A weekend towards the end of August in sunny Suffolk saw the culmination of a year's preparation - a 10mm, Pendraken heavy, Realistic Modelling terrained, To the Last Gaiter Button Ruled, multi player wargame. Some 6,500 figures eventually made it onto the 16ft by 7ft table, leaving about a 1,000 more who never managed to stir from their boxes.
The game involved 5 players a side, and 4 umpires/watchers!
The French:
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/4987170586_a0f64cd4c3.jpg)
The Prussians;
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4126/4987168348_6f9925e9f8.jpg)
My preparation time was involved in visiting the field, sorting out the terrain, and getting Keith Warren at RM to make what special we needed, and sorting out, getting painted, and labelling, and organising the troops. John Dz, my wargamer partner in crime, at whose wonderful house this was all set up, joined in the battlefield tour and setting up of terrain, and then concentrated on aspects which go beyond my organisational abilities, drawing up orders of arrival, drafting starting orders for all the commanders, and issuing the invitations to all the participants.
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/4986570587_fc73af1e46.jpg)
Looking back, perhaps the greatest contributor to success was having done more preparation than ever before, and having given some thought as to which individuals should be given which roles. This could be broadly summed up as allocating the more "senior and experienced" wargamers as French, and the "younger and more offensive in spirit" to the Germans. We also took a gamble - that the younger participants were perhaps less likely to do their homework, and therefore we might be able to reproduce the surprise that the Germans experienced when they found the French line extended beyond Amanvillers to Roncourt in the North. This worked and the result was an astonishing , and in my experience almost unprecedented, reproduction of the historical battle.
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/4986565937_4727113d03.jpg)
The rules, simple though they are, led to the sort of duel between Chassepot and Prussian artillery we have all read so much about, and the Prussians found themselves forming long gunlines almost exactly where they did in real life. In the south, they just got a toe hold on the ridge above the Mance Ravine, but could go no further. In the centre the Prussian/Hessian 9th Corps immolated itself on the French lines in front of Amanvillers, and in the north the Guard and the Saxons eventually cracked the French position, although at horrendous cost to the Guard.
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/4987166374_19fb15636e.jpg)
Most players were unfamiliar with TLTGB before we started, but picked it up very quickly (including the oddness of the "square rather than measuring" system). Given the number of units (some 400+) and players (10) it moved very smoothly, aided by my prize new possession, a set of dials to keep track of casualties as they were calculated and before removal of figures. These were purchased from the Dial Dude in the US, and allocated one per brigade. Good to look at with the coloured flags on top, they also proved invaluable in reducing the tedium of keeping records.
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/4987166164_2f7b5b6bd3.jpg)
Overall, although as an organiser I would say this wouldn't I, the game looked great (kudos to Pendraken whose figures were about 90% of those on display), and played well and quickly, producing a period feel with simple mechanisms. This reinforced my attachment to this set of rules for big battles, as watching players get to grips for the combined arms tactics necessry for this period was fascinating.
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/4987165862_9e00929be4.jpg)
A great day, truly enhanced by JohnDz's hospitality, and a bunch of good natured and tolerant players. Henry Hyde, a tenacious Canrobert, took over a hundred photos which should with a bit of lkuck, appear on FLIKR shortly, when I'll post a link.
Hope someone out there finds this useful!
Mollinary
Wow! Sounds awesome.
Can't wait to see the photos.
Yes, photos, please.
Some photos would be great, a whole lat of photos would be better.
We done on the game
Photo's added!
Thanks for photos. Impressing !
Add some close-ups please ! Not the particular figures, but rather like last photo.
Very, very impressive. =D>
I once organized a big WWII battle (Kursk) at my home. Things went smoothly because we had a group of ten relaxed, experienced wargamers. It helps a great deal if you assign each player a specific role in advance and ask people to come prepared so they know the specific qualities of the troops they get to command.
It didn't look as good as yours though. Terrific pictures, mate!
Cheers,
Aart
Stunning 8)
Really impressive - looking forward to seeing more pics of this one!
For the hundred plus photos of this game taken by the inimitable Henry Hyde, please see his thread innovatively titled "Henry's photos of Gravelotte-St.Privat!
Enjoy.
Mollinary
OK, you have pushed me past the point of resistance to FPW
The troop density looks really right. What are your base sizes?
I think I may be posting on stereo here and on TMP! I wanted something which looked pretty massed when deployed in divisions and corps, so I went with 25mm wide by 15mm deep for infantry (4 figures to a base), 30mm x 30mm for cavalry (3 figures to a base) and 30mm x 30mm for artillery (1 gun and crew per base). A Chasseur/Jagers for these rules are 25mm circular bases with 2 figures a piece on them. A Prussian Corps for these rules works out at c 14 guns, 8 bases of cavalry and 24 btns, each of 4 bases + an officer, so some 450 figures.
Mollinary
Thanks!
