Portland Little Wars: Ambuscade 2018

The third annual AMBUSCADE! one-day historical miniature war-gaming event was another success! Despite some scheduling and rescheduling challenges (a snowstorm pushed the date from December to April), many great-looking games were run by our talented GMs and played by our wonderful players! Thanks once again to Hugh of Stonehouse Miniatures for donating terrain prizes to the best-looking tables of each Session. Thank you all who donated towards the rental fee – we received more than enough and the excess will be paid forward into next year's event! Some pics below...

FINAL SCHEDULE:

SESSION 1 (11:00 a.m.)

TABLE A: Spanish-Aztec War. 28mm figures. FUBAR rules. 6 players. Preferred player skill level: Any. (Hugh S.)
TABLE B: Tank Collision at Prokhorovka. In this one day battle during the Kursk campaign, on the eastern front of WWII, nearly 1,000 German and Soviet tanks smashed into each other in a massive armored battle. Will the Germans punch through to their objective towards Kursk? Can the Soviets stop them? 15mm figures. Flames of War 4th edition rules. Up to 6 players. Preferred player skill level: Beginner/some experience. (James B.)
TABLE C: Napoleonic Battle 1809. A small engagement between isolated corps in 1809. Each player will command a division. French their allies vs. Austrians and their allies. 15mm figures. Napoleon's Battles rules. 6-8 players. Preferred player skill level: Beginner/some experience. (Dave S.)
TABLE D: The Crossover. Your league is aboard the new zeppelin Schadelbrecher when a bomb threat draws you and others into a game of cat and mouse. Where is the bomb? Who planted it? Tune in for the answers! 28mm figures. Pulp Alley rules. Up to 5 players. Preferred player skill level: Any. (Neil M.)
TABLE E: Napoleon's Last Gamble. A clash between French and Anglo-Allied armies in the 100 Days Campaign. 25mm figures. Black Powder 2 rules. Up to 6 players. Preferred player skill level: Any. (Pete F.)

SESSION 2 (3:00 p.m.)

TABLE A: Steampunk Aztecs. 28mm figures. In Her Majesty's Name rules. 6 players. Preferred player skill level: Any. (Hugh S.)
TABLE B: Winter War – Finland vs. Soviets. The Raate Road, 1939, Soviets stalled and stuck – can the Soviets get out of there, or are the Finns going to cut them up to the last invader!? 28mm figures. One Hour Wargame rules. 4 players. Preferred player skill level: medium skill. (Gabe M.)
TABLE C: Isola della Scala (1512). In February 1512, 22-year-old French general Gaston de Foix successfully caught a Venetian army encamped at the village of Isola della Scala completely by surprise, attacking them before dawn "by the light which the stars reflected from the snow." 28mm figures. Lion Rampant rules. 6 players. Preferred player skill level: Any (but experience with Lion Rampant or its sibling rules is great!) (Spencer F.)
TABLE D: Limeys & Slimeys. Winner of this game will receive a 36+ gun 25mm-scale ship, partially painted, has masts for sails but no sail material. 15mm figures. Limey & Slimeys rules. Up to 5 players. Preferred player skill level: Any. (Tracy B.)
TABLE E: Viking Raid. Skirmish game for a Viking raid on a Pict town. Variable victory conditions for each player. 25mm figures. Mayhem rules. Up to 8 players. Preferred player skill level: Any. (Tom C.)

SESSION 3 (7:00 p.m.)

TABLE A: On the Planet Tekumel. 28mm figures. FUBAR rules. 6 players. Preferred player skill level: Any. (Hugh S.)
TABLE B: Battle of Kalish (Kalisz) 1813. At the beginning of December 1812, Napoleon had lost his Russian campaign. His army was exhausted and decimated by the General Winter and the ubiquitous Cossacks. The Russian advance was also almost continuous and unstoppable. Scattered French troops and what was left of the Saxon army attempted to stop the Russians at the Polish town of Kalisz, which guarded bridges over the Prosna river. Can you, as the Russian advance guard corps commander, capture the critical bridges over the Prosna? Can you, as the French command of the VII Army Corps, defeat the invading Cossacks? 20mm figures. Shako II rules. 6 players. Preferred player skill level: Any. (Dave B.)
TABLE C: Feast for Crows. Bring your own dark age faction for Saga (2nd edition) for this group co-op game. 28mm figures – you must bring your own faction! Saga 2 rules. Up to 4 players. Preferred player skill level: Experience Saga players with their own miniatures. (Portland Saga Club)