Call to Arms games Aug 4-5 2018

Started by pierre the shy, 10 August 2018, 10:18:13 AM

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pierre the shy

10 August 2018, 10:18:13 AM Last Edit: 10 August 2018, 10:46:45 AM by pierre the shy
A few shots from our two what if games last weekend at the local club's annual convention from my fairly dodgy cellphone camera:

Saturday: Paul's Battle of Gloucester Point, mid October 1781 using Volley & Bayonet Wing Scale rules.

North of the besieged Yorktown, across the York River was Gloucester Point. The British defences there were loosely watched by Virginia Militia and some French forces.

On the night of 16 October Cornwallis attempted to evacuate his troops across the York River but was thwarted by a storm. The next day he began surrender negotiations.
This 'what if' scenario looks at what might have happened if the storm had not intervened but the French and Americans had also been able to transfer some forces to Gloucester Point.
The battle is loosely based on 'Battle of the Hook', the largest cavalry battle of the American War of Independence which took place in the area on 3 October.

The French Volontaires Étrangers de Lauzun begin the game in the fields around Mrs. Whiting's farm while the Duc exchanges pleasantries with the attractive widow Whiting:


The remaining French arrive via the road from the west of Mrs. Whiting's farm, D3+1 turns after the arrival of the British. The Americans under Lafayette arrive via the northern road, D3+2 turns after the arrival of the British.

The British arrive as desired anywhere along the southern table edge:


Later in the game....Dundas's Brigade is checked by the French:


While in this hurried picture Tarleton's Legion and the Loyalist brigade are about to be badly shot up by the superior firepower of the American Light Infantry brigade (they had 3 artillery batteries :'( :


The game ended in a narrow 5:4 victory to the combined American/French force, though Brigadier General Benedict Arnold was able to escape immediate retribution by moving well to the rear in the final turn  #:-S

Sunday: My France 1914 Stand at Hamerfeld game using TFL's "If the Lord Spares Us" rules plus our own house rules. The scenario setting is an imaginary one.

You are commander of the BEF's 7th (Mixed) Division. The division is part of the newly formed IV Corps which has just been landed at Ostend. Your orders are to hold the village of Hamerfeld near Bruges and surrounding area to give the Belgian Army time retreat from Antwerp and reform behind the cover of the Yser River on the Franco-Belgian Border. Intelligence believes that elements of the German 14th Cavalry Division has been dispatched to the area around Hamerfeld with a view to cutting of the Belgian's line of retreat.  The Germans seem unaware of your presence in Belgian territory.

The table:


I didn't deploy my German's as well as I could have so I took a long time to dislodge the Highland battalion from the village of Hamerfeld. Here my Jager Battalion advances on the village (Yes those are Pendraken hedges and walls around the fields):


I tried to use my two cavalry brigades to outflank the village before the British motorised column arrived (those are Leven 6mm windmills):


But the column arrived, my two leading squadrons of (dismounted) Cuiraissers crashed into the British Territorial battalion as they hurriedly formed up but some truly bad dice rolls saw both my units retreat, lashed by MG fire from the two RNAS Rolls Royce armoured cars:


In the end the British decided to withdraw once I had gained one sector of the village:
   

But it was too late for the Germans to furfil there victory conditions so we called the game a considerable British victory. Evidently I forgot to mention to Paul the special rule that means that the scenario designer cannot lose  ;)

Overall a very good weekend of gaming and catching up with gamers I have not seen for years, including the teacher who set up a wargaming elective at my old high school in 1975 that started my gaming "career"  :)


Though much is taken, much abides; and though
we are not now that strength which in old days
moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are.

Steve J

Sounds like a great get together and two good looking games :)

Duke Speedy of Leighton

You may refer to me as: Your Grace, Duke Speedy of Leighton.
2016 Pendraken Painting Competion Participation Prize  (Lucky Dip Catagory) Winner

Techno


paulr

Thanks for two really enjoyable and close games Peter :) :)

In the first game the French Volontaires Étrangers de Lauzun and Régiment de Royal Deux-Ponts were very roughly handled. The Americans took considerable casualties as well X_X

In the second game the RNAS arrived in the nick of time and they were very relived that the German artillery was deployed by the road south east of the village, far away from them #:-S

There were a lot of positive comments about the look of both games and all were suitably impressed with the Pendraken figures :)

I'll add some more pictures when I get a chance :!!
Lord Lensman of Wellington
2018 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
2022 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
2023 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

Leman

Couple of good games there. It really makes an event when enthusiasm is displayed through the games on show.
The artist formerly known as Dour Puritan!

d_Guy

Looks like a couple of fun scenarios, thanks for the reports, Peter.
Sleep with clean hands ...

paulr

A few more pictures of the AWI game

The British and Loyalists surge onto the table towards the heavily outnumbered volunteers in French service, Volontaires Étrangers de Lauzun


The first of the French reinforcements, Régiment de Royal Deux-Ponts, has arrived and engages the 80th Foot in a firefight




The second French reinforcements, Régiment de Bourbonnais, have moved behind Régiment de Royal Deux-Ponts, and exchanges fire with a battalion of British Light infantry


On the other flank the Americans, Vose's Light Infantry Brigade, have arrived and open a withering fire on the Loyalists and a British Light battalion


The final positions, with only von Voigt's German Brigade able to continue the British decided to withdraw, much to the relief of the battered French and Americans
Lord Lensman of Wellington
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paulr

I actually took very few pictures of the WWI game as I was too focused on keeping my forces intact. There was a real risk of them being overwhelmed if I wasn't careful :-SS :-SS :-SS

The German Jagers assault the village and the companies in the two flanking fields. The British company in the near field was pushed back behind the blind (flag). This was a section of 4.5" howitzers that was very disconcerted to find itself as the front line :o


On the other flank massed German cavalry, dismounted, advance towards the road north of the village


A few turns later the British company in the other field has been destroyed and while the defenders of the village are inflicting casualties on the Jages they are suffering from return fire
North of the village there has been dramatic hand to hand fighting, one British company has been repulsed while the other has stood firm
The RNAS armoured cars near the fields have inflicted heavy casualties on the dismounted German cavalry


The final positions, with casualties mounting on both battalions, one section of 4.5" howitzers destroyed and the first company of Germans in the village the British decide to break off and occupy the forest behind the next river. The RNAS armoured cars will cover the withdrawal
Lord Lensman of Wellington
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Steve J

Thanks for more pics of two great looking games 8)

Duke Speedy of Leighton

You may refer to me as: Your Grace, Duke Speedy of Leighton.
2016 Pendraken Painting Competion Participation Prize  (Lucky Dip Catagory) Winner

paulr

Having a decent camera helps and the spot were we always get put is pretty well lit which helps even more

For some reason we are always put near the door and are basically the first game people see as they come it ;)
I suspect it might have something to do with us actually talking to people :-\
Lord Lensman of Wellington
2018 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
2022 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
2023 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

Techno

Quote from: mad lemmey on 12 August 2018, 09:49:46 AM
Amazing shots, very well done.

Seconded..definitely !!

Quote from: paulr on 12 August 2018, 10:50:29 AM
Having a decent camera helps and the spot were we always get put is pretty well lit which helps even more

I've GOT a decent camera......and I still see shots taken on mobile phones that are far, FAR better.  :'( :'( :'( :'(

Cheers - Phil

Westmarcher

I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.

pierre the shy

I was asked more than once by members of the public/other gamers how one painted such small figures in such detail....l just smiled at referred them to Paul to answer that one ☺
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
we are not now that strength which in old days
moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are.