[vtsaogames]

Thank you, gents. Most of the figures are Minifigs except for the French Canadian militia. All were painted by Fernando Enterprises except for the militia and the Troops de la Marine, done by myself. Some of the Indians came back with white loin-clothes, making them look rather like the wrong kind of Indian. That was back before Fernando sent emails with pictures of the first figures painted. All it took was a few brush strokes to get rid of the white breech-clouts.

 

Autodidact-O-Saurus, a few 12 man units per side and you will likely have a force that works for Pikeman’s Lament and the forthcoming AWI rules by the same author. And that will stand you in good stead when you decide to go whole hog and get larger armies for other rules. Give in to the dark side.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

JozisTinMan wrote:

…I am doing it in 6mm…

 

Hmm, should be able to play that on a very small table. Or use ranges that are in true scale with the figures, 3mm = 1 yard.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

The rules that are variants of Dan Mersey’s “Lion Rampant” rules (which these are) have a good reputation. That said, some of the other Osprey rules do not. I have not played the others or many of Dan’s for that matter. I hope to remedy this by playing Men Who Would Be Kings (colonial) later this year.

 

Edit: all of Dan’s rules that I’ve seen are large skirmish rules, with maybe 4-6 units per side. The treatment is cinematic rather than simulation and fairly simple, rules sometimes tongue in cheek. I’ve seen comments om Amazon by players who expected rules for large battles and were disappointed. Figure on 40 – 100 figures per side on the table.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

I recall your excellent lecture about the origins of WWI. Do you have a place where your lectures are listed, with links?

 

(I just noticed the blogs board)

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

” For me wargames are about simulating the military subject at hand. If something is too generic or not tight enough that gamey stuff happens, then my interest bombs.”

Amen, brother!

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

One thing I have noted when playing this family of games: if an opponent is quiet in a given sector, they may be out of cards. If you have cards in that sector, even a smaller force can have their way, at least until the enemy pulls a card that wakes up that area.

 

Realistic? Hmm. Fast? Yes.

Mind, I sold my CC Napoleonics recently because my crew doesn’t play it much.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

I read one AAR of a French and Indian War game. http://25yearsofminis.blogspot.com/2018/01/play-testing-rebels-patriots-new.html

A large band of Mohawks charged French regulars in a strong defensive position, were repulsed and charged again, breaking through. Those are cinematic Indians. The usual tactics of actual woodland Indians were to ambush if they could, otherwise snipe from behind trees until the enemy showed signs of distress and then charge. They would also attack individuals and small groups who were reloading. If they started taking heavy losses they would call it a day. They rarely charged troops behind cover, or even steady troops in the open. When they attacked forts (mostly during Pontiac’s Rebellion) it was usually a surprise rush.

 

I haven’t read the rules. Other rules of the LR brand are lots of fun. I just get picky about how woodland Indians are represented on the table.

 

Lovely work, OB.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

Very helpful. Thank you, John.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

I read that very sentence and somehow construed it as “this will be explained later”. I guess I blasted through the core too quickly. Thanks for the help.

 

Edit: OK, went back and read the core slowly. Beating an enemy in melee means you can take them prisoner. Unrelated, but I assume that each player only re-shuffles their card deck once the whole deck has been played. I do have a felt mat 3 X 3 feet. Hmmm.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

OK, got the One Hour Skirmish Wargames rules and read through them. I seem to have missed the place where they explain taking prisoners. I assume that moving into contact with a downed enemy does the trick?

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

Very, very nice.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

I get what you mean about columns, but post 1815, they seem to have fled the battlefield

 

Again, the French used columns at the Alma and Inkerman in the Crimea. True, the companies that made up the columns were in 2 rank lines, but the battalions were in columns of divisions. Likewise in Italy in 1859, which convinced the beaten Austrians to go with attack columns just in time for the 1866 war against Prussia and their breech loading needle guns. However, the Austrians ignored the part about clouds of skirmishers. They even often used the Jager units in each brigade as crack shock troops in column instead of using them as skirmishers. The Russians fought the Crimean war in column – one of the reasons they took such heavy losses.

