Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Pikes, Muskets and Flouncy Shirts => Topic started by: Bushbaby on May 09, 2017, 04:11:59 PM
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PART I
So, this is my second battle of Axtorna. As compared to the last one, the total number of soldiers in each army has swollen to over 1200 figures. All of them are GW Empire converted to 16th century swedes, danes and german landsknechts. We just barely managed to fit all units on the 120x180cm board.
It took two days for the four swedish players and the three danish ones to fight the battle. The rules were, as always, made by me.
The Battle of Axtorna or simply Axtorna, was a battle fought between the Kingdom of Sweden and the Kingdom of Denmark 20 October 1565 at Axtorna, a small village in what is today Halland County in south-western Sweden.
The Northern Seven Years' War was fought between the Kingdom of Sweden and a coalition of Denmark–Norway, Lübeck and Poland between 1563 and 1570. The war was motivated by the dissatisfaction of King Frederick II of Denmark with the dissolution of the Kalmar Union, and the will of King Eric XIV of Sweden to break Denmark's dominating position.
The Danish commander Daniel Rantzau had been forced to yield the fortress Varberghus to the Swedes on 15 September 1565, after they had taken Varberg, then Halland's largest city. Rantzau received the news that a Swedish army of superior strength led by Jacob Henriksson Hästesko was approaching from the east and forced him to move his forces toward Falkenberg.
(http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u415/Johannes_Hatem/Axtorna%20Revisited/947f4ae6-f36d-4948-882c-1612cd01c679_zpsimkb5ijz.jpg) (http://s1066.photobucket.com/user/Johannes_Hatem/media/Axtorna%20Revisited/947f4ae6-f36d-4948-882c-1612cd01c679_zpsimkb5ijz.jpg.html)
The swedish army´s right flank, consisting of mainly cavalry behind a screen of light arquebusiers. The swedish cavalry is a mix of lance armed knights and cuirassiers. Jacob Henriksson Hästesko decided to put all horses on this flank, hoping to create a breakthrough and flank the danish main force.
(http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u415/Johannes_Hatem/Axtorna%20Revisited/4_zps6nczjbzn.jpg) (http://s1066.photobucket.com/user/Johannes_Hatem/media/Axtorna%20Revisited/4_zps6nczjbzn.jpg.html)
The opposing danish left flank. It is thinly defended by pike and shotte and only one unit of cuirassiers. Initially the swedes expected an easy win, but as it turned out, the pike formations were to prove a difficult obstacle.
(http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u415/Johannes_Hatem/Axtorna%20Revisited/south2_zps4qvw7duc.jpg) (http://s1066.photobucket.com/user/Johannes_Hatem/media/Axtorna%20Revisited/south2_zps4qvw7duc.jpg.html)
The swedish right flank and danish left seen from above.
(http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u415/Johannes_Hatem/Axtorna%20Revisited/1_zpstljz2kku.jpg) (http://s1066.photobucket.com/user/Johannes_Hatem/media/Axtorna%20Revisited/1_zpstljz2kku.jpg.html)
The danish right flank, where Rantzau placed the bulk of the danish army. The danish heavy horse is placed behind the infantry, to be utilized as a mobile reserve that can move behind the own lines.
(http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u415/Johannes_Hatem/Axtorna%20Revisited/Swedish%20left_zpshwiy4lir.jpg) (http://s1066.photobucket.com/user/Johannes_Hatem/media/Axtorna%20Revisited/Swedish%20left_zpshwiy4lir.jpg.html)
Opposed by the swedish left flank, organized in a checkerboard like pattern of shotte in the front and infantry behind them. All front units are missile units aimed to maximize the ammount of firepower, but also ready to fall back behind the halberds and pikes.
(http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u415/Johannes_Hatem/Axtorna%20Revisited/North2_zpspacpi125.jpg) (http://s1066.photobucket.com/user/Johannes_Hatem/media/Axtorna%20Revisited/North2_zpspacpi125.jpg.html)
The swedish left flank and danish right flank seen from above.
(http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u415/Johannes_Hatem/Axtorna%20Revisited/IMG_20170409_110109_zps2pkkfcrx.jpg) (http://s1066.photobucket.com/user/Johannes_Hatem/media/Axtorna%20Revisited/IMG_20170409_110109_zps2pkkfcrx.jpg.html)
The danish commanders.
(http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u415/Johannes_Hatem/Axtorna%20Revisited/IMG_20170409_110007_zpsay6deqai.jpg) (http://s1066.photobucket.com/user/Johannes_Hatem/media/Axtorna%20Revisited/IMG_20170409_110007_zpsay6deqai.jpg.html)
(http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u415/Johannes_Hatem/Axtorna%20Revisited/IMG_20170409_110003_zpsierruhga.jpg) (http://s1066.photobucket.com/user/Johannes_Hatem/media/Axtorna%20Revisited/IMG_20170409_110003_zpsierruhga.jpg.html)
The swedish commanders.
(http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u415/Johannes_Hatem/Axtorna%20Revisited/IMG_20170408_184353_zpsc4rg59ax.jpg) (http://s1066.photobucket.com/user/Johannes_Hatem/media/Axtorna%20Revisited/IMG_20170408_184353_zpsc4rg59ax.jpg.html)
The battle began with a massive volley of swedish cannon. They were placed with the aim of breaking up danish pike formations to allow the cavalry to charge home on the right flank.
(http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u415/Johannes_Hatem/Axtorna%20Revisited/3b_zpssprqxvja.jpg) (http://s1066.photobucket.com/user/Johannes_Hatem/media/Axtorna%20Revisited/3b_zpssprqxvja.jpg.html)
The cavalry advances to the right to the sound of slow thunder.
(http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u415/Johannes_Hatem/Axtorna%20Revisited/6_zpszwhui3wm.jpg) (http://s1066.photobucket.com/user/Johannes_Hatem/media/Axtorna%20Revisited/6_zpszwhui3wm.jpg.html)
While the infantry moves forward on the left.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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Looking lovely - maybe just a little crowded!
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Impressive!
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Wow!! Superb, great to see! :)
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Here is a great site for info on the battle. The author Daniel Staberg is a wealth of knowelege on the period.
Perfect Captain has great info on the battle.
http://perfectcaptain.50megs.com/axtorna.html
(http://perfectcaptain.50megs.com/axtorna_wargame.jpg)
http://perfectcaptain.50megs.com/nordicfury.html
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Impressive masses of combatants! :o
Especially some pics with depth of field, are stunning!
Very interesting AAR so far.
Eager to read the continuation!
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It does look great but does not follow the battle at all, both in terrain and placement of troops! Too bad as that would have been intresting.
William
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It does look great but does not follow the battle at all, both in terrain and placement of troops! Too bad as that would have been intresting.
William
I see your point, but it is always a trade off between space, terrain, number of figures and historical accuracy.
We decided to replay not only the battle, but also the troop deployment.
Terrainwise, it was hardly possible to utilize any terrain at all, if the troops were to fit the board!
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Hi I know that when using 28mm it is always a problem. Either use fewer figures per unit or a table twice as large as your house!!!!!
I am not a fan of 28mm figures for exactly that reason, I use 5mm, 10mm and 15mm for large battles the only time I use 28mm figs is for skirmishing with a handful of figures per player.
But that is just a personal choice as I want to show the battle and what the choices the army organization and terrain force upon the commanders. As all wargaming is a trade off somewhere it is up to you to pick.
But your battle does look great.
William