By Fire & Sword: Ambush AAR

[Anatoli]

Despite difficult schedules Andreas and I managed to squeeze in a game of By Fire & Sword this Saturday.

For a change, the Polish skirmish force was weaker than the Swedish detachment:

Polish 1650-66 Skirmish list: 9FSP

Colonel: 4 command points
6 bases of Polish dragoons
3 bases of Pancerni with spears
5 bases of cossack style cavalry
4 bases of Volunteers

Swedish detachment: 12FSP

Colonel: 4 command points
Major: 1 command point
8 bases of musketeers
2 regimental guns
4 bases of Mercenary Reiters
4 bases of Mercenary Reiter Veterans with arquebus

As the weaker player I got to roll on the scenario chart- and we got "Ambush" for the first time. This is an interesting scenario. The stronger player deploys his force in a tilted 40x40cm square, slightly off center. 20cm in front of the deployment zone the weaker player places a unit acting as "bait".

The stronger player deploys his entire force, and the weaker player then deploys the rest of his troops anywhere on the table, as long as they are at least 20cm away from any enemy units. You could encircle or flank the units of the stronger player doing this.

The special feature of this scenario is that there is no reconnaissance taking place, so players can't get any further tactical advantages on top of the ambush itself. The stronger player also cannot fire any weapons with match-lock, neither can the artillery be used during turn 1 (units are caught off guard).

Finally one unit/squadron of the stronger player is randomly chosen to "Panic" at the start of turn 1.

Check the full AAR over at my blog:

http://anatolisgameroom.blogspot.se/2013/06/by-fire-sword-ambush-aar.html

[Conquistador]

A very nice game and AAR.

Alas, I have no interest in this era/theater because these seem to well written rules with lots of 'grit' without being bogged down in "detail.'

Superb post!

Gracias,

Glenn

[WillieB]

Alas, my poor wallet.

I'm strangely drawn more and more to this period/era/scale. Will definitely buy the rule book at Crisis and I'm probably doomed after doing so.
Excellent AAR!

[Anatoli]

Alas, my poor wallet.

I'm strangely drawn more and more to this period/era/scale. Will definitely buy the rule book at Crisis and I'm probably doomed after doing so.
Excellent AAR!

Thanks, it's a really good game and the wars in this part of Europe work both for large and small battles/games