 

Both Union and Confederates used some battalion columns early in the war, and after Upton’s column (more properly a wave assault), massive columns were used in Virginia more than once in 1864.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

Salt: Age of Empires obtained by having the Maxim gun when they have sharpened fruit

 

Me: 

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

I either call it late 19th century, rifle and saber (SPI had a game of that name), or late black powder. To me, Victorian is more a description for period clothes, architecture or social mores.

 

The French still fought in columns in both the Crimea and in Italy in 1859. The columns were shielded by clouds of rifle-armed skirmishers and aided by rifled artillery. That and tactically inept opposition made the difference.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

Thanks for the review, purchased the PDF. I’m curious: how many turns did you play and how long did it take to play the game?

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

 

 

 

 

(I am myself banned from that venue, for reasons that I never understood.)

 

I left, after observing some shabby behavior by the proprietor. After turning down a free supporting membership. I have been banned.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

JozisTinMan wrote:

let me know how you get on with Poilu, I have the sample on my kindle but have not bought it yet.

 

I’m about halfway through. Barthas could write well and he survived over 3 years in the trenches. Poilu is great stuff.

 

Edit: read as far as the Nivelles offensive. This is great stuff, good footnotes by the editors too.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

IMHO opinion, weight is largely a question of size and condition of mounts, presuming horses and riders are both trained well. Light cavalry are pretty much equal, regardless of name/uniform. They made up the cavalry screen and their horses would be fairly tired if the battle didn’t occur early in the campaign. Dragoons might also do some screening and wear down their nominally heavier horses. At least in theory cuirassiers would be in reserve during the campaign, husbanded for the battlefield. Some rules have various slight gradations for each type of cavalry. I tend towards raw/trained/veteran and rate cuirassiers as veteran heavy cavalry, when they deserve it. Titles don’t always equate to actual performance. The wars raged from 1792 to 185 with some brief cease-fires. After a while any nag with 4 legs was liable to be pressed into service.

 

The British had an advantage here, since their horseflesh hadn’t been picked over by every army in Europe. They had big healthy horses. This was offset by the comparative amateurism of many of their cavalry leaders, as evidenced by various rash charges throughout the period. yes, I’ve read “Galloping at Everything” and they didn’t get out of hand every time, but still too often.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

Loved it! Except for the smiley face markers, that is. 

The wily Curbelo hangs out in insurgent-rich areas, it seems.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

Ivan Sorensen wrote:

For shooting an AT rifle at some grunts, I’d say 1 damage is fine. Getting plinked at by a giant rifle like that would be disconcerting but hardly likely to break a squad on its own. I like the idea of the team taking damage from rolling 1’s. Could also represent them slowly losing heart as they wear out their ammo and the enemy gets closer. I doubt those guys really stuck around for the infantry fire fight if they could help it.

 

I like that! It’s much better than cheesy stuff that goes in the other direction. In Panzerblitz, once trucks dropped off their infantry loads (in the face of the enemy) they would then drive adjacent to enemy positions to spot them for friendly artillery and such. Yeah, right. Also read accounts of Bolt Action games where forward observers, once their fire missions were used up, whipped out their pistols and made one-man banzai charges. Please.

 

Give us more rules that simply show the usual responses of human beings. Once a game if you roll yahtzee on 6’s, then assume that a Medal of Honor/Victoria Cross/ Iron Cross/ Hero of the Soviet Union is about to be won and the figure or small unit can do anything.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

Jozi, a book suggestion: beyond the scope of platoon level combat but still worth the read is Zabecki’s “Steel Wind”, about Bruchmeller and his artillery tactics that prepared the way for Hutier’s stoss troops.

 

I’m now reading Poilu but don’t know if it is going to yield data about the composition of French platoons.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

Get thee behind me! I need a new period like I need… aw shucks.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

A most interesting post. What is October Hammer? Something I should get, it sounds like.

 

Yeah, I think special HMG ammo would be cause for concern since ordinary bullets caused spalling of armor inside Mk IV tanks. The crew had chains in front of their helmets to ward off metal splinters. That and having to pause to air out the tank every now and then.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

I just had my gaming room/den remodeled, floor refinished, a wall of cabinets with matching shelves installed, and all my stuff in the cabinets, books on shelves, a new system keeping track of the myriad figures. Now if I can just keep it this neat…

John, I presume you’ve heard the Dorothy Parker version of that? Challenged to use the word horticulture in a sentence, her response was “you can lead a horticulture but you can’t make her think.”

