Tussle in Trumpboro

We played another game of Sharp Practice set in the American Rebellion, this time based upon the Richard Clarke Tussle in Trumpboro scenario.

In this scenario it has rained heavily and the British under the command of Major Sir Gerrard Mandering, have despite their best efforts have been unable to keep their powder dry. Sir Gerrard was, however, unperturbed. He would attack with the bayonet and tomahawk, relying on British steel to clear the rebels from the town. The Rebels, luckily, have access to an ammunition cart, so have been able to re-supply enough for each group to fire one volley.

Luck definitely wasn’t with the British, as the Rebels managed to deploy several units into Trumpboro.

The Rebels looked around and could only see a few skirmishers in the distance.

However, their mates soon turned up.

The light infantry advanced

And were joined by their American friends in the Queen’s Rangers.

The Rebel frontiersmen, leapt over the fence, fired a volley, killing two Brits. However, they failed to make contact with the British.

Back in Trumpboro, the state line were moving out from the crossroads, with the continentals making a meal out of getting over the fences to the south of Trumpboro.

The light infantry, with help from the Queen’s Rangers pushed the frontiersmen back but the state line were lurking behind the fence.

The grenadiers advanced rapidly along the road only to be hit by a volley of musket fire from the rebels manning the crossroads.

They were soon seen off by a bloody bayonet charge leaving a single grenadier to help his wounded officer to the medical station.

In retaliation the main column under Sir Gerrard charged the rebels and soon they were in disarray and running for their lives.

The game was called at this point as the Rebel force morale had plummeted and the British skirmishers were closing in to kill off the last of the Rebel skirmishers.

No Pain No Grain

This week for a change we played a game of Infamy Infamy from the Too Fat Lardies. The scenario chosen was the civil war in AD69 one from a WSS magazine written by Richard Clarke. The scenario involves the Othonian and Vittelian forces both looking for supplies from the same farm whilst the locals looked on nervously.

The Othonian gladiators headed straight for the farm,

Whilst the marines made for the river ford as this was the only available crossing point for the Vittelians.

 

 

The Vittelians arrived, with the legion heading down the road.

 

The marines were soon at the ford.

With the Vitellian archers and auxiliaries advancing and heading for the woods near to the ford.

The Vittelian legion slowly lumbered up the road, having severe command and control issues.

They eventually arrived at the ford to face off the Othonians, but the gods (and command cards) were not with them, as they spent several turns looking at the marines.

Pila were thrown by both sides with minimal effect and the legion charged in. The bun fight ensued and both sides were forced back due to morale issues.

Meanwhile, the gladiators were raiding the farm and soon had all the supplies they needed.

The Vittelian legion were unable to clear the ford and blocked it preventing the fresh auxiliaries from taking the fight to the depleted marines.

At this point the game was called as it was late, due to time spent checking the rules as we hadn’t played in quite a while, and also the Vittelians were unlikely to prevent the gladiators making off with the supplies.

Chain of Command, May 1940, Attack on the Canal at Avelette

This scenario was semi-fictional, based on the Royal Ulster Fusiliers hasty defense of the canal at Bethune, covering the Calais in Mat 1940. We used Scenario 3, “Attack & Defend”. The Germans (Rob & Steve) had 10 support points and had selected an MMG, an extra infantry section and a Red Dice. The British (Dave & Mal) also had 10 support points (5 + 5 from the Force Rating differences) and had also selected an MMG, with entrenchments and most crucially, a 3” Mortar Battery and FAO.

Not knowing where the Germans might come from, the Brits deployed their Patrol Markers, 18” in, strung across the center of the table. The Germans initially went for a bold right flank concentration, then bottled it and went with patrol markers strung 8” apart, just right of center on their baseline. The subsequent Patrol phase yielded Jump Off Points (JoP) for the Brits well placed to defend the canal on both flanks, as well as overlooking the Bridge. The Germans got rather pushed back into the center and center right wooded area.

The Germans opened with a massive initial deployment. Green section pushing wide to the East, to threaten cross at the lock. Blue section pushing West, to try to exploit a sunken barge as a crossing. They then had Red & Yellow sections push for the central house, overlooking the destroyed bridge.

The Brits were very laid back in response, only deploying Red section at the lock keeper’s cottage garden and the FAO into the lock keeper’s cottage. While Red section commenced hosing down the German Green Section’s advance, the FAO called down an accurate barrage on the German Red & Yellow sections in the center.

This barrage tied down the German Red & Yellow sections (and also killed quite a few, as a result of a mistake by the umpire!!). As a result the German Green section started to suffer, so the Germans countered by deploying their 4^th Infantry section and their tripod mounted MMG, in the woods overlooking the lock, to provide long range fire support.

As a result the German Green section did manage to work their way up to an abandoned barge. The British Red section was also beginning to suffer, from the sustained attention of 4 MG34s and 10+ rifles, so they deployed their Vickers MMG in the lock keeper’s garden, which successfully suppressed the German Green section.

However, this close range fire fight and the continued long range attentions of the German MMG, had thinned out the ranks of British Red section and the Vickers crew, as they were left with one man manning the MMG, one man on the Bren and one rifleman, all held together by the Corporal and Platoon Sergeant!

As the Germans were still threatening to push the barge off the canal bank, the Brits hurried forward Blue Section into the lock keeper’s garden. These reinforcements soon started to sweep the decks of the barge and shortly the German Green section broke.

On the German left, the German Blue section crept forward to the hedge overlooking the canal, West of the bridge. They confirmed the presence of the reported sunken barge, spanning the canal and not seeing any British this side of the bridge, they made a dash for the barge.

