Showing posts with label Period: Thirty Years War. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Period: Thirty Years War. Show all posts

01 December, 2011

Pike and Shot - A Sense of Scale

Having written a set of rules for Pike and Shot (I'm sure that my gaming companions won't let me ignore those British Civil Wars for long!) I really should put together a collection to fight massed battles with them.


However the question of what size miniatures to use is still open.

As I see the issue, I really want a sense of mass on the battlefield, so I'm ignoring the larger scales and considering 10mm, 6mm or 2mm only.
I'm inclining towards 6mm (given I have a lot of 6mm already) but await your decision. The poll is in the top-right hand corner of the blog.

To help you to make a decision before entering the polling booth, I'm going to link to a few blog posts from others who are using the miniatures I'm considering

10mm
Pendraken


From The Warrior Pole


6mm
Baccus


From Keep Your Powder Dry

2mm
Irregular


From Fighting Fantastist

29 November, 2011

Exercise of Arms

I've written these Thirty Years War rules (modifications really) for Command & Colours: Napoleonics.



Warfare of mid-seventeenth century is often referred to as “Pike and Shot” recognizing the important relationship in an infantry formation between pikemen and firearms. EXERCISE OF ARMS attempts to give flavour to the style of use and respective strengths of these arms, while conceding the emphasis placed upon cavalry during this period.
Some additional modifications are foreseen after a significant round of play-testing. Pike to Shot ratios, mixed cavalry units of Kurassiers and Arkebusiers and such should probably be covered in more detail.
The presence of militia and lifeguard units should be easy to represent – C&C Napoleonics already does this.

For larger battles (on an Epic or Breakthrough map) a mechanism to model the use of brigades – according to system – would be necessary.

Further revisions will take place, paying closer attention to the later stages of the Thirty Years War and to the British Civil Wars. Any comments or suggestions are most welcome.

Download the PDF

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 July, 2011

The Bastion of St. Conrad

My second contest is still running.
I'll be drawing a winner on Tuesday, so let's see what your favourite Land War in Asia posts are.

I wrote this systemless scenario for a Guild task last month, but never got around to posting it here.


In the midst of besieging a Hessian-held city, four officers of the Saxon Brigade have discovered a conspiracy against their Duke. Not knowing who to trust inside the camp, they make a brave sally to take control of the ruined bastion of St. Conrad where they may discuss the matter privately. However the abandoned bastion belongs to the city’s fortifications and the Hessians intend to take it back and repair it forthwith.


The senior amongst the group, one Adler, has placed a bet with a Swabian dragoon that he and his three companions, Eichel, Pfaff, and Ungar will go and breakfast in the bastion, and we will remain there an hour, by the watch, whatever the enemy may do to dislodge them!

View the full scenario

As you may have guessed it's a thinly disguised version of the exploits of the Three Musketeers during the siege of La Rochelle.
If anyone has a recommendation as to what system would suit this, please let me know your thoughts.

28 February, 2011

Encampment and Gatehouse

Part one of my Project Build for 2011 is some Renedra tents and a resin gatehouse of unknown origins.


These will be used as a backdrop for a Thirty Years War skirmish, but they'll come in handy for many periods.

The Encampment (with some 28mm Dragoons for good measure)

Encampment

Close-up of Tents

Close-up of Tents

The Gatehouse

Gatehouse

Close-up of walkway

Close-up of Walkway

Towers with defenders taking aim

Towers with Defenders

Overhead shot

Overhead

Nice and easy to start off, I've some figures to get working on for the next part...

15 January, 2011

Forlorn Hope

Picked up this storming party recently


A party of dragoons rushes forward to prepare a breach

Storming Party

A dragoon provides covering fire with his carbine

Covering Fire

Two men struggle with the petard itself

Bearers of the Petard

These are from Redoubt's range, and doubtless they'll take centre-stage in some siege scenario...

08 January, 2011

New Scenery for a New Project

With my order from Redoubt arriving yesterday, I'm getting ready for my Thirty Years War project for 2011.



An encampment for a raiding party is necessary

Camp

With a close-up of the campfire and some open tents

Fire and Tent Closeup

Another piece from long-term storage. I picked this up almost ten years ago from a wargamer dumping most of his collection. Like any gaming magpie I was immediately interested!

Gate House - useful for coup de mains or some internal skullduggery

Gate House

Close-up of the Tower

Tower Closeup

Of course both of these lots can be used for other periods, but that's not a bad thing!

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