Napoleonics - French vs Russians pt2

After a few weeks gap I was up at Forres to see Graham H and finish off our napoleonic game. The first part is described here.

The Russians had suffered some losses but their force was now bearding down on the French, who were  now fully deployed to fight but further back from the road to the bridge.  The question was would the Russians be able to drive the French off completely or would the now prepared French cause too much damage. 

As Graham's Russian columns bore down I have to admit I wasn't feeling too confident. I had the upper hand in guns but no real centre to speak of, it would be a few turns til I could bring my Marines into position and I'd have to limber up and move my central battery to do that, I didn't think I'd get time...

On my left Grahams columns hit... and were brought to a halt. For the next few turns two regiments battered the hell out of each other, the combat flowing back and forth as each failed to drive home a decisive blow. Taking a leaf out of Wellingtons book I set one of the regiments of that brigade into line and it began to fire into the advancing Russian flank. 

Graham's cavalry was screening the bridge so remained in its position so my right flank was able to get time to form up. I was trading men for time and two French regiments were whittled down whilst I manoeuvred to a better position. But the battle had not reached its decisive turn. 

A combination of musketry and cannon fire stripped out three stands from Grahams attacking columns halting them on the spot. His battery in the middle was also destroyed and suddenly it was the Russians without a centre, not the French. 

It was time to head for the bridge. Graham's columns now had to turn and move across the table and it became a foot race. My lancers went forward into the open space but Graham pulled his screen of cavalry back and gained time for his wrecked infantry to escape. 

Great fun to play this scenario, based on the allied movements on Pirna in 1813 and good to get some Napoleonics out on the table.

Bakumatsu - From Samurai to Soldier

This lovely book arrived yesterday. I saw it mentioned on Mark Copplestones instagram and couldn't resist. It's best described as a very chunky Osprey with lots and lots of period illustrations backed up by very nice modern artists impressions and photographs of locations, buildings and original items of equipment and reproductions.

The period in question, from the 1860's to the 1870's, was one of massive change in Japan. Tradition, Culture and everyday life were being met by Western ideas and goods. For the Samurai it was to be their final and fatal flourish where traditionalists with armour and sword faced down modern rifles and artillery. 

Or at least that's the simple summary - there's a lot more to it than that. 

Coupled with the Last Samurai Rebellion Supplement for The Men Who Would be Kings and perhaps Ronin there is a wealth of gaming to be explored. 

Figures are available from Bac Ninh miniatures specifically for the period for and by converting Warlords plastic samurai or not if your taste is more traditional. Likewise Perry miniatures have plenty figures useable and some of the Steel Fist Samurai commanders would be particularly good for leaders. 

This ticks both my 19thC and samurai boxes and also dovetails nicely with my interest in Japan at the start of the 20th century and the Russo-Japanese war, when Japan completed its transition from introverted isolationist state to regional and belligerent power.

Project Alma - the Battle

 Yesterday I had some friends over for a game. In the warm sun (and blustery breeze) we played the Alma game I've been painting up figures and getting scenery for. 

The breeze played havoc initially with the gazebo we played under and a few times blew in and knocked down trees on the table but it died down and we spent a very enjoyable afternoon playing the scenario, based on Neil Thomas's from his 19th Century Wargames book but using the mechanisms from Rebels and Patriots to play the game. While we played our wives chatted in the other corner of the garden and we got together for a nice Turkish inspired meal cooked by my wife. It was a cracking day.

 But back to the game, John and Eric took the British and  Bill and Graham the Russians. Things did not go well for the Brits to start with, kicking off an artillery duel against the more numerous Russians meant the Royal artillery were soon in disarray - one gun knocked out and two forced to retreat. The Russians then began to open up on the infantry and John and Eric's dice throwing for activations was so bad that I had to intervene as umpire and inform them that Lord Raglan had moved his position so that they could get an additional CinC bonus and actually move things forward ! 

Starting Postitions

The high water mark

This did the trick and after dinner in particular the Brits were able to get moving and cause some real damage to the Russians.  Bill and Graham hadn't got things all their own way. A couple of blunders meant they accidentally fired in their own men, and once they got in range of the British on their left they were losing men quite quickly. Graham's guns in particular holding back the British around the village and the right of their line. 

