Refights: Blasthofbruecke

Well, now that I have a couple of tiny armies to play with again, time to try them out, and what better place to start, than my first introduction to lace wars battles, Blasthof Bridge from Peter Young's Charge! I suppose I must have first played this out myself in 1967, so it's decidedly venerable. For this exercise, I used KK rules, with each side having 2 brigades of foot and a brigade of horse, with a couple of attached guns, and all of equivalent points value (this meant that the Skyrians are stronger in foot, their battalions being larger, but the forces of the elector of Krupp are better quality, having close drill capability).

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Here is the initial setup:

On the left, the forces of Styria bustle onto the table, evil white coats glinting in the sunlight, while to the right, the sober, sombre Krupfalzen stride forward nobly. In the foreground is the prosperous hereditary estate of Freiherr Blast, with the eponymous bridge in the midground astride the Blastbach, and in the distance, the Blasthofberg and the stolid Blasthofdorf. The river is fordable except within 6" of the bridge.

After the most rudimentary scan of the terrain, both generals laid hasty plans - FML von Finck decided to trust the mighty legs of his infantry to outmarch the Skyrians, and planned to advance down one bank of the Blast, and reach the bridge before the Skyrians could establish themselves there, while FML Graf von Jagermeister, a wily veteran, decided that trying to outmarch the Kruppen, and sent his cavalry, and von Muscat's brigade of foot spashing across the stream, while von Riesling's foot pushed up the initial bank to menace the bridge from both sides.

 

von Schwartchild's foot thus seized the Blast estate easily, filling it with two battalions of IR 1 Winterfeldt, while IR20 Zastrow linked with Fahrenheit's brigade seizing the eastern abuttments of the bridge.

Both sides' cavalry formed up on the eastern plain beyond the estate.

In the cavalry clash, the Skyrian Hessen-Darmstadt Dragoons putDR12 Wuerttemburg Dragoons to flight, but lost control and dashed madly after them, while the Krupp KR 3 (Liebgarde zu Pferde) utterly crushed the Infante von Portugal Kurasserie, then reformed, and moved back to menace the madly pursuing Dragoons.

 In the ensuing whirl, the Liebgarde then fell on the flank of the Hessen-Darmstadt Dragoons, driving them back, then a subsequent charge smashed them off the field.

 Meanwhile, Muscat's Skyrians approached the farm cautiously, while von Riesling manouevred the Deutschmeister Regiment to broach the river beyond the bridge, while the Ferraris Regiment rushed the bridge head-on (one battalion getting scathing fire from the massed Krupp artillery and falling back to restore order).

The wily Schwartzchild, seeing the cavalry had cleared his flank, extruded a battalion beyond the Blast estate in order to turn the Skyrian flank: while Muscat could turn one battalion of Jung-Wolfenbuttel to stave off the immediate catastrophe,  the resulting on the pressure on the hinge then created an opening, and Schwartzchild, radiating certainty, led the other battalion of Winterfeldt into the gap in the Skyrian lines.

 Von Rieslings brigade made heavy work of trying to cross the river, and made several attempts to come to grips, rushing the bridge, but the focus of musketry and artillery repelled them each time.

Eventually, the second battalion of Ferraris made a successful rush and broke the defending battalion of IR 32 Treskow, but by this time Muscat's Brigade was crumbling from pressure front and flank, while the rallied Kruppfalzen cavalry were menacing the rear.

 With the destruction of the Kaiser and Jung-Wolfenbuttel reguments, the combined Kruppfalz foot brigades then decisively outshot the weary Skyrian foot. With the line of  communication back to the depots of Sittangbad under threat, Jagermeister drained his bottle and ordered an immediate retreat, sauve qui peut.

SYW Prussians and Austrians for sale

For those that might be interested, I've got some of my Foundry 28s up for sale on EBay:

Prussian Foot Regiment of 36

Austrian Foot Regiment of 36

A brief advertising interlude

Well, in conjunction with ditching my 28mm armies for 15mm, I now need to shed my 28mm terrain, where it's not compatible. Accordingly, I'm offering for sale my Armorcast houses, painted and constructed, at the same cost as the unpainted kits from Armorcast (plus postage at cost from Arkansas). Each is available individually. Please contact me at
the.firefall@att.net if you're interested.

