Huzzah Blackpowder: Battle of Dennewitz

Brigade Carriere Finally appears on the Battle Field.

 I had been looking forward to this game for months and now the day was here.  The table covering had been finished the night be fore but the table took amazing... long and narrow with literally hundreds (maybe thousands) of figures deployed in columns and line, the sort of scene that must have inspired Robert E. Lee to say "It is well that war is so terrible - otherwise we would grow too fond of it."

Prussians

This how ever is a War Game so Enjoy!  I had the command you have slowly seen growing over the last few months 5 infantry Battalion 4 French and the Irish Legion, a unit of Skirmishers and a regiment of Dragoons. Not the most balanced of commands but reasonably strong and as it turned able to absorb a lot of damage.

To my imdiate left was a force town and a force of French/German troops including infantry, artillery and light cavalry. to my right was large force of French infantry. Though there was a gap between us the gave me some concern...(turned out not to be a problem).

and more Prusians

To my midiate front were 4 units of Prussian infantry supported by two Landwehr and a battery. Dan my opposite number also had another 4 Prussian Infantry units with another battery so I was significantly out numbered. Fortunately Dan also had to deal with the troops to my left.  Further to my left was a division of Swedish troops who had little effect on my force (though that Rocket ruined my  day at one point).

Swedish troops with Rockets? Merde!

1st Turn move.

Imperial Forces had the First turn so I sent may men marching forward I was able to grab the house on the left but fell short of the one to the right. and my skirmishers decide they rely like hanging out in the grove and refused to move.  Our First turn shooting was pretty good disordering two Prussian units, to my left my allies moved into the town were they would stay for most of the battle.

My Allies on the left move into the town.

On his turn and took the other house, and launched an assault to take back the house I had occupied.  I was able to stop this attack but it would go on and on.

poor Brunhilda stuck in the middle

I had a unit swing left and attack the Prussians trying to take my house.  This Brutal melee would continue for the nest several turns.

My Skirmishers occupied a house with a stone wall around its yard and poured fire into the Prussians advancing on the right. In the center a fierce exchange of gun fire went back and forth turn after tun and slowly it went my way as Prussian units broke and finally we won the melee on the left only to have the damaged unit in the open charged int he flank.  Ironically I wanted this unit to break but it would suffer for another 2 turns of indecisive melee. 

My foe's first move.

My dragoons had taken a number of hits from Rockets and Artilery that always seemed to disorder them... finally I was able to get this unit out of the line of fire and  withdraw may my damage musketeer from the center.

The height of the battle.

This was key to the battle as it let me rally off my shaken units and renew the assault breaking my opponents  1st brigade and holing off is second with help on my left.  To my immediate right both forces fought to a stand off but further down the table the Allies were crushed by their Imperial foes, providing the French with a clear road to Berlin!

Thank you Rich and Bergi for putting this together it was great fun for all! Vive l'France! 

View to my right as the French Break the Germans and Russians!

Light infantry defend their Castle.

View form the 'other side of the hill'

Prussian center broken by the French

after math of the battle to my right

Final postilion on my left

Huzzah FOW 3 Panzers v. French Infantry Break Through

I think this must be as far west as the Pharaohs got

8 Rads strike at French 75s (wow the desert Camo really works!)

My final battle of the day was against Tony and his French infantry force. Break through has a bit of an odd set up with the table divided into 4 quadrants one of which belongs to the attacker (me) two of which are used by the defender to set up and a fourth where the objectives go. I opted to go with my alternative force for this battle dropping the 88s and picking up a Pioneer company and a Litch Panzer platoon (my PzII platoon also dropped from 5 to 4 to accommodate this, got to a few more PzIIs at some point) and upping my 8 Rad count from 2 to 6. This gave me a more mobile force it also gave me my Pioneers to the perfect force to have arrive in the objective box when my delayed reserves kicked in.

Tony set up his two infantry platoons,  his Motorized 75 AA guns (evil little things, got to get some)  his French 75 battery and his two 155 howitzers. He also had a HMG platoon that he did the French swap of to HMGs for two Rifles with one of his Infantry platoons. When you have units with 0 or 1s for side armor HMGs are not to be sneered. Off the table Tony had a platoon of 4 Somuas and another platoon of H35s.

Looking at Tony's army I knew I was in for a tough fight he could match me tank for tank and he had infantry and guns besides.

