Lion Rampant Game

Following on from the first game of LR for the club members last week we decided to play again this week.

We decided to play the second scenario, Immovable Object.

The year is 1485 and the war of the roses is impacting all across the country. One Lord had ideas to relocate some of his wealth in a hideout. Unfortunately while on a visit he has become aware of enemy forces approaching. He decides to leave some forces to guard his riches while he returns to his estate and returns with additional help to secure and relocate. Unfortunately the enemy are fast approaching from the opposite direction. Can he hold them off capturing his treasures or will he lose the family silver?

The scenario was as is in the book except that we played on a 8×5 table with 48 points of retinues per side. 20 pts of troops left to guard the treasure with the rest coming hopefully to the rescue.

This tome we introduced leader traits, many would come in handy. Some would come in handy and some would have if remembered!

The defenders comprised of foot knights, crossbowmen, expert archers and mixed yeomen.

Ian T and Keith playing the attackers had a slow start. Compound that with Keith’s rolling had his leader acting more like Frank Spencer than a competent Lord.

Ian P and Steve started well with their reinforcements making great advances.

One of Steve’s mounted men at arms units has already reached the ford in the river.

Eventually both side were in range and bows and bolts were loosed.

Only maa and crossbows stand between Keith and Ian T’s victory. Maa roll to charge the xbows but fail. Keith under the guise of Frank Spencer forgets his trait of re-roll a failed moved order.

An early casualty was Ian T’s expert archers. A real shock as with only 3 casualties Ian rolled a 2 resulting in a -1 result and a flee.

Ian T has stormed the hill with foot maa to win. Unfortunately a fail to activate left them exposed and over the next two turns Sid’s forces arrived to plug the gap.

The gap left by the fleeing foot maa, left the way open for Frank Spencer sorry Keith to charge in and take the day. A roll of double 1s  scuppered the plan until, like Frank on the rollers skates all ended well when Keith declared a reroll, past it, charged in and captured the hoard of silver.

It had been a very tight contest with both factions feeling confident.

GREAT GAME, ENJOYED BY ALL.

The next scenario has been choosen and will be played with similar forces. We then plan to introduce pikes and artillery!

November’s Game – Napoleonics

The consensus of the usual players was for a Napoleonic Game.

Having recently visited the Elite Miniature website I spotted a great scenario on there. I decided to give it a try. The basic plot is that a Spanish garrison is holding a town blocking the advance of the French. The British with a few Portuguese are rushing to help save the day.

Here are the Orders Of Battle

The table was 9×5 and dominated by 2 large tree covered hills and a large town in the the centre. The focus was the town and this would be the first time this type of feature had such a prominent role in one of our games and would test the rules.

French commanders 1,2,3 and 4 and their direct commands were placed on the French table edge.

The Spanish were the only Allied units on the table and they were holding the town. Initially one unit holding each quarter of the town, artillery on the road deployed facing the oncoming French and the Dragoons outside awaiting a suitable target.

The French enter their table edge

French ( Swiss) advance on the town

Spanish Dragoons wait alone outside the town

Spanish move around the town to help defend against the French columns

British reinforcements start to arrive

French Chasseurs advance through the wood on the hill while their artillery fires on the town.

French Horse artillery bombard the town from the hill

Spanish cannon fires in defence from the town

French assaulting the town

More British reinforcements

British Cavalry reinforcements turn up

British light Dragoons hit the French column

British light Dragoons hit the French column

Over there Sire. Wellington is made aware of French forces coming over the hill.

French light cavalry skirt the town for easier prey elsewhere

most french columns get into Square

French Reinforcements in the shape of some Italian Infantry turn up

The Irish are in the town

The town on fire!

Portuguese finally arrive, too late?

The main French attach lead by Brigadier Heller advanced towards the village in columns with skirmishers to the front. As they got close the Spanish dragoons fancied making a name for themselves and charged. They contacted a unit of skirmishers before they had a chance to fire ( They decided to stand and fire but rolled a score on the fire dice for the range at which they fired that was greater than the distance to the cavalry). This meant they were automatically wiped out. The dragoons realising how easy it was carried on into the French columns. Here they hit a column before it could get into square but it held and for the next couple of turns a furious melee was acted out which ended in the dragoons being wiped out although they had inflicted some damage to the infantry. What this really did though was to brake up the attack so that not all the French hit the town at the same time! This gave the Spanish to move all the infantry to the half of the village nearest the French. In our rules each building represented can hold a battalion. Attacking the town gives the defender a +2 advantage. To get into the town the Spanish must either be destroyed or vacate a building which would allow the French to move in and then fight house to house). Over the next 6 turns the melee continued to ebb and flow with both sides at times thinking they had carried the fight. Unbelievably the Spanish morale held even though casualties were building.

