The Battle of Notenoy (Pt 2: Conclusion)

 While the Germans and Emigres were tackling the redoubts, the British infantry enveloped two sides of the central village while leaving a clear line of fire for the Royal Artillery.

The fight for the town was bloody and sustained while the opposing cavalry units eyed each other. If either had charged and won, the victorious horsemen could turn the tide in their side's favour but if they lost, all might be lost. So it was that neither General ordered them in and the opposing cavalry stared at each other, ready for pursuit if their infantry triumphed, or to cover their army's retreat if needed.  

A balloon's eye view of the battlefield, 1/2 way through the day.

With the redoubts cleared, the General ordered his left wing to detach a battalion to join in the attack on the village. He also ordered the redcoats to side step to give the artillery a clean line of fire to the stone house. The Black Watch, having suffered heavy casualties was ordered to fall back and guard the flank of the infantry in case the French cavalry charged. Slowly, the allied infantry fought their way into 1/2 the houses in the town. 

On the far left, the German battalions stormed the town and, despite heavy casualties, they drove the French out with the points of their bayonets.  The Republicans themselves had taken even heavier casualties and there was no chance that they could attempt to take the town back.  The Republic still held two of the objectives and the sun was sinking low. Was it time to gamble with the cavalry?

There was no need. The allied infantry manged to take most of the town and after very heavy losses, the remaining Republican infantry broke and ran. The Republican cavalry covered their retreat and the Duke decided not to risk his cavalry in pursuit when there were so many of these French Republicans to fill the ranks of their infantry. (ps this was the 3rd last turn.)
  

Up next?   hmmm....

The Battle of Notenoy (Pt1)

The 1st Coalition armies were getting restless in the fall of 1793. The campaign seemed to have stalled but eventually the Duke of Belmont had received orders to advance with an allied force of British, Emigre and Brunswick units and seize the strategical town of Notenoy where the road splits, and either the town on the North road or the redoubt blocking the South road.

Cavalry scouts reported that the Republicans had occupied the town and both exits but with a smaller force. After a quick council of war, a plan was decided on. The British infantry would seize the central town and road junction while the Emigre and German brigade would storm the enemy redoubts and seize the smaller town. The cavalry would guard the flank of the infantry while the light troops would work their way through the forest and try to silence the enemy artillery which was holding the third objective.  

The British infantry headed straight forward to the main objective, supported by all of the artillery and were quickly engaged.

On the left, the French musket and canon fire was causing serious casualties. The Emigres were first to reach their target but they were blown back by cannister fire.

The veteran Brunswickers also took heavy casualties but they cheered and swarmed over the redoubt, capturing the French guns and raising the morale of their experienced supports.

"Advance The Guns!" came the order. The bombardment against the redoubt had done little damage so they were ordered to advance to a more effective range. Supported by infantry musketry, the artillery did its work.  

On the Southern flank, the German Jagers slowly forced the French skirmishers back towards the redoubt beyond the woods. In the clearing between the woods and the town, the opposing cavalry sat and faced each other. If either side charged and drove off their enemy, they could wreak havoc on the already engaged enemy infantry or exposed artillery, but it was a dangerous gamble, one to only be used if absolutely necessary.   

After a brief bombardment by the British artillery, the Royalists charged again and captured the second redoubt. Now it was time to move on the crucial goals but the day was half spent and not one objective had been taken. Could it still be done?

...............To Be Continued 

At Last This Hurley Burly Is Done!

 Battle Report to follow.....

....probably tomorrow.

Just A Roll on the Drum and....

 .... the war has begun. 
(from Fairport Convention 'Sloth')

Hopefully, tomorrow will see the last 10 turns played....

At Last!

Its always something!   Routine chores, helping out with a litter of 3+ week old puppies, oh and rediscovering that the scenario called for twice as many Coalition troops as I have. Luckily, a number of German states had not changed their uniforms as drastically since the Seven Years War as the British and French had done, and it didn't take long to cast and paint a few more Dragoons for the Coalition army. I could use double the number of artillery pieces, but, not today!

