The attacking Russian (Robin and Guy) force broke several Austrian (Jeremy and Adrian) infantry battalions and cavalry regiments through judicious use of artillery, musket fire, and charges.
BUT the Russians failed to take the two key objectives before the night came to a close, and so the Austrians won the game...damn their eyes....
Lots of laughs, lots of blown-up AFV's (apart from one heroic Hanomag which refused to give up), good food and good company. Nine members involved in the game, never easy, and thanks to Adrian for organising.
This GdA2 game was fought as part of the Battle of *******. The French had to attack the Russians across a valley with a stream running laterally across the centre of the table between the two opposing armies.
The Russians (Robin) occupied a village on their right wing, and being the defenders, had built an artillery redoubt to cover their left wing, allowing them to concentrate their infantry and other artillery on their centre and right. The Russian cavalry reserve was held back behind the artillery redoubt.
Opposing them, on a slight ridge, the French (Norman & Guy) infantry and artillery maintained their distance, as advancing and crossing the stream (rough terrain) under infantry and artillery fire would have been suicidal.
However, with the Russian left wing being free of troops, the French quickly sent their cavalry across the stream within the lee of a wood, and out of the direct line of fire of the Russian artillery in the redoubt.
The Russians committed their cavalry reserve to try and stop the French cavalry moving towards their left flank and potentially getting behind the redoubt.
French quality (and good gameplay by Norman) meant that the Russian cavalry were charged and a retreat move forced on them. The French cavalry continued to advance forwards, and the Russian artillery in the redoubt failed to make any impression.
The French cavalry were approaching the flank of the redoubt when the Russian cavalry charged again, and failed again, once more heading back along their rear line in retreat.
Now a Russian infantry column moved swiftly into position to cover the flank of the redoubt. When the French cavalry charged, the Russian column failed it's test to move into square, went disordered, and was hit and destroyed by the French cavalry.
Now the French cavalry were able to charge the Russian artillery within the redoubt, and the Russian artillery was destroyed.
One last attempt was made by the severely weakened Russian cavalry to halt the French cavalry attack, and this time they lost big and dispersed off the table.
The French infantry in the centre were starting to move towards the stream unopposed as the main threat from Russian artillery fire had been mostly silenced, which would have allowed them to consolidate the cavalry gains.
The game ended at this point with a resounding French victory and the Russian infantry opting to evacuate the village and leave the field.
Well played by Norman, and big thanks to Robin for organising the game and helping us through the new 'faster-play' GdA2 rules.
Victory to the French.
Steve, Ray and Bob set up an ACW 28mm game with roughly equal sides facing each other, although with differing troop compositions. Ian, Norman and Guy joined in too.
The Osprey rules are pretty simple and fun to play (if you activate your battalions).
The Rebs went on the attack immediately, sending in their two regiments of shock cavalry to destroy a Union artillery piece before it got a chance to fire, and also taking out an infantry battalion. Both cavalry units were shot into retreat, but they'd done their job.
The two sides' infantry faced-off and commenced firing, pretty much even-Stevens in the Union centre and right flank, but the Rebs fell back on the Union left flank.
Overall a marginal Union victory.
Look forward to another game soon. Thanks to Bob for the photos.
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A scenario game, based on part of the Battle of Vitoria, Peninsula War 1813.
The French army were deployed and set-up to to defend the village and hill of Arinez, complete with cavalry reinforcements should they be needed.
French were Adrian, Steve K, and Bob, British were Robin, Norman and Guy.
The British moved forward quickly with infantry on the two flanks, and an artillery battery in the centre.
The British strategy was to advance quickly with the heavier force up the British right, push back the French, and then turn into the village and capture it, before moving on to the actual hill of Arinez.
Norman's infantry stormed forwards and quickly made contact with Bob's French left, using skirmishers, artillery and volley fire to force the French back, including a number of well-timed charges. This eventually meant the French lost two brigades.
Robin's smaller artillery and infantry centre, backed-up with some reserve cavalry, had slightly less initial success, but eventually forced Ade's French brigade to leave the table, and as the sun started to set, occupied the village after a short battle with the French occupiers.
