Ulster Wargames Society - Gross Jagersdorf with (you guessed it ) Field Of Battle 3 - and other games

Club meeting today and I put on a scenario based around action around Norknitten Woods during Battle of Gross Jagersdorf (converted from a Black Powder scenario) using, of course, FOB 3.

Usual suspects signed up for game with Dave T taking the attacking Prussians and Dave B the defending Russians.

As ever a cracking game ensued with Prussians concentrating their forces on Russian right flank.

Russians had great sequences of cards and good move rolls but continuously failed to take advantage when shooting or in close combat. 

They thereby suffered badly in early going despite managing to charge cavalry onto flank of infantry twice (Fusilier Bttn 40 had a charmed life !) and then outnumbering enemy in 3 of 4 combats and losing every single melee !!

The Prussian Grenadiers (4 units) were rather poor including failing to move several times and both sides Cavalry were pants.  

These set backs saw Russians bleed morale and they were soon tottering on the brink and giving Morale to Prussians, but they passed their first Army Morale and seemed to have a resurgence of fortunes winning several combats (including at least 2 when roll a D4 vs enemy D10+ !!) and managed to survive numerous Daring Deed rallying rolls.

This saw several Prussian units shattered but the cost in Russian units was crippling and the slaughter continued until a second Army Morale appeared and the Russians quit the field.

The Prussians had a mere 3 Morale left (both sides started with 30) but had been 'gifted' 23 by the enemy so a crushing win for Prussia despite Fredericks absence.

Prussian assault into woods in full swing

A Brigade of Garrison troops is heading to Prussian right to try to get their cavalry out of trouble

A heavy melee in the woods

Russians trying to redeploy (they had to set up first) to Prussian concentration

Prussians bringing reserves into play

Russian right being turned

Prussian Fusilier Bttn 40 visible just outside wood near center having survived 2 flank charges by cavalry

Overview of battlefield before Prussian cavalry arrived (on foreground left edge) 

Also at Club were several other games (another busy meeting and great to see) that I did not see much of and don't know how these ended.

Chris and co played a very nice game using Bolt Action 3 (I would have liked to have seen these in action) with Japs mounting a sea landing against US troops. Some eye catching terrain and kit

Paddy put on a 28mm Cold War game using I think 7 Days To The Rhine rules

Charlie and co had a 20mm game using Crossfire (again I would have liked to see this one as an old but super set) which seemed to be late war Allies versus Germans with several tanks

Pics from before any units deployed

Field Of Battle 3 - Weissenfels scenario (and a purchase)

Game with Stephen today using GDA scenario Weissenfels with French attacking Russians across river and my always favoured Field Of Battle rules.

This is a rather tough task for French as only three crossing points (two bridges and a ford) for non-skirmishers despite having greater numbers of troops.

I did launch several 'Forcing A Passage' attacks but all were initially beaten off with several of my units being routed (Stephens melee dice were pretty good) including my best unit the Baden Dragoons !

I did eventually manage to take the two bridges but Army Morale losses were such that my morale pool had dwindled and I quit the field on first eligible Army Morale roll (Russians had 5 Morale remaining out of 21 with 3 'gifted' by French from their 30)

As usual with FOB this was a slick fast playing game full of incident and key rolls, not much manouvre due to the choke points but still good stuff and completed in reasonable playing time.

Baden Dragoons routing back across bridge after nasty Russian musketry, they did rally but Infantry had taken bridge by then so took no further part in proceedings.

French Legere unit skirmishing at river (it took ages to get them across)

All three crossings contested but still in Russian hands

To Force A Passage (if Russians defending bridge exit) French had to form into March Column but were allowed to charge into contact (normally disallowed to March Columns) 

French foot in all sorts of traffic jams until a crossing can be captured

Overview from French right

French forming for another assault

Another unit repulsed at second bridge (Artillery support unable to effect enemy)

More routing French as Russian artillery battery arrives

A tough nut to crack

French never made much headway at the ford despite several attempts, the Jager here were very tough

Cossacks on Russian left forced to retire as a small French battery engaged them. Their Leader went Hors De Combat at one point but they did their job holding off my skirmishers (I do not allow units in skirmish to come within 1 move segment of mounted) 

And a final birthday purchase (61 yikes !!!!!) arrived as well.

Will I play them who knows but nice to have a lite option for skirmish level games.

  

Ulster Wargames Society - Katzbach 1813 with Field of Battle 3

Club meeting today and I put on a FOB 3 Napoleonic game based on a scenario from GDB 'Katzbach 1813' with Prussians (and some late arriving Russians) against French.

Andy took the French and Dave T along with Dave B commanded the more numerous Allies.

French are defenders and deploy up to roughly two thirds on way across table and Prussians up to 12" from their edge.

French deployed with mainly infantry formations in centre areas with several Legere in skirmish formation and mounted on flanks.

Prussians had their large 'standard' Brigade (2 Fusiliers and 4 Musketeers) on their left, a Landwehr Brigade on central hill with artillery and their cavalry massed on their left wing.

Both sides have off-table Reserves due to arrive on 1st, 2nd and 4th Movement cards.

Highlights of game were the Allied reserves arriving very quickly but their right wing refusing to activate for 3 full Move cards.

Prussian cavalry on left managed to dominate the hill adjacent to the river and were soon supported by arriving foot formations.

French did manage to get their Reserves on as well and were able to send cavalry to their left wing forcing Prussians foot into square.

Other French cavalry contested the hill on their right that Prussians had invested and indeed this became a hotly contested area of battlefield with numerous charges by mounted, units being flanked and destroyed and lots of morale points lost by both sides.

Things were more circumspect on Allied right as both side artillery were concentrated here with a steady drain of losses but less dramatic than elsewhere.

A French unit of Elite Hussars caused Prussians all sorts of problems despite being virtually surrounded (indeed they managed to escape trap) whilst a small unit (3UI) of Prussian Garde Jager caused similar mayhem before being routed.

Losses on both sides were mounting and French morale (31) was exhausted first but Allied morale was also tottering on brink despite having a large number of unengaged units (including the Russians).

When French pulled an Army Morale card Andy managed to roll a 10 and the Allied hearts sank but lo and behold they also rolled a 10 so French quit the field and it transpired that the Allies had  a mere 1 Morale left plus 2 'gifted' from French so very close to edge themselves.

Great stuff once again with FOB3 and always enjoyable when a game ends up so close

Clash in centre

Prussians forced into square as French cavalry swirls about

Intense action unfolds on high ground on Allied left

Both sides reserves shore up center

French 'Marie Louise units' advance in march columns 

Things bit more static on French left

Early stages (Prussians have occupied hill in far distance)

French deployment on left

Opposing Prussians (rooted to spot for ages)

Action on Prussian left with the hilltop contested fiercely by both sides

The Elite French Hussars in some trouble as flanked and threatened from rear whilst Garde Jager are doing their thing (unit at 11 o'clock)

Also at club several other games (good turn out again today) but no idea how these turned out

Phil and co played a Boer War game using Men Who Would Be Kings in 20mm

This Boer cavalry column seems to be tip toeing along a precipice !!

Jeremy and several others put on a game of Infamy Infamy (Sharp Practice for Ancients ?) in 28mm Romans vs Germans

Charlie and co played another Battle Tech game (think rules are Alpha Strike ?) with some nice sci fi buildings

Dave P and Adam played a 28mm game of Battlegroup WW2 but I failed to see or take any pics of this.