AMSTERDAM 6SHOOTERS WARGAME CLUB

HAVOC 2026, Part 3: Punic Wars with To the Strongest!

Gepost op 22 april 2026 door JurjenB in Internetblog

Saturday night at HAVOC I was scheduled to run my Battle of Geronium scenario from the Punic Wars using Simon Miller’s To the Strongest! rules. Here’s the game set up in my basement (one of the last on the OLD table).

The scenario is an interesting one; Fabius Maximus has been avoiding combat with Hannibal, which is strategically prudent given the string of defeats Hannibal has inflicted upon the Legions of Rome. However the Republic is becoming frustrated by the ese “Fabian” tactics, and elect the hot headed Marcus Mincinius Rufus to co-command of the army. Hannibal lays a trap for the Romans. A seemingly isolated detachment is dangled in front of Minicinius’ forces as bait; he takes it and attacks with his half of the army. However, Hannibal has the bulk of his army nearby, and once the bait is taken, his remaining forces march to reinforce that command. Meanwhile, Hannibal has also set an ambush on the Roman left flank, concealed in a deep gully. Fabius half of the army watches events unfold from a nearby mountain top (the action thus sometimes being referred to as The Battle of the Clouds), and when Mincinius forces start to falter, Fabius and his troop rush their aid, averting a complete disaster for Rome.

Fabius and his men atop the mountains.

Rome to the left, Carthage to the right

Battle of Geronium, Summer of 217 BC HAVOC, March 2026

CARTHAGE

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
C	Commander in Chief – Hannibal Barca
C	General, Mtd Senior, Detached, Brilliant	2+	Replay, Mv 3	11	3

Moves 3 boxes, can replay up to 1 card per turn, can influence units up to 3 boxes away. If attempted prior to his move, must move to join that unit if the attempt is successful. Can activate any unit or Command.

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
1	Far Left Flank Cavalry
1	General, Mounted, Detached Heroic – Himilco	3+	Replay	6	2
1	Spanish Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	9	2
1	Spanish Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	9	2
1	Numidian Light Cavalry, Javelin, Veteran	6+	3	6	1
1	Numidian Light Cavalry, Javelin, Veteran	6+	3	6	1
1	TOTAL			36	8

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
2	Left Flank Cavalry
2	General, Mounted, Detached Heroic – Hamilcar	3+	Replay	6	2
2	Libyan/Phoenician Cavalry, Javelin, Veteran	6+	3	11	2
2	Libyan/Phoenician Cavalry, Javelin, Veteran	6+	3	11	2
2	TOTAL			28	6

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
3	Infantry Group A Left
3	General, attached – Hano	2+	Replay	4	2
3	Libyan Spearmen, Deep, Veteran	6+		13	3
3	Libyan Spearmen, Deep, Veteran	6+		13	3
3	Balearic Slingers, Lt Inf, Sling, Veteran	7+	3	5	1
3	Balearic Slingers, Lt Inf, Sling, Veteran	7+	3	5	1
3	African Javelinmen, Lt Inf, Javelin	7+	2	4	1
3	African Javelinmen, Lt Inf, Javelin	7+	2	4	1
3	TOTAL			48	12

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
4	Infantry Group B – Center “Bait”
4	General, detached, Mago	2+	Replay	5	2
4	Gallic Warriors – Deep, Veteran	6+	Hero	14	3
4	Gallic Warriors – Deep	7+	Hero	11	3
4	Gallic Warriors – Deep	7+	Hero	11	3
4	Gallic Warriors – Deep	7+	Hero	11	3
4	Javelinmen	7+	2	4	1
4	TOTAL			56	15

