Trying out some new naval rules

This week we tried out "Broadside and Ram" by David Manley.  They are a fast play set of rules specifically for the Battle of Lissa, 1866.  Not having any models for this conflict we turned to  the internet and downloaded some paper cut-out ships.

Our scenario was based on an attempted break out by the Austrian navy to in the face of an Italian blockade.  The picture below shows the Austrian fleet leaving the estuary with the small blockading Italian squadron of wooden warships observing them.  The Austrians have a two squadrons of 3 ships each (wooden on right of picture, iron on left).  Just out of shot the Italians have a squadron of ironclads.

Steve took command of the Austrian fleet, his flagship, Kaiser Max leading the ironclads with Don Juan de Austria and Drache following.  The wooden ships were led by Schwarzenberg followed by Radetzky and Novarra.  I had Duca de Genova observing the estuary, with Gaeta and Maria Adelaide in support.  The ironclad squadron steaming to their assistance comprised Formidabile, Re d' Italia and Re de Portogallo.

The Austrian fleet prepares to leave the estuary

Detail of the "Junior General" ships

Outnumbered 6:1 the Duca de Genova wisely made for the support of the remainder of the squadron.  Having formed line of battle they made for the Austrian wooden ship squadron.  The first salvo from Duca de Genova fell short, but the second struck home, causing moderate damage.  Pressing forward the Italian ship fired another salvo which devastated the Schwarzenberg's gun deck silencing her guns and wrecking the engines, leaving her a drifting hulk.

The Radetzky and Novarra sail past the wrecked Scwarzenberg and head for their ironclads

The two opposing ironclad squadrons were still out of range of each other, but with his squadron of wooden ships coming under such pressure (one ship sunk and the others sustaining damage), Steve directed the fire of Kaiser Max towards Gaete at the rear of the Italian line.  A first salvo missed, but successive ones soon silenced the Gaete's guns.  When  Don Juan de Austria joined in the writing was on the wall and soon the Gaete was reduced to a wreck, later slipping beneath the waves.

Novarra and Radetzky altered course to escape the attentions of Duca de Genova and Maria Adelaide and also bring them closer their ironclad squadron.  The Italian ironclads had been too far away to intercept the Austrian break out and they only arrived in time to try and prevent the Austrian wooden ships escaping.  The Formidabile, at the head of the line received significant damage when Novarra and Radetzky concentrated their fire on her.  This deterred the Italian ships from pursuit and the Austrian fleet sailed away to their home port.

Following lunch we tried the rules again with three squadrons a side and had an indecisive game, with only minor damage inflicted as the two fleets threaded through each other.

In review, the rules are quick and thus suited for fleet action, though the balancing factor is that the fine detail of gun calibre and armour thickness is lost.  The sequence is side A moves, side B fires; side B moves, side A fires which calls for some thoughtful manoeuvring.  As we used the paper ships rather than the 1/2400 models the rules were designed for all the distances were doubled, though tripling may have needed to maintain the proportions.  One thing that appealed to us is that the rules come complete with a section enabling you to carry out a campaign.  Perhaps this will encourage us to make the financial commitment necessary to build the two fleets?

Pontefract, 1645

After the best part of a month, Steve and I actually managed to get a game organised for this week.  It was a Pike and Shotte scenario based on the battle of Pontefract, 1645.  The idea came from an article in Miniature Wargames no 111 by John Barratt, (he has recently had "A Rabble of Gentility: the Royalist Northern Horse 1644-45" published by Helion). 
The Northern Horse under Sir Marmaduke Langdale have been ordered to relieve the siege of Pontefract Castle, currently besieged by Parliamentary forces under Lord Fairfax.  However, as Fairfax was in York, Commissary-General John Lambert was in command.  Other than a brief skirmish at Melton Mowbray, Langdale's approach march was untroubled, Parliamentary forces being unsure of his destination until opposition patrols clashed near Doncaster.  Fairfax ordered Lambert to stand on the defensive and await reinforcements.  In the event, Lambert had ordered a force of horse and dragoons forward to cover the crossing of the river Went.  This force was pushed back, but it did delay the Royalist advance long enough for Lambert to deploy his forces.

