Yesterday Paul,Brian,Graham and I attended a re-fight of the above battle,staged by Charlie Wesencraft's group at Seaton Sluice.
As we arrived we were all allotted tasks-putting out terrain,getting figures into their commands etc.etc.-but Graham seems to have been "excused duties!"
Brian and Mike are setting out the "Rebels"-Paul,Dave,Mike and Brian were in command of these troops,whilst Charlie,Mel,Tony and I were the royalists opposing them.
The game has started,with Charlie already on the board,and Mel trying to deploy,my command was marching up the road(the only access to the battlefield!!) which held Tony's command up ,as he was behind me-this caused two things to happen-firstly,I was shot to bits by Paul and Graham,who had cannon and loads of archers,secondly,poor Tony(the King) didn't get into action the whole of the game!!!
Half time arrived,and so did Paul Kirby's wife(Sue)-she was delighted at such a good turnout,and hugged and kissed everyone-lovely lady!
While we were having lunch,there was the usual banter and tactical discussions,and then it was back to the battle/game.
As my command continued to get shot to bits,and Tony continued striving to get onto the board,the fighting was left to Mel and Charlie,who were both being "pressed" by Brian and Dave!
"When you're smiling,when you're smiling,the whole world smiles with you!!!!"
My command has eventually started to deploy,allowing Tony to get onto the board-but my casualties were 25%,and I had to take a command morale test-would I pass it????(answers on a post-card please!!)
Charlie's son,John, has joined us,and is being assailed by Brian's wild Irishmen,backed up by some Irish wolf hounds!!-John was beaten and driven back!
Mel 's command has decided they have had enough,and my command is fleeing(yes they failed their morale test!!),so it's the end of the game.
One final shot of the Royalists,in total dis-array-history turned on its head!!
I would liked to have played this game with both sides deployed at the start,and maybe it would have a different outcome!
Well next Saturday,we will be at Border Reiver Show at Gateshead Stadium,putting on a Napoleonic demo. game,arranged by Dave-looking forward to that.
First of all apologies for the title!(it's the silly season!!).
Last night we had a most entertaining and exciting game involving Government troops vs Wild Scottish Clans and Irish regular infantry-what a game it turned out to be.
Top photo shows the scenario,bottom is the table as the "boys" saw it when they arrived.
Paul was in charge of the left hand column,Brian the right.
Dave was in charge of the Clans(hidden in the far right hand wood) and I was in charge of the Irish(hidden in the far left woods)
On move number one,as Paul was about to cross the "rickety" bridge,he was handed a note saying his engineers reported that the bridge would not hold the weight of cavalry or guns!!
Oh how we laughed at his expression of disgust!!!
Paul,as a very experienced wargamer/general,diverted his cavalry and guns across to Brian's flank,whilst crossing the bridge with his infantry-however,Brian had not "scouted" the woods he had to pass to get to his bridge(big mistake in our games!!) and was attacked by a clan who inflicted enormous casualties on his rear regiment(who just happened to be Low-land Scots!) before he could drive them off-Oh how we laughed again!!-the game had now started in earnest.
Far from being dejected by the attack from the woods,Brian is getting his troops across the river,as Paul's cavalry and guns head his way-could be a bit of a "log-jam" coming up???
My Irish "exposed" themselves in an attempt to stop Paul's infantry forming line or advancing on the castle-this linked beautifully with Dave's Clans emerging from the woods and threatening Brian's troops-great stuff!!
Dave's leading clan has charged Brian's leading regiment,and although they took some casualties,managed to hit home and a tremendous melee took place,lasting three moves!!
With my gun supporting, a general advance by the Clans was ordered,led by the "Lowne Hounds"(-they could inflict no casualties but would dis-order any troops they hit(BIT?))
As the Clans surged forward,the English line began to form,this was going to be tight!!
The "Lowne Hounds" have attacked the leading cavalry unit of Brian's command,and my "Highland Gentlemen Volunteer Cavalry" are about to capitalise on their discomfort!!-hurrah.
