Sunday 18 September 2016

Burgundians v French : Pike & Shotte game

This was today's game at Essex Warriors, laid on by Allan using his collection of troops.

He decided to umpire whilst Steve C and Rafael took charge of the Burgundians and Wes and I had the French command. Pike& Shotte rules were used.

Burgundians on the left, French on the right


The French camp behind their left flank and a small village

French commanders ready their troops

Burgundian cavalry are ready to roll


The French push their guns into forward position

and in front of the camp.

Burgundian archers give fire

watched by their mounted comrades

This Ralf's command, facing my troops

A gun is pushed forward to start firing

This is a Burgundian piece in action.

Burgundian commanders order forward their foot troops

Time for Rafael to get a good shot !

The dancing bear in the French camp gets agitated !

The French have now formed their defensive line, resting on the village at left


I have strong mounted forces in reserve out on our right, leaving the early fighting to the pikemen

Here's the French commander.

Steve advances his troops to attack on the Burgundian right

Archers to the fore

The cavalry hit our dismounted knights in front of the village

A hard long fight ensues

Ralf's cavalry hit my pike blocks


One cavalry unit recoils, the other holds but the Burgundian archers have backed off beside their cavalry

Over on our left, Wes's dismounted knights have beaten off the Burgundian cavalry

But its not all going our way, Burgundian cavalry break one of pike blocks in a subsequent melee and then over-run our red artillery piece.

Shaken for now, they have to reform

Meanwhile, Rafael has got cavalry on the flank of another pike block which is locked in combat with their archers.

Whilst all this is going on, one of Ralf's over confident guns has been caught by my crossbowmen - the gunners flee !

Heavily armoured Burgundians have smashed their way through the centre and are only faced with lightly armed hand gunners

Steve C tries another cavalry attack against Wes's dismounted knights

At long last, our cavalry reserve is tired into action

but too late to save these pikemen

The Burgundian cavalry destroy them

but then find themselves attacked by more pikes as the French cavalry press forwards 

French cavalry engage their Burgundian counterparts

as the cavalry return to face our pikemen

Wes is under increasing pressure in the fields

our pikes fail and flee so Rafael's cavalry feel confident enough to charge the pikes to their left

but this proves too much, these pikes prevail

Steve C has charged Burgundian pikemen against the already engaged French archers

but the French cavalry have to fall back from my pikes and are unable to do so because firstly they are blocked by their gun and secondly by the said Burgundian pikemen - that forces them to flee leaving a big hole in Rafael's Burgundian left command

French cavalry now swoop on the French cannon

and the Burgundian archers are destroyed by the pikes

This is enough to tip the balance - Wes has held off all the attacks against his troops, so a French victory is declared.

It was a tough battle lasting some five hours. Don't know about the others, but I was exhausted !

Another enjoyable Pike & Shotte game - thanks to Allan.

Friday 16 September 2016

Clash at Hill's Iron Works, 18th June 1780

For this Sharp Practice AWI battle, we took inspiration from Chris Stoesen's supplement originally written for the original Sharp Practice rules, entitled "With Fire and Sword, Skirmishes and Battles in South Carolina June to August 1780".

We tweaked the troops involved in this Scenario Number Five to fit my collection and the new SP format, so a departure from what Chris reported and intended - apologies Chris !

However, he we go - me controlling the Loyalists under Captain Christian Huck and Steve Clarke handling the Rebels under Captain Howe.

The Iron Works dominates the centre of the table, close to the river bridge.

Behind, on a hill, a Rebel gun is fixed in position behind earthworks but facing the wrong way as the British are coming from the North not the South which was the Rebel expectation.

All quiet at the moment ! You can just make out the Rebel Jump Off Point near the Iron Works.

Here's the British Jump Off Point at the end of the road.

American Morale starts on 8

The British on 9.

Loyalist Rangers are the first to appear steadily making way down the road.

and then across into the fields

American troops emerge near the Iron Works led by Howe.

A column of New York Volunteers appear on the British end

Very smart turn out !

Rebel skirmishers dash across the bridge

and are immediately confronted by the New York men

The Loyalist Rangers are the first to open fire 

First blood to the Brits !

More American skirmishers line the woods facing across the river

The Americans line out along the water's edge

Shocked, the Rebel skirmishers duck across the fence and leave the New Yorkers to one side

There's plenty of Americans across the water to deal with them, surely !

The New York Volunteers are ordered across the bridge into the attack

They force back the Rebels despite taking casualties

Who is going to grab the initiative now ?

The New York Volunteers suddenly receive fire from behind as the enemy skirmishers take advantage

A tricky moment.

As the shock is mounting on them.

Fresh American troops replace those hurt in the brief fight at the bridge.

But here the New Yorkers come again - fisticuffs !

The New Yorker's leader is stunned but the Rebel one is killed out right.

Because of the casualties, both sides retire to reform

The New Yorkers have dragged their unconscious leader with them

Now the 33rd Foot have joined the fray and fire upon the enemy skirmishers on the British side of the river 

Tally Ho !  Huck arrives at the head of the British Legion cavalry and orders up some more Loyalist Rangers in passing.


Huck's men crash across the water

into the enemy infantry

Ouch ! Pretty devastating

The American unit is destroyed

and now the next unit has to face the cavalry

Same result - all knocked down like skittles

and this also means the American Deployment Point has been over-run.

By this point, the American morale had plummeted to Zero and the remaining troops melted away to try and save their skins.

Well done Captain Huck !