Tag Archives: military-history

Black Powder Napoleonic Game – October 2025 Mockern 16 October 1813

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So 12 months ago we first played this scenario from the ‘Lets Fight Leipzig!’ book. As I had a home alone weekend I decided to have a Saturday game in the home Garage, rather than transport everything to the Club(last year when we played game at the club, we were banished to the bar area… inadequate space and lessened game fun factor!).

Game was played on a 15 x 6 foot table. We again used the newly printed 20mm scale buildings Alan is printing for me(some now painted!).

The French could deploy up to 6inches in front of Mocken and extend from the River Ekster to the bridge over the stream. The Prussians may deploy between the villages of Wahren and Lindenthal. Mockern was a 3 module village, the others were 1 module.

The Victory Conditions are the Prussians gain a decisive victory if they capture the whole of Mockern, and road junction A. They gain a tactical victory if they capture Mockern alone. The French gain a tactical victory if they hold A and at least one module in Mockern or a decisive victory if they hold the entire village.

Set up was:

Prussians – Goldie took 2 brigades and deployed around Wahren and across to Mockern. The 1st Brigade was in reserve. Alan took the cavalry reserve, 12 pdr battery and 2 Brigades and deployed in the centre.. Steve took the Advance Guard and deployed around Lindentahl.

French – Rob took the 20th Div, 25th light cavalry brigade plus 12pdr battery and deployed in and around Mockern. I took the 21st and 22nd Div’s plus 5th light cavalry brigade and deployed to Rob’s right.

Prussians have turn 1. Steve’s brigade order left his landwehr behind and as crossing the stream would have disordered his cavalry, they moved across and behind the infantry.

Goldie headed for Mockern.

On the right Prussians advance to towards objective A.

A flank was exposed when Prussian cavalry miss understood request to support flank of the infantry. I tried to get 1 Hussar into the flank, then a 2nd into the front, but 2nd only moved 1 move. Was not expecting the flank attack only to work, low odds. But Steve really helped me out….I won the combat…the infantry retired only…I carried on into another unit…won they combat as well…but they passed morale and 1 retired.

Which left me facing the Prussian reserve cavalry. Oh well, I got one glorious charge in! They were charged, got beaten up….retired….got beaten up….retired….I then initiative moved them off the table..shaken/disordered and flank on to Prussians…a target ready for destruction…and tests for the troops around them…so…they REALLY HAD TO GET OFF TABLE!

I think this inspired Alan as he now charged the 12pdr battery……and some infantry charging French line beside them as well.

Steve’s steady advance into my flank continues.

The 12pdr is destroyed… the the infantry charge eventually defeats the French line who retire…the Prussians then retire.

And its lunch time…..so we had a civilized meal upstairs!

Back to the game. I found a church I liked and Alan has printed 2 of these. The second has a destroyed tower. There is also a multi part windmill that will look awesome! Goldie has concentrated his attack to his right and not attacked Mockern it self. It is helped however by Steimetz’s refusal to move!

Here is that attack…it was aided by Rob having one of those days we all have from time to time…you can’t roll a decent dice at any time!

Over other flank and Steve is sending cavalry in to force me into square and then getting infantry up to attack next turn.

Rob’s flank is collapsing. The cavalry was used to keep the Prussian in square.

I decided to try and blunt Steve’s progress…first the flank Hussars charged and forced a column into square….then I charged the Grenadiers and moved up a flanking line in support. In a dumb dumb moment didn’t move them quite far enough and didn’t cover their flank properly. I actually beat the Grenadiers….but they stayed. LOL

Rob has moved his 2nd Cav regt over to help keeping Prussians at bay. In the background you can see Steinmetz is still not moving!

Bit of a mess. Steve has charged the square….Steve moved skirmishing Fusiliers up on 1 flank. Alans’s Pointy stick cavalry have charged in the flank of the combat, this is after Dragoons charged the line to the left of the picture and forced them into square….so they didn’t get to shoot the cavalry as they charged in. Steve then moved up a horse battery to close range of the square. This is when Steve and Alan had the bad dice……they did only 1 casualty on me…I passed morale…cavalry then bounced…..funny!

Back up Mockern way…..for several turns I had been shifting my bttns to the left and away from the right flank…..this allowed me to replace Robs front line, push a unit into the 3rd Mockern module and have a reserve which I threw into 2 disordered shaken Prussian bttns in line. The gap is where 1 was, sadly the supporting units didn’t care. My 2nd charge got disordered going in and fluffed its attacks and the combat is going on.

End game. Steinmetz has still not moved, Goldies force is not strong enough to take Mockern.

Facing Mockern are a mix of Goldie and Alan forces… ..but they and French now have multiple units with casualties on them.

Ha……I threw a legere unit across table and picked on a Dragoon unit that has 2 casualties in it…hoping to max casualties and take it out. caused 1 more so only shaken..

