Saturday 17 January 2015

Stephenson's Depot, Virginia, June 15th 1863

Another in our series of Regimental Fire & Fury 15mm ACW games, this scenario was taken from the late John Hill's "To The Sound of the Guns" so just our little way of honouring the man who wrote Johnny Reb rules amongst other things wargamy.


General Edward Johnson's Confederate Division approach the railway bridge before dawn


accompanied by two batteries of artillery

under the command of Colonel Andrews

Just as Union forces under Major General Robert H Milroy arrived, cavalry to the fore

with some "green" infantry following behind

including some fancy New York Zoaves

No guns though as they had been abandoned during an earlier clash with Jubal Early's division, near Winchester

Johnson sends his first infantry unit to hold the rail bridge whilst the guns deploy to the left

The Federal cavalry dismount and line some white fencing ahead of the column

Nicholl's Rebels attack across the railway bridge

as the Rebel guns prepare to fire

time and again, the rebel infantry threw themselves against the Union lines


meanwhile, on the Federal right, Elliott assembled troops to attack towards the Rebel batteries

The Rebels attempt to break the Union defence lines

but the Zoaves in particular defied everything thrown against them



The rebel batteries are ordered to fire on the advancing enemy infantry

the first Federal unit gets all four barrels !

following this, one gun runs low on ammo so Andrews orders them back to find more shells

the Confederate high point - they have chased off the central Federal unit effectively splitting the Union forces in two

The Federal cavalry are ordered to mount up again 

The Zoaves still hold the centre ground

Remounted, the cavalry surge forwards

and hit a Rebel unit in the flank

whilst more Union cavalry charge into the centre and hit another unprepared rebel unit

with the rebels routed by the cavalry, the Federals are able to carry the ground

Another Union victory !

(In the real battle, the Rebels occupied the railway cutting and defeated all Union attacks, sending the  Federal troops away in disarray - but not this time !)

Another enjoyable Fire and Fury game.

Sunday 4 January 2015

Ancient Egyptians v Hittites

A real departure for me - Ancient 15mm using DBM with some tweaks !

It actually didn't take much persuading on John Davis' part to get me to join in a game at the Club ... so I became Rameses II for the day !

Here's just a few pictures to give you the flavour

Egyptian chariots and foot troops

Plenty of bowmen in this force



Whereas the Hussites have a preponderance of Chariots, both light and heavy.

I do rather like the look of chariots ... here's some colourful Hittite ones

and light ones for harassing the enemy

a rather better view from the front

these are Egyptian ones

As for the battle, well lots of pushing on in the centre by my Egyptians, which left my flanks rather vulnerable.  By the end, in DBM points terms, we were pretty much even on the casualties inflicted but good fun for a few hours on a miserable winter's afternoon.

Here's the army lists & John's rules amendments

Here's my attack right of centre developing


The very centre where my Egyptian bowmen acquitted themselves quite well against the Hittite foot

My bows and warriors bulldozed their way through the centre - this is at game end.

Many thanks for the DBM tutorial, John.  My first ever proper Ancients game !

Friday 2 January 2015

The Battle of Albuera

Our big Christmas game was Albuera, playing In The Grand Manner rules


Marshal Bereford v Marshal Soult.

Allied forces move up towards Albuera and to its right 

RHA gunners get ahead of the infantry


Godinot's French troops approach the river bridge opposite Albuera

with light cavalry guarding their right flank

French batteries deploy in support of the infantry columns

Portuguese dragoons move up to investigate the right of town


determined French columns get to the bridge

British troops enter Albuera and deploy artillery on the left




Suddenly, masses of French are seen emerging from beyond the woods at the river's edge beyond Albuera

French Hussars & Lancers cross the river first 

Soult with Guyot's division follow on

Spanish infantry opposite find their muskets have failed due to a sudden rain storm

French troops get across the bridge under fire from enemy artillery

but the guns can't stop them 

and the gunners retreat


nursing casualties both from the clash with the French infantry and counter battery fire

Hamilton's Portuguese infantry skirt the town to try and regain the bridge

but the French are across in force and the Portuguese suffer horribly from artillery fire on their flank


British infantry move to counter the French attack

just as an even larger French attack develops over on the Allied right against the Spanish - who retreat

the height of the battle ...

Britisdh troops try to aid the Spanish on the right

but the French attack is relentless

with constant artillery barrages

the Portuguese in front of town begin to falter

heroic cavalry charges are unable to make any impression

The Spanish and Portuguese infantry retreat and rout

every time they try to make a stand the French smash into them again

Pushed back towards Albuera, the Allies are in danger of being cut off from their supply lines

SWith his Allies in tatters and his rear threatened, Beresford decides to withdraw his remaining British units

A cracking game for the holiday period with plenty of troops from several countries represented on the table.

Just to make it more difficult - and as happened in reality - we stopped all musket fire once the downpour started, so just artillery and the bayonet !