Battle of Globalweisse

Play-testing continues on refinements to The Final Argument of Kings by Dean West.  Sunday the 19th three players gathered at 1:00 (albeit with NFL distractions) to test them out.  In our game 15 battalions of Russians with six regiments of cavalry and four batteries took on 18 Hanoverian/Brunswick/Highland battalions, with five cavalry regiments and six batteries.  The mostly trained Russians stood on the defensive as the allies attacked.

A view of the left and center of the Russian line.  The brand new Observation Corps battalions occupy the center with a heavy battery in support.  A brigade of infantry on either flank plus one in reserve complete the infantry deployment.  All the Russian cavalry were in the good ground off camera to the left facing their opposite numbers.

Horse Grenadiers in two big regiments on the left with two smaller Cuirassiers regiments getting their combat debut on the right.  Two regiments of virtually useless Hussars are behind this all.  The allies fielded some excellent heavy regiments, dragoons, and von Luckner's Hussars.

Here the Russians await the Hanoverians in double lines, expecting a relatively easy time against the spread out enemy.  But it was not to be.  Despite having an advantage in every contest, the Russians lost every impact.  Usually just thrown back with minor losses, but potentially opening up the flank.

The Allies were eager to close and the Russians equally eager to meet them.  A series of savage firefights went on, often at point-blank range as determination tests were passed.  The tactics seemed to be to fire then charge.  I thought it was the Russians who thought the bayonet was their friend and the bullet their enemy?

Looking down the field you can see the general engagement throughout.  The Allies have a Hanoverian brigade in reserve, though most of the Russians are either committed or very close to the fighting.  What of the cavalry you ask?  The Russian losing trend continued, but they managed to buy time, utilizing the extra regiment to keep throwing a speed bump in from of the Allies.  Slowly they began to re-order and organize but the situation still looked grim on the Russian left.

But success!  Against the odds, and with the record to that point eight losses and one tie, the last Russian unit managed to fend off two Hanoverian regiments.  Meanwhile the infantry fight was going well for the Russians.  Their guns, although mostly out of ammunition, had whittled the approaching Allies down to the point where their inferior musketry could finish the fight.  With much of the Allied army running or eliminated and the left stable, the Hanoverians conceded the field to the Russians.  Though their loss was also severe.  Two generals paid the price for their leadership and became heroes to the Tsar.

After a football delayed start we finished eight turns and picked up in less than four hours.  A satisfactory result for a hard-fought game that included some cross-referencing to make sure we got all the play-test variables included.  Till next time...

Back to work!

Well, maybe I should say back to work painting so I can play!  Finally a lull in life's action so I could pick up a paint brush for the first time last night since the end of August.  For someone who habitually turns out 100-150 figures a month, that is a long time.

So what do I have on the paint sticks?  Some Old Glory 15mm SYW Russian Observation Corps musketeers and some Frontier 15mm Union troops for the ACW.  In each case I'm trying something new to get a "wargames level" paint job.  I've primed them with the base color.  In the case of the Russians, Hunter Green, and the Yankees are in some dark blue, I'm afraid I don't remember the title.  Both colors give me a light coat than I would like normally, but in my grand experimental scheme I plan to give them a dark wash so that it just looks like highlights without needing to dry brush them on.  For 15s dry brushing the faces and hands with a flesh tone doesn't seem to leave the underlying green or blue noticeable, so I may be in luck there.  I'm taking some pictures and will post the success or failure when I'm done.

For my Imagi-Nation Litharus Tarus Schvenko is about to get 36 28mm Foundry Cossacks to lead.  I've had the leader, son and Father set painted for some time, but now finally they have a horde to lead.  Again, pictures will be forth-coming.

Waiting in the wings are 15mm Russian Napoleonics on commission from a good friend.  Dragoons, Cossacks and Limbers; oh my!  Something different to break up the routine.

Also waiting their turn are three boxes of the Wargames Factory War of Spanish Succession infantry.  I got one box on eBay to see just how "fiddley" they were, wasn't intimidated, and got two more for a song.  Basically the three boxes for a little over the price of one at retail.  They will become garrison troops for Litharus in 54 figures units, each with six grenadiers.  Of course, I'm sure I will "accidentally" paint them in an obscure historic uniform just in case I want to use them for a regular game.  I've always balked at spending the dough on miniatures that will assume a fantasy identity, but these wonderful plastics make it affordable again.  This will give me 10 Litharusian infantry units; 7 of 60 figures and 3 of 54.

One of these days I'll have to get to the mass of 1/2400 ships awaiting attention.  But for now my short attention span is focused (is that a contradiction of terms?  Focused short attention span?) on other projects.

