Reserve Demolition - Part 2

This very short report caps off the action in the Reserve Demolition game. The action was over in the blink of an eye. In fact, we were left with enough time to completely reset the battle and get in the first turns of it - which may be reported on later. 

 We left the action with the Prussians (yours truly) out of morale chips but defensively set, and eager, to receive the Russian onslaught.

Then this lot rolled up for their quality. They mostly rolled up as determined (Up 2 to all rolls) with an incredible series of D20 rolls of 20! My goose was cooked.

 And I felt a little surrounded.......

It didn't take long for the Russians to close to point blank range. 

Whilst they blasted the Prussians to pieces, a regiment of Horse Grenadiers managed to break through to the bridge. 

The scattered pioneers, busy preparing the bridge for demolition, were duly slaughtered. With no way of destroying the bridge and, with the enemy everywhere, I said "Bonjour, mon ami" and surrendered my sword like a Frenchman in a brothel. 

Reserve Demolition - Battle Report - Part 1

Last night Peter, Graham and I started the Reserve Demolition scenario (by Charles Grant) outlined in a previous post.

http://olicanalad.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/reserve-demolition-scenario-trying-to.html

We drew lots to decide who was who. There are three distinct commands in the scenario - two Russian and one Prussian - and I drew the Prussians. 

I deployed around the bridge and on the southerly knoll. Then the first Russian command came on table - they chose to attack from the south. 

 The Russians led with their cavalry, which charged under a hail of well timed canister shot from my artillery on the grassy knoll. 

The cavalry were eventually repulsed by Prussian infantry, but not before the guns were lost - honours equal.

 This charge successfully allowed the Russian infantry to get organised. I had hoped to give it a pounding with my guns.

The Russian guns were prolonged forward with undue haste - even further ahead than this shot shows. They were charged by rapidly deploying Prussian dragoons. Before the first gunner could pull the sponge out of his arse the Prussian cavalry was on them - Huzzah! 

 Around the knoll, I formed up to make a stand, reinforcing the knoll with grenadiers.  

Word arrived that the powder train to blow the bridge was en route. Better late than never. 

 With the arrival of the grenadiers, the cavalry turned into column of march to redeploy against a second attack coming in from the north. 

The Prussians would be hard pressed to hold the knoll, and what was left of their artillery was rushed to form a second line of defence - just in case.

 The northern attack force was a strong one, and it wrong footed the Prussians completely - I had banked on at least one attack coming from the east.

 What was more, it came on at great speed, and my eastward facing troops were in serious danger of being outflanked.

The attack from the south was now at close quarters and the musketry of both sides was deadly. 

The Russians superior numbers began to tell. My gallant Prussians were being destroyed.

To the north, as the powder train made its ponderous way to the bridge, and I desperately withdrew troops to form a new northward facing front with secure flanks, the Russians came steadily on.........

To be continued.

All in all, the scenario is proving to be good fun. It will take a Prussian miracle to win though, I'm already out of morale chips. 

Getting one's out for the Lads.

This week I got out virtually everything I have in my Italian Wars collection and put it on the table to do battle. The head count of men was exactly 1111.

The night's play would, except for sporadic artillery exchanges, take place exclusively on the French right. Here French cavalry would  play havoc with the Imperial cavalry facing them.

The Imperial cavalry, flanked by massed landsknechts would take the brunt of the initial French attack, but this attack was largely made in support.....

......of the Swiss pikemen.

The French cavalry move forward with alacrity.....

...and the Swiss, not to be outdone advance with panache - a triple move - they move so far that Graham has to help out -

Wallop! The game is barely three cards old and the Swiss and landsknecht light troops are already in a fierce skirmish.

The Imperials counter with Genitors moving up to harass the oncoming French gendarmerie. 

The cavalry battle becomes general as the pike close under artillery fire.

Landsknecht skirmishers putting up a good fight against the odds.

Cavalry, artillery, and infantry in a confused melee.

Push of pike, honours about equal.

A shot showing the battlefield at the end of the first nights play.

The pike battle could be key.

The cavalry battle is almost done and the French hold the field.

To be continued.....................

Novara 1513 - Battle report

Last night Peter J. (commanding the French) and Graham H. (Commanding the Milano-Swiss) fought it out at Novara. We used the forces and scenario notes detailed in the previous two posts. The battle was done and dusted from start to finish in the evenings play (just under 3 hours). It was a pretty close run thing and both players enjoyed the encounter (I don't think they were only being polite).

