Company level Napoleonics using 61-65 Ganesha Rules

The plan was to play a Sharp Practice scenario at the Gloucester Club on Weds night. Unfortunately I forgot half of the turn sequence cards! What to do? The only companly level rules that I have tucked away in my brain are 61-65, the excellent American Civil War rules from Ganesha Games who sit along side Toofatlardies as my favourite rules producers. I played the rules straight out of the book with no modifications whatsoever for the sake of simplicity.

The French begin to advance towards the road junction

We formed two company of 5 squads with attached skirmishers as usual and fought a meeting engagement.

The British advance through the orchard towards the church on their left flank.

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The British and their allies move into the paddocks behind the house at the junction.

While on their left flank they take up a good defensive position as they watch the French come towards them. The first shots are fired as skirmishers open up against each other in the centre. Both sides try to dominate the ground around the farmhouse.

The fight for the farm intensifies. The french manage to deploy some skirmishers into the building and drive of those protecting the flank of the Portuguese. This allows a french section to get over the fence to threaten a breakthrough in the allied lines.

Meanwhile, the french skirmishers begin to get the better of their allied opponents by the church. The British sections stubbornly stay behind their hard cover in the church yard.

In a desperate move with their rear threatened, a British section climbs over the fence and removes some surprised French skirmishers. They reveal their flank to a slightly shaken French section but with predictable results when the French section gets three activations and charges.

Some unfortunately timed turn overs, see the British sections stuck behind their walls, unable to react to a French section which maneuvers onto their flank.

At this the British recognised that their position had collapsed and the French won the day. Good fast, fun game as always and a tribute to the rules that I was able to play from memory.

61-65 at the Worcester Club 15th October 2011

I set up an introductory game of 61-65 on my second visit to the Worcester club (Friends of General Haig). I based it on the capture the farm scenario played previously. By way of recap, both sides have identified the farm (top of the picture) as an important part of the line in an ongoing battle as the area also has a ford by which troops could threaten the flank. In this case the area north of the ford is held by 4 squads of Rebs. 5 Union squads are tasked with seizing the farm.

The field, woods and stream (apart from at the ford) are difficult going for formed troops. The fences, wood and banks of the stream provide cover). The Union (Clive and Ed) have one veteran unit (Q3 C4), all other troops are regulars. The Rebs (Paul) are all regulars and will get one more squad which will turn up on their board edge after the 6th turnover by either side (the Reb commander does not know this).

The Union advance steadily, forcing a keen Reb squad back over the ford.

The first exchanges between skirmishers.

A nice ordered Union line.

The Rebs' skirmishers have been driven back exposing the squad to Union fire.

The Rebs prepare for the onslaught.

The Union prepare to push on towards the stream.

The first exchange of squad volleys.

Having pushed the Rebs away from the stream, The Union line advances, much the approval of their drill instructor.

On the Union right, the veteran squad gets ahead of the rest of the line, softens up a Reb squad with skirmisher fire and then routs it at the points of their fixed bayonets.

The Union veterans are counter attacked by the Reb reserve squad and with no skirmishing screen they are decimated by volley and skirmisher fire. Their morale holds however.

The Union squads, having lost a number of their protective skirmishers, fix bayonets and get in close, charging a Reb squad in the central woods

With much whoopin' and a-hollerin', at last the Rebs try their hand at charging. Both sides throw in their junior officers and both sides lose their junior officers! Morale holds and the fight will continue until the end of the game.

The lines begin to swing diagonally across the field of battle. To the left of the wood, a Reb squad is formed into column to counter the Union advance on the farm.

The farm is threatened now as the Union bring another squad alongside the beleagured veterans.

The Reb Captain encourages the column to move at the double.

The fight in the wood rages on. This time, the NCOs call each other out and both are killed during the melee. Casualties continue to mount on both sides but neither squad breaks.

As darkness falls across the field, the Rebs still hold the farm, but are under serious pressure, having lost two squads completely to the Union's one. Both sides have taken heavy casualties and have fought themselves to a stand still.

40mm ACW game at the WAR club 23rd Feb 2011

ACW game using my new set of 40mm Sash and Sabre figures. We used the excellent company level 61-65 rules from Ganesha Games. The Union had to cross a ford and seize a farm on an area of raised ground. After a slow start the, Union made it across the ford deflecting much of the Rebel fire with their skirmishers. They sent two companies out wide on each flank which caused some confusion in the Confederate ranks. Before they reorganise the Rebs were surrounded and the Union took the high ground. Great game with excellent rules.