Tag Archives: wargaming

February 2025 – ACW Game

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Friend Brian who lives a good 3 hour drive away has been adding more units to his ACW armies and requested a game so we had one at the Club for him.

Union players were Brian, Robert and Goldie with the Reb’s being Russ, Mike and I(Dave arrived from up country later in morning for a few hours so gave him command).

Scenario had Confederate cavalry defending a town….a larger Union cavalry force is to attack them and then both sides have an infantry division marching on from each corner. Again, the Union had superior numbers but the counter to that was they were commanded by Slocum, so I gave them a possible movement penalty on the first two turns.

Russ commanded the 2 Confederate cavalry brigades in/around the town along with their light artillery batteries…and a battery of 3 rifled batteries on a hill behind the town. Brian also had 2 larges cavalry brigades, with 1 light battery. Russ and Brian were the Army commanders and they the ability to pinch a brigade of infantry frm their sub commanders it the so desire…they did of course1. View below is South to North.

Turn 1 and Union went first…all except the Cavalry who didn’t move…for 2 turns(Brian has corrected me…was 4 turns)!! There goes the plan of Union charging into the town!

Robert arrived on NW road…he placed his 3 batteries on a low hill on edge of table.

My command opposite Robert a couple of turns in…..joining up with dismounted cavalry… I have 2 brigades to Roberts 3…. but my guns will be going into front lines to maximize hits!

Robert moving up to the still stalled Cavalry regts.

In NE Goldie quickly advanced towards the Town and farmhouse in SE comer. Mike coming on from the SE corner had Goldie in his face before he got ready for him….thankfully Russ used the 3 batteries on the rear hill to bludgeon the advancing Union…… oh…and getting cavalry unit in to the flank was fun……this inflicted casualties and stalled the Union advance.

Mike holding Goldie at bay while his 2nd and 3rd brigades advance onto table behind them.

Woohoo…Brian finally got the Union cavalry to move…..and they charged some dismounted cavalry.

Roberts Union and my Reb’s start their firefight.

Robert has beaten up the dismounted cavalry but got shaken and has retired.

Rush of blood..Robert charged across the road!

Beside the charge…….the Reb artillery firing at close/medium range was doing the damage.

The casualty makers and disorder marker tell the story……a charge on an undamaged unit is…fraught with peril.

Brian is fighting in the town….it had 4 modules and as only thin skinned buildings……attacker has the advantage.

Union cavalry on the charge……buildings are all Alans printing/painting efforts….lovely.

Over in the NE…Goldie has had his high water mark and is getting pushed back.

Robert also is getting pushed back……

Mike’s recalcitrant brigades are now in position and ready to clear Goldie from the table.

And there we called the game…Confederate Victory. Was clubs AGM so we lost some playing time……but enabled us to sit downstairs in bar and chat……had forgotten was AGM…..focused on the game!

Scenario kind of worked…..the Union cavalry not moving for 2 turns really threw it out sadly……I probably overdid the number of Confederate batteries….but Union could have used their batteries better….but everyone seemed to enjoy it…and other club members do seem to like our games.

Bonus for day is one of those attending was selling 20+ lots of figures at great prices. Goldie picked up an Epic ACW army box for NZD$100…, retails here for NZD$190+. I was tempted by several offerings but held off and was staunch until leaving when looked at a Warlord Games Macedonian Pike offering, 48 painted figures(not great paint job) and 24 on sprues. ….this elicited an offer to me I could not refuse! Had a play inking with one figure…..came up okay….so another unit for Pyrrhus is on its way.

Thankfully…Goldie getting the ACW box saved me having to take one for the team and buy it… so StephenC has been painting up an Army Box…Goldie now has one…and we noticed Alan that sneaky chap has been printing and painting some as well……so another favorite period in a different scale beckons!

Until next time…Terry out.

Jan 2025- FrancoPrussian War Game

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Due to bouts of ill health and to much work I have not been able to post for a while…..so a few to catch up with.

This week we played a FPW game. Keith had added 3 more bttns of French and I added a mitrailleuse to the French forces.