I started by throwing a left hook with my 8-Rads using my recon and regular move to get all 6 into position to blast away at Tony's French 75s Using my MGs even with 18 dice I was unreasonably lucky landing more than enough hits to pin his battery and killing 1 gun, the staff team and the platoon leader.

Tony's retribution was not long in coming his motorized 75s took out two of my Panzer IVs including my CinC who failed his Warrior save. Tony also got his first reserves Somua tanks who shot up my 8-rad knocking out 3 and bailing another. On my next turn I killed the motorized 75s with my Panzer IVs and my Liecht Panzer platoon. The 8-Rads and Panzer IIs kept picking at the 75s(I killed a second 75 at this point) and the infantry on the left and manages their fist successful assault on Tony's infantry Driving the back some. Another lucky MG shot form a Panzer II with no other targets took out Tony's CinC (he still had the 2iC, my list doesn't have one).
This was only Turn 2 both of us were playing aggressively but carefully and both us were taking serious blows.

On Turn three I got my reserves and my Pioneers marched on to the field in a long line with men on each objective. I hit Tony's infantry in the left center (closest to the objective) again and drove them back the platoon had to check moral and failed but Tony Called out "Medic" and rerolled passing this time.  The Somau' killed off my 8-Rads and also killed a PzI an manged to bail another.  Tony got his H35s on the board an moved double time to the objective. My Lietch Panzers had to us the Medic Taken to keep that platoon on the board (one bailed and one destroyed with only one fighting) which made so I still had four or five platoons in action. I was in good shape but Tony still had lots of tank killing assets on the board.

Turn 4 was a far as we got my Panzer IIs despite getting 6 shots each only bailed a single H35 so assaulting his rump infantry platoon as out of the question as the other two H35 and the lone 75 would have shredded my light tanks.  The PzIVs and S35 trade shots dodging between the buildings of the north African village. My remounted Lietch panzer platoon moved to support the troops holding the objective.  Tony's side of the turn saw a PzII killed and another bailed but no appreciable change to the tactical situation.  My Pioneers were dug in on the objective, at this point the game was called and I was declared winner.

Tony and I both really enjoyed the game a lot of hard hits were given and taken by both of us and neither of us made any serious mistakes if we had the time to go six round I think I would have managed to hold on for the win but I am far from certain.

Tony I hope you get another shot at me this was a great game!

Huzzah 2 Attack of the Honey Stewarts No Retreat!

Airfield Battle

Why not 'hide' the objective in the hanger

Stuarts double then get ambushed

My next game was the No Retreat mission against Dan and his Honey Stewart list. I lost the die roll and had to defend, its hard to do this with an armored force especially as small as 4 platoons!

who ambushed who?

I started with my 88s on the board covering the objective int he hanger and the CinC covering the other (thank goodness CiCs can hold objective now!) I kept the PZ IIs hidden in ambush and the Pz IVs off board with the 8 Rads.  The key would be to survive to turn 3. I was fairly sure I could do this... until I saw Dan run 8 Stuarts right at My CinC. (he moved at the double 32 inches in one turn!) Worse he made sure I had shots no with the 88s!(Well Played!)  I popped the ambush(which was screwed up by Dan's advance) but got nothing my AT 5 2cm guns did noting. The CinC got one Stuart but they killed 3 of 5 PzIIs and bailed my CinC. So on Turn 2 Surviving to Turn 3 looked a bit iffy (and this was assuming I got my reserves on Turn 3) Dan had me on the back foot.

At the at the same time he had 3 more Stuarts advancing on the other objective and infantry moving up the middle. Both under cover so the 88s had no clear shot.

Turn 3 arrived and I got my reserves! 3 Panzer IV moved to save their commander and the two bailed survivors of the Pz II Platoon.

Over the next three turns Dan tried to kill my Pz IIs he got one more, but my Panzer IVs steadily killed Stuarts. My 88s also managed to get one tank on that side of the board.  Dan Also tried to Flank the 88s on the other side of the board but went a turn early and got burned as his tanks for killed by my 88s. Even on Turn 6 Dan was still driving on my men. Dan used his medic Token to re-roll a company moral (not sure I would have) and launched a final desperate attack with his CinC and 2IC but in the end he never did kill that last PZ II. This gave me a 6 to 1 win but folks it was much closer than that! I won this battle because I happened to throw a 5 for my reserves the fist chance I could if I had not Dan would have probably won the game on turn 4 or 5.

Dan was very gracious in defeat especially considering the frustration he must have felt at not getting that Last PzII! I still find it hard to believe that Dan got this good with this list in approximately 4 weeks! Watch this fellow he's dangerous!

