The Hunwickian: Refighting the battle of Ramillies 1706...BIG GAME!

Robbie, my Dad and myself headed up to Westerhope after been invited to take part in a refight of the battle of Ramillies, Which was been organised by the chaps at Westerhope wargames group (A big shout out to them for how well they had organised the day/game). I had been allocated a command of Austrians on the far left hand flank of the British & Allies army which was commandered overall by Robbie. My dad was on the opposing French army commandered by Charles and he was in charge of the Bavarians who had the tough task of holding the town from the opposing British command. Although the rules were totally new to me and a few others, the lads from Westerhope wargames group kept the game flowing with minimal fuss so the game was played in quick fashion with the usual banter flowing between the opposing generals and in some occasions between our own generals :-) . Playing the game means I can't give you a full run down of the game but if you head to the following link/blogg address there is a AAR of the game by the games organisers.

http://westerhopewargames.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/battle-of-ramilles-1706.html

My command of Austrians facing off against the village of Taviers

My favourite figure amongst the 1000+ on display,I think he was a brigadier from the Bavarian command, beautifully painted and an exceptional model.

It was a fun day to be part of and although I didn't get to see to much action with my command and I'm still waiting to roll a 5 on that average dice (im sure my dice was cunningly swapped to a d3 from one of those dodgy French Generals before the game) I still enjoyed the game and the sheer spectecale of all those figures on the table was great! Hopefully il be able to cadge a invite next time a gaming day is organised up at Westerhope, oh and the cup cakes were lovely!!

Bavarians holding the buildings at Autre Eglise

Here are some pictures of the game unfolding throughout the morning and afternoon..

The massed armies at the start of the game looking from the French side..

Oh boy that's a hell of a lot of French cavalry...

But equally the British Army had just as much facing opposite the French cavalry..

My first exchanges as one of my Austrain regiments advanced on the village, I was sharp repulsed from combined musket and canister fire.

The French Generals all looking deep in thought trying to remember the orders they were given

The first of many cavalry clashes saw the first Melles of the game.

This is the chaotic scenes of the cavalry engagement late in the afternoon. After many back and forth engagements I think the British cavalry was starting to get the upper hand in the exchanges and starting to exploit holes in the French cavalry position.

The British infantry on the far right manage to cross the beck and start to drive the defenders back through the town, the fighting was to be hard around this town.

The main line of French and Bavarian infantry engage a fire fight with the British & allies infantry.

The Irish troops defended Ramaillies for the hole game fending off the assaults from the leading allied infantry

A picture of the table at lunch time shows the French line still holding strong across the battlefield. Many a office had fallen as casualties in the fire fight from both sides and the French had lost practically all their artillery.

The smoke tells its own story of the fire fight around Ramillies

Late in the game my Narven regiment pushed forward in support of the cavalry attack and forced the withdrawal of a French infantry regiment after a fire fight before suffering the same fate from the supporting French infantry

My dads Command had suffered a serious bloody nose in defending the town from the British infantry, but the British were unable to press home there advantage and failed to occupy the town and fully cross the beck before the day finished

analysing the battlefield at the end of the day, Robbie is in no doubt of the victory for the British and offers theFrench terms for their surrender however the umpires saw differently and a draw was declared, a fair result in the end after some hard fighting...