In late 2008, in an effort to get myself playing more games, I decided to play all 52 scenarios from Scenarios For All Ages by
Charles S Grant and Stuart Asquith. More than that, I decided to play them in order, 1 a week, starting on Nov 5. I knew I wouldn't
manage to play every week so I set a deadline of Dec 31st 2009. With a little help from my friends, I made it with a day to spare.

In the end, I played 52 games in 60 weeks. 34 solo games, 15 face to face games, 3 Play-by-Email mini-campaigns
17 other gamers from 4 countries participated, (Canada 11, US 4, Ireland 1, Argentina 1)

11 'periods' were played - 20/25mm Ancients (3), Prince Valiant 40mm skirmish (9), 40mm 16thC (10),
40mm semi-flat War of Polish Sucession (1), 40mm AWI (2), 40mm Pirate
Skirmish (5), 40mm early 19thC fictional (17), 15mm ACW (1), 25mm Zulu War (1),
20mm WWII (1), 20mm 1960's fictional (2)

I posted a brief report on each game on my webpage. I am shutting down my website so I am re-posting
the reports here, starting at Game #52 so that they will eventually appear in order. The reports were written in a variety of voices and tenses (sometimes all mixed together!) and it was tempting to rewrite them but I have left them as they were originally written with only very minor corrections, particularly to things like links.

To avoid copyright issues and save myself work, I have not given the details of the scenarios. Having a copy of the book will help make sense of the reports. The book may currently be purchased from John Curry at http://www.wargaming.co/ as well as from booksellers like On Military Matters and Caliver.



Sunday, October 16, 2011

4 Oct 2009 Scenario 36: Night Attack-1

This game was played solo using 1/72nd 19thC fictional armies using Hearts of Tin. 

In order to get more games going, I decided to bring back some smaller figures and a few scraps of terrain and set up another small (4x5)  gaming table at the kennel. One of my old 15mm armies seemed like the obvious choice but I've just started work on some 20mm plastic RCW and have been casting a nostalgic eye on some Airfix ACW figs I painted up 25 years ago  during an earlier nostalgic bout, soooooo ...... 

It is 1863 and civil war is raging in Oberhilse. A brigade of Republican troops in their blue uniforms are camped by the Blubagh Run. Six companies plus a squadron of dragoons are on guard at the Western crossing in case a threatened Rebel night attack materializes, 4 more companies plus a field gun are in camp while 3 more squadrons are en route. The Rebels are indeed on the march but they are aiming at the Eastern ford, 2 squadrons of light horse, 16 companies of infantry divided into 2 brigades and a field gun. This would have been a good game for a GM,  map moves and written orders or at least a programmed enemy but the night rules and control test  caused lots of mayhem as it was.

The Rebel 1st Brigade managed to cross easily but the 2nd Brigade went haring off to the west on its own initiative. The 1st fight of the game came as a single squadron of dragoons dashed itself against the rebels as they deployed from the crossing and was cut down to a man. (oops) Behind them the blue infantry formed line with the 3rd Infantry in reserve. Across the run, the Rebel 2nd Brigade deployed to cross the run behind the blue line. The 3rd Infantry was ordered up and advanced into melee range leading to a fierce musketry duel across the run. 

Feeling the onus to attack, the Rebel commander ordered the 1st Brigade forward and the blue force was caught in a nasty 2 way fight but with the advantage of 1st fire and the gun, threw back the 1st Brigade. The regiment of rebels on the far side, backed off voluntarily after being shaken by losses. After a brief pause, the rebel lines came forward again just as the remaining dragoons spurred forward to attack the 2nd Brigade. (not sure why...)  The rebel unit composed of volunteers from the northern mountains, fired high, broke and were ridden down but enough dragoons were hit to shake the cavalry brigade. As the rebel infantry renewed their attack, the rebel light horse flanked the blue line and the 2nd Infantry broke and scattered and the whole blue line fell back in considerable disorder. The rebels were just as badly battered however (all brigades on both sides were now shaken) and also had to fall back.

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