lauantai 22. marraskuuta 2014

Division game AAR - divisioonapeli pelipäivänä

So for the Nordic games day we staged a division size game at my local library.

Puolalaisjoukkojen keskustaa.

Hyökkäävät ruotsalaiset vasemmalla, puolalaiset oikealla
I had a Polish crown division, consisiting of force of pretty strong light and elite Cavalry regiments, Basic strength volunteer and Dragoon regiment, overstrength infantry regiment and some additional units.

My opponent brought a garrison division with two barestrength national infantry regiments, regiment of national reiters, minimum strength regiment of dragoons and some additional artillery and musketeers.

To my great surprise the Swedish commander, heavily outnumbered decided to use his forces for a surprise attack.   With the large difference in strength points he decided to use a surprise attack - giving him forward deployment, assisted with an additional artillery barrage and some field fortifications to cover his flanks.
Ruotsit valmiusasemissa
For additional effects he rolled major panic, good omens and march losses to my troops.

I won recon, uncontested, by throwing the light regiment to the task. Hit by march losses earlier that regiment took further losses by having troops straying during recon - so the regiment deployed in two different parts and quite battered even before the game began. For good measure this same regiment was hit by panic on turn one.

Puolalaisten vasenta sivustaa

 Even with dragoons detailed for flank attack and light regiment deployed in advance position I had trouble fitting all my troops to the deployment area. (We had slightly too narrow table, in future deployment area should probably be fixed for full size in such cases.)
Since I knew I had to take two rounds of fire without firing back I had a screen of less valuable troops between my heaviest hitters and the Swedish artillery.

In hindsight - this was a risky tactic.




Ruotsalainen tulivalmistelu.
I survived the initial barrage relatively unharmed and with formation almost intact.
On round 1 of actual game I tried to maneuver my troops forward to a position where they could charge the enemy next turn without being subject to musketry this turn. I simply could not get them all to position where they would not have been subject to case shot by artillery.
Losses to case shot cause automatic morale tests and with these fumbled I had fleeing troops crashing into ready troops, causing both disorder and panic as they fled from the Swedish guns.

Häröpallo kierroksen 1 lopussa

By the end of round 1 my hussar banner had fled the field, elite cavalry regiment was in severe disorder, volunteer regiment was in disorder, largely fleeing and covering the field of fire of the infantry and artillery and elements of the light cavalry that had deployed to Swedish flank had been shot to flee offboard.

By the end of round 2 Volunteers have been wiped out in cascade of fleeing that has taken with it crews of artillery and almost the musketeers of infantry regiment.
Light cavalry regiment was within one point of breaking and elite one was in only slightly better shape.
On the plus side my falcons and 6 pdr had hurt enemy infantry, although nowhere badly enough to force panic.

My dragoons enter from the Swedish right flank, but fail to cause any panic. On Round three some shots were exchanged with no real results. Poles have taken a beating although most losses were fleeing, not killed units. I have still hold of all the scenario points, but my main force is perilously close to braking - and the game would continue for 5 more rounds.

Nice experiment, with some, but not too many, interested spectators. For demo game I had too many minis on the table or rather, we should have come to do the setup hour before starting time. We made the scenery night before, but just unpacking and organizing armies to the table took much longer than anticipated. Also the game itself ran a bit slowly with little events. So for demo purposes a skirmish might be the way to go.

On tactical level - I should have launched those troops capable of reaching the enemy on first roun in charge despite anticipated losses. Now I ended up taking those losses anyway in space of two rounds, without touching the enemy. On my left flank I should have run sideways to get more space, despite exposing new troops to gunnery. And deployed in a way that would have allowed the volunteers to get sideways without blocking the artillery from shooting. I had congested deployment area, and my deployment added to the problem.



keskiviikko 12. marraskuuta 2014

Preparations - Valmisteluja

Preparing for a demo game during Nordic game Day at our library 15.11.
Hectic repainting for less goodlooking minis and preparation of props is well underway

I am bringing Polish force to division size game of by Fire and Sword, my regular opponent is bringing Swedes. I have a hunch I'll end up attacking since my list is rather extensive. Even though I had an agonizing choice of leaving dragoons, reiters or foreign infantry regiment off the list.

Interesting project since this is first time I am doing public demo of a game to uninitated. I have planned of having some troop info and large pictures on posters close to the table. Actual rules information I'll probably limit to nominal scale of the encounter and what the table and troops are supposed to represent. Also intersting since this is only second divisional game we have played against each other.

As an added bonus my sons asked if they can tag along and play a game of Ronin on same occasion. I was more than happy to say yes. Interesting to see if or how they pull that off on Saturday morning, after a week of school.

Lippuja, viirejä, inventointia, viimeistelymaalausta. Flags, pennons, finishing touches and inventory.


