morale rolls, the last in the final turn, presenting Phil with a whole host of victory points and denying me a victory objective. All of which meant that Phil won by a big margin.
 
On balance the luck pretty much always evens out in AK47, but some sixes are more important than others. Especially when rolled for militia unit morale tests.

I was so into what was going on that I only took a few snaps on my smart phone, which are given below.

I think we should try to do this again, especially now everyone is a bit more warmed up on the rules. Phil expressed an interest in trying to do a multi-player game, so that might be an interesting idea for the next week two.


Chris points gleefully at his first double 6 of the evening

The struggle around the station gets intense

One of Chris's Centurions, with his "extra movement" marker

One of Phil's Armoured Car conversions

Comments

  1. Thanks for putting the game on Graham.

    The blue tool box hasn't had an outing for some time.
    In fairness to Ian, If he had rolled his usual crop of sixes for reinforcements, I would have been stuffed.

    Regards, Chris.

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    1. Ian can be occasionally devoid of tactical insights if that part of his game lets him down...

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  2. I use a set of those folding "TV Trays" to solve the "coffee cup problem".

    (I actually found some wooden ones, which are nice and sturdy).


    -- Jeff

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    Replies
    1. That might be a good idea. I was thinking of putting some mini-sheves with a single bracket along the walls, as I've just cleared a load out of my father's garage!

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  3. Very balanced and generous report, Treb ... given I was grumpy at a bad start but ended up winning (easily as much by luck as any judgement).

    To me, AK is a bit like DBA ... you really want a series of quick games so that the luck evens out. You will always roll many more than 3 '1's in an evening but if fortune makes those rolls morale tests on your best unit, it will go home. Sometimes after only a brief visit to the table.

    Great game irrespective ... and I am in the classic (not reloaded) camp. Then again, I like helicopters ...

    Phil

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    Replies
    1. I can't complain about the professionals running off. My biggest ever AK victory at Brixcon was against Nathan the Toxic Pixie (a margin of over 90 points IIRC) and it was triggered by a professional rout in turn two.

      And I like helicopters too. Honest. Just not complete armeis of them.

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    2. Only one thing to do then ... start my Chopper-wocca-list now!

      Choppas are rubbish anyway, everyone cowered in fear at my widely publicised Anti-aircraft Mortar unit. They are a very African thing to have though; preferrably badly maintained with the doors taken off.

      Regards, Chris

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