The Battle of Bosworth 1485, using Hail Caesar.

 Charlie very kindly hosted a game of Hail Caesar for Ian and I today. Charlie had created a scenario based on the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. He mainly used the scenario from the Wars of the Roses HC book but with a few tweaks of his own. Loyalties decreed that I command the Lancastrians whilst Ian took control of the Yorkists. Charlie, having devised an activation system for Northumberland and the Stanleys would control those forces if they decided to enter the fray.

The French captains (Philibert de Chandee) troops held their ground as the men of Norfolk advanced losing their arrowstorm. 

Richard 3rd held himself and all his cavalry back initially.

The view from behind the Lancastrian line, note the marshy ground in the centre that impeded troop movement. 

Looking along the table, from behind Chandee's division. Note Richard 3rd's cavalry starting to advance in the centre. 

The first main casualties caused a Yorkist Household unit to break. The Lancastrian archery was proving to be superior (luckier?) than the Yorkists, especially when they throw a 4 on their Break Test. 

Here comes Richard!

Sir William Stanley chose this moment to advance his division and did so quite rapidly and straight into action against Brackenbury's troops.  

A couple of turns later Baron Stanley himself chose to advance. Northumberland waited until the last couple of turns before he chose to move but then failed his order tests two turns in a row so took no part in the battle!

With most longbow units arrow supplies used up it was time for melee. 

Most of the melee's were won by the Lancastrians so things were looking bleak for the Yorkists. 

In a desperate attempt to get through to Henry Tudor (hiding at the back) Richard 3rd led his cavalry in a reckless charge but lost his life fighting some household troops from Oxford's division...game over!

This was a large game using figures from all of our collections. Charlie hosted the game very well and Ian's desperate attempt to get Richard 3rd into melee with Henry Tudor was very cinematic and certainly echoed history. We all had great fun and enjoyed such a large game on a roughly 10ft by 5ft table. We are now looking at which large historical battle we can do next. 

 

28mm Anglo Danes

 I am quite pleased with the current progress of my 28mm Anglo Danish army and the various buildings, wagons and villagers to go with it. This army was started in 2000 when I bought a mixed boxed set of 50 'Dark Age' figures from Wargames Foundry. Originally they were painted up for skirmish games but a couple of years ago I decided to rebase everything for Hail Caesar to use in bigger battles. I have also managed a few games of Early Medieval themed Lion Rampant too. There are now figures from Foundry, Victrix, Gripping Beast, Crusader Miniatures and a few others in the army.

The main problem is that you need a lot of figures to make up a decent sized army for HC and I had Normans, Vikings, Picts, Arthurian British and Early Saxons to expand as well as my Anglo Danish thus progress has been slow as I flitter about between the various armies and of course my many other projects. To make life easier I decided to concentrate on my Normans, Vikings and Anglo Danes first plus all the extra bits and pieces that help a wargames table come alive. I did a post about my (almost complete) Normans a while ago but today I decided to look at where I am up to with my Anglo Danish army led of course by Harold Godwinson. 

Latest unit of levy infantry, mainly GB plastics with a few bits from other makes. 

Also going full circle, I am now painting up a few single based figures for use with the recently released 'Pillage' rules from Victrix. I have just finished reading through the rules and they look like they will give us some great games. They seem to be a blend of Middle Earth Battle Strategy rules and a few bits from games like Mordheim and Frostgrave for the 'pillaging'. 

I will slowly be adding more single figures and livestock such as the chickens I painted this weekend. 

The tent is a plastic model from Renedra and I have 3 more of these to paint. They wil make an impressive camp in large battles and a good place to 'pillage' in skirmish games. 

My village so far, complete with small chapel, wagons and a few villagers. 

In games of Hail caesar the village will probably mainly feature to the side or rear of the main action whereas in Pillage the village will likely be the centerpiece of the game. 

I also have 5 bases of villagers escorting various livestock which will be very useful as loot as wil the wagons. 

A few 'shieldwall' markers and casualties, all very useful. 

Thor, my turn counter, posing with a few friends to show how big and tough he is. 

The Anglo Danish Hail caesar army so far, two full divisions of infantry (8x units of 16 figures) and two units of skirmishers with bow. There are also 4 command bases. I need to paint up at least 4 more infantry units to create the third division that I need. 

A view along the shieldwall. 

Harold Godwinson and his brothers, ready to lead the army to victory. 

Some skirmishers sent out to annoy the enemy. 

The battles and campaigns of 1066 have always been one of my favourite era's of history to read about and study. I am slowly working on a large Hastings scenario which we should be able to play before too long with the help of some of my friends and the suitable figures in their collections. First though, I fancy a few games of Pillage!

Rapid Fire 15mm Blitzkrieg.

 Ian (German), Nigel (French) and myself (British) have been quietly painting some 15mm forces for Early War Rapid Fire. Today was the day to get some of them on the table for the first time. We used the Cassel - The Citadel scenario from the Blitzkrieg Battlegames book but used our own forces that were based on different battlegroups. The larger German force had to try and take a well defended hill town from the British. As Nigel had painted up a few French, we put them out on the British right flank to hold the villages of Zuytpeene and Bavinchove. 