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
5	Infantry Group C – Right Center
5	General, attached – Gisgo	2+	Replay	4	2
5	Libyan Spearmen, Deep, Veteran	6+		13	3
5	Libyan Spearmen, Deep, Veteran	6+		13	3
5	Balearic Slingers, Lt Inf, Sling, Veteran	7+	3	5	1
5	Balearic Slingers, Lt Inf, Sling, Veteran	7+	3	5	1
5	African Javelinmen, Lt Inf, Javelin	7+	2	4	1
5	African Javelinmen, Lt Inf, Javelin	7+	2	4	1
5	Camp			1	3
	TOTAL			49	15

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
6	Right Flank Cavalry – Hasdrubal Barca
6	General, Mounted, Detached, Heroic	3+	Replay	6	2
6	Libyan/Phoenician Cavalry, Javelin, Veteran	6+	3	11	2
6	Libyan/Phoenician Cavalry, Javelin, Veteran	6+	3	11	2
	TOTAL			28	6

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
7	Far Right Flank Cavalry – Bolmicar
7	General, Mounted, Detached, Heroic	3+	Replay	6	2
7	Gallic Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	9	2
7	Gallic Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	9	2
7	Numidian Light Cavalry, Javelin, Veteran	6+	3	6	1
7	Numidian Light Cavalry, Javelin, Veteran	6+	3	6	1
	TOTAL			36	8

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
8	Infantry Group D – “Ambush”
8	General, detached, Heroic – Maharbal	3+	Replay	5	2
8	Spanish Scutarii, Javelin, Veteran	6+	2 + pila	9	2
8	Spanish Scutarii, Javelin, Veteran	6+	2 + pila	9	2
8	Spanish Scutarii, Javelin, Veteran	6+	2 + pila	9	2
8	Spanish Javelinmen, Lt Inf, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
8	Spanish Javelinmen, Lt Inf, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
8	Spanish Javelinmen, Lt Inf, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
	TOTAL			44	11

84 total = 29 VM 336 pts total

Battle of Geronium

POLYBIAN ROMANS

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
1	Left Flank Cavalry – Tiberius Flavius Valens
1	General, Mtd, Detached, Heroic	3+	Replay	6	2
1	Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	9	2
1	Light Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	5	1
1	Light Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	5	1
	TOTAL			25	6

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
2	Legio I et II – Left Flank Infantry
2	General, Detached, Gnaeus Servilius Geminus	2+	Replay	5	2
2	Quincunx, Deep Legio I	7/6+	Pila, exchng	14	3
2	Quincunx, Deep Legio II	7/6+	Pila, exchng	14	3
2	Velites – Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
2	Velites – Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
2	Velites – Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
2	Slingers – Light Infantry, sling	8+	2	4	1
2	Cretan Archers – LI Bow, veteran	7+	3	5	1
2	Camp			1	3
2	TOTAL			55	16

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
3	Legio III et IV – Center
3	General, Detached Lucius Aemelius Paulus	2+	Replay	5	2
3	Quincunx Legio III	7/6+	Pila, exchng	14	3
3	Quincunx Legio IV	7/6+	Pila, exchng	14	3
3	Velites – Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
3	Velites – Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
3	Velites – Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
3	Velites – Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
3	Ballistarii – Artillery	7+	6	7	1
	TOTAL			56	13

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
4	Legio IX et X – Right Flank Infantry
4	General, Detached Sempronius Longus	2+	Replay	5	2
4	Quincunx Lgio IX	7/6+	Pila, exchng	14	2
4	Quincunx Legio X	7/6+	Pila, exchng	14	2
4	Velites – Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
4	Velites – Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
4	Velites – Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
4	Slingers – Light Infantry, sling	8+	2	4	1
4	Cretan Archers – LI Bow, veteran	7+	3	5	1
	TOTAL			54	11

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
5	Right Flank Cavalry – Marcus Atilius Regulus
5	General, Mtd, Detached, Heroic	3+	Replay	6	2
5	Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	9	2
5	Light Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	5	1
5	TOTAL			20	4

