Happy anniversary of Lützen. Hyvää Ruotsalaisuuden päivää.

To commemorate hero king Gustaphus Adolphus we had a game between all mounted Swedish force against all mounted and armored Imperial cavalry force.  We used By Fire and Sword figures and rules so some anachronisms were present, but got a furiously fast paced game simulating fleeting moment on the deadly ground of Lützen.

Keisarilliset eskadroonat aamusumussa

Unfortunately my camera failed to work during the evening, so only one pic, before or unless  Olofeus gets his online. The troops were practically same with both forces fielding 4 squadrons of cavalry, 4 bases strong each. Only one Squadron of Swedes had armor and another was armed with arquebuses. All imperials had armor and one squadron was arquebus armed. Swedes were all veterans - of imperials only half. Cost of armor made imperials nominally stronger and in the first round they were hit by march losses, loosing one base.

Gustaphus was leading from the front - so we agreed that he had to be permanently attached to one of the squadrons and could not command outside his own squadron. He could galvanize the Swedes into action by contributing to initiation tests. His head would be worth 2 victory points. His presence in the unit would be revealed only after some imperial troops would spot his actions. And for good measurre if he should find enemies in charge range he would lead a glorious charge against the enemy himself. As secondary targets Swedes had heavy guns placed on windmill hill and imperials could by exiting the Swedish end of the table threaten their camp and score same amount of points as Swedes by taking the hill.

The action was violent and saw imperials first failing to reach the Swedes in their charge, but then having all but one units in furious melee by round three. The melee saw both sides winning part, but imperials losing their commander and two units to total panic, while the beaten Swedes retreated in relatively good order - taking losses, but slowing the Imperiald dash to their camp.

In the end imperials were annihilated and Gustaphus rode into the mists detached from all other troops but one he was attached to - no doubt to meet his historical doom. Guns were undefended, but the Swedes had not yet taken control of them.

Fun game - allthough getting the result of the game in round three was a bit anticlimactic.
 

Testing the Carelian defence against the muscovites. Päin Karjalan mäntyä

After getting the base of Carelian defence force into paints I assembled a list to pit against the muscovite horde.

Short report - I blame the dice and order tokens. (Ottoman dice, Polish order tokens.)

Longer report:

With 8 Force points I had:
lieutenant colonel Blankenhagen
his second Captain Smått
3 Hordes of peasants numbering 2 bases each. 
6 bases of recruit reiters
4 bases strong Adelsfana
8 bases of provincial musketeers - divided into two squadrons
2 bases of dragoons (Should have been 2 companies, 4 bases.)

Since my opponent brought a force of only 7 FP I had the surpirising task of attacking -
the scenario rolled being defend the crossing:

My opponen deployed his streltsi on my side of the river, flanked by some peasants and supported by reserve of provincial soldats and boyar sons from the other side of the river. 

Alkuasetelma: sillanpäässä streltsejä ja ortodoksitalonpoikia, vastarannalla maakuntasoldateja ja pajarinlapsia.  Hyökkäämässä musketööriskvadroonat ja vasemmalla reiterit ja adelsfana.

 

 

 

Kierros 2? Koukkaus rakuunoilla on valmistunut, reiterit ovat vetäytyneet rynnäköityään talonpikien ihmiskilpeen ja saatuaan tappioita streltsien lähietäisyyden tulesta. Streltsit ovat kääntyneet kohtaamaan adelsfanan rynnäkön kohti sivustaansa ( ja samalla liukuneet juuri sen alta pois. Musketöörien pitkän matkan tulitus kontramarssissa on näyttävää, mutta ei tuota tuloksia.

 Round 2? Before the second movement phase. Dragoons have flanked from the right. Musketters continue firing without effect from long range. Reiters have charged the peasants in front of streltsy, scattered them to flight, and themselves retreated in disorder aftergetting shot by and clashing with the streltsy.

