Hammerhead : Infamy ! Infamy !

Our last wargaming event for the foreseeable future was Hammerhead at Newark on Saturday 14th March.

A few of us from Essex Warriors piled into Steve C's car as we especially wanted to meet John Savage, one of the other Infamy play testers who was putting on a demo game.

Here's the table set up and ready - with tribes and Romans organised on the side

John has some superb charioteers. They can carry a unit of 10 warriors per three chariots.

More warrior groups itching to get to grips with those Roman invaders !

More superb terrain - Hovels buildings I believe.

and we are off - chariots and cavalry rush on to harass the Romans

and Loopey naked warriors charge a detached Roman unit

The chariots start to disgorge their warriors to fight the defenders of the fort

The Roman aim is to deliver the wagon to the fort. The Barbarians have other ideas !

The Barbarian chief has broken through with a group of warriors to attack the wagon 

and with all the Roman legionaries tied up in combat, they cannot prevent the Barbarians taking it

Here's a beaming John with Steve C

 And here's a couple of pics of the custom made Roman fort

and some close ups of some of the Romans

Terrific stuff and a cracking game too - thanks to John and Charley and friends.

Look out for these rules coming from Too Fat Lardies soon.

As we expect to be holed up at home for weeks to come, we all had a big spending spree to ensure we have plenty to keep us occupied, so hope all the traders had a good day - we must continue to support them through these difficult days ahead.

Keep on gaming everyone, even if it is just solo for a while. We look forward to the day when we can all get around the table again without fear - apart from the fear of losing the game that is !

Stay safe everyone.

A Brienne Obsession

Steve C fervently believes he can win this game with his French army. So, yesterday we reconvened to fight this out for the THIRD time as on the previous two occasions Blucher with the Russians had won.

Steve had set out the terrain and placed the initial French forces on the table

Our Russian advanced forces were then deployed around the chateau and the small village of Brienne -le-Chateau. I took the lead units, Mike the reinforcements arriving later.

The French need to capture the larger Vieille Brienne village which is centre table at at the confluence of several roads. Allied cavalry and infantry are arriving to protect this. 

Napoleon arrives with his entourage

French horse artillery has dashed forward to fire on Russian lines

as Napoleon supervises the deployment of infantry - rudely interrupted by a charge of Russian hussars !

This had the effect of forcing French infantry into square thus delaying their advance 

The French brigades are hemmed in because of this and unable to deploy to attack

French light infantry have pushed on in the hope of scaring off the Russian artillery - they have to dice if enemy get within 12" of them. A 1 on a D6 means they have to limber up and retire.

 

Here we see the pesky Russian hussar brigade poised to charge in their strange formation

Ney arrives with the Young Guard and they are told to press on up the road to Brienne

and here come more Imperial Guard troops

 French light cavalry has tried to charge a Russian gun but taken fire and disordered

Exasperated, Napoleon sends the Horse Grenadiers and Dragoons of the Guard to tackle the Russian hussars

Russian Jagers advance from the woods and chase off the enemy horse artillery - French cavalry draw their sabres ready to charge !

The Russian infantry have backed off from Brienne le Chateau but in good order

The longer they can hold, the more chance of these reinforcements reaching the front to join the fight

The Russian hussar brigade has broken from combat. Fortunately, a fresh infantry brigade has arrived to plug the gap.

French infantry charge in the gap between Brienne le Chateau and the woods where the Chateau stands

French infantry launch attacks in the centre too but Russian resistance is stubborn

Big infantry brigade combats continue - it will all be settled here !

French Young Guard have charged through the gap between village and chateau - Marshal Ney with them !

If they can punch through here, the rest of the French army can follow up

but at this point, fresh Russian cavalry charge - and catch a Young Guard battalion before they can form square - disastrous for infantry, even Guard !

they break and the cavalry continue a sweeping advance onto the next battalion which is also unprepared 

Those remaining battalions that have formed square are then battered by Russian artillery. The attack has failed.

This occurred as daylight faded on the battlefield.

The Russians were holding and Napoleon could see that there was no way to break through and capture old Brienne. The French would have to withdraw.

So it was not third time lucky for Steve and the French - hopefully, we can put this particular battle to bed once and for all now !!! 

French v British, late Napoleonic Wars

Made up points game held at Steve C's on Wednesday with five of us involved.

Mike is seated over on the British side. The battlefield is bisected by a large stream.

First British troops are on, an infantry brigade screened by Rifles. Mike's KGL & Brunswickers take possession of the cottage by the bridge.

A seven battalion strong French brigade has rushed onto the table and gained the centre of the battlefield in one go.

Graham's French cavalry also appear opposite Mike.

In fact, more cavalry arrive with horse guns in support

The KGL & Brunswickers watch but don't move.

Steve's big French brigade change formation into line and three guns are unlimbered.

More British Rifles skirmish with the enemy lines

British Hussars have trotted onto the field with a RHA gun tagging along

Two British brigades in line face the French attack

Another big four gun French battery has arrived and set up behind the stream in the centre of the battlefield.

Faced by all this artillery and with time against us, the British advance to attack the French infantry

This fight lasts about two hours

French lancers have forced a Scots battalion into square - which delights the French artillerymen !

There are now nine French guns hammering the British lines

Time and again, the French front battalion lost melees only to successfully save itself and hence the whole brigade by performing well on their Break Tests thus staying in the fight and preventing a British break through

Mike's guns have managed to knock out the French horse artillery on the small hill

Graham's new casualty wagon put in its first appearance alongside the cantiniere's one.

Already buckling, the British lines are now hit by Imperial Guard columns rushing onto the battlefield

The British lines crumble and brigades begin to fold due to losses and becoming shaken

Even the British Foot Guards have struggled out on our right flank

The Imperial Guard continue to smash their way through

Ian's men attempt to hold them and do manage to blunt the column attack on the right

but its all too much in the end and the French have a clear victory on their hands

Good job this wasn't Waterloo - we'd all be speaking French by now !!!