My Salute Loot! - Salute 2012

Just a quick post today, I thought I'd share my Salute Loot, (the title was pinched from BigLee's blog).
As you can tell by the pic, most of my money was spent on the Gripping Beast stand, I finally bought the Saga ruleset and two packs of dice, the Normans and Anglo-Saxons, unfortunately they'd sold out of the Viking set, so I'll make my own, hence the blank dice. I also bought the new Muskets and Tomahawks set of rules, which flicking through are remarkably similar to the set I've been writing myself!! Lastly I bought a pack of LBMS shields for the Gripping Beast plastic Vikings I bought at Cavalier in February.

Away from the Beast I picked up my order from Essex Minis, several packs of NYW 15mm figures to add to my ever expanding army, after examination I found they'd given me two packs I hadn't ordered instead of the ones I wanted, it was an easy mistake, not sure if it was mine or Essex's, but a quick phone call sorted the problem out, and a couple of days later I had the packs I wanted.

I also picked up two books from Osprey I'd been after for a while, even better I got one, Tomahawk and Musket for a fiver!!!

My last purchase were two sets the rulers and counters for Saga sold by Warbases, just gotta read the rules now!!!!

Lastly I met Honoury Reject Seb and he handed me my prize "Starlingrad" by Antony Beever,  that I won from his online competition a couple of weeks ago, so that's another book I've got to add to my reading pile, cheers for the prize Seb!!!!

Bloggers of the World unite at Salute 2012

Myself and Dave D from One Man and his Brushes

An open invite to all and any bloggers went out by blogpost from myself, Fran and BigLee, the week before Salute. I must say I was very pleased and  impressed with the turnout. I'd like to thank you all for coming over and having a chat with the Rejects and bloggers. We'll definitely do it again next year!!!

The Posties Rejects T-shirts went down a storm as well, many a time I saw people staring at the logo, sometimes they spoke to me "Are you the Ray from Don't throw a 1?", to which I'd proudly answer, Yes! But most of the time they'd stare and walk straight off, probably  thinking, "Whose that prat in the crap t-shirt!!"  I even got recognised by one of the guys on the Gripping Beast stand!!! 

Oh the fame!!!!!!

BigLee, Emilio  Benito from Gaming with TooFatLardies and Fran

BigLee, Benito and a blurry Mike Whitaker from Trouble at T'Mill

Fran won a book in a competition from the Wargaming Girl, Tamsin

Michael Awdry from 28mm Victorian Warfare, his pal Bob, The Provost Marshal
and Dave D.

Tamsin from Wargaming Girl, then over her left shoulder is Andy from The Hanger Bay
Honoury Reject Mike from MiniStories, Evil Reject Gamesmaster Postie and a
 not so blurred Mike Whitaker

On the right is Curt from Analouge Hobbies and behind him is Dallas's foot, 

Dallas being from Fawsett Avenue Conscripts, sorry Dallas that's the only pic I got of you?

Tomsche and his Pickachu hat from Societa di archeologia e cimeli, Tomsche is a bad,
 bad boy, just ask him about his girlfriend!! 

I Finally met the Godlike Barry Hilton of The League of Augsberg and BLB2 fame and,  for some reason Barry thought I didn't look much like my blog avatar, ( Can't think why???)

Myself and Martin from Warbases, a top quality product! 
Postie even managed to get their artwork in the photo!!

I also met and spoke to Al from The Wargames Shed
Michael from Dalauppror
Jay from The Raptors Nest, Didn't actually speak to Jay or his wife, I turned around and they'd gone! But they both had a good chat with Fran.
Monty and his pal from Monty's War Gaming
Andy from The Lair of the Breviks
Seb from Back to the Minis
and
Simon from Iron Mitten
If I've missed anyone out please accept my apologies!

Cheers
Ray

The Battle of Salutesville Or The Battle of the Bloggers

As our WWII game at Salute was cancelled the Rejects decided to host a game for Curt and Dallas, who were coming over to the UK from Canada on holiday. Things went a little tits up, firstly Dallas had to pull out of the game, then Reject Richard pulled out, the day before Salute, so panic ensued and two replacements were pulled in from cyberspace, Seb and the only Wargaming girl I've ever met Tamsin were both drafted in for the game.

So the scene was set Sunday morning, Reject HQ....The Battle of Salutesville
Everyone picked their command from the hat,
The Union
CnC in the centre - Curt
Left wing - Seb
Right Wing - Ray (Me)
The Confederates
CnC Right Centre - Tamsin
Right Wing - Jack
Left Centre - BigLee
Left Wing - Fran Fran's already put up a post about the game.