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
6	Legio V, VI Mountaintop Left
6	General,, Detached Quintius Fabius Maximus	2+	Replay	5	2
6	Quincunx,Deep Legio V	7/6+	Pila, exchng	14	3
6	Quincunx, Deep Legio VI	7/6+	Pila, exchng	14	3
6	Velites – Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
6	Velites – Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
	TOTAL			41	10

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
7	Legio VII, VIII – Mountaintop Right
7	General, Detached Publius Babullius Rufus	2+	Replay	5	2
7	Quincunx Legio VII	7/6+	Pila, exchng	14	3
7	Quincunx Legio VIII	7/6+	Pila, exchng	14	3
7	Velites – Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
7	Velites – Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
	TOTAL			41	19

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
8	Sinister Mountain Cavalry
8	Genl, Mtd, Det, Heroic – Sextus Rutilius Fuscus	3+	Replay	6	2
8	Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	9	2
8	Light Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	5	1
	TOTAL			20	4

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
9	Dexter Mountain Cavalry Gaius Terrentus Varro
9	General, Mtd, Detached, Heroic	3+	Replay	6	2
9	Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	9	2
9	Light Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	5	1
9	Light Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	5	1
	TOTAL			25	6

80 = 26 VM 337 points

Gauls acting as “bait”

Note the gully to the far Left…

For the HAVOC game, we only had 3 out of 8 players. There’s Dave to the left and Devin to the right.

Dave recruited a third player and I became the fourth. With only half the players, I removed the Bait, Fabius’ men, and the Ambush. That made the game playable in the time allowed, but removed the twists that made the scenario more interesting.

Devin and I had the Romans, and of course attacked at the earliest opportunity!

In these Punic Was battles, even without any “Punic Faith” on Hannibal’s side, most often the superior Carthaginian cavalry overwhelms their Latin opponents, and then turns upon the flanks of the Roman infantry.

Not so this time!

The Romans won a lot more than their fair share of the Cavalry battles, and it was the Carthaginians looking out for their flanks. The Roman Quincunx formations actually managed to do well in combat for a change as w2ell, resulting in victory for Mincinius… SPQR! We all had a lot of fun with this game, which moved along very nicely and finished in about 3 hours. I do love To the Strongest!, and even more for convention games!

Sherburne’s Additional Continental Regiment… and Meig’s raid on Long Island

Gepost op 19 april 2026 door JurjenB in Internetblog

“Additional Continental Regiments” were those paid (theoretically, at least) by the Continental Congress, but outside of the quotas it had assigned to each of the individual colonies.

This regiment was raised in January of 177 by Henry Sherburne, primarily from recruits in eastern Connecticut and Rhode Island.

On May 25, 177, one company of the Regiment took part in the audacious raid (known as Meig’s Raid, or the Battle of Sag Harbor) on eastern Long Island, returning after destroying forage and capturing 90 prisoners. The men crossed from Guilford, CT to Sag Harbor in whaleboats, accompanied by 2 schooners. Having grown up living on, swimming in, and also sailing on Long Island Sound in Greenwich, CT, let me tell you that there is no way I would want to row across it in ay kind of boat. It is a very large body of water, quite deep, and the waves can very from fairly calm to not so much! The raid was lead by Colonel Return Jonathan Meigs. For a fascinating account of the action, both written and audio, as well as how someone got the name “Return Jonathan”, see episode 139 of the American Revolution Podcast blog.

The regiment saw action during the New York and New Jersey campaign of 1776 -1777, and the Philadelphia Campaign of 177 – 1778, including wintering at Valley Forge. It took part in the battles of Staten Island (1777) and Rhode Island (1778).

In 1778, the regiment was well documented to be wearing brown coats (quite possibly captured British coats died brown) with yellow facings and North American made green serge vests and breeches.

I have given the regiment the Fort Mercer lag, with no historical justification at all, because it’s an interesting early variation on the eventual US flag, and the fighting at Fort Mercer at least was part of one of the campaigns of the regiment. The flag itself was generated from internet images.

