Having completed my Norman and Saxon armies,in preparation for a display game at Shildon in October (16th-two days after the actual anniversary!) I decided to put the armies on the board and have a go at recreating the battle.
As there was only three of us,Paul and Brian elected to be the Saxons,under King Harold,and I was to be Duke William commanding the Normans.-what a game it turned out to be!!
The scenario and table before any movement are shown in the two photo's-we played on a light green cloth,as we will play the game at Shildon,and all of the figures are from Warrior Miniatures Saxon and Norman range,apart from a few Norman archers which are from their "El Cid" range.
A splendid line of Norman infantry await the order to advance,closely supported by Knights.
Another view of the Norman line.
An equally splendid line of Saxon Huscarls stand on top of Senlac Hill awaiting the Norman attack.
The attack begins-I ordered the Bretons on my left flank and the "French" on my right to advance quickly,whilst the Normans in the centre were to advance at a much slower pace.
The Bretons cross the brook-I had deliberately made the fighting and morale points low for the flank troops,hoping to simulate them getting beaten in melee,and falling back,hopefully to be chased by the Saxon Fyrd(also stationed on each flank) as per the actual battle-and it worked!
My right flank "French" were first to make contact,cutting into the Fyrd like a knife through butter!!But then the Fyrd fought back and forced a morale test,which the "French" failed and retired(it's good being retired) chased hotly by the Saxons,down into the valley,where the Norman cavalry were waiting-hurrah!!!
A move later and the Bretons have made contact,the same thing happening on this flank as happened on the other-history repeating itself!!
Now the Norman foot have made contact-this was not going to be easy as I had made the Huscarls very high in fighting and morale points,but had earlier caused a few casualties with archery-note I am massing all of my archers in the centre,in readiness to take off furhter casualties.
The Fyrd have chased my "French" troops,and have,themselves,been caught!!-hurrah!!
Meanwhile the central battle goes on,but previous casualties are now telling and the Saxon Huscarls are losing a couple of melees.
This shows my right flank,with my cavalry about to destroy the Fyrd.But what of the other flank?
With my Infantry in dis-array,I thought a quick cavalry charge would discomfort the Fyrd still on the hill-wrong!! they stood and drove the cavalry back-this isn't in the script!!!
My archers are now in place,I will order the infantry to retire(it's good being retired) and let the archers do their work,then charge home with the bulk of the cavalry-job's a good'un!!
My central infantry are retiring in this shot-the archers managed to just get enough casualties off the Huscarls to force them into testing morale,and the end two units failed-hurrah!!-time for a cavalry assault upon the hill.
One last photo-the cavalry are just about to deliver the "coup de grace" upon the Saxons.
This was a great game,full of excitement,colour and tension,and the gaming outcome mirrored the historical outcome,which was very gratifying.Well done to Paul and Brian,and roll on Sunday,probably an Ancients game,if I can come up with a scenario!
Last night 4 of us had a really interesting game/exercise,as described in the previous blog.
We decided that Graham,Brian and Paul would be co-commanders of the American forces and that I would "command" the Iraqi forces ie. turn over the cards and throw whatever dice were required-as it turned out nearly all of the Iraqi firing was done by "Stevie Wonder"!!!
Top photo is an American Tank,and bottom photo is an Iraqi Tank-all vehicles and figures are bought from the Pound Shop,and painted to my usual high standard(Hmmmmm!!)-Brian has informed me that the tanks are probably based on the Russian T62(of course I knew that!!!)
The whole "exercise" was to get the commanders to come up with a detailed plan of attack and write precise orders for each of their units-the discussions were great to sit and listen to-each commander having his own thoughts of how to rescue the imprisoned "General"-Eventually a compromise was reached,and the game started,with a Helicopter surveillance run over the Iraqi left flank,which discovered a mortar crew and a heavy machine gun position,which it must be said were quickly "dealt with".
This shows the flank about to be "dealt with"-I had no control over where the Iraqi troops were,so when we turned over the cards,we both had a laugh(or not !!)
The Americans decided to launch a "bombing run" with one of their planes,against my right flank,this prompted me to "reveal" the village troops,which turned out to be an A/T gun,a Tank and an infantry squad,who just happened to have a "blowpipe" unit,who then fired at the passing aircraft,and missed!!!