We as usual played Black Powder rules with the following period adjustments:

  • Prussian infantry shoot 12 inches and have 4 shoots with stamina 4 with 8 attacks.
  • French infantry shoot 24 inches, have 3 shoots, a first fire bonus and stamina 3 with 6 attacks.
  • French Zouaves/Turco’s reroll misses in first round of any combat
  • All artillery are 2 shoot howitzers. Prussians shoot 60 inches, French 48 inches(all hits -2 on save). Prussian artillery is grouped in combined batteries with a separate commander.
  • Mitrailleuse shoot 24 inches, 2 shoots, any dice 4+ rolls again. Target has -2 save.
  • Any units charging take shooting for each 12 inches of the charge

So for the French side Keith was on the left v Alan, and Me(Terry) on the right v Goldie. Each player had 2 brigades(5 to 7 bttns in each). The Prussians had the advantage in artillery(even when the French used some reserve artillery!)

Below French right where Goldie is sending a brigade down his flank at full speed!

In center more Prussians advance on hamlet, mitrailleuse hiding from artillery behind building.

Keith’s first brigade hiding behind wall…hamlet and small hill. You can see 5 batteries looking at him from Prussian ridgeline(there were 2 more to their left). Alan is rushing a brigade at the hamlet.

Keith’s left flank brigade where another brigade is advancing on the wood and Prussian artillery has his flank bttn well and truly in their sights.

More scenic view of that flank.

Back on French right…a French bttn is moved to block the Prussian flank advance. Disordered and 1 casualty so far.

In center the mitrailleuse has moved to confront the advancing Prussians. They are close enough that the Prussian artillery can no longer target them. You have to hide from them! This piece managed to inflict 2 casualties 3 turns running before being destroyed. They are such fun, in the right place!

On French left and the flank bttn is destroyed….2 Prussian batteries fire 4 shots a turn, hitting on 4s and target can only save on a 6. So any unit in the open is going to quickly be destroyed to average shooting, let alone above average die rolls! Prussians are assaulting the wood…it did not go well for them.

Back on French right and I moved 3 Zouave units to bolster defence ….. plan was to shoot up and then charge in and turn flank…..no plan really makes it past first contact does it!!

In center Prussians are losing units, the mitrailleuse has been destroyed after doing its bit….out of picture on French left are 3 bttns shooting at 24 inches and holding off the Prussian advance… Keith moved his reserve mitrailleuse into that side as well.

Alans attack on the Prussian right has been pushed back. He then re oriented his attack to support Goldie in the centre.

Back in the centre…..the Prussian gun line on the ridge had a less than average day with shooting…which really helped the French defence. When it did go well…we lost a bttn at a time. Bottom right there are Zoauves fighting Prussians. Previous French turn they charged the flank of the Prussians… 6 attacks.. reroll misses…managed 2 casualties only on Prussians… good saving throws by Goldie….the Prussians held….the target was just to tempting…I should have just put another 9 shots onto them and not charged! But wheres the fun in that!!

Game end… Prussians are still attacking hedge line in centre……but I feel French would have held……French left was a bit shot up…but Alan lacked troops to push through.

French right and I am one shooting round away from breaking this brigade(well average dice at least needed!).. then would push Zouaves around flank

So that was a fun game…..decided was a fighting draw for both sides. I think we have the rules sorted now. The deciding factor in each game now really hinges on how good or bad the Prussian artillery goes…how well the French are at hiding their forces from the Prussian guns… and how good or bad the mitrailleuse go.

Until next time.. Terry out.

October 2024 – Napoleonic Game- Mockern 1813

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So we visited the new location for the Wellington Warlords at the Johnsonville Club to play another Leipzig 1813 scenario, this time Mockern.

Sadly, the level where games are normally played had been taken over by Wellington’s Disfunctionally, totally inept Councilor’s and and some disgruntled ratepayers!

We were therefore banished to the bar area where we managed to fit a 12 foot by 5 footish table instead of the planned 14 x 6 foot table. Picture disgruntled gamers!

Anyhow… the ladz seemed to have a good game, I was unwell so watched and offered sagely advice and Terry interpretation’s…welcome or not!

Below is the map for the game.

The French are in Mockern…along the ridge and can extend to the western edge of the table. The Prussians are on southern table edge.

Objective is for Prussians to take all 3 modules of Mockern and Objective ‘A’ for a decisive victory, and Mockern alone for tactical. French gain tactical by holding A and at least 1 module in Mockern.

