[NOT] Galloping at Everything!

16^th March 2011-03-17

6mm Black Powder.

We wanted a game of Black Powder but as my own 28mm French Napoleonic Army is still in training our choice of scale was a bit limited.  In the end we decided to use my own and Rob (B)’s 6mm Napoleonics which have been put on the 60mm frontage bases for the Polemos system.

The Scenario was a variation of the fighting withdrawal scenario in the Black Powder Rules Book.  A small British Force trying to get from one end of a 6ft table to another, hotly pursued by a larger French force.

Order of Battle.

British.

1^st Brigade

2 Battalions Line Infantry

1 Battery of Foot Artillery

2^nd Brigade

2 Battalions of Line Infantry

1 Battalion of Light Infantry

3^rd Brigade

2 Battalions of Hussars

1 Battery of Horse Artillery

French

1^st Brigade

3 Battalions Line Infantry

1 Battery of Foot Artillery

2^nd Brigade

2 Battalions of Line Infantry

1 Battalion of Guard Infantry

1 Battery of Foot Artillery

3d Brigade

2 Battalions of Dragoons

1 Battalion of Hussars

Each side had 2 Brigadiers with a staff rating of 7 and 1 with a staff rating of 6.

Deployment

Both sides opted to deploy in March Column and initially it looked like it would be a simple foot race to the end of the table.

Obviously before we could start we had to have the usual discussion with Bob about the rules and how they are written.  Rob (B) and I are fond of all the pretty pictures of toys while Bob is disapproving of “fluff”. Luckily things didn’t get heated thanks to my clever use of a mini bag of Haribo Star Mix.

I have to admit that Bob has a point about using the book when actually playing the game.  Although enjoyable on the first read we did struggle to identify specific rules during play.  I think an index would have be really useful. The situation was not helped however by the fact that Rob (B) had enjoyed looking at all the pictures so much, he had neglected to actually read the rules!

For those who have not played Black Powder yet; a main part of the game is the Command phase.  One has to “declare” their orders to the brigade by stating what they are intending to do.  For example;  “The Brigade will advance in column to beyond the trees and then deploy in to line”.  You then roll against the Brigadiers staff rating to see if the orders are communicated efficiently or not.  This can mean that a Brigade could get to have up to 3 moves in a turn or none.  This gives a lot of freedom of movement in that a battalion or brigade could potentially march, deploy in to line and then advance in line all in one turn. 

The Game 

Things started badly for the British.  They failed nearly every command role and would have remained stationary but for the 1 free move they got for being in march column.

The French did better,  moving out for the confines of a wooded are and on to open ground where they could release the cavalry and deploy in to attack formations.  The French Brigade on the left deployed in to Attack Columns and, on the right the Cavalry in to line thus forcing a nearby British Battalion to form Square.

Things then got worse for the British as a blundered command role caused a Brigade which up until then was making good it’s escape, turned about face and advance directly on the enemy.  Clearly not quite grasping the concept of a fighting withdrawal.  The manoeuvre blocked the British guns and put two battalions of infantry in the path of 2 supported  French Attack Columns who; with trumpets blaring were barrelling towards them.

Luckily for the British things then started going down hill for the French as their  command rolls starting drying up and as the French charged home we realised that the British had an Artillery battery on their  right and the infantry battalion in square to their left which were both close enough to count as flank support.

Despite the overwhelming melee strength of the French in their Attack Columns the British held their ground initially and then forced one of the French formations, to retire.

The French cavalry had ground to a halt and though supporting the infantry as it went in to the attack but not able to advance up the field and cut off the British escape as I had hoped.

The result was a draw.  The British were doing well in the centre but were pinned there and would find it difficult to withdraw, the French at the same time had lost any momentum and would struggle to cut off the British without sustaining heavy losses.

Unfortunately we didn’t get to properly finish the game as we ran out of time.  As with any new rule set a lot of time was spent pouring over the rule book and as mentioned above we did find it very difficult to find rules quickly and resolve issues.

Rob (B) and I felt that 6mm on the 60x40mm bases did not really work with this set of rules either.  You really need the flexibility that larger scales (or smaller bases) give you.  Saying that, I do really like these rules!  They are simple, fun and the open play and freedom of movement means one avoids those silly situations where formations; due to the draconian movement rules, spend the game wheeling one way and then the other trying to get in to the right position.  I am looking forward to playing Black Powder more but Rob (B) was a little put off due to the fact that because of his terrible command roles we dubbed it “Rob’s Static Phase”  (we forgot that he could have actually used the battalions own initiative to move when close to the enemy and did not find the rules until we were packing up….oops).