Hmm, A little crowded but....

Let the battle begin!   (But not today, now I have errands to run in town.....sighhhh).

The Table Is Reset

 The table is set, the recce has been done, and the British general is making his plan. 

Those readers who are familiar with CS Grant's 1st book of scenarios will doubtless recognize the scenario (I'm pretty sure it appeared first as one of the Table Top Teaser magazine articles in the 70's buttttt.... that was awhile ago to say the least.) Those who are familiar with the battles of Marshall de Saxe will also recognize the historical battle that inspired the generic tabletop scenario.

Looks like there's going to be a battle tomorrow!

New Gathering of Host Battle Report

Battle of Long Ridge battle report is now posted on my Gathering of Hosts blog (clic) 

....

Ready To Go

I needed at least 1 more stand of Valdurian levies before I tabled the game and after sifting through some old Garrison and Prince August castings and a few spare painted, long service, just needing a touch up, Ral Partha figures, I got what I needed.

Now the game is ready to go.

(And yes it's that, oh so comman, classic CS Grant scenario.)

Coming Soon to the Gathering of Hosts blog

Next up on the Gathering of Hosts blog will be the first clash in this age between the Woods folk and Valdur. Will the Duke and his household come to repel the raiders? If it is an invasion, will the rest of the Federation respond as they did when the Midlish armies invaded?

The hairy Beast coming out of the woods is a young offspring of the original Gruach Mor who gave his life at the Battle of the Ford, five years ago (!?? really 5 years?). (See The Bloody Ford).

(Aside: our B____y internet connection went down as  I was working on the drafts for the next postings on the 2 blogs. What actually happened were incomplete & inaccurate posts getting posted, but that is now fixed.)

Progress Report

Well, the rain only lasted 1 night, but it refilled our rain barrels, so its all good.  Almost as important, I got some work done on the 3rd cavalry squadron. 

Here is Prince Wyngnuht of Valdur, 8th of his name, with the cavalry under his command. All but one of the riders are Minifigs, painted in '74/75. Their veteran remounts are from a mix of horse farms.

There are still a few scrapes and scars etc to be patched, but, I should be able to finish them tomorrow and then move on to the infantry.

Ah HA!

I was trying to think up a scenario for my Gathering of Hosts, something different, and drawing blanks. Then a certain reader from Tragardland requested a reappearance of the Great Beastie, that made it even harder, until I finally remembered that the Midlands did NOT have to appear on every battlefield. In fact, the Free Folk were supposed to be as opposed to the Federation, esp Valdur, as to the Midlands. 

Problem solved! However, Valdur in particular is a little short on table top troops, Luckily, there are still a few veterans from the '70's, and new recruits from here and there, all needing modification, repair, and/or painting. 

Oh look! Rain!!!! We haven't had rain since early June!    Ohh, well, I'll just have to forgo outside chores and get on with repairs and painting, and a scenario..... work, work, work :)

That Time of Year

 Like many a rural Canadian, its the time of the year to stack firewood for the coming winter.  

I was about a quarter of the way through when I took this shot yesterday and my wife's parking spot will be usable before noon. Then I can take a break and finally decide whether to paint minis or play a game.

The real issue there, is having difficulty deciding what era and what sort of scenario to play.

(...and yes, that's a call for requests and suggestions.) 

Ambushed!

It was a hot August day in 1548 when an English Magistrate approached Haddington after a long journey from the border.  The town was not under siege at the moment, nor was there open warfare, but a strong escort had been provided for his safety, and it had been needed!  

(Note: click once on the pictures for a closer look, then click on the magnifying glass symbol for an even better close up.)

As the convoy approached a bridge over the river running through a valley, a flurry of arrows flew from a patch behind cover and bands of Highland warriors raced down from the hills, screaming their war cries. The escort infantry deployed to face the enemy while the cavalry spurred ahead to ensure a safe passage to and over the bridge.

Artist's impression of an eagle's view of the skirmish.

