Next project - ACW, Colonial, ...

Started by paulr, 01 September 2019, 03:31:21 AM

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paulr

Well the Indian Mutiny is certainly looking like a fascinating period :)

I've pulled together some various 19th C mods for Volley & Bayonet and applied them to the Wing scale variant  :-\
They seem to make sense so probably time to have a solo test game

I'm repurposing some of the Junior General top down figures I used for testing Sudan a while ago and am pulling together the forces for the second battle of Agra, October 1857 :!!

Don't tell Pierre the Shy but this is slowing down my painting of his Scots
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paulr

I mentioned the Indian Mutiny during our tea break in our regular group's Saturday game, the reception was not as warm as I'd hoped :(

I've glued the test units onto some cardboard and will try out the rule variant I've come up with and see how enthusiastic I am after that :-\

When are those Ancient Greeks coming out ;) :-\
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paulr

Cut out the test units :)

Hopefully I'll get a test game in over the weekend :!!
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Chris Pringle

Quote from: paulr on 01 September 2019, 03:31:21 AM
I've been mulling over ideas for my next project for a while and have been thinking about something in the mid to late 1800s using Volley & Bayonet rules :-

This gives me three broad choices:

  • European - but which nations and years @-) :-/
  • American Civil War - Infantry, Artillery, cavalry - Blue & Grey :-
  • Colonial - variety of troop types, asymmetrical forces :- :-B

If the Mutiny isn't sparking interest among your gang, and if 'variety of troop types, asymmetrical forces' are important criteria - why not go Franco-Prussian? The French army especially has a great variety of colourful units - and its republican incarnation is quite different from the imperial one - and the German side is not without variety and interest too. And they are super-asymmetrical: better French rifles vs better German artillery, active and aggressive German command vs passive French commanders and doctrine, a range of troop quality on both sides ... And plenty of interesting battles, if historical battles are your thing.

I think Mad Lemmey of this parish has done a lot of FPW with V&B (right Will?).

Chris

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pierre the shy

I think their concern was more along the lines of "not another period" as we play a wide veriety of rules and periods as it is. Armies/navies are not utilised that often given that usually our Saturday games take more than one session to play through. We use "V and B" fairly regularly so learning a new rule set is not an issue.
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we are not now that strength which in old days
moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are.

paulr

I think Pierre the Shy has summed it up reasonably well

There was also a bit of, "not really interested in colonials"

Personally I don't mind having forces that only get a run occasionally but I can understand their reluctance
If you only play a period once every year or two it can be hard to remember the tactics let alone the rules  ;)
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FierceKitty

I think the hobby's full of "not interested in colonials" (I was one myself) until they've tried it.
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paulr

Played the first test game of my Volley & Bayonet Wing scale Indian Mutiny variant with Junior General top down figures on cardboard cut outs

The scenario was based on the second battle of Agra, October 1857

The Mutineers managed to catch the Loyalists before they had gone stationary (fully formed up in V&B terms) but the initial wave didn't do as much damage as hoped

The action was fast and furious and musket fire from stationary units was devastating X_X

As the dust settled the Mutineers had lost two brigades and the morale of their other two brigades had collapsed

The Loyalists were not much better off one brigade had been destroyed, the morale of another had collapsed and the remaining brigade was grimly hanging on waiting for the reserves to sally from Agra :-SS

I'll give the scenario another run tomorrow with some different tactics and see how that goes, overall I'm very pleased with the first outing
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paulr

The second outing also went well

Repeated attacks by the Badmash wore down the Loyal cavalry while the main Mutineer infantry brigade and cavalry destroyed one of the Loyal brigades

The mutinous Bophal contingent tied down the other Loyal brigade but was destroyed in the process

The arrival of the sally from Agra saved the day for the Loyalists, Huzzah!
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FierceKitty

Try not to loot the Taj Mahal, won't you?
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paulr

Wot me guv'nr ;)

Tried an attack on some dug in Mutineers this afternoon :-\
The Bophal contingent bore the brunt of the assault while the Badmash fought with the Loyal cavalry
I'll have to run the scenario again with fewer mutineers
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Steve J

They sound like fun games Paul, any chance of some pics?

paulr

You want pictures of my cardboard cut outs :o :-/

I'll try and remember for the next attack on the dug in Mutineers
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Steve J

I don't mind seeing wooden blocks (as I have some :D) or card board counters for a game; they all help me get a feel of the action etc.

paulr

16 September 2019, 09:34:15 PM #29 Last Edit: 16 September 2019, 10:04:54 PM by paulr
Your wish is my command ;)

This test game was loosely based on a number of battles where Loyal forces were attacking Mutineers dug in around a village

The Loyal forces have advanced down the road from the top of the table and deployed to their right
The Mutineers have redeployed a battery of guns to support their only unit of cavalry on their left


Casualties are slowly mounting as both sides artillery fires
The Loyalists are surprised by effective long range rifled musket fire from a company in the village


Galled by the mounting casualties the Loyalists charge!
Mutineer moral holds all along the line :o X_X
The shock of the gallant charge of the 9th Lancers disorders the Mutineer artillery (yellow marker bottom left) #:-S X_X


The Loyal attack on the dug in Mutineers has been a disaster, the survivors of the failed charge flee for their lives X_X
The one minor positive was the destruction of the Mutineer artillery and the exhaustion of the Bhopal Contingent
The Loyal cavalry have had more success destroying the cavalry and artillery
The infantry of the Bhopal Contingent redeploy and loose close range volleys into the flank of the 9th Lancers
The 23rd Bengal Native Infantry move up to provide support :!!


The Loyal cavalry charged the Bhopal line with mixed success; Hodson's Horse was disordered during the charge and routed but enough causalities were inflicted by the other cavalry to destroy or exhaust the Bhopal infantry
The remaining Loyal infantry and artillery cause some casualties in the village
The 23rd Bengal Native Infantry advance to cover the withdrawing Bhopal infantry and the 7th Infantry, Gwalior Contingent join their line


The concentrated fire of two European battalions and 2 artillery batteries is too much for the forces in the village
The Loyal cavalry charges and two of the Mutineer units are disordered by the the charge and all three are routed and destroyed X_X


A costly win to the Loyal forces

Overall the rules seemed to work pretty well :) :)

I'll make a couple of changes to clarify the QRS
The drilled cavalry are a little too strong so I'm also going to reduce the number of to hit dice for drilled cavalry from 4 to 3, this still leaves therm better than undrilled cavalry with 2.
It makes them the same as most non-stationary foot so the key for the cavalry is to disorder the foot
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