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

Deleted User wrote:

That is a very good battle report. Thank you. You mentioned leader casualties. I know in Napoleonic battles, generals (especially French) died like flies. Is your paucity of “dead generals’ actually more accurate of the SYW or not? donald

We are used to playing Bloody Big Battles, where leaders only affect movement rolls and not combat. In BBB games they get hit frequently if near the front lines. In these SYW rules, leaders only get hit if attached to units, which our crew is not used to doing. However, if attached they give bonuses in melee and morale checks. I think as we continue to use these rules my wounded general vignette will see more use.

 

Thank you both for the kind words.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

Nice brushwork.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

Lovely. Thank you.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

Rules received, thank you.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

Andrew Rolph wrote:

I have a set as well, if you’re interested… Let me know if you want them. Happy to hear feedback on them. Cheers Andrew

 

I’m always interested in simple rules, if you wish to share them. vtsaogames AT rcn DOT com

 

thanks

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

Looks great and a most interesting period!

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

Use a cheap brush. Minwax eats brushes.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

My AWI grenadiers and fusiliers wear their caps. I don’t care if anyone can prove they didn’t in the field.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

Just wandered over from the Horse and Musket forum where I usually hang my hat. Good to see you here, Just Jack! I’ll have to drop by more often.

There s a chance my crew will pick up Crossfire after a long, long hiatus. Maybe we’ll have reports to post here some time.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

On my 1/72 plastics, I found the dip (Minwax stain and varnish) keeps the paint from flaking off. I’ve lost the tail of a horse, but no paint.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

Lovely. Looking forward to how it goes. I have it in mind to do this one myself, but I play Grand tactical and each brigade would be smaller than your battalions. Albuera would be a fast game at that scale.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

This is a post on my mats: http://corlearshookfencibles.blogspot.com/2017/12/paper-mat-tips.html  I started with Sharpie brush pens but much prefer Tombow ABT brush pens. They look better and last longer.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

15mm? My, you can paint.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

This was Pakenham’s first independent command. His brother-in-law the Duke of Wellington had turned down the chance of command in the New World. Pakenham had a hard nut to crack, facing the best US commander in difficult terrain. Jackson’s line was anchored on the left in a dense cypress swamp, on the right by the Mississippi River, with a US Navy gunboat anchored in it in support. Every British soldier, round and biscuit had been rowed across Lake Borne in ship’s boats by the Royal Navy, a distance of 60 miles. The first night of the landing had seen a vicious night attack on the lead brigade’s camp that was only driven off after a tough fight. An earlier bombardment to silence the US artillery had failed due to a lack of ammunition and soggy ground under the British guns. An attack that was supposed to go in on the west bank at the same time was seriously delayed by terrain and human error. It went in late and succeeded, after the main attack had been mauled.

Also, the 44th Foot was led by acting colonel (actually captain) Mullens, who failed badly. His regiment was to bring fascines and scaling ladders to the wall. When the attack went in, his regiment was not in the lead and did not have any of the storming gear. General Gibbs, 2nd in command, was heard to roar on the field, “Colonel Mullens, if I live till tomorrow you will be hanged from one of these trees!” Shortly after this Gibbs was mortally wounded. Mullens was later courtmartialed and dismissed from the service.

20/20 hindsight says the main attack should have waited. But if this had worked and Jackson fell back, there two other fortified lines closer to the city. One presumes he would have stationed better troops and commanders across the river after seeing the first failure. Pakenham needed to break Jackson’s polyglot army.

Jackson also planned, if he could not hold the city, to burn it to the ground. The burghers were not informed of this, needless to say. The film has the location of the battle right. That and some of the names.

PS The Royal Navy earlier seized control of Lake Borne when ship’s boats boarded and seized a flotilla of US Navy gunboats in a bloody battle.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

How many turns did you play? Hmm, I see 12 turns. Helps to actually read the post.  How long did that take? I’m always curious about new rules. Thanks for the report.

Are these 15mm figures?

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[vtsaogames]

“Looking forward to reading more about this.”

Me too.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

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