ACW river crossing battle

The other day we ran another ACW battle using rank & File rule set,this time using the random troop tables provided in the rules to find out what morale type our troops were, we picked the 1862 East part of the war. The aim of the battle was to control the bridges at the end of tne allotted time. Tneir was also a possibility there could be other crossing points on the river, if a 6 was rolled if any troops were in base contact with the river it would be a ford otherwise the river was uncrossable.

I aimed to control the central bridge and the right hand bridge with my mostly veteran and regular forces and the cavalry and green troop brigade were to contest the left hand side bridge. After deployment my dads unions had a similar goal with him concentrating most of his forces on his right side bridge and central one, the union cavalry opposed their left hand side bridge.

The battle proved a gruelling affair with both armies taking heavy casualties as a fierce fire fight took place over the crossing points. A ford was found late in the game by my Reb cavalry and a unit of Rebel infantry managed to cross it onto the union side but it was to have no effect on the games outcome. By the end of the game we both held a bridge each and with a late move by my dads Union cavalry the right side bridge was contested. However my Green brigade was close to withdrawing from the field after a right back and forth fire fight over the left hand side bridge.

The Left bridge which probably saw the most fierce fighting over the game.

The central bridge was held early in the game by my Rebels and despite the unions best efforts to take the bridge I was to hold onto it for the remainder of the game.

The line Rebel unit which managed to ford the river. It managed to charge into the union troops in the hill in the hope of turning the unions flank but after a few rounds of h/h combat it was forced to withdraw

The wooden bridge on tne right flank held by my Vetran Texans was to be contested late in tne game by the union cavalry as the Texans failed go drive them away with a poor round of shooting.

The Union troops finally capture the bridge on left after pushing tne Rebel troops back. Tne union battery had caused some heavy casualties on tne Reb infantry once they got deployed at close range.

My confederate artillery had been decimated during the game and this was all that remained by the end.

The middle bridge held by tne Rebs at tne games conclusion despite one last Aust by tne union brigade.

My hospital wagon was busy during the game as two commanders were shot leading the Rebel attacks on the bridges. Another Rebel commander was killed during the game. It proved to be a tough scenario for either side to win but both sides fought hard to try secure the victory which eluded them both. Once again the game ran smoothly usurping the Rank and file rule set with very little need to stop the game to check rules etc.

Wood elves and undead progress pictures.

While I was at my dads playing the Warband game I though I'd show case his new wood elves army on my blog along with the first units for my Undead/Vampire armies.

Giànt Eagles and Wild riders

A Great Dragon and unicorns

Wood elves archers and scouts

Wood elves commander

Wood elves Wizard

Tree Ents

Wood elves Spearmen

And the first painted units of my Vampire & Undead armies, I purchased all my troops at tripples Sheffield couple of weeks ago, everything I need to field either a vampire army or a undead one. The Theme of my army is going to be the same as I had for my warhammer Vampire counts army as this had been one of my favourite armies throughout my days playing warhammer, basically it's going to be just a 10mm version of it :-) 

Gouls

My revenants unit, il be using these banshees to Represent them

Gargoyles unit

If you go down to the woods to day your in for a great surprise .......

A day off work ment I was able to have a quick afternoon game with my dad so we opted for a fantasy game to give my dads newly painted wood elves an outing. I played the goblins and here are the forces we picked.

Goblin force

X 6 Goblin Warriors with the Fierce rule

X 1 Goblin Wolfriders with hero

X 1 Goblim Shamen

X 1 Orc Warboss

X 1 Bolt throwers

X 1 Trolls

Wood elves force

X 2 Archers with powerful rule

X 3 Spearmen with forest walker rule

X 1 Tree Ents

X 1 Unicorn unit

X 1 Wild riders

X 1 Wood elf Commander

With the game been arranged on short notice we decided on a straight up battle, my dad opted for 4 woods (surprisingly) were I had a hill and a large area of rocky crags. The terrain random deployment saw my dad come up trumps as two of the woods were placed in the centre of his battle lines.

The wood elves defending the woods, they were to prove a real tough nut to shift, especially the tree Ents who proved to be a very dangerous unit in melee, especially iv they are fighting within a wooded area.

My Goblin bolt thrower caused a few problems early on to the elf Spearmen but could not sustain its early sucess throughout the battle.

At first my Goblin battle line advanced using the Warboss command to move and made good progress, however once they reached bow range the line was soon disrupted and my goblin Warboss lost control of his army as I struggled to get units moving due to some rather true Greenskin command rolls, animosity was definitely rife in this goblin force!

The Goblin sharmen, who well erm did not do to much really. He did cast a spell so all warrior units became impetuses, this seemed like a good idea to get my units into combat seen as though they were failing their command rolls, the results of this spell however proved to be less then satisfactory!

