There were actually four players for this so John and I kind
of jointly ran the game. Gary and Rick played the Russians, and Keith and Bob
(who drove up from Regina in the morning just to play this and
my
Force on Force game).
SITUATION
1850 – the War rages in Galicia!
Finally the two armies have located each other and come to a place where they
have no choice but to face each other in open battle!
SCENARIO
We finally decided to play a
Pitched Battle scenario – where all the forces start on the table (so far we
seem to have only played the Meeting Engagement scenario where only three units
on the table and the rest are diced for at the beginning of each turn).
All forces were to be deployed
on the table at the beginning of the game. To win two of the three objective
had to be occupied by the end of turn fifteen.
FORCES
The forces were diced for.
Here’s what they ended up with:
Russians
5x Infantry
2x Cavalry
3x Artillery
Austrians
4x Infantry
2x Skirmishers
2x Cavalry
2xArtillery
THE GAME
(Remember: click on the pictures
for a bigger version)
Gary and Rick deploying the
Russians
Gary and Rick in the back still
deploying their Russians while Keith (on the left) and Bob on the right, whose
Austrians are already deployed and ready for battle, listen to John explaining
some of the rules.
The Austrians
The Russians
Austirans again. There were
allowed to deploy three of their units a little ahead of the rest which
effectively put them in control of two of the objectives from the get-go!
Austrian Skirmishers advancing
towards the Russians guns.
I guess thos skirmishers didn’t
realize how quickly those guns could get unlimbered and what a devastating
volley they can throw out at such close range. This was the last we saw of that
unit…
The Russians occupying one of the towns and one of their
cavalry units reeling from their first contact with the (
freshly
painted) Austrian cavalry.
And there is said (
freshly
painted) Austrian cavalry…. Hmmmm… maybe the Russian cavalry had
taken some fire from the Austiran Guns…?
This doesn’t seem to be the position the Austrian cavalry would have
been in after a engagement with those Russians? Perhaps part of the Russian unit
just fled when they saw the approaching Austrian cavalry knowing that they were
DOOMED.
Actually now that I think about
it, it was probably the combined fire of the Russian guns and the Austrian
Skirmishers. (But we’ll just say it was them fleeing before the might and
shininess of the (
freshly
painted) Austrian cavalry.
Rick and Gary making plans.
(
freshly
painted) Austrian cavalry again holding the right of the Austrian
line… frightening away Russians of all manner… Seriously, look at them – the
entire force is heading away down the other edge of the table – trying to get
to the FURTHEST objective – which is held by two battalions of Austiran
infantry – rather than face down the (
freshly
painted) Austrian cavalry.
Russians infantry fleeing the (
freshly
painted) Austrian cavalry. (I’m having too much fun… is anyone even
reading this or are you all just looking at the pretty pictures… I’d just be
looking at the pictures!)
Oh and there’s another cavalry
battle going on here. Russians have just recoiled from the other Austrian
cavalry unit. This went back and forth for a few turns. I think ultimately the
Austrian cavalry was forced back into their guns and destroyed. Then the
Russian cavalry thought they’d be able to ride down those guns that were
unlimbered and facing towards them and not even half a league away!?
Rick and Gary making more plans…
The Austrians have a nice line
diagonally across the table securely holding two objectives. The Russians are
still trying to figure out what they are doing and maneuver around the town –
away from the (
freshly
painted) Austrian cavalry.
Ah here we go – the remnants of
the Russian cavalry about to make their valiant charge into the mouth of the
Austiran guns. So valiant. Poems will be written about them… well… maybe a
limerick..
Now they’re getting somewhere.
Russians trying to deploy in something resembling a line while the Guns hammer
away at each others troops.
There they are, the finally
figured it out – The Russian all deployed in a nice straight line like they
were taught on the parade square.
Facing the solid well-drilled
Austrians (who were taught more than one formation).
Then one of the (
freshly
painted) Austrian cavalry horses whineied and all the Russiand fell
out of line and made a dash for the safety of the village, which, unfortunately
for the Russians, was already occupied by Austrians… but they weren’t thinking
of that – they only wanted to put as much distance and buildings between
themselves and those (
freshly
painted) Austrian cavalry.
Things looking a little sparse
on the Russian side. In short order the Austrian infantry in and around the
village (supported by their artillery when possible) cut down the forward
fleeing Russians – as you can see there are only two of the four battalions
remaining.
Steeled up by drinking all the
vodka they could find in the village the Russian cavalry rode out to meet the (
freshly
painted) Austrian cavalry.
Anotherr picture of the (
freshly
painted) Austrian cavalry. They’re just so shiny and new… The
Russians were probably blinded by them.
The Remnants of the Russian
cavalry fleeing from (
freshly
painted) Austrian cavalry… Those Russian cavalrymen… they are mighty
belligerent, and somewhat lacking in common sense, when drunk! That single
remaining stand of Russian cavalry charged back into the fray on the following
turn. So appalled by the smell of the drunken louts the Austrian cavalry had to
ride off and get some fresh air before riding the last of them down in the
following turn.
Meanwhile the last of the
Russian infantry – that had been hiding out in the village looting and raping
the locals and drinking all the vodka that they Cavalry hadn’t ridden off with
– sallied out and made a last ditch effort to take the hill (in the previous
couple pictures you can see them doing so in the back ground). At this point
they’ve been reduced to a single stand and had two Austiran units firing on
them from the front and Austrian Cavalry about to ride them down from the rear…
Here’s how things looked with
the Russians packed it in at the end of Turn Fourteen.
Finally a decisive victory for
the Austrians! It’s handy to have your army on the table BEFORE… oh… Turn Seven!?
I like this game. It's simple enough for a big dummy like me to understand.
I think the game went over really well. Everyone seemed like they were having fun and remained civil throughout the game. No items were thrown across the table in anger! Thanks to John for bringing his beautiful toys out and thanks to Gary, Rick, Keith and Bob for making this a thoroughly enjoyable game.
Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:
Back to painting – but hopefully
I’ll get some more games in in the coming weeks. The
Force
on Force game really got me stoked to play more of that – as I haven’t
played it in a while. Maybe it’s time to try some of the OTHER scenarios in
that book! I’m also keen to have a go at
Tomorrow’s
War - using some of the Sci-fi
figures I’ve been painting up lately.
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