In the meantime more French had arrived and were moving through both hills to envelope the town. the horse battery deploying on the hill to give supportive fire into the town. The British had also started to arrive. Deploying either side of the road and bracing for the expected French attacks.

Back in the town the fight was grinding to an end. The Spanish had gallantly fought to the last man. The artillery being the only surviving unit but that was in full route, not being rallied before it routed right off the table. The town was open for the taking. How could get to occupy it first? This was were the British were given a life line, by the French! A random event was drawn and it was “The master spy” card. This allowed the next activation card to look at the follow 6 activation cards and rearrange into an order that suited them. A very powerful card. This could have allowed the french to activate their units first and then place the “end of turn” card before any British card. Unfortunately this did not happen and in a panic the French place the End of Turn card as the next to be drawn, therefore ending the turn. Next turn the British were activated first and allowed them to move reinforcements into their end of the town. The French did move into their end of the town but now they would have to get involved in house to house fighting.

The British were not having a great day, their firing was not causing the casualties they hoped for and losing all faith they moved more and more units into the town. The French right flank came down off the hill to engage the British moving into the town. This advance was only halted by the late appearance of some British and Portuguese Light Dragoons to their flank. The Light Dragoons went in catching a French column in the flank. It did mange to hold though. This fear caused the remaining French units to all form square. I could almost feel the sense of Christmas coming early for the British artillery seeing this new dense target that surely even they could not miss.( They had been rolling terrible dice). The panic in the British was also true on their right flank as they abandoned their position upon the french cavalry coming down the hill and raced for the town, leaving a few skirmishers to stem the on coming cavalry.

Last turn of the day heard the British give a sigh of relief as the Portuguese infantry finally turned up. The French had their cavalry and Italian reinforcements also turn up. Everybody now have the confidence that they could win the day.

In all we had about 5 hours of full on gaming with many breaks for tea and chatting and an hour or so for lunch.

It was decided that we would leave the game as was and continue next month. So Part One is complete what can Part 2 hold? Will any more reinforcements turn up, will the squares hold, can the French clear the town or can the British clear it.

Figures and terrain  are all from my collection, mainly Perry and Victrix with a few Elite. Town and trees were homemade.

Rules – Our own house set called “King George Commands and We Obey”. See link to rules on side of page if interested.

 

 

July 4th Game. It can only be AWI – Guilford Courthouse

Well from the date I should have been prepared. But it was only the night before our game day when Nathan  point out the date and why were we doing a Napoleonic game?

With only a few hours notice I came up with the following interpretation of Guilford Courthouse.  I would never normally use unpainted figures but we just did not have enough painted for all units. So please accept my apologies.

The Battle of Guilford Court House was fought on March 15th, 1781.

This battle at first sight could look a hard or pointless one to play. The British with 1900 men compared to the American 4500. I like this battle as it really pushes the British player and their choice of tactics. The vast amount of the American force was militia! That said, they are behind fencing with support on the flanks and to the rear. All that was asked of them was 3 shots and then they could retire. More importantly Nathanael Greene had taken some advice and positioned a few chosen men behind the militia with orders to shoot the first to run, at least until they had fired their three!

The British really only had one way to attack. Up the main road, hoping to clear the 3 defensive lines of Americans without losing too many themselves.

Historically

The battle raged for around two hours with progress being slow due to the heavy amounts of hand to hand required to clear the fences with the bayonet!  Greene decided his mainly Militia force should retire to fight another day and ordered his troops to disengage and retire. This gave the British the ground and the victory but it was at too heavy a cost. The British had received  nearly 25% casualties not enabling  Cornwallis to effect a pursuit.  Greene managed to retreat his army nearly in tact with less than 5% casualties.

Battle of Guilford Courthouse: Aftermath

Cornwallis did not/could not pursue Greene’s army. Instead, Cornwallis abandoned his campaign for the Carolinas and led his troops towards Virginia and Yorktown. There they were besieged by a joint force of American and French and after 3 weeks on Oct 19th 1781, Cornwallis was forced to surrender.

