The Week That Was...

While not as vigorous as six games in seven days as seen a few weeks ago, I did manage four games over the past seven days.

Three of the games saw a return to the 203 BCE Battle of Po River using CCA and my 6mm armies.  Like the other two sessions (we fought the battle a total of nine times), Carthage came out the victor in two of the three battles.  Great fun although time to find another, equally entertaining scenario. Po River may be my favorite battle played.  Even though the Carthaginians wound up winning six games to three, the Romans seemed in the fight until the last banner fell.  Very well balanced and a fun challenge for both armies.

The fourth game of the week was a remote game with Matt (wargames in the dungeon) where we fought the opening moves of the AWI Battle of Brandywine Creek.  This session saw the British and Hessian attacks at Chadd and Brinton's Fords.  I only have screenshots but Matt will likely have a detailed expose of the battle soon.

I leave the battle account for Matt to spin!  This week, only one game on the docket for Wednesday.  Of course, that may change.

On the painting front, the brushes have been moderately busy with February seeing 70 figures cross the painting desk.  Weather has improved enough to prime figures too.  Painted units are stacking up at the light box so I need to get a move on.

First up are two British regiments for the SYW/WAS project.  These are the first of hopefully many British units to march out from the painting desk in 2025.

The two regiments muster out as the 1st and 2nd Foot Guards.  Each regiment has 22 Blue Moon foot figures led by a Eureka mounted colonel.  Only two regiments but it is a start.

Finally, weather improved enough to get out for a pleasant afternoon bike ride.  Oh, it is good to be back outside.  Very nice change of pace from a winter spent indoors on the trainer.  I am feeling the difference between trainer and actually cycling outside in the body today.  Still much grit and too many potholes to contend with on the road but things are looking up.

A New Project and a Game

Given that June saw good production at the painting desk with nearly 150 figures crossing over to the "Painted" side of the ledger, July has been a letdown.  With games, planning for games, research, scenario development and summertime activities, painting production took a precipice drop in July.  I did manage to complete one, three battalion regiment of Prussian infantry, though, and I started a new project.

Well, "New" in the sense that I have finally overcome the inertia of expanding my 1859 project to bring in Prussians for the 1870 conflict.  These 48 figures represent the first of hopefully a serious attempt at fielding a small Prussian Army for the FPW.  The figures have been in The Lead Pile for years.  Time to do something productive with them.  The problem is that I have not felt much like painting of late.  I keep getting distracted by other calls for attention. 

Anyway, these figures are 15mm Lancashire Games.  Great figures that paint up quickly when I sit down at the painting desk for a meaningful painting session.  The regiment still needs to collect its flags.  Perhaps I can find some suitable flags on the internet?  In July, those meaningful painting sessions were few and far between.  With luck, August will see a pick-up in productivity.  At least this is a start to a Prussian Army!

Cheriton Battlefield
Photo courtesy Gridbased Wargaming

On the gaming front, I joined Matt on Sunday to resurrect our AWI campaign.  A nail biting and unexpected finish.  I am sure Matt will provide an accurate chronicle of the action at Fort Anne.  The first game in Peter and my home-and-away series of Battle of Cheriton replays is on deck for later this week.  Peter is hosting (see Remote Game Preparation) the first round and then I will host the second.  Both games will be played remotely using different scenarios and different rules.  We completed a similar exercise before with Lake Trasimene.  It was great fun and we both learned a lot about the battle in these refights.  I wonder what insights might come out of our Cheriton refights?  Research for my game is still in progress.  Battle layout nears completion.  I am sure I will pick up some useful tips after having played Peter’s interpretation of Cheriton.

Bloody Bound Brook BatRep

Bound Brook Table
photo courtesy wargamesinthedungeon

Matt and I returned on Sunday to our long-running AWI campaign using Rebels & Patriots.  This campaign has been in action for two years running.  On the docket for this day was a recreation of the action at Bound Brook in 1777.  Matt provided a battle briefing showing the situation and the initial Rebel dispositions.  The action opens with the Rebels guarding Queen's Bridge and the Old Stone Bridge from British advances.  The main British advance is across the causeway through the marsh to Old Stone Bridge.  Hessian Grenadiers approach across the Raritan River forcing their way across Queen's Bridge.  The Rebel objective is to prevent being overrun and giving up this strategic position.  Matt pointed out that, historically, once the Hessian grenadiers were seen storming across Queen's Bridge, the colonials panicked and fled.  Battle over in a few minutes.  Looking at my situation as the American commander, I felt my chances were equally slim.

With two skirmish units, one guarding at each bridge, they may only offer speed bumps to the superior Crown Forces once the enemy come onto the table.  Having to overcome two narrow avenues of approach, the Americans would need to contain the enemy while not sustaining too many casualties.  I asked if the Americans only needed to hold out for three turns to declare victory.  Matt laughed but warned that I ought to be careful in not allowing my skirmishers to be overrun on Turn 1.  Noted! 

Let's see how the battle played out.

Shadow animals or battle briefing?

British column arrives marching on Old Stone Bridge.
American skirmishers fall back from Queen's Bridge
while the Rebels shift their positions near the crossroad.

Rebel reinforcements arrive!

Skirmishing at both bridges

Hessian grenadiers cross Queen's Bridge under
skirmish fire from the Rebels.
American reinforcements fan out as militia
reinforce the skirmishers at Queen's Bridge. 

At Queen's Bridge, skirmishers fire and fall back as the
 grenadiers are caught in a crossfire from both cannon and musket.
Casualties are heavy.

Compelled to take a morale check from all of the fire,
the Hessians break and run!
I recall the Hessians rolled a double one! Rout!

