A Thirty Years War battle using 1/72 figures and the translated version of VWQ. This is about the largest size of troops that are able to fit a 4x4' table, with three foot, two horse regiments and two cannon per side.
Swedish OOB
CIC Gustav Trollheimen
Field gun
Regimental gun
Green Foot Brigade
Brigadier Bergmann
Bergmann's Rgt of Foot
Glutemarknog's Rgt of Foot
Morton's Rgt of Foot (Scottish)
Cavalry Brigade
Brigadier Barststundt
Kamprad's Horse Rgt
Barststundt's Horse Rgt
Imperial OOB
CIC Prinz Heinrich Oberhaber
2 field guns
Foot Brigade
Brigadier von Tolotzk
Von Tolotzk's Rgt of Foot
Von Plaster's Rgt of Foot
Don Puccini's Rgt of Foot
Cavalry Brigade
Brigadier von Ploppenheimer
Von Ploppenheimer Horse Rgt
Don Macchiato Horse Rgt
Initial setup. Grossglücksdorf (fictional, like the commanders and forces present) is a small village between two hills - the western hill has the village's vineyards and there are workfields on the centre plain.
The cavalry begins the battle on the open right flank.
The Glutemarknog regiment moves forward towards the hill with the artillery support.
The 2nd Swedish horse regiment joins the fray.
The light Imperial cavalry regiment is having difficulty passing through the vineyards.
After multiple rounds of inneffective combat, the Swedish horse wipes the Imperials out.
They charge home and capture the Brigadier of horse.
The Scots begin their advance but must rally as they march in range of the large Imperial guns.
The Don Macchiato horse regiment is past the vineyards and prepares for a charge.
Their compatriot foot on the left is in deep... trouble. They pass a morale test and form a 'hedgehog' formation... prone to artillery fire - the Swedish regimental gun is being dragged up the hill.
The Italian horse charges home.
The Swedes fail a morale test and take multiple hits.
The rested Imperial foot regiment charges the Scots without firing - they get bogged down in combat for the next turn.
The Reload card is drawn, the Bergmann regiment fires, then the already vulnerable Imperial horse risks a charge... it ends badly for them.
The Scots rout the Imperial foot and begin a chase.
They capture the guns, the Imperial CIC and destroy the regiment.
Trying to reach the end of the table, the Imperial Don Puccini foot forms a line and begins wheeling... Caught in a charge, cannonfire and a volley from Glutemarknog's foot, they are destroyed. The isolated Imperial unit surrenders.
Conclusion: the card system is great. While keeping track of hits, reloading, morale and casualties at the same time requires some attention, the flow is very good (note: will have to make proper markers instead of plasticard/paper chits). The system is easy to use and clear once the rules are constructed in a little more logical manner. Luck had the better of the Imperials this time - hopefully(?) they will retaliate when we come to test Sharpe Practice. Combined arms played a great role in defeating the Imperial left - the regimental guns, deployed right, can be very useful.
I could easily reduce troop numbers (18->12 for a foot and 6->4 to a horse regiment) and play larger battles. This size (5-6 units per side) seems good as the friction of the card activation is just about right. For larger battles, multiple decks could be used, with a 'centre and flanks' division of the battleground - when a unit left its respective place, its card would be transferred to the actual deck. I'm thinking about historical scenarios here...
Looked and sounded good!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteSuperb, that seemed to go well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading!
DeleteThanks for alerting me to this rule set. It looks as though it might have good solo play potential!
ReplyDeleteI like the way you do horses - those Revell horses seem to like that sort of treatment. If you haven't already done so, perhaps you could write a tutorial posting on your method.
I have fairly sizeable 30YW Swedish and Imperialist armies, almost all Revell, but with the addition of Swedish battalion guns made from the Airfix Napoleonic French artillery trail and wheels, with the gun barrel taken from the lighter of the ESCI Napoleonic British guns. The unused parts of the respective models will make a fine Napoleonic French 6pr cannon, with the trunnions removed, and replaced a little farther forward along the gun barrel.
As always, András, I find your projects eye-catching, interesting and well worth reading.
Thank you - I described one way to do the horses on the 'How I paint' page, but it's a simpler version of that, a thinned Vallejo airbrush color, Burnt Umber over a white primer and some highlights on the saddlery, if any. You can see in the previous post with the Scotsmen that the paint has a really high contrast - for a duller effect I'd use some other type of umber or burnt siena. It works well with greys as well.
DeleteThe regimental gun in this case is from the Zvezda GNW Russian artillery set, but everything else matches the period to my knowledge. Sadly most of the Revell sets are hard to get as they are OOP, and when one shows up on ebay the price is, well, a bit off the mark. I got my horsemen, 26 in a bundle, from an auction for a fair price but I wouldn't pay for an unopened box.
Enjoyable battle report. I especially liked the after action recap and conclusions.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it.
DeleteGood to see all these figures in action! Great battle report and pictures! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGreetings
Peter
Nem is tudtam eddig erről a blogról, szép munka, élvezetes jelentés, gratula!
ReplyDeleteKöszönet :)
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