Rome vs Spain. Ancients game 30.5.13.

This morning Brian and I had a most memorable game,the figures looked good,the scenario was good,and the terrain looked good,in fact the only thing that didn't look good was us!!

This is the scenario,and initial dispositions of the armies.Astute readers will know that this is the terrain for the battle of Vimiero 1808,which we will be playing on Sunday!

This shows the general layout of the table,with the Romans on the left and Spaniards on the right.

We both made a battle plan,and Brian,who commanded the Spanish,decided to amalgamate his cavalry and take on my cavalry @ 2:1 on the right flank of the legions,I, being psychic,or something,had decided to march my rear rank auxilliaries over the river to protect my legion!

Both armies advance towards each other on the Roman right flank,I have occupied the village,why? a good question!! In the background you can see the skirmishers taking shots at each other and doing very little damage,while the far flank cavalry are advancing into charge range.

Look at those lovely,straight Roman lines! Brian is just about to make a horrible mess of them,by moving his heavy infantry against them,so far the cavalry are not engaged.

The Spanish have come down the hill and attacked my auxilliary infantry,ups and downs followed,with Brian having initial success,then it was my turn,well placed commanders and support units were really telling for the next few moves,it was always going to be touch and go!!

All hell breaks loose on the Legion's flank,Brian has charged my auxilliaries before they could form up properly,whilst at the same time,charging my cavalry,this was tense stuff,if only I could get more troops involved I could give a good account of myself!!

In the centre,the two lines of infantry clash! I have thrown my pila,and disordered Brian's troops,but they were so wound up it didn't seem to matter,and he won a couple of the ensuing melees,however in the background my cavalry was doing great stuff,pushing Brian's cavalry back,and , seemingly, winning the flank!(just how the Gods of Fortune can play tricks with me,I don't know-must have done something very wrong in a previous life !!)

The auxilliary infantry are being pushed back! I even had to throw in a cohort of archers to try and stem the tide of the Spanish advance;this actually worked and I started to gain the upper hand,until,once again,the Gods of Fortune etc.etc.!!

Ah,success,of sorts,Brian's cavalry are being pushed back,eventually,by my aux. infantry,sent over the river for that purpose,however in the background the Legion is being "hard pressed"
Brian managed to beat one unit of my cavalry,and he turned them onto my left flank,the cohort there didn't like it when he charged them!!

Meanwhile,on the Roman right flank,the auxilliary units are being out-fought ( that's another way of saying slaughtered!!) and in the centre my legion is being harrassed by the bloody cavalry!!
Is this the end??

Number one cohort is seen here "entertaining" two warbands of wild hill tribesmen,and although I was pushing Brian's heavies back,you can see the Spanish cavalry,who have already got rid of one cohort,threatening to charge another!!

Consolation photo!! My auxilliaries are daring Brian's spent cavalry to come forward onto their spears! By this time the game was over and the victorious Spanish went home to drink some of their lovely red wine an eat some of their lovely paella ( not quite sure about that spelling-but you get the drift!!)

Tonight,Paul and Brian and I will set up the figures for Sunday's game,so roll on Sunday!!

Fort Saint George,French and Indian War 1758

This game is one we played after we had re-newed the rules for our French and Indian war figures.(for the second time!)

Dave(a rare visitor) and I commanded the Rangers and British troops including a bunch of civilians,whilst Brian and Paul took on the roll of Indian and French troops commanders.

This is the scenario we used,a bit complicated but it proved to be an exciting game.

This shot shows the overall layout of the table,with the fort and settlement in the foreground and the raft and gun at the far edge of the table.

The raft and gun,being escorted by a company of Rangers in canoes.A war band of Indians had been selected to stop them_Ha!! no chance!

Brian has thrown a warband across the river against the settlement,which was defended,not only by civilians,but also a company of British regulars.The ensuing fight saw the Indians having to be reinforced by another warband,due to a severe defeat by the defenders.Undetered,Brian threw another warband in for good measure,and sent the defenders fleeing for their lives!!

While Brian's attack was going on,Paul had sent his warband in canoes,against the Rangers in canoes,a melee ensued which the Indians lost,meanwhile the raft an escort rowed away furiously!! Will they make it to the ford??

