Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Age of the Big Battalions => Topic started by: DintheDin on May 24, 2020, 09:08:08 PM
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This battle was played long ago with my friend Doc Vag.
Rearguard action
I found this scenario of C. Grant at the blog "Tabletop Teasers" which, I'm afraid it does not exist any more... and it was a treasure trove!
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The attacking force would be French, the defenders would be Hessian. Doc Vag took the defenders.
The scenario said that the defenders would be concealed behind the hills, only a couple of batteries visible.
The defender could hide troops at the farm or the woods, or anywhere behind the hills.
While the attackers would be approaching the defenders had two half battalions of engineers, working to create earthworks which the defender would mark on a paper, as well as the position and movement of his troops as long as the attacker could not see them.
He could also send for one unit of reinforcements. If he did this, the attacker could do the same.
Here is our table setup
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The game was played with Honours of War rules.
The French forces enter the table.
All they could see are two enemy batteries posted on the left hill
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I send a regiment of Dragoons and the Chasseurs de Fischer at my
left right to probe the farm and the woods
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The enemy guns started shooting at my march columns which were proven a juicy target!
Round 2 and I had already lost one battalion!
Martinique and Guadeloupe is a bitter joke, of course!
Life there was far from easy, especially during the Seven Years War!
http://kronoskaf.com/syw/index.php?title=1759_-_British_expedition_against_Martinique_and_Guadeloupe
http://kronoskaf.com/syw/index.php?title=1762_-_British_expedition_against_Martinique
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Swinging my main cavalry force at the left and the enemy cavalry is revealed!
I also noticed that he had sent for reinforcements. One Hessian line battalion entering from his side of the table.
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The French infantry started deploying and climbing the bigger hill.
After probing the farm, I dismounted my Dragoons to check if the Hessians had hidden forces behind the right, Twin, smaller hills...
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The French infantry climbing the hill was received with decimating canister fire and I lost a second battalion!
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The French dismounted dragoons climbed the small hills. From this vantage point they could see a small part of the Hessian infantry.
But where are their engineers working? Ah! I see they already prepared some redoubts!
Meanwhile, I deployed three of my remaining battalions and I unlimbered my two Heavy artillery batteries to support them.
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Auvergne infantry and my cavalry spotted more enemy troops...
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The cavalry clash!
Cuirassiers vs Cuirassiers, Hussars vs Hussars but I had one more regiment of Dragoons for rear support...
Numerical superiority and (slightly ;)) better dice, gave me the upper hand!
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The cavalry battle was won. The remains of the Hessian cavalry were repulsed and reforming.
Next round my infantry continued their bloody climbing and my cavalry moved forward.
All the enemy troops were now visible!
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More canister and one more French infantry goes to the box!
But now we are getting closer and bayonets will speak!
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The Hessian cavalry was annihilated and after a firefight one Hessian battalion falls tumbling back!
The French managed to open the Hessian right flank.
Also, Doc Vag's plan was visible now. The engineers, hidden behind the hill were building earthworks parallel to the North road, so that I would be prevented to control the exit.
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The dismounted Dragoons approach the Northern road, the engineers will fight as inferior troops.
Their mules seem upset! lol
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My infantry depleting, I had sent for reinforcements.
Three rounds later, one French Line Infantry battalion enter from the Western road
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Forgot to say that the Hessians had an extra howitzer battery which, hidden behind the hill crest, was doing lethal damage! It is now attacked!
French troops have reached the hill crest. At last they can see all the enemy forces!
My artillery was all that time trying to silence the enemy batteries, but to no avail...
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The French Dragoons closing carelessly the enemy engineers, get a bloody nose...
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The howitzer battery survived the infantry charge, sending my infantry retreating to reform.
I take my revenge. The French Cuirassiers du Roi have recovered and the howitzers are overrun!
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The cuirassiers are unstoppable! Next round the my Cavalry Brigade get a double move bonus and the Schomberg Dragoons attack the next battery!
The battery swings, they shoot canister, but, miraculously they don't wound a single horseman!
The Cuirassiers du Roi fall at the back of the Hessian Garde, which, surprised did not find time to turn!
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This was crucial! The Cuirassiers were exhausted but the Garde was annihilated!
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It was the winning round, as the rest of the enemy units were surrounded
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The Hessians plan of defense:
All their army was concentrated behind the slope, but when their right flank was opened this was proved tactically disastrous.
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YET ANOTHER WONDERFULLY entertaining Battle Report. The miniatures & terrain are GORGEOUS as always. VERY WELL DONE!
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YET ANOTHER WONDERFULLY entertaining Battle Report. The miniatures & terrain are GORGEOUS as always. VERY WELL DONE!
Thank you! I hope you liked the narration!
