HMGS PSW Convention

I had an opportunity to take my Rising of the Clans rules on the road for a true test. Four players joined my game, including my former student Chris who helped me set everything up. After running through the rules fairly quickly we began to play. The Jacobites were tasked with attacking across the board and securing a pathway south into the heart of England. General Hawley deployed his forces around a small village that featured a solid stone wall along its north facing side. Bonnie Prince Charlies brigades came on via a road in the center of the table. The car packed and ready to go

The set up of the table before the action

Despite having lots of room on the flanks allowing a path around the seemingly invincible line in the center, the Jacobites stoically marched straight ahead towards the stone wall.

Initially, Murray's clansmen seemingly achieved a breakthrough, driving back one of Mourdaunt's regiments.

The MacDonalds also tried to breech the line held by Lascelles. The attempt was both unsuccessful and costly. Drummond's brigade would suffer the greatest number of casualties of any unit in the battle. Drummond would ultimately be killed personally leading his men in a final desperate charge.

Despite initial success on the Government right, the Duke of Perth and John Roy Stewart's brigades would be held back by superior numbers. John Roy Stewart would also die a hero's death leading his men in an all or nothing charge.

As things were looking bleak for the Jacobite cause, a large force of French arrived down the central road. This corp included five regiments of regulars, two batteries and the vaunted Fitjames's Horse. The Bonnie Prince ordered them to his right flank imploring them to secure the road exiting there.

As the French maneuver into position, Mourdaunt counterattacked Olgilvey's lowlanders. This stabalized the Government center.

On the Government right, superior numbers brought about a stalemate on that flank.

The battle would come down to the French attack on the Government left. Wolf's brigade arrived just in time to attempt to stem the tide. Lines were formed. Muskets blazed. Cannons roared. Then, through the smoke, thundereded the splendid Fitzjames Horse. So sudden was the assault that the redcoats were not able to fire any volleys in their defense. Unbelievable, the horsemen destroyed an entire regiment without losing a man. They continued on into a second line and achieved the same result. In a matter of minutes Wolf's brigade was at a breaking point. The French attack had secured the victory.

It was a great day. The players had a lot of good things to say about the playability and simplicity of the rules. Many conventioners came by and complimented up on the set up and figures. All in all, it was a great success.

Epic Elephants Finished

Epic Punic Wars Commission Work Part 1

Last week an enormous package arrived at my door. It was the Hannibal boxed set from Warlord Games. It is loaded with figures and bases. I have set about painting up this monster and here is my progress thus far. There were 12 sprues of Republican Romans. This provided four legions plus cavalry and officers.

There were four sprues of Gaul, enough to make up 12 stands. Detailing the shields was a challenge as they are pretty small.

Next on the painting table are 8 Carthaginian elephants. That should be a fun break from all of the infantry.

Fear The Highland Charge!

Ourgame is in the books, and a great game it was. It was my opponent's first time playing with these rules, but he got he gist of things quite quickly. He commanded the government forces and, as is his nature, went straight to the attack with Mourdant's brigade on his left. The Duke of Perth's lowlanders lined a hedge that sheltered a field. In the first major encounter of the game, Brett rolled seven dice and didn't score a single hit. The rag tag lowlanders held thier ground!

To the right of this setback, however, two other regiments of Mourdant's brigade charged an annoying French battery and destroyed it. This would prove to be as close to the village as Hawley's men would get.

On the other flank, Lord Murray held his restless clansmen back as Lascelle's redcoats advanced on his position. Lascelle's line was a bit broken by its advance, giving Murray his opportunity. Four of his regiments charged two regiments of government men. The meles were fierce. The thin red lines were no match for the ferocious charge of the gallant Scots. In an instant half of Lascelle's brigade was driven from the field.

Murray withdrew his men back to their starting positiion to await events. In the background of this photo casualty markers outline what had once been Lascelle's battle line.

Back on the other flank, Perth's lowlanders are barely holding on to their line. As Mourdant's men begin to waver, Brett brings up his Dutch brigade to take up the attack. Two of Perth's regiments have suffered over 50% casualties and are at the breaking point.

To turn the tide, Lord Drummond orders three of his clans forward in a charge. Mourdant's men are driven back with loss. The triumphant highlanders continue on beyond the road into a Dutch battalion and force it back as well before the halt to reorganize.

Just when it looks like the government left is on the verge of collapse, the three remaining Dutch battalions pour volleys into the highland columns and then charge forward. Drummond's counterattack has been checked with great loss. The government forces now control the road that borders the field.

As the battle on the government left settles into a stalemate, General Hawley attaches himself to Campbell's militia men. The previous two turns they had refused to move up to fill the void left by Lascelle's destruction (failed initiative rolls). My opponent, ever the aggressor, puts the 64th foot and the Argyl militia into attack collumns to charge the French regulars in the center. Hawley attaches himself to one unit, Campbell to the other. This last desperate charge seems doomed from the start. The 64th doesn't roll well enough to reach the enemey which leaves the Argyl men fighting by themselves. The piecemeal nature of the attack brings about inevitable failure. To make things worse, Campbell is mortally wounded in the assault.

A Storm is Abrewin'

This week a good friend is coming over to try out my Jacobite Rebellion rules, The Rising of the Clans. I introduced Brett to wargaming back when he was in high school. In his 20s he went all in building up forces for the battle of Waterloo at 1/60. Once kids came along, though, he put the armies into storage and focused on his family and career. Once every few years we'd get together for a game, but that was about it. We are both retired now, however, and he lives just a few blocks away; I'm hopeful that we might be able to game on a more regular basis. The battle on the table this week features four brigades under the Bonnie Prince defending a key crossroads and town against General Hawley and his four brigades. Prince Charlie has two brigades of highlanders, a lowlander brigade, and a small brigade of French regulars. General Hawley has two brigades of regulars in his front line and a brigade of Dutch and a brigade of militia units in reserve. Each commander has an aide de camp at his disposal. Here is a look at the set up on the eve of the battle.