Due to the table being only 5 foot wide and not the correct length, the 2 sides very quickly got into combat. Below are Poles who Dave had recently purchased, so they got a game in place of French. Dave’s command was the 22nd Division with 7 infantry and a battery. Opposite Dave and part of Robert was Goldie with the Prussian 1st Brigade of 5 infantry, a Leib Hussars and a battery. He also had the 2nd Brigade of 5 infantry and a Hussar and the cavalry reserve of 2 Dragoons, a Landwehr cavalry and a horse battery.

On French right and Robert is facing off against SteveT who is using Russians as we did not have enough Prussians in group to field.

Troops between Poles and right flank of French.

Rob had the French cavalry and horse artillery, a force of the 25th Light Cavalry Brigade of 2 Wurttemberg Chevau-legers and the 5th Light cavalry Division of 4 Chasseurs. Prussians formed square after being charged by the Hussars..juicy target for the artillery.

In Mockern, Brian was defending the 3 modules with his battery adjacent beside the Polish battery. It took me a few turns to realize he had only 5 units on the table, not the 9 he should have……much to the shock of the Prussian Commanders……there were special rules for combat in the Village modules…you fought a combat to its conclusion……so it was going to be a meat grinder….and the Prussian Corps Commander had placed Alan with the Advance Guard to attack it…that meant 7 infantry… 4 cavalry and horse battery to take the 3 modules….cavalry cannot attack buildings. The reserve 12pdr battery was there as well.

At the other end of the Prussian line…. SteveT had the 7th brigade with 8 infantry and a landwehr cavalry unit, and the 8th Brigade with 7 infantry and a battery. Opposite him was Robert with the 21st Division with 8 infantry and a foot battery.

Alan charged straight into the village. There was a module each side of the road with another to the rear of the right one.

From the other side.

In the centre Dave sent a bttn into the side of a Prussian square, Rob then charged the front now it was engaged…the French did not win the combat!

To the South, SteveT roars into the attack.

The Prussian Leib Hussars then joined the combat…..

The Prussians…somehow…lost the combat…….the dice rolls below are the break tests…to survive you need more than a modified roll of 4……all 4 failed! Goldie was not a happy wee Prussian……

So a large hole appeared in the Prussian lines…thankfully the French lacked the manpower to take advantage.

Although it did open up the flanks to Rob and his cavalry to charge in!

Back in Mockern the fighting raged…..

Rob was having fun hitting units in the flank…..sadly only light cavalry so they lacked the hitting power to do to much damage….

Rob’s cavalry are forced to retire from combats…not best place to end up…..

The attrition in the Mockern keeps mounting.

Poles hanging on in the centre….

Prussian artillery advanced to close range on Polish column….needed 2’s to cause hits…..oh dear….wet powder.

On the French right SteveT is wearing Rob’s French down.

Alans cavalry in front of Mockern….French batteries on ridge beside village.

Endgame and Prussians getting advantage in centre…to late….

Endgame on Prussian left and SteveT has taken objective ‘A’, and realigning to role down ridge…but …time is up.

Endgame…and Mockern safely in French hands.

So by Endgame the Allies had taken objective ‘A’ but failed to take and hold any modules in Mockern, there fore game is a decisive French Victory!

We will refight this again on the correct sized battle and I will command the Prussians….who will implement my original plan…which is sure to result in a spectacular Victory!!

Until next time.. Terry out.

September 2024 – Napoleonic Game Probstheida(Leipizig 1813)

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So Friend PaulW was back for a visit from Vanuatu so we had Saturday game followed by an evening Whisky Tasting(my partner was away on a Girls weekend).

Rob, Alan, Goldie and Finn(later in day) joined in.

For this game we played the Leipzig Probstheida scenario from the Steve Shann book that is JUST SO GREAT!

The Scenario has the village of Probstheida defended by Victors 2nd Corps, with some Young Guard artillery supporting. The Village has 3 modules and is on a ridgeline with the Objective of the game is for the allies to take all 3 modules to claim a victory. The Allies are Kleist’s 2nd Corps along with Wurttemberg’s 2nd Russian Corps. Various reinforcements are available to each side through the game. Should the Allies call on an optional reserve of the Divisions of Duka and Pisareff then the game is a Draw at best for the Allies.

Paul W/Alan/Finn are the Allies with Goldie/Rob/Terry as French.

Start positions with the French on the right. Goldie has the left flank Division, Me(Terry) the Village with a Division and Rob the right Division. The 2 Young Guard batteries are in Goldies force.

Alan had the Allied left and PaulW the right. Finn arrived later in day and played on right.

