Mengibar 1808. Game at NBHW.

Back in June I played my first game of Carnage & Glory at New Buckenham, a game system I have been wanting to try for some time. The scenario chosen was the fighting at Mengibar in Spain in 1808 part of the wider Battle of  Bailén. The figures were 28mm and belonged to other club members.

After some initial teething problems with the players getting to grips with how to feed information to the computer moderator and also what did and didn't need feeding back, the game settled into a smooth rhythm.

The French player had the unenviable task of holding a ridge line with untried provincial French line troops against a motivated Spanish force that outnumbered him three to one.

The Spanish players advanced steadily with two players taking the lead element and a third controlling the reserves. I had the Spanish right wing to command.

Spanish centre, right and reserve.

Spanish advance

My right wing

While the French attempted to 'dig in' on the ridge their four hundred cuirassiers were ordered forward on the right in an attempt to delay the enemy, which they refused to do! A rag tag looking unit of Spanish lancers meanwhile charged forward and drove a larger body of French dragoons from the field while the cuirassiers stood by unmoved.

To the French centre and left the Spanish advance on the ridge continued, despite the French artillery fire.

Assault the ridge

A French general was dispatched to lead the cuirassers forward, and after taking some ineffective fire from a Spanish square, the cuirassiers scattered the retiring Spanish lancer unit before driving back the Spanish dragoons behind them. An attendant Spanish battery had caused grievous losses to the advancing cuirassiers however and a counter charge by more Spanish dragoons soon sent the cuirassiers into retreat and then route. The French general, carried off with them having suffered a serious wound to the abdomen.

The French infantry on the ridge fared little better once the Spanish infantry closed. One well delivered, close range volley from the Spanish troops felled enough French for their resolve to collapse. Once the first French battalion faltered, other units along the line retreated, many throwing down their weapons, fleeing or surrendering.

Gaps appear

Cavalry pursuit

The French Commander attempted to salvage some pride from this disaster by leading his Swiss battalion, held in reserve, forward in a counter charge, if only to cover the retreat of the rest of his men. They charged forward, initially successfully but were soon engulfed by the exultant Spanish, and were nearly annihilated, the few survivors and their commander fleeing with the rest.

Valient last stand

A great game and introduction to C&G, made a change not being subject to the dice gods.

The overall feedback from the players was good so another game was planned in for the near future, this time in 15/18mm.

For a fuller AAR and a lot more photographs see the club's Facebook album here.

Tony.

State of the Blog

For one reason or another this blog has been kind of neglected over the last few months, my apologies.

Changes at work mean I have less opportunity during the working day to write items, and this also results in me arriving home more fatigued than previously.
Also a sudden addiction to Minecraft, I blame my seven year old son for teaching me how to play, doesn't help either.

These issues have also slowed down my hobbing with a battalion of Portuguese line sat half finished for over a month and a half, this also needs to be remedied.

Fortunately the gaming front hasn't slowed down and I have played in four very good games in the last two months, including my first two games using the Carnage & Glory system. So to get his blog moving again I will be posting AARs on these soon, assuming I can remember much about the details, if not there will be pictures at least.

Mengibar 1808, Carnage & Glory

Bar-sur-Aube 1814, Carnage & Glory.

"Dogs Head Plateau" 1811, Shako II

Dettingen 1743, Post of Honour

To those who follow this blog I again apologise for the lack of content recently, hopefully things will return to a sightly more regular schedule.

Tony.

Corps and CinC Command bases.

A bit of a quiet time recently on the blogging front, a bit remiss of me. However the hobby work has continued.
With my Napoleonic Anglo Portuguese army growing quite well I decided it needed the next level of command. I have Division commanders, two mounted figures side by side on a squarish base, and Brigade commanders on single pill bases, examples below.

Division Commander

Brigade Commander

For Corps or CinC bases I wanted to use three mounted figures and decided that individual commanders on Pill bases mounted on a sabot base of some type would allow the most flexibility especially for those commanders such as Beresford who could be a Divisional general or a CinC depending on time and place.

To this end I placed an order for some custom sabot bases with Warbases with an aim to collect at Salute. With this done it was time to get painting the command figures. For the Portuguese I had Beresford and two other generals, and as for the allies in general Old Nosey himself, Wellesley/Wellington, all Front Rank figures. To act as an escort for the Duke I painted up a Perry plastic hussar as a sergeant of the 1st Hussar KGL. A couple of other officers were painted too, as with the planned sabot bases I could mix and match.

Portuguese Generals WIP

Beresford and Generals during basing.

So after Salute it was time to finalise my basing and see what the overall effect looked like. The sabot bases are 100mm in diameter with slots for three Pill bases.

First up the Portuguese.

Beresford and Generals

Second "Old Nosey" and escort.

