On the 24th June 2013,our old mate and fellow wargamer Tommy Mclelland died,and I promised his daughter that every year,as close to the 24th as possible,we would hold a game in his memory-last night was Tommy's game.
I chose an English Civil War game,and with 4 of us present,we chose sides and away we went!
I was Essex,Brian was Charles,Graham was Cromwell,and Paul was Rupert.
I had instructed everyone to observe the troops they commanded,formulate a proper plan,move their troops to their positions,and way we would go!!-the only exception to this was Brian/Charles command who could be in position,within the town,to start the game.
My attack on the town(and the King!) commences-I noticed that Brian's support troops were very close to his front line troops,and gambled that if I could get him to melee,and beat him,His supports would be "compromised"-this actually worked(there's always a first for everything!)
We have all wargamed together for hundreds of years,and you get to know what some people will do when faced with a certain situation and certain troop types-Graham will always attempt to charge as soon as possible,when commanding Cavalry,and this he did last night!!-two things resulted:-1) he stopped Paul in his tracks-hurrah!
2) he lost his cavalry!!!-not hurrah!
But the main result was that the whole centre was held up and no infantry actually got into melee or a fire-fight!!!
Meanwhile,back in the town,I have instigated a "push of pike",and won the ensuing melee,pushing Brian back on his support troops-hurrah!!
Back in the centre,the cavalry "slugfest" is still going on,and on and on!!!!
In the town,things a looking desperate!-Brian now unleashed his elite cavalry across the stream and bridge-was this the master stroke,was he going to roll Graham's flank up??-NO!! he turned them a against my advancing infantry and cavalry!!-a furious melee developed,but that gave Graham time to bring his "Ironsides" troopers onto Brian's flank-hurrah,again!!
That says it all!!-what do you mean,you've lost your cavalry??-they're not lost-I know where they are-lying in heaps in front of your un-used infantry!!!!-Paul appears to have gone AWOL!!
One last shot(which is more than the Infantry did!!) showing the centre.Brian had capitulated in the town(well,they can't touch you for it!),and as that was the whole objective of the game,the Parliamentarians were declared the winners!!
This was another good game,full of banter,colour and foul language!
Roll on next Sunday,probably a Dervish game,incorporating Brian's newly painted Medical vignette,and his newly painted commanders!
With Paul on "taking daughters back to University" duty, last night it fell to Brian,Graham and I to play this colourful English Civil War game......
The "usual" scenario and table before any movement-I commanded the Royalists,whilst Brian and Graham split the Parliamentarian command,Brian taking the left and Graham the right.
On both flanks,the game opened with cavalry advances and charges,which are synonomous with this period,but which I find very frustrating!!
My advance into the "marshy ground" ended in disaster,caused by Brian's combination of "partridge shot" from his guns and musket fire from his infantry!!!!
Meanwhile,on the other flank,the cavalry battle continues,obviously centred around the giant cup that has appeared!!!
The central infantry battle was "epic" with volley firing and "push of pike" taking place,especially in the "Lang's Meadow" part of the table.
This is a view of the central part of the table,showing the fighting going on-on the far left you can see that Graham has retired(it's good being retired!) his cavalry allowing me to have a breather-but not for long ,as he renewed his attack and drove some of my cavalry back!!
I have secured "Lang's Meadow",I am in possession of "Barrow Hill" and "Penny Mound",so I declared myself the winner!!-however with howls of protest from Graham and Brian,I had to concede that a draw was probably the proper and fair result!!
Roll on Thursday,maybe an Ancients game,with Romans against a Pyrrhic army.