Coming up in support, a second Hessian
grenadier unit crosses Queen's Bridge.
It, too, is welcomed by a hail of cannon and musketry!

At the Old Stone Bridge, the skirmishers fire
and retire as the odds against them mount.

In all of the commotion and traffic jam at Old Stone Bridge,
 the Jaegers take friendly fire (double one) from the rear!
The jaegers are forced to retire. 

The British guard charges over the Old Stone Bridge
 but comes up short of the skirmishers.

Stopped short from reaching the skirmishers,
 the guard falls to intense fire from multiple directions. 
In an attempt to relieve pressure, Hessians charge over
 Queen's Bridge toward the skirmishers.
They, too, are caught in a murderous crossfire.
Both must make morale checks.

Double ones!  Again!

The guard in no-man's land on the Rebel side of
 Old Stone Bridge routs! 
The Hessian grenadiers fare no better.
They turn tail and run away!

The victorious rebels scatter the opposition
photo courtesy wargamesinthedungeon

After only a few turns, the British commander throws in the towel and calls off the attack.

A major American victory!

Another fantastic game packed with lots of action.  Unfortunately, Matt picked up where we last left off with handfuls of terrible morale check dice rolling.

And, the Americans actually did only need to hold on for three turns although the outcome was not the expected result.

Stay tuned for Matt’s version of the action with loads of close up photos.

Swiss Regiment Salis and More!

Work continues on the SYW project in 18mm.  Actually, work at the painting desk sees a number of different projects getting a run-out.

First up is a 23-figure regiment of Swiss Regiment Salis to add to my growing French Army.  Foot figures are Blue Moon led by a Eureka mounted colonel.  Flags are by David at Not by Appointment. 

Looking over at the queue to the photo booth, Salis is the last in a long line of French troops for this project (for now, anyway).  Next up for the SYW project is a turn to fielding Spanish infantry for the WAS but I am getting ahead of myself.

Two more odds and ends moved across the painting desk of late.  Both entries are for the 30mm ECW collection.

Mustering out is another command stand using The Assault Group figures.  This command stand features Wallenstein from the 30YW range but he will be pressed into service for ECW battles wherever needed.

Next, are three stragglers from the recently completed commanded shot unit.  When I originally painted the commanded shot, 26 figures were painted.  When I put the figures into the painting queue, I was almost certain there were 27 figures.  27 figures went in and only 26 figures came out.  Since the figures are based in threes, I only fielded 8 stands of three.  The other two figures were set aside.  Fortunately, during a quick clean-up, the missing figure was found underneath a box of figures on the floor.  He was quickly primered, painted, and now joins his comrades.

Finally, Matt and I return to our long-running AWI with a continuation of the campaign on Sunday.

Matt never holds back on his table layouts.  Sunday's action at Bound Brook is no exception.  Just look at the marvelous layout I get to fight over tomorrow.

Stunning stuff!

Battle of Bound Brook, 1777
photo courtesy wargamesinthedungeon

Battle of Millstone, 1777

Redcoats on the march. 
photo courtesy wargemsinthedungeon.blogspot.com

Matt and I return to our long-running AWI campaign as we fight our way through the war.  After the battles of Trenton and Princeton, combats center on small skirmish actions while both armies are in Winter Quarters.  Up this time is one of the actions from the Forage War.  For historical background and Matt's excellent battle account, please visit, 

The Forage War, 1777: Battle of Millstone 

While Matt presents his version of the action with superb battle photos, I attempt to recount my rendition of the action from the Rebel perspective and from afar.

Let's take a look at this battle from the American chroniclers.

The battlefield with the long British column
 marching toward Millstone River Bridge.
A Hessian detachment guards the bridge.
photo courtesy wargemsinthedungeon.blogspot.com

British column marches toward the bridge.

The Rebels arrive out of nowhere to challenge the column
but the Rebels fail to attack both flanks.

Gunshots ring out as contact is made
 at the rear of the column.

Threatened from beyond the mill and from the town,
 itself, the Redcoats are forced to split their command
 to deal with each threat.

The Rebels advance upon the lead elements of the column
 while the rear guard is attacked from both directions.
The baggage train stalls.

A withering opening volley from the town
sends the British back toward the bridge.

Surprised by seeing enemy both fore and aft,
 the British unit scatters.
Hoorah!

British infantry line the fence as the Rebels close in.

The firefight intensifies as the Hessian jaegers scurry
 across the Millstone Bridge to aid their comrades.
Musketry from the Americans drives off the Hessian gun. 

The Hessian jaegers arrive to thwart the Rebel attack.
photo courtesy wargemsinthedungeon.blogspot.com 

One Rebel skirmisher has seen enough and disperses.
The baggage train is making little progress.

In the firefight, first the lead British regiment breaks
taking Abercrombie away with it.
  They scamper toward the bridge pell mell.
Seeing their commander carried away in flight,
the second British regiment breaks.

First one Hessian jaeger company is destroyed 

and then the second disperses.

As the Americans close in on the column,
 not much remains to protect the train.

The lead wagon is attacked as the British rear-guard
continues suffering casualties at the hands of their pursuers.

With the route to the bridge blocked and the baggage
 train under heavy attack,
the remaining British infantry skedaddle. 
The rebels are victorious!

Well!  That was a quick and sharp little action.

The Rebels attacked quickly and gave the British a very bloody nose.  Crown forces experienced a spate of untimely and unseemly Morale and Rally tests.  So many catastrophic morale failures occurred, the likes of which are not often seen.  If it were not for bad luck, the British may have had no luck at all.

While there will be fewer places set at the British mess tent this night, the Rebels will be eating well with lamb on the menu.

Great game and great victory to the Rebels!