After failing to reach their impetus charge the goblin warriors are attacked by the unicorns and wild riders, a second unit of goblins charge into the combat to.

The results of the Shamens spell, most Goblin units reached combat but once there they seemed somewhat reluctant to fight and the attack was repelled by the elves.

The Elves launch a counter attack after holding the initial Goblin attack.

The Goblin line starts to falter.

And in some cases break into full rout......

As can be seen there is not much left of the Goblin battle line. Unfortunately I was rolling low on my Command points so was not really able to rally my routing troops.

The Tree Ents, after beating the Goblin warriors overrun and catch the Goblin bolt throwers making short work of the out matched goblins

I tried one final charge into the Wood elves line which despite starting to suffer casualties managed not to be broken. I had managed to push the elves back but more importantly I had been unable to rout any of them leaving Goblin warriors flanks exposed.

Which my dad exploited with out any hesitation. Here is my Shamen about to come to a very sticky end.

The warriors in the woods are flanked, it really turned out to be a bad idea to be fighting a wood elf warrior unit inside a Wood, it should have been a give away in the name lol

The melees are fought out and the outcome went in tne favour of the elves..

As my Shamen was routed and destroyed......

As was a further a Goblin warrior unit which pushed me over my 50% mark 

A crushing victory for the Wood Elves on their debut, the Wood elves proved to be a well rounded army. Good shooting and reliable warriors although alittle fragile in melee sets a good base to allow the hard hitting units, especially those Tree Ents to do some real damage to their enemies, which my dad utilised well in this game?  The Terrain did favour the elves today and hinder the goblins. I Also in true Green skin style had pretty poor command rolls for the best part of the game and really struggled to generate command points and magic points. Another good game of Warband and with the arrival of the wood elves plenty of new challenges Lie ahead.

Occupy the town, Sudan 1884 battle report

                                        The war in Sudan 1884

We played our first game of the Mahdist War in Sudan 1882 - 1898 using Blackpowder rule set. We fielded approx 1000 points a piece as that's all the British I have at the moment, but it was more than enough units to play a fair sized game. We kept the game simple. At one end of the table was a town which the British column had to capture/occupy as a settlement to set up camp, the town appeared to be deserted but reports from British scouts had suggested sightings of small groups of Mahdist cavalry. The British column would advance on from the opposite end of the table. All Mahdist troops were either hidden behind the hills of the dessert or were off table where they would enter the table at random sections of the table. I elected to have the command of the mahdists and my dad took control of tne British expeditionary force . The road for the British was to about to prove very Hostile indeed..

With the Hussars and Guard Camels ahead of the column the British and Eygptian infantry March along the track towards the town accompanied by the Artillery.

The mounted infantry reconnaissance the hill to the columns left where all seems quite until out from the bright light of the sun a dust cloud appears revealing...

A full brigade of Baggara cavalry. I managed to roll a 5 on the random deployment at the start of my turn which meant the cavalry would appear just behind the hill the mounted infantry had scouted, the Baggara cavalry made a beeline straight for the British cavalry. 

As the 19th Hussars scout ahead of the main column as the Guard Camels and 10th Hussars (far in picture) head towards the right flank of the town up ahead. With the arrival of the Baggara cavalry The 19th Hussars are ordered to return to the main column and drive off the Mahdist cavalry.

As The column of British troops had started to march up the track and the camel mounted guards were heading towards the town quickly I sent my Mahdist artillery to the top of the hill which it had been hiding. I hoped that the gun would at least slow the advance of the guard with some well placed shots, well who was I trying to kid! As a succession of cannon balls widely missed their target. 

Mahdist infantry now arrive and with a roll of a 6 I was able to choose where they entered. I put this brigade of infantry in the corner of the table where my cavalry had arrived and after failing to move due to a failed command move they were still in a good position to threaten the rear of the British column.

With the threat of the Mahdist cavalry the Yorkshire/Lancaster battalion and a Eygptian battalion broke from the column and deployed in line to face this new threat. The Blackwatch moved from the track in support. The combined fire of the Yorkshire and Eygptians managed to shake a unit of Mahdist cavalry.

With the 19th Hussars back to support the infantry and an artillery piece deployed the second brigade of infantry headed by the Gordon battalion along with the navel and Eygptian battalions and in the rear of tne column tne Kings royal rifle battalion continue at a slow pace towards the town.

The mounted infantry had failed their command roll and as a result were charged by a unit of armoured Mahdist cavalry. Although they managed to draw the 1st round of the combat against the odds they were to be broken in the following turn. Not only that but the supporting Eygptian infantry didn't like what they saw to much and downed their weapons and ran away (true to history). These two routs had left the Blackwatch dangerously exposed and despite been nearly shaken I couldn't miss the opportunity to charge the scots in the flank as my cavalry over ran into them.

