Third Napoleonic Game with One Hour Wargames

[bigjackmac]

All,

Fresh off a French victory, the tables are turned, with the Allies fighting to hold a pair of fortified hamlets against the French onslaught, trying to buy time for their forces to regroup and reorganize.  The French force arrayed against them is powerful indeed, but time is not on their side, and the battle-space too narrow for the entire weight of the French hammer to be brought to bear at once.  The British and their Dutch allies settle in to receive the finest France has to offer.  The scenario is "Fortified Defense," with the Brits and Dutch trying to hold at least one village (of two) for 15 turns.  Both sides start with six units, but at any point in the game the French commander can remove all current units on the board and start with six fresh ones, the idea being the first wave has broken itself and falls back, and the second wave comes in to continue the fight.  No sweat, right?


Overview of map, north is up.  The British will start anywhere on the map north of bottom edge of the right-hand forest, with infantry brigades in the two fortified hamlets: at left is Hugemont, at center top-right is La Hay Suisse.  Fifteen turns for two waves of Frenchmen to come on the bottom of the table, move up, and evict the Brits and Dutch from both villages.  Keep in mind that all hits on the infantry units in the villages will be halved, making them difficult to remove.

To see how the fight went, please check the blog at:
http://blackhawkhet.blogspot.com/2016/06/third-napoleonic-game-with-one-hour.html

Wow, what a fight!  So damn close; come to think of it, this is the first game that time has actually played a part in.  Of course I was just on the wrong side of it.  The boy did very well, whereas me, I can think of quite a few tactical mistakes I made.   I'm getting tired of the boy kickin' my ass...

V/R,
Jack

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Well played the boy!

[Techno]

Wot Will sed.

Great report, Jack.

Cheers - Phil

[Norm]

thanks Jack

[petercooman]

Nice report!

I would have thrown my entire first wave against the KGL. No general to rally hits! and no fortified village on my side that pours fire in me 

Then just wack the other village with the second wave...

[bigjackmac]

Thanks guys.

Peter - I hear you, but it's not that simple.  The two villages are mutually supporting, so the right-hand would have been able to beat up on me even if I'd gone after the left-hand, even more so if I'd continued to use my cavalry to run down the Dutch infantry and the artillery, which I'm pretty sure was still my best option.  Regarding his General (for rallying hits), they move 12" per turn so could have supported either village in quick fashion.  Really I went after the right-hand village first just to be able to use my skirmishers in the woods, despite the fact they weren't getting anything done against La Haye Suisse...  I should have pushed them through the woods and out the backside, to either pin his cavalry or get after the guns...

V/R,
Jack

[petercooman]

Yes, probably 

Not saying what is best, just what i would have done! Are the general rules something you added yourself? Am reading the napoleonic wargaming book, and haven't run into anything about generals yet, so i don't think they are in there.

[Steve J]

Very nice and the boy is getting good (or is Dad getting bad ?).

[bigjackmac]

Peter - Sorry man, didn't mean to sound defensive!  I've just been under a lot of stress, the boy's killing me!!!   

Steve - Easy buddy, surely it's the former! 

V/R,
Jack

[petercooman]

I didn't take it in a wrong way, no problems.

Found the part on generals in his napoleonic wargaming book, they just add +1 o the morale roll there.

[bigjackmac]

Peter,

In OHW there are no rules for morale; or at least none stated.  I like to think of hits as casualties and morale combined, which, when reached, causes the unit to break and flee, as opposed to the unit being eliminated.

Regarding Generals, we're playing where the General can either add +2 hits in close combat or rally D6 hits off per turn, but can support infantry only.

V/R,
Jack

[petercooman]

Sounds fair.

As said, they can only give +1 to morale rolls in napoleonic wargaming. They are also attached to the unit you choose and they stay in that unit. I find it a bit limiting to keep him in the unit, so i will probably house rule him to be abl to switch between units.

But i'm going to get a couple of games in before i start tinkering.

Been looking at the magister militum site today for nappies. (no peninsular war in the pendraken catalogue anymore) 

So fari have looked at doing it in 28mm, 20mm , 15mm and now 10mm . The most logical step is that i now calculate what it would cost in 6 mm 

[Ithoriel]

The most logical step is that i now calculate what it would cost in 6 mm 

Wot? No 2mm?

[Leman]

The 2mm can look spectacular - jeez, must get Langensalza finished.

[nikharwood]

The 2mm can look spectacular - jeez, must get Langensalza finished.

Yes and yes you must