11 May 2021

Boeotian War 378-371 BC – Thebes vs Sparta

Sparta clashes with Thebes in this classic historical match-up. The game was another one of our online club games. This period has proved popular for online games as they are easy to set up and relatively straightforward for players to command their forces.

In this clash the Thebans made good use of marshy ground on their right flank to slow the Peloponnesian advance down and massed their superior cavalry on their left flank to sweep the Spartan cavalry from the field. The centre was hotly contested but a stubborn unit of allied Boeotian hoplites (despite being inferior and unreliable) held out long enough for the Sacred Band to land the knock-out blow to the Lacedemonians.

Player View




Cavalry Melee 

Peltasts




The Theban Phalanx including the Sacred Band




04 May 2021

Burma WWII - "The Road to Mandalay"

 

Another online club game, this time set in Burma in 1945.

The British are tasked with clearing some stubborn Japanese defenders on the drive to Mandalay. They have a half squadron of Lees, a battalion of Gurkhas and a battery of Royal Artillery 25pdrs to complete the task. The Japanese have 2 depleted infantry battalions dug in and a company of Chi Ha tanks to frustrate the British. The rules used were Rapid Fire. Unbelievably, the game was decided on a double six role, enabling a Chi Ha to KO a Lee which determined the game in the Japanese favour.

[Please note that there probably weren’t any (or very few) historical encounters between Lees and Chi Has in WWII – certainly not any in which a Chi Ha gets the better of a Lee!]


The British plan takes shape



Gurkhas advance, kukri knives at the ready


Stubborn Japanese defenders dug-in

A dug in Chi Ha

Close support from a mortar


Lees and infantry in close support

A Lee enjoying some battlefield superiority

Player view on the laptop

A suicidal lunge mine attack is embarrassingly unsuccessful!

Chi Ha Shinhotos arrive

A Lee is KO'd by a Japanese AT gun

AT gun and KO'd Chi Ha



Last die roles of the game. A Chi Ha KO's a Lee with a double 6 !






13 April 2021

More Greek Madness - The Peloponnesian War

Another club game played online. This time a classic encounter between Athens and Sparta. 

In short, despite doing everything correctly - managing light troops effectively, using higher ground to deploy inferior hoplites, good use of superior cavalry etc. - The Athenians managed to lose the game in the last turn. The Spartan's quality shone through, although the key moment was when the Athenian C-in-C AND key ally generals were killed in melee, leading to a collapse in army morale and a bitter defeat to their historical enemies.

Player view

From behind Athenian lines

Spartiates

Spartan allies

Athenians


From behind the left flank of the Athenian line






The rival phalanx clash

Inferior hoplites fight for control of the high ground


03 April 2021

The Second Half of A Plan

 This week saw the conclusion of The Battle of The Clouds, an AWI clash in which the British struggled to drive their way through the American line. The battlefield had split into two wings, with the Americans being able to set up murderous cross fire at the head of the two British attacks. It remained to be seen whether the British could keep up enough pressure on the American units in front of them to force a break in the line which would allow them to push on and remove the threat of the American artillery.


 A rather dizzying bird's eye view of the American left wing. British Lights are in the wood to the left whilst the Americans are poised to deliver volleys of devastating fire into the ranks of the advancing British.

Turn 6 saw the Americans gain the initiative and they declared a charge towards the British on this flank who opted to stand and fire. The 3rd Division pivoted to face the wood. The Queen's Rangers moved to the edge of the wood to threaten the 5th Division. The Hessians inclined to the right.

 On the right flank the British Guards charged, as did the 4th Brigade. The American column moved further along the flank in case the British managed to finish off their opponents.


Alexander's 5th Division failed to press home the charge and retreated facing the British. For a moment it looked as if the British had an opportunity to drive into the American line and escape the cross fire on this flank. Cornwallis readied his dice and prepared to face one more turn of cutting fire. However, one casualty from the artillery, and a total of four more from musket fire meant that Grant's brigade lost a base and this proved too much for them. Even though they were Veterans, the perils of their situation and the sustained mounting casualties proved too much for Grant and his men who promptly fled. Fortunately, the Hessians behind them stood firm. The 5th Division also lost a base from combined casualties from the Queen's and  Vaughan's brigade and the Militia took just one casualty. The sudden opportunity to make headway had vanished in an instant!
On the American right flank, the British charged home in a valiant attempt to shatter the Americans and send the Rebels packing. The Artillery had caused two casualties on the 4th brigade which lost a base and received three more from closing fire. The charge struck however  but whilst the casualties were three apiece from the melee, the 4th were severely battered from four turns of fire and they retired facing the enemy. The Guards crashed into Wayne's Division in what was probably the best British opportunity to punch through, but the Americans came off one casualty better and the Guards were forced to withdraw facing the enemy. The 3rd brigade fired a devastating volley at the troublesome American skirmishers meaning they too lost a base.


 Turn 7 again saw the Americans gain the initiative. The skirmishers fell back, the column moved forward onto the hill behind Wayne's division which fell back to clear the line of sight for its artillery.
On the other flank, the 3rd Division charged the edge of the wood, forcing the Queen's Rangers to evade and providing relief to 5th Division who were able to steady themselves. 
Above it can be seen that the British pulled back a little, holding on to the slender hope that a round of musket fire may cause Muhlenburg's Division to falter. It was not to be. Artillery continued to chip away at the Guards who stood firm. The American skirmishers finally routed from the field after another volley from the 3rd brigade, but their departure didn't make an impact on the morale of the Americans. Muhlenburg's Division also stood firm and the last hope of a British push crumbled away.



In the post battle discussion, we considered the challenges facing the British. For them to be able to put pressure on the Americans at a point of their choosing, it would require substantial maneuvering. The original half a plan sought to neutralise some of the American forces by pinning the flanks and concentrating the main thrust up the middle. The vagaries of command and control however meant that it's very difficult to pull off a coordinated attack. If one brigade refuses to move for a turn it can cause chaos and reveal intentions allowing the enemy time to react and reorganise to face the threat. It was a mistake to ignore the American skirmishers on the right flank. Perhaps if the Hessians had moved towards the centre and the 3rd and 4th Brigade had the flexibility to exploit American indecision on how to move to counter the thrust things might have been very different. As it was, the British withdrew, leaving American Divisions that were largely in good shape. We also need to consider the morale modifiers. Units are punished for losing a base, and if these are cumulative as well as being penalised for loss of 25% and then 50%, there is very little opportunity to be able to probe and then consolidate. Unless units are large, or the attackers have vastly superior numbers, the attacker has an almost impossible task.
Thanks to David for setting up the game, moving the figures and switching the camera views. Next week we will be in the Ancient world - Greeks against Greeks- trying out a set of rules created by one of our members.
Please consider following our blog and maybe add a comment below. It would be especially interesting to hear of any other refights of this battle in the light of our experiences. Can you come up with half a plan that sweeps the Rebels from the field?


02 April 2021

Ancient Warfare in Classical Greece

This encounter witnessed a fictional clash between the 'Argiven Coalition' and the Peloponnesian League for control of the Temple of Pandemicos during the very bad tempered 'Vaccine War' of the early 4th Century BC:


Opposing lines draw near

The Corinthian Contingent ready for action

Cavalry Advance

The much coveted Temple of Pandemicos



Clash of Phalanx



Behind Spartan Lines