Burgundian Ordonnance versus Spanish

Almost an historical match up, the Burgundian list is 1471-1477 while Simon's Spanish were 1499-1516.  It was going to be an interesting fight.

Deployment.

The Burgundians were out scouted, understandable given the Spanish have two units of Jinetes, javelin armed light cavalry.  They can be seen deployed on the fringes of the Spanish army, ready to try and out flank the Burgundians.  Expecting this I had deployed the longbows to face them.

A modest advance by the Burgundians.

The main body of Spanish are hiding behind a hill,

but their harquebusiers are advancing across the broken ground on the left.

The Burgundian Men-at-Arms have become disordered, shuffling to meet this threat.

The main body of the Spanish hasn't budged.

but their wings are closing in.

First blood to the Burgundians as their artillery quickly disperses one unit of Spanish harquebusiers.

The Spanish incursion on the Burgundian right is showing some discretion.

However the Janetes on the left are sweeping round

as the main Spanish body starts to advance.

While the threat to the Burgundian right has receded,

that to the left is now well positioned...

The Men-at-Arms and pike clash and bounce off.

However the Burgundian left is now in real danger as the Spanish are in their rear!

In some hard fighting, the Burgundian pikes and Men-at-Arms have destroyed their opposite numbers, the Spanish commander dying with his Men-at-Arms.

The second unit of Burgundian knights is having a hard time with the remaining Spanish pike.

There has been some tricky manoeuvring and measuring going on,

with push backs, interpenetrations and failed pursuits.

The Burgundian commander has a narrow escape.

The Spanish left wing Jinetes are about to get a hot welcome on their return.

Their companions on their right wing are cleaning up the Burgundian rear.

The returned Jinetes are heading in for a kill, the long range fire from the assembled Burgundian longbow, crossbow and artillery having failed to score a hit

All the other units are recovering their order, ready for the final battle.

However with the Spanish commander dead and their initiative rerolls used up, 

the Burgundians are able to seize the initiative and fire again.

Good bye Jinetes and hello victory!

Guns of August - to Xmas 1916

No quite Xmas yet, but things are starting to fall apart after a disastrous morale roll for France and subsequent desertion of a large part of her army.

Three months worth of build there at least,

all gone :-(

The Western Front

The "successful"attacks by France and England had left them exposed to German counterattacks and this enabled Germany to capture Calais.

Taking that city pushed France into the desertion sector of the morale table and a roll of a one delivered that result!  Then it was a matter of rolling for every French unit, a one would see it removed.

The Germans are now advancing.  Even taking losses they can easily out build the French and British.

Six months before the US enters the war.  Will it be too late?

The Eastern Front

The Central Powers have not had their historical success in the East, 

perhaps because of enhanced commitment in the West?

Regardless, the Russians have found it hard to help their hard pressed Allies.

The Italians have tried to help,

but repeatedly take losses for no gain.

Rumanians to the rescue!

Well, not quite, but this has certainly added a new dimension to the game.

Unfortunately I am not as familiar with the rules as I would like and worse, keep getting them mixed up with World in Flames (particularly the weather effects on movement and supply).  The small hex size and counter destiny also makes this game a little fiddly to play which is a pity.

Return to Napoleonics

A couple of things inspired me to get out the Napoleonics and put on a game for Darren and Des.  Des arrived first and chose the Austrians.  Darren would have to make do with the French.  The scenario is Austrians at Bay for the original green Scenario book for the Avalon Hill Napoleon's Battles edition.

While waiting for Darren I walked Des through the rules and to my horror found I had forgot more than I remembered.  Well, not quiet, but a few key things, the problem being I knew for example how units recovered from disorder in other rules, but couldn't readily recall the method with Napoleon's Battles.  Throw in a very noisy meeting hall and it was a bit stressful.

Never mind, on with the game!

The set up.  My figures, club terrain.

A bit of action.

They were the only two photos I took, being busy umpiring, checking the rules and trying to make myself heard.  We also had to stop the game due to running out of time which was annoying.

However it has left me hungry for more and a determination to brush up on the rules.  I use 3rd Edition with some optional rules from the 4th Edition.

There is lots you can do with Napoleon's Battles, but it requires discipline, both in following the sequence of play and in unit placement (keeping units in command and making space for units to fit).  

Pikes for Burgundy

The second army I built for gaming back in the WRG 7th Edition days was Burgundian Ordonnance.  It was the last army in the book and completely different to my existing Hellenistic army.  More importantly, I calculated that it needed far fewer figures and therefore would be quicker to complete.  Wrong!   I had given up on 7th Edition by the time I was able to take the army to the table top.  

It did get some use with Field of Glory, but I was always a pike block short for Basic Impetus.  I might have used my Seleucid pikemen, but always thought this would displease the dice gods.  But now I have a purpose built unit of pikes!  There are more on the way.

These are from the Old Glory pack HW9

Nothing as fun as drilling out 15mm hands to take spears.

Old Glory provided wire, but had the hands cast solid.  Dumb.

Without the flash.

Another project that was at the 80% stage for a while.

I was stuck deciding on whether to go with a black or brown wash.

Mark Woods suggested sepia and that is what I went with, 

after a serendipity discovery of said wash in Tactics.

Now we're ready to take on Simon's Black Landsknechts

A Lone Grant

This poor chap had been sitting around at the 80% finished mark for some time.  Done now.  Went for the most basic colour scheme on the theory that he has been rushed to the front as soon as he arrived.

Lovely 3D printed model from Battlefield3d.

And finally what it looks like in the bright sunshine, eh flash, of the Western Desert,

Guns of August - 1916

Richard and I were able to play the first six months of 1916 this week.  We had a couple of naval encounters, the last one went bad for the Germans.  A misunderstanding of the rules about the "big push" requiring a big target resulted in the Russians capturing Lemberg.  This was then compounded by a disastrous Austrian counterattack which has permitted the Russians to advance a few hexes.   The Western front was largely quiet and the Italian attacks have now stalled.  There has been a successful French summer big push that saw a hex captured.

It might be all over by Xmas 1916 as there is a schedule of Victory locations that need to be held by the Central Powers and they are down one...

Early Abbasid Arab versus Huns

Dave decided to run his Huns against my Arabs.  He ran them aggressively, which is not a good thing to do if your dice don't roll sixes.

No surprise that the Arabs were out scouted.

While the mass of Arab foot hang back to let their archers have a few shots,

the rest of the army advances.

The Huns decide to stand the charge of the Bedouin camelry. 

The Bedouin camelry carry all before them.

The other units in the Arab host are doing well too.

Are doing very well...

The Hunnic army is wiped out.

They have some skirmishers hiding in the woods 

and their last unit of cavalry is clinging to the table edge.

The Abbasids suffered no losses, just finishing with two disordered units.  

The Huns rarely scored a hit, while the Arabs rarely missed.