Kelmarsh 2014

Every year I team up with the chaps from Rushden Phoenix games club, and put on a game at English Heritage's event History Live, held at Kelmarsh Hall Northamptonshire.

Two days of living history, with everything from Roman times to WW2 represented. We have a wargames display in one of the marquees. With a few traders, including one of my favourite figure manufacturers, Warlord Games.

Anyhow, I have beenbuilding up my Napoleonic figures of late to play the Quatre Bras scenario in the Black powder supplement "Albion Triumphant, the 100 days campaign". There is an anniversary next year, after all! So although I haven't completed all the units for the game, I have about half, there is enough to get a good display.

 

The game laid out, with French brigades already on the move in turn 1. You may notice each unit has a marker behind them. This is a new unit stat and status system by Wargamer Aide de camp, who were there and supplied not only my game, but the Hail Caesar game with the markers. www.wargamer-aid-de-camp.com

 

French advance in the same old way!

Massed French cavalry move on the allied flank.

 

Dutch militia look on as the Columns near.

 

Dutch 27th Jäger regiment in skirmish line, with 2nd Nassau and more Dutch militia behind.

 

French foot batteries move up. "He moves his artillery with the likeness of a pistol!"

During the Weekend the reenactors took an interest. Especially if their units were represented on the table. Two gentlemen dressed as Brunswickers, posing with their 28mm comrades!!

Brunswickers defending Bossau Wood.

The French attack developes, putting pressure on the brave Brunswickers.

 

More of the Brunswick reenactors come to find themselves on our game!!

 

Brunswick Hussars.

 

The British arrive to bolster the flank, 95th regiment,"the rifles" to the front!!

Supported by a regiment of Dutch Hussars.

French light infantry regiment, voltigeur to the front!

Another shot of the Dutch 27th

The French cavalry with supporting Horse Artillery cross the stream. With Foys' Division moving with them near Germaincourt farm.

Foy's Division closing on the British position.

British in Square.

 

 

 

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Vikingr with an axe to grind

As promised, the latest game from club, a game of Saga. This one was a 4 way affair, with my Anglo Saxons, who allied with my Vikings, commanded by Steve. Anglo Danes from Terry, allied with Derek's jomsviking, who he played using the Pagan Russ list.

We determined allegiances at the start using playing cards, 4 kings and 4 queens were taken from the deck, and the kings randomly given to each player, same colour suits were allied. Then at the beginning of each turn, the players were given a contrasting colour queen, with which they could secretly choose their alliance for the next turn. This was only allowed for the first 4 turns out of the 6, at which point your allegiance was locked.

 

The game underway, with my anglosaxons top right, Steve's Vikings bottom right, Derek's Russ top left, and Terry's Anglo Danes at bottom left.

The action began with my levy archers running forward incurring fatigue and losing a perhapse inevitable poor volley of arrows in to the Russ, I moved my Herthguard with Warlord to my left through the village, hoping for a chance to spring on the enemy if chance presented itself, I followed up the Levi with my supporting units of Warriors.

The Russ moved forward, and threw javelins, which I managed to save against. However one of the saga abilities enabled Derek to cause casualties on all fatigued units.

" witchcraft" Steve and I cried!!!

Viking's moved up taking the high ground, and Terry's Anglo Danes also advanced but had a saga ability to make units fatigued. A very useful partnership with that Russ ability!!

Terry's forces making good use of the saga abilities.....witchcraft I tell you!!

 

My warriors form shield wall against the Russ.

The Russ move up to chuck pointy sticks, and use more of that Saga hocus pocus . So I use some saga abilities of my own to try and get rid of as many fatigue markers as possable.

Steve's Vikingr with raven banner and wolf cloak clad berserkers make all speed to the foe.

 

My Huscarles with Warlord making their way through the village to engage the Russ.

 

The Russ are waiting to receive them however. A series of Merle's ensue, which although the Saxons did fairly well, by the end of turn 6 the casualty count on Steve and I's side of the table was too high to recover from, and so a victory for Derek and Terry. Steve and I consoled ourselves that this was due to the witchcraft employed by the Russ!!! And we used much more conventional means.

Another fantastic game.

 

 

 

 

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Greek vs Roman

Another game with Hail Caesar. This time Derek and I try the Greek pincushion up against the. Roman buzzsaw!

 

It was my first move and the division in the middle failed its order, so the lights, nearest the camera, and the other division moved on slowly. It was only later, on reading the rules for maniples we realise they will nearly always manage at least one move. Here we see Derek making his initial moves.

 

Phalanx in the main body, lights to the front, and cavalry on one flank.

 

My lights, 2 units of Velite, with Cretan archers in front, supported by Italian allies. The only regular size unit in my force.

 

The Greeks come forward, confidently!

Greek cavalry are met by a volley of archery from the Cretans.

 

The Romans have cavalry too, a unit of light and one of Medium. They take some casualties from the Greek peltasts and archers.

My Romans come on in the tried and tested formation, aha status to the front, principles, then Triari in the rear.

Having dealt with my light troops, the Greek cavalry, itself badly mauled, confront the Italians .

The roman maniples finally get to grips with the Greeks, hurling volleys of pila.

My general urges them on( we gave c in c's leadership of 9 division commanders, 8.

 

The maniples start to tear apart the Greek phalanx. OK some good dice on my part may have helped!

 

The meat grinder continues until the end of the evening. I offer Derek an honourable draw, which is graciously accepted, but Derek does concede that in his opinion the Romans had the marginal upper hand.

A great and interesting game. Next week....Saga!!

 

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With your shield or on it!

Another great game at club. This time an outing for my new(ish) Greek Hoplites, against my good mate Derek's Greeks. We are using Hail Caesar rules recently, and this is my second game.

My heros form up, 4 phalanx, one of which is the obligatory Spartans, with 2 small slinger units,and a small javelin arms unit of Helots.Plus Derek loaned me 2 small units of Light cav

 

First things first, I sent my cav to the high ground on my left to try and lure Derek's cav away from the main action, in the distance, you see Derek's initial deployment. For Derek's initial move, he sent his light archers, and slingers forward, and a small unit of Java armed hill tribesmen made their way forward on the opposite high ground.

In my move I tried to counter the light troops advance with my own, with limited success, only the Helots did much, by moving to the hills to counter Derek's tribesmen.

Meanwhile the cavalry busied themselves chucking pointy sticks at one another, scoring a few hits

Some of Derek's Lights joined in on this action on my left, causing a unit of cav to be disordered.

 

After a turn or two of this light inf and cav activity, my Spartans, ably led by my CinC ( or pushed, their order dice were dreadfull) charged forward, forcing Derek's archers to flee.

They did in the next turn attack one of Derek's phalanx, causing it to retire,but the turn after he charged them in the flank with another phalanx, as we see in this pic.

Meanwhile, the cavalry were getting the worst of it, but only marginally, and my last battered unit retired to the rear, glowering at their opponents from a distance!

 

Soon I managed a few good die rolls to get the other flank moving, and a phalanx scrummage ensued against Derek's elite unit, my Spartans,on the other flank holding their own but just, due to the elite stubborn re roll " we Are SPARTANS" effect!,

My left flank advances......

Derek's lads await the slaughter, his CinC out in front. What a hero!

 

The meat grinder continues, but Derek's elites are not as fortunate with the dice as are my own " SPARTANS" yes a lot of that was said in best Gerrard Butler accents!!

Both Derek's units, his elites, and the unit attacking my Spartans, now under a lot of support from units coming up, broke. And as the time was nearly upon us to leave, Derek duly conceded.

A shot of the victorious commander, yes he is the Jason figure from Salute!!

A great game

 

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