Same situation, different angle.

 Round 3 Reiters fail to get organized. Adelsfana is rallied after being disorganized by failed charge.

Musketöörit etenevät ja tulittavat sivustasta, ilman tulosta.

 Musketeers advance relentlesly, but despite flanksituation fail to score hits

Aatelislippue pakenee kahakoituaan streltsien kanssa. Pajarinlapset ovat ylittäneet kahlaamon ja tuhonneet sitä vahtineet talonpojat.

 Boyar sons cross the river and annihilate peasants guarding the crossing. Adelsfana is fleeing after clashing with the streltsy.

Reiterit yrittävät painaa streltsit jokeen, mutta ampujien moraali pitää. Ainakin uusintaheitoilla.

The reiters charge streltsy but fail to break their spirit. Musketeers close in for slaughter.

Kierros 6 lopputilanne. Streltsien moraali pitää murhaavista tappioista huolimatta. Silta ja kahlaamo venäläisillä. Ruotsalaiset kärsivät suuret tappiot ja strateginen voitto moskovalaiselle.

End of round 6 despite appalling casualties streltsy hold the bridgehead. Bridge and ford under Russian control, and with heavy losses to Swede a strategic victory is theirs.

Basically game was lost to me because of too timid approach towards the bridge. Long range musketry was inefficient as it usually is and I failed to get my dragoons to raking position on the side of streltsy.

The quality of raw cavalry in this list is suspect so the enemy should be weakened more before trying charge it.

Then again, wit limited amount of command available, there simply is not too much time for clever maneuvers.

Fun game -  the one unit that achieved its purpose were the peasants guarding my side of the river from boat cossack landings.

Carelian defence force - Karjalan armeija 1656

Well - almost there edges of bases still black.
Melkein valmista - vielä beissien reunat....
Some peasants:

In that evening sun... Mixture of Polish peasants and various guys with muskets. 

Nostoväen talonpoikia ilta-auringossa

Bases with rock, marsh, birch forest theme to separate them from earlier batch of Polish peasants.

Provincial musketeers:

Vastavärvättyä muskettimiestä ja vanhoja veteraaneja sekaisin.

Various iterations of Viborg regiment uniforms mixed with civilian clothing.

Adelsfana - the banner of noblemen, or feudal levy:

Aatelislippue - isäntiensä varustama, joten ei univormuja. Taisteluarvo kyseenlainen.

No real uniforms - of suspect quality. Paid men equipped privately by their masters.

Recruit reiters:

Ratsurekryytit

Best recruits are already in Poland or Livonia these are those left behind earlier. Unexperienced, too young, too old, some infirm. Equipped with leftovers. May have the fighting spirit, but lack drill, experience and kit.

The colonel:

Eversti seurueineen

A mediocre commander who got no troops to lead in the kings war south. Stuck into an inglorious business of repelling muscovites with no real promise of booty or ransoms, threatened by shame if he fails.

Where did september go? Minne syyskuu hävisi?

Aika vauhdikasta menoa oli muiden harrastusten parissa. (ja world of warships köh, köh.)
Syyskuun aikana kuitenkin hiljakseen sudin menemään ruotsalaista Karjalan puolustukseen haalittua osastoa kesälle 1656, joka alkaa lähestyä valmistumista. Ovat epämotivoivassa "vielä muutama yksityiskohta ennen väripesua" vaiheessa. Koska kaverin moskovalaiset ovat jo pelikunnossa jonkinlaista ulkoista motivaatiota saattaa nämä herratkin lopullisesti valmiiksi kyllä on.

I was flying with other hobbies, plus wasting my time with trying to master World of Warships. Yet I have slowly been putting colour on Swedish defence force in Carelia, summer 1656. They are slowly getting ready, being at this time on the check all details and fix mistakes before wash stage. Something I find pretty non-motivating. As a stick (or carrot) there is the deal with  my gaming buddy not to bring them to table before they are painted.  And his muscovites are already painted...