With the Americans massing their forces on the Iraqi left,their A/T gun opened up at effective range,and although it hit a tank,did very little damage!-the tank fired back,and destroyed the gun!!!
On the Iraqi right,a tank emerges from cover,in an attempt to draw some American troops from the left-however(!!) an air strike was ordered,and this held the tank up for a couple of moves,but fortunately the bomb missed,and eventually the tank "rumbled" forward on it's lonely,but doomed mission.
Having successfully wiped out the A/T gun and the Tank in the village,the American commanders ordered an infantry attack,which took a few casualties,but over-ran the defenders!
This shows the fight for the village,with American tanks supporting the infantry assault,but what of the Iraqi Tank,whose mission it was to draw away American troops????
Can you spot it?-well so did the Americans!!-they poured shit,shot and shell into that poor little tank,reducing it to scrap metal within one move!!!
Basically,game over,however to teach the Americans a lesson,for not having a contingency plan to cover this event,I drove the captured General away in an APC!!-they should,of course,have seen that this could happen,and attacked the Iraqi right flank,as well as the left,to close any escape route-hurrah!!
This was a wonderful exercise in communication,planning and specific order writing-we can only improve,but well done lads.
Roll on Thursday!!
Last night I had planned a rather "involved" game based on an Iraqi vs Americans scenario,unfortunately Paul couldn't make it,and as it would take two American commanders and a referee(me!) Brian and I decided to call it off and wait until Sunday,when maybe two teams could face the challenge.
I will print the info. that the American commanders will be given,and write a full report of what happened on Monday,after Sunday's games.
This is the scenario,the "chipping" is not as far fetched as it sounds,I am reliably informed that "Special Forces" around the world do this for location purposes.
This is the info that the American commanders will be given-no troops will be on the board at the start of the game.The Iraqi troops are in various locations,randomly laid cards,face down,showing Tanks,Infantry,Artillery etc.etc. will be put in the Village and Scrub/Rocks locations,so no one knows what is where,until the cards are turned,ie. when "spotted" by the Americans-sound complicated,but can be managed by me as referee(I hope!!)
The map,showing defensive locations and village-all American troops must come onto the board from point"X"-the objective being to make base-to-base contact with the building where the "General" is imprisoned-easy!!!
A general(pardon the pun!) view of the table from the American entry point.
A more detailed view of the village,and buildings where the "General" is housed.
I always try to give the "boys" an interesting and testing game,but hosting two games a week does take a toll on the old grey matter,and quite frankly I'm running out of ideas-thinking of two scenarios,terrain,balancing forces,providing order sheets,points,pens,clip boards,measuring sticks,dice and figures,is getting tiresome!!-I need some help!!-so come on "boys" get your thinking caps on and come up with a couple of games to give me a rest.
However,roll on Sunday!!
Last night,before we began a most exciting Marlburian game,Dave produced the latest figures from his Italian WW2 collection,and some of the Assaye(Tipoo Sultan) figures which we will be featuring in May at Carronade,in Falkirk.
Italian tanks-Dave insists that "it's easy to paint like this"-oh no it isn't!!!-they look great,he uses washes and black undercoats,and dry brushing-all techniques which are beyond me,I can only look and admire!!
Italian infantry and field gun-same techniques and a real treat for my eyes-all figures and tanks are Perry's-terrific!!
One of 12(?) guns that Dave hopes to deploy at Falkirk-I like the bold,full colour style of painting,the bases are yet to be done,but you can get the feel of what they will look like.....
Deployed!!(c/w LED candle!)-these will look the part,that's for sure.
And a box full of cavalry,three "Native" regiments and a British one(in blue) all figures are Elite Miniatures,big chunky things,and full of movement and action-well done Dave,can't wait for the "dress rehearsal" of the game.
Now for last night's game,involving 6 players,all of whom played a major part in the battle.
Myself,Dave and Brian commanded the Franco/Bavarians,against Paul,Graham and Richard.
The battle commenced with a serious assault against my Irish and French troops,by Paul's Austrians-everything involved-wonderful wargaming!!