Despite the flanking Attack the Blackwatch held their nerve and checked the Mahdist attack after both units bacame shaken meaning morale checks for both sides. The Baggara cavalry brigade was now broken, however the Blackwatch (as aare all the British) have the steady rule and auto pass the first morale check so held there ground. Despite the Mahdist cavalry retreating the scots were now in danger as the Mahdist infantry was fast starting to approach.

The Mahdist infantry of the Blackflag fast swarmed towards the scots, although I fell just short in an attempted charge. However With my pot shot firing from the Rifle armed Mahdists Warband and Benja skirmishes I managed to cause a morale check and with a dreaded double 1 roll the Blackwatch turned tail and fled much to the delight of the rather Surprised Mahdist riflemen! 

While the Blackwatch fled (yes I felt it was worth repeating again Lol) the Mahdist camelry arrived on the same area as the cavalry brigade had and tried to make a dash for the hill towards the town as they had arrived right in front of the Royal marine infantry and deployed artillery.

With the threat of the Mahdist cavalry now gone the Yorkshire Batallion turnred to face the on rushing Mahdist infantry of the Blackflag. However despite firing at point blank range the casualties were few on the mahdists, a result due to my dads poor shooting dice and my good morale saves. The British artillery also left a lot to be desired. In the background the Kings royal rifles engage the Mahdist riflemen.

After chasing off the remains Baggara cavalry the 19th Hussairs rallied as the navel brigade and maxim machine gun deployed to cover the rear of the advancing British column.

As a result of their poor firing the Yorkshire unit are chargers in the flank by a screaming Mahdist war band. The Poor Yorkshire/Lancaster unit is beaten in the combat and having already used there steady rule due to the Mahdists terrifying charge rule my dad rolls poorly on the morale test and another British battalion is routed. The 1st Britsh brigade is broken as only the Royal Marines are left from this brigade.

As the Royal Marines turn to face the Mahdist infantry as they start to retreat I order a follow me onto the Mahdist camels to charge the rear of the Marines. Despite my sucess I am beaten in combat and actually shaken in the process, at least the Royal Marines were not going down without a fight.

Futher ahead of the fighting the guards camels finally reached the sumit of the hill on the right hand side of the town were they were met with the sight of 3 Warbands of dervishes. The Guards quickly dismount and unleash a volley that disorders a Warband unit as the 10th Hussairs charge into another. The dervishes despite been shaken hold there own against the Hussars thanks to some more poor dice rolling from my dad and win the combat thanks to the supporting Warbands,the hussars are forced to retreat from the combat but what was to prove costly is the fact that they were shaken.

The Eygptian infantry and the Gordans advance towards the town and as they advance they manage to shoot and silence the rather ineffective Mahdist artillery who decide they have had enough and abandon the artillery. 

As the Gordans and Eygptian infantry advance to the town the remaining Mahdist brigade of infantry reveal themselves behind the hill on the left flank of the town.

The 19th Hussars attempt to charge the Bennja skirmishes who have been a real nuisance to the British infantry but they fail to reach as their command roll only allows them one of the two moves required.

The Madhist infantry of tne Whiteflag head towards the town as the Camels take refuge behind the hill line to shelter away from the British infantry so rifles.

As the Maxim machine gun fires its rounds into the Mahdist infantry ( my dad managed to jam the MG on its first ever shot, such was the kind of luck my dad was having) at a slow safe pace, the 19th Huusars are hit by the Bennja riflemen and become shaken. With the 10th hussars shaken and the mounted infantry destroyed the Cavalry brigade is broken and with this the British army has passed its break point to.

The British advance has been stopped and the remaining troops are forced to start to retreat from the battlefield handing the mahdists force its first victory in our very first outing. It must be said my dad rolled some outrageously bad morales and his shooting was just as bad no more so than when the famous Blackwatch Batallion broke after a fire fight with a Mahdist warband and Bennja skirmishes. He managed to roll very few 6s so my troops were hardly effected from becoming disordered. This enabled me to get to close quarters were my Mahdists troops stand a good chance of defeating the British especially in the first round. For our first game with this period I think we managed to capture the period feel pretty well as the sight of masses dervishes appearing from behind hills unexpectedly and the random arrival points of the Mahardist troops added a suspense to the game for both sides. However I don't think the British could shot as badly again in a game, maybe it was a sandstorm wiping up around the battlefield that obscured their sight or sumit, anyhow the town remained in Mahdist control for the time being anyhow, and The British were left licking their wounds. I'm sure the press reports been sent back to Britain would not be well received in the morning papers :-)

The victorious Mahdist infantry of the White flag head towards the town.