It's all Steve's fault really...

Steve over at http://steveswargamestuff.blogspot.co.uk/ had recently advocated the uniquely named 'Snappy Nappy' after trying out several rulesets. Being a dyed in the wool Volley and Bayonet convert, I resisted - well for about 48 hours, before ordering the rules based on the good things I was seeing in reviews.

The scale is larger even than V&B, with a two base unit catering for 4000 troops.

This has some unique selling points over V&B for Napoleonic warfare - and removes some of the 'fiddly bits' from a V&B battle of this size, such as skirmishers and division commanders, while still retaining differences between line and column and allowing squares at the brigade level.

The big advantage here however is the 12" to one mile ground scale - the intent being that campaigns over multiple tables or very large battles can be replayed.

Bases are 40x20mm for 15mm figures, which translates neatly to 50x25 for 20mm plastics - roughly equivalent to my 50mm x 50mm V&B bases if doubled up...so rebasing would enable use for both games...

Should I rebase? *sigh*...here it is in progress...

Preparations for the Easter refight of Quatre Bras / Ligny on a single table. It was the scale and the neat mechanisms that got me in the end. The really BIG Napoleonic battles are what this thing is designed for - and both battles together? What's not to love. Battle report to follow.

Game 9 - Top Malo House, May 31st, 1982

We had used the original Ambush Alley rules a few months back, with a view to getting into the lovely Osprey hardback version of 'Force on Force' (closely based on the older version). Initial impressions re. the rules were that they were all over the place in terms of layout and understanding. I think the grasp we had of the old Ambush Alley concepts certainly helped - especially in terms of interrupts and general reaction concepts.

  Figures were old Matchbox with some Italieri NATO troops for the Royal Marines...

 A few 'Firefight 20' figures from Tabletop Games in the 1980s (I'm dating myself again I feel...)

 The Argentinians were an altogether different matter. These were Italieri (I think) modern NATO Germans/Belgians - painted as Israelis, though representing Argentinian commandos today. I hope that makes it all clear ;) ?

The marine assault force makes its way forward.

The support element moves into an overwatch position on the ridgeline.

Top Malo House, looking uncannily like a Russian Front cottage on this occasion, teeming with Argie commandos.

A dash to the right and the stone wall in order to secure the flank.

 The dash to the outbuildings on the left not so successful, as reaction tests and overwatch take their toll - 3 serious wounds and a shaken unit.

 ...neatly allowing the marines to dash up the flank and secure the outbuildings.

Devastating fire from the marines, and poor defensive fire, as the commandos are pinned and outgunned.

 

This allows the flank fire team to assault the building, effectively outflanking the element at the enclosure and ending the battle. (Although not seen in the pics, a little sniper duel also ended the commandos' day quite rapidly).

Surrender remains the only option today.

A nice game, and gameplay did not suffer from the stoppages that we feared it might. FoF will certainly be revisited, perhaps with a larger Afghan scenario or similar.(Gobin might even win next time!)