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.

"Rescue from the Schwarzherz Wald" Part 2 - A Fear and Faith scenario sequel

Part one can be found here

The cave complex and the temple

Werewolves

Your minions have brought two maidens to you at great cost. Many of your werewolves have been slain, and you are down to the last of your brood, the bloodline has become weak.

In order to spawn stronger creatures the maidens must be changed into wolfkind so they can breed with you and produce a purer strain. They have been bitten and are secured to columns in your mountain temple. At the appointed time (10 o’clock) the moon will shine through a portal in the roof of the cavern on to the pillars and their fates (far worse than death) will be sealed.

You have under your command the remains of your pack and some Cossacks who serve you loyally as long as they get paid.

The Rescuers

The surviving soldiers and gypsies treat their wounded. Having recovered the silver weapons from the gypsy and werewolf corpses they track the werewolves back to their lair. They look on as one of the creatures disappears into a mountain side cave, the entrance to which is guarded by a pair of swarthy Cossack guards.

Two of the gypsies dispatch the guards but not before one of them fires off a shot. From within the cave, the haunting howl of wolves can be heard...

Beshaley, leader of the gypsies knows that this is the “Night of Changing”, the one time of the year when new female werewolves can be created. Beshaley, Captain Frederickson and Lt Holtzmann swear vengeance and lead their force into the caves to attempt to free Drina and Alicia.

The captives. Alicia and Drina with the Werewolf Lord awaiting their fate.

Werewolves and wolves rush from the temple to meet the rescue party

Beshaley orders his people forward

And they are the first to encounter the wolves

Beshaley (far right) encourages the rest of the gypsies forward

More wolves lie in wait

The soldiers cannot help forming line to volley the wolves in the rocks

Lt Holtzmann leads his jagers towards the temple

The gypsies make it to one side of the temple.

On the other, the soldiers come under fire from the Cossack Guards

The Werewolf Lord bides his time and lurks behind the temple doors...

...and prepares to pounce as one of the gypsy blacksmiths reaches Drina.

He pounces on the brave blacksmith who miraculously survives but is pushed away from Drina towards Alicia.

The soldiers finally break through the Cossack's stubborn resistance.

As the moon begins to move across the portal in the temple ceiling, the gypsies rush in and get into position to free the two girls. 

Needing only one activation to free the girls, the Gypsies roll a double one.

Lt Holtzmann can only look on in desperation as he too rolls a pair of ones and sees first Drina, and then Alicia struck by the shaft of moonlight and their fate is sealed. Cue closing close up up of Alicia's eyes as they change into those of the wolf.....

Wow, what a close game this was. Fear and Faith (as do all Ganesha rules) always seems to produce these great Hollywood moments.

The two double ones on the last turn by the Rescue Party was unbelievable. 

Well played Mark (Werewolves), Julian (Beshaley's Gypsies) and Ralph (Holtzmann and Frederickson and their soldiers) for playing the game in great spirit as always. I was worn out just umpiring and cheerleading!

Forces used - Werewolves

Werewolf Lord                 Quality 2+            Combat Value 4

Abilities: Very Fearful, Leader, Long Move, Savage, Danger Sense, Werewolf

2 Werewolves                   Quality 3+            Combat Value 4

Abilities: Long Move, Werewolf

6 Wolves                              Quality 3+            Combat Value 3

Abilities: Long Move, Forester

Cossack Guard Captain  Quality 4+            Combat Value 2

Abilities: Leader                                Weapons: Sword and Pistols

8 Cossack Guard               Quality 4+            Combat Value 2

Abilities: None                  Weapons: Musket

After 5 Good turnovers another werewolf with 4 wolves entered the caves behind the rescue party.

