absence

Sorry for going AWOL. Life took a hectic turn, i'll be back shortly to put my wargaming adventures on my blog including some rather nice piccy's

Run Away!!!

Here are some pictures i just found on my phone of a game played a few weeks ago. Re-creating the Napoleons retreat from Russia. It was a very interesting game that we had never tried before, Infantry only versus Cavalry only battle using Principles of War rules.

The Scenerio we played was French Infantry columns marching down a road, trying desperately to reach a small town whilst being harrassed by Cossacks.

1: The advance Columns see the Cossack threat and send word back down the line. The French start to manouvere to protect themselves as best they can

2: The Cossack hordes and Russian Guard lancers encircle the french infantry looking for weaknesses

3: With the road ahead blocked by Russian cavalry and cavalry on all sides the French start to form squares, the advance column forming a huge brigade square

4: My friend, possibly the most reckless, relentless, attack minded player in our group shows how pleased he is with his first ever brigade square.

5: With the rear columns of French destroyed or running in all directions the Russians surround the huge square and the end looks near for Napoleons forces.

6: But unfortunately the square is a tough nut to crack and after several failed attempts to break it, the Cossacks decide they have done enough for the day and leave the field in search of Vodka.

This was an interesting game to be involved in and also one that needed several pauses so we could look up at rules. but as a Cossack for the day, i would have to say that we won, though the French commanders would possibly disagree.

My VBCW Collection

This is my army for VBCW wargames,  Royalists fighting for King Edward VIII with some Fascists thrown in. The main bulk of the force are GPO Militia (Posties) with volunteers from America who have joined to fight for the (cough) American Queen Wallis Simpson.

1: The Post Master General and Scout/ Outrider

2: GPO Militia - "A" Company

3: GPO Militia - "B" Company

4: GPO Militia - "C" Company

5: Volunteer Company - Western Union Telegraph Service (American)

6: GPO Militia - HMG Section

7: GPO Militia - Mortar Section

8: GPO Militia - Anti-Tank Team

9: GPO Militia - Vehicles (Armor plated truck and a Flat bed truck fitted with Congreve Rockets)

10: The Corpo Truppe Voluntarie (Italian Fascists, a gift to the BUF from Mussolini)

11: And King Edward VIII and his lady Wallis Simpson

Thats my forces so far but still looking to bolster them with cavalry, possible trench catapults and maybe some regular troops, who knows.... the possibities are endless!!

A battle that never happened

Aologies to any Historical people reading this but this battle never happened but we thought it would still make for an interesting  Napoloeonic war game using Principles of War rules. The opposing sides were Saxons and French lining up against my Brunswicks and Wurttembergs.

This is the opening stages

The battle lines are drawn.

Outclassed by cavalry, the Brunswickers manovere to refuse the flank by using some artillery and infantry in squares and positioning their own cavalry to stop any attacks from the woods.

Both sides try to gain a tactical advantage by taking control of the village in the center of the battlefield... Fierce fighting breaks out.

with the fighting over the town at a stalemate the French quickly advance on the left taking the small hill.. but the Wurttembergers move to meet them.

and at the sametime the Saxons move through the woods to attack the Brunswickers but the Brunswickers are ready

 to be continued.......

Apologies

Hello to everyone thats followed my blog, times have been busy lately so not kept up with my Blog but do not worry, things will return to normal next week and i will have piccys to post from Mondays Napoleonic game and hopefully followed by my finished American volunteers for my VBCW Royalist Posties - The Infantry of The Western Union Telegraph Service, they are looking good so far.

VBCW - Mobile Rocket Battery

Here is a new idea of mine..... A mobile Congreve Rocket Battery for my Royal Mail Militia.... this will add a "What happens next?" flavour to a game. Rockets will be painted later.

Sidmouth wargame 2011

The Scenario,

It's 1801, Eygpt and the French are in dire straights, Napoleon has gone, the French re-inforcements cannot get past the Royal Navy and and allied army consisting of British (Honourable East India Company), Turks, Albanians and Marmeluke cavalry have joined forces and are marching on Cairo and with the news that 12,000 more British regulars have just landed, the French decide to act. They march out of Cairo and Alexandria and confront the allies head on. They reach the allied posistion and decide to dig in and wait for the allied attack.

The allies plan was simple, they would attack the center and left side of French lines and hope to smash their way through whilst the hordes of marmeluke cavalry would keep the french fort cut off from the battle. The Turks and Albanians attack the town in the center and the British would take the left.

The opening of the battle goes very well for the Allies and already the French start to worry, they send their own cavalry over to the right to try and take on the Marmelukes and commit reserves to defend the town. The allies are in a confident mood and send in the British forces to attack the left.

With the allies now in control of half the town and the British advancing well on the French left, French firepower finally starts to take effect. A well aimed cannon shot smacks the Marmeluke cavalry and starts a rout with most of the Marmelukes leaving the field and the Albanians finding it tough going against the French in the last few buildings of the town, it begins to become obvious to the allied commanders that they may run out of time.

A unit of Turkish spearmen enter the courtyard of the town and manage to capture a French General (much to everyones surprise - including Keith who forgot he left him there) but even so the allies ran out of time and failed to reach their objectives but considering the troop types they had, they still did very well against a dug in French army and caused the French heavy losses but the French still held out and won the game.

The 8 of us that played this game had a great weekend and enjoyed a great game. cannot wait till the next one.