Flatpack - VSF - Antwerp arms fair - second battle 10/5/25 pg3

[The_Beast]

Thanks so much to all for sharing!

I will say Dave's delight at young Sam's predicament is not quite up to old school...

Okay, you all look young to me.

I would like to hear more about how you brought the air craft into play. Bombing sounds as problematic as I assumed, which matches my pontificating elsewhere.

More, more, more!

Doug

[Donkeymilkman]

Now for the glorious French explanation of how the battle unfolded.

In short for those who don't like reading:

French: Glorious.
1st lot of British: Incompetent Cowards.
2nd lot of British: Cowards.
1st lot of Prussians: Nasty bastards but stood no chance against French steel.
2nd lot of Prussians: Cowards and Nasty bastards.

Now for the more developed report for the French gvt. and a nice promotion for Lieutenant Beau Gueste.

The town, I am stealing Bob's picture as I forgot to take one. The French were told to fortify the town and ambush the Prussians, do not let the Casque a pointe through. The belief was, providing the French can hold out long enough, the British will come and re-enforce them. HUH!



The French decided to lay out some booby traps for La Boche to have to deal with, hopefully slowing them down and allowing them to be ambushed by French units. Lieutenant Beau Gueste, due to the small but mighty size of the French force, decided to use the booby traps to slow down the Prussians and hinder attempts at flanking the town. The French force was really to small to defend effectively all areas of the town, it was there decided to place all units hidden around the main road, with one unit of French line defending a barricade designed to stop the Prussians cutting through the countryside in a direct path to the stones.

Booby traps were set up in front of the main road between the two houses. One in the vineyard across the opposite side of the road to the village. One at the far side of the village by the wheatfield, and one in the door way of the high wall to the left. A cunning trap except the Prussians did not move their infantry close enough to actually spring one! Damn these slow moving Teutons.  The two other french units hid in buildings. One in the second story building, the other in the building across the road.



You can see the defence position of the French here with support of the Steam Scarab!

On come the Prussians!



Sacrebleu! The Prussians have decided to come on in the direct of the only French week spot, no booby trap or infantry unit to hold them. Lieutenant Beau Gueste keeps his nerves, despite the rumours he had a massive panic that he was about to be outflanked and outgunned to begin with.



The full Prussian force emerges to the North, however the unpredictability of the steam aircraft causes major breakdowns for the Prussians, providing valuable time for the French to start moving the Scarab to take on the steamcraft. For those interested in the rules, every time a steam contraptions wants to move it must be stoked by rolling a dice, if this fails the role get progressively harder. Aircraft also loose height each time they fail, meaning there's a posibility of crashing.



The Scarab starts to reposition itself to take on the Prussian steamcraft, but also fails to stoke its engine, therefore slowing it down significantly.



I decide to spring one of my hidden units, out comes my dismounted *cough cough insert Frenchie name I've forgot cough cough*. They decide to unload their magazines in an attempt to blast the Prussians to hell and back. All miss bar one. Burst fire means for each hit any figure within three inches of said figure may be hit and BANG!

Now you see them.



Now you don't

[Donkeymilkman]

Huzzah! That first volley of fire was tremendous! Killing all but two of the dark blue pain. The other two were so shocked they dare not do anything!

However the second steam ship with Prussian sailors decides to retaliate, wounding one of the heroes of the Empire!



Now the Prussians are wanting blood as revenge, as the dismounted cavalry scramble to get back in doors the airship looms above them getting ready to bomb the building. Quick! Something muse be done!



Queue ads proudly sponsored by the British Empire, as you can see from the picture, the British are still doing nothing. Ads break ends.



The second hidden French unit, this time of sailors, pops out of there building and lays fire into the Prussian aircraft, causing it to retreat. Huzzah! No bombs dropped here today!



The pushed back aircraft, undeterred rallies itself to attempt to assault the French again.



In she comes, with heavy fire down on the sailors.



What will happen next, a bombing of the poor French? the disintegration of the line? Find out after this ad break.

[Donkeymilkman]

Oh look the ad is once again sponsored by the British Empire, still doing nothing.



