Welcome

Welcome to my wargaming blog,
I'm Dave and live in Morpeth, Northumberland in the UK.
This may or may not be a regular thing, we'll just have to see how it goes.

I am a painter/collector of figures first and a wargamer second. My thrill in this great hobby of ours is to place that final well researched & painted unit into the cabinet. The actual gaming with the figures is an important but secondary experience, we all like to win, but it isn't the be all and end all of it, being with good friends and having fun is.
Hope you will enjoy reading this blog as much as I will writing in it.
Just to remind the visitor to scroll down the various pages and click on 'older posts' to see more.
Dave.

Saturday 25 April 2020

Position Magnifique, turn 3

I will leave an comments on how the rule adaptations are working or not until I get to a point where I feel I can summarise, keep in mind though that this is not an exercise on how to fight to win a wargame during this period but a set of  tactical examples played through to show the rule changes I have introduced. For example the Prussians have thrown caution to the wind and advanced in the centre before softening the French infantry up with their artillery and will likely pay the price, but I wanted to show what the rules do if this were to happen. Lets see:




The pictures above show the general situation at the beginning of turn 3, The Prussian division on their right is as ordered pushing on through the woods taking advantage of the cover provided. The two central divisional commanders however have taken it upon themselves to push up hard to the French line after only an initial artillery bombardment which although it has severely damaged one group of French artillery and driven off another, has left the French infantry untouched.


The Prussian left hand division has remained in place following orders and is continuing to bombard the French line, one French battery is damaged, the other driven off.


One of the remaining French artillery units having already suffered casualties (10 and they disperse) then rolls a double one, they therefore run out of ammunition and must withdraw to the table edge to replenish before returning. If this happens to the Prussians they must only stay in place and not fire for one full move, they are then considered to be resupplied. Historically this was the case, the French ammunition supply wagons were way back behind the lines.


A photograph showing the red casualty markers placed on the Prussian supporting infantry not from direct French fire but incurred in order to reinforce the forward Prussian firing line one PIP incurred for one stand replaced up to eight maximum. This is done during the Prussian movement phase.
Very important while I think about it, movement does not inhibit firing, all troops can move and fire, unlike the Pickett's Charge rules when they suffer a -2 for doing so. As you may imagine this makes a big difference.




The roll of the dice!
First picture above, French emplaced infantry in a single firing line aiming at the formed Prussian unit in the distance, crap dice, incurred a Fire discipline (smoke marker) and caused no casualties.
Second and third picture above, French emplaced infantry in a single firing line aiming at the Prussian divisional skirmish line, -1 on their dice roll (remember the difference between firing at Prussian divisional skirmish screen -1 and other skirmish troops -2) plus three CD's, one for troops in a singe rank firing line and two for Chassepot at effective range. four casualties and a 'see the elephant' (discipline) test, one red marker and I set the one infantry stand to one side to show the damage. The Prussians were forced to retreat and were unformed in the test.



Finally moving along the line the top picture shows what happens when you throw a double six!
So, standard volley at effective range twelve -1 = 11, four casualties plus an 'elephant test'. 4CD's, one for veteran unit, one for single line unit, two for Chassepot at effective range, the die 5 hits (6's at long range, 5 & 6's at effective range) giving a total of five hits. The Prussians were carrying previous hits so two stands removed and the double six forced a 'serendipity test' were the Prussian colonel was hit and the unit routs!
So both Prussian divisions in the centre were now without their firing line, their support columns exposed to French fire and one of the divisions was now faltering because of the routed unit. Bloody hell.


The right hand Prussian divisional firing line engages some French Zouarves at 15cm, six stands firing, six dice, -1 die for firing into woods but +1 die for needle gun at long range (10 - 20cm). sixes required, two rolled, two casualties on the French.


The Prussian reserve artillery and divisional cavalry moving up in support.
Could be nasty for the impetuous Prussians, we'll see.
Dave.

5 comments:

  1. Looks great, love the spectacular first pictures...and the double six!

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    1. I didn't really want any extreme results in this guide to the rule changes Phil but that's wargaming isn't it!

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  2. Good to see the rules showing what happens if you advance without having softened the French first. Also that Double Six really hurt.

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    Replies
    1. Damned right Steve they could get decimated in the next few turns, we'll see!

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