However, the British Yellow section lay in wait, behind a hedge on the other side of the canal. As the Germans scrambled along the barge, the British opened fire, causing the Germans to rapidly fall-back, with both sides settling into a vicious firefight. But it was clear that the Germans weren’t crossing here without support.

Calculating that the British had no more reserves, the German commander called for a redeployment of the MMG, platoon mortar and support section, to the left flank. However, the British FAO spotted this movement and started to ‘walk’ the mortar barrage South down the road, threatening to pin-down this movement. The Germans then decided to withdraw, to seek further reinforcements.

The Brits had succeed by an economical deployment strategy (Red section holding the table on their own, for some time!) and a very well placed mortar barrage, pinning two German sections. The Germans had a really tough mission, but were hampered by their initial JOP restrictions. Another CofC Patrol Phase reminder to think not only about your own JOP geometries, but also those of your opponent!?

Battle at the Gates of Rome AD70

 

As your correspondent sits to compose his latest report the scene has shifted from the dunes of Africa to the bucolic countryside surrounding Rome.  A peaceful rolling countryside of vineyards and villas; but not for long!  The victorious army of Adrianus Africanus advances on Rome to confront the army of Emperor Paulinus.

Adrianus’ loyal Tribune Rickonius Rogerus commands the rebel left wing.  Reinstated to the rank of Tribune the renegade Malchus Bonitus has been appointed to command of Adrianus’ right wing.  The fanatically loyal Johnialis Daybellus stands firm on Paulinus’ right flank and Davidianus holds the Paulinian left.

The armies find themselves deploying in rolling terrain dotted with a scattering of small woods.  Broken hilly terrain occupies the South West corner of the battlefield

Despite having an advantage in light cavalry Emperor Paulinus was outscouted by the rebels. 

The dawn of battle found Legionaries arrayed against each other on the east and centre of the battlefield while on the west Adrianus’ auxiliaries faced off against Paulinus’s cavalry.  The Paulinian ballista were given a wide field of fire in the centre of the field and faced off against Adrianus’ veteran archers.

 Adrianus’ plan was to attack hard on the right and centre while feinting on the left before adopting a defensive stance in the face of Johnialis’ superior cavalry.

Paulinus planned to attack on his centre and right and advance his left wing in support of his centre hoping for a cavalry strike against Rickonius’ left.

No stratagems were played as the battle began.

Despite delays on the Western side of the battlefield both armies advanced cautiously and in good order.  The Paulinian artillery opened hostilities but with little effect. 

Rickonius’ light infantry veterans moved into the rolling and wooded terrain ahead of them from where his archers scored the first kill of the battle destroying Johnialis’ light cavalry.

Johnialis’ remaining cavalry did not respond.

As the battle lines closed Malchus’ cavalry charged Davidianus’ light cavalry causing it to evade towards the Paulinian baseline. 

In the centre Adrianus’ legionaries swept down off their hill and destroyed the first of Paulinus’ cohorts opening a gap in the Paulinian line.

In response Paulinus disordered Adrianus’ veteran legion and proceeded to push his Praetorians deep into the centre of Adrianus’ line pursuing the disordered cohort as it attempted to withdraw.

Johnialis’ right wing cavalry failed to move!

Davidianus’ legionaries now got into action charging Malchus’ opposing cohort.  The main combat was preceded by an exchange of pilum and despite doing little damage to the cohorts involved Malchus was forced to withdraw from the battlefield with a serious wound and Davidianus was struck stone dead.  In the ensuing combat Malchus’ raw cohort Mac/IX was disordered. 

Under continuing pressure from Malchus’ cavalry Davidianus’ light cavalry were forced to evade off the board.

A period of retrenchment followed.  Malchus advanced his right wing cohort Mac/VIII to cover the front of his disordered legionaries destroying Davidianus’ praetorians in the process.  To their left cohort Mac/VII advanced from the low hill they had occupied to threaten the woods in front of them. 

In danger of being outflanked by Malchus’ cavalry Davidianus withdrew from the woods and threw his auxiliaries against Malchus’ leading cohort disordering it and allowing the light infantry skirmishing in the high ground on Davidianus’ left to attack and destroy them.

In the centre Adrianus’ archers pressed forward threatening and then attacking Paulinus’ ballista only to see them swept away by a flank attack by Paulinus’ legionaries.

Johnialis maintained pressure on Rickonius’ auxiliaries scoring a hit on Rickonius himself and triggering an attack by a traitor within Rickonius’ staff.   Rickonius’ bodyguard acted swiftly thwarting the determined assassination attempt.

Johnialis’ right wing cavalry failed to move!!

Despite disorder amongst his auxiliaries Rickonius was successfully holding Johnialis at bay.  Johnialis was making steady progress through the woods and rolling hills in front of him and turned to offer support to Paulinus in the centre.

Johnialis’ cavalry moved towards the centre of the battlefield (hurrah!).

On the West of the battlefield Davidianus’ light cavalry briefly returned to the table moving to skirmish Malchus’ cavalry.  Sadly their intervention was short lived as they were destroyed by Malchus’ cavalry javelins. Davidianus’ auxiliaries smartly about faced and attacked Malchus’ cavalry disordering them

In the centre of the battlefield both lines of legionaries were now fragmented and the swirling melee resulted in the loss of Paulinus’ overextended cohort. 

The Paulinian centre was now in bad shape but luckily nightfall came to their rescue.  Both armies stood bloodied but undefeated.  Despite significant disorder within his ranks Adrianus had heavily punished Paulinus’ army who was a single unit away from total defeat.

A second day of battle is inevitable.