Chance to get the Italian Wars out

Ralph has been painitng a new Polish army for Impetus over the past few months.  All was ready for a game so last Thursday, Ralph and I travelled to Richard's house in the Southern Highlands for a great game.  

Ralph had around 800 points and my Italian Wars were the only troops any of us had that came close in period (they are too early) and size of army.  

So I got all I had painted out on the table - Landschnecht, Spanish and Italian all together in a conglomerate force.   

Unfortunately, the Poles fared as well as all new armies perform ......

Practice game of Trebbia - Impetus

We are putting on a demo game at an open day that a club to the north of Sydney are hosting in a few weeks.  So yesterday we decided to get what we had out on the table to have a practice game.  It was useful as a way of reviewing what we were missing / needed to paint and trying out the playabilty in the time available.  Consequently there are a few stand-in units on the table.  

The game was a closely run thing.  I had the left Carthaginian wing - Mago's ambush was devestating and combined with the power of my medium Cartho / Spanish cavalry we routed the Romans / Italian Allies opposite.  Initially the Cartho centre (mainly Gauls and Spaniards) did better then expected - however as the game played on the Romans came out on top with the Cartahginian centre folding.  On the right flank there was a closely faught battle that was fairly even.  In the end the Romans broke as an army while the Cartahginians were only one more unit from going the same way!  

  

The table prior to kickoff

Half of my medium cavalry

The other half

The elephants waiting patiently!

The cavalry advance to face Roman cavalry and Gaul warbands

Elephants follow supported by Carthaginian infantry

Beginiing of the end for the Romans 

Battle developing in the centre and right wing
Not too many smiles on the faces of the Roman commanders!!

Mago's ambush is sprung at the back left

 

Seen from behind the ambush -
those Roman cavalry didn't last long

Where did theygo .....
that was the end of the Roman right flank

Christening of John's new shed and a birthday bash

It was over the table at last weekend's Nijmegan game that I proposed a get together to recognise another of our group - Richard's - eligibility for the seniors travel card.  We agreed that we would gather in Bowral on Friday for a lunch to celebrate the significant birthday.

John then suggested that we should bookend the lunch with a big Impetus game which could also serve as an official 'christening' for his new shed.  It shoud be noted here that the new shed is in the backyard of the house that John and his wife have purchased in Bowral.  The house is undergoing a signficant extension / renovation - but John was clever enough to sequence the construction of the shed early in the project.  The result is that he has moved into the wargames shed - and a very nice pool installed alongside - even though the rest of the house is 3-4 months off completion.

So a 700 point a side Impetus game was planned pitting the Burgundians againt Imperials.  We gathered around 9 and the game got underway - to be interrupted for a few hours for a great lunch in town and concluded before a cool off (it was 32 C) in the pool for a few.

I was staying the evening at Richard's house so we enjoyed a glass or two in the backyard as the sun descended.  A great end to a wonderful day.

Rapid Fire 20mm Nijmegan Bridge and Groesbeek Heights

We decided to do a large game at the club last Sunday with six of us playing. It was decided to base it on the new Rapid Fire Market Garden guide and use RFR as a rules set.

As anyone with any knowledge of Market Garden or the movie A Brdge Too Far will know, there is one iconic action that we wargamers want to replay when thinking of Nijmegan - the storm boat assault over the river Waal.  As I was the only one with a set of the old Brittania (now Grubby) boats and US Para crews, I was tasked with being the 82nd Airborne in Nijmegan while John was the Guards Armoured Battlegroup assaulting Nijmegan and supporting my US Paras and Grant was the 82nd Airborne holding the Groesbeek Heights from the Germans advancing out of Germany.  The Germans were played by Warwick, Terry and Bob.

By the time we had set up the table and forces, the game got underway about 10am.  With a good hour for lunch and a few beers at the local pub, we were finished by 3.30pm.  A few photos below - which do focus on my sector as I took them :)    

The river crossing in the forground.
Nijmegan, rail and road bridges through
to the villages at the foot of Groesbeek Heights

A few of my Dutch resin railway buildings 

2/505 advancing to cover the crossing site

75mm pack howitzers providing supporting fire

The arrival of the boats (pontoon trucks standing in) is on 
a randon roll - we rolled well. 

3/504 advancing to meet the boats - no waiting
in this movie

First wave is launched

and targeted by the German artillery and MG fire

One of 4 boats reach the far shore - but they disembark and
take out a dug in German MMG and pass morale

The rail bridge is rushed by elements of the 2nd Household
Cavalry and Stuarts of the Grenadier Guards

... which are targeted by an 88mm

A US Engineer Coy follow over the bridge while the second
wave (2/505) are launched

Gane is up for the Germans as the boats start disembarking
an untouched battalion and the Engineers cross the bridge with 
few casualties

A few games of 30 Years War using Baroque

We have played two Thirty Years War games over the past two weeks.  Firstly it was a general bash with reasonably evenly matched forces with the Swedes up against the Catholics.  It was mainly a way of getting a group of us together to play the rules (re-aquaint ourselves).  It was a good game even if it came to a quick conclusion for one Swedish flank when they broke after losing heavily in their first contacts of the game.  We note now that we did not follow the rules correctly in determining when a 'wing' of an army breaks.  

The Tercios in the middle about to come to grips with the enemy

Close up of the Bavarian tercio

And the remiander of the photos are a few close up of various units on the field

Catholic dragoons

Swedish P&M unit

Swedish P&M unit

Swedish P&M unit

The second game was on Friday evening with a smaller group.  Again Ralph brought his 15mm TYW troops - this time foir a historic refight between the Poles and the Swedes.  Just a few photos.