Quatre Bras 1815 (with 'Battle Command')

 More 'Battle Command' (Field of Battle's Big Brother) today, with a large Napoleonic battle.

 

 

 First time I have had my 'strangely eclectic' Napoleonic collection engaged with these superlative rules.

It comprises 20mm (Revell, Airfix, Italeri), 25mm (Lamming & Minifigs and some items I simply can no longer identify), and 'Prussian Proxy Plastics' (try saying that when you're drunk) serving as Dutch Belgians, Brunswickers (yes I know), and Nassau today.

The scenario was based on that appearing in the 'Napoleon Returns' supplement for V&B, but as set up time was limited, some is off a bit, in terms of layout.

A superb game, highlighting the card action of BC (knowing what to do with your odd/even. good/bad roll vs the options on the card is absolutely critical), and the seamless nature of being able to fire when you like (albeit having to wait for a fire option to come back up), and being restricted by rolling an odd number on the dice, AND the very close nature of the morale deck as it draws down, where both armies in this case, ran out of morale at the same time.

Many...many French columns...mostly old 1970s Lamming Figures (I think)

 

...As it was, the poor French, having broken the Allied centre, then managed to give away their victory to the Allies, in the last minutes of the  battle 'C'est La Guerre!!!'

Cavalry with nothing to do on the left flank ...'time to find zee action!'

The French attack in the centre

French cavalry comes off worst against Allied squares

Cooke is caught out, flanked and hit by French ambuscade and columns, having still been on the road at exactly the wrong time

'Vive la France!'

French attack - massed - in the centre

Column after columns smacks into the Allies

Musketry foiled French plans on their left however...

Cooke tidies things up in the Allied centre, as much as he can

By game end, with both sides working through their morale decks and handing morale cards to each other - the first side to draw army morale could lose out - the Allied centre is shattered...

...as is the French left...but the French 'blink first'!

 A truly great set of rules - well written with mechanisms that actually work, with opposed rolling on multi sided dice, with efficient systems, instead of finding new ways to use d6 probabilities like most other rules do...buy 'em!

 

 

Germantown 1777 (with Battle Command)

 Being Father's day, of course my daughter suggested that a wargame was in the offing, and being an anniversary year (well 1776 is key, and that means it's almost 1777), I suggested an American Revolution game...

'NO taxation without multi sided dice...don't tread on my D4!!!'

 A pastiche of Germantown was therefore in the offing - with some semi-serious pre-map movement to sort out proper Generalship in light of Mr Washington's obvious mistakes (yeah..I went there).

"Steady...steady..."

 Played with 'Battle Command' (Field of Battle with new card mechanics/flexibility/choices). 

 To quote her - 'These rules are really quite clever...', as I continued to roll 5 x '1's on a d12 during the game. (Needless to say, said D12 has been paraded in front of the other dice and gone under the hammer...so that they all learn the rules...). I was soundly defeated - of course I blame the dice!

Chew House on the American right, will face significant pressure, and the British place far too much stress upon holding it, as the centre begins to fall

'Don't worry none Zeke...the commander seems quite sensible on this occasion...'

With the pre-emptive map movement, lots of Americans in the centre...

Armstrong's militia in the British rear, actually give good account of themselves

American dragoons attack the guns ...successfully, damn their eyes!

...too many Continentals

Pressure on the British left, but they can not get enough troops to the centre, fast enough

British guards falter on their right flank, and then the centre starts to collapse

Too many British units with faltering musketry - I blame the fog!

In the thick of it...

In the thick of the action, due to rallying rolls, Howe is at risk - and falls dead from the saddle due to a well aimed rifle shot - this has major effects on initiative and Army Morale (you won't see this D12 again, trust me).

The new nails...oh and some figures too...

In the end, American pressure, and tremendous shooting, managed to rout the British centre, and it was all over on the next morale card

Foy-Noville 1945 (with less snow...)

Using the next level down of the Field of Battle hack (Goose Green had bases as platoons) - where one base is a squad, and maneuver elements are platoons/companies, we tackled the 'Foy-Noville' scenario - free at the 'Little Wars TV' website - written for Crossfire and of course featuring the famous attack on Foy, made famous by 'Band of Brothers' - both book and TV adaptation.

...some unexpected close assault action in Foy

   Great rules - sequencing and covering fire that gives a real ebb and flow of battle, with many surprises and a tight narrative.

German defences: 9th SS with armour in the centre of town, with Volksgrenadiers...and yes, not snowy enough

Easy company make a direct approach - and interestingly, I Company make a flanking move to their right (not a big company - more a platoon strength unit - but manages to do very well...and not around the back of the village this time...)

I Company flanks the 'building with the caved in roof'

Easy take plenty of casualties, stumbling into a minefield

Intense fire from the buildings, with heavy HMG assets

The flanking move by I Company works! ...initially

Easy Company start getting pushed back, quickly reduced in strength in the open...some make it to their right flank to support I Company

That Panzer IV has its engines revving for something - adding to infantry fire from the Volksgrenadiers - who have managed to flank Easy Company!

Remnants of Easy and I Company close assault the right of the village...

...in a fairly bloody action...

They manage to take it ...but

...a turn of initiative and close assault comes across the street from the German units straight into the shattered remnants of Easy 

with armour in support

Outside Foy - both sides are now deploying reinforcements - the side that gets to the town first will win the battle...

...as I Company retreat to the churchyard - after having been forced out of the town sector

US reinforcements however, have not only managed to move more quickly, G Company have ambushed the advancing German reinforcements in the flank, and in the open...hitting their morale deck hard"!

REmnants of Easy Company seize their chance, and ambush the German armour

..and it's all over - as the German's morale deck is tipped, and they fail their morale roll when it comes...another great game...except...more snow needed.