My 25pdrs were deployed to the left of Cassel - they didn't hit a thing all game right up to the last turn when they did destroy a german artillery piece. 

The British infantry were mainly deployed inside the houses of Cassel. 

Nigel also deployed his French infantry mainly in the two villages houses. Ian's rapidly advancing German infantry soon overwhelmed the French forcing them to fall back.

Note here that all buildings were counted as intact at the start of the game but we used some ruins in some places as that is all we had. 

Ian sent on some motor bike riders first and Nigel promptly shot some of them. 

Ian's main German advance, heading straight for Cassel.

Turn 1 and my Matilda and my 25mm AT gun had some fun with the German tanks. 

When Ian later deployed some german AT guns I sent my Matilda 1's on a mission to destroy them. Just behind them my 25mm AT gun had just been hit by HE killing the crew but not harming the gun which I later re-crewed. 

Most of Ian's German tanks could not harm my Matilda's and they could not damage them in return so the two forces moved past each other on their separate missions. 

After destroying or damaging quite a few German tanks my poor old Matilda II, after absorbing so many shots at it got finally got destroyed. 

It took all game but Ian's Stuka finally arrived and took out one of my 25pdr's. 

My solitary AA infantry stand failed miserably in it's attempt to fire back.

As our gaming time was coming to an end, Nigel's French who had been slowly whittled down by the Germans became surrounded, failed their Morale test and thus surrendered. Ian's German forces had been so badly damaged that he felt he had little chance of taking Caessel,thus an Allied Victory was declared. 

Another great game of Rapid Fire and our first in the Early War setting. We learned quite a lot about the abilities (or lack of) of our varying troop types. We are all looking forward to playing again. 

Rapid Fire: Operation Goodwood in 20mm.

 Now I am back from my holidays we were back at Nigel's house today for another game of Rapid Fire using his wonderful 20mm collection of figures and vehicles. The scenario was taken from the Rapid Fire website, Operation Goodwood which seems to have been mainly a tank battle between the British and the Germans. Nigel put me and Ian in control of the british and Nigel was in charge of the Germans. The main aim was for each side to get at least one vehicle off the opposite table edge from where they deployed.

The British tanks enter the table.

The British briefing. 

Main German deployment and their briefing. Nigel had also deployed an anti tank gun and a squad of infantry over on our right flank but their position was not known until they fired. 

The British tanks get into position. 

Ian and I decided to deploy a smoke screen to cover our advance as although the germans had fewer tanks they did have some good fire power. 

Nigel destroyed one of our shermans (top left) but we rushed forward hoping that our greater numbers would help us break through. 

White smoke equals light damage, black smoke is for heavy damage and red smoke deontes a destroyed vehicle. The red counters record who has fired smoke. 

Our British Shermans swarm all over the Germans and manage to break through. Nigel's Germans also failed a morale test at this time and had to withdraw. 

A win for the British. We actually completed the game quite quickly so after lunch we set up again with me controlling the Germans and Ian and Nigel in charge of the British. 

Some of my Germans deployed ready to great the British. 

The advancing Brits destroyed my AT gun hidden on my left flank.

This time round, the British failed to break through in the allowed 10 turns but my Germans also failed to advance at all so a draw was declared. 

Both games were great fun with lots of tanks being destroyed. 

We play again next week, a first game with our freshly painted 15mm early war forces. 

Rapid Fire: Operation Epsom, June 1944

 We were at Nigel's house today for a game of Rapid Fire using Nigel's wonderful 20mm collection of models and figures. His terrain looked great too as it was decided that Nigel would play the Germans with Ian and I splitting the British forces between us. Both forces were tasked with capturing and holding the various villages or chateau's spread across the table. 

The British entry point defined by the lolly sticks and you can just see the german entry point in the distance.

Nigel's fast moving German forces were quick to move into and seize the village. 

My British infantry making slower progress sheltering behind my squadron of Matilda tanks. They were aiming to capture the chateau ahead. 

Ian's forces lay down some smoke as his infantry advance towards the village now held by the Germans. 

The Germans enjoying the cover the village provides as they move to occupy the buildings. 

First main casualty of the game as Nigel bags one of my Churchills. A poor morale throw saw the other two Churchills having to withdraw for two moves. 

Ian's British forces tucked in nicely to support the troops trying to assault the village. 

The Pz IV lurking behind the smoke screen was a worry though. 

Here comes the Panzer IV emerging from the smoke. 

Boom! Ian uses an 'heroic action and by throwing two successive '6's uses a PIAT to blow up the Panzer IV. 

My Churchill's finally move back into the action by brewing up a German half track and 4 of the infantry it was carrying. A great turn for the British forces as my infantry also enter the chateau on the right. 

Not to be outdone, Nigel sends forward his flame thrower and brews up Ian's 6pdr AT gun. 

At this point we had to call the game a draw as both sides had made equal gains and suffered similar casualties. It was a very enjoyable game with some enjoyable and memorable moments. We were a little rusty with the rules to begin with but gradually got into the swing of them. A big thankyou to Nigel for setting up such an enjoyable game.