Steve and Alan close on on my blocking force.

Alan has troops facing the ridge but it has mainly been a shooting standoff. Looks pretty thought.

View from Junction A which the Prussians hold.

So that was that, a decisive French victory…in so far as we held Mockern. Robs Division was 1 unit away from collapse……but even then his units would not have to leave Mockern. French plan was to wait for Prussian advance then relocate units to the ridge beside Mockern…and it worked…so a good day at the office for Rob and I! Lots of what ifs…..maybe if Steinmetz had moved…..or Steve has managed to get his troops to move faster…or……and that is the fun of playing these well balanced scenarios……

Now the Whisky of Week is rather special.

Last week with my neighbor I had the privilege of attending a 20th Anniversary tasting for the Kilchoman Distillery from Islay. This was hosted by Whisky Galore in Christchurch and we had the pleasure of the evening being present by Catherine MacMillan from the Distillery.

6 wonderful drams were enjoyed, along with an entertaining tales on the history of the Distillery, and life on Islay.

Now, I only have one Kilchoman in my collection which is the PX Sherry cask. Shortly Whisky Galore will have a limited number of the Anniversary tasting for sale and as we were at the tasting, we have first dibs!!

A review I found said:

Nose: Dried fruit, earthy smoke, orange peel, dark chocolate, and hazelnut.

Palate: Salted caramel, marmalade, sultanas, cinnamon, and coffee.

Finish: Long, sweet, and rich.

Steve joined me in sipping this delightful drop during the game and I believe he left a happy man.

Until next time.. Terry out.

May 2025 – Black Powder Epic Napoleonic Game # Game 1

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Bit of a backlog on game reports…so will start today ……winter storm outside!

So yesterday we had an Epic Nappy game in the Garage. We had planned on playing at the Warlords Club, but on checking Friday they were having an ‘Open Weekend’ and had 40 players already booked for Saturday so no guarantee of space to play if we turned up…so the Garage it was(the Domestic Service also provided an outstanding feast for us.. thanks Anita!)

Sadly Robert called in sick, so its was Alan, Steve & and moi. Alan ended up being Austrians and Steve and I were French.

We used 3 of the Borodino 28mm gaming boards. Alan has printed not only his armies, but now village bases and building which fitted into the building spaces on the boards. With his tariff free Temu’ish trees from China we thought the boards looked damned good! So terrain is 12 foot x 6 foot.

I took the French left flank with the French foot and battery I have painted(I am soooo slow).

Steve had the right with Alans French(all printed)

Austrian right.

Austrian left.

Looking down the line of the Austrians. The deep river we rated a a full move to cross rather than the standard 6 inches. Artillery could only cross the river/streams on the bridges, The large wood that was hiding the ‘Grand Redoubt’ was impassable. Otherwise, standard terrain rules applied.

View down the French line.

The French left. After watching a few painting videos on Epics, and seeing Alans colour scheme I went for 3 colour schemes different to his. My Legere are quite a vibrant blue, Speed Paint ‘Royal Robes’ and not greatcoated. My Ligne are either greatcoats using Speed paints ‘Sand Golem’ and ‘Tyrian Navy’ or the same coat colour’s as the Legere, but white trousers. Makes it easier to identify them on the table.

A brigade of Alans printed Austrians. Look great.

And we are off…turn 1 on French left.

Turn 1 on French right …… Steve is sending his cavalry division around the wood.

First blood…..French Horse artillery on the Austrian Dragoons.

Alan pours troops down his centre road!

Steve launches his cavalry against the Austrian cavalry that had managed to turn to face his impending attack. Odds are in Alans favour, the combat on the right has a large Austrian Hussar unit v standard Chasseurs while on the left….. we Frenchies had not seen the wee pointed sticks being carried…..so an even fight turned into the Austrian Uhlans having quite the advantage, 1 extra attack dice, and the French a -1 on their saves.

The combats over…….there was sweeping advances…..shaken units…and when the dust settled… the French Dragoons were looking at a field free of any other cavalry!

Over on the left…the French Cuirassiers had disposed of the Austrian Cuirassiers…horse artillery inflicting wounds followed by combat following turn.

Several turns on and, on the left Alan threw Dragoons into the Horse Artillery…he took a would coming in..passed his break test and destroyed the battery and swept on.

Into the foot column behind. The Dragoons won the combat… the dice gods having deserted the French…a double 1 ensures they popped … and 2 cowardly friends decided to run away with them!

So a strong line was suddenly looking a wee bit… sick(I plugged it with my reserve of 3 Guard foot)

Over on the French right…Steve and Alan had combats going on endlessly. The French line on the left managed to lose 4 or 5 combats in a row…. but the break tests started as 12.. then 11…9…10…each time with a -2 on the roll…so they stayed….meanwhile units around them on both sides were clocking up casualties.