I believe this is a Don Troiani painting of a soldier from Sherburne’s regiment

This image is from Charles Lefferts book on uniforms of the American Revolution.

3rd New York State Regiment

Gepost op 16 april 2026 door JurjenB in Internetblog

This regiment of New York State Line was first raised in August 1775, Ulster, Dutchess, Orange, and Suffolk counties for 5 months service during the invasion of Canada. 1776.

It was re-raised again between February and May of 1776 in and around Albany. Lt. Colonel Frederick von Weissenfels became the commander of the 3rd New York at the Battle of White Plains on October 28, 1776. The 3rd New York was part Alexander McDougal’s brigade defending Chatterton Hill..

The regiment was raised for the third time in December, 1776 under the command of Peter Gansevoort. The regiment saw action in the invasion of Canada, the Upstate New York Campaign, and at Fort Stanwix. It was relieved from Fort Stanwix in November, 1778 and took part in the SDullivan Expedition.During the winter of 1779 – 1780 it encamped with the New York Brigade at Morristown, New Jersey, where it took part in a raid on Staten Island. The regiment was merged into the 1st New York Regiment on January 1, 1781.

These are Brigade Games figures once again. The flag is a generic design by Adolfo Ramos.

The blue coats with green facings are a bit unusual, and then there’s the Fifer in trendy reversed colors!

Overall, the various iterations of the Regiment saw action over 6 years time.

HAVOC 2026, Part 2: The Battle of White Plains, with Rebels and Patriots rules

Gepost op 13 april 2026 door JurjenB in Internetblog

I ran my BattLe of White Plains scenario at HAVOC on Saturday We had a full complement of 8 players, which was a big help.

Lots of looking at the summary sheet. Several months before the game, I had really distilled the rules into a much better summary sheet (there seem to be relatively few rules authors who have a clear idea what belongs on these!). Due to the flooding the weekend before, what I did NOT have time to do was to read through the rules again before the game, and list the characteristics of the various units on each players command list. With players varying from pretty experienced with he rules, to experienced with the Daniel Mersey “rampant” stable of rules, to no experience, that slowed down the start of the game and caused some confusion all around. I apologize for that, not what you want for a big convention game.

In the end, the players graciously took that in stride until we all caught on.

The attack of the British on Charleton Hill, soon to be supported by the Hessians.

The Patriots defensive line proved to be pretty tough to crack; I probably gave the rebellious scum too much artillery and rated them too generously. Never the less, Sir Steve’s redoubtable battalion of British Grenadiers breaks through near the village of White Plains itself.

Patriots move to counter the assault upon Charleton Hill.

British Grenadiers break through and strike again! Ouch!

Overall, I was very happy with the look of the game, less so with the undesirable rules confusion. I think the (modified) R&P rules are workable. I liked the (still in evolution) Light Bobs rules that we played for Concord Bridge better, all things considered, but those rules might be challenging to use for a large game. Mark and I hope to play another game with R&P in the next few months to solidify our understanding of the mechanics. I plan to run the Battle of Brandywine Creek, 1777 at Historicon in July, but that will be with the Field of Battle 3rd edition rules.

Hessian Leib Musketeer Regiment

Gepost op 9 april 2026 door JurjenB in Internetblog

This rather flashy regiment was raised in 1700.

It has yellow collars, cuffs, lapels, waistcoats, and breeches.

It fought st the battles of White Plains, Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth Courthouse, Connecticut Farms, and Springfield.

This regimental flag is by Adolfo Ramos. Other sources show it as being purple and white.

Drummers had purple facings, and white lace with a purple stripe. The drum hoops were purple and white.

The regimental colonel was (officially) none other than Landgraf Friedrich II himself; in 1783 it passed to his son, Erbprinz Wilhelm, and became known as the Erbprinz regiment.

Overall, a most striking unit!