Wednesday 4 November 2015

Frederick's Unstoppable Juggernaught

A Seven Years War Battle using DKK rules

Steve won the toss and chose the Prussians

His skirmishers advance on the woods

As the Prussians lead by the Grenadiers move forwards

Opposite, a Russian Grenadier brigade on the hilltop together with an emplaced battery of guns



Prussian cavalry thunders around the far side of the hill, spying Austrian cuirassiers

The Prussian lines roll forwards as Austrian infantry stand and fire

Flags unfurled, Prussian brigadiers urge their men on

Fire is exchanged at long range

Austrian skirmishers exchange fire with the Prussians in the woods


Prussian guns are unlimbered on a slight rise behind the woods

Fire all along the lines

The first wave charge into the Austrian positions



as more Prussian infantry advance on the hill held by the Russians

The Prussian artillery opens fire

The Prussian grenadiers beat the Austrians left and centre

causing confusion in the ranks

Unformed markers everywhere at this stage !

Steve throws a "double six" and Austrian colours are captured and presented to the Prussian brigadier

An Austrian brigade has fled leaving a hole in the centre of their positions

Austrian cavalry moves across to try and cover the gap

One Austrian success - Prussian cavalry foolishly charge formed infantry and pay the price !

Their remnants flee and spook the rest of the brigade

But, another disaster for the Allies - the Russian brigadier's horse bolted and he ends up being captured and presented to the Prussian commander !

The Prussians storm the heights after shooting down the Russian gunners

Grenadiers attack again across the road

The Russian infantry on the hill are separated and the C-in-C has to take control in the absence of the Russian brigadier


Russian grenadiers try to recapture the fortifications

The Austrians are falling back !

All out retreat threatens to turn into a rout

Game over - an emphatic Prussian win.

In these rules, being Prussian and grenadiers make for a powerful and unstoppable force - or was it my s**t dice throwing ?!!  A bit of both I suspect.

Nevertheless, a gripping game and the rules are easy to pick up and absorb.

Sunday 1 November 2015

Other Games At The Club Today

A 10mm Franco-Prussian battle underway ...


Two 15mm Ancients games were going on

This one was two Chinese armies having a go at each other - good job they have stopped the one child policy with all this lot slaughtering each other !





And an Eastern Front  WWII tank battle - think it was Bolt Action rules they were using but not 100% certain

Flashing lights on the "brewed up' tanks !

Sorry guys, forgot to photograph the WWII v Call of Cuthulu game 

Defeat Snatched from the jaws of Victory !


A Dux Britanniarum 15mm game down at the Club. Figures and terrain supplied by Terry Drewett (mostly Splintered Light figures).

Rafael & Steve Clarke had the Romano-British, Terry and I the Saxons. The Saxons get outrageously drunk before the battle starts - but this seems to only improve their performance !

The R-Bs have a wagon train they are trying to get to the fort at the far end of the table. Naturally, the Saxons have other ideas !

Wagons and accompanying warriors start the journey

A nice quiet village to pass through.

Steve C and Rafael assess the cards they have drawn from the Fate Pack.

The wagons reach the outskirts of the village without any problem,

guarded by several units 

Rafael's men come out of the fort to help,

In fact, all of the garrison

Steve pushes forwards troops to guard the vulnerable flank

Saxon warriors make their move

as their archers take position amongst the trees

The first Saxon charge falls just short of the troops guarding the flank

others head for the front of the village

This is where the first action takes place

and the Saxons hurl the Romano-British back with casualties

Rafael's troops now put in an appearance and threaten the foremost Saxons

R-B slingers kill one at long range ...

Charge !  The Saxon Lord hurls his men into combat 

One unit of defenders is sent running and the Saxons charge again

Again and again the Saxons beat the Romano-British

R-B morale is taking a hammering as three units are defeated and "lose their amphora" So what could possibly go wrong for the Saxons ? They've got the wagons, they've got the village ...

Well, Rafael's men, for one. They plough into the Saxon force outside the village, nearest to the fort

Despite early setbacks for the levy,

The warriors fight back, destroying not one but two units

and even though we had reduced the R-B's morale to just ONE, we managed to throw horrendous dice at this point reducing our morale to ZERO - game over !

And the bl***y wagons had carried on trundling along, back into the hands of the R-Bs and on their merry way to the fort !

Against all the odds, Rafael's one unit of warriors turned a certain Saxon victory into defeat - how the hell did that happen ?!!!

Somebody here had just not read the script right - grrrrh 

Maybe all that drinking beforehand didn't have the right effect after all - hic !