BLB game today

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flick40
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BLB game today

Post by flick40 » Sun Jan 27, 2013 4:21 am

We had a local 1 day gaming even today. I ran a largish BLB game in a mostly 40k environment. Heres a picture someone took while I was setting up. I'll post more of the actual game shortly.

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Re: BLB game today

Post by yar68 » Sun Jan 27, 2013 11:11 am

Looks a great game, I hope you converted some of the 40K players??
Ray

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Re: BLB game today

Post by barr7430 » Sun Jan 27, 2013 11:55 am

looks beautiful Joe.. any action shots?
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Re: BLB game today

Post by Redmist1122 » Sun Jan 27, 2013 6:15 pm

Joe,
Looking forward to more pics...thanks for keeping us on the edge!
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Re: BLB game today

Post by flick40 » Mon Jan 28, 2013 2:17 am

As promised. Here are pics of the game. The idea for the scenario was taken from CSG 'Scenarios for Wargames', Reinforcing a Town p.38 and loosely based on Battle of Landen (or Neerwinden). Our local game store puts on a 1 day event each year. It's primarily a 40k and card game tourny. We always put on something historical to show people there are other things out there. Last year we did Fontenoy and this year we decided to go big. 80% of my BLB collection was on the table. We had fun and that's all that matters.

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Game start. Lots of French to not so many Dutch et.al.

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The French close as a sheepherder tries to get the flock out of the way. :)

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The French view of the approach. At the top we see a lone grenadier unit outside the village. (a 3B BUA) The French general learned a valuable lesson on how to assault a BUA and its not one unit at a time.

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Meanwhile the horse begin to face off. The Mousquetaires de la Garde (my favorite and best painted unit) seen just off camera, top left, and the Danish Livgard on the road.

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A view down the line.

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Things get down to business. The Garde Suisse (just in front of Reg't Normandie) moved up over and down the hill into the Hesse-Darmstadt battalion without batting an eye. They then swung round and assisted the assault on the village. The Hessians were not finished merely deterred.

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Meanwhile the horse were having a bustle. The French were winning most of the day but at cost. The Dutch were able to eventually reinforce and make a showing.

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The Danish Livgard and the Mousquetaires de la Garde come face to face. Both units invoked the AoN charge, cheers of "Viva le Roi" and a clash of metal. The battle was hard fought and in the end it was the French who chased the Danes away.

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The Mousquetaires de la Garde chase their foes, but victory was not to be for the Dutch Foot Guard had arrived and stopped them with a volley.

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The horse battle had been won but it was too late. The Dutch had time to reinforce, the Dutch Guard and English Guard supported by a light gun and a frensh regiment of horse had arrived. This was more than a match for the lone French sqdn.

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The fight for the village continues. This fight lasted well over 8 turns. It wasn't until the Dutch player decided that he needed more dice as his troops were loosing the attrition battle. He sent in King William. It was an unwise move. In the next turn of assault both King William and the brigadier had perished. We checked morale for the garrison who passed but as the game master this loss to me was too much given the period and I decided the entire garrison became shaken. The next assault the French were finally able to break the perimeter. (their 1st turn of victory) The fight for the village was over and in French hands but so bloodied they were the wind could have forced them out again.

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The fight for the 2nd bridge was a slow affair. The Dutch player had sent a squadron of Austrian cuirassier over to charge the Dauphin Regiment. Oh, you don't see any cuirassier? Thats because the Dauphin shot them to a man before that got themselves organized. :)

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The French never seemed to have any sense of urgency in taking this bridge crossing. They did finally get an upper hand here just as their right flank crumbled and were entering the village. The French commander seeing it may be a fools gamble to continue decided to withdraw.

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A final shot, most of the Allied battalions were now shaken due to seeing 2 routs, the Hessians who routed and most drowned in the river and the Brandenburgers trying to get back across the bridge.

The French had 2 fresh regiments of horse on their left flank that went unused the whole battle. They could have assisted the right but sat idle. The French also could have taken the town sooner had he coordinated his attack better. Two battalions of grenadiers were wasted before they could be properly supported. (chalk that up to first time player and poor advice) The Dutch player completely ignorant of the period threw the king around like he was Thor. He paid the price.

Strategically the game was a loss for the French but both sides didn't have much fight in them by games end. Again it was fun and thats what we aimed for. All the 40k players were jealous of the board and a few would have rather played our game had they not been committed.
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Re: BLB game today

Post by Friedrich August I. » Mon Jan 28, 2013 5:16 am

Joe,

That looks like a great Victory! For BLB2, the Gamers of this Period AND the real Wargamers of course! Fantastic Battle report, a nice looking game and Terrain.
Have I metioned that those French Mouseketiers :D are looking lovely?

Thanks for sharing.
Günter
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Re: BLB game today

Post by yar68 » Mon Jan 28, 2013 9:37 am

An excellent report and great pics, the Thor quip made me chuckle!!
Ray

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Re: BLB game today

Post by barr7430 » Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:57 am

Lovely looking game, great AAR and sounds like a good time for all concerned! As a matter of interest Joe, who were the respective players? Anyone we know or were they pick up 40Kchaps?
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Re: BLB game today

Post by flick40 » Mon Jan 28, 2013 4:30 pm

Thanks for all the comments. The game had 4 different players that took over at different times. In the end it was Gavin and some chap who had explained to me his grand sweeping plan to wipe the French from the field. I just smiled and nodded. Though he won the game none of his plan ever left the ground. He did enjoy the game.

Ray did you notice your Clanarickarde flag? :)

We had a lot of passers-by who commented on the table. A couple armchair historians as well. I avoided a debate that one tried to draw me into concerning plug vs ring bayonettes and when they were used and why I shouldn't have pike on the table. blah blah. With no retort from me other than a smile and nod he eventually left.

:)
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Re: BLB game today

Post by toggy » Mon Jan 28, 2013 6:45 pm

Wonderful stuff Joe, great terrain & figures. It's getting me excited about our next weekender in a month's time.

Bob
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Re: BLB game today

Post by barr7430 » Mon Jan 28, 2013 10:36 pm

Joe, it is very pretty and reminds me of a cover shot on WI we had many years ago which was a section of Neerwinden. The likeness is strong and excellent 8)
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Re: BLB game today

Post by Redmist1122 » Tue Jan 29, 2013 1:25 am

Joe,
Awesome report with game pics! Yes, had a chuckle too about the Thor deal...very funny! These are the games I like to run and complete to a finish.
Do you a picture of the map you used? Again a very nice looking game!
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Re: BLB game today

Post by Churchill » Tue Jan 29, 2013 12:28 pm

Ray.
Last edited by Churchill on Thu Feb 27, 2014 10:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: BLB game today

Post by yar68 » Tue Jan 29, 2013 6:54 pm

I didn't notice the flag, but I have now! :wink:
Ray

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Re: BLB game today

Post by custosarmorum » Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:47 am

A very nice battle report with very nice figures and terrain! May I ask who the manufacturer of the buildings is? Thanks.
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