These two are 2-story houses, 4"x3". with the rooves still removable, at $24 each. One of them has had a dormer window added.

 

Next are a pair of shops, 4.5"x4", two storey, at $29.00 each. Again, the roof for each is removable, and one of them has had a bay window added.

Finally, a large shop, 4x6", two storey, with removable roof, at $35.00

In addition to that, there is some 2"  wide cobbled roadway from Miniature Worldmakers. this is flexible latex, prepainted by them (and almost brandnew *sigh*). There are 2 12" strips of raised/embankment roads, 2 12" strips of sunken roadway, 2 12" strips with hedging (and gaps for farm entries/paths), 2 shorter strips with a 45 degree angle, 2 T junctions, and 1 X-junction. I'd prefer to sell this as a single group, rather than individual pieces - they costs me $131 (plus about $40 postage from Aussie), I'm offering this for $110 plus postage from AR.

Dra-goons

And last, and probably least, come the corps of Dragoons:

Here is Freiherr von Zastrow leading DR12 Herzog von Wuerttemburg Dragoons, and DR 3 Truchess Dragoons

And here GM von Hartmann heading his substrength brigade, DR 8 Alt-Platen Dragoons and DR 11 Jung-Platen Dragoons (both awaiting drafts of reinforcements). Behind him is GM Graf von Oppenheimer with 'those damn Lebanese' as Popsy refers to them, the overweening and overstrength DR5 Bayreuth Dragoons*

*Well what self-respecting Prussian DOESNT have a Bayreuth Dragoons, after all

Mehr alte blaue

Some more of the refurbished and scaled-down Kruppsarmee:

On the left, GM von Ohm meeting some resistance in leading his brigade, IR4 Kalnein and IR16 von Dohna, while on the right the great and good Leopold II, Elector of Krup, Erherzog of Pfalz, and Fuerst des Friedens (Popsy to his intimates) with some pioneers and the baggage train straggling behind him.

And here, GM Roentgen's grenadier brigade, clicking off the paces metronomically (IR2/3 Manstein, IR7/31 Kanitz, IR33/36 Kreytzen, and IR6/G1 Kleist converged grenadiers), beside GM von Hahn with a brigade of fusiliers - IR36 Moschow Fusiliers and IR33 Butyrskiy Fusiliers. Leading the division is FM Grossherzog Friedrich von Altenburg (Der Altenburger to friend and foe alike)

GM Lavoissiers' brigade of Cuirassiers - KR1 Buddenbrock leading, followed by KR3 Liebgarde zu Pferde.

and rounding it off, FML von Baedecker's Cuirassiers - KR5 Brandenburg and KR11 Lieb Karabinier

Kruppfalz rises again

Well, the fruits of my labours over the 15mm (err, well 18mm mostly) figures are coming ripe.


First off, 2 brigades of line infantry - on the left, IR 1 Winterfeld, and IR 20 Zastrow, with GM Schwartzchild looking radially at them, and on the right IR 28 Hautcharmoy and IR 32 Tresckow, led by GM Fahrenheit, looking as cool as ever:

Next, another pair of line brigades, on the left GM von Heisenberg rather uncertainly leading IR 3 Anhalt-Dessauer and IR 2 Ostergoetland, and beside him GM Graf von Bohr parading IR 7 Alt-Bevern and IR 31 Lestwitz.

The resultant combined grenadier battalions are also ready to march, and should make the show next time

Emerging like Venus from the surf, albeit rather uglier and better-dressed

Well, with the sale & despatch of the bulk of my 28mm armies, I've had the financial opportunity to build some 15mm(ish) armies, along with the time to paint some, what with having no toys to push around the table. So, one large order to Eureka, and one equally large to OG15s, has furnished me with a sufficient pile of lead to ensure my personal viability for another year or two*.

