Steve's Fieldworks-DFW Irregulars: miller

Saturday, July 12, 2014

28mm Napoleonic Battle at Chateau Mouton

We finally dusted off some of our 28mm Napoleonic collections today. Had a great game! We used Clay Smith's homeconstructed rules called "Le Baton". (available on his website). The rules are short, sweet and pretty much devoid of ancillary bs. They follow a "step by step" system much like Died For Glory. I like these rules because they're easy to learn, easy to play and very difficult to master.

We decided on playing French vs. Russians. Why? I guess because my Russians were in the display case and Clay didn't bring his Austrians. That's how our group rolls. We don't take much seriously.

The objective was the farm of Chateau Mouton.

It is the larger building on the bottom of the photo. It was an older farm with outbuildings you can see on the top of this photo. The French were on the attack. The Russians on the counterattack and/or holding their position in true Russian fashion.

The French began the battle with an artillery bombardment of the Russian heavy batteries sited in the walled yard of Chateau Mouton. This game thrives upon historical tactics. One must reduce unit efficiency and/or put gun batteries out of commission to even think of a successful assault. Combined arms attacks are definitely encouraged as well as aggressive play. The first phase of the battle revolved around the French assault of the Chateau. and the tough body blows given by both sides in "the farmyard". The assault chewed through multiple French and Russian units and did not succeed until the latter stages of the game.
The Russian commander continued local counter attacks across the battlefield in an effort to stem the French advance. The Russian flank commander succeeded in not only stopping the French but pushing their forces nearly to their initial deployment zone. The Russians did not get to dice on their Heavy Cavalry Kurassier Brigade as their dice rolls were "run of the mill" (per Jack Young-old DFW Irregular gamer).

The right flank (from French perspective) was turned and swept by a Light Cavalry Brigade and associated Horse Artillery. These figures are from the Limited Edition Dave Alsop box sets from Old Glory.

We ended the game as "generals" needed to depart. The Russians left the field in good order to the French.

This is just one of the many periods and collections owned by team members in our group. If you would like be a part, drop me a line by clicking pilum40@sbcglobalnet

Here's a gallery of today's game. You will see many manufacturers and some old friends such as Hinchcliffe, Foundry, Old Glory, Minifig and Front Rank. You will also see some minitures painted by the late, great Peter Guilder. This is our favorite period as a group. 28mm just rocks for scenic appeal, eye candy and pure "sex appeal". Come join us and let's throw some dice!

French Heavy Battery in action

French Chasseurs ride through Russian Arty. The Arty did manage to get away
by rolling a 4+ on "The Heroic Action Card"

Hinchcliffe French Officer painted by either Peter Guilder
or Ed Phillips

Dave Alsop Limited Edition French Light Cavalry Brigade

Limited Edition Dave Alsop French Light Cavalry 2

Hard action at Chateau Mouton Grenadiers are vintage
Hinchcliffe painted by Peter Guilder or Ed Phillips

Heavy action in the farmyard

Classic Hinchcliffe French Lanciers riding to their doom up the road

French Brigade advancing on the Chateau Mouton farmyard

Russians stop the French cold at the old chapel

Second shot of French Lanciers. I really LIKE these miniatures!
Exquisitely painted and sculpted way back in the late 1970s-early 1980s

French Brigade wearing out some shoe leather

French Artillery in action

Steve's Light Cavalry Brigade finally gets onto the table. Must
have been the Blue Moon!!!

Second shot...yep...it definitely was the Blue Moon! My gaming
priorities are in the RIGHT place!

Clay, Justo, Rusty "into the fight"

Preston and Justo organize the French

Classic Hinchcliffe French Line Infantry-late 1970s-early 80s

pre-game 1

pre-game 2

pre game table for Battle of Chateau Mouton

My table doesn't use felt nor wedding cake hills. No doubts
where the crests of hills are or are not

Steve's Russian Dragoon Brigade

Steve's Kurassier and "Crabs" Hussar Brigade...ok sue me...that
didn't come out right did it?

In this game, all are engaged. No waiting around for anyone
any time!

Russian Heavy Battery at Chateau Mouton

Grenadier Brigade, Light infantry, Heavy Gun
Steve's Russians

More Russians...they still keep on coming forward!

Maybe I should cut a base to make it easier to make a "square"
Nah...I'm a triangular player

Russians spread out to minimize effects of pass through fire.
You can't clump up in this game. Do it at your own peril!

Hero Russian unit smacked down the French at the windmill

Heavy action in the farmyard

Moutons! Why we fight!

Steve's Russian (I think Tsarina's) "Crabs" Hussars Old Glory figures

Russian Infantry. Can't believe I was painting all these guys
with two cataracts.....guess they'd look better if I took more time right?