NO!!!! Paul had cunningly placed a warband on the Lake edge,and shot the raft,escort and gun to pieces!

It has to be said that Dave's defence of the fort was "inadequate" hence the milling Indians slaughtering the hapless defenders,consisting of Rangers,Regulars and Civilians.with the French regulars looking on in dis-belief!! Settlement lost,fort lost,will the Rangers be able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat??

A disgraceful display of "gloating" if ever I saw one-they'll be sorry!!

I have managed to retake the settlement with 2 companies of Rangers,and Dave had reformed the previous defenders into a firing line,and is giving the Indians "what for" in this photo.However the warbands are gathering in ever increasing numbers and might just assail us.

As suspected,we are being assailed!!My rangers are in the settlement and ok,but out in the open field the Indian warbands are running amok!

This shows the view from the settlement,over to the now occupied fort,whilst to the right my Rangers are "retiring" out of harm's way,I think we have lost !!

YES!! there go the Rangers (well, some of them,the one's with hair!!)

This was a good game,played with a lot of laughs and rude banter,however Dave and I did have the last laugh when I managed to kill the Indian warband leader sent foolishly against me,hence the following rare photo of yours truly and Dave.

Well I hope we will all be together next week ( apart from Graham ,who is still mouse hunting in America) and probably play a Napoleonic game.

2 game day,23.5.13. Marlburian and Ancients.

On Thursday morning,Brian and I had a "cracking " little Marlburian game,involving 7 infantry regiments,8 cavalry regiments and 2 guns each.

The simple scenario,alot of manoeuvering went on before we were ready to "come to blows" which,I personally, think makes any game more exciting.

The two columns "snaking" their way towards the bridge,Brian's on the right,and mine in the background.

Fernando Falls,a piece of plastic terrain,which has seen action in many spheres of operation!!

This shot shows my column of Spanish troops,the main column is taking uppositions between the "mountain" and the Falls,whilst the "sub-column" is heading towards the high ground,to counter Brian's moves.

The first clash of arms! As expected a cavalry melee ensued on the high ground flank,Brian being the agressor.This melee took most of the game to resolve,Brian coming out the Victor and driving my units away.

This shows the fire-fight in the centre,my gun did untold damage to the unit on Brian's right flank,and this was to tell later on during the game.
We both had good and bad experiences in the centre,but it looked as if Brian would win,however a string of low dice throws from Brian saw my troops gain the upper hand,and his units began to !waver"

The left flank of my army is shown here,my vavalry have just forced Brian's back and my Irish regiment is fire-fighting his flank unit,which is quite exposed,and I have a cavlary unit "poised" to attack him-surely he has spotted it,and will take evasive action ????

"NO!!" my cavalry rode his infantry down,pinned his other infantry into square,and my gun had now turned and was about to shoot the square to pieces,Brian conceded the flank!!

This photo shows the high ground flank,with my cavalry about to secure Brian's out-flanking move by his cavalry,and my infantry outnumbering his,it was just a matter of time before I swept all before me.
In the centre Brian's troops had been throwing terrible dice,and that too was lost,so I was declared the winner.
This was a very good game,lots of movement,melees and fire-fights,I can only say I was very lucky to win it.
Roll on tonight when Brian has elected to command a Roman army against Paul and I commanding a Pyrrhic army.

Romans on the right,Pyrrhus on the left,both flanks were "vulnerable" consisting of light infantry and cavalry on one flank and Barbarian types on the other,both evenly matched.

The Barbarians advance,both Paul and Brian had initial successes,and the battle raged on through out the whole game,Paul eventually coming out on top.

How does he always manage to get in the photographs?? This shows Brian moving his light troops towards Paul's light troops,again this was "ding-dong" stuff,Brian eventually winning the flank.

My first line of spearmen are just about to be "bounced" Brian,employing correct tactics for the period,threw his Hastati at me,then exchanged his lines and threw his Princepes at me! As both were armed with Pila,my troops were "decimated" to say the least,however my second line of Phalanxes moved in and gave Brian a bloody nose!!