Ad break ends and we're back with the French! The sailors have taken heavy casualties, the Prussians seeing this decide to move along and attempt to bomb the French line behind the barricade.



Kaboom! The bombs are dropped... however they miss the French line and hit the barricade instead. Thank God! Not wanting to stand around for another load of bombs the French start to fall back, hoping to make it the olive grove fields behind in order to set up a new defensive line. The sailors retreat into the building, taking shelter and attempting to recompose themselves.



Kablam! By the luck of the Emperor! The scarab managed to stoke its engine and fire it's cannon, bringing down the dastardly Prussian aircraft, killing many of the sailors onboard.



Cheers from the French line are heard as they decide to take up a new defensive position within the town preparing for Prussian infantry on foot to attack. Hopefully the booby traps will come into play now!

[Donkeymilkman]

Another Brit sponsored ad break. Oh, look! They crashed there own ship! Sacrebleu!



Ad break ends!

The Brits now decide to set one of their aircraft bombers, without infantry support in it, directly into the French line! Huh! There is no need, the real Britons have beat La Boche back already!



Now the Prussians, take a last ditch attempt to interact the British steam bomber, Frenchies to the rescue with the scarab to help defend it.



That is where we called the game. Lieutenant Beau Geste will be a Marshal of the Empire and Prince of Mars in no time!

Thank you Bob for organising the game, painting figures and serving good food.

Thank you Peter for umpiring and inventing the scenario, and Dave and James for playing along.

Good fun all round.

[vodkafan]

Sorry haven't been able to put my pics up yet.
As the commander of the first British contingent all I have to say is that if my conduct annoyed the French I must have done something right and acted in the best interests of Her Majesty !

[flatpack]

Well as commander of the British force that secured the ancient stone circle, I would like to congratulate our French allies, in holding off the enemy, and point out if they ever need our help again, they can always contact us through our embassy in Paris, although we might be out for tea 

[The_Beast]

Well as commander of the British force that secured the ancient stone circle, I would like to congratulate our French allies, in holding off the enemy, and point out if they ever need our help again, they can always contact us through our embassy in Paris, although we might be out for tea 

I am not sure of Monsieur Lieutenant (Captain?) Geste's comments concerning the advisability of making such a request, though I suspect the entertainment of unassisted British crash would mitigate same.

Failed Stoke at low height?

Was there something else going on with the Brit forces I am missing?

Cracking good vicarious thrill I am enjoying!

Doug

[MaleGriffin]

Great looking game! One of my favorite genres!

[flatpack]

I am not sure of Monsieur Lieutenant (Captain?) Geste's comments concerning the advisability of making such a request, though I suspect the entertainment of unassisted British crash would mitigate same.

Failed Stoke at low height?

Was there something else going on with the Brit forces I am missing?

Cracking good vicarious thrill I am enjoying!

Doug

 
The two British forces, had two different objectives.
The first force, was to come on and support the French, by holding the town.
That didn’t happen as the commander of the first British force, put down in a field far too early and was going to have to walk his troops in.
I guess his Victorian Sat Nav failed ?

The second British force (commanded by myself), was tasked with securing the ancient stone circle, as some mysterious “lifting” power had been found below the stones.
This would be very handy to support our modern flying machines.
This task, I’m proud to say, was achieved by my glorious lads 

[flatpack]

Great looking game! One of my favorite genres!

It’s all new to me (as I seemed to have avoided it for about 40 yrs), but I’m finding it great fun.
I think it’s like most games. If it’s played with the right people, in the right spirit, it works 
Ps the rules do help 

[BaronVonJ]

I'm glad everyone had fun. Can't wait to see more.
But now for Wiley Games public service announcement

[The_Beast]

I'm glad everyone had fun. Can't wait to see more.
But now for Wiley Games public service announcement

Yeah, I think we're stuck with the acronym. I think I have added Fine or Fantastic at the front to make it fit.

Either that, or French Foreign of Legion...

Doug

[flatpack]

Rightttt…it’s FOL and not FFOL.
Cheers Baron.

[Zingara]

Great looking game - and a set of rules that seems to encourage playing with whatever contraptions you care to knock up. Now who do I know that can produce interesting things out of stuff most folks throw away?