Sunday 22 April 2012

SEVEN YEARS WAR FOUR-HANDER WITH BLACK POWDER





















This game might end up as being one of the most reported ever as in addition to this account (from Prussian perspective) it'll no doubt appear on Rob's blog and may even get written up for a magazine by Paul. We all met up at Rob's today to christen his new games room. As well as John and I, Rob had invited Paul Stephenson to join us for a large SYW game using Black Powder. John designed the scenario, based on one from CS Grant's wargames scenario book. We each had 5 btns of infantry, a unit of lights, 3 units of heavy cavalry, one of light and 2 guns. The commanders had mixed abilities, selected randomly. The Prussians ended up being led by a bunch of timid generals, the French were hesitant and the Hannoverians were aggressive (I think). Can't remember what the Austrians were.
Anyway, I played the Prussians, teamed up with Rob and his Hannoverians. John and Paul were the Austrians and French respectively. I won't give a blow-by-blow account but will merely dish up some of the highlights. (One of which was lunch - thanks Carol). Also, apart from numerous cries of despair from the right flank I'm not really sure what went on over there....
The scenario called for all forces to enter the table and attempt to secure three bridges spanning the river that ran down the length of the table (12 x 6....big!). The Franco/Austrian forces got the first move but didn't make much progreess, while the Prussians got 3 moves for the infantry brigade and stole a march on the enemy. Rob's Hannoverians barely made it onto the table... ;o(

My infantry lined the river and essentially shot the French cavalry to pieces as they were unable to close into contact or withdraw due to disorder and/or command constraints. In a moment of insanity, my cuirassier regiments declsred a charge across the river at a group of Austrian infantry in march column. Amazingly, they threw low enough and made 3 moves and crunched into the heads of the Austrian columns. Sadly, John threw some amazing saving rolls and it took 3 moves to destroy or disperse 3 btns of Austrian infantry. One of my cuirassier regts was caught and destroyed by Austrian and French infantry and artillery but the other one escaped to reform. Meanwhile my infantry had captured the bridge and destroyed some French cuirassiers and hussars, enough to stop the brigade in its tracks. In a protracted firefight in the centre the honours were more or less even as both sides lost an infantry btn but when the French lost their second it was clear that the Prussians were going to be able to hold their objective and the French were a spent force (well the cavalry were anyeway).
In the centre the Austrians had secured the central bridge but the Hanoverians had the third on the right. Despite some unlucky die rolls and numerous blunders the Hannoverians held on and the end of the battle was in sight. Had we gone on a few more moves it may have been diferent but we had agreed a finish time at the start so with 2 bridges the Prussian/Hannoverian forces were able to claim a victory.
As always, the rules were great. Lots of swings and roundabouts and highs and lows but it all evened out in the end. Rob's new games room is awesome. The game was really well balanced and tense throughout. Between Rob and I we have almost as many men as in the real SYW! It was good to see Paul again and lunch was superb.
Roll on next time!

Saturday 21 April 2012

Woodland Indians



Well after much badgering from John I finally got down to painting my Indians for the AWI. Not the best job but they'll do and I did try out some of the new GW paints on them and used the last of my old ogryn flesh as the wash, so they are in honoured company. Funny how the photos always highlight the faults, like forgetting to paint the edge of two of the bases and the rather shiney nature of the figures despite being sprayed with anti-shine varnish. Big game tomorrow at Rob's - a four way SYW using Black Powder. I need to sort out my Prussians and decide which units to take. Big decision!

Thursday 12 April 2012

BACK TO WASHINGTON'S ARMY AAR















We mety up at John's this week and played another Washongton's Army AWI game using John's lovely 15mm Peter Pig armies. I was the rebels and Rob played the British, who were the defenders in this scenario.


My plan involved advancing most of my troops on my left, leaving a weak centre and an fairly strong (how wrong could I have been?) right flank. Sadly, and to cut an embarrasingly long story short, my steamroller on the left took its b****y time in reaching the British lines due to some rubbish command throws, whilst in the meantime my centre was struggling to hold on against stronger and better British troops supported by two guns. My right was held by a militia brigade which, due to some poor deployment on my part was crumbling away, as my worst troops were the ones I had managed to get in close with the british in trying to drive them out of the built up area.

My advance on the left took so long that Rob managed to get enough troops in my way to hold me back, although I did capture my primary objective (the church) - no thanks to the Indians who had little interest in getting above a slow crawl (possily literally) for much of the game. (In 'the plan' the indians and my cavalry were to have rushed forward and captured the church leaving my continental brigade to sweep round on the British centre, which was supposed to be distracted and drawn out of position by my weaker centre, in a massive punch to the kidneys.....). Well von Molke hadn't yet been born so we didn't have the benefits of his wisdom when it comes to 'plans not surviving first contact with the enemy'.


In the end we called it a day and a British victory. My plan was flawed and my dice throwing was even worse than Rob's. Never mind - I like the rules although the turn sequence takes a bit of getting used to and I'm not sure they reflect the period any better or worse than other rule sets. That doesn't matter as it was a fun game and the first time all three of us had got together for quite some time.


If we get a game in next week I'm hoping I can put on the other half of the Brandywine game. Failing that we have the inaugural game in Rob's new games room to look forward to.