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 !!!

More dabbling with Infamy Infamy

Last Sunday, Ian and I continued to play test the forthcoming Too Fat Lardies rules for skirmish games in the days of Rome.

Ian has been steadily building up his Roman army so he brought these along to the club and we used my Germanic warriors.

Here we see German war bands working themselves up into a frenzy before launching a charge

Roman slingers get ahead of the Legionaries to sting the enemy 

German "looney" warriors streak from the woods to attack the Romans

The German leader has ignored ambush options and decided to confront the Romans head on

That said, the Loonies and German slingers harass the enemy on their flanks

Here they come !  With their fervour for battle up, the Germans move forward

The Roman Auxiliaries are the target of the German skirmishers

and now a war band joins in the assault

but the Romans tough it out and gaps are showing in the German ranks

With dead and shock the Germans are pushed back

Now German cavalry appear and charge the Auxiliaries in the rear

The Roman employed Barbarians are ordered to charge the German warriors lead by their Chieftan

Although outnumbered, these warriors hold their own. The Roman main formation watches in the background

German morale has been following due to push backs and leader casualties

This combat continues for several bounds

but the Auxiliaries have seriously damaged the Germans that had attacked them

Amazingly, the Barbarians on the Roman side win their melee and this success sees the German morale hit rock bottom - the Roman legionaries didn't even need to get involved !

We are getting better at this even though we have to constantly consult the draft rules on the computer.  We are expecting an update from Richard Clarke this week which will further tidy up affairs.  There is also a cracking front page picture which is being shown right now on the Lardies Facebook page just to get you all in the mood  !!!

Infamy ! Infamy !

Richard Clarke and the Too Fat Lardies team are still hard at work developing this rule set for the Roman period and an updated play test has just been sent out to the chosen testers.

Steve C and I set to yesterday with this version to see what has changed. As before, he took the role of the Barbarian Germans, I had the Romans.

After rolling the dice, the terrain ended up like this - lots of open space !

First on, some German looney skirmishers, building up their fervour

then the German warlord with two war bands, also working on their fervour

The Roman commander came on with an infantry formation, cavalry unit sent forward and a new exciting bit of kit - a scorpion bolt thrower

Disturbingly for the Romans, another large war band appears on the Roman right flank and slingers are in the wooded hills overlooking the Roman start line

The Roman commander has now got four groups of infantry on in two formations

With Roman attention to their right, the Looney skirmishers, all fired up, have charged across to attack the scorpion

the Roman cavalry are trying to avoid a frontal assault on the barbarian war band and head for the woods, from where more barbarians could deploy if not prevented 

The looneys have managed to get behind the Roman position and attack the scorpion from the rear

so the scorpion's impact was short lived !

The action has heated up in the centre of the battlefield as Roman infantry tangle with the barbarian warriors

Initially, the barbarians have the upper hand and Roman force morale tumbles alarmingly 

Roman archers have seen off the enemy slingers in the woods

Gaping holes appear in the ranks but the Romans stubbornly fight on

Casualties are now mounting for the Germans too and their force morale descends

Eventually, it is the Roman cavalry which swings it - they destroy the Germans and their morale hits zero. A narrow win for Rome.

We used the new tweaks suggested in close combat which do give the Romans more staying power.

Our previous games have seen their smaller numbers  overwhelmed by shock in particular so this is no longer happening.

The play testing will continue but this is a good fun skirmish game in the making.