Forces used in the game were:
Royalists Sir Marmaduke Langdale

Sir Philip Monckton
2 standard regiments of horse (start the game disordered as they have pursued the covering force                                                         from the Went crossing) 1 trained, 1 veteran

Sir William Blakiston
2 regiments of horse  trained

The 'Northern Horse' had been joined by a mixed force of horse and foot from Newark
Lt Col Cartwright
3 units of horse, 1 standard, 2 small, all trained.

1 standard unit of  foot (3:2 musket/pike) trained

[The Newark foot arrive on turn 3, a die roll determines on where they appear, (1-3 left end of base line, 4-6 right end of base line)

Historically, the sight of Langdale's force encouraged a sally by the Newark garrison.  This may appear following move 3 (dice each turn, 6 - arrives turn 4, 5/6 turn 5 and so on, a 1 is always a fail).  The garrison appears on the flank of Lambert's infantry and can fire a volley or opt to charge before the parliamentary foot respond to their presence.

Garrison
1 small unit of commanded shot, trained. 

View from behind the Royalist position, Newark Horse on the left

Lambert's forces comprise

Colonel Christopher Copley
2 standard regiments of horse, (start the game disordered as they have been pursued the Northern                                                           Horse from the Went crossing), 1 trained 1 veteran

Colonel Burton
2 standard regiments of horse, trained

Colonel Thomas Morgan
2 standard regiments of horse, trained

Colonel John Bright
Yellow reg (small 1:1 musket/pike)
Green reg (standard 3:2 musket/pike)
Commanded shot, small

Morgan's brigade prepare to advance

The combat took place on Chequerfield, south of Pontefract, an open area with hedge-lined enclosures and 'allotments'  around it.

A Royalist victory would be achieved if two cavalry units in good command could exit the parliamentarian table edge.  Parliamentary victory would be preventing any Royalist forces exiting that way.

The action began with the Newark Horse and Blakiston's brigade advancing,  whilst Monckton was still struggling to get his regiments back in order.  As they advanced the Newark Horse came under fire from the parliamentarian commanded shot, this had little effect and they charged into Copley's brigade.  Copley's leading regiment was defeated and fell back through their supports, pursued by the eager Royalists.  However, Copley's second regiment ignored their retreating comrades and stood firm.  In the resulting melee the leading regiment of the Newark Horse was routed and fled the field, carrying one of it's supports with it. 

Copley's brigade rout the leading unit of the Newark Horse

The remaining Newark regiment, Grimshaw's, was saved by Monckton's brigade who had at last regained their order and were advancing rapidly.  Monckton drove back Burton's brigade which had been menacing Grimshaw's flank and then attacked the reforming Copley forcing him to retreat.

On the Royalist right, Blakiston and Morgan had both advanced and engaged in melee.  An even contest flowed back and forth, with neither side being able to gain an advantage.  With Monckton forced to pause to reform following his attack, Grimshaw once again resumed his attack.  First he charged Lambert's own regiment of horse, (part of Copley's brigade), routing it; and then carried on to drive Livesey's (part of Burton's brigade), from the field.  However, this success was his undoing.  Victory over Livesey's had brought them too close to Bright's 'Green' regiment which fired a close range volley that drove the Newark horse back in confusion.

Monckton's men drive back Livesey's (Copley's brigade)

Langdale had seen the arrival of the Newark foot and ordered them to drive off the commanded shot on the Royalist left, before advancing through the enclosures to attack the parliamentarian foot.  Having the advantage of pikes, the Newark men should have made short work of driving off the 'shot', but their opponents proved hard to dislodge and as the melee took place around the enclosure danger approached.

Copley's remaining regiment had recovered from their earlier reverses and now returned to the fray.  In the centre of Chequerfield, Monckton and Burton were still fighting away, neither able to gain the advantage.  On the Royalist right, Morgan was at last gaining the upper hand.  Blakiston's men were beginning to be pushed back.  Copley saw that the commanded shot were in danger of being overwhelmed and led his men in a charge on the exposed flank of the Newark foot.  With their attention focused on the infantry to their front, the Newark foot were totally unprepared for the avalanche which their right flank.  In no time at all they were streaming to the rear, pursued by Copley's troopers.

The Newark foot are routed

Far too late the sally by the Pontefract garrison arrived, only to see that the Royalist forces were quitting the field.  The siege had not been lifted.

