Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Crossing the Lines: More Like Foxes Than Lyons

Scenterion notes form Arofan Gregory. Rules avaiable at Aplication of Force 
In the Franco-Dutch War, the War of the League of Augsburg, and the War of the Spanish Succession
it was common to try to deny the enemy passage through long stretches of countryside by
establishing "lines". Typically, these were simply siege lines writ large: redoubts and entrenchments
worked into the terrain which would run for miles, and offer patrolling troops a way to easily fend off
any incursion. Such lines were employed by both the French and their enemies at different points. The
most famous example of action along such lines was Marlborough's crossing of the lines of "Ne Plus
Ultra," but there were other examples in many theatres and in earlier wars.
Such lines were not the equal of proper fortifications along their entire length, and this scenario
depicts an Imperialist attempt to force a passage through a more weakly constructed point in such a
system of lines manned by the French.

Imperialists
  • Regiment Starhemberg: 4 battalions Average rank-firing infantry with battalion guns
  • Regiment Bernstorff (Luneburg-Celle): 1 battalion Average platoon-firing infantry
  • Regiment Erbprinz Wilhelm (Luneburg-Celle): 1 battalion Average platoon-firing infantry
  • Savoyen Dragoons: 1 two-squadron unit of Averge pistol dragoons
  • Imperial Artillery: 1 battery Average light field guns
French
  • Regiment Perche: 2 battalions Average rank-firing infantry
  • Regiment Bresse: 1 battalion Veteran rank-firing infantry
  • Royal Artillery: 1 battery of Average light field guns
  • Gendarmes de France: 1 two-squadron unit of Veteran pistol cavalry

I'm the French comander facing a hoard of Imperialist infanrty. 
Movement is deliverate (turns are 20 seconds) troops only move 2 inces at a time (about 50 yards) I open up as they reach short range for my gun. Musketeers blow matches and check charges. 

Firing errupts as the Imperialists close in.... on the right they stop a bit over two inches... 
On the left they get in closer and shattering vollies are exchanged.  
The hammering on both sides is brutal as is the willingness of the troops of both armies to take punishment.... at long last the center and left Imperial regiments break... only to have new ones march up. The French get no relief from the pounding.
At last the French artilery is out of amunition and stats rolling thier gun to the rear (the horses are kept well back in this period). 
the Battering continues... finaly the Imperialsits break 4 of thier regiments retreet.  My force held by its fingernails.  The Two French regiment on the right are hovering just below exhaustion on the fatigue count and have lost about a hundred men each(of 500) the Swiss regiment on the left is shattered with almost 50% casulties only the profesionalism is keepin them together.  I held but it coud easily have gone the othe way. 

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

The Battle of the Schwarzenbach, 1622

This was an home brew game I ran the "Imperial troops" agaist Bill and Kelly running the Protistant leage. My ceenter consists of two Spanish Tercios and a battery. 
On the left my light troops mix it up with Bill's light troops Coats and dragoosn clash in the woods I get the better of it. 
The Tercio on the right advances while the one to the left (not shown) is repeatedly hit by every gun the Protistant league can bring to bear.  On the right the cavalry are in a staring contest. 
Having securred the first copps of trees we continue chasing the Protistant light troops driving backs some and destroying other units. 
Then heavy armored swords men from my reserves join the fight cutting down light troops.  
My guns break two of the Duch battalions while my right Tercio crashes into another... the fighting is not decisive ther but I am grinding forward.  The left Tercio takes fire from everyone who has a gun in range. Some how they hold togethers and gives me the victory as my light troops win on the left and may guns smash the center.  The cavalry on the right is a draw.  The Protestanst Legue is forced to withdraw. 

Friday, January 27, 2023

More Like Foxes than Lyons

This ARR was wrtine by Arofan I run the half of the French Army

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A bit of an AAR from last night. As befitting the deliberate pace of lace-era warfare, the 10 pictures all look identical unless you look closely! ;-)


Before the start: Perche has match lit, and looks ready for a scrap!

One: Both sides extend their front to the south, and the Imperialists begin their musketry at long range:

Two: The Savoyen Dragoons deploy and wheel into line - the French have not finished taking up their positions. The French move up and the fire-fight becomes general:
Three: French infantry deploy, still with loaded muskets, and the Dragoons advance into attack position:
Four: The 1st battalion of Perche, disordered by fire, scatters before a charge by the dragoons, but the Gendarmes de France have deployed and are ready to hit the now-disordered Imperialist horse:. In the center, Starhemberg advances on the disordered French St, Laurent, but refuses to charge.
Five: The counter-charge goes home, and a melee ensues!
Six: Predictably, the Dragoons have the worst of it, and begin their long journey back to Savoy!
Seven: At the north end of the line, Greder has had enough and flees the field.
Eight: In the center, the Starhemberg battalion which refused to charge now refuses to stand, and likewise departs...

Nine: The 2nd battalion of La Perche unleashes their initial volley of the game on another battalion of Starhemberg, and they also break and run. The Gendarmes have formed up and continue their advance. The Imperialists on are the verge of defeat, but if they can break the French horse with a crushing volley, then at least the honors will be equal... 
Ten: The Gentlemen of France earn their keep - although disordered and shaken, they hold their position in the face of a tremendous fusillade. France has gained the field!
Well played by both sides, and a close-run thing!

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Wolf Hunt

Monday was a snow day and Evelyn wanted to take a look at my Wargame terrain and such and then she set up a village and picked out some figures.  We decided to play a game and she decided to play the "Big Bad Wolf" I ran the Kings Jagers .
Civilians flee down the road while mounted Jagers and hounds move to intercept the wolf. The intitial clash results in the death of one dog. 
Two civilian ledies quckly fall to the wolf. 
Jagers get a shot at the wolf and hit it. 
More civilains are eatem and the wolf is hemmed in taking shots from my jagers
The wolf makes a break for it...
The mounted Jagers run down the Wolf but cannot hold it 
The Wolf breaks away but the two laddies fend it off... 
The wolf is cornned and takes it's third hit... forcing it to flee but it carries off another hound. 
The wolf got six figurte the target needed for Evlyn to win but...
The wolf took 3 hits enought to drive it off so my first game with Evelyn is a draw.