Ulster Wargames Society - Battle of Umboto Gorge (actually pursuit after Isandlwana )

Attended UWS meeting today and participated in very fun game put on by Phil with stuff from his ever excellent 20mm collection (with some venerable Ral Partha, Minifig and Garrison figures on display !).

Game was semi-skirmish style with a set of rules 'Front Rank Fire' (from an old Wargames Illustrated mag) and scenario had a bunch of stragglers from Isandlwana trying to escape across a stream (via 2 fords) after defeat on front slopes of the mountain pursued by a horde of victorious Zulus.

Stragglers comprised of disparate groups of British and Natal Native Contingent.

Billy commanded a group of 10 (?) Brits commanded by a superior NCO (Bob Hoskins), Ivan in middle commanded another group of 10 Brits (with a couple already wounded and therefore slow) and I had control of 14 NNC natives (2 of whom carried boxes of ammo) with a Boer commander and a Boer marksman.

Phil and Jeremy commanded the Zulus

We set up about 18" from table edge 3 turns before Zulus would appear as busy killing of Burt Lancaster, sorry Dunfords lot but with proviso that the Zulu horns may outflank us from either table edge.

Zulus were in large units of 30 or so figures (with each figure signifying 2 warriors so 60 man units !)

Whilst straggling back for several turns (we could run for 5" then walk for 2.5" whilst Zulus could always run 6") we had to try to form nominal lines/units to try to delay Zulus until we crossed table center line when it could be every man for himself.

Great game ensued as we manfully tried to conduct a fighting withdrawal in face of every increasing numbers of Zulus some of whom inevitably appeared on our flank (thankfully Billys not mine).

Ivan did manage to form a couple of 5 man lines and volleyed his pursuers, a hit would cause a casualty but more importantly force a morale test which could halt a Zulu unit for 1 turn (however a roll of 12 on a D12 would allow them to surge forwards an additional 8") but lost too much time using ammo reload  I had sent him (very much a red herring) and then had half his force killed in 1 devastating shower of Zulu throwing spears (thankfully only 1 such 'volley' per unit).

We soon realised that single men could delay the Zulus as much as a group and once across the center line that is what we tried with single figures trying to sell themselves dearly whilst mates fled.

I had a single NNC warrior hold up a Zulu unit for a glorious 4 combats (each combined turn roughly 8 secs only but still some sort of native Ninja character to last 16 secs !) allowing bulk of my chaps to outdistance warriors, in contrast my Boer marksman fired 3 times only hitting once with Zulus passing tests and indeed surging forward to overwhelm this Dutchman instantly.

Ivans remaining 5 Brits got caught by Zulu swarm but again held them up before being wiped out.

Meanwhile Billys bunch were heading for ford hell for leather with couple of blokes similarly delaying Zulus on his flank with shooting and fisticuffs.

At the end I was defending a ford with NNC whilst covering Billys survivors and sending some of my natives to safety.

All came down to a last gasp volley of spears as our rearguard was crossing the ford with Zulus achieving 5 hits on 8 target figures with Boer commander and 2 British figures surviving to cross ford, loss of either the Brits or the Boer would be an outright win for Zulus (not that they could really lose as such). In the end we managed to 'save' a mere 6 NNC, 2 British regulars and the Boer leader from initial force.

Super fun and many thanks to Phil for providing every thing and running such a entertaining game .

The dispersed stragglers at start with Dunfords camp to rear. My NNC in foreground

Fuzzy Wuzzy pic (oops wrong war) of Ivans Brits

First Zulus appear note my being wary of a 'horn' appearing, Ivan has formed a couple of lines

Zulus 'thousands of 'em' press forward. Ivans line and my marksman pre-doom on hillock, Billys blokes out of shot running to rear 

NNC have also formed a couple of lines just as they reach center line

'Those bloody spears never run out......'

Overview of latter stages as NNC defending ford with Zulus delayed on my flank, Ivans chaps gone and Billys lot reduced to 6 figures with Zulus in hot pursuit from flank and rear.

Also at club the usual suspects had a FOGR game with Spanish Armada force that having not sunk dare to invade English soil (no idea how this ended ?)

Spanish camp with Inquisitors enjoying their 'hobby' in sun

Equally gory English 'bring out yer dead' plague camp

   

Ulster Wargames Society first meeting of 2022.

Attended UWS club today for first meeting of the year (hopefully first of uninterrupted schedule this year) where a couple of games were put on and some mighty waffling with various chaps.

Did not book a table myself this time as unsure if able to attend until last minute but Field of Battle game covering Minden planned for next meeting.

A 20mm Burma game was put on by Phil with some very nice figures and great to see a couple of venerable Airfix 'bamboo huts' in action. 