(you might be answering my questions in stereo, too. I've not checked in there yet this am)
I am really impressed with how much those ragged but definite lines look like the period artwork -- which is certainly the look I want to achieve.
(and I seem top be messing up basic post edits -- sorry)
Fantastic report.
Lentulus,
Thanks, that is just the sort of look I was trying to get, particularly with the Prussians - there are some great Rochling paintings, both of 1866 and 1870, which show just what I was aiming for.
Mollinary
Very nice indeed; do have a look at our froeschwiller game photos in the Pendraken Flickr page, should be under Falkirk 2010; also some good photos of our FPW and APW games over at Piquet and 1870 Yahoo groups (Froeschwiller and Nachod Wyskow Skalitz).
also http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/sets/72157623404033825/ I've changed all the Austrians (old style) for the new Pendraken ones in the intervening period : )
also http://www.flickr.com/photos/55665103@N03/
Let me know if you'd be interested in a 10mm APW gave over the Nachod Wyskow Skalitz game board; cant go to 6000 figures all the same, more like 3000 but still pretty good looking.
Encouraging to meet someone else who likes good terrain and 'en masse' effect.
OMG! And I've only just discovered these rules. Boy! have I got my work cut out; good job I'm about to retire.
DP
Excellent looking game!
I'll be taking a foray into the FPW in the near future and this is very inspiring stuff. :D
Fantastic series of pictures, I'm jealous, if my FPW looks like this I'll be happy!
And the beauty of 10mm is that you can get the numbers on the board to make these big battles look credible on tabletop.
A blast from the past – but I've recently been prompted to re-upload all the Gravelotte pics to Flickr. You can find them here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/battlegames/sets/72157715173748363
I love the idea of Henry Hyde being a Cadet on this forum ;-) Everyone outranks him .... for a while at least
Quote from: Dave Fielder on 20 July 2020, 06:50:30 PM
I love the idea of Henry Hyde being a Cadet on this forum ;-) Everyone outranks him .... for a while at least
Given his output elsewhere I expect to be outranked shortly :)
Quick 'ello to the newbe Mr Hyde ;)
Thanks Henry. Some fantastic inspiration, particularly the low shots taken from behind the French lines.
Much appreciated. Phil
Quote from: henryhyde on 20 July 2020, 06:23:01 PM
A blast from the past – but I've recently been prompted to re-upload all the Gravelotte pics to Flickr. You can find them here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/battlegames/sets/72157715173748363
Thanks Henry, great photos reminding me of great games - is it really 10 years ago!? I know you are going through a hard time at present, but there are an awful lot of people rooting for you. Hang in there mate!
WOW! Photos are inspirational.Very impressive.
🐵
Quote from: Glorfindel on 21 July 2020, 02:12:55 PM
Thanks Henry. Some fantastic inspiration, particularly the low shots taken from behind the French lines.
Much appreciated. Phil
Seconded :-bd =D> :-bd =D> :-bd
A good range of player ages as well :-bd
VERY impressive ! :-bd
A belated welcome from me. :)
My excuse is.....You joined before I did. ;)
Cheers - Phil
I have just come across these photos and this game. I have to say this really does take wargaming to a very high and ambitious level. Inspirational.
Can't believe how long ago that was. Planning my first battles in my new home now, with 10mm SYW happening first followed by FPW. Got my FPW out of the box yesterday for the first time since arriving here. Seeing these photos again is spurring me on.
Smashing photos Henry, good to see the youthful Brentnall in all his glory, hopefully see you all next year, hopefully.
Quote from: cameronian on 10 November 2020, 05:19:05 PM
Smashing photos Henry, good to see the youthful Brentnall in all his glory, hopefully see you all next year, hopefully.
The body is over a stone lighter these days, and the hair three shades whiter! How about you?
I remember this post coming out, but was it really 10 years ago!! I was dodging rockets in Baghdad at the time :o
For those of you involved in this , would there ever be any plans to produce a book or other format about it or other FPW projects? I have in mind something along the lines of the two books on the 1866 war - which, Mollinary- you have mentioned to me before you co authored. I would certainly love to see something like that but can see it would be a big undertaking.
Great, indeed, to see the photos of such an outstanding game again (even though I didn't catch them the first time around - I was lucky enough to pick up on these a few years back after reading a Field of Battle AAR involving John DZ, Chas Grant and Angus Konstam on Gerry Henry's contoured table of Nachod*). Also fascinating to see names who no longer participate in the forum and those who still do. :-bd
*http://www.orkneywargames.com/the-battle-of-nachod-1866-4/ (http://www.orkneywargames.com/the-battle-of-nachod-1866-4/)
A bit late to the party, but two fantastic looking games of a period and conflict that I have grown to love. It makes we want to play Bloody Big Battles again and all of those wonderful scenarios in the books :).
Quote from: mollinary on 10 November 2020, 08:15:16 PM
The body is over a stone lighter these days, and the hair three shades whiter! How about you?
Covid haircut and a beard :o