So far, I've managed to get painted up Eureka Prussians and Austrians, about half an army of each so far ... specifically:
The Dunkelblau now boast 2 brigades of musketeers, one of fusiliers, and one of grenadiers, along with 2 brigades of cuirassiers, and no less than 12 batteries of artillery (this may have been excessive!). Still languishing, undercoated but unpainted, are 3 more brigades of musketeers, one of grenadiers, one of fusiliers, and of course the Guards Brigade: plus 2 brigades of Dragoons and sundry commanders, limbers, wagons, and other riffraff.

Der Weiss now have 2 brigades of German foot, one of Hungarians, and 2 more of grenadiers, supported by a brigade of cuirassiers and another of dragoons, and 8 batteries of artillery, and a train of ammunition wagons (shock horror). Petitioning for redress is still another brigade of german foot, another of Hungarians, and a brigade of Netherlanders, with a contingent from the Empire of 2 more brigades, with another cuirassier and another dragoon brigade lurking there somewhere.

Then there are the French and Anglo-Hanoverian forces, almost as large.

Hopefully the festive break will yield enough time for a few photos of the painted portion of these forces, and perhaps sufficient for a small push-of-pike with them

The point of Uniforms

According to the history books I read when I were a nipper, uniforms were introduced to help tell armies apart, so that you had fewer of those annoying friendly fire (and friendly swords in the guts presumably) incidents.

So, I pick up some tricorn-laden infantry, dressed in blue coats with red facings. Oh, they must be Prussians ... or Swedes ... or French Guards ... or Scots in French Service .. or Spanish ....

so, what was that idea again?

Downsizing

Alas, due to the ever increasing weight of meine guten soldaten and the declining state of my health and fitness, I have decided to downsize enormously.

Specifically, to give up 28mm and build up 15mm (well 18mm) armies instead, so there will be something of a hiatus here while I purchase and paint up replacement armies (and sell off the existing ones to fund this, of course)

Goedelesherbach, Finale, (Part III)

L'Observateur is pleased to announce that our intrepid reporter has returned, essentially unharmed by his battlefield observations, somewhat soiled and smelling faintly of Madame Fifi's perfumes. Nevertheless, herewith the remainder of his report:

 Beside Esher village, the Campbell Highlanders faltered and fled from the combined action of Bollingers Chevaux-legere and Taittinger's Brigade of foot, allowing Bollinger's sabres to fall on the McDonalds Highlanders and make a meal of them* - then plunge on into the supporting Thuringer foot and drive them back in bloody ruin.

Icenian Highlanders going under a wall of grey coats

Martell's Arvergniards and the Colonian foot of Pontiac kept storming the village house by house, but it was a grim business, as Brigadier Dewars kept rallying his men and shifting positions within the village.

a combat acharne!

General Studebaker, distractedly trying to cover the ford and both sides of the river, sent half his men to try and corral the Brunschutz Horse before they completed their swim (to no avail, Schimmelpfennig led his men in a spirited gallop for the village of Goedel and, not coincidentally, the Arvergniard paychest). However, Watney saw this weakness at the ford, and personally led the Silurian fusiliers in a mad dash across the ford, braving the sweeping musketry of the Algonquin Continentals, then rudely dispatching them at the first cross of bayonets.

The Silurian Fusiliers storm the ford

With the sun reaching the zenith, Generale Taittinger finally took possession of the west end of Esher village

Taittinger's triumph

Meanwhile, as Martell and Pontiac gradually wrested control of the eastern village from Brigadier Dewars, the Butcher of Bakersfield, standing on the banks of the Bach, directed the gathering weight of his reinforcements to intrude across the river behind them - first a brigade of Thuringian Grenadiers, their caps jaunty with sunlight, then the Saxe-Gotha and Saxe-Coburg Guards in support, while Brigadier Walker, after a black look at his Prince, led the Icenian Guards across the river further upstream, to keep the Gens d'armes off the Thuringer flank.

The bitter melee over Esher, with the Thuringer intervention visible (top)

Over at the ford, with the Silurian Fusiliers deployed, the Icenian foot swarmed across, eager to get to grips with the rather shaken Colonian foot who turned to face them (nervously glancing over their shoulders at the cloud of dust showing the location of Schimmelpfennig's horse).

