Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Massive English Civil War Holiday Game

For our clubs December holiday game we put on a huge English Civil War game with nearly 1000 figures on the table in 28mm. The game was loads of fun and everyone had a blast. Nick, Bill, and I had command of the Royalist and Dave, Gary, Gareth, and Colin commanded the Parliament forces. The objective was for the Parliamentarians to brake through the Royalist line and off our table edge. I had command of the right flank with the majority of our cavalry and two foot regiments. Dave was across from me with four foot regiments and the large farm and road between us. Neither Dave nor I where rolling well and so our units did not have much effect on the overall battle. This did work in our favor as it meant there was no brake through on the right flank.
Our left flank saw the first of the real fighting. Nick's cavalry and foot pushed well up early and had a solid fight for most the games with Colin and Gareth's cavalry and foot. The fighting went back and forth for most the game but Nick's superior troops held out and eventually drove off the attackers.
In the center Dave managed to get his foot and guns in a good defensive line and was waiting on Gary's Scots to attack. However Gary was having bad luck with the dice as well and it took more then half the game before the center finely closed. Fortunately for us, Gary could not get his best troops forward before Dave (rolling well for a change) was able to see off a good portion Gary's force.
Towards the end of the game I tried to move up my cavalry to have more effect but we had already won the left flank and was on the verge of having the center and my poor dice rolls would not allow it. At this point we decided the  Parliamentarians just did not have the numbers to complete their victory conditions and the day was won for the Royalists.
The table, pre-deployment, and some of the scenery.





The Royalist forces ready for deployment



My command of the right flank.

My flanks adversaries, the Parliamentarians.

My pike ready for anything.

The main road on our side of the table that I was anticipating the enemy advance.

Cavalry Charge

Parliament flintlocks

Moved my cannon up to protect the right side of the road.
 Pike forming up behind the wall along the road. I used this area as my main defensive position.


Cavalry on the left flank.



Turned the cannon to fire down the road as the attackers came.


Making a dash for the farm to get out of my cannon's line of fire.

Due to poor dice rolls neither Dave nor I moved or killed much but that worked out in our favor.

Our center moving into postion as the enemy cavalry charge on the left.

My defensive line.


The center forces begin to close.





Dave's and my units potions for most the game.

Saturday, November 30, 2013

The Battle of Garry's Tavern

Been a while since I played anything and even longer since I have posted. On thanksgiving day some of the lads met up at Garry's for a 7 Years War battle using his figures and terrain. Gareth and I commanded the British/Prussian devisions while Bill, Dave, and our host Garry commanded the French/Austrian devisions.

The battle was set up so that a large but poor quality French force (right side) met the smaller and more skilled British force (left side) along a road. A small tavern sat along the center of the road.

The Prussian cavalry and British devision I commanded in the foreground.

The French and Austrian devision across from me.

 Austrian Cavalry

Beautiful battle line 

French infantry

Prussian cavalry ready to charge


Scottish Higlanders

The cavalry square off atop the hill.
  
Battle line advancing in good order.

Cavalry cross sabers and destroy each other.

 French lines advance.

Black Watch in the woods holding back numbers 3 times their size.



Infantry square off and exchange volley fire.

The French realize that they will loose if they stand and take the British volley fire so charge in to overwhelm them with their numbers.

Black Watch slowly pulling back but holding their own.

Our right flank open and exposed


The notorious tavern