Sunday 1 November 2020

Tarawera Wargaming Trip - Game One - Napoleonic

Welcome to the first of five reports about the games our group played this year in the garage at our friend John’s beautiful holiday home adjacent to Lake Tarawera. Unfortunately, as most if not all readers will know, our great gaming buddy Mark of 1866 and All That fame was unavoidably delayed due to his wife being admitted to hospital on Monday. It was a great shame Mark missed more than  half the games, but thankfully his wife’s condition stabilised and she was able to go home and after twenty four hours to ensure she was fully recovered, Mark joined us for the last two and a half days.

Mark has already posted a report on his game, a Crimean War slog fest loosely based on the Battle of Inkerman, but as he was not present for the first two games, my reports will be all that are available.

Game One designed by Chris was a Napoleonic scenario played on quite open terrain and pitting an Allied Russian/Austrian Army against the French and Bavarians. Like Marks later game, this turned out to be a mammoth struggle, and I cant really recall how we called it in the end. I lost an entire brigade of Austrians from rolling high on a brigade morale test – Paul who was playing the French lost a brigade through an unlucky frontal assault where he rolled eight dice to Johns three, but only scored one hit to three hits by John for a bloody repulse. Paul could easily have lost another brigade to a morale check, in the same way I did, but he managed to roll a 4 when required, whereas I did not

Barry (Bavarians) and Rick (Russian) on the other flank, fought each other to a standstill although I think Rick was starting to get the upper hand.

Chris had used a point system based on VP’s for objectives held – roads, bridges, buildings etc. For much of the game, I was in the lead with 25 points due to holding three roads and two bridges, but the loss of an entire brigade at the eleventh hour had a huge negative impact! Thinking back as I write, I think using the points system, our Allied army did prevail – but only just! The good thing was, everyone got a game that lasted the entire day, no one had an absolute disaster (although Paul was quite annoyed with himself for his impetuous charge!) and everyone had some success to take away from an enjoyable days gaming.

After a wonderful dinner of home made Bouef Bourginon (kindly pre cooked by Marks wife and transported to Tarawera by Chris) we relaxed with a few drinks and watched Sharon Stone gunfighting her way through “The Quick and the Dead” on Netflix! A great first day.

 
 

      Austrian artillery, preceded by cavalry, head down a road to seize control of one of the bridges

  The second Austrian brigade, covered by Kurassiers, advance (all Austrian figures are mine and are mainly Sash and Sabre but with some Old Glory as well)

The first Austrian brigade on heights overlooking the river (which was fordable at all points but took three full moves to cross). The bridge mentioned previously can be seen. The French under Paul were in the area on the other side of this river.

My Austrians in the foreground, Russians to the left – John nearer me then Rick at the far end – Bavarians in the top right and Pauls French nearer me, and opposite John.

 
Out of focus shot of some of the forty year old, old school shiny Russians
 
 
Ricks Russians advance towards Barry’s Bavarians
 
A view from the opposite end of the table – Ricks Russians on the right, Barry’s Bavarians on the left

 
Pauls French

 
The first Austrian brigade close up on the river, prior to wading across. Chris took the precaution of declaring the river as 300mm wide, meaning the musket armed troops could not fire across from one bank to the other, Additionally, troops fording the river could not fire whilst engaged in wading across

 
Second brigade taking control of the bridge

 
To my left, John’s Russians advance towards the French

 
The French cavalry brigade before their heroic and successful charge against John’s Russians. The French forces were mainly Front Rank figures from Paul’s collection

 
The French cavalry charge!

 
The guns were over run, the gunners fled and adjacent infantry battalions pushed back

 
Meanwhile, the Austrian first brigade waded across the river to the left flank of the French

 
French gunners line up their next shot at the Russians!

 
The Austrian second brigade wade across the river above the bridge whilst in the distance, the Austrian cavalry advance via the bridge and also by fording the river.

 
The French advance on Johns Russians

 
One the Russian left, Ricks guns hold the heights, supported by infantry. His cavalry took a bit of a pasting from Bavarian artillery though…..

 
For all you lovers of old style shiny gloss true 25mm figures – the Russians advance.

 
Multiple battalions of Pavlovsky Grenadiers await Pauls French

 
A Russian battalion assaults a French square but despite several advantages, failed to break the Old Guard!

 
View from the far end of the Bavarian line – Barry occupied the town early, gaining 20 VP’s

 
Same view but slightly different angle

 
The Russians press forward against the French, supported by Austrian cavalry

 
Broken French units routing before the victorious Russian infantry

 
Rick’s Russians, (far side) push forwards against Barry’s Bavarians

 
Austrian first brigade standing toe to toe with the French, trading volleys of close range musketry

 
The gunners were virtually all that stood between the second brigade and Austrian cavalry

 

An impressive array of Austrian horseflesh waits for an opportunity to charge the French


 
The Austrian infantry continue to press the French left wing

 
Rick’s Russians pile the pressure on the Bavarians, forcing them to back step

 
Austrian guns supporting the advance

 
The fire fest on the Austrian front continues – both sides took multiple casualties and were approaching exhaustion

 

Another poor quality shot but had to record this event – in the final action of the game, my Austrian cavalry successfully charged and broke a French square!