Historically, the battle was decided by the sally, as their unexpected volley routed one of Lambert's infantry regiments, allowing a gap through which the Royalist cavalry could pursue the defeated Parliamentarians.  Also, Lambert was wounded when his regiment was routed which took away the command and control of his forces.

Our table-top fight did not reproduce these decisive events (though Lambert's regiment was routed).  However, it did provide for an enjoyable  2 hour game with plenty of ebb and flow.  After lunch, Steve and I  swapped sides and in the second game the Royalists achieved a 'winning draw' by which they were on the verge of pushing a unit through the Parliamentary line and off the table. 

St Pierre du Mont, February 1814

As usual on the Sunday following the Phalanx show, Steve hosted a full day game. Here is a much delayed report on the game.  This year it was a Shako "Big Battles" fictional scenario set in the 1814 campaign.  Napoleon is attempting to stop the advance of the allied Hauptarmee commanded by Schwarzenburg which contains Austrian, Prussian and Russian troops.  The allies have secured two bridgeheads over the Ouise river and are preparing to continue their advance westwards along the road through Recourt and Clairveaux, both of which towns are  overlooked by the abbey of St Pierre du Mont.

The forces deployed are as follows:-

Allies

Prussians
60 infantry stands (40 strength points) in 7 divisions,  16 cavalry stands (19 strength points) in 4 divisions and 4 guns

Austrians
48 infantry stands (30 strength points) in 5 divisions, 14 cavalry stands (17 strength points) in 3 divisions and 4 guns

Russians
96 infantry stands (64 strength points) in 10 divisions, 32 cavalry stands (31 strength points)  in 7 divisions( including 3 Cossack), 8 guns

French

Ney
62 infantry stands (36 strength points) in 6 divisions, 12 cavalry stands (15 strength points)  in 3 divisions, 4 guns

Marmont
48 infantry stands (29 strength points) in 5 divisions, 12 cavalry stands (15 strength points) in 3 divisions, 4 guns

Victor
60  infantry stands (35 strength points) in 6 divisions, 18 cavalry stands (16 strength points) in 4 divisions, 4 guns

Napoleon
30  infantry stands (26 strength points) in 4 divisions, 22 cavalry divisions (28 strength points) in 4 divisions, 5 guns

Napoleon has ordered Ney and Victor to come to the aid of Marmont, whose command has been pushed back by overwhelming numbers of enemy troops.  The emperor has marched his mobile reserve (Imperial Guard) to the area to add its weight to the counterattack.  Schwarzenburg's  planned advance has been disrupted by the Austrian tardiness in getting their troops over the river, (Kolowrat the Austrian commander threw a '4' on a d10 meaning only 4 guns/divisions had managed to cross to the western bank),  which in turn has given Ney, who commands the French Army of Lyon on that flank, an opportunity to attack.

Victor's troops deploy around Varvinay

Marmont covers Recourt 

The Austrians queueing to cross the Ouise

The thin defencive line awaits Ney's attack

Ney's corps advances from St Julien le Croix

Steve and I umpired the game, with me taking the Prussian/Victor flank which also involved Marmont and part of the Russians.  Details of Ney's attack are therefore sketchy, though for some reason, I seem to have more photos of the Austrians than the Prussians.

On the Allies' right flank Blucher ordered the bulk of his cavalry to move onto Mont Varvigny to threaten Victor's flank.  However, Oppen's division was to advance on Clairveaux and if possible seize it.  Meanwhile Blucher directed his infantry to defend the  Braquis bridgehead.  In the centre
the Russians were taking their time advancing onto Mont Jacques, the Cossacks were watching Marmont, but they had no supports.  Kolowrat's Austrians were doing their best to create a defencive line and he was driving the remainder of his force across the bridge as quickly as possible.



For the French, Ney and Victor attacked, whilst Marmont covered Recourt and waited for Napoleon to arrive before attacking Mont Jacques.  Victor moved some cavalry to his left to counter the Prussian advance, which weakened his main attack.  In a bloody melee the Prussians had some success, but their infantry supports were too far away.  Their 'blown' units were driven from the field by a concerted combined arms attack and the reserve cavalry were also pushed back, having to seek the safety of their own lines. Over half the Prussian cavalry were lost in this attack, but it did buy some time.  Meanwhile Oppen had almost reached Clairveaux, (crossing the front of Marmont's cavalry unmolested in the process).  However, further progress was stopped when the massed ranks of The Imperial Guard were spotted.  Oppen immediately turned to regain his own lines.  He narrowly avoided being intercepted by Victor's cavalry, but made it back to report the Guard's arrival.