Forces used - Rescuers

Capt Jochen Frederickson            Quality 3+            Combat Value 2

Abilities: Leader (soldiers only), Silver Weapon (sword), Strongwilled, Tough

Weapons: Sword, Pistol

Lt Anders Holtzmann                      Quality 3+            Combat Value 3

Abilities: NCO (soldiers only), Hero, Silver Weapon (sword), Strongwilled, Tough

Weapons: Sword, Pistol

12 Soldiers                                          Quality 4+            Combat Value 2               

Abilities: Steadfast (+1 to morale rolls)

Weapons: Musket

Beshaley                                              Quality 3+            Combat Value 3

Abilities: Leader (gypsies only), Hero, Silver Weapon (knife),  Strongwilled, Tough

Weapons: Knife, Musket

2 Gypsy Knife Throwers                                Quality 4+            Combat Value 3

Abilities: Danger Sense, Silver Weapon (knife), Strongwilled

Weapons: Throwing Knives

2 Gypsy Blacksmiths                       Quality 4+            Combat Value 2

Abilities: Strong, Tough, Silver Weapon (knife)

Weapons: Hammer

3 Gypsy Fighters                               Quality 4+            Combat Value 2

Abilities: Strongwilled, Silver Weapon (knife)

Weapons: Pistol, Throwing Knives

1 Gypsy Dancer                                 Quality 4+            Combat Value 1

Abilities: Acrobat, Silver Weapon (knife)

Weapons: Throwing Knives

Song of Drums and Shakos presented by Glenbrook Games at the Derby show

We ran two simple participation games as a taster to new players. This picture shows one half of the table. A chest of documents had to be recovered from the wagon.

On the other side of the table a similar chest was to be recovered from the building.

54mm Victrix French Voltigeurs in action by the building.

54mm British Light Company secure the wagon.

Both games in action at once. As ever all players really enjoyed the rules win or lose!

3 Musketeers using Flashing Steel by Ganesha Games

This report is for the third installment of the musketeers vs cardinals guard mini campaign in Flashing Steel. Super set of rules by those splendid Ganesha Games chaps.

Here we see the Cherbourg docks. Our gallant heroes snatched the Queen from the Cardinal's Guard in the previous encounter and have placed on a ship bound for England. This is a winner takes all scenario. The last side standing will have rescued or recaptured the Queen depending on choice of tabard. The Cardinal's forces include Milady de Winter and Rochefort. As a result of the first scenario, they are also assisted by the ship's captain who will be activated once combat starts.

The guardsmen cautiously approach the pier and give some some long range pistol fire. Milady climbs into a hay cart where she waits to spring her trap.

Rochefort lurks in the rear.

Milady in the hay cart

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More long range pot shots, surely they cannot hit anything at that range....

...oops! d'Artagnan is forced to ground, just as the ship's captain is activated and looks to club the prostrate hero.

"Hang on Sir, I'm coming!" shouts Planchet loaded down with lunch.

Fortunately for D'Artagnan, Aramis using his combat skills to swiftly dispatch the captain and taking careful aim, he shoots down a guardsman

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The Guard Captain and one of his men run a gauntlet of pistol shots and make a dash for the pier, only to be countered by Porthos and the recovered D'Artagnan.

Milady siezes her chance and bundles Porthos into the water and out of the game

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Milady follows up and knocks down D'Artagnan, making her way on to the ship

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Planchet knocks a guardsman off the pier who tryies to swim for the harbour wall

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All this proves too much for Rochefort who "withdraws strategically"

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Cursing, Milady is also forced to withdraw just when she had D'Artagnan and her hated Athos at her mercy.

Athos having earlier refused a shot at Milady's back, and watching her knock out D'Artagnan from the game he causes her recoil. Bumping her head she sinks from sight.

Whilst the remaining Guardsman flounders in the water, Athos and Aramis charge after Rochefort who coolly guns down Athos at close range.

Robert (or Bob) the guardsman finally makes it out of the water. Planchet attempts to leap down from the pier and falls flat on his back.

"After you Monsieur". The ever gallant Aramis allows Rochefort to gather himself before the final duel as Planchet looks on.

Rochefort does what only a villain would and makes a run for it, knocking down Planchet as he goes. Aramis leaps after him and forces him into the water. Rochefort disappears beneath the surface and the Musketeers have held out. The Queen will go to England under the protection of Buckingham.

Figures are all Redoubt Miniatures painted by me

Ship by Old Glory

Pier by Ainstey

Paving is self adhesive floor tiling sheets picked up from a DIY store years ago