 

The first game of five was over and a good day was had by all, with the possible exception of Paul, who was very hard on himself for failing to break John’s Russians with his infantry assault.

24 comments:

  1. A mammoth Battle for sure - would have been great for everyone participating and very impressive troops in number and in quality- just great! Cheers. KEV.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Kev, appreciate your kind comments! I think we all enjoyed this tussle.

      Delete
  2. Keith, many thanks for the first AAR and lots of lovely 'photos of the game:). The location looks superb and perfect to wind down after a hard days gaming. With England now a few days away from another lockdown, I think it will be some time before I can resume FtF gaming, so it's lovely to be able to see you guys having fun!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Steve. Yes, once again, we are reminded how lucky we are to be an isolated island able to cut ourselves off from the Covid plague. It must be truly concerning living in Europe or N America at the moment. Take care and another AAR will follow in a couple of days

      Delete
  3. Quality gaming time, lovely looking action, plus the charm of 40 year old figs :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Norm. The old shinnies belong to "the group ", having been donated by the widow of an old gaming buddy, Jim. I did not really know Jim well but it's nice for those who did that he is often with us in spirit when we have these large scale games.

      Delete
  4. You guys do nothing in half measure. Huge table, huge armies, and huge fun! Keith, you make many of us very envious.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jonathan....hopefully the jealousy does not lead to irritation with us flaunting our ability to get together! Yes, four of the five games involved games that groaned under the weight of lead....

      Delete
    2. We revel in your enjoyment and camaraderie.

      Delete
    3. Good to hear Jonathan - that is what I assumed :)

      Delete
  5. Splendid looking game and good timing for me as I prep my Austrians for 1809!
    Best Iain

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Iain...sadly back to reality now, as I type this just prior to leaving the house for work....sigh!

      Delete
  6. Great stuff, and isn't it nice when you can have an all-day slog like that and yet end in a close game where everyone comes away with a feeling of satisfaction.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Lawrence. Yes, it was a good first game - no one had a REALLY bad day although as I mentioned, Paul was beating himself up about charging the infantry early in the game a losing an entire brigade.....I would have preferred not to lose an entire brigaded on a 50/50 roll too - 4 5 or 6 and they would have stayed on the table - but thems the breaks!

      Delete
  7. Blimey Keith make sure you shore up that table with all that lead on it..
    Thanks for the post great to know you guys are getting plenty of gaming in, as we go into yet another lock down.
    How did you swing it on the home front? I suggested it to my wife and got that same look when you come home from a show with a fresh pile of shiny lead :-)
    A cracking looking game and nice to see all the armies coming together on the table.
    Cheers
    Stu

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Stu - yes, that was a real thing actually, as people leaned across the table to move figures in the middle, and we heard worrying sounds of the trestles moving around on the concrete floor - I believe a collapse has actually occurred previously, although never on my watch! I suppose despite all my moaning, I am pretty lucky with my wife - she has never really made a fuss about this trip, although when I first went, she was into the hobby of scrap booking and used to take off for a long weekend - Friday to Sunday to do that every year. The difference being that because I go to a friends house and just pay a share of food costs, my 5 days costs me maybe NZ$120-180, whereas her thing was semi professionally organised at a hotel and probably cost $500 for 3 days! Also, we don't have any shows here and very limited options to spend money, other than mail order, so my expenditure on figures is pretty conservative - quite likely under £500 most years - that's why I don't really have a lead pile as such :)

      Delete
  8. An excellent Napoleonic game, beer and then the rollicking fun that is 'The Quick and the Dead'; what a top day out for you all—and that was only Day 1! Marvellous Keith, regards James

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks James...yes indeed, Chris and I were just talking about it on our way home from work this evening.....seems a long time ago already, unfortunately, but it was a great time together and we are lucky to have a friend who can host us and the ability to still travel and get together, unlike so many other parts of the world

      Delete
  9. Splendid Keith...
    A great start to your wargames break...

    Unfortunately our annual long weekend away has had to be put off until next year... never mind... it gives us something to look forward to.
    Am I a little bit jealous....... yup! 😁

    All the best. Aly

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Aly...yes must be pretty tough in the UK at present....In terms of feeling jealous, now you know how we feel about all the shows and conventions you guys in Europe and America can attend...we have nothing like that going on here unfortunately....

      Delete
  10. A great start by your weekend with a great game.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Mark, it certainly was a exhilarating contest and nice to see those large Napoleonic armies on the table!

      Delete
  11. Great stuff. Sad to have missed it...if I had been there there would another 12 battalions of Russians available to crowd the table.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I suspect if you had been there Mark, there would have been another player and more troops on the Franco/Bavarian side......we only just managed to get the better of Paul as it was!

      Delete