28mm Napoleonics: 2nd game with 1 page rules.

Westphalians v Bavarians – part zwei

I decided to do a rematch using more or less the same troops as last time but with an extended table. Some crossroads and a village are the main features, plus a few hills and wooded areas. Main idea was to take and control the crossroad. Each side had 2 infantry and 2 cavalry brigades. The Bavarians (with completed basing this time) had a heavy battery as their main advantage. The Westphalians had a brigade of heavy cavalry as their main advantage. The heavies ended up being the difference. Very powerful against poor old light cavalry.

Brett came along and he controlled half the Bavarians. Richard placed his heavy cavalry brigade directly in front of the Bavarian light cavalry as soon as he saw the opportunity. The combat ended up being mostly one-sided and Richard opened up a flank by turn 5 so another clear win to the Westphalians. Horse artillery (1 per cavalry brigade) was effective and used aggressively on both sides.

We discovered a few more clarifications were needed regarding the countercharge sequence and evade distances but overall it was a smooth game. Once the fighting starts, a lot can happen in a turn when morale starts taking effect. The importance of having rear support and secure flanks kicks in. The Reserve move phase is also important as it allows each side to move any units that haven’t moved that turn to push into gaps or even exploit them. Brett and Richard started to appreciate the skirmish rules a bit more and used them quite well.

A couple of times we thought of adding a few interesting rules but then decided it defeats the point of having a simple set of rules to play a complex period. They may, one day, even get to 2 pages long. But I think, at least for now, keeping it easy and fudging the tricky stuff is good enough.

 

Cheers,

Mick

 Westphalians lined up

 Bavarians lined up

 Table view

 First turn movement

 Advancing on the village

2^nd turn movements

 Westphalian Light Cavalry

 Cheeky bugger Horse Artillery

Westphalians forming a battle line

 

Fighting starts for the village

Westphalian Heavy Cavalry push back the Bavarian Light Horse

 The gap created by the heavies 

Firefight starting 

Heavies pushing around the Lights again



 

 
 

 Mirror image on this side of the village

Westphalian guns send a Bavarian line unit packing

Heavies dispatch one cavalry unit with ease – one to go

Refusing the line, just as the Bavarian village defenders run away

  No more Bavarian cavalry on this flank as the Westphalians smell victory

Close up of imminent defeat

One Westphalian unit routs – albeit temporarily

 

Reserves push into the stalemate fight for the village as the game is called in favour of the Westphalians

 Notes on rules

The rules in their current form

 

A Chrissie present

from my old mate Rob Green

28mm VIKINGS FIGHT SAXONS

Here are some photos of this week's game. Saxons against Vikings. The Vikings defeated the Saxons. A feature of the game was a long running personal combat between a Viking leader and his Saxon counterpart. Both wounded the other, but in the end the Saxon prevailed and killed the Viking. It did not help the Saxon army though which eventually broke due to the losses it had suffered. The figures are all 28mm minis. The rules used are our own.

 

28mm ROMAN TESTUDO

Here is the latest addition to my 28mm Roman collection. It is a Testudo of Legio XXX Ulpia Victrix. The minis are Black Tree Designs, the shield designs are my own home made transfers.

28mm Napoleonics - 1 page rules Test Game

Hello All,

After the AWI games with the Fife & Drum rules I made a few adjustments and managed to convert them into a 1 page Napoleonic set. Richard and I played a basic scenario on Saturday to test them out. Richard used his Westphalians (in his own words "Nobody's favourite army"), while I used my Bavarians that I had just rebased but not fully completed. A reinforced division per side. Fast, fun and easy to play.

The game was successful and went smoothly. We are both fairly laid back and we made about 3 changes as we played without getting worked up about it. Regarding the scenario, the Westphalians had to attack and capture both hamlets and control the high ground. In the end I had my arse handed to me. I made a few mistakes and couldn't hit a barn door so the Westphalians won completely. Not a sentence I ever thought I would write.

Richard says the skirmish rules took a bit of getting used to. The skirmishers work as 'shields' against musketry. They absorb/negate a hit for each skirmishing pair of figures. So if a battalion has 2 skirmish pairs and they take 3 hits, then it becomes 1 hit on the parent unit. Likewise, they also add a firing die each and need a 1-2 to 'hit'. I think they worked really well as they were useful without being overpowering and having skirmisher superiority is a distinct advantage.

Anyway, on to the pics.

Cheers,
Mick

28mm Viking Battle

Here are some photos of a 28mm Viking v. Saxons battle we played last week. We use our own house rules that we have been using for several years now. One reason for the game was to test some slight amendments to the rules. Both sides were roughly equal in numbers -56 figures each. The game lasted for two hours and got down to both armies surviving only on their army morale dice which they had to throw at the beginning of each turn. Neither army broke so the fight went on until our agreed finishing time when we declared that night had fallen and exhausted both armies fell back and the battle ended. It was good fun and helped us sort out the new rules ideas. 

 The two 'armies' formed up prior to the battle

 On the Viking side the army leader and his banner

 Some of the Saxons

 More of the Saxons

A close up of the fearsome Viking chieftain and his banner bearer

 On the far right one part of the Viking line has crashed into the Saxon line

With part of his army fighting the Viking Chieftain holds back the other part of his line watching the uncommitted part of the Saxon army

From the Saxon viewpoint - their left is engaged by Vikings while the rest of the army warily watches the remainder of the Viking army

 

Another view from the Saxon side. You can see the Bishop giving heart and courage to the Saxons

 Part of the Viking battle line

 Looking at the Vikings from the Saxon battle line

 Battle is joined all along the line

 In the thick of the battle

 Neither side gives ground

 The battle goes on

The Viking Chieftain gets involved in the fight - our rules are that a warband/army leader must become involved in personal combat within a certain number of turns once the fighting starts or the opponent can make the reluctant leaders army take a morale test. After all the very rationale for these leaders was reputation as a warrior and they could hardly be expected to attract a following if they were timid. In this game the Viking chieftain did very well and added to his reputation for battlefield prowess. The Saxon army leader got involved early on in the fighting and did well, surviving the battle and adding to his reputation.

 More of the close fighting in the closing moments of the battle

The battle comes to an end with the Viking chieftain still fighting. Both sides had lost roughly equal numbers.