With light cavalry and archers threatening any attempt to cross the bridge, the head of the column stopped and waited for infantry to come and clear the way rather than risk exposing the convoy. They just hoped that if the enemy attacked first that the Demilances, and Border Horse, could see them off. 

The English commander had not considered that the fleet footed Scots might wait for the convov to pass  and attack it from the rear. (and I've played this scenario again and again since I got the book in '82! As it was I used 2 blind markers per unit, one real, one false and deployed them facedown until spotted.)

 

The English infantry must have been tired after all that marching because their dice were awful! The fighting was prolonged but the English kept backing up, hoping to catch up the the convoy so as to protect its rear, and maybe improve their dice rolling. 

The sun was getting low in the sky but the wagons were getting close to the bridge and safety and the Highland swordsmen were too far away even if they could break the English biillmen. The Earl of Lennox  decided to risk throwing his border horse and the English Demilances and border horse.
If the charge worked, the wagons would be run over. 

The cavalry charge was a close fought affair, but the Scots cavalry were driven back by their heavier foe. Behind the convoy, the English billmen had suffered horrible casualties but they continued to do their duty and retreat slowly. It looked like the convoy would make it to the bridge.

What either commander hadn't contemplated, was the desire of the Highland archers to be first to reach the loot.  After a lengthy exchange of arrows, they drew  their daggers, swords, whatever they had, and screaming their battlecry, rushed the English archers and, taking them by surprise, scattered them. It was enough, with over 1/2 of the English companies scattered or out of action. the rest of the English soldiers scattered, running for safety. The English Lancers managed to rescue the Magistrate but the rest of the convoy was now loot.   

Rules were used by the latest draft of the updated "Rough Wooing". As soon as the one page Quick Reference is rearranged to give all of each troop type's stats in one place, I'll make it available. 

ps: Any relation to the ambush scenario in CS Grant's "Scenario's for Wargames" is because that was what it was.

How Went The Battle?

 Well, my dear, fetch me a dram and I'll tell ye.....

to be continued....

What Report From The Scouts?

 "Milord! They have just reported that the road to the bridge is clear."

But is it? or are those sneaky Scots hiding in those hills?  

Stay tuned!

The Sea Just Got Bigger

While giving my wife a hand, I stumbled on the rest of the roll of blue corduroy fabric. She said she had no more use for it and I could have it. It wasn't quite as wide as my table but with the hills in the background, I decided to put the old piece on the inshore and laid the bigger piece overlapping it, like a breaker rolling in from the sea to the shore.

(Mind you, from a few feet away the overlap isn't very noticeable, not like the back drop. It seems all my naval actions will have to happen near to land.)  

Chasing Pirates!
(Apparently the RN is a little short of sloops, let alone brigs, but you gotta use what you can get!) 

Right, time to clear the table again and prepare an ambush. But what century and what setting? 

Come On Ye Sassenagh Sissies!

 That didn't take as long as I expected.

40mm: 2x3d printed (1 highlander, 1 viking), 1 homecast Prince August Viking, with minor tweaks.

The gathering of the clans. 
(Is that it?? Should I recruit more?)

Now, I need a scenario, maybe for these guys, or maybe for the West Indies in the 1790's, after all, we've been suffering temperatures over 30C so it would feel more authentic than usual.

More Highlanders?

 Yup, I think this may be the last stand for my 40mm 16thC Highlanders. 

The silvery guy is a Prince August Viking with a head and targe off of a very tall medieval Scot pikeman.

.

I was going to have 2 of the swordsmen but one of them chopped his own leg off while trying to insert a pin in his foot to secure himself to the base. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it.)

There's a feeling in the air that those dastardly English (sorry Mom) are about to come poking over the border again ere long......or there may be one of those annoying Scottish civil wars like Queen Mary vs her 1/2 brother the Earl of Moray, Catholics vs Protestants etc. Its a little bit later than my armies but little but fashion changed and besides, its the only Scottish battle that I've found where the Macfarlanes (on the Earl's side) played an important role by appearing late (an inherited gene), and in the rear of Mary's army, not that its often mentioned in the rare modern summaries of the battle.  