Robin also saw-off the French cavalry.
On the British left, Guy's two brigades of veteran light battalions and 95th advanced through trees to the edge of the Hill of Arinez, and then up the rough slope to commence skirmisher and volley fire against Steve and Ade's defending infantry and artillery. Accurate and concentrated fire meant the British destroyed the French artillery batteries and all their skirmishers, and were preparing for the final infantry assault as the game ended.
The British won the game, having achieved three 'sauve qui peut' results and occupied the village of Arinez.
Thanks to Robin and Ade for organising the game, Steve K for his baking, and the rest of us for bringing along food. Lots of laughs and a great fun game.
Robin's battalion takes the village of Arinez
The year is 1465 AD and the Chinese with their Korean ally decide to invade Japan.
The Chinese intelligence and scouting must have been faulty, as they sent an almost totally mounted force into the hilly Japanese lowlands..
The samurai defenders were luckily able to deploy between 'difficult' hills, and with sporadic woods to their front, placing a large command of Ikko Ikki warrior monks (Hd S) in the centre, and trusty samurai foot (Bd O) on both flanks, expecting the Chinese force to try and outflank them.
As expected, the Chinese manouevered quickly to get their cavalry forces onto the flanks, found that the difficult hills had been reinforced with Japanese psiloi and ashigaru (Pk F) and so turned away, preferring eventually to charge head-on into the Japanese samurai flank commands.
The first cavalry force to hit home was the Korean ally left wing, but over two turns it became obvious the attack would fail as the samurai killed three bases of Cav O, with more to come had it continued.
The Chinese left flank was just about to charge home when the game ended, and the large and higher grade Chinese cavalry command never saw action.
The game ended with the Chinese invasion being repulsed and a victory to the Samurai.
Chinese were Norman and Nathan, Japanese were Guy and Tom.
Equally matched French and Prussian forces met to dispute a shallow wide valley, with a chateau on one side-edge, and some hillocks in the centre.
Both sides (France was Adrian and Norman, Prussia was Steve A and Guy) appeared to be setting up for a long defensive artillery duel, until the Prussians charged forward with all of their five brigades.
The French right wing had taken control of the chateau and grounds, plus a small nearby farm, but didn't occupy the central hillocks, and in fact had a gap in their line in this area....but not for long.
The Prussian right wing, mainly recruits and line infantry, marched into long-range artillery fire which hurt them somewhat, but they reached the central line before halting to set up their twin 12pdr artillery batteries and returning fire.
On the Prussian left wing, a much more experienced brigade of veteran light infantry attacked the chateau and pushed the defending French battalions back, occupying half of the grounds.
In the centre a large regiment of Prussian Uhlans rode into the shadows of the hillocks, complete with cossack supports, and approached the French centre.
The French brought on their cavalry reserve of three regiments to fill their centre gap, and to face the Prussian Uhlans.
The Prussians had a similarly sized brigade of Dragoons with supports, which also moved forward, although taking artillery casualties as it did.
The Prussian dragoons attempted to charge the centre-right French artillery and infantry, and were shot into retiring.
However, this allowed the Prussian Uhlans, over three moves, to charge into the French cavalry brigade repeatedly and force it backwards to the point where it routed off the table. The cossack supports helped to absorb local French infantry fire so the Uhlan charge became irresistible.
Time ran out, and although the Prussians had probably taken slightly more casualties, the French retired from the field and a Prussian victory was declared. Some more awful dice-throwing though.
The Prussian right wing advances into French long-range artillery fire:
The Prussian veterans prepare to attack the chateau on the French right wing:
The Prussian Uhlans with their Cossack supports ready to charge the French cavalry brigade in the centre:
The Prussian Dragoons (cobalt-blue uniforms near Ade's hand) are shot to a standstill and retire to their own lines:
The Prussian Uhlans with Cossack supports in melee with the three French cavalry regiments:
The French cavalry are forced back to their base edge over three rounds before routing off the board, in what turned out to be the decisive manoeuvre of the battle:
Thanks to Ade, Norm and Steve A for a fun game.