The Village had a bttn in each module with a legere bttn skirmishing on front of it.

Russians advanced quickly….with the legere taking advantage of this and charging the artillery in the flank and destroying them. I normally prefer to play Russians so taking out the large batteries is a priority if an opportunity presents its self.

Prussians chasing off French skirmishers.

Prussian artillery assisted by Russian column approach the village.

View from village … Cavalry reinforcements have arrive for Russians.

PaulW starts his attempt to turn Goldies flank.

On French right Rob had a long line to defend while he awaited our cavalry reinforcements. Alan is pressing the line.

Oops…Goldie has been forced off the ridge faster than we hoped!

French cavalry arrived and the 2 armies cavalry forces went hard at it. As expected with Cavalry v Cavalry….mutual extinction is often the outcome.

A prefect attack by Alan…Uhlans to front…then when French engaged send Cossacks into the flank. Cossacks cannot charge formed cavalry to its front.

I confiscated the Cuirassier Division when it arrived and used it to do as much damage/distraction I could in the center. Would have preferred Uhlans but we had none. The -2 save on a lance attack against infantry is better than extra attacks on infantry in column who are saving on a 3+.

Alan wins the cavalry combats on the Allied left.

Having picked on Alan I now turned to PaulW…aim was to destroy the column I have hit in the flank…as it could not form square…the artillery would auto pop…and I would rumble on into the skirmishers and destroy them as well. They were facing this way as my other Cuirassier regt had broken through Alans line and they were shooting at it.

Sadly the dice Gods totally deserted me …my dice were rubbish.. Pauls were not and I bounced….how…humiliating!! But… I was distracting them from the Objective!

Alan closed in on Rob’s open flank.

On the French left PaulW with Finn now in attendance is attacking the French reserves who now man the ridgeline.

Prussians have taken the front Village Module….my bounced Cuirassiers to their rear!

On French right Alan has sent his Prussians in again against Rob’s line…..Alan makes 5 hits…Rob saves all of them!

French left where continuous Allied attacks have failed to take the ridgeline.

And that’s how it ended…..the French still held 2 of the 3 modules of the Village and its a French victory. We managed to tie up and distract the Allies long enough to win the game!

The Whisky of the week is a beauty.

PaulW bought this glorious liquid with him as a Bday prezzie for yours truly

The Glendronach 25 year Old Port cask..

This handsome rascal is a 25 year old single malt from GlenDronach, released as part of the distillery’s 17th batch of single cask releases. It was distilled back in May 1993 and aged in a single Port pipe until 2019, when it was bottled with an outturn of 835 bottles. We love a good Port cask-matured single malt, and this one looks to be exactly that.

Tasting Note by The Producer

Nose Intriguing richness and depth of redcurrant, bramble jam and cherry cake balanced with bitter orange, black grape and a hint of tropical fruit.

Palate Long, silky and persistent as juicy blackberry and apricot liqueur build to mango and guava. Currant, papaya and mixed nuts linger in the fruity finish.

Drinking this reminded me of the first time I went to the tasting of some Bordeaux Reds and the revelation in the taste and complexity of it….and then was even told was meant to spit it out…like…NO!

THANK YOU PAUL!

Until next time…Terry out.

July 2024 – Pike n Shotte Game

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It’s been a while since we tried ‘Pike n Shotte’ so the crew decided to give it a whirl again. Since the last game, Alan has sold his painted and unpainted troops to Stephen and replaced them with Epic ‘Pike n Shotte’. Keith has also rebased his ‘Pike n Shotte’ army from one of those ‘DXXX’ rulesets and is fielding them for the first time(very pretty they are btw). So troops for this game are provided by Stephen, Keith and Russ.

Set up.

Other side!

Very colourful wee Jocks.

Nice pink flowers.

Russ has gone for ‘Warhammer style flags. I like it.

In true period fashion…the cavalry in the flanks go at it from the start.

The ‘Brains’ trust! From left to right we gave Keith, Stephen. Grajam, Russ and Steven tucked in behind. Goldie(the polished head) is on the other side and Rob is hidden somewhere as well!

The Swedish side of the table fared worse in the cavalry encounters.

Keith’s rebased cavalry performed exceptionally well!

In a fashion worthy of elevation to ranks of ‘Heroic’ a unit of hand gunners held off the charging Pike block for round after round of combat while both sides shot away at each other.

