That's not a cannon

Reinforcements for my Burgundians.

Light artillery or rather organ guns.

But that's not a cannon.

This is a cannon.

Or rather bombard.

Heavy artillery.

I've rarely used artillery in Field of Glory and been disappointed when I have, however I was short these two bases and now can make up a more formidable battery.

Waterloo Observations

Having run one myself and participated in another I thought I would post my thoughts on wargaming the battle of Waterloo.

Scale and rules are not an issue and quiet likely most rules have a Waterloo based scenario.

Waterloo is possibly the most written about battle of the Napoleonic period and features in film and TV and even song.  It is well represented by games.  More than most battles, this is one significantly affected by hindsight and also perhaps minutiae of reported (real or otherwise) factors affecting or occurring in the battle.

The Order of Battle is well known (with a bit of latitude for losses to units that fought at Ligny and Quatre Bras and potential for stragglers).

The initial deployment is also well known and most games I have seen start with the 11:00 deployment which was around when the ground was drying out and the assault started on Huoguomont.  What I have seen is that the initial deployment is very congested perhaps suggesting some divergence between ground scale and the footprint of various combat arms and formations.

The terrain you would think is also well known, but there are many maps/drawings and they seem to vary a good bit as I found out when I was doing my research:
 http://onesidedminiaturewargamingdiscourse.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/waterloo-maps.html

The terrain has three factors (ignoring mud which is probably assumed to affect both sides and result in the delayed start of the battle);

• Fortified farms and chateaus
• Reverse Slope vs hills
• Hedges and sunken roads

Getting the size and strength of the farms and chateaus right is tricky.  Too big and they will dominate the table, too small and they become non-viable for holding the required number of troops.  Too strong and the French player will do their best to avoid them, too weak and it won't be Waterloo.  I'm still tweaking the size and defensive factors for these positions.

The term "gentle slopes" is probably best to describe the land.  It provides cover from artillery bombardment rather than a defensive position per se.  Because they are not discrete hills, but slopes, they can be a challenge to represent.  I used a contour map, but I'm currently attempting to review the contours in use.

Hedges and sunken roads vary in importance depending on the tactical level of the rules in use.  I left them out of my game on the basis of including their effect as part of bolstering the size of the built up areas, that they would affect both sides and ultimately be represented in the variations in die rolls during combats.

Prussian arrival timing and order of march is another challenge.  This is highly dependent on table size and movement mechanics.  There is also the question of the French, with the benefit of hindsight, being able to interdict or at least establish strong defensive positions.

Commitment of the Guard is possibly the most telling factor to be affected by hindsight.  With the knowledge that the Prussians are coming and assuming battle is still to be given, should the French player commit the Guard as soon as possible?  In the two games I have participated in the Guard was held back by the French players, without the need for special rules.

My final observation regards the cavalry available.  The French have have 15,600 with two corps and ten divisional cavalry commanders while the Anglo-Allies have 13,350 with only one corps and one divisional cavalry commanders.  Representing that is tricky.

ANF Waterloo - Part 4

It's a draw!  But not before a lot of excitement in the final six turns.

One battalion of the Orange Nassau have left Papelotte (possibly La Haie) as part of the Prince of Orange's counterattack.  This was to have ramifications.  The other battalion is busy fending off the remains of Jacquinot's cavalry division (after some debate about the need to form hasty square).

Jacquinot's cavalry have been dispersed, but Durutte's infantry repulsed the defenders of Papelotte (who thankfully quickly rallied).  Vivian's cavalry are in close support of the Nassau troops.

The rest of Durutte's division are holding up the Prussians.

Picton is bidding his time behind the crest,

But now he strikes, supported by the Household Cavalry.

The Nassau troops desperately try to throw the French out of Papelotte.  They had sneaked into the farm, surprising me with instant occupation.  It didn't last long.

Vivian tries to ride down some French - it goes badly.  The Orange-Nassau had more success.

The Prince of Orange encouraging the troops.

The Prince of Orange berating the Prussians.

The Anglo-Allied advance of the centre left (there was no centre right left).  The infantry maximum move is 9" and now match for the French Horse Artillery that can move backwards 12" and still fire.

Vivian pointing out the enemy.  This part of Durutte's division are hopelessly surrounded.

And destroyed.

Picton's attack is getting bogged down by desperate counterattacks by Subervie's cavalry.  They are easily driven off, but it takes time and darkness is falling.

Vandeleur's cavalry are going after the French artillery which are slaughtering the Hanoverian Landwher.  The French artillery easily beat off the British light cavalry and wiped Vandeleur's brigade out.  Dutch-Belgian cavalry were coming up to try their luck, but it was too late.

More Prussians have arrived but are blocked by the Nassau troops.  Given the distances involved and the inability to clear the Anglo-Allied forces in this sector, the Prussians were wasted. 

The crisis in the centre.  The attacking French are spent and the guard are too late.

The Anglo-Allied forces have been able to push back the French on the right.

Ponsonby advances after having been held up by the passage of Picton's now decimated troops.  Vandeleur's troopers can be seen evaporating.

Huoguomont is contested.

The end game as viewed from the Anglo-Allied right.

The bigger picture.

