Advance on Leith games

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Looks fun

[pierre the shy]

Looks fun

Unless you were playing on the Kreigsmarine side.....on the plus side one of my Z class destroyers actually fired torpedoes at the British crusiers and survived ☺

[paulr]

The early RN dice rolling was extremely effective

[pierre the shy]

Game 2 – Covenant (Paul) and Parliament (Peter)

Here's a view of the overall convention held at St Patricks College Main Hall in Kilbirnie near Wellington Airport:



I didn't take many pictures of the other games but there was a very nice 28mm Anglo-Zulu War game played right next to us over the two days. They were using TFL's Sharpe Practice rules:



Last time I wandered over for a look things were not looking good for Lord Chelmsford's boys with the remnants of the thin red line being forced back into their camp.    


After lunch we swapped sides and played again. Deployment was pretty much as the first game:



I decided to attack from the outset in order to avoid Monck's brigade being pinned by the flank marching Scots cavalry. Lambert's veterans spurred forward towards the enemy and charged in fearlessly. Monck's brigade soon followed, crashing into the Scots line to Lambert's left:



Things didn't go quite to plan from the start....Brechin's Lancers rode down Fleetwood's Horse and Lambert's charge against Forbes's raw and untried foot battalia only caused two hits. Even Leven's small bodyguard was able to initially withstand Lambert's charge at the head of Whalley's Horse.
Monck's men didn't do much better, inflicting only single hits, while Mauleverer's veteran 2nd battalia reels from two hits from their opponents....ouch! The English need something to go to plan...

Cometh the hour cometh the man.......Cromwell and his cavalry brigade duly arrive, though he failed to activate very successfully despite his re-roll and Montgomerie's Scots cavalry brigade gallops onto the field to Cromwell's left, eager to engage:



Cromwell's left most unit, Colonel Robert Lilburne's Regt of Horse is flanked and easily rolled up by  Arnott's Lancers. Next turn Cromwell, at the head of his own regiment, is able to return the favour:



Before he himself is lightly wounded and is forced to join his last remaining unit, the aptly named Hacker's Horse, as Montgomerie's Lancers turn Cromwell's men to chaff ("they were like chaff before our swords"  or whatever the saying is):



Meanwhile in the front line Monck's and Lambert's men were still looking to push through the Scots infantry...



By this time Whalley's Horse had destroyed Leven's small bodyguard and Lambert's Horse would eliminate Forbes of Leslie's foot, but they pursued off the table and are not returning anytime soon. In turn the General of Artillery's regiment inflicted a third and fatal hit on Mauleverer's 2nd battalia.....another 3 VP lost to the Scots....I am running out of units fast. The other Scots infantry I am fighting are taking hits but hang on doggedly.



Monck's three remaining battalia attempt to push through the Scots defenders. Note that all three of the Scots units facing them only have one hit left....but for at least two turns no one hits anyone and Innes' regiment attempts to flank Monck's right hand unit.

But help is at hand as Cromwell manages to outdistance Montgomerie's pursuing cavalry and charges into the flank of Innes' Regiment. Its handbags at zero paces again as no hits are made by either unit and Innes is able to turn to face Hacker's attack.  



The next turn I managed to finally destroy Campbell of Lawer's Regiment (the middle Scots unit) but Monck's left battalia is also lost, leaving me 1VP from defeat.



The final chapter is played out on the right, where Hacker's Horse live up to their name by again failing to get the one hit they need to destroy Innes's Foot, who go one better and inflict a second hit on the English regiment which is enough to remove it. Cromwell rides off the battlefield with his retinue, pondering if the invasion of his former ally was a good move after all and promising himself that a Parliamentary Inquiry would be held into the English army's suppliers to ensure that for the next campaign they were properly equipped with steel rather than rubber swords.      

The game could have either way since so many of Paul's units only needed a single further hit to be removed. (I didn't count the final score but it was about 12 – 6 or so if I remember correctly as I did remove some Scots units).  
So two games each with a fairly close result and one win to each side.......developing and playing the scenario was very rewarding for me and we got some good feedback from visitors and passing gamers, so no complaints from me overall, though actually winning a scenario I wrote would be novel  

[paulr]

Pierre the Shy is again generous in his recounting of events

There were several more English hits scored but they were saved by some embarrassingly good chits

The scenario granted each Covenanter foot brigade a Melee Weapons marker, one of d_Guy's special rules which were each allocated to one battalia of each brigade
I resisted the temptation to use them to redraw a failed to hit card
Both were used for their other special feature, canceling the final hit on their battalia, so two of my battalia were saved at the last stroke  

I didn't count the final score but it was about 12 – 6 or so

I definitely WAS counting the score, it was 12 - 3 or possibly even 12 - 1 if using the Melee Weapon markers costs a victory point

I managed to desperately hang on for several turns with one more hit on any of four Scottish battalia breaking my army
Including one turn where one battalia was charged in the flank

I then managed to draw a 10 so the volley from Colonel John Innes' raw disordered Regiment hit
Pierre the Shy only needed a six or better for Hacker's veteran Horse to save the hit
He drew a 2

This game was even tenser and closer than the first  

Thanks again for a great scenario and two games played in great spirit, a really enjoyable day

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Sounds an epic game.
Whalley is one of my ancestors! 

[Westmarcher]

Great to see the wee guys getting another outing! 

[Techno]

 

Cheers - Phil

[d_Guy]

Nice once again! Still enjoying the capability of FK&P to deliver fast-paced, highly competitive games with great period feel. Plan to play out Peter's scenario soon. It is very thoughtfully designed.

[mollinary]

Loving these scenarios, and the trouble you take to share them. When my Scots get released from Marston Moor I fancy a go at Dunbar!

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Was there sunshine?

[pierre the shy]

Well whatever the final score was Paul ended up with more VP than I did  

Loving these scenarios, and the trouble you take to share them. When my Scots get released from Marston Moor I fancy a go at Dunbar!

We are looking at refighting Dunbar at Call to Arms next year, the 370th anniversary of the battle.....got a few units to go before we can field enough Scots infantry but have all the figures needed for a 10mm refight.

I do belong to the TtS/FK@P forum so I will turn my scenario into a PDF and post it there if anyone is interested Mollinary.

Was there sunshine?

Yes there was - see my shot of the overall view of the hall at the beginning of the second game report for proof that sometimes the sun does shine here

"Can't beat Wellington on a good day"

 

[mollinary]

I am sure that folks on the TtS/FK&P forum would love to see your scenarios, I know I would! Thanks for the kind offer, much appreciated.

[pierre the shy]

I am sure that folks on the TtS/FK&P forum would love to see your scenarios, I know I would! Thanks for the kind offer, much appreciated.

OK I posted it as a PDF over on the FK@P forum (got a message to say it will appear after moderation  ).

Cheers
Peter

[fred.]

Good looking game, and an interesting scenario.

Which forum is the FKAP one? Is the big red bat one?