Overview of Russian initial position at Chateau Mouton

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Black Powder Pike and Shotte Game #1, #2, #3!

I've been looking forward to putting toys on the table using Pike and Shotte. Several of us are going to play a larger game in a couple of weeks at Area 51 Comics and Games in Grapevine. I wanted to make sure I understood some of the mechanics, game play and work out kinks in the rules that would result in issues playing this larger game. I played with Rusty Gardner, a new Tejas transplant from the Ohio gaming scene. We had a "crackin'" game last night. It took several turns to get smooth with the rules. After we played a few bounds, these rules were fast, easy and a hell of a lot of fun. I took some notes and hopefully will be able to teach some if not most of the game functions. Clay D. showed up on Sunday. We ended up playing two games in a 3.5 hour period. I'm liking these rules. Three games in a weekend ain't too shabby!!

Now on to a quick review. The rules are most definitely a gentleman's game. Rules lawyers and grammar gamers need not apply. The rules are pretty broad in some areas; yet, are specific enough to not have large sized holes. If you want a set of rules for a hard-assed tournament setting, these rules are not for you. If you want a set of rules to enjoy an evening's game with enough give and take to challenge most historical gamers, you should pick up a set of these rules.

We played the game on an 8'x6' table with two players. The figure density was ok for the table space. One can play terrain as hard or as soft as one desires. You can slow down the game with a lot of terrain. Hopefully, someone that follows this blog might have some postive comments on how much terrain is too much. I found that a bit of 'this' and 'that' is enough. I've never been to England so I'm sure my "terrain eye" is not correct.

The variable response to orders is a staple of the Black Powder games so I won't go into the mechanics. Suffice it to know that one's forces may not do what one wishes WHEN they wish.
This is a bit unnerving at first but once you play a couple of games is relegated to the "normal course of events".

Disorder is critical in this game. Causing disorder coupled with "hits" on units keep units from acting in lock step. We forgot to keep up with disorder during the first game. It would have made major differences (I would have lost sooner...Ha!)

Units have arbitrary "stamina" or strength. Once units take more hits than their stamina, they become "shaken" and must take a morale/break test. We found that once units reach their max, it's time to get them to the rear and begin to rally them. There's a catch here...the general can attach and begin to rally the unit. The general cannot give any other orders while rallying a unit. This leaves the other units or battalias without the ability to act or react. This makes the commitment of units to battle and rallying from hits very timing critical.
Foote units are independent units consisting of pikes, two (2) "sleeves" of shotte (Dutch Brigadas or Dutch system). I'm used to playing Gush's venerable "Renaissance" rules. Shotte units are subunits to the parent pike unit in Gush's rules. It took me a game to figure out this was not the case in Pike & Shotte. In the photo on the left, one can charge muskets only. Musket units have three (3) options when charged by horse. The optimal option is to form "hedgehog" (square to we old Napoleonics guys). Not a good idea for cavalry to charge frontally. Another option is to stand and fire; hoping to put casualties on the charging horse forcing them to go shaken. Again, not such a good idea but an action forced upon infantry by a poor command check. The last option is by far the worst option. Infantry fails its command and stands and takes the medicine. (Illustrated by the pic above-happened to my Yellow Shotte unit). When the melee is over and the hapless musketeers are scurrying away looking for a cold beer, the other units are taking break tests as well. This is not good if you're the infantry. Pretty good if you're the cavalry.

Artillery are a bit flaky as they probably should be in other rules sets. It takes a "5" on a D6 to hit another unit. No modifiers for "fast movers" or other stuff that gets in the way. One throws 3D6 at short range, 2D6 at half range and 1D6 at long range. Don't roll a "double one". If so, the artillery is out and does not function for the rest of the game. This illustrates the civilian crew and non professional nature of artillery in the 17th century.

Melee is pretty straight forward. Hits are not saved but totalled. The difference between both sides in the melee determines the winner. A straight up break test is made. If lost, the unit literally either retires or breaks off the table. Units that are supporting or to the flanks of the broken unit take a break test as well. The possibility of an entire batallia melting away is quite real. It happened to my cavalry wing twice.
Batallias that lose more than 50% of their components auto break off the table. When an army loses more than 50% of their original strength, they leave the table. Simple, fast and brutal. Brings a game to conclusion quickly!

Will I play this again? Heck yeah! I think there's a place and rules to play my French-Italian Wars and build out those 17th Century Polish and Ottomans I've always wanted to have in my collection.These rules are highly recommended. Get ready to have a great game.

Here's a gallery of the games and some shots of my English Civil collection. The collection is a mixed bag of Old Glory, Dixon, Warlord, Perry, and Foundry miniatures. Ebay is a good friend when putting a project together. Enjoy the "eye candy".