That time of year again for the annual Birthday Bash, where my eldest daughter plays Dad at a wargame of his choice. So far, I have yet to win any of these encounters. This year ...would be no different.
Selecting Volley & Bayonet, and setting myself the challenge of taking the British at Guilford Courthouse, I would be able to test the stationary fire dynamic (doubling dice for non moving troops' fire), contrast it with the Militia rule (where militia, in contrast with 'poor troops' always have a 'disordered' status), and see just how close to a historical result we could get.
The British have their work cut out - well, sort of - the initial American line is easily surpassed; in fact half the militia were routed in the first line - the stationary second line however would deliver sufficient fire to promote divisional exhaustion amongst the British units, and pretty much hamstring them before they could contact the regular continentals in the 3rd line - or at least, ensure that they would be attacking at 3:4 odds.
'Here we go again Zeke...'
For stats, I used the amazing V&B AWI information available at J D Glasco's 'Gentlemanly Wargaming' site. A great resource. Also of note is Kieth McNelly's excellent V&B site at https://volleyandbayonet.wordpress.com/.
British forces are compact, but tough - combining elite troops (with shock factor on hits) with good skirmishers.
American forces deployed in three lines - today the militia might have got more than 'two vollies' off, but it was the second line that did the damage.
On the British right, an American cavalry charge, met by British Legion cavalry.
The centre pushes forward, I was reasonably happy with the flanks thus far...
Especially as my infantry were having very favourable results against brave, yet fruitless, American cavalry charges
Pushing forward with Hessians on the right
The centre moves forward steadily
In the American rear, the stalwart continentals remain in place...all day in the end
Predictably, the 1st line of militia get the worst of British infantry charges, despite some protection - their permanent disordered status is not helping, as their shooting can be saved against.
It's the second line, that will be a problem - they are rated as 'poor troops' but that is still better than militia, and can thereby gain a stationary status
The first line melts away, leaving dangerous gaps
There is the danger of routing troops, but some of these are rallied.
The British make good progress through the heavier wooded area
'HOLD THE LINE!'
Second line - would suffer greatly, would be outflanked...but then the British luck would start to run out
...and the British rear is threatened by skirmishers
The second line becomes chaotic, and yet holds
Division exhaustion - prevents charging home - and scuppers the British plan on their left flank
Melee and disintegration of units
'Give Fire!!!'
A British outflanking manoeuvre - though conceptually fantastic (even if I do say so myself!) - comes to nothing
The last charge!
By game end, the British have turned a flank, but the Americans have recovered. there are two British units left that can charge - and they have not hit the third line yet . I called it, and gave Madame the win ...again :)
Another great game with a superb set of rules. More to follow with V&B - it translates well across periods, and is very flexible, as well as giving a great game - without needless complexity.
The Osprey Blue Book ruleset 'En Garde!' by Craig Woodfield is a nice skirmish set, and perfect after having sat down to watch 'D'Artagnan' and 'Milady' over Christmas on the big screen.
A nice little system, it can handle anything from the 1600s right into the 1700s, where figures can buckle their swashes, men are men with outrageous French accents, and women are Eva Green ;)
Do you mean me dahling?
This one was done with younger players who picked it all up very quickly.
A priority phase allows one party to choose order of attacks (this is quite useful) - a 'tactician' trait automatically gives priority (the musketeers in our scenario for instance).
Movement - with terrain simply reducing from run to normal - to short , depending on nature of terrain etc. You can move fairly quickly, when not faced with cold steel, and shooting can occur - shooting with pistols is pretty deadly at close range.
The combat phase is the real meat of the game, and is heavily dependant on counters which are chosen at the start of combat - these number the same as the character's 'fight' score, do D'Artagnan with a '5' could pull 3x 'attack' and 2x 'defence' counters.
There are combat 'ploys' which can be enabled by the counters - riposte, parry, feint, mighty blow etc., which all give a real flavour to the duel.
Oh - and duelling - which if agreed, precludes others from joining the fight, makes it even more tense.
Mechanics tend to be 2d6 vs 1 or 2d6 with modifiers based on stats, and traits like 'lucky', 'duellist' (where a second weapon such as a dagger can add to fight score), and 'beguiling' (a trait of Milady, which allows her to charm your pants off, while she shoots you in the face!) all add to the period mayhem and give great flavour.
This is the only game, where outrageous French accents are 'de rigueur' during the course of the entire proceedings...
...There's ALWAYS room for a Python reference...
To the game!
The scenario had Rochefort and 4x red Guards, striving to bring Milady back to Paris from an isolated farm - after she had sided with D'Artagnan, Athos and Aramis (statted up in the rules which really helps).