Watney's Brigade brushing aside the Colonial foot

 General Remy-Martin, leading the Gens d'armes Royaux, took a long look at the glittering bayonets of a whole brigade of Icenian foot (still trailing a few river weeds, admittedly), and decided that it was definitely time to retire to previously prepared positions, accompanied by a volley of jeers and Icenian cat-calls

Remy-Martin evincing that rarest of Arvergniard traits, caution

 With the Icenians pouring across his flank, M le Duc de Claret had little choice but to order his battered army to fall back to the west, hurriedly sending Bollinger's Chevaux leger to join the Gensdarmes and cover the retreat.

Bollinger hurrying to make a front against the flank attacks

Prinz Hedwig, thus left in control of the field, the shattered village of Esher, and - most importantly! - the viands and paychests of the Arvergniard host, ordered his men to camp on the field and hold a Te Deum in praise of the victory God Almighty delivered to his hands.



*I'm sorry, I simply couldn't resist

Goedelesherbach, Assault! (Pt II)

A further dispatch from our undaunted reporter as arrived at L'Observateur, still stained with pigeon-droppings:

Much furious action has erupted on the right of the field!  While the Transoceanic mounted hastened forward, seeking conclusions before the odds lengthened further, neither Tanqueray nor Schimmelpfennig were loth to meet them, and the clash of sabres resounded loud! Tanqueray's two small dragoon regiments faced the two larger Arvergnian units, with mixed results (each winning one melee), while Schimmelpfennigs brave Teutons had the luxury of both pouncing on the solitary regiment of Colonian dragoons. 

Colonel Ford attempted to enthuse his raw Colonian lads, but a quick passage of arms put the whole regiment out of action, and the Braunschweiger horse poured into the laboring Arvergnians, quickly setting the whole brigade to flight -  the Hamburger Horse regiment decided to pursue them far into the distance, eliminating themselves from the further struggle.

Fore, Hennessy's Dragoons struggle against the North Picts, while the Ibernian Dragoons rally, and the Braunschweiger Horse move to support. In the distance, Chryslers brigade of Colonian militia advance hesitantly off their hill.

General Claret scoured the battlefield across the river anxiously with his telescope, then elected, in a rash moment(1), to commit his reserves to support Clintons troops there, dispatching the Maison (Cuirassiers du Roi and Chevaliers de la Reine) to hasten across the Ford, and following up with Studebaker's veteran Colonian foot. 

While these formed up, the advancing Icenians of Watneys' brigade of foot were encompassing the doom of the valiant Colonian Militia. Chrysler, the Colonian brigadier, saw the approaching doom - 4 regiments of Icenians leading off, with the menace of 3 regiments of Guards marching down the road behind them, and the dust in the distance presaging even more reinforcement.

 (rear) Watney's brigade advancing on the Colonial militia

Menaced by the rallied Icenian horse on his flank, Colonel Chrysler attempted to form on two fronts, leaving the 2 battalions of the New Guernsey States Guard overwhelmed by the lethal musketry of the Silurian Fusiliers and 3 full regiments of other Icenian infantry. His remaining battalions manouevred desparately, to little avail, before being quickly torn asunder by steady volleys.

The Maison du Roi hasten across the river, while (rear) Chrysler's Brigade form up to try and fend off an apparently endless stream of Icenians.

While the foot were being cruelly torn apart, Brigadier Lafitte and his proud Maison were discovering the disadvantages of trying to deploy in the face of the enemy. The Cuirassiers du Roi barely managed to form a line atop the Doltberg hill, before the Icenian dragoon brigade, shouting strange Gaelic cries, charged straight up at them, while the rallied Braunschweig Horse fell upon their open flank.

The Chevaliers du Roi fleeing into the Goedel marshes, chastened by the pursuing Braunschweigers

The Chevaliers de la Reine were in turn caught forming up by the jubilant Icenians, and put to flight back across the ford in short order. Great will be the lamentations amongst the court in Trianon this summer, at the loss of their favorites.

