ADLG - Game Report 309

Viking (155) vs Rus (165)

Having spent the summer painting the Vikings (hopefully for future profit when I sell them) I decided I needed to take them out for a spin. Additionally, it would be interesting as they were a valid selection for Kegworth. With that in mind I took them down to Entoyment for our regular Thursday get together, courtesy of the Veteran's discount. First up was a valid match-up against Harry's (work-in-progress) Rus army. I was asked to attack in the plains. The Viking heavy foot were centre and left, while the medium foot took on the mission of pressurising the flank and if possible, take the hill.

No surprise that there were an awful lot of enemy hidden behind the ambush markers; that would not be an easy nut for the medium foot to attack, but as an economy of effort diversionary attack it might be feasible. In the centre the two lines moved to the inevitable clash of arms.

We started to take casualties on the right from the enemy light troops and bows; do we stand, do we withdraw or do we attack? The next turn the heavy troops should meet in combat.

Honours were broadly even on contact on the left and centre. We did achieve a breakthrough, but could we exploit this. Against the hill we have failed along the line, what is worse is that the failure of the attack has allowed the Rus to sweep in on the flank of the centre right.

The Vikings have been clearly exposed as wanting in their attack on the hill. Moreover the centre despite the success in creating a hole to exploit is looking very fragile with the enemy bearing down on them from the hill. The left despite the casualties is holding its own.

The Viking centre and right is hoping and praying to Odin that the left prevails and will rescue them before they succumb to the Rus.

Outcome

A close fought battle that eventually went to the Rus who lost 22 of their 24. On reflection if a couple of the combats on the left had gone the way they should have it would have been a mutual destruction.

Lessons Learnt

A valid army for Kegworth, although it is uncertain how it would perform against a cavalry army.

Attacking the hill was a gamble too far.

ADLG - Game Report 308

Seleucid (42) vs Alexandrian Macedonian (39)

Not one to let an opportunity for a game to go missing I accepted Robin's invitation for a game. I was already planning Armies for Kegworth and Warfare, but I was mindful that Brixham this year would be a classical theme, and I hadn't exactly covered myself in glory the last couple of time I took a classical army out for a spin. With Robin's preference for classical it was therefore opportune for me to bring out the Seleucids for a further game. I was invited to defend in the plains. I deployed the elephant on the coast, with the main Pike command in the centre and the CinC's mixed command with the Companions on the right.

As we advanced the enemy moved their own pikes to confront mine, which as a consequence opened an inviting gap between their centre and right. Although I was stronger in Horse by five to two, I was outnumbered four to two in Thracians; was this gap a cunning ploy, or a risk the enemy commander thought he had to take?

Whatever! The light cavalry evaded while the Companions charged into contact to widen the gap. Out on the left the enemy are fighting shy of confronting the elephants. Meanwhile the muscle troops are moving to confront each other.

The gap was been widened at the expense of an enemy cavalry unit. This has allowed the winning unit to engage in a flank attack against the enemy main line; the left of which has decided to attack my pikes.

On the right the Thracians are trading bodies for time and space, however, the predictable rolling up of the line of the enemy pikes from the flank has already seen the demise of two pike units. Further along the remaining pikes are shoving and pushing for all their worth. In the distance you can see the enemy casualties crossing the River Hades to the underworld.

The battle for the centre has ended and the victorious Seleucid Pikes are now reorientating to the threat of the enemy Thracians, who have won their battle. On the left the Elephant is devoid of enemies to fight.

The battle between the Pikes rumbles on, with one of the supporting Seleucid Hoplites being destroyed which will eventually threaten the line of Pikes. On the right the CinC with a companion unit has destroyed the last of the enemy cavalry on that flank as the enemy Thracians reorientate themselves to attack the centre.

Outcome

A Seleucid victory (unusually) suffering 22 of 24 cohesion hits in the process

Lessons Learnt

An excellent example of what happens if one leaves a flank open.

Once the Pikes have won their battle there is little utility in them once they have no opponents to fight.

Sharpe Practice - Game Report 2

A further encounter in 1809

Kevin and I decided that we needed a break from ADLG and CoC so a mutual decision to enter the world of Sharpe Practice was agreed upon with alacrity. For a change we chose the Attack-Defend scenario with the French attacking the Austrians; the Austrians were fortunate to be in defence. As it had been sometime since our last game, we expected a lot of page turning to remind ourselves of the rules, and indeed this proved to be the case!

The Austrian's were commanded by Leutnant Sharf who had command detachments from the 19th Infantry Regiment (IR) (from 1st, 2nd and Grenadier Companies), 2 companies from the Vienna Freiwilliger, 2 Companies for the Broder Grenzer Regiment, a squadron of Dragoons and a 4lb field gun. Although Sharp Practice is a skirmish game, in my mind I relate the stands of infantry and cavalry as half infantry companies and squadrons respectively. Actually, with troop size and man spacing this is about right!