It may have been a little unfair, as the Musketeers are predictably brilliant, and the young 'uns beat the hell out of Pete and I. ...I mean, we're not bitter!
The musketeers were spread across the farm...this would actually help, as they are for the most part, killing machines
the Red Guards tried to stay together, but when Rochefort accepted a challenge from Athos, it all went south...
D'Artagnan spent his time sneaking about ambushing Red Guards near the farmhouse...
'En Garde Monsieur!'
At one stage, Rochefort had managed to almost kill Athos...though then he took a stray pistol shot from Milady (she's a good shot it seems) which killed him on the bridge (I mean, it was a damned good shot )
...whilst Aramis admires her shooting skills, he awaits the Red Guards that are rushing their position, as she frantically reloads.
I mean, it all seemed like a fine plan...
Of course, the Red Guards ran out of luck after Rochefort got killed...it was all about the numbers by that stage. Milady runs behind Aramis for cover (because she is still reloading )
A wounded Athos runs to protect Aramis, but the musketeer wasn't mucking about
A very nice little game for a Sunday afternoon. Now, it caters for large numbers of figures and characters, so will definitely look more into this one.
Figures were all cheap 1/72 plastic, painted literally the day before with contrast paints and impatience...and lots of coffee ;)
...honest...
Again - these movies are thoroughly recommended...
The turn sequence, as we were reminded, is everything here. Care when shooting, and extreme care now when attacking stationary brigades (post Napoleonic units with Rifle Muskets get 7 dice in stationary melee with '6' to hit - an attacking unit gets 4 dice in the revised 2nd edition for ACW).
Turn Sequence is :
Command - check those radii Move - BIG moves, but you can get too enthusiastic VERY easily. Rally - critically important, and always forgotten for Corps Commanders. Morale - one bad dice roll can end a division's entire day. Combat - firing and melee - careful who you fire at - they fire back!
Exhaustion - critical for the victory conditions in this one.
The scenario was based on the entire battle, with reinforcement schedule based on card draw - the scenario being from Jessee A. Scarborough's 'A Storm in the Valley 1862' scenario book. Two entire Confederate divisions did not make it to the battlefield...
We actually did part of the centre effort for this battle a few years back - with Fire & Fury - though with V&B, a base is a brigade, so considerations are a little different.
Victory Conditions were crucial here, with Victory Points awarded on how many divisions had been exhausted and/or collapsed, and who held Seven Pines - this, to me, is the core of V&B and gives you great mechanics for how armies fall apart. An option for a second day of battle could be taken, if both players agreed.
Looking west as Hill's Division makes its way through the woods
a goldurn railroad trek
Union forces are in defences, but can not activate precious 'stationary' status right away. The Union would take an absolute mauling early on their right - but at great cost to Whiting's Division
Union reinforcements on the Williamsburg Road - the cards would not be so kind to the Rebs
One of the Minifigs 1970s figures kindly donated to me by Steve many years ago - I have promised to use them, some require basing and will indeed see the light of day soon
Rebs are itchin' fer a fight
On the Confederate left, the Rebs do not let up, forcing poorly rolling Union troops from their positions with close assaults, and pinning across the creek with accurate musketry fire (but...at a creeping cost)
The Union divisions learn the value of the Rally phase early on
'Charge them guns boys!"
The Union right in disarray
...outflanked and outfought...
The flank holds for now, even though the centre 'appears' to be collapsing
Re4b reinforcements, seriously? And they still have two divisions to bring on...
...but it is the Union troops that are about to gain the upper hand, with the expectation of two divisions...and...the Rebs have bled themselves white on their left...about to hit...divisional exhaustion and then...
...Divisional collapse
The entire Confederate left is in deep trouble...
The centre holds...
...and here comes Longstreet
All the Union has to do is hold ...unless of course, the Rebs get 'them thar two divisions'
The Confederate line is forced to bend, but yet another division is close to collapse
Longstreet plugs the gap, and with only 4 or 5 game turns to go, attacks the Union centre, now heavily reinforced, at Seven Pines
Pickett's 'other' Charge
Gathering for another attack...
The deck a Union one today...despite its 17th century livery
In the woods, a Union division is exhausted...but in the same turn, another Reb division falters
...and the Union have power in numbers on the collapsing flank
Seven Pines is contested! No clear holder of the objective, as a single Confederate brigade surges on.
"Get off my land boys!"
In the end though, a close run thing - two Union divisions are exhausted, but for the Rebs - one Exhausted, and one collapsed. Union wins on victory points - and elects NOT to fight a second day. Great game as usual.
Oh - change of period, but if you can catch these recent two movies - latest versions of Dumas' 'Three Musketeers', they are absolutely stunning. 'D'Artagnan' and 'Milady'. Eva Green is in it, what's not to like!