Command group and Adelsfana - "noble" cavalrylevy. Komentoryhmä ja aatelislippue.

Freshly recruited reiters. Vastavärvättyä ratsuväkeä. 

Freshly raised musketeers in whatever local quartermaster has found. Vastavärvättyjä musketöörejä.

Peasantlevy. Nostoväkeä.

Peasant partisans and Danish commanders - almost there Liki valmista talonpoikaa ja tanskalaista

Only thing lacking - edges of the bases.

 Beissien reunat vielä puuttuu - ikävä rutiini, mutta tehtävä jossain vaiheessa. Joko vihreää tai mahdollisesti värikoodi.

Yritin hiekoitusvaiheessa käyttää paksua akryyliä plastisena massana että saisin noihin korkeusvaihtelua, mutta efekti häviää pensas- ja tupaskäsittelyyn.

Molempia käytetty rankalla kädellä, nämä ovat metsäsissejä, eivät mitään aromaan reilua jalkaväkeä.

I treid to get some different levels of sand by using the thick acrylic paint as plastic mass, but that effect simply vanishes under bushes and tufts.

I used liberally all kinds of undergrowth effects since these guys are guerrillas of woods and marshes not willing to take real troops on the open.

 Colonel and major, ready to change generic mercenaries to a Danish force.

Eversti ja majuri, jotka kääntävät yleispalkkikset tanskalaiseksi joukoksi.

Arquebusreiters got just some flowers and are ready to go.

Finishing these  guys gives me alibi to start on next ones:

Näiden valmistuminen oikeuttaa siirtymään työpöydällä seuraaviin joukko-osastoihin:

Karjalan armeijaa vuodelta 1657, vastapestattua musketööriä ja ratsumiestä, aatelislippue ja talonpoikaisnostoväkeä.

Finnish defence force for By Fire and Sword: some newly recruited musketeers and reiters, cavalry levy and peasant levy.

(As a side order some silahdars for the ottomans, single base spearmen and pilgrims for skirmishgames and some Japanese)

WIP arquebusreiters - palkkaratsuväkeä työn alla

Almost ready - I may still make some corrections after seeing the guys magnified in the photos, but other than that just waiting for some tufts or flowers.

Khurasan miniatures - nominally 15 mm but so much larger than others I have that they are based on much thinner plastic bases. Nice mixture of hats and helmets.

Khurasanin arkebuusireitereita. Käytännössä 18 millisiä reilusti päätä pidempiä kuin Legio Heroican ja Wargamerin  15 milliset joten pistin nämä reilusti matalammille alustoille.

Bandit raid Apua rosvoja

Paikallisen lautapelikerhon illassa pelattiin viimeisenä pelinä 7 wondersin ja Love lettersin jälkeen Roninia.
We had a four team Ronin game at the local gaming club after / wonders and Love letters.

Päätin ulkoiluttaa wakoja joista laadin 100 pisteen listan. Johtaja naginatan kanssa, 5 merirosvoa vaihtelevin asein mutta ilman haarniskaa ja kaksi talonpoikaa työkalujen kanssa saapui kentälle minun johdossani.

I played with my wakos of whom I got the leader five normal pirates and two auxiliary peasants to the field.

Wakos after the first move

Poikani T toi rosvojoukon, jossa oli hyvin varustautunut johtaja, muskettia kantava varajohtaja,  lauma talonpoikia sekä lyhyeen sauvaan erikoistunut panssaroimaton ronin. 

My son T had a a bandit leader in heavy armour, his lieutenant with arquebus, unarmored ronin with the jo and a bunch of no good peasants.

Brave leaders behind a wall of peasants

Pelikerhon Toni pelasi kolmatta , suhteellisen hyvin varusteltua rosvojoukkoa, jonka jäsenillä kaikilla oli jotain haarniskaa ja kunnolliset aseet. 

