31 August, 2011

The Battle of Wimpfen - Scenario

Designed this scenario for my work-in-progress Thirty Years War/English Civil War variant of the Command & Colours system

SETTING THE SCENE

After the fall of the Bohemian capital of Prague following the Battle of White Mountain, Georg Friedrich, Margrave of Baden-Durlach decided to continue the battle and oppose Tilly and Cordoba at Wimpfen.
By early May 1622, the forces of Christian of Brunswick had arrived to the north of the Neckar River and were prepared to assist the Protestant forces. This came as good news to the combined forces of General Ernst von Mansfeld and Georg Friedrich, who hoped to combine their armies before risking a major battle.
To gain time and to attempt to split the combined Catholic army, Mansfeld crossed the Neckar near Heidelberg while Georg Friedrich marched east up the river to cross at Wimpfen. The plan failed as the troops under Tilly and Córdoba did not split and instead pursued the 14,000 strong army of Georg Friedrich and cut him off near Wimpfen. Outnumbered, the margrave deployed his troops into a defensive position on a low hill outside of the village.


VICTORY
Victory goes to the side to take six banners.

OPPOSING FORCES

THE SPANISH-LEAGUE ARMY

TILLY
5 Battalions of Infantry (Tercio)
3 ‘Regiments’ of Cavalry

CORDOBA
2 Battalions of Infantry (Tercio) [1 Elite]
2 ‘Regiments’ of Cavalry [1 Cuirassier]
2 Batteries of Field Artillery

THE BADEN ARMY

GEORG FRIEDRICH
5 Battalions of Infantry (Dutch System)
1 Detached Unit of Musketeers
3 ‘Regiments’ of Cavalry
2 Batteries of Heavy Artillery

SPECIAL RULES

THE WAGONBURG
Each Wagonburg is a thin line of a score or so heavy shielded wagons with projecting pikes and a snub-nosed cannon firing grapeshot. Interspersed are detached musketeers. Only Badenser units gain the benefits of occupying a defending a Wagonburg hex.

• A unit of leader moving across a hex side with wagons must stop and may move no further on that turn
• Infantry units on a Wagonburg hex may ignore one flag
• Infantry battling into a Wagonburg hex throw one less dice
• Cavalry battling into a Wagonburg hex throw two less dice
• Infantry battling out in ranged combat throw one more dice
• Cavalry battling out throw two less dice

Full scenario with hex map is available as a pdf here

I'll post rules (really a modification to C&C Napoleonics) in a couple of months - after Gaelcon most like.

22 August, 2011

Slick Recovery

Two old college buddies dropped over on Saturday night for a spot of wargaming. I dusted off my copy of Ambush Valley and did a quick and dirty merge with Force on Force.


An Austrlian patrol is in a position to meet up with the downed aircrew

Australian patrol moves in

Through bush and paddy field it's meeting up with some local Viet Cong resistance in its effort to get to them

Through bush and paddy field

Moving up to hold down one of the stream crossings, this fire team gets hit with a minestrike, downing one of its members

Minestrike

On the other flank, this fire team rushes an enemy position - unwisely eschewing sticking to cover

Rushing an enemy position

The patrol's command team catches the VC out in the open

Catching VC out in the open

A VC machine gun team trades fire with the Australians across the stream

Machine Gun trading fire

VC and Aircrew in firefight across mud pond. This main force VC cell is well-armed and the aircrew has hunkered down to go on overwatch in defence of this position

VC and Aircrew in firefight across mud pond

VC reinforcements arrive to start putting the pressue on the Australian's attempt to rescue the aircrew

VC reinforcements

VC outflanked and ambushed by the command team, which picks up the pace to cross the river to join up with the aircrew

VC ambushed

The M60 gunner, whose team have taken serious casualties means business. There's no one in the VC who can stop him, not even this lone VC who pops out of a spider hole. He's some kind of Strike Commando!

M60 Gunner vs Spider Hole

VC reinforcements finally have their say, and the aircrew and Australian command team are taken out yards from each other.

Main Force VC target aircrew

A nice intro game for the two lads (who may not ignore the benefits of cover and overwatch next time!)

It was the 45-year anniversary of Long Tan during the week, so take a look at this site - some great photos.

17 August, 2011

Viet Cong

I picked up a veritable horde of Viet Cong over on The Guild recently


RPG Team

RPG Team

Sniper

Sniper

1st Cadre - a mix of bolt-action rifles and sub-machine guns

1st Cadre

Recoilless Rifle Team

Recoilless Rifle Team

Bazooka Team

Bazooka Team

2nd Cadre

2nd Cadre

3rd Cadre

3rd Cadre

Light Machine Gunners

Light Machine Gunners

Heavy Machine Gun Team

Heavy Machine Gun Team

Security Cell - armed with more advanced assault rifles

Security Cell

Force Command, with light mortar, runner and pack rat

Command

Medic takes care of the wounded

Medical Station

4th Cadre

4th Cadre

Ambush Valley

Ambush Valley

We'll see them in action on Saturday

15 August, 2011

The Battle of Redinha

Redinha was the second and most successful rearguard action fought during Masséna's retreat from the Lines of Torres Vedras in the spring of 1811. Having held off the British at Pombal on 11 March, Marshal Ney and the French rearguard had retreated to Redinha. Here he took up an apparently vulnerable position, with Mermet's division on a plateau south of the village, and Marchand's division north of the village on the far side of the Ancos River, linked by a narrow bridge...