There need to be very few alterations to the scenario for next weeks re-fight, where Peter and Graham will switch sides. The main change, will be the reinstatement of the two French Army Characterisation Deck cards (20 more morale chips) and a change in the definition of the two Scenario cards. It was found, that the French needed a few more morale chips, and the diversionary attacks needed a focus - the French camp. Consequently, the next time we play, whenever the French player turns a Scenario card and there is a Milano-Swiss unit in the French camp, the French player will lose d6 morale chips.

I will try, in the course of the next week, write up the full scenario with historical background, OOBs, and scenario notes in a single post.

Until then, here is the report of last nights clash

Here they come! The Swiss diversionary frontal attack swiftly assault the Gascon and Navarrese infantry.

The Swiss main force pushes its skirmishers forward but, disordered by artillery, their pike square advances tardily.

The Milanese horse and Swiss diversionary attack against the French camp forces back the light troops defending it with ease.

The Swiss frontal attack develops quickly, the Gascons and Navarese are fighting well - much better than expected.

The French gendarmerie is still in Trecate having  breakfast (you can't rush your Wheetabix), arming, and getting their Planchets to pay off the local bed warmers.

At last, Wheetabix eaten, armed, and groins scratched, the Gendarmerie comes out to play.....

...and some of it wishes it hadn't bothered.

As Gascons, Navarese, and gendarmes decide to find lodgings elsewhere, the Swiss diversionary flank attack (in the background) is meeting stiff resistance....

...very stiff resistance - the Milanese horse and Swiss go down to repeated attack from French cavalry. The camp is saved!

Meanwhile, (that new unit of) Swiss halberdiers, having become isolated, launch a frontal attack out of desperation against the best France has to offer. The gendarmerie must have not been as ready as it looked - it was routed, then dragged from their horses and butchered in the streets of Trecate.

Note the French cavalry far to the rear, the battle is almost over and it has only just getting into battle order. It rolled sooooo many odd move dice that it hardly moved in the first turns!

Finally, having suffered horrendous casualties to fire from artillery and arquebus, the landsknechts and Swiss main force come to grips.

The French have been at zero morale chips for some time and the landsknechts are beaten in short order.

The battle is over. The French are beaten.

A right old dust up

Last night we let Nemours and Cordoba have at it at Cerignola. The battle was closer than some previous re-fights. Although the battle is not over, I shall do a short report at this point.

The French begin their advance. The Swiss, subjected to early artillery fire are tardy - they were 'vexed' (disordered, etc.) and will move at half speed until rallied.

Peter J.,  in white, is moving D'Alegre's off table rearguard.

Graham H. helps d'Alegre out from under his elbows - Graham does not like the smell of French garlic (Spanish is fine) - and this was the fastest he moved all night (Graham that is).

D'Ars orders his cavalry across the ditch. The Italian arquebusier are forced back.

The French infantry and Swiss pike reach the ditch.

For this re-fight we deployed the French skirmishers in deep formation blocks, side by side . They will go into multiple lines for the Triples demo.

The Spanish shot flies thick and fast.

Peter J. knows that this is his moment. Graham, unperturbed, looks on. Turn 1 is almost over.

D' Alegre's light cavalry arrives, but his heavy horse (in the backgound) is still some way off). It's turn two.

The orange paper on the road, under the stradiotti, is an arrow showing 'relative entry' point.

The Swiss force the breastwork.

But after a bitter fight, the Landsknechts, supported by volleys of Spanish arquebus, force them back - the Swiss, who started at 14 UI  are at 0 UI: They've shot their bolt. Then again, they might be rallied.

D'Ars is also making progress.

D'Alegre's stradiotti come to grips on the extreme left.

Gespard de Coligny de Chatillon, commander of the French infantry, is dead. We will examine his body after the battle: Was it Spanish ball or French bolt?

D'Ars is counter attacked by Frabricio Colonna's Italian heavy cavalry and is forced back. It looks like Colonna is planning a left hook.

D'Alegre has other ideas, four fresh units of French Gendarmes are heading for the crumbling French right.

We are almost at the end of turn 2 (a turn ended half way through on an equal initiative roll and is not included in the turn count). We have been playing for going on for under 3 hours but, it already looks like another Spanish victory.

This last week I have based up the newly painted figures (102 infantry, 40 cavalry). I have also taken a break from painting (my own, but not client's)  figures to paint up the two buildings in my spare time. They are a stable, and a balconied residential block. I also took the the opportunity to make a long, free standing, high, wall which now forms part of Cerignola - you can see it in some shots in front of the second pictured building - see the 'D'Ars is counterattacked' shot.