Good gaming and happy painting ya'll!

Faces of War

For the most part I am frugal in my gaming expenses to the point of silliness, but now and then I get the urge for some battlefield "pretty-pretties" to jazz it up.  For my Seven Years War era Russians (or imagi-nation Litharusians) I've added these two little Wargames Foundry 28mm vignettes.  Click on the image to enlarge it for better viewing.

Saving the Sergeant

"Easy lads..."

 

Here we have two valiant grenadiers of the Observation Corps moving their beloved sergeant through the smoke to safety.  He probably owes them money.  

Drunken brawling

After the battle, the fighting continues.

An affair of honor?  Debt owed?

A solid hit staggers Ivan.

Aha!  The cause is women and demon rum (vodka).

Meanwhile, the gentleman reads his Bible and tries to ignore them.

Care for your wallet my friend!

So I will attempt to find an excuse to put them on the game table at some point.  The first is easier since I can put it out as soon as my grenadier battalion takes hits.  The latter may require a bit more creativity.

As you can see I prefer a black primer with layered dry-brushed overlays.  Not museum quality by any means but they work for me.  The donkey is a carryover from my D&D days.  Hope you enjoy them.

Raise the blockade!

A hypothetical game during the American Civil War set at the mouth of some major river, or perhaps a coastal port.  Four players initially gathered, chose their side and drew an armored and wooden vessel from stacks of prepared ship sheets.  Rules are Steam and Black Powder by Neil Stokes, miniatures are 1/600 Thoroughbred and Peter Pig models.  The Yankees managed to draw two of the weaker ships in each category.  The armored vessel USS Keokuk joined with the river ironclad USS Benton.  The unarmed Ellet ram USS Switzerland paired with a 90-day gunboat the USS Itasca.  On the Rebel side we had the CSS Queen of the West and CSS Sumpter running interference for the CSS Neuse, a small and slow ironclad and my draw, the CSS Tennessee.  The latter is a great ironclad ram with excellent guns.  The purpose of the game was to sink or drive away the Yankees to formally lift the blockade.  Another player was due any moment and my plan was to have him take the USS Canonicus, a 15" gunned monitor and the USS Varuna, which at least had a lot of guns.  It would redress the advantage the Rebs enjoyed.  He'd get there any time now.  Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

A ranging shot from the Tennessee.

Who were the Rebs shooting at?

Both sides moved to close, though the Rebs more slowly since the Neuse could only manage half the speed of the Tennessee.  The Yankees drew first blood with a shot to the Tennessee that weakened a frontal armor plate.  But the Rebs were quick to draw even with a solid hit to the Keokuk.  The Switzerland, which drew a lot of fire continued to enjoy her immunity.

The Keokuk takes a hit as she checks the generous firing arc.

The Benton comes about to unleash a full broadside.

As the ships drew closer each began to maneuver.  Gunnery is effective in the game, but rams and torpedoes are the game winners.  So each sought a ramming solution while trying to protect themselves.  Suddenly, in one turn six of eight ships were involved in rams or collisions.

The Tennessee cuts loose as she is missed and hit.

A "three-way" that produced little results.

Bow on bow rams or at poor angles aren't as effective and each was either a glancing blow for no effect or just minor leaks.  The gunfire however became deadly at this range and bits and pieces of wood and iron went flying in all directions.

After glancing hits the ships slid past each other.

The Itasca is pummeled from both sides and catches fire.

At this range it was hard to miss and additional collisions were inevitable.  At this point the advantage in rams held by the Confederates became painfully clear to the Union ships.  Only the Switzerland was properly equipped for ramming so even when the other ships got into good positions they had little chance to do significant damage to the Rebs.

The big picture.  Where are those other Yankees?

The Keokuk suffers mightily.

At the worst moment the Keokuk found herself sandwiched between two Rebs as her crew frantically attempted to reload the 11" Dahlgren cannons.  It was a bad round for the Yankees as the Itasca burned fiercely, the Benton got a limited flood from a love tap from the Queen of the West and the absence of guns on the Switzerland continued to frustrate.

Not looking good for the blockaders.

Fire fighters only fan the flames higher!

The Itasca succumbed to her fires and flooding to sink.  Her ghost crew still at their posts.  Next turn the massive fires on the Keokuk caused total structural failure and she broke up.  Only the Benton and Switzerland remained.

Itasca breaks up as Benton sails by, Keokuk burns in the distance.

And now there were but two Yankees afloat.  The Queen of the West has fallen victim to flooding next to the Switzerland.