The cavalry melee on Mont Varvigny

It was now that Marmont's cavalry at last acted on initiative (Marmont was too far away to give them an order himself) and charged forward.  Up to this point , all three divisions had failed their initiative tests on 3 successive occasions.  Fortunately for Marmont's reputation (and career) the fact that the division of cavalry they charged was Victor's was discovered just in time, (their charge move ended 1" short of it's intended target).

Napoleon's arrival had galvanised Marmont into advancing his infantry and the blue-coated infantry moved up the slopes of Mont Jacques.

Marmont advances against the thin line of Cossacks

Victor was continuing his methodical attack against Blucher.  First he subdued the Prussian artillery and then attacked the infantry with combined cavalry and infantry attacks.  Prussian units were driven back time and again only for Blucher to rally them and send them forward again.  However, nothing could hide the thinning ranks of the Prussian infantry.  The loss of Pirch's corps necessitated a shortening of the line and with Kleist and Nordmann both suffering over 50% casualties, Victor seemed on the verge of success.  Just in time Schwarzenberg released the Russian reserve corps to aid the  Prussians.  Bolstered by two elite Russian divisions the Prussian line resisted the next series of attacks and the allied line stabilised.

Victor's cavalry attempt to break the Prussian line

The Prussian position

In the centre, the Russians had taken a long time to get organised, but their deployment onto Mont Jacques arrived just in time to face Marmont's attack.  Both sides gained some small successes, but the decisive action took place just to the north of Mont Jacques where Napoleon had committed the full might of the Guard cavalry, plus two heavy cavalry divisions to try and create a breach in the line where the Russian and Prussian troops met.  The Chasseurs and Lancers of the Guard met the Russian Guard Light cavalry head to head and came off second best, whilst the two divisions of cuirassiers made no impression on the resolute Russian infantry.

The decisive cavalry melee between the opposing guards

Only in Ney's attack on Moissy sur Ouise  could the French see any glimmer of success.  Initially outnumbered, the Austrians had put up a determined resistance which was reinforced as more troops reached the western bank.  The Russian cavalry had helped out, but had paid a heavy price.  Attack and counter-attack saw the French and Austrian lines move forward and then back.  With time running out, Ney launched one more attack which had his men on the verge of capturing the town of Moissy sur Ouise.  He needed reinforcements to push home the advantage, but Marmont was fully committed and the Guard was far away.

Austrians preparing for the French attack

Kolowrat rallying his troops

Russian dragoons driven off by Ney's infantry

Yet more French attacks

The fight beneath the walls of Moissy sur Ouise

We had to call time at this point and declare that it was a "winning draw" for the French in that they stopped the Allied advance and inflicted heavy casualties on both the Prussians and Austrians.  However, they had not done enough to change the course of the overall campaign and the losses suffered by Ney in particular could not be replaced.

In retrospect I would have changed a couple of details.  French reinforcements would have been available from the start and the Russian reinforcements could have been delayed more.  The delayed Austrian advance was a greater impediment than I had intended, but it still gave a good game on that flank.  Due to circumstances there were fewer players than I had planned for, but John, (as Russian commander) did a sterling job controlling twice as many troops as anyone else and also supplying some more photos.

Casualty returns (strength points lost)
Allies
Prussians
Infantry 16 out of 40 (40%);    Cavalry 15 out of 19 (75%)

Austrians
Infantry 21 out of 30 (70%);    Cavalry 6 out of 17 (30%)

Russians (does not include Guard reserve)
Infantry 12 out of 64 (18%);   Cavalry 19 out of 31 (60%)

French
Ney
Infantry 24 out of 36 (66%);   Cavalry 10 out of 15 (66%)

Marmont
Infantry 6 out of 29 (20%);    Cavalry  6 out of 15 (40%)

Victor
Infantry 11 out of 35 (30%);  Cavalry  7 out of 16 (40%)

My thanks to Steve for helping with the umpiring, Chris, Dave, Ian, John, Nick and Phil for playing the game and the lady gentlemen pensioners, Gwen, Kay and Lynne, for providing a very good lunch.  Hopefully, it won't be another four years before we have a large multi-player Napoleonic game!