Napoleonics Battle of Maloyaroslavets

Well today was Black Saturday as the Russians moved to stop the French attempt to flee Moscow to the south.  Attrition would tell the tale as Russian Guard Cossacks stopped a French Column by forcing the lead battalion into square - But the Polish Lancers have crossed the freezing River losing a Squadron being swept down river at the Ford. The resulting battle over the Church grounds is a vicious and bloody affair. We doubled artillery strengths and distances because they seemed a little week.

Pictures to follow

 

guard Cossacks force the french lead battalion into emergency quare

 

Skirmishing Dragoos give way before the charging Russian horde

 

Polish skirmishers with French Dragoons defend the church outer wall

 

4 battalions of Russians grind away at the Polish infantry

 

result both sides have commanders catch a musket ball

 

The Guard Lancers after their chilly bath in the river ford

 

View from the Bavarian Artillery position

 

RUssian Grenadier brigade awaits its turn at the French

 

Guard Lancers Poised to Counter Attack near the Church

 

 

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We used Wellington's Rules a rule set from Buck Surdu. Well apparently we are out of space for pics will need to review past posts and see what needs to be eliminated - oh the joy of the computer age!

The Day After Feasting Battle

This Coming Saturday will be either some BP 28mm AWI or Nappies in Spain plus WWONE airplanes / probably BLUE MAX as Henry will be over on the 8th of December for a post Pearl Harbor Day game. Looking forward to ending the year on a high note with a few games - Recommend Siege of Augusta in January 2013 check out their link siegeofaugusta.org  January 18-20, 2013  at DoubleTree by Hilton in beautiful Augusta, Georgia

HMS BOUNTY SINKS AT SEA

Tragedy at Sea: A replica of the HMS Bounty sank during the recent Hurricane Sandy - Apparently the Captain was swept overboard and one person other person has died. Just an Amazing picture of a sinking ship of sail. http://news.msn.com/us/crew-member-rescued-after-abandoning-ship-dies "The Bounty's Facebook page reads like a ship's log of her activities, with many photos of the majestic vessel plying deep blue waters and the crew working in the rigging or keeping watch on the wood-planked deck." Apparently the diesel engines for its pumps failed. So much similar as the fate of Spanish invasion fleet of British Florida during the American Revolution The Bounty unfortunately suffered a similar more modern fate. It is said this ship had even appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Mens Chest movie. Regardless a sad day for all concerned.

Sept 11 2012

 

 

Today I was reminded of the horror and sacrifice of this day. My generations day of infamy. As Americans we owe no one an "apology" on this day of all days. Least of all anyone attacking a
US Embassy for whatever their "reasons?"

Very British Civil War in Scotland (Angus Konstum/Colin Jack)

A repost or rather a pull over from Scottish gaming in March 2011 (includes other games )http://www.edinburghwargames.com/Journal%2056.htm

I really enjoyed these games in Scotland over the 4 months I was there!

 

Acklington, County Durham, 1938 (A Very British Civil War / Triumph & Tragedy) 28mm - Report by Colin Jack

With Angus still up in Orkney, this game report is brought to you by Colin Jack, who's enthusiasm for his ficticious "Very British Civil War" - an alternative history take on the aftermath of Edward VIII's abdication - has led to its development into a fully-fledged "period", with its own particular - and peculiar - style. Here's what he says; This was the game that our SESWC Club put on at Albanich, the small wargame show held in Dumfries in January. As is usual with display games very little of it got played at the show, as the guys were too busy talking to visitors, and expplaining exactly what !1938" was all about. The scenario revolved around a British Union of Facist and Royalist attack on Acklington airfield, just south of Alnwick. Bill's job as the Socialist commander was to use his miners militias to blunt the attack, which would then leave less for Hugh's better-armed Anglican League defenders to do. As the attackers led with their armour the initial clash was one-sided, and over very quickly. The surviving miners - classed as "raw" militiamen - were soon in retreat. The Anglican League then threw their two Vickers Mark II tanks into the fray, and were soon engaged in a full-scale armoured battle with a Royalist Vickers Mark III tank and a Lanchester armoured car.

   

Meanwhile, the 2pdr anti-tank gun defending the airfield airfield knocked out the truck transporting one of the Royal Naval Brigade's units, killing several of the passengers. That blunted the advance towards the airfiled - at least for the moment. Dissatisfied with the speed of the attack, Dave - the BUF commander (that's him with the glasses) sent his infantry buses up the road at full speed, heading towards the gates of the airfield. The buses even managed to run over several enemy infantry on the way. He also detached his own armour - the massive French tank "Black Prince" - to bolster the Royalist tankers.

Once again the players ran out of time - the danger of putting on a large and complex game on a normal club night. As the game ended, the first bus had reached the gates of the airfield, where it had ground to a halt, while it's passengers were pinned inside and unable to de-bus. Things had been looking bad for the Miners and the Anglican League, until the last-minute arrival of reinforcements. Two "Armadillos" arrived to support the fleeing Socialists - the Armadillo being essentially a pillbox mounted on the back of a truck! The troops in the Armadillos managed to pour fire onto the Fascist column, and so thwart the madcap charge by the buses. They were the heroes of the left - apart from the AT gun and the armour, most of the Anglican defenders never fired a shot! A few more turns might have been interesting, but the time had come to pack our shiny toys away, ready for another outing some other day.

Note from Angus: While I don't have a page dedicated to the Very British Civil War (aka "1938", or "The Third British Civil War"), I've asked Colin to pull something together for you, and with luck we'll be able to post it here in the next few weeks. After all, despite my "bah humbug" protestations that this isn't a "proper" wargames period, Colin really has put a lot of work into it, and turned it into something rather special. The rules he uses are Triumph and Tragedy, and the basics of the alternative history, and the factions involved can be found in the "period" guidebook "A Very British Civil War". I'm sure you can get both publications from Caliver Books.



The Red bus in Scotland almost won the game as the BUF forces almost crashed through the defensive terrain at the airfield.

Wings of War 3 games

Today Henry and I did some Wings of War - We had to impovise the stands because Henry misplaced his pegs. But the other stands worked out alright. I flew Germans and Henry took the allies. The Germans shotdown 5 fighters and killed 1 observer. The allies shot down 4 fighters.
So the Germans won 2 combats to 1 - At least that was the Huns propaganda for the days fighting.
Henry will add pics and his perspective. a bit later.

NAPOLEONIC BATTLE in RUSSIA: TARUTINO 18th OCTOBER 1812 our completion

Not much in this post fiddled with the BUA melee values which saw the French tossed out of half the modified village. Looks like this may be the last Black Powder Napoleonics for a while we are shifting back to In the Grand Manner for a while. Or Republic 2 Empire perhaps. Will post a pic of the captured village. Soon!