The North Picts and Ibernians crushing the Chevaliers de la Reine

Colonel Chrysler managed to rally his foot briefly, but was then overwhelmed again by the oncoming flood of Icenian foot and horse.

Chrysler's last stand, with General Clinton slipping away to the rear

Meanwhile, on the left, Claret's assault on the village of Esher progressed much more smoothly. He had placed three brigades of foot each in 2 lines, Taittingers foot, then Martell's, then Pontiac's Colonian brigade. The far left was covered by the Chasseurs de Bouillebas, while Brigadier Bollinger held his 2 regiments of Chevau Leger in reserve.

The Chasseurs and Taittingers Brigade waded through a tall corn field, and in their initial skirmishing, the Chasseurs decisively out-shot the Caledons, and Campbells' regiment took to their heels, their ridiculous skirts flouncing behind them. 

(left) The Chasseurs Bouillabasse putting Campbell to flight

Next into action, Pontiac's brigade plunged into the assault on the village, with Greene's Continentals clearing the Pferdweiss inn in fine style, driving the 57th Foot back to sulk in the Schneiderhaus behind the inn. The sight of the Colonian colors fluttering atop the roof of the inn brought a sturdy cheer, and a similar fluttering in the heart of all patriotic Arvergniards!

Major Greene brandishing the Liberty Standard from the roof of the Pferdweiss gasthaus

The assault has progressed successfully, with Martell's brigade clearing the houses bordering the Inn, and exchanges of musketry now rocketing across the main street of Esher.

Martell, and the assembled artillery, pounding the middle of the village

 At the riverline, Studebaker's brigade of foot, and the Gens d'armes, are deployed in defense, while the Butcher of Bakersfield has ordered his Teuton horse to venture to swim the current, while his brigades of foot approach the ford and contemplate an opposed crossing.

 The Braunschweig Horse swimming across the Goedel

(1) I assigned a 3-6 roll for him to decide to defend the river bank, so naturally he rolled a 1.

Goedelesherbach, the opening

Our fearless reporter for  L'Observateur has sent in a hurried initial dispatch from the clash of arms:

With le Marquis de Rohan stricken and restricted to his clutching at passing sailors from his sickbed, his second, M le Marquis de Claret, has taken charge of the mighty forces of L'Armee de la Grohne, and in accordance with the instructions bellowed at him*, has sought action with the combined Icenian-Thuringian forces around Kleinschweinestallstadt

Icenian defenses at Esher

Le Marquis' initial attack is driving along the left bank of the mighty Goidel, and has encountered initial resistance esconced in the town of Esher, consisting of a brigade of Icenian foot and another of barbarous Caledons in their dreadful skirts (and worse music).

Arvergnian forces arrayed for the attack

However, seeing approaching dust clouds, he has thrust across the river with some of his many mounted forces, and a brigade of ragtag Colonian foot drawn from General Clinton's contribution to the Transoceanic Alliance. These are detailed to guard the Fords of Fools and  keep his flank secure.

Colonian forces and a brigade of Dragoons

Sure enough, the dust quickly consolidated into an approaching brigade of Icenians, accompanied by the barbarous Butcher of Bakersfield, Crown Prince Hedwig himself (Ready Eddie to his cronies), with his usual attendant butler and courtesan.

Dewars Brigade of Foot approaches

General Clinton, with his customary circumspection, has immediately thrown forward all his forces, directing the nervous Colonian  Horse to menace the approaching foot, while the Arvergnian Dragoons are directed to the right, to counter the approaching Thuringer horse brigade.

Clinton (foreground) directing traffic

However, disconcerting his plans, Brigadier Tanqueray and his Icenian Union brigade has also trotted onto the field to support the Thuringern, leaving the Arvergnard Dragoons ruefully counting the odds.

Foreground, Col Hennessy's Dragoon brigade adding up, and not liking the answer

Schimmelpfennig's brigade and Tanqueray's Union Brigade facing them.

All is now poised to see the clash of sabres!

*Audace, toujours l'audace!