Ancients game 11.10.12. vs Brian and Paul

We had a seriously exciting and interesting game last night,with migrating Gallic tribes trying to cross the Rhone,being opposed by Auxilliary Roman units of Infantry and Cavalry.

Brian and Paul were the Romans and I commanded the Gauls.

The simple scenario is shown above,nothing complicated,even the terrain was simple,it just shows what you can achieve with wargaming if you use your imagination.

This is the overall view of the board,with my Gauls about to start their attack.My plan was to attack both towers at the same time and also launch a feint chariot attack against the Romans lining the river bank,this was to be a diversion,and they were to swerve away at the last minute and shower the defenders with javelins,prior to the infantry charging in conjunction with the cavalry,don't you just love it when a plan comes together?

This shot shows my chariots (first time on the board-from Warrior) veering away after having hurled javelins at the very surprised Romans,you can also se the infantry poised to charge next move!!

This shows Paul's hill being attacked by slingers as aprelude to the warbands getting stuck in.Both hills held out for a long time,in fact Brian's hill was still in Roman hands at the end of the game.

The shot below is of Brian's hill,which he doggedly defended,even though I continually threw warbands at it.

                  

 

 

                         
The photo below shows the tremendous battle at the river's edge,with cavalry and infantry mixed,each side sending more and more troops to try and swing the balance.

I tried to outflank Paul's hill using my light cavalry,this can only be called a big mistake!!,he not only beat them soundly but managed to push them back into my follow-up warband,who had toretire and leave the cavalry to their fate!!

Paul's Romans were not made of the same stuff as Brian's,and fled the hill after a massive assault,as this was one of the game objectives,i.e. get over the river in numbers,I suppose this was really the start of the end for the Romans,however we played on!!

A Roman victory! The Gauls have been pushed back from the river's edge in this shot,however I had cavalry moving up to support and warbands reforming,ready to be sent into the fray again.

The final push,Gallic troops gaining the advantage (good old chariots!) what you can't see out of the picture is the Roman infantry streaming away!!

This final photo shows Brian's hill,still intact at the end of the game,how I don't know!!

On Sunday our mate Michael is coming down from Aberdeen,and bringing some of his figures,pitting them against Dave's figures,so we are all expecting a good game.Roll on Sunday.

English Civil War.7.10.12.

We had an E.C.W. game last night,involving a storming of a Royalist defence works,and the intercepting of a "powder" waggon due for the defences.
Brian and I were the Royalists and Paul was the attacking Parliamentarians,I was not coming onto the board until move number 4 with a relieving force-too late was the cry!!

Brian was outnumbered by two to one initially,and managed to hold out for a long while against Paul's ferocious attacks by cavalry and infantry.
The first photo shows the first of many cavalry clashes,Paul had sent all of his cavalry to outflank and prevent the powder waggon fron getting to the defences,however Brian was quick to spot the move and sent his elite Rupert's Horse to counter this.An "impassable" marsh was not Impassable and you can see Paul's commanded musketeers splashing their way through it,these troops did alot of damage to Brian's cavalry,and eventually upset his whole flank!!

The above shot is of Paul's infantry attack against the defences,this is such a colouful period,I don't know why we don't play it more often.Brians inf. shot the attackers but couldn't stop them getting into melee.

Hurrah John has arrived with the reief force,but has along way to go to catch up with the action!!


The photo below shows Paul's cavalry being beaten in melee and being forced back into his infantry,now that's a thing we rarely see!!

 

 

This is the parliamentarians being "ejected" from the defences,after a long melee,in which they managed to get into the defences and inflict some very unkind damage the defenders.

This was Paul's "finest hour",his outflanking move to the left of the defences took both Brian and I by complete surprise,Brian did manage to get one unit to fire on them,but weight of numbers etc.etc.

This shot shows the fire-fight at the defences form the Parliamentarian side of the table,Paul put in such an intense attack,it was really only a matter of time before Brian's forces crumbled,and I was still too far away to help!!

Oh dear, Brian's Lifeguards are being "chased" through the defences by Paul's cavalry,and look the powder waggon has finally made it ! This was the beginning of the end,with his defences breached (purple unit) and his cavalry in disarray,and his relief force "fannying about " somewhere on the board, the Royalist cause was lost.

This final photo has been put in just to show that I did actually get engaged with the Parliamentarians!!

This was another good game, and although Brian felt he was under "the cosh" most of the game,he bravely managed to hold on for a lot longer than I thought he would.

Roll on Thursday.

 

 

 

Greeks vs Persians,4.10.12. vs Paul

Paul and I played a "gripping" ancients game last night,using the same terrain as the afternoon game with Brian,only the Greeks were on the hills and the Persians were attcking them.Paul had his Spartans on his right flank,with his centre covered by a multitude of Hoplites,supported by light inf. and skirmish troops,his left was held by heavy cavalry.
On my side of the board,my left consisted of Mercenary Hoplites and Immortals,with a couple of units of archers,meanwhile my centre was made up of "poor" axemen,and good spearmen,supported by skirmish troops,my right flank was made up of heavy cavalry.

The above photo shows the overall view ,with the Persians on the right, and the Greeks on the left,Spartans on the end of the table,facing mercenaries and Immortals.

This shows the Persian centre,axemen and spearmen,I advanced the axemen as quickly as possible and took on the opposing Hoplites,I was,of course,mauled badly!! however I inflicted casualties on the Hoplites which counted against them when I put my spearmen into the "fray" later on.

This is my left flank,Mercenary Hoplites and Immortals,I extended my line and hit the advancing Spartans in the flank,and after a tremendous struggle,eventually surrounded the Spartans and anhialated them!!