 Finally an apology for the quality of the pictures, I rushed these I'm afraid so the quality is terrible.

Rob S

Baccus 6mm English Civil War Scenario

A scenario based game for Impetus Baroque using Rob (B) Baccus 6mm English Civil War figures.

The basis of the game was a simple objective based scenario.  A force of late war Royalists attempting to occupy two enclosed fields which were being held by the New Model Army.

It involved 4 players;  myself and  Bob handling Parliament with Mick and Rob (B) being for the King.

The two armies were has one would expect; mostly foot with the New Model having the majority of better quality infantry.  These supported by Galloping Cavalry on the side of the royalist and Trotting Cavalry for Parliament.  In Impetus Baroque, the Galloping Cavalry reflect Cavalry of the Swedish School, charging En-Haye in to contact with sword and pistols used as melee weapons.   The Trotters are of the German School, with deeper formations, attacking at the trot and firing on the enemy before contact.  The Gallopers have a better Melee Value but the Trotters are able to discharge their pistols before contact getting a two dice roll to try and break up the enemies charge.

Deployment was as standard with infantry in large blocks in the centre with cavalry on the wings. The Parliamentarians had  3 units of foot on the table and two units of Cavalry on table with a further two to come on after the 2^nd turn on a successful reserve roll. Two of the Parliamentarian foot units occupied the enclosures which were the Royalist objectives.

Rob (B)’s figures were ideally suited to this game.  I don’t have many 6mm figures myself as I don’t enjoy painting them.  However there is no doubt that when presented en mass on good bases they look excellent on the table top.  Rob(B) has based his on large bases with a 12cm front, a large block of pike in the centre and musketeers on the wings.  This allows room for a good level of detail on the terrain with casualties, officers and even trees built on to the bases to turn each in to a mini diorama. 

All the terrain was by Baccus with the game board being one of Games Workshops own.

I had agreed with Bob that he would hold on with what he had and I would get the benefits of the reserves (when they arrived)  to try and win the game with a counter attack on the right.

I certainly felt confident at the beginning as I thought Rob (B) had got the forces a little two even for an attack –v- defense game and that the Royalist’s would simply not have the strength in numbers to push through the disciplined New Model. How wrong I was!

Things started as one would expect with a short artillery bombardment with no success on either side.  The Royalist Cavalry then advanced on the wings.  Things moved quite quickly as there was not a lot of movement on the part of Parliament as they already occupied the objectives.

On the New Model’s left I had an advantage in Cavalry numbers but they were not of as good  quality as the Royalist, still I was sure I could clear the enemy horse and then be free to threaten Rob (B)’s flank as he advanced on the objectives.  Rob (B) would then have to make a decision whether to move his greater number of foot all onto the objective and leave his flank exposed or peel off some of this infantry to pin my Cavalry.

I moved by cavalry forward in two lines, the plan was to sacrifice the first but in doing so weaken the enemy enough so that the 2^nd line would be able to finish them off.  I was boosted by the arrival of additional units following our successful reserve roll on the Turn 3.

The plan worked well and as anticipated I lost my first unit but my second line disposed of the enemy cavalry.  The only draw back was that the melee had pushed my cavalry way out of position and it would take them a number of turns to maneuver into a position that was threatening to the enemy foot.

Bob had been doing his part, the had traded blows with the cavalry but though initially getting the better of it, he burst through an enemy cavalry unit, straight in to the jaws of the waiting musketeers. 

Rob (B) made the bold decision (despite my baiting him)  to ignore my cavalry and throw everything at the objective.  Given that we were running out of time this made sense so he gathered two units of foot and marched them steadily towards the waiting muskets of the roundheads.

Bob was outnumbered on the left but both of us held the objectives and were emplaced behind a wall. 

Unfortunately the sheer weight of fire being poured on to Parliamentarians began to take it’s toll.  Bob lost the objective on the left and then on the last turn just as my Cavalry were formed and ready to charge the enemy foot, Rob (B) forced the wall and took the objective on the right for an excellent Royalist victory.

A good game and a brilliant example how irrespective of how strong you think your position is, there is always room for things to go disastrously wrong! I felt that Bob and I where really in the driving seat  and the Royalist just would not have the manpower to push us back off the objectives.  However by being bold and concentrating their numbers in the right place (and at the right time) Mick and Rob (B) were able to snatch an impressive win.