21-22 Jan 2009 Scenario 8: A Vital Bridgehead.

This game was played solo using 40mm 19thC fictional armies and Hearts of Tin rules.

I wanted to play this on my 6'x8' table but life interfered so I squeezed it onto my temporary 5'x6' table.
The battle began well enough for Blue, the 1st infantry coolly forming square to repulse a cavalry attack then deploying into line unleashing some deadly volleys into the Buffs. As Red continued to build up their forces, they could make no headway, even their rockets doing more damage to friends than the enemy.

Behind the lines, the evacuation began smoothly and the engineers began work on a redoubt but as the new steam tractor puffed over the bridge, it hit a rut and threatened to roll over. Four turns passed before the bridge could be cleared. By this time the pressure was building on Blue's front line and it started to withdraw but too late! The rocket battery finally found the range just as the Queen's Rifles cleared the village and opened up on the 1st Infantry. As they staggered from the sudden heavy casualties the Bodyguard charged in and the line broke. Pursuing through, the Bodyguard crashed into the newly raised Frontier Horse but wielding their rifles from the saddle these fought them to a stand still. There was no room for these bold horsemen to retreat to so a swirling melee ended in their annihilation as a fighting unit. Covered by the Frontier Horse, the remnants of Blue's advance guard pulled back closely pursued by Red's infantry.

The engineers in town finished a fine redoubt then belatedly remembered their main purpose. As the light faded, the last wagons cleared the bridge followed by a handful of stragglers, a few light infantry, 1/2 a battery and a couple of battered companies of infantry as the remnants of the 3rd Infantry rallied in the streets and prepared to try and hold back one more charge to give them time to get away. Behind them, the engineers cleared the bridge and lit the fuse. A massive explosion threw up clouds of dust and shook the bridge but when it all settled, the bridge still stood.

28 Jan 2009 Scenario 9: Tables Turned!

This game was played using 40mm Homecast War of Polish Succession figures and Hearts of Tin. using HofT.

The game began with the Moravian Hussars supported by Saxon Dragoons hotly pursuing Saxe's Lancers across the plain. The Russo-Saxon's won the initiative and charged. The lancers had 2 choices, evade or turn and fight, comparing the Hussar's movement dice to the gap between them, they needed to roll an 8 on 2 dice to escape so they risked the 50% chance to turn and form line. It turned out to be a poor choice as the Hussars hit them stationary and broke them. At the end of the turn the French Heavy Cavalry appeared, 1 to the right of the lancers, 2 to the left, none of them appeared behind the allies.

The allies pulled back swiftly next turn and it looked like they might escape almost unscathed but then fickle luck smiled on the French, they seized the initiative and rolled well for movement, the Orleans regiment deployed into line and headed straight for the enemy with Fitzjames moving to support them while the Colonel General Regiment sped past the town to cut them off. The Saxons choked on their movement and were now within 9" of the enemy so could only retire at 1/2 speed. On the next turn, the initiative switched back but the pincers were closing and there was no way to ride out without a fight. The Saxons deployed 3 troops to face the Colonel General while 2 moved to form a reserve for the Hussars. Orleans spurred forward and were met by the hussars led by their Brigadier. Carnage was heavy but the melee was drawn.

There was now hope that they could disengage but the initiative shifted again and in the ensuing melee, the French heavy cavalry cut up the hussars and sent the remnants fleeing. The Saxons braced themselves but having inflicted nearly 40% casualties on the enemy, the Chevalier reigned in his men and rode to the inn calling for wine.

4 Feb 2009 Scenario 10: The Important Bridge

This game was played solo using 40mm 16thC armies and Rough Wooing

It was back to Scotland in 1547 again for game 10. The French were Blue, the English, Red. I placed 3 companies for each scenario unit. I was short on Gensdarmes (hence the embarrassing temporary bases) so the English got lancers for heavy cavalry and Border horse for mediums. The French rapidly advanced and seized their side of the bridge while their Scottish allies closed in on the far side. The English led with their cavalry which chose to ford the river while their infantry went straight for the bridge.