Brian is consolidating his position,and putting Dave in a "spot of bother",in the background Paul is also positioning his troops to assault my Irish,who,it must be said, were putting up a grand show!!
This shows my Irish giving the English a damned good "bashing!"-Paul eventually had to retire his infantry,but Brian was making up for this by driving the Clans backwards!
This shows the aftermath of a most disgraceful incident!!-I have seen "Gloats" and displays of excitement,but Brian's dancing,shouting and waving of arms,just because he had beaten one of Dave's clans and killed their Chief,was the worst I have ever witnessed-However,the exertions he put into his "celebration" almost gave him a heart attack!! and he had to hang onto the table until he recovered-serves you bloody well right!!!!
It was still "touch and go" in the centre and Brian's flank,but the Clans were slowly losing casualties and being pushed back-plus,Paul's cavalry are now making their presence felt,and this could be the deciding factor.
Packed full of his medication,Brian is about to recover,and lead his men to victory!!!
My Irish are still giving Paul's troops a good old thrashing,but Dave's clans are in a bit of bother-because of the situation,we decided that draw was the fairest result-although the English hadn't taken their objective(the castle) so technically the Scots/Irish had won!!
One final shot of this well-fought game-well done lads,and roll on Saturday-we have been invited ,by Charlie Wesencraft,to take part in a re-fight of "Stoke Field" which was the last battle of the war of the Roses.
Whilst looking at my "Stats" today,I came across this very worrying entry.....................
If you look at the entry,third from the bottom,I have had 6 "hits" from an UNKNOWN REGION!!-where the hell on Earth,is there an Unknown Region????
Maybe I'm being monitored from Outer Space by Aliens looking for Intelligent Life-no chance on this planet!!!
Can anyone throw any light on this??-I'm worried sick,only Captain Morgan Rum can save me!
Last night we staged a very exciting Ancients game,Romans against Carthaginians.
Top photo is the scenario,bottom is the table before any movement.
Paul and Brian were the Carthaginian commanders,whilst Graham and I were the Scipio brothers(we commanded more like the Chuckle Brothers(Brother!!))
Opening moves,and Paul and Brian(fresh-faced and tanned from his recent trip to Mablethorpe) move their troops forward-this was going to be fast and furious!
Action!! Graham's flank is right in among it!!-cavalry and infantry,skirmishers all eager to die(too eager?? too soon??)-we got the better of the initial clashes,mainly due to pila,as far as the infantry are concerned-hurrah!
Brian's first line(Celts and Gauls) charged into my Hastati,and a fair old tussle ensued-in the background you can see Graham and Paul are also locked in a Titanic struggle-grand stuff!
Then,disaster struck!!-Graham lost his cavalry,and Paul advanced on his hapless legion,forcing it into a defensive formation!!(note,the lurking Elephant on Graham's left flank of his Princepes)
On my flank,I have driven off the Celts/Gauls but Brian has charged into me with his African infantry-I have turned my Triarii to face the threat from his cavalry and Elephant,so for a while my flank is secure-hurrah!!
This shows the sorry state of Graham's legion(what legion??)-the whole flank has gone-woe is us!!
Whilst my Triarii hold off Brian's Elephant and cavalry,I am moving my un-touched cavalry through a gap,intending to out-flank his African infantry-this move also prompted Paul to move his African infantry into a defensive formation!
There they go,but to no avail!-Paul's cavalry are advancing against my flank,and we have no hope of winning!!
One final shot,my legion was intact(though battered!) and with cavalry about to assault my rear(ooher!!) we called it a night,and a good win for Brian and Paul-well done lads.
Don't know what's happening next week-Graham is on holiday,and Dave seems to have gone AWOL-although he is planning a demo game for Border Reiver(1st September) so hope everything is going ok!!
Last night the "thrifty three" had a great Seven Years War game pitting Prussians against Russians.