After disposing of the Swedish cavalry on this flank, Goldie sends his cavalry into the melee as well.

On the other flank the Coventers are hard at it with the ‘Scots’ …. Keith’s cavalry is now rolling down the Swedish line.

So that was a fun, loud game!

We will try again in 2 weeks… perhaps balancing the sides up a bit more evenly next time.

Until that report…

Terry out.

July 2024 – Hobby Update

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Its been a while since a Hobbying update….so here is a short one.

The past year has been the addition of a new period and some much needed love to some others.

First up is following the long awaited release of the Perry Miniatures Franco Prussian 1870 range which I recall begging them for over a beer and curry while they were in NZ in the early 2000’s……the range has come out. So far there are not many options in the range, but I have started with 2 regiments of 3 battalions each and 4 La Hitte artillery pieces. Sitting on the paint table at the moment is a Mitraillause and unit of Hussars(which will be 8 horse/riders due to cost and postage!)

Way back in 2008 I started a C10th Byzantine army using Gripping Beast figures and LBM Decals. Until the past year it did not get much love but have now added more infantry, skirmishers and a unit of Kataphracts. More cavalry to follow and with Victrix having them in the list for new plastics in the new range they are releasing, I can afford to build the army up. Buying Gripping Beast figures from NZ is just $$ prohibitive. The Gripping Beast plastic Rus unit is made up from several of the plastic GB boxes..the poses don’t rank up very well at all.

Warlord’s ‘Victory at Sea’ and in particular the IJN Fleet received some more love…rules for carrier aircraft combat are still a struggle…but these received some more love…with more still required.

And finally… trees…yes trees…..considering the number of ACW games we game…I decided to invest in and base up some nice looking trees!

So that is some of the painting effort for past year….most of my periods received love from time to time…the Pyrrhic Army has had some rebasing, touching up and some additions. Both the ACW Union and Confederate armies have had more command stands and regiments added….. thanks to Keith the kitsets for my Bolt Action 1944 Germans are now assembled as is the ordinance battery for my Pike n Shotte army painted(nothing else is…but..I am classing that as a start!).

And…somehow…friend Weakley persuaded me collecting Epic Waterloo was a good idea…I really need to stop listening to him….so I am working on French. Thankfully Alan is well ahead of me(as ever) and has finished Prussians, is printing and painting Austrians and has loaned me his French to copy paint scheme…so will have an opponent while Weakley is away!

Til Next time… Terry Out.

June 2024 Franco Prussian War 1870 Game 2 for June!

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Goldie and I squeezed another game in before the end of the month.

This was another practice with same sized forces and testing the subtle changes we have been making to standard Black Powder rules. This game we introduced no supports in combat…on the basis in reality the units are basically in a skirmish formation…so should not be supported.

The terrain had the French deployed south of the central road.

I was French and Goldie Prussian as usual with all brigades being 4 bttns…..the Prussian 4 bases and the French 3 bases. All units had 4 shots, the Prussian had 8 attacks in hand to hand ,the French 6. Commanders are all rated as 8s.

My left flank brigade based around a farmhouse with a mitrailleuse skulking behind the orchard and light infantry in the wood. Goldie has advanced a brigade opposite me. The Prussian artillery(4 guns) Goldie placed centrally…but they refused to move……a great start for me!

My Central brigade deployed between/on 2 low hills with my battery in the hollow.

My right flank brigade deployed on low ridge/trees.

Goldie advances his left flank brigade to take the farmhouse. I was perfectly happy to let him have it…he can only shoot 12 inches…I shoot 24 inches…his artillery is not on this flank so I was going to stay outside of his shooting range and inflict casualties.

The Prussians were a bit tardy at advancing so I was able to concentrate fire on the exposed advance bttn.

Prussian right flank brigade advances into a wall of fire. He may have large units and stamina 4…but I have 4 shots per unit……

The Prussian artillery finally obeyed orders and advances…but artillery cannot shoot on turn moves……which gave my brigade in the open an opportunity to retire…..fools didn’t…..

Over on my right I advanced to get into shooting range…..I obviously needed a whisky…as why did I leave that unit side on?

My Centre…trying to scurry for cover as the Prussian artillery unlimbers…..but look at that tempting line in front of us!

French light infantry in the woods.. I decided to sacrifice them to the guns… while I inflicted as many casualties as possible on the Prussian infantry to their flanks before I headed for cover!

