Somewhere in Europe in that Seven Years ... 28mm Play-testing

After a longer period of reconvaliscense of several club members (bird flue, alcohol abuse and dementia), we finally got together to test my Seven Years War rule set called " Seven Years" (hey, yeah, I know) for the 1st time in 28mm. So we chopped two 6x4s together, I brought my AWI Hessians pretending to be, well Hessians (or Prussians) and Angus brought his French-Rhinelandic originals, each 2 Infantry brigades and Cavalry brigade plus a little Artillery battery. Bart and Angus were fighting for the French while Me and Peter were handling the Hessians ... later Dougie would join in on the Hessians (more or less) as well and I would be more (or less) explaining the rules ... We actually left the National differentiators out for this time as we all had a lot to take in and to learn ...

The game turn has just two phases, the command phase that allocates staff officer to brigades, and then the BIG phase, where everything can happen. Every unit has two actions in a turn (skirmisher 3), and can perform simple actions like fire, re-load, re-dressing the line or move on its own, but needs for charge, forced march or enhanced artillery fire or rally the help of one or two staff officers. The order of things depends on the will of the phasing player, but the opponent can "counter fire/attack" only AFTER the 1st action (and if it was a Move). So the whole thing of the game is really fluid. The din of the battle can engulf each general very quickly as it prompts decisions to be made where to put pressure and where to let things happen.

Both sides were doing a cavalry waiting game, probably also because they were unsure of the rules... Later Peter decided to advance with the infantry but got badly beaten in the by the fire of the French artillery battery and the muskets of the regiments. After a long discussion then the French struck with the Cavalry and sending the Hessians home.

I heard a lot on that evening and will incorporate that in future versions (flank attack +2 and rear +1) and for the cavalry the charge distance is fix plus just a little d3" (for all other the lat charge movement will be exchange from a fixed distance to a diced one (1d6). But other than that (the usual moaning on a very high niveau) I guess the rules are working and we need to get more practice and our heads around the fluid system. The two engine (dice matrix) system is easy, as the command system or the movement. Key is co-ordination, and an uninspiring forward prodding won't help you win the day. Two armies will slow themselves down by fire and counter actions.

P.S. Reminder: to change the interpenetration rules: will change all allowed without any action or movement loss. The difference will be voluntary (i.e. units of same army) will be without status reduction and combat induced interpenetration will be always result in both units to be come DISORDERED.

I hope we will playing this a bit more as I really think these rules are kicking and not just because I wrote them, haha ... ;)

Angus battle rap on here:
http://www.edinburghwargames.com/the-battle-of-vogelgrippe-1759/

Or Barts:
http://asienieboje.blogspot.co.uk/2018/05/seven-years-war-test-test-seven-years.html

Initial set up, as Prussian as possible ... very frugal embellishments

The "Hessian" line 

The infamous French battery

The French waiting

The Hessian advance

The first Hessians attacking

Oh merde, the French guns were loaded!

and disordering the Hessians in the stride ouch!

soe more gun (musket) fights

Slowly the Horses inching nearer ...

.. and an attack on the well formed Infantry fails!

but in the end the french Horse breaks through all lines and send the Hessians running!