On the left…..I destroyed the Dragoons…and got carried away and decided dice gods must favour me eventually…and swept into the column behind…..9 attacks v 8…both on 3+ saves…. who was I trying to fool…D3 combat resolution to counter his supports…..nah…didn’t work!

Both sides wearing each other out.

On the right.. Austrian unit has popped.

End of game..on left…..my fantasy end move…planned to put the 3 guard units in line.. battery in middle and shoot up Austrians…then him them when shaken with the Cuirassiers…but neded a couple of turns that were not available!

Because over the other side Steve had thrown everything in…..

Which against the odds…seemed to have gone Alans way!

So that was a great days gaming…..Epic is such fun…its a different game to 28’s and thankfully with Alan spending his retirement generating armies… we are having some decent sized games already.

Whisky of the Week time !!

Recently I sent a few days at the Tourist Mecca that is Queenstown. I have never tried a Macallan 15 so I sampled one. I bought my partner a Macallan 12 a year or 5 back as was the only whisky she liked(her palate is now much more educated)…so was interested to see the difference(they are overpriced bottles frankly).

Toasting notes curtesy of ‘Masters of Malt’.

They also describe it as a ‘Stellar Addition’, but I didn’t quite see it as that.. but then…I am a peasant at heart.

Happy Days.

June 2024 – Franco Prussian 1870 War battle

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I didn’t have a game planned last week but Goldie is away this week so we quickly decided to have a Franco Prussian Bash.

We played down a 6 foot by 10 foot table which I prettied up more than normal. Goldie won roll off for starting sides and who went first.

So Goldie was using Prussian’s with 3 brigades of 4 battalions and a 4 gun massed artillery battery. My French had 3 brigades of 4 battalions. Two of them had an artillery piece each while the 3rd had a Mitrailleuse.

Each game we are ‘tweaking’ the armies slightly as we have more games with them so they ‘feel’ more like we believe they should perform. For this game we tweaked the French rifles to have 3 shots, and reroll 1 miss. This was to reflect the French chassepots rate of fire being higher then the Prussian rifles.

Below first French brigade marches down a road.

Goldie has an infantry brigade and his 4 gun battery deployed. Only 2 of the guns can shoot…they are deployed below a low hill. The ruins in the center are rough ground and like the woods, only infantry can enter it and move at half pace. The hedges and walls give a +1 save from rifle fire when behind them and woods give the standard rules(-1 to hit target in woods and -1 to hit target in woods) The villages are defensive zones that can take one battalion each.

Another French brigade and …it slowly advances to their left.

The forward French brigade…slowly advances….Prussians can be seen.

Goldie has moved a brigade up on his left….French have advanced to a low rise to their front. A dumb thing to do on reflection…my advantage is a longer rifle range…and not being caught in the open…I should have stayed back behind the hedge on other side of the rise!

The Prussian are not only well painted…but in mass look quite imposing.

Goldie moved the 2 guns that could not fire over the rise and deployed….to be greeted by 3 shots from an infantry battalion…along with artillery fire. They popped! Prussian guns are scary…if kept out of the 24 inch range of the French infantry that is.

And then there were 3. It had taken several turns for the right flank Prussian brigade to move forward…here they are advancing through woods. Another brigade can be seen advancing through the ruins.

Prussian center brigade advancing…slowly through the ruins….French behind hedge to their front.

Eventually my left flank brigade made it into the village and then the stone wall to the front. Again…close up shooting against Prussians is not advisable as they get 4 shots a turn and have stamina 4 being larger battalions. What I should have done is let Goldie have the village and sit behind the southern stone wall!

Goldie throws a battalion into the village.

On the other side of the table my attempts to get a 3rd battalion to join the 2 battalions on the low rise was met by 2 turns of blunders.. backwards….. So I was forced to grab the light infantry battalion of 3rd brigade and rush them up to protect right flank.

Massed Prussians look great.

The game was now a shooting one apart from the one combat in the village.

A shaken French unit holding on.

The village is lost. We agreed we need to revisit village combat as Prussians took it to easily as the Black Powder rules are not great to this type of combat. The Prussians had 9 attacks(8 for unit and 1 for commander) v French with…2. They also get to add supports in the combat resolution while French add +3…..normally its okay as most units have 6 attacks…but these big units have 8 and has moved balance. We will think on it!

Aerial view of the village and surrounds. French have 1 unit destroyed, 1 shaken and 2 carrying 2 casualties each….so they are gone burger shortly. The Mitrailleuse wasn’t doing much either!

The other side of table and 3 of the 4 Prussian guns are destroyed……I have a second line but is pretty obvious the French day is done and need to retire.

Far right…holding on……just….

So that was fun. I made more of an effort on the terrain so looked pretty. We need to think about village combat and Goldie needs to keep his guns out of range and I need to not get so close to him before I am shooting!

Til next time, Terry out.