On my left flank the tardy unit that had been skulking behind the Farmhouse finally moved onto the hill to start firing!

Phew….Goldie sent a unit to charge my poorly positioned flanking unit…but he did not make it in.

The flank chaps have disordered unit to their front…good boys! Ladz in the farmhouse however are disordered and taking casualties.

The Mitrailleuse had made several rounds of firing for minimal return…then they did this…all is forgiven!

Goldies right flank is looking a wee bit sad….shaken and disordered units abound! In his defence…..I don’t think I have ever rolled so many 6’s for shooting before.

There were 2 units beside the farmhouse…now 1 and it is shaken.

Goldie’s failed flank charge leaves this unit facing a battery and 12 shoots in my turn…a disorder and 2 casualties is a poor return!

In they come. Goldie throws his reserve brigade into the attack in the centre.

Sigh…after its last round of shooting….it misfires and can’t shoot again.

C’est la vie!

Prussian unit lost the combat and retires shaken/disordered…. another is disordered with 3 casualties. I have a unit positioned for flank attack.

Where the game is to be decided…Goldie need to break through before I can turn his flank.

Charge on my guns…guns pop…..but the charger is now disordered……

My flank attack destroyed a unit, another has lost its combat and Goldie’s attacking brigade is now broken.

On my left…Goldies right flank brigade is broken….

On my right flank…Goldie’s brigade here is also broken.

So that was a comprehensive French victory!

But I need to put a caveat on this as several events resulted in the ease of the victory. Goldies artillery was set up where it could not control the battlefield….. the turn one blunder and non-movement then accentuated that. Then my firing was awesome with way above average numbers of 6’s being rolled all game thus pinning Goldie’s bttns outside their shooting range and allowing me extra turns to pile shots into them.

Hopefully for the next game Alan will be available and we can have a larger game…and one day the Perrys may even paint some command figures for us!! Some French cavalry is on the painting table so will be fun to add them to games…but then I am verryyy slow at painting ….. so could be a while!

Until next time……

June 2024 – Napoleonic Game: Austrian’s v French

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The 2nd game in June was a 4 player French v Austrian Napoleonic one.

I set the table up with 2 small French forces each of an infantry brigade with 6 foot bttns, 1 battery and an attached small cavalry brigade of 2 light cavalry regiments each encamped around farms. Rob and Robert were the French players.

The terrain had 4 roads entering the table, 1 from each side of the table. The 2 Austrian players would roll to see which road they would march on down. Alan and Stephen were the Austrian players. Stephen had an Avante Garde brigade with 3 standard size bttns, a Grenz unit, light battery and 2 Hussar regiments. Alan had an Avante Garde brigade with 3 large infantry bttns, a Jager bttn, light battery and 2 Hussar regiments.

French deployments are below with Rob then Roberts deployments.

Alan arrives on the North Road.

Stephen arrived on the East Road which put him between the 2 French forces! Alan can be seen deployed on the North Road.

Robert has garrisoned his farm with a bttn and moved the rest of his force North to meet with Alan. 2 of Stephens bttns and the battery are tasked with taking the farm.

The rest of Stephens force are tasked with holding Rob off and awaiting reinforcements. Austrian Hussars have charged a French bttn, who formed square, the Hussars then retiring and the skirmishing Grenz have advanced to clsoe range to shoot them up…the Hussars staying within 12 inches which pins the square…and the Grenz close enough to them that the French cavalry cannot charge the Grenz.

Alan deploys to face Robert’s approach.

OMG! Robert charged straight in…Alan rolled APPALLINGLY badly … a theme that would continue all game….even a change of dice did not help.

Rubbing salt into the wound Robert sent lancers into the flank of Alans last bttn after disposing of his cavalry.

Down south Rob is deploying to face Stephen …Rob was unable to get his 2 bttns south of the village to move…lucky break for the Austrians.

Fortunately for Alan his reserve formation of 5 large bttns and a battery now advanced on to the table over the remains of the Avante Garde brigade.

Stephen had his reserve of a Grenadier brigade march onto the table,,.. so I personally took control of the French reinforcements of 6 bttns and a battery who rolled to arrive on the South Road. I decided to move them to a central position and support both Robert and Rob as necessary.

Hmmm…..Alan has charged Robert…then deployed a bttn in line…masking his guns…….