Our game

The figures are  Perry and Foundry. From both Nathan and my own collections.

Fields are a cut up doormat from Homebase, evening before. One made all the fields and only £8.99

Snake fences from Treefella on eBay

Trees mostly home made with a few from K&M – see earlier blog on how I made them.

Courthouse is really North American PLANTATION/ TOWN HOUSE w. PORCH from Arcane Scenery and Models – not sure if they are the manufacturer. This was finished this morning!

We used our favourite rules for this period ” Field of Honor” the AWI version. If you ever see a copy pick them up they are good even if someone should have spent a bit of time proof reading as sometime they miss the odd word out. They also come with a full campaign set of rules and 2 large colour fold out map and counters to replay a number of scenarios. We have added a few house rules which can add a little more what ifs.

Being honest the game played out pretty much like the real thing. Sniping from the American riflemen caused the British to slow down until they realised that they had to clean them which they did, though at a cost. The 1st line of militia held up well and managed to cause a few casualties before in one turn it all went wrong. One of the militia units took a hit and because I had given the first line a shaken status I rolled a one and off they went. Unfortunately a couple other units saw them go and decided to follow! Their command and even Greene himself tried to rally them but nothing was stopping them.

The British moved on to the second line and after a firefight with no clear winner they went in with the bayonet. This had the desired effect of clearing some of the second line but it was at a cost to high for the British commander to consider tackling the 3rd line. I like Greene retire my forces having sent a commander on what must have been a thoroughbred racehorse to catch and stop the militia.

You will find the map, combined OOB and record sheet and some options on representing the Militia.

We are glad we tried this scenario and cannot wait to try it again.

Option1.

In this game I started the 1st line, militia as shaken. This will help replicate the shakiness of them. If you want to replicate the above use of regulars, encouraging  them to stand and fire three, then they could start the game as Steady

Option 2.

Fire three rounds.

Tempted to fire three and retire. Check morale of the militia as soon as a British unit becomes visible to them. On a fail, the unit fires regardless of the range. Pass and they don’t fire. Check every turn. Once they have fired the three:

• Their morale automatically drops to shaken

Or

• They test morale with a -1 for having fired their 3 rounds. This could remain in throughout the remainder of the game . They are just itching to get away.

A Long Time

Really sorry it has been so long but the computer crashed and died 4 weeks back and after receiving CPR was no better.  I had to get a new PC and just so many other things have got in the way. That and understanding windows 8.1

Science Fiction

I have to admit that I have never been too much into Sci-Fi wargaming although I do like Sci-Fi. That said I do believe that my wife maybe an alien replicate! I have come to this conclusion based on this year’s Christmas presents. Up until now, every Christmas was the same. I can hear her saying ” You are so awkward to buy for. You only want toy soldiers and I don’t know what to buy you, they all look the same to me”.

I know you are all thinking, but I also have to admit that she is a star even when I have the dinning table still cluttered up 30 mins before Christmas dinner, she never moans.

Therefore I would normal end up with lovely items that I needed but little of what I wanted. So imagine my surprise this year when I started opening the presents to find:

4 off Perry War of the Roses wagons – these will be used as ammo wagons to carry arrows to hard up archer units in my demo game.

Zvezda board game Samurai – Looks great. Want to start constructing it but there is so much.

9 boxes of additional Zvezda Samurai troops

War of 1812 Scenario booklet by Stuart Asquith

Stuart Asquith Book

Sun of York card game – Could be good

Blue Max WW1 tabletop game – Looks great and fun. I had toyed with getting Wings of War but the choice is now made.

5 of 1/72 scale WW1 aircraft for starters. These will use the above rules.

SE5a

Fokker EIII

Fokker DVII

Fokker Dr1

Albatros DIII

Zvezda 1/350 Golden Hind for Zvezda’s Armada board game

Hotz 3”hex game mat, well a voucher as delivery was not due to till the New Year. This will replace the tiles you get in the Armada Game.

Box set of “Hornblower” ideal to have on in the back ground as we play or build the Golden Hind.

There were many other things but these are the ones that count. Do I report the abduction? I think I will wait and see if the cooking is still as good as ever, if so she stays. Just have to work on the Toy Soldier comments – model replicants is so much better and she may be able to relate to the term!

I will give updates/ reviews on all items as I start them.

Hope you all had an enjoyable Christmas and most of you got what you wanted and not what you needed.