Tonui from the club had third bandit buntai - decently equipped with armor and weapons and even some skills.

Professional criminals - just look at the armor and weapons.

Puolustajalla oli lauma talonpoikia sekalaisilla aseilla, vaeltava jojutsumestari  ja palkkaronin. Lisäksi kentällä oli lauma aseettomia siviilejä, joita talonpoikaissotureiden piti suojella ja rosvojen jahdata sekä yhteen taloon kätkettynä Buddhan patsas. Oli mahdollista, että joku siviileistä olisi valepukuinen ninja.

Defender had a whole bunch of peasants with improvised peasants, traveling master of jo and a hired ronin. They tried to protect a group of civilians and venerated statue of the Buddha. There was also a slim chance that one of the civilians would turn out to be ninja.  

Aikaa pelille tuli arvalla 7 kierrosta.

Length of the game was rolled to be seven rounds.

 Round 2 Wakos have advanced to perimeter. On other sides similar moves are happening. The meanest bandit bunch draws first blood by slaughtering first of the guards. Wako archer proves to be lousy marksman.

Civilians flee in panic towards the village center.

Kierros 2 Wakot ovat edenneet kylän laidalle. Muilla reunoilla kaikki ryövärit alkavat olla tuntumalla ja Tonin buntai lahtaa ensimmäisen vartijan pohjoisportille. Siviilit pakenevat kirkuen kylän keskustaan.

 Round 3 contact is reached by all groups.
 All groups slash new holes to paperwalls of the houses and enter. First civilian dies.

Wako bowfire is still totally useless. But they find the image of the Buddha!

Kierros kolme kaikki ryöväriporukat pääsevät taisteluun puolustajien kanssa. Jokaisen ryhmän jäsenet viiltelevät uusia kulkuaukkoja seiniin.
Ensimmäinen siviili jää kiinni ja murhataan. 
Wakon jousiammunta on edelleen turhaa, mutta he löytävät Buddhan.

 Buddhan löytänyttä wakoa häiritsee ryöstöpuuhissa lyhyen kepin kanssa kulkeva siviili.

The wako who found Buddha is disturbed in his robberwork by soft looking civilian with a short staff.

Tulija osoittautuu jojutsumestariksi ja akrobaatiksi joka yhdessä vuorossa lyö patsasvarkaan hengiltä ja ulos talosta ja tekee selvää myös hänen toveristaan.

 The intruder proves to be master of jojutsu, acrobat and shuguyosha who promptly dispatches both wakos in the house.

On the perimeter peasants stop invading peasants by winning initiative and also wound the leftmost wako. Those by the gate are killed in short order.

Village headmans house - with the hired ronin holding two bandits at bay.

Kylän päämiehen talossa palkattu ronin pitää pitkään puoliaan kahta ryöväriä vastaan.

Mutta kierrosten 5 ja 6 aikana vastarinta murtuu.
Ronin kaatuu, shugyosha taistelee kolmen vastustajan kanssa, saa nuolen selkäänsä ja jää viimein kurjan talonpojan tappamaksi. Vartijatalonpojat kaatuvat yksi kerrallaan ja siviilitkin jäävät kiinni. Wakot ryöstävät Buddhan.

During rounds 5 and 6  resistance crumbles. Peasant guards are picked off one by one. Ronin dies in the house and shugyosha is whittled down in 1 against 3 combat, with arrow in the back for good measure.  Civilians are all caught and wakos run away with the Buddha.

The professional bandits take the lead in points by most civilians caught. Peasant defenders take a crushing defeat which is not surprising being outnumbered 3 to 1. The whole match takes roughly 2 hours to play through.

Voitto menee ammattirikollisille lähinnä kiinnisaatujen siviilien ansiosta. Puolustajat ottavat takkiinsa juuri niin kovasti kuin yksi kolmea vastaan voimasuhteella voi odottaa.