Thursday, November 18, 2021

Field of Battle 3 - Ramillies scenario with 10mm chaps

Played a scenario based on Battle of Ramillies May 1706 using FOB3 today with Stephen.

Stephen chose the French defenders and I therefore took the Allied force.

We used a free set up for units rather than historical deployments with units equating to roughly Brigade/Regimental level units.

Great game once again with FOB3 that played really quickly (3 hours in total with 2 1/2 decks run through).

French cannons in center were deadly early on causing Dutch cavalry a lot of hits as their foot compatriots attacked Ramillies directly.

I did manage to contest the town (before getting thrown out later in game) but a single unit of French cavalry ran roughshod over my mounted units despite being outnumbered in several melee combats.

My Dutch Foot Guards at least lived up to their elite status but were eventually overwhelmed.

Game really turned on my left where I had deployed the elite English foot and cavalry around Taviers.

The French did occupy the village so easily taken but my elite units completely failed to make any headway against French opposite numbers and the English were all to quickly decimated.

This left the overall Allied effort essentially stymied and morale losses were mounting and in reality we should have called game at this point, but I fought on to then see the Dutch in center repulsed from Ramillies and pulverized in turn.

The Allied German/Danish/Prussian foot survived mostly unscathed as the just demonstrated against the French lines across the Pitite Gheet.

FOB3 is certainly a very decisive game especially with my rolls (so many ones...so many ones.....) but I just love its unpredictability and narrative style. 





The battlefield view from Allied lines








French right wing behind Taviers







French center and left wing (around Ramillies and Petite Gheet)











Allied foot on right support Dutch foot in center






Dutch foot advance on Ramillies as their cavalry get pounded by French cannon






The ill fated English advance begins on left wing












The English are suddenly absent from the field.................



16 comments:

  1. Super action. If I was to do WSS, I think 10mm would be my choice too.

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    1. Sort of fell into 10mm for this period by accident but it works well as really only Line formation so suits my single based units.

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    2. Single element BMUs is the way to go for me too.

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    3. My mounted units are on two bases but just so I can use for other rule sets (which allow attack column type formation) but not too fiddly :-)

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  2. Looks like a fun game!

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    1. It was indeed as it always is with FOB :-)

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  3. Burn the dice and play the scenario again. Great looking game though.

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    1. Dice of any size or shape, cards, tokens anything random hates me :-)

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    2. Also whilst a nice historically based (bathtubbed of course) scenario not sure it is winnable by Allies. In history Marlborough attacked/feinted at the Petite Gheet to draw French reserves then attacked on his left and defeated French. All rather tough to achieve/simulate on a wargame table especially if players are aware. If replaying I would likely reduce the number of French batteries from 5 to 3 and possibly rate the Allied sub-commanders as better than French (I made them all average for ease of play).

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  4. Thanks Gary, lovely looking game and ideal for my domestic sized table. Is FoB your favourite black powder period set?

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    1. Played the game on a 6' x 4' mat. FOB is my favoured set for bigger battles/games as quick playing yet retaining enough period flavour (and tweakable) for my tastes and I love the card decks which randomise the 'turn' phases and the system of odds vs evens rolls which very smartly achieves a lot of morale outcomes and move options. But it does lack some tactical minutia/chrome of other sets such as Gen d'Armee which for me are in some ways 'better' for smaller games of maybe 15-20 units wherein maybe one wants to see a difference between assault column and closed column or similar nuance. If you are into points based games then FOB has none so can be hard to balance if thats your thing. Again sets like FOGNapl fits that bill better. Additionally FOB is probably the best set for solo games (very relevant past months) due to its non-linear sequence of play.
      So after that waffle yes FOB is my favoured set but not to exclusion of everything else :-)

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    2. Thanks Gary, i am in the 12 - 16 unit per side game and have GdA, so perhaps I should just get better at that! :-)

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  5. Definitely crush the dice you were using, followed by incineration and scattering of the ashes.looking game,10mm makes for quite a spectacular game.

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    1. I have tried dozens of dice and they ALL hate me :-)
      10mm is indeed nice but for me its really the number of units on table (56) that catches the eye and just as achievable in my mind with my preferred 15mm stuff, its all in the eye of the beholder. These units were 80mm wide whereas my 15mm vary from 80mm-120mm depending on number of stands used.
      As an aside I found these 10mm took just as long to paint as 15mm.

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  6. Excellent as always. A great (but much maligned) period for a superb set of rules.

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    1. Yes always generates a fun game with plausible events and outcomes. Not sure why Malburian period does not feature more as pretty colourful all round.

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