A cavalry battle taking place on my flank,helped by an Elephant unit (which disordered Brian's cavalry) which I just won,and drove Brian's cavalry back,which gave me breathing space and allowed my Phalanx units time to attack without fear of being hit in their flank.

The Phalanx units are engaged with the Princepes,however the supporting Elephant unit has taken fright and is rampaging between my lines.
I was fairly successful in the encounter with the Princepes,and Brian was forced to use his third line the Triarii! Things were getting messy in the centre,Paul had won his right flank,and Brian had won his right flank,it was all down to the Triarii (now where have I heard that before?)

My other Elephant unit is making its presence felt,and I have thrown my spearmen back into the fray,looks like it's all over for the Romans!!

Paul is about to attack Brian's flank,with his remaining Barbarians,it really was all over now for the Romans,however this was no "push-over",and couls I suppose be classed as a Pyrrhic Victory"

Well roll on Sunday,Graham won't be with us as he's gone to what could arguably be described as the most interesting country in the world-America! With Lakes,mountains,waterfalls,canyons,deserts and fantastic cities,however Graham is going to see a six foot mouse instead (Disney world!) Couldn't you even sqeeze in a battle-field tour ??

Romans vs Barbarians 19.5.13.

Tonight we (all of the famous five) fought an Ancients game,based on a Roman raid against a Barbarian Fort. The Romans,commanded by Graham and myself,had to take on a forward contingent of 3 warbands,cross a river,attack another small fort,and then attack the main fort. Brian commanded the forward units and some excellent cavalry,Paul commanded the smaller fort and 4 warbands,who could support him only after the fort was attacked,and Richard commanded 4 warbands in the main fort.

This shot shows the table layout,with the Romans in the foreground,and the forward Barbarian contingent,facing Graham's Auxilliary troops. Graham rolled forward and took on the warbands,who proved to be a pretty stubborn lot,and after 4 rounds of melee,when no victory was in sight,he threw in the cavalry,who tipped the balance in our favour-thrilling stuff!!

These are the Noble cavalry,lurking outside the fort,with Richard's warbands in side,and Paul's outside,waiting the order to advance.

The forward warbands are eventually beaten,by a combination of infantry and cavalry!! Graham could now reorganise his forces and advance,covering the left flank of the Legion-well that was the plan!!!

Go on Graham,drive all before you,nothing can stop you now ?????

My Legionaries have formed "Testudo" and are attacking the smaller fort,Paul's troops took exception to this,and stopped me in my tracks,however after a couple of good dice from me (can you believe that?) I prevailed and the fort was taken. All I had to do now was to reform,and join Graham in the middle and advance onto the main fort-Simples!!

The Roman lines are being formed,come on my soldiers advance onto triumph and glory!! Hello,whats this? a bold counter attack by massed warbands and noble cavalry,That's not in the script!!

The most photographed wargamer in the universe looks on as the Barbarians pile forward,eager to stop the Roman advance,this is going to be bloody! Richard looks tense!!

What a bloody mess! How did we ever get ourselves into a situation like this? We are being assailed along the whole front,melees being won and lost,warbands retiring,then cohorts retiring,the whole game hinged on my cohorts holding out against overwhelming numbers,and Paul's dice throwing-no contest then!!

How audacious! Paul has re-captured the smaller fort,and driven my cohorts back down the hill,woe is me,all is lost,where's Graham??

Graham is heading back to Rome,and so are my Cohorts,with the Barbarians winning all over the field,they were declared the winners! Just as well really,I couldn't stand to see Brian sobbing again!!

This was a well played game,and we all enjoyed it.Doesn't Richard look smart in his white shirt and stripey tie? From now on I am going to insist that we all  come smartly dressed to every game-it's all about standards you know!!

Roll on Thursday.

I bought a Dacian army from Lancashire Games at Falkirk,and have started painting them.This is the third unit under-coated and ready to go!

These are the two completed units,I actually enjoyed painting them,even though the weight of the shields made them a "bugger" to stick on.Brian gave me a tip which solved the problem,he advised "liquid nails,combined with super-glue- it worked a treat!!

A close-up showing the chieftain figure and the embossed shields,I must admit I'm quite pleased with them!

Any way Roll on Thursday,probably horse and musket,but who knows??