At this point the Tennessee had some significant damage on her starboard side, the Neuse's stack was holed, the Queen of the West had sunk and the Sumpter had taken damage.  The Reb's expected the Benton to break off since she had better speed than the Rebs, but she gamely renewed the fight, buoyed by the sight of smoke on the horizon finally.  Alas, it was only the Varuna as a replacement ship.  The reinforcements never showed (real world conflicts).

Two Yankee ramming attempts produce little result.

Here comes the USS Varuna at top speed.

Finally the battle came to a crashing end as the Tennessee crashed into the side of the Benton, causing a catastrophic flood.  The Switzerland put on the coal and ran while the Varuna took discretion as being the better part of valor.

The killing blow.

The Yankees performed well given they were essentially out-classed ship to ship.  It was the unfortunate draw of ships and the lack of the expected third Yankee player.  A fun time was had by all all await a rematch.  My thanks to all.

Battle of Middendorf

The French were growing impatient.  "When will they attack us?" was on the minds of many the officer and ranker standing for hours in place.  In time they came to regret their desire for action.  Somewhere in Hanover, 1750-something, twenty-three "French" battalions (French, Germans, Swiss and Irish), eight cavalry regiments and five batteries were set with the cavalry forming the left wing and the six brigades deployed in a double line of brigades.  Some difficult ground, though still passable, was on their right where they also hoped for reinforcements.  Opposing them came sixteen Hanoverian battalions, plus four Hessian, four Brunswick and the mighty Lippe-Schaumberg battalion, relieved for once of their horse watching duties.  Six batteries and five good cavalry regiments completed the force.

Allied deployment from the right.

French deployment from the left.

With the ranks of grim killers arrayed, the combat began as the Germanic types stepped off.  On the French left the outnumbered Hanoverian cavalry boldly advanced, as did their guns.  Outstripping their slower infantry supports.  A potentially dangerous gap opened between their forces.

St. Germain eyes an opportunity developing.

On the French right, the Brunswickers and Hessians attempt a broad flanking maneuver while watching the side road entry point.  They had been warned that there may be a surprise in the game.  And there was, but I digress.

On the left, the French cavalry had withdrawn in the face of the Hanoverian advance.  Emboldened and confident, the latter continued the advance.  Suddenly the trumpets sounded and in supporting ranks the French cavalry charged their surprised opponents.  Of the three charges only one target managed a counter-charge, with unsurprising results.  The French dragoons, unaccustomed to success, carried on towards the limbered Hanoverian guns.  Disordered, they impacted the guns.... and lost.  In game terms, that's why we use dice.

After the successful charge, with the shaken dragoons center.

Now, with the left temporarily held up, the focus of action shifted to the center and right where the infantry aggressively came on.

The Swiss await on the left-center.

French line form the defense on the right-center.

On the far right the senior regiments face the Brunswickers.

 On the French left a sort ennui seemed to infect the Hanoverians.  Left-center the Swiss waited passively while the enemy sorted themselves out and engaged in counter battery fire.  With the difficulty of hitting unlimbered artillery plus firing uphill it was ineffective.  On the right however, a real dog-fight ensued.

Volley firefights, wheeling fire and charges were the norm.

The French advanced on the right to meet the enemy.

Routers were streaming towards the rear on both sides though the majority seemed to be wearing dark blue coats.  The Prussian hussars attempted to charge and although enjoying initial success they ultimately were eliminated as a fighting force. 

The French grenadiers and la Marck counter-attack.

Reformed, the French cavalry seems to have the enemy cowed.

Bercherny Hussars got in among the Allied guns!

Judging the time right, the French commander Robert Rondeau threw his last available reserve into the center with good results.  The Allied army was split in two with no reserves available to plug the gap or counter-attack.  Although their brigades were deployed in two lines, they were no army reserves.  The price of a double-envelopment plan.

The Swiss roughly handle the Hanoverians as the artillery replenishes.

The Brunswickers are successful.  But...

It doesn't really matter.

Having seen off their opponents, the Swiss begin to flank the Hanoverians and highlanders on their left as the Irish eagerly move forward.  Realization that the battle was lost began to sink in and without orders, the Brunswickers began to withdraw to preserve their remnant force.

The final act on the left.

Till the next battle.  Wiedersehen!

From his carriage, the French commander looks on.

All told a brisk action, quickly played.  Rules were Final Argument of Kings by Dean West.
Figures are 15mm from my collection and Todd Prochniak's.  And for the surprise?  There was an Austrian brigade of infantry and cavalry that could have arrived on the right hand road.  However we didn't start dicing for them till turn seven and then it required "boxcars" on 2d6 to get them.  It got one pip better each turn but by turn ten when we finished they still weren't in sight.