"Firing into the Brown" #27 - "Hatch End" - game

"So Carnehan weeds out the pick of his men, and sets the two of the Army to show them drill and at the end of two weeks the men can manoeuvre about as well as Volunteers. So he marches with the Chief to a great big plain on the top of a mountain, and the Chiefs men rushes into a village and takes it; we three Martinis firing into the brown of the enemy".

Kipling "The Man Who Would Be King"

Time for another update..

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As promised, a review of the game I mentioned in the last post...

First off here's a couple of scans of the magazine article that prompted the game (along with random arcane scribbles added by myself as I worked out how to randomize the arrival of the reinforcements for solo play.. 😁)

Clicking on any of the pictures, by the way, should "embig'en" in a pleasing manner..

Which translated to the table top as:

OOB was as per the previous post [clicky] so without further ado - on to the game..

Move 1:

Parliament start the game deployed (as per the scenario setup), but the Royalist advance guard (their horse) have just arrived..

They've got orders to attack immediately, and these Parliamentary foot are practically licking their lips at the thought of poking the nice horses with their long sharp pointy things..😁  The regiment in the middle (purple flag - Brookes) is an elite/veteran regiment, the other two are regulars..

Move 2:

More cavalry arriving (following) and the Parliamentary foot are starting to change formation to 'stand of pike' to receive horse..

In a quite astonishing stroke of luck the Parliamentary horse throw high and return on this move as well - these are Dragoons..

Move 3:

The Royalist foot (following) lead by the guns are beginning to arrive.. one regiment of horse is about to engage the blue regiment, behind them another regiment of horse is milling about mid change from column to line (they flunked the dice roll required 😏)

Move 4:

First blood - Parliamentary artillery and musketry stop the Royalist cavalry in their tracks..  despite what the scenario would have you believe this is not a simple task the Royalists have..  I was convinced at this point that they were going to get tonked!

Move 5: 

More Royalist foot arriving (following) - the cavalry battle on the Royalist right continues..  the rest of the Parliamentary horse has come back and all four regiments are beginning to deploy into line..

Closer view of the Royalist arrivals.. at this point the unengaged Parliamentary foot are inching forward to cramp the Royalist style

Move 7'ish:

BOOM! General engagement along the line as the Royalist foot and horse finally get within musket range - that yellow flag regiment are novice/recruits and are getting handled roughly by the cuirassiers to their front - little do they know it's going to get worse as they have not yet changed formation to receive horse..

All is not going the Royalist way however, as at least one of their regiments has been sent packing by the Dragoons (red dice = rout)

"For the King!" .... John Belasyse's Regiment of Foote are so keen to 'get in' they haven't yet even deployed..  

...and then the incredible happens (as it occasionally does) - the Parliamentary line collapses with failed morale throw after failed morale throw..  they retire along the line (following)..  the Royalist cuirassiers are in a dangerous position (flanked by the dismounted Dragoons) and need to get out of there..

Better view - musket smoke covers the battle field...  that cavalry battle on the right flank still continues!

Some moves later and it is clear (following) that the Parliamentary foot has shot its bolt, and largely legged it..  the Royalist cuirassiers charged the Yellow flag regiment, and treated then so roughly they routed from the field..

Bottom of picture - wonder of wonders - Royalist reinforcements have arrived (threw two 6's on two dice in one roll!) but have gone to 'stand of pike' in the face of the Parliamentary cavalry which is largely intact and undamaged...

The Royalist foot is withdrawing slowly (top right following) covered by their artillery and their remaining horse..  Parliament is trying get one of their cavalry regiments round the flank (same corner as the gun) so as to slow everything down

 

...but (following) - they are stopped in a hail of grape - and that's where I called a halt to the game.. 

Right or wrong I called it a draw..  fairly equal casualties, fairly equal losses in units, and the Parliamentary forces were clearly going to gave to leave the area soon due to the loss of 60-70% of their foot..

Great fun, and much much closer than I thought due to the amazing collapse of the Parliamentary foot...

Sir Thomas Bagshot will ride again..  😁

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 Laters, as the young people are want to say...