There were only 4 turns played but what a four turns they were, we managed a measly 44 melee's!!!!

 Postie used the whole table 14x6
On the left Curt and Seb.
On the right BigLee, Tamsin and Jack ,I think Fran was stirring the pasta!

Evil Gamesmaster Postie

We all threw a random dice, to see how far we set up, this was the result.

The Union centre

I moved up to take the centre hill, while Curt moved his entire line forward, on the left you can just see Seb's troops trying, I said trying to cross the river, it was a bit deeper than we all thought!

The Union right flank, the plan was to hold Fran's troops on the right and attack that nice gap.

Tamsin threw a 6 for re-inforcements so the Rebs got there reserves on straight away, where I here 
you ask, right in the gap I was going to attack..........Damn it!

The Union centre still looks pretty good.

I moved onto the right hill, 3 Union brigades v 5 Confederates, don't think I like the odds, but I'm waiting for our re-enforcements that will be coming down the road.

Its all happening left centre, the first of a massive 44 melees during the game.

Come on Seb, hurry up!!!

A close up of the first melee.

And there's the result, Tamsin gets pushed back, he he!!

These two units had a titanic tussle, the whole of the game, charging and recharging each other several times over. 

The result of the melee, the Confederates pushed back once again, the game was certainly going our way early on.

Tamsin reformed her units into supported line while BigLee charged Curt's troops.

The centre, the hill proved a big problem for BigLee's troops.

Bad news for BigLee's unit, they go worn.

The Union get pushed back.

Fran charges uphill.

I charge downhill.

More charges in the centre.

Jack wonders why there are no Space Marines on the board.

Seb's taking a picture, while Curt ponders the power of the Paparazzi.

Curt placed his artillery on the hill hoping for some flanking fire.

Hoorah! The Union get some of their re-enforcements, two units of cavalry and a horse battery,
hopefully these should cause Fran a problem.

The flank looks very tempting??? Mwah ha ha!

On our left flank, Jack dismounted his cavalry, and shot at Seb's troops.

Another dismounted unit, moved over the bridge, but were charged  in the flank. 
Bad die by Seb and they were pushed back.

After giving Fran a damn good thrashing, I charged downhill and sent one unit running for the hills,
then followed up and hit another unit, this unit ran off as well.

And just to prove it!

But it left me in a precarious position.

Seb finally made it over the river, with one unit.

What a mess!!!!

The centre looks very precarious, for both sides??

The hard slog for the hill continues,  one of Curt's artillery batteries gets silenced and a new marker
made for us especially by Warbases gets used.

Fran's re-enforcements advance but are  halted by a small unit in the woods,
which I later found out to be  Green!

An Overview of the Battle

In the left centre the Confederates Tamsin and BigLee keep on pressing forward the attack.

Bad news for the Union, Curt's unit loses the melee and becomes Spent (red marker)

More bad news for the Union, another unit of Curt's troops lose a melee and are forced back 12 inches.

Then BigLee, broke another one of Posties tapes, that's two tapes in two games, of
course he will deny all knowledge and blame Fran.

BigLee is forced back by my tenacious defence!!

The Union seem to be collecting far too many yellow markers, which means the unit is worn and
 no longer fresh, which in these rules is very very bad news!!!

4:15 and Seb had to make a move home, Tamsin presented him with a prize that he'd one in
a competition on her blog, a copy of Mash, the Movie.

Then Postie presented Seb with his Honoury Reject Trophy.

The Union move forward to assault Fran.

Fran's moved my troops for me last turn and neglected (cheated), to refuse their left flank, which
opened up a flank charge for him, the cheatin' Fecker!!!

I charged once again on the hill, while my worn unit and artillery try and form a defensive line.

Tamsin charged two units onto Curt's poor lonely brigade. What a bully!!

Another Overview.

BigLee  can taste blood and victory, he charges and demolishes Curt's spent unit!!!
It dispersed and fled from the field of Battle.

I still there, even though I'm now worn as well.

Fran's re-enforcements advanceing.

My cavalry take the hill and press on.

Oops!!! Out of ammo, disordered and worn. Its not looking good.....is it?

Fran's cheating didn't pay off as I beat him in the melee and push him back!

At this point after a brief conflab, Curt and myself threw in the towel. Postie tallied up the victory points which gave the dirty Rebs a 19 point to 13 point victory. BigLee was the happiest he's had a few defeats recently, so he bragged like 5 year old all about his win.

Curt with his Honoury Reject Trophy.

Tamsin with her Honoury Reject Trophy.

Back Row: BigLee, Fran, Tamsin, Ray and Curt
Front Row: Jack, Postie and Seb