Dan contemplates the tank massacre

Huzzah! FOW 1 Panzers v. French Recon Dust up

Gorden's evil RR table

Initial Set up for Dust up.

My Big Mistake

My First battle involved my Mittler Panzer company against a French cavalry Recon force that was a mix of Hotchkss 35s and Somuas 35s backed by a battery of 75s! (every list in this tournament was tough so I will not repeat this statement in each report!) My opponent Timus and I think both felt the table was the worst one we could get for our forces and the dust up mission.

These could have covered both gaps very nicely

That RR Embankment looked like the Alps and neither of us wanted to A) get bogged down on the Tracks or B) go into the shooting gallery that clearly woudl happen at the road you can see in the left hand side of the table.

Both of us were careful and by turn 3 we hand even shot at each-other. I had realized I should have gone under the RR bridge on the right and tried to send my Panzer IIs through here even moving at the double to do.

I survived the fire from Timus newly arrived H35 and shot back using 15 shots go get on killed tank!

At the same time I sent my Panzer IVs over the RR embankment and made it. I took out one S35(its as the platoon leader which immobilized them, not that it mattered much) and lost a Panzer IV from counter fire.

There was a lot of bouncing AT rounds for the next two turns, I did manage to get my 8-Rads over the road and onto the objective (driving like mad through the French tanks) so at least I was contesting my opponents objectives.

This one was a 1 to 1 draw (loss to both) . Latter apologized to Timus that I was unavailable for the "revenge" round.  Timus responded by saying "the only revenge I want is the chance to blow up that Board!" I can't really disagree! (though it would  a shame as its very pretty)

I think Both Timus and I screwed up our deployment.  I should have gone right not left and Timus should probably have started with two Recon Platoons on the board (at least that is what I think I would have tried in his shoes.)

Thanks for a Fun Game Timus, Gordon you really should rate your board with a level of Difficulty in these tournament or something!

Should have sent Panzer IVs here on Turn 1!

Moral Victory?

Thank you From Huzzah

Way too tired to write coherently right now but I have to give the guys who played in today's Flames of War Tournament a huge shout out/thank you.  I played three really great games today against three great opponents and it seemed very unfair that I could only vote for one of them for best sportsman. The only thing more unfair would to not vote for any of them so I cast my ballot after much reflection.  I was surprised when the winner was announced that all three of my opponents had voted for me giving me the the best sportsman award. I'm truly humbled by this award because all the guys I saw playing today are more worthy in my eyes.  Thank you all and thank you Gordon for putting this great event together. (now cleaned up by a rested mind LOL)

First Battle of Sackets Harbor

Rich Clayton set up a great Naval game using the Trafalgar rules.  These are simple and played very fast. Allen and Jonathan commanded the American Force of the Lord Nelson, Oneida and the fort.

The British had larger fleet the Royal George and Governor Scimcoe under Adriane command while I had the Prince Regent, Seneca (called the slow poke Seneca at the start of the game) Earl of Moria. 

Both side headed straight for each other the Americans having to move against the Wind which Jonathan did very skill fully.

He anchored tho Oneida in the channel while maneuvering the Lord Nelson for the open see.

He almost made it to but the Prince Regent got a good shot at Nelsons sales and dis-masted her.

Oneida and the for got in shots on us as we closed then up anchor to try and rescue the Nelson unleashing a devastating broadside on Earl of Moria. 

Clear for Action!

The American fort would finish the Earl of Moria a turn latter. 

At the same time Seneca grappled and captured Lord Nelson.  Jonathan chose to fire into the captured Lord Nelson rather then Seneca which gave me the chance to rake Oneida at short range with devastating results.  Caught between the Prince Regent and Seneca the Oneida was final Crippled.

Adrian had meanwhile silenced the American fort gallantly commanded by Allen who sank Earl of Moria and badly damaged both of Adrian's ships.  It was a hard fought but decisive Victory for the Royal Navy.  Great game guys, thanks Rich for putting this on!




Americans struggle against the wind

Royal navy closing the range

Lord Nelson and Prince Regent exchange broad sides

Oneida anchors in the channel

Prince Regent Dis-masts the Lord Nelson

The Oneida fire a devastating broad side into Earl of Moria.

Seneca Grapples and captures the Lord Nelson

Seneca crosses Oneidas T and unleashes a devastating broad side

Oneida is crippled and burned

Close up of one Riches excellent ships