Anyway, I'm not going to reenact Langside, just some generic scenario, once these guys are fully dressed.  

Indulging Myself

Sometimes things just come together and either one seizes the moment or one lets it go by. 

Well, there I was, pondering my plans for this year, and of the passing of Rene Chartrand who I had the good fortune of meeting several times when I was a young officer cadet and cadet curator of the Musee de Fort St, Jean and also a member of the Montreal Wargame Club who were meeting at the old fort on Ile St Helene in Montreal  where Rene was curator amongst other things and would show us stuff. 

In addition, I had decided to focus more on 18thC campaigns in Canada, esp on Louisburg and Acadia. Then a Helion book sale flyer landed in my inbox and it included a two volume set with "Frontier Soldiers in New France" with Rene being a co-author. They also had a book on Grey's 1794 West Indies campaign, the only other book I had found on this subject had been in a university library some 30+ years ago.  Well, that was relevant to my current miniatures interest.  

Once looking, I stumbled across a new printing of a fairly rare 26 year old book on the 1745 siege of Louisburg, available from a "local" bookstore (about 120km but in Nova Scotia) . Well that was just the period I've been setting my games in, and Louisburg is a site that I've visited several times, so.........

Anyway, having just completed my first 7 decades, I decided to treat myself to help me stay on track over the next 2 decades. 

Death OR Glory

....and so the battle began.  Since the Saxons had managed to turn so as to move down the British flagship's starboard side, the central British ship was blocked unless she took a long way around, against the wind and in danger of rocky shoals. A horn blew from the flag ship and she was pointed towards the other Saxon ship. That left one ship to attack the large Saxon flagship with twice as many warriors but with two on one against the small Saxon ship, it might be possible to take it in short time.

The first two knights to scramble over to the Saxon ship were met by twice as many foes and pushed back.

Although outnumbered, the initial British attackers were better armoured than their Saxon enemies and slowly but steadily pushed them back into the bow and stern. But, could they keep that up as the fighting spread over the full deck giving the Saxons more room to deploy?

Nearer to the rocky shore, the British, especially the armoured regulars, steadily pushed back the Saxons until the remainder threw down their swords. Leaving the regulars to secure the captured ship, the middle ship turned and headed towards the outnumbered flag ship. The wind was not favourable to maneuvering quickly around to the Saxon's starboard side so they took the shortest path and used the Count's flagship as a bridge to the Saxon ship.

In no time at all, the Earl had a choice, fight to the death and his men with him, or surrender and come to terms to end the current war. It didn't take him long to decide to fight again another day.

A seagull's view of the end of the fight.

A Rendezvous Kept

At last the fleets faced off again. 

The British plan was to pit two of their ships against the large Saxon ship while the 3rd ship handled the smaller Saxon ship.

The Saxons proved too experienced to be caught by that plan, and shifted their course a bit so that each of their ships fought with one British ship while the 3rd ship was blocked by their own ships.    

To be continued.....

Helgin Is Ready To Rumble

The sea battle should resume ere long.

Notes: 

- I didn't plan on painting the skull and crossbones but I suddenly decided to add stripes, and then, there they were...... Luckily, only the one big ship has them so the Saxons have it. 

- The soft plastic is sometimes reluctant to hold to grasp all of the acrylic craft/art paint at first go, even after having washed and scrubbed them. (spray paints, primers, varnishes etc are forbidden), I'll let the paint settle for a week or so, then touch them up and varnish.    

Saw saw, Bang, Bang

 One big one down, four little ones to go.

 

This vessel already had a deck before the mast, as will as a small tower over the bow, just large enough for 2 archers. Now it also has a main deck aft the mast and a small quarterdeck.

The main decks each hold 4 warriors. Last of all is a small quarterdeck which has room for 2 or 3 figures, usually including the Captain. 

A raven's eye view.

Last, but not least, the forward deck can be used as a platform for a small catapult instead.

Next up will be the smaller cogs which will hold 8 figures and a leader, with no option for artillery. Then I'll paint the decks and we'll be ready for the fog to lift so there can be a rematch.