AS the battle hots up in the centre,Father and Son look satisfied with their efforts-let's see how they look later on though!!
A combination of Dave's Bavarians and Brian's French are attacking the Allies,Brian did particularly well with his gun battery and brought the whole of the British line(commanded by Richard) to a standstill-hurrah!!
Things are going quite well on my flank,but this was about to change,as Paul brought his infantry up to take on my French-I was out-numbered,but initially I did ok.my cavalry,on the right of the shot,actually drove Paul's back,then I ran into his reserves,and I was sent back-"cracking" stuff!!
My Irish troops are taking a bit of a pounding,but Dave,being the gentleman he is, is sending me help in the form of some Bavarians-hurrah!!-the whole line is ablaze!!
The Bavarian reserves are moving up to relieve the battered first line,as Brian is still holding the British line up with a combination of gun and musket fire-surely we can't go wrong now.(??)
Oh yes we can!!-with a slash of cavalry sabres and a flash of musketry,plus some incredible dice throwing from Paul,my troops are,everywhere,beaten!!-woe is me!My flank seems doomed!
Then,in the centre,the "un-thinkable" happened!! to encourage a Bavarian regiment into keeping their place in the line,Dave put his Brigadier at their head,and was promptly shot(in the head?) forcing the whole Brigade to test morale,which they spectacularly failed!! and they left the field!!!!-Brian,in total despair,was lost for words(very rare occurrence!) and almost burst with frustration!!
Paul's Austrians have now completed their out-flanking moves and my troops are running away(or retiring!)-with the Bavarians going home,and the Irish going home,it only left the French to hold onto what little dignity we had left-good old Brian!!!and so the Allies were declared the winners!
One final shot of the centre-oh dear me,well,there's always another day!!probably Thursday!
This was another good game,well done lads.
O.M.G!! what a game we had last night-Zulu vs British,Brian and I vs Paul(aka nervous shaking wreck!!)
Scenario and table layout-Brian had instructions that he must attack the "Forts" and get across the river before he could call on his reserve regiments,Paul had to defend the "Forts" and the river crossing,whilst attempting to stop the Zulu attacks from my right horn and centre-easy!!!!
What fate awaits you lot?
Oh dear,how sad,never mind!!
As Paul struggled to get his wagons into some sort of laager,my right horn began it's attack,only to be met with murderous rifle fire,and Artillery fire!!!
At the same time as my attack began,Brian attacked the nearest "fort" and met with stiff resistance-Paul is sending the NNC to help out with the defence-tense stuff!!
The NNC have changed the melee!! and the Zulu are being pushed back-come on Brian,get some more stuck in!!!-luckily he did have a few more regiments to spare(!!!) and he piled them into the fray,and eventually forced the NNC back-hurrah!!(note that the flag is still flying!)
My right horn is being battered!-where are the centre regiments?-well,due to a throw of the dice,they arrived on the table on move number 4-will they be too late?
Brian's focus is now on the other "fort",and despite the Gatling gun on the island doing terrible execution,he took this fort with a bit more easily.On the next move the Gatling jammed-oh dear,how sad,never mind!! and had to retire,allowing a river crossing-hurrah again!!
Here comes the Centre!!
There goes the Centre!!-concentrated volley fire destroyed the leading regiments and Paul(as usual!) killed the leading Indunas too!!-I'm going to melt his bloody dice down!!!!!
I am now relying on Brian to pull something out of the bag,to win this game.
Smoke on the thatched roof is always a good sign!!-what of the other one?
Just about to go,I think-well done Brian,now send the reserve across the river and destroy the "intruders".
Most of my regiments are "pinned down" by rifle fire,leaving Paul free to move companies to his right and concentrate on the reserve regiments......................
As my right and centre are leaving the field,Brian's leading regiments are being "bowled over" by the might of the Martini Henry rifle,and RHA-woe is us!!
This was a tremendous game and thoroughly enjoyable,we all like the Colonial period,possibly because of the colour and "dash" of the troops involved,and the un-predictability of the of the result.
Roll on Sunday,probably War of the Spanish Succession(Marlburian)-so,Richard,start reading up about the period tactics and battles!!
