My Metal Meneken: May 2018

Monday 28 May 2018

162 BC the Battle at Labia exterior

I was recruited by some Gauls, played by Peter, and some Spanish Gauls, played by Jack, with my newly painted Greeks, (2 Athenians phalanges in this case) to help against the united forces of the Mid republican Senatus Populusque Romanorum, witch were played by Bart and some later addition of Marian Legionaires(??) to confuse the historically inclined to the maximum. Which were played and catered by Angus, later Derek would join in and share the command. All in 28mm and using the late but great "To the strongest" rule set.

Ab initio, it was a fairly plane deployment with the stronger cavalry at Barts and Jack side. In the centre Peter and Angus were opposing each other and I was set against Derek with his Numidian light cavalry and some auxiliary barbarii. Our plan included to block Angus and Derek and set all hope into Jack to fight Barts Roman cavalry. While Jack did do an amazing job in defending our flank the victory was elusive for a long time as both generals were deeply invested and locked in a bloody seesaw fight. He later succeeded and emptied the roman morale coin stack to zero.

While Angus "performed" as usual his favourite kagemushian stratagem and did nothing a mountain would not do. Etiam, Derek couldn‘t, for lack of good cards and fortune, set a foot into my half of the table, I felt the urge to throw the caution out of the window and advance and attack!

To my astonishment my newly recruited Greek mercenarii (I was even running out of basing sand ... again) performed well and killed off some Nubian Horses and a Gallic Heavy Cavalry, which cost Derek two coins (TTS: units killed reduce the morale level measured in coins) and added to the Roman demise! So we can safely say Fortuna (or better Tyche) favet fortibus.

While I still have my reservations as to what the ruleset would be a choice for me personally and trying to play the Pelepponnesian or Corinthian wars is questionable - nevertheless I was enjoying the game.

Athenian mercenary in the pay of barbarians - oh tempora, oh mores!

The gallic centre

Jack‘s Spaniard flank

Barts Roman Cavalry

... and his (earlier) Infantry

the complete set up

Light Cavalry advances

the centre fight was around some forrest ...

meanwhile the cavalry battle on the other side was in full swing

Blood chaos and a lot of horse meat ...

while the roman centre was meditating

The greek Hoplites getting restless

and advance to the hill

Self-fulfilling prophesy of the roman player to lose two coins

Hoplites might be outdated

but still had their teeth

even with the help of other units from the centre Derek just drew aces ...

so that we know now: new units not performing well at their premiere...

... is just superstition.

Saturday 26 May 2018

1757 – the attack of the Killer-French-Horse-men, Seven Years War, 28mm another test game

This time we had another test game of my Seven years war rules , "Seven Years" in 28mm. Angus was digging his French out and some Hanoverians and some Prussian Cavalry, and I sponsored some Hessians and some guns. A bigger hill and some small rivulet meant some terrain, but not too much to hinder our testing. Me and Alisdair were in for the Allies, while Angus and Bart were fighting for the French.

Bart was in charge of the French Horse and charged the allied counterpart (played by Alisdair) head on. I was actually surprised that our flank was holding three turns, given Bart reputation with cavalry and that Alisdair was (relatively) new to these rules. Then after some clashes (that might have gone even the other way) and fights the Allied flank broke, and my Hessian centre brigade had to wheel to block the oncoming enemy.

Meanwhile our other effort to advance and to "amuse" the French enough to charge, was hindered by the lack of available "staff officers", as we needed them to save our guns and wheel the centre. Which then Angus took the opportunity and peppered the advance with counter fire and artillery salvos, which in turn stopped our momentum. In the end we attacked gallantly, but on top of this malleure, fortuna left us in the exact moment before touch down, when we needed staff officers for multiple charges or fast "forced marches" the most. The result was inevitable and brutal, we had to concede defeat.

In the end, I was happy as the rules are sound and safe and the system is working. We just need to fine tune and test some other scenarios or situations (heavy terrain, skirmishing cavalry and Infantry).

Notes from this time Advanced orders "Forced March" and "Double Forced March" may not available for Artillery (maybe for attached light guns, maybe as an exception in scenarios - the "Brummer of Leuthen", but thats it. Heavy artillery (siege guns and all 12pdr plus) should be AFTER first limbering immobile. Medium guns may just move like normal infantry when limbered.

Also the canister might need an extra boni, so here we go: Medium and Heavy Artillery shall have an extra +1 when facing enemies in short range.

Some critique was raised to make the firing less effective, but here I need to raise the "Smooth Game play"– joker. The first test plays were more historical but took longer. The Gentlemen of royal blood of these days might have had a whole day for a battle, in clubs you might find that reduced to 2-3 hours.

Next time we shall test the skirmishers a bit more and some build up areas and more terrain.

Angus Rap:

http://www.edinburghwargames.com/the-battle-of-zwieback-hugel-1759/

The French Horse is immediately moving ...

...crossing the river ...

and the French skirmisher trying to secure an advantage point ...

The Hanoverians are marching up to the meet the enemy ...

The French Horse is there!!! A cavalry clash!

... and chaos ensues ...

... and the Allied left flank disintegrates ...

the last Allied Horse is isolated ...

the Hessian and Hannoveranian advance stalls somehow ...

...intense shooting ... the ranks a wavering but not faltering ...

... in the din of the battle at a crucial time the staff officers are missing!!!

the free French Brigade moves in for the kill ...

and a last attack of the French Horse breaks the galant Hessian Grenadiers ... game over ... full defeat

Monday 21 May 2018

Lobster for a fist full of relics

In exchange for some crustaceans for dinner, I managed to change the holiday itinerary a little bit towards one big heap of old stuff in some neglected wharf at the shores of the channel ...