Plancenoit is contested.  The French deployed the Guard light and a heavy cavalry division against the Prussians and their cavalry never stood a chance.  The Prussians even stopped bringing on their reinforcements.

Durutte's division after being demoralised, staged a comeback and was still holding off the Prussians at the end.

The result was a draw.

Big thanks to the ANF for organising this game and their hospitality over the four days it took to play it out.  Waterloo and 1/72nd plastic figures was how I got my start in this wonderful hobby and it was great to be able to play this battle out in the scale on such a massive level.

Getting ready for Saga

Having splurged on the army I figured I might as well go all out and buy the dice.  As the figures are second hand, I thought a blacksmith might be handy to give them some edge.

The miniature is from Reaper, one of their Bones series in plastic.  It has the imaginative name "Townsfolk:Blacksmith 77142".  The initial coat of VJ Sunny Flesh and VJ Saddle Brown came out all wrong.  The flesh got a wash of Citadel Reikland Flesh Shade and the leather apron a top coat of Jo Sonja's Red Earth and then I was happy to move on.  The pants are VJ German Grey (seems to be my go-to grey) with some dry brushing and the metal is VJ Oily Steel with a wash of Citadel Ink Marron Brown and I'm very happy with the used look it has produced (I was trying for a colour that I associate with the collection of old tools I inherited from my dad).  The tree stump gave me the biggest trouble and I will leave it for now until I base the figure.

My first Saga game is scheduled for just under two weeks.

I think my Vikings will need a drink.

Galleys and Galleons

With my very limited, but very positive experience of the mechanics of the Songs of Blades and Heroes game family I was interested in how Galleys and Galleons might play out.  For the cost and download can't go wrong.  Ganesha Games

I took my tweaked French 1st rate and gave Stephen my partially tweaked British ship-of-the-line.  These are the Sails of Glory models.

We had a 120cm by 120cm playing surface and used the appropriate measuring sticks and things fitted well.

I had partially read the rules and and had some familiarity with the mechanics.  Stephen hadn't read the rules and had only the briefest familiarity with the mechanics.  So, understandably we got off to a slow, but positive start - the rules are laid out well and easy to follow.

I classed both ships as War Galleons, which meant they were Quality 3 and Combat 4 which seemed right.  They had a host of abilities, but these were easy to keep track of.

With just one ship each, we found it best to just roll our three dice each move.  The more we played the quicker it got.  After starting with some long range broadsides we circled round and closed for action.  Stephen finished off my crippled ship with a last blast from his mutually crippled ship and my boat lost its battle with the waves and sank.

I need to make a template for the wind effect on the ship and I'm looking forward to playing again with more ships.

What I liked was that it was simple with meaningful moves and decisions.  It also has lots of promise for multi-players, different ship types, fleets and monsters.

Only issue might be its suitability for Napoleonic naval warfare.  I will have to give that some investigation.

This blog has a lot of good stuff on the rules:
 http://doctorphalanx.blogspot.com.au/search/label/Galleys%20%26%20Galleons

A little bit of progress on my 6mm project

Well, I've just about settled on 30x30mm and multiples of tha as the basing size.  This will work for Blucher and Napoleon's Battles (more or less).  60x30 also seems to be a standard in the 6mm world based on my research.

Also want the thin look to the bases, possibly with just painted texture and minimal or no flock.  I'm yet to try basing techniques.  With the guys I've just done, if I was to cover the individual figure bases the result would be a substantial (a mm) and if I was using 1mm plasticard and then magnetic paper it would be over 2mm by the time I'd finished.

My first attempt at painting 6mm Napoleonics in 25 years.  They were already undercoated white and grouped as four figure on little bases. I should have washed them as my black undercoated had a few problems taking.

The basing is just temporary, with the little strips held on by blu-tack.  I'm happy how the figures look from the distance, but they do need a flag.  This base could have an officer along side or other single figure, and of course bigger bases allow even more innovation/styling.

In my 6mm bonanza are a good number of painted figures and I've assembled these to see how they look (just placed on the base, not even blu-tacked). 60x30mm base.

Flags help immeasurably.  All I've done to these figures is over paint the base in a matching green (which is Tamiya Olive Green - the older, brighter green can be seen peaking out in places).

Kiev to Rostov - Turns 44 and 45

The Axis offensive continues

Dreadful picture, but the pocket is almost liquidated.

End of Turn 44 and the defenses of Kharkov are busily being strengthened.

End of Turn 45, weather is still dry, but the Soviets have launched three successful counterattacks against advanced Axis forces

There is only a gap where the lead Axis unit was.

Down south two attacks were launched that knocked out Axis forces.  These attacks were possible due to the Soviets having husbanded their armour and mobile troops.  The Axis are trying to form another pocket, but apart for some cities, there will be slim pickings.

A comment from the Axis player:

The game is certainly progressing in an interesting way. I'm at the 
point now where units start to disappear, I am at the limits of my 
supply lines and a lot of my army is still slogging its way to the 
front. The weather table doesn't change for quite a few turns which 
means there is still time to get things done. Once the mud sets in 
things will be vastly different.

I realised Kharkov is a three hex city so there are 18 victory points if 
I capture it before GT61 which seems achievable. The game is in the 
balance which is good.

Thoroughly enjoying it.