The English border horse appeared early and clashed with the Scots border horse, both battles being effectively destroyed, the remnants eventually retreating without taking further part. The English cavalry, having moved beyond command range, stalled and suffered heavily from the Landsknecht arquebus fire. The Scots advanced rapidly and the Highlanders getting out of hand, moved through the wood and charged the English archers driving them off before falling back to the woods, hotly pursued by the Red coated Bills. Meanwhile the White coated 2nd English battle arrived and deployed to face the Scots. After a flurry of arrows which did serious damage to the Scots pike, the Bills charged forward driving the Scots back and cutting them down.

On the far side of the table, the French cavalry slowly moved around the wood and dispersed the remnants of the English cavalry then splashed across the river to attack the English archers and artillery. The river must have been deeper than it looked as they also had trouble crossing and suffered heavily from bow and cannon fire. Seizing the opportunity, the English foot charged across the bridge and drove back the German pikes but eventually the losses to arquebus fire, push of pike and lances shook the battle and it retreated. The French cavalry attacked and drove off the remnants but were themselves shaken by losses and retreated off table. Undaunted, the Whitecoats, having driven off the Scots, splashed across the river and attacked the Germans in the centre. After a series of charge and counter charge interspersed with volleys of arrows and arquebus and cannon fire, both sides suffered heavily but the German mercenaries cracked first and the English were left in control of the bridge. Sighhh, I was so sure my Scots and their allies would win this one.....

18 Feb 2009 Scenario 11: River and Land

This game was played solo using 40mm 19thC fictional armies and Hearts of Tin rules.

This game was rather cramped on my smaller table and I accidentally made it worse by laying the river slightly off center on the wrong side so that there was little room for maneuver. I decided to play Red and diced for Blue's deployment which more or less decided their plan of attack. On reflection I would have done better to command Blue's attack.

I also started the gunboats off table and diced for their arrival. Blue's boats were fighting the current and rolling poorly to boot and were barely 1/2 way across the table when the gunboats arrived and opened fire on the schooner with deadly effect, sinking her in 3 turns. The longboats crammed with privateers had 2 choices, land behind their own lines or run the fire and try to board. On their first attempt, they were repelled by fire and 1 boat load fled the table. The remaining boat was fierce however and, helped by fire from batteries on shore which silenced the FTCS Reuse, driving her from the table, they boarded and took the FTCS Recycle. This success was short lived however and cannister and rockets from Red's artillery cut them down and they leapt back into their launch and fled downstream in their turn.

On the right bank, after a short sharp firefight in which the Victoria Rifles drove off the San Carlos Volunteers, the battle settled into an inconclusive long range duel of rifle, rocket and roundshot. On the left bank, Blue's infantry advanced in line and engaged in a prolonged exchange of musketry in which the 1st Infantry and Green Tigers mauled each other while the artillery dueled over head until Red's battered guns were forced to pull back. Eventually the young Buffs were also reduced to 1/2 strength and had to withdraw as Blue's reserves came forward. The game was basically a bloody draw but the price of the village was too high and General Sloidh ordered a withdrawal while his forces were still in fighting order. (Rolled a 2 on army morale.)

26 Feb 2009 Scenario 12: Fighting Across The River

This game was played between Gary McMahon using my 25mm Achamenid Persian vs his 25mm+ Assyrians using Warhammer Ancient battles.

We cut out a 6'x8' section of Gary's table to play this on. Looked like a verrrry long stretch of river to Rossius, King of Hants. My army consisted of 1 unit of 9 cavalry and 6 infantry units with 18 figures in each. I placed my Immortals at the right hand ford supported by slingers. Two units of Persian foot guarded the left hand ford, stretching in towards the center. Some Saka foot with bow and axe occupied a hill in the center while some Bythnian peltasts (javelin and rhompaia) and the cavalry formed a mobile reserve. The motley horde of Assyrians and allies came pouring through the gaps in the woods, cavalry, cart mounted archers, auxiliary warbands and skirmishers on their right, heavy infantry and skirmishers on their left.

