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.

Emperor of the Battlefield game.

Game with Stephen today and I choose to try EOTB rules which we briefly tried once last year. 

Just went with a basic points based game (rules include points system but only single generic list) at 650pts which is enough for a decent Corps sized game (Shako/Glory is Fleeting vibe).

I used Spring 1813 Prussians and Stephen the French.

There is quite a lot involved in the set up and deployment particularly with your chosen Order Of March and relevant placement of Divisions (a sort of game in itself) and you generally start game with several Divisions off table/enroute that you can only attempt to bring to field one per turn.

These reinforcing Divisions arrive in March Columns in a fairly condensed arrival 'box' although one can bring them on deployed but at increased risk of failing to arrive.

We found that Divisions remained in such fast moving March Columns for quite a long time certainly compared to just about any other rule set we have used, well that is until Artillery gets in range.

The movement/shooting and combat systems are all slick and the interactions between Column/Line/Square have good Napoleonic feel.

Whilst we did not complete game (too much discussing the various deployment/points options) we encountered only one or two rules issues (eg wording bit ambiguous re Rallying) and nothing game breaking.

Think these will be used again

Only a couple of pics as engrossed in proceedings

Defender gets to set up bulk of terrain but restricted by 'legality' of distribution 

I did get a Cavalry Brigade to arrive deep on right flank on second turn (aided by an ADC and road) which forced French infantry to deploy in to squares, but cavalry alone cannot deal with same

Infantry Divisions face off in early stages (we both later brough Cavalry on to this side of battlefield)

Later I set up St Nicolas Farm (for Saturday at club with PzGr) so as I could sort what terrain items I need to bring.

Chain of Command 2 rules arrived today (PDF obtained yesterday) only a very brief skim through but some really nice pics of WWII kit stand out, will get fuller read of actual rules in due course.

Balance Of Power - a solo try with Napoleonic forces

First wet day in ages here in NI so decided to give a set of rules I have not tried an outing today and a wee change from WW2.

Set is 'Balance Of Power' from Crusader stable of rules and are a very light set designed for large games (sort of very much simpler version of the 'March Attack' set from same author - Mark Simms) with units essentially Brigades/Divisions organized into Corps formations so very big engagements possible.

Designed to cover period of French Revolution through to about 1875.

They are a very slim set with no more than 8 pages of rules an example of play and a QRS and so do have a few 'gaps' but easy to fill in same.

Units are small (2 of my 40mm bases per unit) and rated solely by Combat Value with for example Regular foot being a CV of 5, Conscript CV 4 with Mounted usually 1 CV lower and Artillery similar.

No morale or rallying, skirmishing (nor voluntary backwards movement) but with bit more to the shooting and combat than first meets the eye, with reserves being key.

Movement is fairly quick with foot moving 8" and cavalry 12" and with facing changes allowed at start and end of move so pretty fluid. 

However charging (alternating phases) comes before movement phase and only allowed to turn up to 45 degrees prior to charge.

Units can avail of standard Column, Line and Square  

Firing, which is conducted simultaneously, is per stand using a D8 system to inflict CV losses (muskets fire only to 3") and Melee is a combo of CV and a few modifiers to generate a bonus to opposing D6 rolls with loser taking hits and falling back or Routed (ie destroyed) if CV level reached in losses 

Therefore a column fires with 1 stand (as 2 deep) whilst a Line fires with 2.

Cavalry charging Line allows the Foot a chance to form Square and woe betide the Cavalry if they do as a whopping +6 modifier applies (+4 to Cavalry if foot stuck in Line) and foot gets to shoot prior to Melee resolution. 

There is an Orders system for Corps Formations system but rather 'sketchy' with players basically deciding how detailed or simple they wish their orders to be, although Reserve and Retreat orders are specified and you do have to roll to change Orders modified by Commander quality. 

I set up a scenario from said 'March Attack' based on Prussian 'Advance To Plancenoit 1815' which although it has but a single Corps a side I fudged making each Division equivalent to a Corps for game purposes (and worked fine).

Game was certainly devoid of much in way of  specific Napoleonic (nor any other period covered beyond changes in weaponry) detail or chrome but was very fast and furious (despite controlling some 33 Prussian and 27 French units) and actually quite fun.