Minifigs Nassau Grenadiers

Phil's comment on my post about the 1st Nassau reminded me I had a stand of Minfig Nassau somewhere.  After a bit of searching here they are:

Just for the record, the figure codes are NN4 - standard bearer, NN6 - officer, NN5 - drummer and NN2 - grenadier.  I remember getting these and thinking one day I might be able to afford more.  By that time I was into 15mm and Minifigs, while cute, no longer do it for me.

Kiev to Rostov - Turn 35 and 36 (part)

Things are starting to get serious.  The remnants of the the Soviet forces north of the southern sector portrayed in this game have now started to make an appearance, pursued by part of the Axis Army Group Centre, some guy called Guderian...

Kremenchug has fallen, and even though the bridge has been blown, it has given the Axis a bridgehead over the Dnepr.

The outline of the pocket.  With the start of game turn 36 the Soviets can start to withdraw, but it is going to be a tricky affair.

Down south the Axis clear the way to the gateway to the Crimea and launch an attack on a key road and rail junction further east.

At the end of the Axis 36 turn their bridgehead has started to expand...

The northern front is now active and the Soviets are going to be in a race as they pull back.  Kiev is now under close assault.

The Axis start to break into the Crimea.  For the focus of this game, this is just a sideshow.  The Axis attack east was repulsed and now they must wait for their supplies to catch up.

1st Nassau

The bag of Old Glory Nassau figures I got in December allowed me to create two units for Waterloo.  This is the second one, which I've painted as the 1st Nassau, not that there was a lot of difference between the two regiments.

As usual these days with my Napoleonics, the flag is printed from the warflags site.

AB RHA Mounted Officer

A fine sculpt that I hope my brush work has done justice too.

D'Erlon and Milhaud's Attack

Lovely rainy weather, great for practicing some Waterloo options with Napoleon's Battles ahead of the big day which is less than four weeks away now.

Mark B took the French I Corps and IV Calvary Corps and attacked Picton's Division and the 2nd Dutch-Belgian Division, which were supported by the Dutch Belgian cavalry division, the Brunswick division (which saw no action), some British light cavalry, the Hanoverian cavalry and a few extra troops (I'm still mustering the allied forces).

One of Picton's brigades is holding La Haye Sainte and was left well alone.  The other two came in for some rough treatment and routed.  The French held the ridge.

Jacquinot and Durutte attempt to cross the Smohain Brook (or is it a stream?)  Fording takes time even with a bridge and Wellington saw it coming and was able to interrupt their progress, even though the British cavalry ended up recklessly charging off to meet the Prussians.

Allied counterattacks re took the ridge.

Even though we were just having some practice we still had an interesting time, with lots of indecision about the best course of action.  We played five or six turns and it was proving hard going for the French.

Kiev to Rostov - Turn 34

Axis logistics pause... Didn't seem to hold them up much.

Only time for one turn.  Axis failed where it didn't matter and succeeded where it did.  Things will start to get more interesting next turn as the troops in the north are freed from movement restrictions.  Unfortunately if I'm not careful they will just become part of the pocket.

The Axis are closing in on Kiev and the Soviets are running out of troops to fill the holes.

A breakthrough threatens further east.  All available reinforcements are being sent here.

This was an unexpected crossing, still further east, but it doesn't look that serious... Yet.

The big picture.  The Axis continue to swarm towards the Crimea, but there is not a lot in it for them (I hope).

Quatre Bras at the NWS - Again

With the time available this is really just a training session, but it still gave a fun game.

The French were commanded by Mark B and David B (left and right flanks).  The Allies by Stephen B and Matthew (in what I recall as a more fluid command structure).

I set up the forces and then left them to it, just offering words of advice (and occasional cries of horror) as the game progressed.

2nd Nassau holding the wood, with the militia in the farm, with the Orange-Nassau, jagers and artillery in support.  Picton and Merlin have just arrived (I think for future play balance Picton should be in march column as at 14:30 he had only just arrived).

Ney launches an attack on the farm and gets repulsed.  It was +2 to +1 in the French favour, but they threw badly.  They used a free roll and then got a much worse result.

This is before the charge of the Dutch-Belgian cavalry against Pire's cavalry by the side of the wood.  The French have also pushed over the stream, but faced by the Brunswick cavalry decided to form square, not something I would have done with that British line so close.  (The rogue base near the sunken road is just a casualty that hasn't been fully removed).

After mauling the French cavalry, the Dutch-Belgian horse fell back (as a result of a bounce against the second French brigade).  It was exciting stuff and also used up another free roll for little effect, both sides tying and therefore bouncing.  The French square got beat up by the British line, but was able to withdraw (funny rule confusion there that I must investigate).  The French horse artillery, firing over the pond, had disordered the Brunswick cavalry, neutralizing that threat.

Note the new unit cards (downloaded from the Yahoo Napoleon's Battles Group and with a bit of additional work).  They have been very well received.

The new wheeling mechanic worked well.  I also introduced a 90 degree turn as a change of formation move.  It works well for units in column, not sure it can be used by a unit in March Column (in the same way they can't form square).  For a unit in line... I'm still thinking it through.