After some initial skirmishing the French attack the left-flank of the British-held hill top

French Attack

A remarkably poor showing by the French is met with the superlative musketry of the Portuguese

British and Portuguese firepower

British counterattack pushes back the Swiss, whose performance on this battlefield is best forgotten. Masséna's vow is to make them his mules, or send them to guard the Pope!

British counterattack

French flank is turned, and the Highlanders are made of stern stuff as they force an advance

French flank is turned

The left and right-hand flanks of the battlefield are quiet, as they observe the fierce fighting in the centre

Battlefield of Redinha

A French regiment flees the battlefield - Masséna must withdraw

French flee

We played the battle again, and this one was much closer; most of the battle was a hotly contested draw, but this time Masséna can blame the Irish light infantry, whose markmanship made him suspect they held some kind regard for Scotsmen!

07 August, 2011

Australian Patrol

A small Australian patrol for Vietnam

The command team

Command Team

M113 Fire Support Vehicle

Fire Support Vehicle

1st Fire Team moves past some jungle

1st Fire Team

2nd Fire team crosses a paddy field

2nd Fire Team

The entire patrol

Patrol

I hope to have them in action the weekend after next

04 August, 2011

Projects Underway. An Audit!

On Tuesday I popped over to Mr. Kinch's for a spot of Command & Colours: Napoleonics. Some nice wine and a spot of port was had, and despite two French defeats at Redinha I enjoyed myself.
I will post a game report once Conrad sorts out the photos...

During a brief lull we discussed what projects he had on the go and it got me to thinking...


I thought I might recap here, if you'll humour me.
I'm dividing them up into two, one group where I am currently painting or lining up miniatures to be painted. The others are projects I am writing up, either campaign, scenarios or rules.

Projects Underway (Writing)

1. Operation Snakebite: Force on Force scenarios for Musa Qala in 2007 for Conspiracy at the end of September. 4 linked scenarios
2. Judge Dredd Miniatures Game scenario for my Scenario Contest (#2)
3. Ambush Valley: Force on Force scenarios for ACAV platoon in Vietnam. 2 linked scenarios
4. Devil take the Hindmost: Perilous Trail scenarios for Gaelcon at the end of October. 6 linked scenarios
5. Tabletop Teaser adaptation using Force on Force for Battlegames magazine
6. Pike & Shot adaptation for Command & Colours (and probably a scenario or two for the English Civil War)
7. Thunder on the Danube: C&C Napoleonics campaign between Austria and France in 1809
8. Attack State Red: Force on Force scenarios following the Royal Anglians in Afghanistan. 6 of 10 written and 5 played
9. Fall of Hanhai: Tomorrow's War scenarios for Leprecon in March. 4 linked scenarios
10. Siege Warfare (Horse & Musket): While I've finished the rules, I must prepare a scenario to playtest them

Projects Underway
(on a scale of 1=Currently Painting, 5=In a Box)

1. Heymans & Yamada Corporate Security Force for Tomorrow's War (GZG 25mm Stargrunt)
2. Two platoons, vehicles and extras for next year's Big Guild Game (Various 20mm Moderns)
3. NVA platoon for Force on Force/Ambush Valley (Britannia 20mm)
4. A handful of Eldar who I never got rid of, but now that I'm seeing the In the Name of The Emperor rules I reckon they could be a viable force (GW 28mm 40K)
5. A couple of squads of space marines which will do for 3:16 Carnage Amongst the Stars and 40K Old School (Alternative Armies 28mm Ion Age)


I've got an idea!

All this makes me think I need to serious cull the collection of unpainted lead. I'll get around to cataloguing and photographing it this month for disposal over on a forum or eBay, but if there's anything that catches your eye below, let me know...

1. Aztecs - 28mm (Foundry)
2. Conquistadors - 28mm (Foundry)
3. Swashbucklers - 28mm (Foundry)
4. Gladiators - 28mm (Foundry)
5. Irish (Tudor-period) - 28mm (Redoubt)
6. English (Tudor-period) - 28mm (Redoubt)
7. Blackblood (Chronopia) - 28mm (Target/Prince August)
8. Aeronef Fleets - Japanese & British - 1/1200 (Brigade Games)
9. Viet Cong - 6mm (Irregular)

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