Rules were I believe a home brew set set at 1:1 skirmish level

Other game by 'Two Davids' and John was a FOGR game of the Siege of Vienna (think was 1200pts apiece on 8' x 4' table), 

Again some really nice 15mm figures that my snap shots fail to do justice too especially the winged Hussars.

The forces (2 reduced Companies plus supports)

Turks at the gates of Vienna

Ulster Wargames Club - Field Of Battle - Zorndorf

Put on another Field Of Battle 3 game today at UWS Club using my trusty old Zorndorf scenario (simply as I had scenario stuff easily to hand).

I umpired and had 5 players participating as Prussians (David T and Phil) against Russians (Jeremy N, David S and Leslie) on a 6' x 4' table with my smaller 3 base units, but we used standard 25mm measurements which fairly made the game crack along (I would usually use 1/2 or 2/3rds on a 6x4).

Zorndorf is essentially a straight forward slugging match (as it was historically) and so it transpired in this outing.

Prussians held back on their right with Schorlemers Cuirassier Brigade as it faced the inferior more numerous cavalry wing under Demiku and managed to engage this wing effectively throughout game despite Schorlemer being shot from saddle at one point 

On Prussian left their cavalry under Seydlitz and Bieberstein faced their counterparts under Gaugraben and this was a bit of and to and fro with Prussians gaining upper hand but just too slowly.

But the story of the game was with the Prussian infantry of Manteuffel, Kanitz and Dohna in the centre advancing against the Russian foot under Saltykov, Gallitzen and Browne.

The Prussians suffered horrendously from the Russian guns (so many 1s rolled vs high Russian rolls) early on and failed to rally on most opportunities.

Some Prussian Grenadiers did manage to assault and almost breakthrough the Russian center but were then repelled and finally destroyed and their supporting formations of Musketeers also suffered high losses and Dohna was also shot down.

This failure by Prussian foot saw their Army Morale dwindle to nothing and Frederick failed to muster their resolve (failed roll on Army Morale card) and they quit the field.

Another excellent game with FOB and it was very interesting to watch the battle develop from afar. FOB is easy to umpire as mechanics are basically simple and the card sequencing makes it easy to explain what players can do each time. The multiple dice types can be a bit confusing for new players but they certainly generate decisive results and aid fast play. The opposed rolls also keeps players engaged in game which is a real benefit in multiplayer games.

Winner and losers both expressed their enjoyment of the game and ultimately that is what its all about no matter the dice results. 

David B and John were engaged in a couple of FOGR games but I only managed to take pics of their second game which was an interesting match up of Monrose Scots against an Later Northern Parliamentarian force. Some lovely flags on display again.

Field of Glory: Renaissance - 16th Century match up Spanish vs Dutch

Game of FOGR today at Stephens as he wanted to try out a couple of 16th Century armies. 

I dont have anything from this period so he fielded both protagonists, these being Spanish and Dutch (some later period figures done stand in duties).

I took the Spanish with their large Tercios and first was time using troops that were use Kiel formation.

Kiels comprised two units of Walloons with 6 Pike, 2 Halberdiers and 4 Arquebusers but I redeployed these as a unit of 8 shooters and 16 Pike/Halberd.

I also had 2 Spanish Early Tercios (durable 16 base units), 1 Artillery Battery and 4 mounted units with 1 unit of mounted Arquebus and 3 armed with Lances (new to me in this period as well) for 11 unit equivalents 

Dutch had several Pike and Shot type units with 2 Artillery behind gabbions with a unit of lancers and 3 very potent units of Dutch Curassier with Pistols generating 13 units. 

Stephen also redeployed 2 Pike and Shot units as a unit of pike and an 8 base unit of Muskets (only ones on field).

Dutch won initiative and flung their mounted units across the field on my right for a brawl with my lancers and reiters.

Dutch refused on their right and I knew that that meant it would take at least 5 turns for my Tercios and Kiels to come to engagement range even with double moves with Generals (no sweeping advances ala FOB or BP) so the mounted battle was obviously key.

Thankfully my mostly outclassed cavalry managed to destroy one Dutch unit and manfully hold up the Cuirassier as my foot trundled forward.

As it turned out it took me 7 turns to get into contact with Dutch right wing and then a virtual stalemate ensued as Dutch veterans proved hard to grind down (with an average unit standing despite being fragmented). 

I lost a unit of 6 light lancers on this wing to another Cuirassier unit.

My right had by this time imploded despite my chasing a Dutch lancer unit off the table and my army break point was reached, but the Dutch were fairly bloodied as well.

Another enjoyable game once again with FOGR and for once my dice rolling was pretty good at times ! not often I get to say that.

Mounted clash on my right

Musketeers face my Arquebus unit across a field

Tercios and Kiel trundling forward

But is a long way to Dutch lines