Prussians Garde

Well it's been over a year since I have done any painting on my classic Napoleonics. So this morning I dug out some figures and got them ready to go.

I have had some original HH Prussians Grenadiers for a while but not enough for a full 24 figure unit. However I have been  fortunate to be given a bag of 30 DK versions. The DK figures are not as crisp as originals and are slightly smaller.

The original figures have been painted to a reasonable standard so and I have decided to do a paint restoration rather than a full strip and paint. 

I will use 8 of the DK figures and will paint these to match the repaints. I will make one of these into a standard bearer. I am not sure if I will do a hand painted standard or use a printed one.

For the drummer I will use a Lamming figure I got with the painted Hintons. He will get a paint restoration.

Battle of Barosa 1811 - shiny DBN

This afternoon Tim W popped over for a game of DBN. We played the battle of Barosa using the scenario from the DBNwargaming website and my shiny 20mm Napoleonics.

The British attack and advance towards the distant hills. The terrain slows the British movement and the French decide to deny the British space and advance their centre and left to meet them.  The ravine, shown by the brown card and stones, hampers the British advance.

Solid British infantry push forward through the Pine woods. I dont have any Pines so had to use my old Merit Adler trees instead.

The British initially hold back their right which consist of 2 battalions of elite infantry supported by some less effective Spanish troops. The British also send some rifleman down the ravine to support their advance.

The Riflemen shield the advance as the battle in the centre and French left rages. 

French cavalry supported by infantry hold the high ground. The high ground is worth 2 Victory Points to the French. Each destroyed unit is worth 1 VP and the first to 7 VPs wins.

The British left holds fast and is able to push back the French left removing the French threat on that flank.

The French attack in the centre looks imposing however British musketry proves effective. Both sides take casualties and a battalion of French combined Grenadiers charge and overrun the unsupported British gun line. 

The British now launch their attack on the hill . Both sides have lost 5 units and the British have their best troops in the final push.

British musketry proves telling and as the volleys hit home the French lose 2 more VPs and victory goes to the British.

Another fun and closely fought game of DBN.

DBN - Battle of Elchingen - 1805

GH came over today and we played a couple of games DBN. It was his first go at the rules so after a quick explanation we started.

I used the Command and Colours scenario, with a few tweaks, for the map and force composition. 

The French, under Marshal Ney, are poised to launch their attack.  The objective is to capture both of the small towns (non linear fortifications in DBN terms) or to inflict 5 loses on the Austrians.

The Austrians are set up to defend the small towns and the range of hills. Their force does not include any Light Infantry elements but does include 2 units of Cuirassier.

The French attack on their right with heavy Columns advancing whilst their left  is held back.  The French have 3 light units and get a plus one on their Cap dice where as the Austrians are a -1. This gives the French greater flexibility to out manoeuvre the more ponderous Austrians. The French can also use attack columns with a +3 bonus which makes them tough against Austrian lines.

The French attack against Elchingen is successful however a counter attack by a Austrian elite element recaptures the town.

The French attack against the church is however thrown back and Austrian Light horse moves forward to threaten the French Infantry.

French Light cavalry heroically charge an Austrian horse artillery unit but lose the close assault and recoil before receiving rasping canister fire which destroys them.

With the French attacks failing the Austrian counter attack on their left are are able to win 5 vs 4 elements lost.

After a lunch and a pint on a local pub we changed sides are refought the game. In this game the Austrians and French tried 5 loses each and the game went into sudden death which saw the Austrians able to win 6 - 5. 

Battle of Landshut - DBN

 Today I played out the 4th battle of my 1809 campaign using DBN.  The scenario is taken from Command and Colours.

The French objective is to inflict 7 units lost and capture Landshut. The Austrians win if they inflict 7 loses on the French.  If Landshut is held by the Austrians is counts as a French unit lost.

This is a tough game for the French who are faced with rivers that can only be crossed by one of the bridges or the  ford.

Moulton commands the French left and gets 2 CAPs per turn. Lannes commands  the bulk of the French army.  The Austrian commander Hillier objective is to hold the position.

The French open their attack with Mouton clearing the Austrian Jager and cavalry before advancing his Infantry towards Landshut.  His light cavalry easily see off their counterparts and breakthrough and attack the Austrian infantry defending the bridge. After winning the initial melee the cavalry they are however repulsed by the Austrians who form square. 

In the centre Lannes launch attacks across the river hopingto break the Austrians and allow French Infantry to attack Landshut in support of Mouton.

Unfortunately for the French  the Austrian defence, with plentiful artillery and light Infantry support on the flanks, is too strong and the French attacks are parried.

With both sides loses mounting the French have one chance of winning by launching Moutons  columns across  the bridge against Landshut.

The first attack, led by Grenadiers, takes heavy fire as it goes in and in the resulting close combat loses and are destroyed.  Mouton is in the forefront of the attack and leads a charmed life as he orders of fresh Infantry to charge across the bridge into Landshut.  The next two rounds of combat are tied so each side takes 2 loses and are shaken.

The game comes down the to the wire with the forth close assault being a winner takes all. Whoever loses will have lost 7 units however this means that if the French win they take Landshut and win the game.  After calculating the melee factors the French are on 5 and the Austrians 7.  The Austrians win the combat and the game. 