Top photo is scenario,bottom is my dispositions(Russians)-I "disappeared" for 15 mins. leaving Paul and Graham to come up with a plan for their troops(Prussians)
Don't know where Graham has got to,but this shows Paul placing his centre and left.
My plan was simple-attack with my left,hold in the centre and right,theirs was to attack my left flank,mess me about in the centre and make a slow attack on my right,through the woods.
We're off!! my swift advance with my Cuirassiers threw Graham off balance,and stopped him in his tracks-which caused a "log jam" which prevented Paul from deploying his gun battery and Dragoons-oh dear,how sad,never mind!!-My cavalry advance was just a feint,and I soon got them back to their original positions,and started an advance with my infantry-hurrah!!
The table at about move number 4.Paul is moving cautiously through the woods,but I am about to unleash my Hussars!!
With orders to "harass and harangue" any thing that comes through the woods-they did a splendid job,taking casualties off Paul's Dragoons but receiving no casualties in return.Paul likened them to Carthaginian Numidian Cavalry-and so they were!!
Graham's attack is still in "limbo",and now I am moving my reserve Dragoons on to his left flank by the lake-by this time Paul was worried,mainly because I am aiming my attack against his battery!!!
Paul has cleared the woods,and I immediately attacked him with my Dragoons,and beat him,forcing him back to the woods!!-isn't wargaming wonderful????-I also attacked his horse artillery battery with my Hussars(skirmish) and forced them to retire-bloody marvelous!
I have a feeling that all is going too well(??!!)
Graham has finally got his act together,and is pouring volley after volley into my infantry and artillery-a desperate assault on my village failed miserably,and I was moving my cuirassiers around his right flank,again,causing him to "baulk"-I love wargaming,me!!
Yet another "lull" on my left flank,while Graham decides what to do!!-in the background you can see that I have wiped out Paul's lake-side battery,but am being attacked by his Dragoons.My other Cuirassiers are making their way through the central woods and onto Paul's infantry flank!!
Paul has now crossed the lake,and engaged me frontally,whilst his reserves are moving through the woods to out-flank me-weight of numbers are now telling-great tactics,great wargaming!!
(note the Curassiers about to charge his infantry!!)
My left flank exposed infantry and artillery are beaten,and Graham,at last ,is putting in a determined attack-on the other flank Paul has got his reserves into position on my right flank,so all is lost!!!-a great game,and well done to Paul and Graham.
We might have a full complement next week,but no idea,as yet,as to what we will be playing.
This morning,Alan and Cameron came along to introduce Cameron to wargaming.To make things simple I chose a straightforward "bash" involving Vikings and Saxons.
Top photo is the main Saxon position,bottom is the village which Alan had to capture,Cameron was to attack the Church position-I was,obviously, in charge of the Saxons.
The Viking Longships approach the Saxon shore-both Alan and I kept Cameron right,showing him movement,troop types ranges etc.
Alan has landed his troops and spent no time in attacking the village(which was held by Fyrd!!)
Meanwhile my Saxons are moving forward to support the "village people" and try to divert some of Alan's Vikings away from the attack.
Cameron is moving his troops tentatively forward,being guided by Alan,against my Saxons,who have formed a "Shieldwall" between the rocks.Cameron was slowly picking up the simple rules we use,using his archers to weaken my line,before he chose to charge into the "Wall".
A frantic melee ensued for three moves,before I started to gain the upper hand-HOWEVER,bloody dice let me down at a crucial moment,and Cameron started to push me back!!!!
Back at the village,it was "throwing out time" only it was me that was being thrown out!!
The Fyrd were no match for the blood- thirsty Vikings,and the village was taken-woe is me!!
Cameron's troops are pushing me back,and he still has an intact second line!
My counter-attack just bounced off Alan's Vikings,so,with the church in danger of being ransacked by Cameron,and the village in Viking hands,I capitulated(they can't touch you for it!!)
Cameron seemed to enjoy the game,and has asked to come again for another,so he can get used to the rules etc.
Meanwhile,roll on next Sunday!