On to the game, this farm complex on the road provided a sound defensive position; with the woods to the rear right of the farmhouse. Lt Sharf anticipated that this would indeed prove a strong position and one we would be confident that the French would find it difficult to break. He deployed 1/19th IR forward of the farm to allow the gun to deploy. The Freiwilliger under Feldwebel Volkstein were deployed in column of companies in the wood.

The remainder of 19th IR were in column of companies behind the farm, unfortunately when they started moving forward to the left command rather broke down. To their left are the Dragoons. In the distance within the wood on the left and the field to the left of the barn are the Broder Grenzers.

In the distance we could make out the drums of a French column advancing. These were from last minute reinforcements for the French whose commander failed to get his sums correct; mixing up the unit costs with the number of figures in his units!

A group of very spirited French dismounted Dragoons came forward skirmishing. The audacity of their advance and firepower caused grave discomfort to the men of the 1/19th IR.

They were sufficiently perplexed as to withdraw prematurely though the artillery piece they were protecting. The sole benefit of this was that the 4lb gun would be able to fire a round of grapeshot at these irritating Dragoons.

However, no sooner than the Dragoons were shocked by the artillery, another French column was seen to hove into view advancing down the road.

The fire from the column soon caused problems for the gun crew who were not expecting fire from the column to be so effective. Behind them the 1/19th have fallen into absolute confusion and were seen to be countermarching trying to get into a better position to support the guns.

The fire has completely unsettled the gun crew who have abandoned their position to leave the 1/19th IR to hold the line. In support of this Feldwebel Volkstein has brought forward the Vienna Freiwillige into line to bring fire to bear onto the advancing French column.

While the French column continued to advance down the road, the other column and supporting skirmishers is advancing against the Broder Grenzers and is bringing down intensive fire on them.

An enemy line advanced into the woods and threw out a section of the Broder Grenzers, however 2/19th and Gren/19th have advanced and formed line and has started to deliver well practiced volleys at the French.

On the right a fire fight has now started between the Vienna Freiwillige and the French column, which has now deployed into line.

All the Grenzers have now been withdrawn, and casualties on the 19th IR are mounting as a result of the fire from a French 6lb cannon which eventually arrived late to the battle. The Dragoons have been brought forward ready to launch a counterattack.

Their charge is more than sufficient to cause the French to fall back, the charge was effective in stabilising the situation, but it left the Dragoons very exposed to the woods on their left.

From the woods the French infantry turned smartly to their left and charged driving the Dragoons back and preventing a rout of the remains of the French defeated by the Dragoons.

The French decided at this stage to withdraw and not press the issue, and to leave the objective in the hands of the Austrians until such time as they had reinforcements to finally defeat them. An excellent game, and despite the rules-page-turning we had a surprisingly good grasp of what we were doing, and I don’t think we made too many mistakes that would have changed the outcome of the game.

ADLG - Game Report 307

Taifa Kingdom (204) vs Feudal Scandinavians (218)

For my final game it was a pleasure to face up against Cameron and his Scandies. He won the initiative and decided to defend in the plains, and the terrain could not have been any better for him. This left me the problem of how a Cavalry army was going to attack and beat a line of spears. I decided to err on the side of caution and placed the foot on the right and I left the centre Cavalry command in column so it could then move left or right as the situation or my mood took it.

The plan was to try and exploit the one weakness I cold see which was the lone bowmen on the right of the Scandie line. If I could break through there with a supporting attack by the Knightsto the right of the field, I might be able to penetrate the left cavalry column into the depth of the enemy position. Another bold and courageous plan your highness.

Well, that went well didn't it? Not! An attack against the Bows failed and the enemy cavalry have intervened. One last throw of the dice would be to throw in the Heavy Cavalry.

The attack in the field stalled, while the supporting attack saw the loss of two Heavy Cavalry. A breakthrough on the left was increasingly unlikely as the casualties increased.

The Cavalry was disengaged but not before a unit f Knights was destroyed. While attempts to take down the enemy bowmen on the right by both Light Cavalry and medium spearmen both failed miserably. In the centre the infantry have also failed to shine through; on reflection it is unlikely that the Taifa won more than two combats the entire game!

Outcome

A crushing Scandie victory in which they lost only 3 cohesion points. Karma is complete.

Tournament running scores: One Draw, Three losses, One win; this left me 20 out of 24 (no wooden spoon this time around).

Lessons Learnt

I could have fought for a draw, but where would have been the fun in that?

Perhaps it could have been better fun if the melee dice had been a little more balanced?