Pohjoismaisena pelipäivänä 15.11. demotamme kaverin kanssa By Fire and Swordia kirjastollamme.
Kiivastahtista täydennysmaalausta ja esitteiden tekoa on ollut tänä viikkona, mutta edistys on myöskin ollut selkeää.

Tuon Puolalaiset joukot divisioona kokoiseen BFaS peliin, vakiovastustajani tuo ruotsalaiset. Uskon olevani hyökkääjänä - lista on sen verran laaja. Vaikken saanutkaan samalle listalle länsimaisia ratsumiehiä, rakuunoita ja jalkaväkeä. Koska olemme pelanneet etupäässä kahakkatason peliä on hauskaa päästä vaihteeksi kokeilemaan isompaa pelimuotoa.

Pientä miettimistä on ollut pelin esillepanon kanssa. Koska yleisö on ei-pelaajia luulen, että julisteissa on lähinnä silmäkarkkia ja yleistä infoa kuvattvasta tilanteesta.


torstai 6. marraskuuta 2014

Something rotten in Denmark BFaS AAR Jotakin mättää Tanskanmaassa



For yesterdays game I took a plunge to new list and decided to bring forth the true rulers of Scandinavia: The Danes. My opponent once again fielded his trusty Swedes - or mercenaries in Swedish service.

My force was 3 companies of 3 bases of mercenary dragoons, squadron of 4 bases of National (read mediocre) reiters, colonel Mikkel Huitfelt and possibly some local irregular fighters, snapphanar.
This force of 5 Force points met Swedish detachment of 6 bases of Reiters, 4 bases of veteran dragoons, 2 companies of dragoons of 3 bases each, 2 cannons with both colonel Hochkirch and lieutenant-colonel for command - with Force points of 11

For scenario we got ambush: Swedes were struck with panic,( that was to hit his Reiters,) delay which left one of his guns out of board and choice of battle field that saw pigsty on edge of ambush area being moved off his deployment area.

As decoy I left one company of dragoons and deployed all my remaining troops behind the advancing blue menace. My idea was to let the evil Swede taste Danish gunpowder on round one from all possible muskets and let the national Reiters charge pellmell into the remaining artillery piece.

Kierros 1 Tanskalainen on liikkunut ruotsit eivät

 Round 1 At the pic Danes have moved Swedes not. Danish dragoons in the field, protected from cavalrycharge, Danish Reiters trying to reach that pesky cannon. The Swedish Reiters have suyffered from disorder, but were rallied and took defence order.

Helas, the Swedes avoided fire of dragoons totally. Snapphane sniper from the mill failed to hit the cannon, and Reiters did not reach any target. Losing their nerve from this they withdrew in disorder to about the same place they are in picture.

Kierroksella 2 Tanskalainen ratsuväki pahassa paikassa
On round 2 My mounted dragoons got herded tighter between two companies of Swedish dragoons. The hapless reiters in the open got charged by Swedish dragoons from the flank and squadron of reiters from the front. Now - following exchange was played falsely - namely when my dragoons in the field fired a salvo at the Reiters they - being six in number, twice the number of the dragoon company, could have ignored it. Now they took a morale test, failed and withdrew in disorder.
The charging dragoons and Danish reiters fought a skirmish that resulted in a draw, with both troops retreating away from the carnage.
Hyvin hämmentynyt eversti Hochkirch vuoron 2 lopulla.


The Swedish colonel is flabbergasted - and so is everyone else. Snapphane in the mill takes a cannoball, while one in pigsty merely terrifies Swedish officers.











Round 3 National reiters have charged the Swedish squadron an despite receiving a salvo from dragoons and case shot from the cannon have actually managed to push home and with a draw have outperformed any expectations there were to their life or performance.

Outside picture dragoon company is fighting two others with expected results.




Rounds 4 to 6 The Reiters charge dragoons despite case shot from the arty and demolish that unit. Swedish Reiters are very slow to get organized and fail to catch national reiters.

The decoy company gets annihilated. I kill 5 bases to 4, but lose the scenario since I fail to give the enemy enough losses.

Fun and relatively quick engagement. Lessons learned - dragoons might benefit from being deployed in squadrons of 2 companies. Both the volume of fire and the the ability to benefit from salvo against larger squadrons would say so.

To actually hurt the enemy with musket fire on round 1 is pretty hard since he gets to move first. At least if he is mounted. 

Snapphanar are great fun even though they failed to actually kill anything this time. That 50 cm reacvh of rifled barrels is more effective deterrent than it would actually merit.

PS: Work on Ottomans proceeds at steady pace: Gonullu and Beszli slowly getting ready for the table top.
Gonullu ja Beszli joukkoja. Kevyttä ratsuväkeä.