The Duke and escort

Overall I think these work and allow me to swap people around to add some variety.

Whilst all this was on the go I also ordered my first figures from Brigade Games in the states. I got their "Sharpe like" and 95th rifles figures as well as some British Light Dragoon horse holders and a set of light infantry stovepipe shako heads, to go towards getting a light infantry battalion for my army. For the command I went to Front Rank and one of their reinforcement pack sets.

95th Rifles

Dismounted horse holders.

Light Infantry heads and arms.

But before I start on these, time to finish my second two battalions of Portuguese to complete Pack's Independent Brigade.

Oh and do some Anglo Saxons for SAGA.

Tony.

Guilford Courthouse 1781. Game at NBHW

A couple of weeks ago on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th March we refought the Battle of Guilford Courthouse during the American War of Independence, 238 years on from the actual date.
The figures were 28mm and the rules, our club's regular set of AWI rules that came from somewhere the distant past.

For those who don't know the battle the Continentals under Greene are deployed in three lines with militia forming the majority of the forward two lines and his core continental army units forming the third. The first two lines are sited at the edge and within woodlands while the third await on the crest of a hill. His plan, to delay the British and inflict as many casualties as possible without sacrificing his best trained troops.
The British, under Cornwallis, were aiming to push on and destroy Greene's forces after successes at earlier encounters.

From Wikipedia

View from the British rear.

The long view, first line engaged.
Continental regulars in the distance

I was given command of the British artillery and Tarleton's loyalist dragoons. The artillery rolled up the road supporting the advancing infantry and occasionally engaging in a bit of counter battery fire.

Tarleton's dragoons were ordered to support the left as Washington's dragoons had been seen loitering behind the american rifles on that flank.

I'm sure the militia should have run away by now, oh look the rifles have.

That's better, off they go. Keep after them!

Combined Guards battalion in support.

By end of play on the Friday night the American right flank was in disarray with only one small unit of continental regulars still in action against Hessian Jagers. The rest of the forward line had routed and taken one unit from the second line with it. On the British right the Americans were proving more stubborn, even those who routed when their colleagues on the other flank did were soon rallied.
This flank would prove troublesome throughout the whole battle.

The battle resumed the next day with the British continuing to press along the whole front. It wasn't long before I managed to destroy both of the american guns in their forward lines, for the lose of one of my three. My artillery then continued along the road through the woods assisting with the infantry advances to both sides.

Tarleton meanwhile found Washingtons dragoons in the open to his front and eventually both sides managed to charge, there was a general reluctance from the cavalry of both sides throughout.

Charge! eventually

Victory for Tarleton although he was unhorsed during the action.

After some tough fighting the second line of Americans on the British left were forced out of the woods when a few units turned and rallied under the watchful eyes of their regular troops on the hill, others continued to flee from the field.

On the British right things were still slow going with Lee's legion putting up a stubborn resistance, their dragoons even managing to get into the British rear to then threaten the supporting Guards battalion. The guards being the guards merely about faced their rear rank occasionally to let off a volley to deter these horsemen.

Americans forced out of the woods on the British left.

Americans attempt to form a rally line.

View from behind the Continental regulars

Rumour has it this was the militia commander from Friday night.

Tarleton, now re-horsed managed another charge, seeing off the opposing horsemen once and for all whilst receiving "a mere flesh wound" for his troubles. At this point a unit of Americans surrendered and were marched off into captivity.

Prison hulk for you lads.

With the British now finally shaking themselves out into order again, after the confusion of the fighting in the woods, and contemplating the final assault up the hill we ran out of time.

Final positions. Lee's dragoons sandwiched in the trees between the Guards and Jagers

So pretty much like in the historical encounter the battlefield would belong to the British as Greene withdraws his precious Continental regulars but also like the real battle the British paid a heavy price for their "victory"

Another great two session game. For a more balanced AAR and a load more photographs see the clubs Facebook album here.

Tony.

Seven Year War. Game at NBHW

Back on the first of March I took part in a Seven Years War game at New Buckenham. We were using a simplified version of the Honours of War rules by Osprey, the second outing for these rules and a further test to check their suitability for our Minden refight later this year.

The scenario featured a Prussian force trying to force a Reich Army rearguard off a ridge line to continue their pursuit.

I had command of the right wing of the Prussian forces with a small village on my left and a narrow stream to my front right. Being Prussians we advanced in nice dressed lines to close with the enemy, who chose to advance as well rather than wait on the ridge.

By the end of the game I had driven off the left flank of the Reich Army rearguard but their right flank was having better luck against our left wing, enabling them to begin to conduct an orderly withdrawal.

Situation at end of game.

A great little game put on at short notice.

More photos in the club's Facebook album here

Tony.