Field of Battle 3: SYW game at Ulster Wargames Society monthly meeting

I put on a Seven Years War game at club meeting using FOB3 and my 15mm SYW chaps.

I used an adapted scenario for Black Powder entitled 'The Morning Attack At Zorndorf' with Prussian initial attacks on Russians. Not much tweaking needed (really only for activation of Seydlitz force and Russian camp/baggage) and scenario played really well.

Prussians were commanded by Dave T and Russians by Dave B (my usual participants for FOB games) and this was a cracking game with 25 Prussian units (30 morale) facing 21 Russians (25 morale)

Seydlitz potent cavalry had to be activated (by rolling a D6 and scoring under the number of friendly Move cards played so not guaranteed in normal length game) but only they could cross the stream/ditch area.

Dave T deployed Seydlitz fairly far back as aware Russian guns could target them even when inert, but with only 2 batteries available to Russians this was unlikely. Russians deployed in long shallow line across the field and Prussians deployed with main strength on their right, no doubt hoping Seydlitz would activate early to cover left wing.

Prussians moved swiftly forward (I usually give attackers a Move card at start and initial Initiative) with several 3 segment moves including getting their Dragoon Brigade through the wood on the Prussian right.

Volleys rang out all along the line and the Prussian Grenadiers (6 battalions in total) hurled themselves into Close Combat (only they and Cavalry can immediate melee on Move cards).

But honours were fairly even as close range Russian volleys caused damage to advancing Prussians and whilst the Russians took several losses their line held. 

In fact on Russian right the Prussians (reflecting history) were dealt some severe reverses with 3 Musketeer units routing and this allowed Russians on this flank to push forward and threaten to out flank the Prussian center. 

"Where is Grouchy !?...oops....Seydlitz !?" was the cry.

However the Russian left wing suddenly crumbled under continued onslaught of Grenadiers and now Dragoons, who swept away the opposing Russian horse after emerging from the wood.

Russian army morale was soon in serous condition (although Prussian was far from unscathed) and Seydlitz was now activated forcing Russians to try to face this threat and dissipating their possible outflank.

Things went from bad to worse for Russians (so many rolls of 1 or 2 !!) and their entire left wing and most of their center were destroyed (including loss of Camp with minus 5 morale chits) which was not helped by presence of swamp to rear which 'auto' destroyed any unit routing into.

Russians were soon at zero army morale and indeed bleeding chits to Prussians, but they did manage to hold on their right and caused damage to Seydlitz Cuirassier squadrons.

But despite these heroic efforts an Army Morale card was turned (luckily only on 7th out of 8 cards) and the army failed the test and quit the field.

As always with FOB this was a fast playing and fun game full of action and excitement completed in around 4 hours with added bonus that we started bang on 1100hrs as per the historical encounter.

The battlefield from Russian right prior to unit deployments, swamp and wood on left with camp in center and 'Zabern Grund' on right

Indistinct pic showing late stages of game on Russian left with only a couple of Russian units left and triumphant Prussian Dragoons ready to sweep across the field

Further pic of same stage showing Russian advance on their right but now stymied by activation of Seydliz mounted wing crossing stream (Russian foot are facing left and right here). 

Russian right wing having to redeploy to face oncoming Cavalry

End phase as Russians totally destroyed on left and in center (note camp gone ie sacked) but Prussian heavy horse pushed back although Hussars moving downstream about to cross.

Also at club were another couple of games.

Andy put on another large (5-6 players (?) with lots of 15mm kit on table) Team Yankee game with British facing Soviets around a river crossing. 

Don't know how this turned out but did at one point hear a BAOR commander calling desperately for 'Broken Arrow' air strikes !

Phil and Leslie aided by Jeremy and Dave S played a couple of games of Lion Rampant using 28mm Welsh vs Saxon/Norman.

I did get to see good part of second game and Lion Rampant seems like a fun, light and playable, 'buckets of dice' type set.

Not sure Phil's 'Zulu stomp' style victory dance is an official part of system (it does however include optional 'Boasting' rules) but then it was after destroying outright (9 casualties on 6 figures) a unit of light horse with his Norman knights.