This is Paul's centre,Hoplites and light troops,cavalry reserve in background, he used these well and supported his left flank with them to outnumber me,this had mixed fortunes,as I won one cavalry battle and he won the other,and so it remained until the end of the game.

Look at those imposing Spartans! Paul decided to bring them off their hill and attack me whilst I was advancing,the ensuing melees lasted until the last move,and swung both ways,with some terrible dice throws from both of us,combined with some good throws,this was the stuff of real wargames!!

This shot shows my Axemen being severely "mauled" by Paul's Hoplites in the centre,but note the advancing Spearmen,who took on his Hoplites and after a struggle both side could make no headway,so that eventually led Paul to ask for a draw,which I was happy to accept.

This is the "titanic" struggle for the Persian left flank,with the Spartans clashing with my Mercenary Hoplites,and the Immortals moving onto the flanks.

Spartans about to be surrounded,the ignomy of it! With your shield or on it!!

This shows the Cavalry battle on the right flank of the Persians,this was agood "tussle" and Paul handled his forces well,managing to support both of his units with his reserve unit,it has to be said with mixed results,but very effective.

This is the battle in the centre which raged on until the end of the game,Paul's heavier Hoplites gave me a good "drubbing" but somehow I managed to hold on to most of my Spear units,although Paul did have the advantage at the end.

Bye,bye Spartans,surrounded at last,with no escape Paul capitulated on this flank,but gave me a bloody nose on the other flank,so a draw was a fair result.

This is the final shot,Paul's Hoplites pushing my Spearmen back,with my reserve cavalry just holding some troops on the flank,although I knew I couldn't hold them much longer.

Roll on the next game.

Jacobite Game vs Brian,4.10.12.

Brian and I played this game on Thursday,he was in charge of the "English" army and I was in charge(?) of the Scots.

The battle map and scenario are in the first photo's below, and above.

The next photo shows the Scots centre,a formidable looking bunch!!

The view below is the overall view of the table with Scots on their hills,divided by a small stream,and the English on the plain,just waiting for the inevitable  Scots charge.

The next two shots are of the commanders,General Irving and James.

I don't know what has happened to James! He's probably gone for a wee,wee!! (Scottish joke!)

This shows the "Dogs of War" from Warrior's Border Reiver range,in fact all of the Scots shown in these photo's are from Warrior.

The photo above is of "Freddie" the shepherd (only Geordies and Newcastle United fans will get that joke!!),he stayed on the table for the whole game as shot and shell fell all around him-please note, no sheep were hurt in the making of this game.

The photo below shows "bonnie wee lassies" cooking the Scot's porridge,before,during and after the battle.This is what most wargamers call battlefield "clutter",and I must admit I think it can look quite good,and sets the scene.

This shot shows the English left flank,solidly held by Hanoverian and English troops,supported by a gun and cavalry.

 

This is the Scot's right flank,led by James,beginning their fatal attack on the English left flank,a cobination of cannister and volley fire saw two out of the three clans swept from the board,before they could make contact!!

 

 

"GOTCHA!!,Brians only mistake of this game,his cavalry charged into the flank of an advancing clan,only to be charged in turn by another clan,the result was what you would expect-total defeat!!

 

The photo below shows the Scots putting the English under real pressure,however Brian held a good position and managed to beat off all attacks.

 

 

The photo above shows the "inevitable" retreat of the Scots,Brian played very well,by holding his positions.We had decided that the Scots should throw random movement dice,and this was my downfall,I couldn't co-ordinate my attacks,however I think it was fairly realistic, and have no complaints about my defeat.

This was avery good game,and threw up problems for both sides.
I've said it before and I'll say it again,"retirement is great",which means that I'll be playing Paul tonight (two games in one day!!) we'll be playing over the same terrain as this morning,but the sides will be Greek Hoplites against Persians,and then there will be Sunday's game to look forward to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ssies,just how much porridge can one army eat??

Marlburian game 31.9.12.

Paul put on a "cracking" game last night,consisting of French and Allies against British and Allies.The game itself was a "take" on the Seven Years War battle of Kolin,transposed to Marlburian times.
The French under Dave,Graham and Brian,were making a long outflanking move against a well prepared and situated British force under Paul and John.The French had the usual 1/3rd more troops than the British and as it turned out they needed them!!

This is a shot of the defnded farmhouse,before the battle started,the British Grenadiers stoutly defended the position until overun by weight of numbers,you can see in the background the British central position,but what you can not see is the hidden gun battery and cavalry,in the woods!!

This photo shows the massive French column,starting on its outflanking march,there was still 7 infantry regiments and a gun battery to come onto the board!!

In this shot the French are just beginning to bombard the village,after an initial bombardment the French advanced to fire-fight and then charged into melee,the fight swung both ways but eventually the brave British infantry were forced to retire.

Once the French column swung into line,Paul found himself faced by 6 infantry regiments and 4 cavalry regiments,this shot shows the "over eager" French guard being shot at by Paul's infantry and the ,now exposed,gun battery,whilst his cavalry head for the flank.

This shows a Bavarian force attacking my flank,they had to cross a stream under fire from a combination of British and Dutch infantry,and suffered heavy casualties,however they persevered and put me under considerable pressure for a while.

This shot shows the French infantry advancing and their cavalry being beaten in the first of many melees on top of the hill,some good and some bad dice were thrown by both sides,and eventually an impasse was reached with neither side having an advantage,this was to lead to the offer of an honourable "draw" to the British, which was accepted.

This is the final photo,and shows the French still trying to capture the village,being held by the Dutch Guards this time!
this was a fantastic game by any standards,and well done to Paul for putting it on,now come on the rest of the group,thinking caps on and come up with a game ,or it's Ancients for the rest of our wargaming lives!!

Roll on Thursday.