 With 2 armies of archers, the arrows darkened the skies but as usual in WAB, to little effect, some skirmishers were chased away temporarily but no major units cracked. I delayed on planting my shield barrier in case I needed to maneuver but Gary decided to concentrate and come straight at me, counting on superior numbers to break my line and open a hole for his cavalry to exploit. Once his massed archers got in range, my unarmoured infantry started to drop alarmingly so I planted my shields and this miraculously increased their defensive value enough to balance the numbers (a questionable rule at best). As darkness fell, the Assyrian Guard Cavalry passed through their skirmish line and splashed through the ford to hack at the shield wall. This went on turn after turn with the Persian spearmen more than holding their own but the cavalry sticking it out. As the Assyrian center thinned, I brought up my cavalry and Bythnians and sent them across the river just as a massed Assyrian archer unit in the center broke under fire, taking the general with them. The Assyrians weren't coming across today.

12 Mar Feb 2009 Scenario 13: Finding the Ford

This game was played in Port Deposit, Maryland, between myself and Rob Dean using our 40mm 16thC armies and Rough Wooing.

This game gave us the chance to pit my English against Rob's French for the 1st time in 4 years. The ford turned out to be in the middle, beside the bridge, and by turn 2 both sides had found it. This put paid to any element of deception and the struggle for the ford became one of brute strength across a ford only 1 stand wide (we diced for width).

An early attempt by the French cavalry backed by crossbowmen and arquebusiers had some success but they were eventually sent packing and then English bowmen dominated the ford. The combination of bill and bow was able to hold the ford but was unable to make headway against the heavily armoured French Gensdarmes who awaited them on the far shore.

 The cannon on the hill and some mounted arquebusiers were brought to bear on the problem and a gap opened, wide enough to slide some light infantry through. These were able to eliminate the enemy battery but were themselves driven off. Slowly the rain of missile weapons took its toll on the gensdarmes and at last only the Captain stood, single handedly holding the ford against the English infantry, (making every save and passing every Shaken Control Check!). As the infantry fell back and made way for the English horse, the cannon barked again and at last the brave Chevalier fell. The English cavalry splashed forward driving off a thin screen of light troops as the French pikes began to fall back, ceding the ford.

12 March 2009 Scenario 14: Dry River Bed

This game was played in Maryland between Rob Dean's 1/72nd Egyptians vs Norman Dean's 1/72nd Hittites using Warhammer Ancient battles with myself as GameMaster.

This was the first battle between Rob Dean's fledgling Egyptian army and his son Norman's gathering Hittite horde. Norman was the defender and decided to lure the enemy forward by placing his 3 spear units out in the open screened by skirmishing archers. His chariot units and a small auxilliary warband were hidden in a gully that ran at right angle to his line on the left. Rob deployed with a small unit of chariots on either flank supported by skirmishing Nubian archers with massed archers, sea people and some slingers in reserve.

All was well as the Egyptians marched forward until the hidden warband became inpatient and surged forward without orders. Norman decided to send his 1st Chariot unit forward since his cover was blown. Faced with a rattling horde of chariots appearing out of no where, the Egyptian chariots chose to evade. Unfortunately this took them past the Hittite archers who shot one down. Under the rules, there were now too few chariots to rally. (oops, bigger units next time.) The small warband chased off the Nubians but came to grief when it came up against some sea people mercenaries moving forward from reserve.

The next phase of battle now involved an attack by more Egyptian chariots supported by bowfire against the Hittite spearmen. Under the shower of arrows, the spearmen faltered and broke but rallied before the chariots could exploit the opening.

While the rallied spearmen advanced all along the line, the Hittite chariots chased down the enemy general. The extra crew and long spears proved crucial and the remnants of the Egyptian force fell back leaving the desert to the Hittites.