Cordially invited to partake in a Black Powder Napoleonic game.
Game was generously hosted by Mike (and 'catered' by Ruth) with Bryn and Simon also taking part.
Game was fictitious 1812+ meeting type with French (Mike and Simon) against Russians (Bryn and I) using Bryn and Mikes 15mm kit.
Chaps have a few house rules (who doesn't with BP !?) mainly based on Clash of Eagles supplemental stuff and all fine (only one I mildly disagreed with was square being purely a reactive formation change).
Russians had 8 Brigades which nicely split into 4 apiece and game saw us set up 4 Brigades on table at start (rest could come on from turn 2 in specified order of march), French had 9 Brigades with again 4 starting on table (I squared off against Mike on our right and Bryn vs Simon on left).
Great game with plenty of action from the get go and as ever BP works well for such large games (30+ units per side ?) playing fast and furious with minimal rules issues.
Of course several things are tad ropey/gamey historically but it you want speed you must sacrifice detail is a truism in wargaming I find.
The melees are dice fests but do generate lots of excitement or angst.
Bryan inflicted 11 hits in one melee but 9 were saved (!!) whilst he only sustained 3 hits but only saved 1 thereby generating a basic drawn result, very lucktastic but again fun in its on way and I do like how having sufficient supports is a way to tip balance of such outcomes and all done very simply.
On subject of dice mine were of both extremes with my cavalry Brigade failing 5 times to activate to move or charge and yet in one turn of shooting I rolled a 6 seven times in a row (unheard of !!).
By games end Bryn and I suffered no Brigades broken (despite several destroyed units) but French had 5 Brigades in broken status so a clear victory for Ivans.
Great fun in good company and nice way to end the gaming year.
Pics of varying quality (lighting seemed fine in Mikes room but phone camera seems to have disagreed) and do not do justice to figures or Mikes very nice fleece mats, also seem to have loaded onto Blog in reverse order !
Simon of French right engages Bryns units
Russian right near games end with my cavalry (at last !) engaged and infantry pushing French back across stream
French had occupied visible area but now broken and forced to retire
Cuirassier clash to end game which I narrowly won (the supporting infantry column being difference) and Mike than rolled snake eyes to lose his Cuirassier and break his heavy cavalry Brigade
I had managed to maintain solid lines with reserves as French approached although the Legere in woods on right were a proverbial pain as cavalry not allowed to enter woods and skirmishers quite powerful in BP)
Mike using Google for help (nice WW2 para denizen smock on his wall)
Simon tries to move around wooded areas to outflank Bryn (his units were misidentified as Middle Guard but still failed to break Ivans)
Lots of combats on this wing
My cavalry have forced some Legere into square (which only real way to deal with the buggers as they just evade other foot). This square was pounded by artillery and then destroyed by charging Grenadiers.
French heavy cavalry push along road but the Russians stood firm (I did lose one unit but passed key 'knock on effect' morale tests)
French skirmishers a real pain with their enhanced firing (hit on 3 rather than 4) and sharpshooter trait (re-roll failed shooting dice) and being a harder target. It was at this juncture I was trying to get my Cavalry to advance into combat but they refused repeatedly !!
My reserves arriving to occupy ridge line to stymie French cavalry advance. Bryns Jager have formed square after being charged
Rest of his Jager Brigade pushing left to outflank advancing French
Russian position around village looked precarious but they managed to hold then force the French back
Action in center as French assault ridge with both opposing Brigades voluntarily disengaging (to save becoming broken and to rally) as we sent in reserves.
French infantry assaults with mixed success
Russian reserves arriving with Grenadier Brigade heading to right and infantry up road
Russian guns suffering (battery on left later destroyed) from French cannonade
Russians arrive on road. COE rule used wherein Russian foot have poor command control so must roll to activate by Regiment (ie 2 units) rather than Brigade, thankfully this seldom effected them.
French advance behind skirmish screen with Bryns Jager skirmishing on left
Bryns reserves arrive along road and nearly came acropper as French acheived a cheeky 3 move advance around wood to their flank, but they managed to re-deploy in time
My cavalry 'nailed' in place (disobedient sods) as Legere deploy
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