Kolin with Field of Battle 3 at Ulster Wargames Society

Club meeting to see out a rather damp August with Field of Battle 3 and a scenario based around Battle of Kolin.

Had played this once before under FOB2 (no idea of OOB source) and so pretty much good to go with FOB3 (coupe of minor tweaks re decks)

I brought my Prussians and Stephen the Austrians and I ran game as umpire with Stephens help.

Dave B (warning there will be a lot of Daves) led the Austrians with Stephen (Jeremy M and mate played for short while) whilst Prussians were commanded by (here we go) Dave T, Dave S and Dave M.

As is usual with FOB this proved to be a cracking game with loads of incident and units that performed well or poorly and much cheering, teeth gnashing and similar from each side. 

Prussians won initial initiative of 10 cards but elected to give Austrians first go which proved to be an error as the two Austrian artillery batteries caused havoc with super rolls (Dave B was on fire with rolls throughout game!) and timely reload cards, with 2 Prussians units being routed !

A Prussian gun battery was caught limbered by a unit of Austrian Cuirassier and destroyed outright, whilst this unit seemed to have ridden into a mass of Prussians it led a charmed life throughout game and almost single handedly held up the Prussian left wing for good portion of game. 

Prussians had lost several morale chips before even starting their engine.

When the Prussian 10 cards came to be played they suffered several reverses after aggressive charges into Austrian lines, with their single unit of Guard foot (best unit in game) being routed by more effective Austrian artillery fire from which they never recovered fleeing the field.

Potent Prussian Grenadiers also were badly damaged and failed to close with lesser Austrian foot as they suffer a deluge of effective volleys. 

Only in the center did the Prussians see any success as a unit of Dragoons rode down a disordered unit of foot and they inflicted several casualties on Austrian supports.

On Prussian right Dave M (brand new to rules) had a ding dong cavalry battle with Dave B as several units clashed. The Austrians had initial success but then suffered similarly and it was very much in balance on this flank until a Prussian Brigade failed to move allowing Austrians to regroup.

Prussians losses were mounting fast although Austrians had also lost several units and game could have gone either way, but again a period of further Austrian success (in both cards draws and combat) saw Prussian morale pool quickly expire and teeter on edge of defeat.

They did survive two Army Morale draws but succumbed on third after a bloody battle.

View from Austrian left prior to cavalry clash. Prussian Guard visible in ignominious rout at top left (between villages)

Central portion as Prussians struggle to climb slopes of the Krzeczhorz Hohe into Austrian defence

Prussians having to deal with annoying Grenzers around Brezan

Lines of Austrian cavalry advance to left of Przerovsky Hohe

Prussian horse advance to met their Austrian counterparts

The to and fro clash begins (both sides lost several unit here)

As cavalry clash the Prussians are trying to break the center as their right wing lags behind 

Prussians just do not have strength to push forward in center as Austrian foot rallies

Prussian number dwindling

Prussians are now a spent force grimly fighting on 

Also at club Andy put on another 28mm Napoleonic bash (either with Black Powder or GDA ?) and Phil and co played a fantasy skirmish game (think rules are Relic Blades ?) which players seemed to enjoy - for reasons best known to themselves :-) 

I however failed to get any pics as just too busy/engrossed in own affair.