Today was "open house' at Writtle with the doors flung wide open to members and non-members alike.
Bearing in mind it was a beautiful warm and sunny day, attendance was OK and some new faces popped in and asked about our club.
Many games were going on and the Bring & Buy and refreshments teams were kept busy.
Allan and Steve C had another Garibaldi game set up.
A "The Men Who Would Be King" game was put on by the "Wigmore Warriors"
Martin had brought his Thirty Years War armies from Halstead
Peter & Sue had almost gone historical - an English civil war army fighting ghouls and attack dogs !
Richard & Mike had a Dark Age game using Saga rules
Another team had a WWII tank battle - 1/48 scale.
Allan's new vineyard had to be photographed !
His Mediterranean buildings are great too.
Steve C's Garibaldi red coats arrive to cause mayhem
As Ian had cried off sick, I stepped in to fight the Thirty Years War game. I had the Imperialists against Martin's Swedes and Scots.
Here's the Imperialist cavalry.
Pike and Shotte and colourful flags - whats not to like !
Despite losing his Scots to an early blunder which saw a battaglia retreat off the battlefield, Martin's Swedish cavalry charged across the table against my Imperialist cuirassiers.
Whereas in the centre I was able to advance into the wheat fields with my infantry.
Martin's Swedes are taken aback by the effrontery of them !
My cavalry took a battering in the early exchanges and an alarming gap appeared in our line on the extreme left.
Martin sent some Shotte against the village I was defending and fire was exchanged for several bounds.
Much the same in the centre - firing before getting into hand-to-hand combat.
This view is from the Swedish left - the yellow coats are trying to envelope the Imperialist right
We eventually managed to stem the Swedish cavalry attacks
But, back on my base line, I could not afford to suffer another charge by them as both remaining Imperialist cavalry units are on their stamina limits.
An aside - I had another peek at the Colonial game going on beside us, Madhists besides the village.
with beleaguered British in the centre.
and another quick look at Allan's grapes growing - a good Chablis he assured me !
Looks like the Neapolitans are holding the town.
Right, back to Thirty Years War. Cavalry stalemate continues.
They are both pretty exhausted by now.
Martin's cavalry reserve are surprised by an aggressive move by the Imperialist Pikes supported by Shotte
As other Imperialists threaten to attack in the centre again.
This time, I get a blunder and my reserve Foote, ordered to move forward instead move to their left !
The tussle between Pikes and Cavalry continues
but the impetus swung the Imperial way when a second Pike unit hits the Swedish cavalry in the flank.
My Imperialist right wing attacks and the enemy reel.
Casualties mounting, gaps appear
The Swedish Horse are struggling against the enemy onslaught and they cannot get any support as their other cavalry are disordered and at breaking point from continued pot shots from Imperialist Foote.
A Swedish charge is initiated against my troops defending the village
Imperialist charge against the Blue Coats !
The Swedish cavalry have broken from the fight !
and the attack against the village is thwarted
Martin manages to swing around towards my Battaglia which had earlier made a "hop to the left" but without enough movement, leave their flank exposed to fire from the Imperial artillery.
The village held and enemy troops gone.
Imperialist attack in the centre is breaking through Martin's lines.
The Swedish commander concedes !
An enjoyable game of "Pike & Shotte" which did swing back and forth - I got lucky at the start with the disappearance of the Scots which made a difference as the day went on.
Many thanks to those of you who attended and came over to look at the various games. Hope you enjoyed your day with the Essex Warriors.
