St.Nicholas River.

 

As promised, we fought the St.Nicholas battle yesterday with Steve Clarke opting to be the Red Army defending the river crossings with yours truly the Blue Army attacker.  We played using good old Charles Grant rules (recently updated by Brigadier Charles Stuart Grant).

 

Blue Army light infantry enter the woods on Blue's right flank.

 

Blue Grenadiers in the town with Regiment Prinz Von Preussen on their right.

 

The Reds adopt a very Wellingtonesque reverse of the slope disposition to shield them from artillery fire.

 

Two Blue columns approach the Scots position.

 

Two Red regiments are hidden behind the large hill on the Red right.

 

Two Blue columns form up on the Blue left supported by light cavalry and guns.

 

The columns march steadily forwards.

 

Red guns are deployed on their left.

 

The Scots are hit by both columns having failed to get off a volley.

 

Blue's light troops on their left are beaten back.

 

 

Red sends another unit in to help the centre melees.

 

Blue wins both and the Reds are thrown back.

 

On the Red left, the guns have killed a number of Blue's attack column.

 

Blue moves forward a battery into the centre.

 

The Scots are being pushed back to the bridge whilst second unit is being held off behind the big hill.

 

Over on the left, the Blue regiment successfully attacked the Red battery and then reformed in line back a few paces.

 

Red has abandoned the guns on their left and fled over the bridge.

 

Over on the right, one of Red's guns explodes after continual counter battery fire from the hill opposite.

 

A blue regiment pushes forward on the Red right.

 

Blue is firmly in control of the centre ridge line.

 

More Blue infantry move up to support the centre attack.

 

Blue's light troops are busy harassing Red's far left unit as the Blue line awaits support. 

 

Red is pushed back behind the big hill as Blue pursues.

 

Red's grenadiers hope to evade and make for the ford.

 

Meanwhile, Red has better luck on their right as they see the Pandours break and the Blue column suffer under cannon fire.

 

Another column arrives to bolster Blue's attack on the Red left.

 

Blue keeps pushing the Reds back to the left hand bridge.

 

Red's grenadiers escape just in time as two Blue regiments take the road.

 

Blue forms up two columns for another attack on Red's left.

 

Red are hemmed in against the river line.

 

Red's 2nd gun is destroyed and their light troops withdraw from the woods.

 

 

Panic spreads on the right.

 

A Red regiment falls below 50% and is broken.

 

Red withdraws as much as possible over the bridge amongst the confusion.

 

Red concedes as Blue forces the crossing with Red in disarray.

 

An fun & interesting game using the colourful Lace Wars armies.

 

Apologies for the quality of the pics this time - I tried the camera on my iPad for the first time with disappointing results.

Christmas Time Battles.

 

Well, we have two lined up over the Christmas period !  First up, a Lace Wars conflict between the Red Army and the Blue Army (titles yet to be conferred) and, aptly, the Battle is called St.Nicholas, named after the small town and nearby river.

 

Here's a few pictures of what it may look like on 23rd when the clash will occur.

 

Massed regiments of "The Blues" overlooked by a commander.

 

Blue light cavalry on the flank

 

Blue grenadiers in St.Nicholas

 

Red troops moving at the double to occupy some woods.

 

The Red ridge defence line.

 

Another view of the Reds position.

 

The Red reserves across the St.Nicholas River.  Its vital that these crossings are secured.

 

However, remember, dear reader, that these dispositions may change on the day !

The Sultan's New Clothes.

 

Well, either those Christian knights have paid a handsome fee for the return of their Captain or His Serene Highness has treated himself as a reward for his recent victory on the battlefield.  Either way, here he is resplendant in new robes and on a new Arab Grey.  Even his standard bearer has been smartened up.

 

 

Mind you, when he's not wearing armour, there's no hiding the grey in his beard.

Christian Outrage !

The actions taken by the Ottoman Sultan following his victory over a Christian army and the threat to execute their captured commander has caused outrage in the West.

 

Here we see a gathering of European Kings and Princes planning their response to the insulting demands of the arrogant Turk. 

 

But the King of Goldhangerland is yet to arrive and as it is his vassal that is held captive, so his fellow rulers must stay their hands until he has his say ...

How much a Knight ?

 

After the Christian curs had fled from the presence of our Serene Highness Suleiman Beg Famore the Magnificent, we realised that one remained in our power - no less than their Lord and Commander !

 

Here he is shortly after his capture, still armed but flanked by His Serene Highness and his Imperial Standard Bearer.

 

And here he is on the ramparts of one of His Highness's palaces being entertained by Court Viziers and the Sultan's Chief Executioner, Igor Anekkoff.

 

 

We feel sure that the Christian monarchs who dispatched this wretch to offend His Serene Highness will wish to spare their Lord of this grizzly fate.

 

If we receive the sum of 500,000 ducats at The Imperial Court before the end of your Christian year, his life will be spared and he will be released into the hands of your representatives bearing the gold.

 

A very reasonable gesture on the part of His Serene Highness, we are sure you will agree.

 

May Allah guide your decision ... 

Turkish Delight.

Well, today my Ottoman Turks took on the might of Christendom in the shape of Steve Clarke's knights & men at arms.

 

And it was looking pretty hairy for Sultan Beg Famore for much of the battle.

 

Here's the Ottoman army arrayed across the battlefield with woods on their right and broken ground away in the distance on the left.

 

And here come the Eastern Europeans. Three units of heavy knights on their left.

 

Azab Light troops head for the broken ground.

 

Opposite them, Steve's archers deploy on the high ground.

 

My centre is focused on a three Wagon Tabor crewed by my best Solak Janissaries with artillery in between each with a Master Gunner in charge. Sensibly, the Sultan and hangers-on stayed behind this.

 

Their artillery fires the first shot.

 

The Turkish cannons reply.

 

His Heavy Metal moves forward with Army Commander.

 

 

My hope had been that my Janissaries' camels would have frightened off the Christians' horses but they passed their Fear test and made it to contact after receiving fire.

 

The Janissaries and his Heavy Cavalry proceeded to fight it out for much of the rest of the day.

 

 

My Turkomans were steadily losing men to artillery fire.

 

My Spahis sneakily attacked his knights from the back.

 

But were then attacked in turn by his reserve unit of Knights.

 

Finally, a unit of Janissaies broke leaving a big gap for the Knights to exploit.

 

The Spahis had been beaten and the Ottoman right had all but crumbled.

 

Over on the left, the Azabs supported by the Turkomans made a nuisance of themselves by firing at the advancing Eastern European Foot.

 

They used their fleetness of foot to keep the enemy at bay.

 

Fire and flee was the tactic.

 

The enemy Heavy Infantry were baited into an attack.

 

Over in the centre, the reserve Janissaries are sent to cover the threat from enemy Knights over the stream.

 

The Knights charge home

 

And the Janissaries hold them.

 

And then one of their units breaks.

 

Another charges but still the Janissaries hold firm.

 

Then, Allah be praised, they break too leaving their General behind.

 

His Serene Highness can safely return to his concubines who have been kept under the watchful eye of his Palace Eunoch, Mustafa Dongal.

 

A satisfying way to end a stressful day !