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very nice battle report. I LOVE IT
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I am happy you enjoyed it!
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Great and I love the chit chat among the rank and file!
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Great and I love the chit chat among the rank and file!
Thanks!
I'm glad if I made you laugh!
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Indeed, your sense of humor shined through and enhanced the experience.
But were the cavalry that "probed the left" on the far right part of the humor?! o_o Or perhaps you meant probing the enemies left?
Fun read.
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Indeed, your sense of humor shined through and enhanced the experience.
But were the cavalry that "probed the left" on the far right part of the humor?! o_o Or perhaps you meant probing the enemies left?
Fun read.
I often make the mistake to call right as left, now corrected, thanks for spotting it!
I am happy you found it fun to read! Cheers!
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Such an entertaining report - I like your sense of humor! Cheers Fedja
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Such an entertaining report - I like your sense of humor! Cheers Fedja
Long to hear from you! Thanks!
Cheers Fedja!
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The Tabletop teasers were published as a perfect-bound book by Henry Hyde when he was editing Battlegames. You may well still be able to get hold of it.
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The Tabletop teasers were published as a perfect-bound book by Henry Hyde when he was editing Battlegames. You may well still be able to get hold of it.
I would like to! I'll look for it! Thank you!
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Great report, thanks.
This scenario, if I'm not mistaken, looking at C.S.G.'s map, appears in his book Scenarios for Wargames published by Wargames Research Group 1981 (not the book he co-wrote with S. Asquith which I believe is different).
Sometimes available on ebay, I'd highly recommend the investment in this book if you see it come up. My dog eared copy is ex library but, I'm the one who has dog eared it with constant use over the years and frequently get it out for inspiration. Of all my 'Old School' books (Charles hates that term and prefers not to be bracketed in that way, and if his books are to be bracketed prefers 'traditional' as a description), this is by far the most looked at.
The scenarios in the book (x 52) are all simply laid out with only the basic detail of the map, scenario outline, forces and mission objectives, plus umpire notes where required. Most are not period specific and are written in such a way that a specific horse and musket or ancient period is not immediately brought to mind; a few are for modern periods (e.g. have a railway, or helicopters, or parachutes); one or two might be deemed 'colonial' in its broadest sense (but could be the Sudan to the Old West, etc.); two or three might be deemed mini-campaigns fought over areas bigger than one table (though only one gaming table is required) using some map movement and planning.
I love the book, and I'd hate to be without the dogeared old thing.
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@olicana
Thanks for your reply! I'll try to search for this book. I know about a dozen of this book scenarios I found here and there.
Some of them I've played already and have been posted in older threads here.
Here I found a couple of them
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=110718.0
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=110718.30
All the scenarios are simply and neatly laid out, as you said and provide balanced games.
Your love about this book is fully understandable :)
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Really great battle report. I have played this scenario. I was attacking with the Prussians fighting the Austrians. It was a very close game as I recall.
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Really great battle report. I have played this scenario. I was attacking with the Prussians fighting the Austrians. It was a very close game as I recall.
Scenarios like that remain evergreen!
Thanks for your kind reply and for taking the time to read my report!
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'Scenarios for Wargames' (C.S Grant), 'Programmed Wargames scenario' (C.S.Grant), 'Scenarios for all Ages' (C.S Grant and S. Asquith) are all brilliant if you can get hold of them. All of them have rules allowing you to use most scenarios for most eras.
'Battle games special edition: Table top teasers vol 1' by Charles Grant (junior) has 13 scenarios. Not quite as generic as the above, but still very good.
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'Scenarios for Wargames' (C.S Grant), 'Programmed Wargames scenario' (C.S.Grant), 'Scenarios for all Ages' (C.S Grant and S. Asquith) are all brilliant if you can get hold of them. All of them have rules allowing you to use most scenarios for most eras.
'Battle games special edition: Table top teasers vol 1' by Charles Grant (junior) has 13 scenarios. Not quite as generic as the above, but still very good.
Thanks for your reply! I'll try to find one of them! Cheers!
Hope you liked my AAR :)
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Excellent battle and illustrations!
You can still find the "Table Top Teasers" online - they must have been moved at some point, as I had both bookmarked and one link was dead. They can still be found here, though:
Table Top Teasers (https://steve-the-wargamer.blogspot.com/p/word-document-jpgs-of-original-article.html)
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Excellent battle and illustrations!
You can still find the "Table Top Teasers" online - they must have been moved at some point, as I had both bookmarked and one link was dead. They can still be found here, though:
Table Top Teasers (https://steve-the-wargamer.blogspot.com/p/word-document-jpgs-of-original-article.html)
I'm glad you liked my AAR
Thank you so much for the link!