The Trading Post - What really happened

Paul the Greek and the dice muse Matt, were defecting the American camp and deserting towards Brazil (Football probably). So I had to take side and join the Rebels with the aide of our club finance minister. Paul, the Irish, and Jack took the sides of the redcoats.

I provided all the toys apart form the delicately painted Philadelphia Associators, the Brunswickers and some Indians (Iroquos).

After a good start of not moving and defending the fort with our beer in our hands, the Brits made good advance and came nearer to our total surprise. Our cunning plan was to wait and to shoot them down.

I even ordered my dragoons to a balaclava attack on the enemies cavalry (and artillery), but I failed (as I didn‘t reach the target and didn‘t get annihilated in the end.

Then the Grenadiers after a severe ballistic mauling of the fort and its inhabitans came forward with their polished bayonet and swiped the defending famous blue/brown coated Continentals.

Our plan unravelled as we shot less good than the Brits did and suddenly they were amassing in front of our troops for no good reason.

So I did the only responsible and called out for a truce, as this was rejected, I offered instantly unconditional surrender.

The trading post gets some visitors

The British line aiming for the Americans

The Rebels hiding behind rotten walls

The Iroquos attack the Mohaks

The Fort slowly crumbles

The German flank moves forward

The British Grenadiers successfully perform a bayonet attack on the garrison

" De Hesse komme!" 

At the end of a long day under the pressure of too much casulties the American General  declares quickly unconditional surrender

The Trading Post - AWI scenario (Black Powder) Next

An AWI scenario for next Thursday with Black Powder rules

The americans hold a little trading post, while the British reconnaissance force (dragoons and pickets) spotted them. Every side is calling for reinforcements and soon the battle evolves.
This time we will operate with different sized units (and different qualities of course) as well as the Post is an old one and maybe being subject to prolonged gunfire may crumble...

One side will be
Paul (the Greek) and Matt
and the other will be
Paul (the Irish) and his Friend
and I will be (untypical) umpire or side last minute with the winner, haha!

British stats and useful rules

American stats and useful rules

The Deployment

Instant Renaissance

Pike and Shotte‘s gonna get you
Gonna look you right in the face
Better get yourself together darlin‘
Join the geeky chase
How in the world you gonna see
Laughin‘ at fools like me
Who in the hell d‘you think you are
A super star?
Well, right you are

Well we all shine on
Like the drinks and the smoke and the bun
Well we all shine on
Ev‘ryone come on

free after Lennon

Featuring:

Metals painted by me, figures from Perrys and Foundrys, colour palette acrylic (don‘t believe the browns) and the flags are from the very best Glaswegian Flags of War, all delivered by Figures of Comfort (need to be mentioned much more), hunchbacks courtesy of SESWC, bless them all.

The Maximillian Camp

The Valois row 

The perfect set up (birds view)

Just the Swiss "even further" away

The Advancing Landsknechte in French service

The famous Doppelsöldner take the bridge ...

The Archer kill my right flank

They are coming nearer

Franz von Sickingen and his friends are facing the Count of Landes and others

Von Sickingen, Von Molberg-Sponheinm, the Herald,Von Göder, the Sasse of the Palatinate and Von Schenkenstein

THE real "Spanish Fury" face up to the Swiss

The bought Landknecht-Schützen aim for their enemies

Minningen in a hedgehog

The Scharfmetze (50kg shot) of Kaiser Max (one already blown)

The ReichsRennFahne will give away the end: Run!

The Battle of Coutras - 1587

The Battle of Coutras, fought on 20 October 1587, was a major engagement in the French Religious Wars between a Huguenot (Protestant) army under Henry of Navarre (the future Henry IV of France) and a royalist army led by Anne, Duke of Joyeuse. Henry of Navarre was victorious, Joyeuse was killed while attempting to surrender.

And so it was, ... just this time the Duke didn‘t even have time to surrender, my CnC was dead on the first charge.

We played the refight of the battle of Coutras, me the „Irish“ Paul (as umpire), Jack and Matt (as my flanking Infantry Brigadiers) against Jim (as Henry) and Paul „the Greek“ (as his Forester Brigadier). What wonderful occasion and spectacle that was. We used piquet rules and a strictly scenario meticulously researched by Paul.

In the historical past his Dukeship just appeared with his finest out of the woods in en haye formation and charged.

After some long elongated discussions and a hot debate in our war council, Jack and Matt and me came to the only sound conclusion - to do the same. As its rather tricky to get the strategic cards one needs for his tactics, we just went for it. So the battle progressed, quite reasonably well, even though I was quite miserably with my initiative rolls (less pips - less things you can do).