The reserve Austrian Grenadiers advancing…lovely metal Front Rank figures….ladz were telling me current Figures purchased from the new providers of Front Rank metals are not great(okay…I have toned down the comment ….with the cost of postage to this neck of the world you want a decent casting!). 3D printer anyone………

My brigade continues to advance…..good shooting from the attack columns shakes the Hussars who moved to attempt a block.

Alan, if he lives is now being transferred to an Austrian Village on the Turkish borderlands…..he lost the combat….both the attacking unit and support decided to head home…..his unit in line fluffed its shooting and is soon to be heading home as well.

The stalemate between Rob and Stephen continues in the South.

Soo we called the game at that stage…Robert has cleaned out both Alans brigades….he was quite damaged…but still operational…he was holding Stephen off in his farm, it was a stalemate in the South but there were sufficient French on the table to force Stephen to retire.

A French win was called. Robert’s very aggressive attack coupled with Alans real bad dice rolls made for an interesting encounter.

Til next time…..

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.

May 2024 Napoleonic Game – 1813ish

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Played a 4 player game at Hutt Valley Club with French v Russo/Prussians.

I organized the sides to be roughly equal on numbers as a new player, David was having his second game of Black Powder. Sadly David had some problems on his farm and couldn’t make it on the day. So rather than assist David, I filled in on the French side with Rob, Goldie had his Prussians and Mike was playing Russians for I believe the first time.

The Allied set up on North side of a stream, they had a couple of villages and some field fortifications to hide behind. Below is some of the Russian set up.

View down the table. Rob commanded the French right and in view of Goldies Prussian being mainly Landwehr suggested the plan was Rob attacks and I hold the Russians attention.

So Rob attacked on turn 1. Not quite what I had in mind, but, Go Rob!

I did a more sedate skirmishing advance on a village.

Hmmm….so Robs attack was an initial draw coupled with some extinction events on both sides, but Rob eventually did the deed on the landwehr. French heavies move up in support.

View from Mikes side towards my French.

I tried to get a skirmish line up to close range on the Jager…also skirmishing..to avoid the Russian artillery doing to much damage on me…it failed.

Cavalry attacks going in. Its looking good for Rob at this stage!

Missing Prussian units…others damaged……but heavies have taken punishment.

Back on other flank…French skirmish screen has taken a battering …so columns have burst through them to charge and drive off the skirmishing Jager and then carry on into the columns behind them…only…we didn’t make it…and instead decided to be target practice for Russian batteries. Being the gentleman I am(well..sometimes) I helped Rob with advice on how to beat up my French(I never play French…normally Russian..or Austrian…even Dutch before French!)

At same time the columns were meant to be engaging Russian infantry…behind this battery was a brigade of light cavalry…who were meant to charge the battery in the distance…..die in the attempt…allowing the now unloaded battery to be ridden down by the next French cavalry unit…..sadly…..no one wanted to … and rolls and re rolls just failed…and failed….and…..I need a drink….

In centre…. it was shooting..and shooting…..

View of other occupied village… a tough nut to crack frontally hence Rob’s flanking movement. Goldie has Dragoons and horse battery stationed in reserve in center.

Robs attack stalled as his cavalry commander blundered and retired…..the horse battery got shot up and popped…..and attacks could just not get going……its one of those days….

Russian horse battery has now deployed so the plan of charging the foot battery is now over and with the damage was taking…I decided to retire from the field.

In center…French skirmishers finally managed to get moving and stormed across stream to enfilade the defending troops on the field fortifications…with supporting columns to retire behind if needed,,,and brigade of heavies ready to assist. But its all to late…..

The Rob v Goldie duel and Rob has just taken to much damage to push Goldie back.

So we called it an Allied victory as they still held the villages…and looked to have a superior position overall.

Now when we visited Christchurch recently, my better half got all carried away and bought a bottle of whisky for me. She liked the name…no other reason….how can you resist buying a bottle of ‘Firkin Whisky;…just say it a few times after a tasting….it grows on you.

Found a review : ‘They say quality counts, and this dram has our number! This is a seriously sensational whisky. The elegance of Linkwood, one of Speyside’s finest, marries perfectly with the glorious earthy oak and Madeira richness & raisin spice. Brilliantly rich and fruity notes complement the hint of toasty oak with exceptional balance. This dram lingers like a summer lover, complete with a lovely tingle of spicy oak.’

Its a darn good whisky is all I can say .

Til next time.. Terry out.