Another post work evening game of Sharp Practice at my mate Julian's place. This time, he wanted to try out the rules actually using individually based figures, as it is designed. The only drawback is that he has only painted half a dozen British riflemen so far, so there is no eye candy in this report, just lots of grey Perry plastic!
Probably as a result of the aforementioned figures, I did not take all that many pictures, but it was once again a good game (apparently I always say that when I have been on the winning side!). I used the combined unit tactic again and with similar success.
Julian had got the scenario straight from the Sharp Practice rulebook - I believe it may indeed have been the very first scenario, a straight forward encounter with no mission to achieve other than the standard infantryman's job - to close with and kill the enemy!
Above and below - a couple more shots of the large Napoleonic era "cup" Julian uses to pick the activation chits out of - I put a 28mm figure next to it to give an idea of the size,
General view of the battlefield, I took the Brits who started on the left as we look at the table.
My first moves included sending the six riflemen into the woods to contest it with Julian's dismounted Dragoons. Riflemen get firing bonuses but take twice as long to reload as musket armed troops.
Meanwhile, my other troops, eight centre company under a sergeant, six flank company under a corporal, plus an officer, entered the other woods
Julian's Dragoons leave the shelter of a field and make a dash across open ground to enter the woods they had observed the riflemen moving into.
After a couple of rounds of fire, the Dragoons had suffered two killed plus some shock markers, the riflemen, only a single shock...the Dragoons withdrew!
Now back behind the hedge line where the started, a few less in number but somewhat wiser!
The elite Grenadiers advanced across the hedge and headed towards the woods occupied by my centre company and light infantrymen
Whilst six Voltiguers approached the same target from the far right flank of the French position. By this time, my officer had taken all the men in the wood under his control, combining them into a single unit of 14 muskets.
Two rounds of fire were exchanged and the Voltiguers were forced to withdraw as they had accumulated more shock markers than they had live troops remaining - they skidadelled back towards the base line.
The dragoons joined the Grenadiers assault but rifle fire from the bottom right (out of picture) plus the impact of the 14 man volley from the woods in the bottom left took the inevitable toll - as can be seen by the depleted number of Grenadiers remaining and the red shock markers - game over and a comprehensive victory for Wellingtons boys on this occasion! Julian and I are both really enjoying the mechanics of these rules and as others have commented, it is hard to find anyone saying anything negative about how they work on line. Its going to be fun when Julian has got all the new Perry plastics painted up....now, do I need to buy a few Portuguese of my own for this rule set....??!
Another nice little game and whilst some may scoff at using unpainted miniatures, it is a great way to try rules out as well as realising what units work best etc.
ReplyDeleteThanks Steve, I have to admit I am not a huge fan of using unpainted figures and apart from 1/72 Airfix 45 years ago, I don't think I have done it before! The reality is of course that the game goes exactly the same what, regardless.
DeleteLooks like you had fun, as you get used to the rules, take a look at the campaign supplement, called Dawns & (something with a D)
ReplyDeleteThank you, it was indeed an entertaining game and thanks for the tip on the supplement.
DeleteWhat a great and fun game. I will have to look into these rules have enjoyed your write up so much.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mark. They are a great set of rules to get a few figures on the table and should work well as a solo game too
DeleteYou are getting in a lot of F2F gaming. Lucky you! Winning again is doubly lucky!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jon, it wasn't luck, it was superior tactics! Although the dice did have a bit to do with it.....as always.
DeleteKeith, I am a big fan of getting unpainted miniatures to the table while the painting thing goes on and rules are learned and motivation is kept going, so a big thumbs up to any media that supports it ..... we have quite a bit of positive ground to catch up on in this regard, due to the naysaying from the vocal group that have always decried such things .... with some apparent sense of authority!
ReplyDeleteThanks Norm...I might usually be one of the "naysayers", although I would not be rude enough to tell another player my thoughts! As a test run for new rules, I can live with it, but I don't like the idea of partially painted armies still hitting the table a year after the figures have been bought etc....but thanks for your supportive comments!
DeleteAt a wargame show a few years ago (2017), there was a bloke who had put on a game, I took an interest and he was deeply apologetic, because there were a few model vehicles not painted. He explained that he had made a commitment to the show, but that a big work project had cropped up, putting a squeeze on his time.
DeleteHe had managed to paint everything, except for these two vehicles and had decided that rather than pull the plug (which he had given some thought to), he would attend and support the show. We had a bit of a chat about it and my own thoughts were that rather than him feeling a bit embarrassed, his commitment to the show should be celebrated and that there would be some hobbyists at the show who would take comfort / inspiration from his approach to ‘real world’ situation.
I did come away from the show with a different opinion on the whole thing and it only served to enhance to my admiration of those who choose to share their hobby publicly especially warts ‘an all!
Very fair point Norm...I am more thinking of people I have seen at a local club once per month in a Scout Hall who "don't have time" to paint a few 40k type figures but take them along to have a game...to me, painting the figures is at least 50% of the prices, so I would just play a different game, or a smaller scenario, until I had got the figures painted...
DeleteProcess...not prices...bloody machine!
DeleteYes, I think it is a fair expectation that genuine progress is being made on the painting front, if only as a point of respect to fellow gamers.
DeleteI was sorting through my pile over Christmas and found I had a few dozen extra voltigeurs and riflemen etc. I couldn't account for, and then remembered I had purchased them to be individually based for Sharp Practice. It does look like a lot of fun, and it seems as though you are thoroughly enjoying it Keith.
ReplyDeleteLol, I am sure you have multitudes of figures you bought in the UK and now can't remember why! We certainly are enjoying the rules though, I would recommend them to you....so move those skirmishers up the queue a bit and get them painted!
DeleteSP2 is kinda an odd duck with its basing. It likes for its figures to be individual but also organized into groups and shock and stuff applies to groups but not individuals. So lots of times you see groups on movement trays. Glad you two are enjoying the rules. 😀
ReplyDeleteYes you make a fair point Stew. Julian looked at those sabot type bases various companies make but didn't like the aesthetics of them, and I must say I see his point. He has mounted all the figures on steel washers and is looking at using magnetised sheet as a base, which worked ok although the magnetism wasn't really strong enough when we were moving units around, so it's a work in progress....
DeletePainted figures or not...
ReplyDeleteYou had an enjoyable game... and that’s what matters
All the best. Aly
Very true Aly....they are great rules for this label of warfare
DeleteReads well, glad you are enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Stu
Cheers Stu
DeleteLooks like a fun game, but that mug? That is truly superb to behold!
ReplyDeleteRegards, James
Thanks James....totally agree about the period pottery!
DeleteSounds like a fun game, I do like playing with painted figures, I know what Norm says and it's a fair point,it just seems like the start of a slippery slope!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
It was fun Iain and I half agree with you re painted figures but can also concede Norms point...and Julian wanted to try the rules using individually based figures but given he has just bought three or four packs of Perry Plastics, it's going to be a while before a sufficient number are painted.....
DeleteGood gaming, Keith! My first foray into Napoleonic gaming was with Sharp Practice when it first came out.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dean....how long ago was that and how did you find the rules?
DeleteDont worry, I went to your blog and looked - 2011, ten years ago - looks like time to have a few more games!
Delete