Great Wargaming Trip of 2019 - Part One

My next couple of posts will be images I took a year ago at our annual wargames retreat to the stunning Lake Tarawera in the central N Island of New Zealand. We are fortunate enough to have amongst our group two gentlemen with holiday homes on the lake, so it has been a tradition for several decades for the group to head down there for a series of day long games followed by evenings eating too much food and drinking just a tad too much alcohol. Numbers are obviously limited but I was lucky enough to be voted into the attendees about ten years ago – the old originals have been going down there for 30 years I believe – lucky bar stewards!

As we have now set a firm date for the 2020 event – late October – it got me to thinking about the fact that I had a heap of images (over 70 it turns out!) that I took last year but had never put on my blog.

I wont run through a blow by blow account but will just put a few brief notes here and there. Many visitors may already have seen pictures from this event on my friend Marks “1866 and all That” blog – but as a year has passed since he posted his versions, I think you will forgive me for rehashing the games again!

First a couple of images to explain the setting....

 

Most of the group live in the city of Auckland, I live about 50km south in Pukekohe. The trip down to the lake takes just about two hours.

 

 

Above and below - a couple of images of the lake, taken straight from Google. It surely is a beautiful location...

 

Game 1 Wednesday ACW designed by Paul

 

 

The table set up Union on right to attack Confederates on left

 

The main objective of the attack was this road junction

 

The Union troops I commanded

 

Chris had the Reb right wing and moved forward to attack our left, held by Julian

 

Our mass attack commences - a bit like Picketts charge in reverse

 

Part of Chris's command moves to flank our advance

 

Barry commanded the centre of the Confederate defensive position

 

At the other end of the table it was much more open, with Mark on the Union right facing off against John 

 

My brave boys face a hail of lead as they move forwards

 

The advance began to falter......

 

…...in the face of withering defensive fire....

 

….and our left flank collapsed under pressure from Chris - total victory to the Rebs!

 

 

Game 2 Thursday War of 1812 designed by Mark

 

My brigade advances - troops mainly Perry plastic Brits or Old Glory War of 1812, plus some second edition Napoleonic Brits

 

The Crown forces deploy to meet the advancing Yankees - artillery are Front Rank

 

Julian commanded a small detachment holding this blockhouse at the bridge

 

US regular infantry from my War of 1812 collection (most of the figures in this game were supplied by me)

 

The blockhouse was a custom purpose built piece created by the talented Mark of 1866 and All That.

 

The Americans stir up a hornets nest of locals as they stomp through the woods

 

More and more US troops entered the woods

 

Some very cool native naval units.

 

The game ended in a unlikely draw when my very small unit of Canadian militia cavalry (seen in the background in the photo above) successfully charged US troops who were crossing the bridge, driving them back in disorder - a great result for His Majesties forces!

 

 

Next time I will post the Fri, Sat and Sun games.....