So I came near to the milling Henry (who was poor leader at this very day and milling around with his millers ...  maybe syphilis or a bad hang-over). Then he charged – aaand in the ensuing fight (both units at maximum d12+3, Jim rolled a 12 and I rolled a 1) the duke got killed and the army morale collapsed and the rest of the "recovering catholics" went home. "Finita la musica".

All in all it was a very good club game, and I hope there will be a renaissance of the renaissance.

After initial deployment and some turns ...

The view from the Boogenots

The hidden sharpshooters from Paul "the Greek"

Jack‘s infantry finally moving

The battle lines "seconds" before the clash

Dark clouds gather as the fist unit hits the millers

And were sent home by the Millers

The last picture of the Anne alive and his retainers

In service of Duke Anne de Joyeuse ...

next weeks on the menu:

a battle of the wars of religion prepared by Chef Paul "le Irish":

And my gendarmes were called to help the cause of Henry III and side with the Mignons, while my Reiter will certainly join with Navarre and hope to turn those filets into a more minced version...

... second from left a noble of the house late queen Claude of France (valois/brittany)

... in the centre a gentlemen of the house de Savoy 

The Final Battle at the Hidden Hamlet (Third Part - conclusion)

The British were holding the position. Why did they not move? General Paulus Washingtonopolous wondered, if his final strategem to anihilate the the British weak flank and then to encircle them would work. Would the bloodthirsty natives and the riflemen sharpshooter could give the Bristish centre THE final blow? But why on earth did they wait until his trap was sprung? The British did not move....

This was the final conclusion of the last Battle of the campaign and what a tremendous tide of battle fortune it was. At the end of the last week it looked as if Paul is going to recover from the anihilation of his right wing and counter attack and even encircle the British remaining troops. He lost more units than I had in the game, but the Americans could afford it.

Then the last part started and my British General, the only officer left on the field, didn't make one successful order roll for 3 consecutive turns. That must be punishable and surely exploitable by the Americans – the enemy was closing in ... then the Grenadiers weakened from sharpshooters were picked off by the Stockbridge Indians, and then the only gun helpless perished.

But then the Guards remembered the drill and shot what the cartridge could give. First the nearest American line was gone, the Americans had only one Line left, untested and fresh from Philadelphia.
The rifle men and the indians were giving hell the last Guard line were the British General was holding out, rallying them to stay and hold the line. And they did. Paul had 2 chances to kill them and to end the Battle in his favour. The guards saved.

Then I shot at the Last American Line, one casualty, therefore they had to test – stamina one and already permanently shaken. After this they tried to retreat, but were shot to pieces.

This is when the American rolled up their flags, The indians went home and the riflemen for a pint. The war was over.

I win the campaign with 4 to 3 victories and 8 to 5 victory points.


"... Yes , Sergeant, Please set up a note for His Majesty ... Maybe we can sign the cease fire at this sleepy little port, what was the name, something with york ... err aaand, yes and suggest to the King he may now raise any taxes at just he pleases. ... maybe suggest Tarlton as a vice-roy? Or Amherst? ... (whistle) ..."

The Grenadiers ... shot to pieces

The Sharpshooters come closer

the last American Red Waistcoats advance

The British at the lowest point

The red waist coats ran ... (not in the picture)

The last attack of the Americans

But the fire of the British prove to be too much for the untested ...

The victorious guards finally come out of the woods to take prisoners...

The Final Battle at the Hidden Hamlet (Second Part)

No, No, the battle is still not over. Far from over.

Yes, it started with 11 units against 6, and now it is 4 against 5. And the American lost their only gun.

We continued the battle here we had left last time and I shot of the mauled French finally off the map.

After that my LI came to hold the line and shoot/fought off the last militia men and the American gun and another Line!!

In return the heroes of the Hidden Hamlet were assassinated by some Rebel scum – my first lost unit.

On the other hand the flank attack of the Riflemen and the Indians killed my Brigadier Richard and his unit, which I have to say  had hold out longer, than I ever anticipated.

Still the American general plays greek and won't give in.

to be continued...

the right flank of the British awaiting the attack of the Riflemen

Brigadier Richard before the attack of the Stockbridge Indians

The Light Infantry in for the kill

The American centre and their artillery 'missing'

The heroes in their last fight ...

The American centre with wargamers crotch syndrome

as it stands when we left ...

the plan... what plan?