The Austrians now lead the campaign 3 - 1.

Teugen-Hausen (19 April 1809) - DBN

I played the 3rd game this week of my solo DBN 1809 campaign. This time I did Teugen Hausen using the Command and Colours scenario as the basis for the set up and orders of battle.

The two ridges are key to the battle and these count as 1 unit lost to the side not in occupation.  The Austrians start occupying one of the ridges.  To win requires 8 units to be inflicted at the end of a complete turn. 

The French are the attacker and start by occupying the ridge on their left before a full out attack on the Austrian occupied ridge on the left.

The Austrians react to the attack by moving up reserves in support. The French columns are ravaged by musketry and canister but they prove to string for the Austrian defenders.

The Austrians are slowly moving a column around the French left flank. The battle rages on the French right flank as the Austrians counter attack. The French however are able to throw back the Austrians and consolidate their control of the ridge.

With the Austrians reaching 8 units lost (6 units plus 2 for the French control of both ridges) the Austrian launch an attack on the French left hoping to dispute control of the ridge.  The French win the combat and with that the game ends in a French victory 8 points to 3.

The Austfian lead in the campaign is now 2 - 1.

Sacile - 16 April 1809 - DBN

Another day, another game of solo DBN. DBN are perfect for my solo gaming now that I have retired. Today I am doing Sacile.

For this game I gave both C in C a -1  on their Cap dice. Each side has a sub commanders a -2 on their Caps dice.  This reflected the below average command capability of Eugene and Archduke John. This hindered the French most as at critical moments they often only had 1 Cap to play with.  The French were further hampered by the numerous streams which bisected the position and are treated as bad going.

The French are the attackers with Austrian defence based on 3 villages (Non linear fortifications in DBN terms).  Each village captured by the French counted as an Austrian unit destroyed.  The French have 19 units and the Austrian 17 units.  Victory goes to the side that eliminates 8 enemy units.

The set up as seen  from the Austrian side. The Austrians are set up in defensive positions with their Light Infantry garrissioning the 3 villages. The bulk of their cavalry is on their left.  The French have concentrated on their left and centre and plan to attack the 2 villages in this sector before the Austrians are able to redeploy to meet the threat

The French advance on their left starts off well and is initially well coordinated. The Austrian lines look solid but will they hold.

The French support the attack in the centre whilst holding back their right. In DBN you never have enough Caps to do what you want so it is better to have a plan and stick to it. 

The French attack in the centre initially captures the village however a swift counterattack by the Austrian recaptured it only for the French to attack again forcing the Austrians back. A final Austrian attack is fought off and the French are able to Garrison the position but at a high cost in French lives.

On the left the French take casualties but they push forward supported by light cavalry.  In the melee the French column bonus proves decisive as they destroy the Austrian line and in doing so recover a hit which recovers them from shaken.

The victorious French push on however the Austrian cavalry have arrived in the nick of time. The heavy cavalry charge the advancing infantry with their lights taking on their French counterparts.

The Austrians fight the heavy cavalry melee first. The French roll and are un prepared. Each side is therefore on a base 3 as the French get no benefit for being in column against cavalry. The Austrian roll a 5 and the French a 1. The French are doubled and therefore destroyed as they have been attacked by heavy cavalry.  As the leading unit has been destroyed the second unit in the column is also eliminated. 

The Austrian heavy cavalry breakthrough onto the French light cavalry who nevertheless throw back the Austrian cavalry.  The French have now lost 7 units and the next turn the Austrians, although themselves losing 7 units, are able to eliminate one more French unit to secure a 8-7 win.

The Austrians are now 2 - 0 up my 1809 campaign.

Charge Rules

I use the Charge rules for gaming with my classic Napoleonics. Yesterday I went to Vapnartak in York for my first Wargame show in 2 years. It was busy however there was sufficient space as there were no large demo games or the bring and buy.

The show was predominantly a trader show. I has gone along to catch up with LAOW forum members with nothing much on my shopping list other than some MDF bases.

Well I was pleasantly surprised to find an old copy of the Athena Charge booklet for the principle sum of three pounds.

This is a slimmed down version of the full Charge rules using smaller units and half scale measurements and was published in 1981.

On the back page there is useful play sheet.

However what is most useful are the Napoleonic amendments and I am  pleased to have copy of these.

On other matters I have almost finished rebasing my 15mm North Africa collection. Italian tanks, artillery and Bersaglieri motorcycles are now done.

Those men on grey horses are terrifying

I have had a squadron of Scots Greys on my painting table for a while now.  So this weekend I took a break from my 15mm WW2 and finished them off.

I got these original Hinton Hunt figures a few years ago and the previous owner had made alterations including docking the tails.  They needed a bit of work particularly on the swords which were fragile. The trumpeter was made by a transplant from a Newline figure.

I decided that I wanted a variety of grey horses.  I googled different images and then painted each horse trying to match the pictures. 

The figures themselves took some to complete. The detail was hard to see and  the red, yellow and white needed multiple coats of paint to build up the depth of colour.

I have another 6 figures undercoated awaiting their turn in the painting queue.