SYW weekend game

So far this blog hasn't had any Napoleonic gaming to report, despite being the reason for it's very existence! So far I've played a game of AWI and now a weekend 3-a-side grand spanking 7 Years' War game with rules devised by our gracious host, Adrien, with his 15mm SYW collection.

The rules were different from what I've been used to, in that command and control is a much more important aspect of these rules. Depending on your generals' competence each command had a certain number of points to spend down the chain of command to individual units. Playing the French, I had quite big units that in theory could have been devastating to the enemy, but as the best of my commanders were average (and the worst incompetent!), the number of actions per turn was quite restrictive, which meant that as a commander, you had to spend your points wisely and not waste any. Quite frustrating to begin with, but made for a very interesting game.

Each player had a mission to accomplish, as well, to spice things up. My mission wasn't adhered to as well as it could have been because I had a rush of blood to the head which blinded me from making my superior look bad in the eyes of Madame du Pompadour by incurring less casualties than him (ie. I got stuck in to the enemy instead of holding back and letting the C-in-C do the hard work!).

The game was still in the balance and was left with the Prussians counter-attacking in the centre where Steve the Taller had done some sterling work previously, only to be let down by abysmal dice rolling. I was holding the Hanoverians on the right flank and actually pushing them back. As they fielded their entire army, they weren't all that interested in dying to a man for Frederick the Great and were beginning to withdraw after some cavalry heroics gave my infantry a black eye. Steve the Shorter was pushing his reserves up to help me on the right, as well as backing up my thrust though the town at the corner of the Prussian salient. The Prussians had battled hard to crush the French cavalry on our left flank, but reinforcements were on their way.

As there was no clear result, it was agreed to meet again at a later date to resolve the issue one way or another. Stay tuned for the result!

My initial dispositions

The battlefield from behind the Prussian positions

The French raring to go!

My worthy opponents, the Hanoverians

Steve the Taller's boys ready for action

Steve's impressive wheeling attack in echelon

My French and Jenko's Hanoverians dispute the woods

My horse guns approach to support the infantry

The casualties mount!

The battle for the woods continues

Steve's attack approaches the Prussian ranks

Steve's Austrians on the left flank

More of Maria Theresa's finest

The echelon attack goes in; orderly lines go out

Der Alte Fritz himself! (Tony)

His opposite, le Comte de Soubise (Steve the Shorter)

The view from the Prussian right flank

Adrien's Prussian cavalry go in while his reserve awaits the outcome

The battle in the woods from the German side

The attack in the centre continues

My attack approaches the village followed by our gallant leader's reinforcements in road column

The little battery that could. Survived 2 charges and a melee by Hanoverian horse

My attack progresses through the town while I shed deserters looking for loot and booze!

The Prussians react as I exit the village, but to no avail!

A bird's-eye view

The Hanoverians desperately try to break off, pursued by the C-in C's battle crazy men after a particularly successful French charge.

A French flanking charge being simultaneously charged in their flank by the Prussians.

Hanoverian cavalry charging French infantry, being charged by French cavalry. Flanks galore!