Winter Quarters - play test - 'alarms and skirmishes'

Whilst the siege train makes its way downstream...a 'Pragmatic' Army Red Electorate took to the road for a return action with the Frederickians.

And a very splendid action it proved to be.  The Pragmatic Army was tasked with retiring into a village, and holding off the Frederickian attack.

BC had laid out a wonderful terrain, and the game proved to be shockingly brutal.  The Frederickian advancing to the attack en masse.

The impetus was blunted by enfilade cannon fire, and the first cavalry charge was repulsed.  As the infantry charged home the weight of fire told.

And a 'Pragmatic' cavalry charge destroyed the reversed left flank.  The Frederickians were more successful on the 'Pragmatic' right wing - destroying the line regiment completely in the melee.  But they remained the sole regiment standing, and began a fighting withdrawal to their baseline.  By this stage Frederick had quitted the field with his guns.

An excellent game, fast moving with approx 180 figures in play.  And  a splendid Beef Bourguignon and Czech red wine to complete the evening.

 And lots to mull over and think about before Round 3.

Winter Quarters - play test - siege rules

The main project for the 'Vauban and Shandy' blog is the development of a set of siege rules.  There will no doubt be other 'alarms and skirmishes' along the way...but the main effort will be the reduction of the town of Westmalle-Trappist, where that most beleaguered M. le Comte de Pave du Nord finds himself greatly incommoded....

The Duke of Blankshire takes a distant prospect of the place, and awaits his army and siege train...

Winter Quarters - play test - The defence of Duvel

The play testing continues with a visit from BC and his Frederickian army of Observation...who are to defend the village of Duvel.   The emboldened M. Le Comte du Pave du Nord continues to retire on the city of Westmalle-Trappist and must pass along the road.

Duvel

Sited on the main road to Westmalle - from Leffe. The road runs east-west - and is bounded by hedges.  Fields and walls lie to the east of the church, and there is a slight rise to the north west.

BC deployed his splendid Army of Observation and prepared for the Franco-Irish onslaught.  

The game had an excellent flow - with early accurate firing from the Army of Observation, resulting in heavy blows for the Wild Geese. Army White-Lily pressed on - poorly supported by its cannons - and a cavalry charge down the road resulted in a melee win...but then the game turned as the Infantry began to wither under fire, and begin to melt away.

BC counter-attacked vigorously - and a last ditch cavalry charge was decimated by his steady infantry.  As the game closed, White-Lily lost both cannons to enemy fire - and in the infantry melee the White-Lily Dragoons were soundly beaten.

So M.Le Comte retired with the remnant of his army - having captured two colours, but having lost two colours and two cannon and the vast majority of his army.  

Totals - White-Lily:     approx 66% lost
            Observation:  approx 33% lost

And a very entertaining evening and play-test of some new rules - and a well done, you, to BC and his splendid army.

Winter Quarters - play test - results

Time to apply some theory to the results, it being the Age of Reason after all...

S = Stand fast 

M = Move  

F = Fire  

C = Charge 

Rt = Retreat/Rout

R = Rally

D = Destroyed

Battle of Leffe Abbey – Army Red-Electorate

Regt	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Strength
HQ	S	M	S	S	M	M	M	S			4/4
Han HG	M	S	S	M	M	S	C	R			7/9
Blk Bay	S	S	M	M	S	M	C	R			7/9
Dgns	S	M	M	F	F	M	C	R			4/6
Inf Bde	S	S	S	S	M	M	S	M			2/3
Gds	S	S	S	S	M	M	F	M			18/20
Brls Ble	S	S	S	M	M	F	F	M			14/21
3rd	S	M	M	F	F/Rt	R	M	M			10/21
4th	S	M	M	F	F	F	M	M			13/16
Can 1	M	F	F	F	M	S	S	S			1/1
Can 2	M	F	D	-	-	-	-	-			0/1
Mor 1	F	F	F	F	F	F	S	S			1/1
Mor 2	F	F	F	F	F	F	S	S			1/1

Total = 1 Cannon destroyed/32 Figs lost (including gunners)

11 turns of infantry firing out of a possible 40

16 turns of artillery firing out of a possible 32

Battle of Leffe Abbey - Army White-Lily

Regt	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Strength
HQ	S	S	M	M	S	M	M	M			5/5
Bv Cur	S	S	M	C	-	-	-	-			0/8
Art Dg	M	M	F	F	F Rt	R	F	-			O/9 - 2 Cap
Pic Dg	S	S	S	S	M	M	F	F -			0/9
Inf Bde	M	M	S	S	S	S	S	M			2/2
Lang	M	S	M	S	F Rt	R	F	F -			0/23
Dillons	M	M	S	S	S	Rt	R	M			9/18
Berwick	M	M	S	S	S	S	S	M			14/14
Can 1	F	F	F	F	F	M	M	D			0/1
Can 2	F	F	F	F	-	-	-	-			0/1

Total = 1 Cannon destroyed + 1 Cannon captured/4 Colours lost/2 prisoners/63 figs lost (including gunners)

9 turns of infantry/dragoon firing out of a possible 40

9 turns of artillery firing out of a possible 16