Saturday, September 22

Abundance Farm... Game

Apologies for the delay in posting..  way too busy, especially given it was Colours the next day, and then some sailing, and then some etc etc etc...  ๐Ÿ˜

So first things first - to name my sources this is the "La Granja de la Abundancia" scenario from the Albion triumphant booklet for Black Powder.

For this game I re-attempted the overhead shot method I tried with the War of the Spanish Succession game I played a few weeks ago..  have to say slightly less spectacular results as the table is bigger so the camera was higher and etc etc..  but there were enough to give a flavour of the ebb and flow of this cracking little battle (well it was for me anyway - DG was just ruing the day he threw a 5 on the OOB table! ๐Ÿ˜)

Move 1 (following) - first units on the table and as a reminder British/Hessian to the left, American to the right..

Not surprisingly I opted to bring both cavalry regiments on first, and went pell mell for the farm..
 
Move two... DG is sending his lights forward aggressively to counter my cavalry.. my main force is looking to secure the T junction hill (and I had plans on DG's hamlet) - first points are won equally - the two lower hills are taken by each side...




Move 3..  and it looks like DG is going all out for the farm which I have now taken ownership of in the name of the Crown - he is probing forward with his Lights through the woods.... 


Couple of moves later -  I have T junction hill..


...while DG's first cautious probes with his light infantry towards the farm have been dealt with roughly by the Death or Glory boys..  one light battalion sent scurrying in some discomfort (left below - red dice = rout)...


Few moves later and my 3rd Brigade is destined to strengthen the farm as I don't think they'll be needed for the assault on DG's farm/hamlet, and it also looks like DG's main feint is also the farm..


Same view at ground level..



A few moves later and those Lights of DG's have recovered (left below - in front of the unit with the blue star banner) with the assistance of a passing Brigadier to put some backbone into the dice throw.. 


...another move and battle has ensued at the T junction with both sides exchanging musketry and attempting to close to melee...  DG is forming a major assault on the hill..



Few moves from the end - following - and apologies for the slight blur, I was holding the camera above my head - only excuse I have..  



DG has switched focus to the T junction hill and has made the first of at least two or three assaults..  my artillery on the hill is doing great work - canister will always ruin your day...  To the bottom of the picture, near the farm, DG has halted -  his idea was that they would hold my cavalry in position, which they did, but the farm was still mine...

...and so we enter the final few moves..


...better shot at ground level.. British forces in strength and hold the line...  DG conceded on turn 12..



Overview..



Post match analysis:

  • First off, "Cheers, John!"
  • A good scenario but ensure that either, both sides are equal, or at least that both sides have the same amount of cavalry; keep the table but throw one and both sides have the same, perhaps..
  • Agree in advance whether cavalry can hold a building type area when your rules don't allow cavalry to enter buildings..  we agreed that in this case the British held the farm but DG's valid point was that the cavalry didn't actually enter the farm so did they hold it? I held to the "sphere of influence" position...  not surprisingly.. you'll now understand the significance of those dismounted dragoons in my loot pile from Colours..  
  • A monumental tussle, I had forgotten how good more than 6 units a side looks..
  • We'll replay this one at some time as DG has unfinished business...  Warfare weekend perhaps..
  • Refreshments on the evening was the awesome Hobgoblin IPA



5 comments:

  1. Was looking forward to this post and it doesn't disappoint. A nice scenario that looks so versatile for horse and musket. Probably right that if one side gets cavalry, then the other might be best automatically getting one cavalry by trading in a line regiment. This might help counter the race to the farm, but also keep each others 'at start' buildings under some threat.

    Agree the extra units look good on the table and also that the discussion as to how cavalry holds buildings is needed. perhaps in the absence of enemy units of any description, cavalry can call a building controlled, but once enemy infantry are in proximity (movement range), the term 'control' is not usable for the cavalry.


    Anyway all very good and table that is tempting to leave up for another go.

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    1. Hi Norm - one of the joys of wargaming attic is that the table, and indeed troops, are still set up and not yet cleared away.. they may stay out until DG re-visits... you're comments re. "control" was exactly where we were.. were those infantry close enough to dispute the control? It mattered not in the end as with the home base, the T junction hill and the other hill I'd got the win points.. but DG's point was valid..

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  2. That's a role for the dragoons surely. Excellent choice of beer.

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    1. Lupus, exactly.. I need to remedy what is probably a 15 or more year old shortage.. looking forward to getting to the paint table to finish off those dragoons... the beer is a delight... Hobgoblin bitter is an average pint at best, but Hobgoblin IPA is a tour de force...

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  3. Interesting to read how your game turned out!

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