Eric had by now managed to get his dice properly warmed up and was able to send his men up the slopes, but they were too few to cause enough damage to the Russians who began to advance towards him. Their large units soaked up 16 points of damage compared with 12 for each British. John was still stuck on the British right and although another Russian unit made its back to its box, it was clear that the British had no chance of taking the day and we wrapped up the game. 

Id painted up two old Tradition 30mm Crimean figures by Charles Stadden...one for Best General and one for unluckiest. Due to his activation rolls in the first half of the game Eric took the Unluckiest home, while Bill gained the Best General award. 

A great days gaming, good company, a few beverages and fine food with friends. 

Now....what do I need for Balaclava?.... 

GNW - 2 more games

Tuesday night is games night. After last weeks games at Oldmeldrum Wargames Club, we decided we'd have another game or two this week. As I'd finished painting and basing cavalry to go with my infantry I thought we'd have a cavalry only game - and so played the River Crossing Scenario from the Pikeman's Lament rulebooks. The Swedes had two units of Gallopers plus two units of Cossacks, which the Russians had Trotters and two Cossacks. The Russians should really have been dragoons but I wanted to see how the two different cavalry units would interact. 

The Russians sent their Cossacks galloping forward and across the central bridge whilst their horse aimed for either flank. The Swedes on the other hand sent the majority of their mounted men to the western side of the bridge, only to have to pull some back as the Russian Cossacks crossed swiftly. A swirling skirmish broke out with units circling and trying to wipe each other out, in the end the Swedes came off best and the surviving Russian Cossacks retreated off table.

However on the river itself things were interesting the caracoling Russian horse nibbled away at their Swedish opponents, wearing them down. Seeing no other option the Swedish leader challenged his Russian opponent to a duel which he won with a thrust of his sword. However poor activation dice on the Swedish part game the Russians a chance to retaliate and they overran the Swedish unit "capturing" said officer and leading him to the rear where his chances looked slim!

Leaderless and without the ability to drive away the Swedes the game was over for the Russians but we decided to play a second game. The Swedes would deploy their infantry up to the line of the river. The Russians would deploy theirs along the north edge of the table. The Swedes went first placing a field gun on the south east corner to fire along the Russian line and a veteran musketeer unit between the gun and the bridge, a unit on the bridge and a unit of horse and final musketeer unit on the north western length of the river. The Russians lined up along the table but stacked their forces on the right, they also deployed a gun, a lighter and mobile battalion piece. 

Driving forward the Russians were soon at the river and splashed across wearing down the Swedish units with good musketry and the supporting battalion gun. The swedes put in a cavalry charge but it was easily seen off and after several poor activation rolls and a blunder their flank was swept away. The Russians managed to lose a unit in trying to attach the bridge, but regained it when they score well following a double 6 allowing them to gain a 4pt reinforcement. As the Russians had now cleared the Swedish flank their position was untenable and the game was called. 

Two great games, very different, but fought over the same terrain. I think we'd do the same again, playing out different phases of scouting, approach and pitched battle. The all cavalry game was fun - first time I think I've had a game without any supporting foot. 

Next week we're going to take a look at using the Pax Baltica board game to give us a campaign and link it somehow with tabletop games.

GNW Game - Baggage Train

 Since I had finished my GNW Swedes and Cossacks it was time to put them on the table for a game. 

On Tuesday evening I ran the King's Warchest scenario from the Pikeman's Lament rules by Osprey at Oldmeldrum. 

In the scenario a group of wagons has been left somewhat unattended while their guards are at the edge of a lake or river. The attacker, the Russians in this instance, see an opportunity and pounce, hoping to snatch the wagons. 

In our game the Russians couldn't quite press their attack and get men close enough to steal a wagon and suffered the loss of both of their flanks as supporting Swedish troops arrived to thwart their efforts. 

As it was only 9 o'clock we decided to play a straight across table fight. This time the Russians came out on top, destroying the Swedish left although the Swedes achieved some honour by forcing the Russian Cossacks to rout. 

Two good games. The ebb and flow of battle is really well represented by the flip of initiative from side to side when an activation test or rally test is failed. It can be frustrating to lose at the beginning of your turn, but in these small games there's no long wait til it's back to you and an option for multi player games would be for each player to have an officer and a separate turn. 

It's was good to see the figures on the table too - nice bright colours, soon to be augmented by regular cavalry for both sides when I get round to finishing the bases for them too.