Black Seas: Pirates of 1812

I've managed to make serious inroads into my Black Seas pile of shame...

And my mate Darren has finished the North African coastline terrain he's providing for our Black Seas game at the Illawarra Plastic Modeller's Show which has become our club's annual showcase. Well, he's a perfectionist, so he claims he still has some finishing touches to add - forts and the like. Looking pretty speccy to me though!

So although this week's primary game at the Wollongong Wargamers was ADLG, we decided to also lay on a preliminary run though of the scenario we will be putting on at the show. The idea is to have as many different squadrons as possible on the table to maximise opportunities for audience participation:

Those US 'Frigates' really were huge! 

The scenario was set up to maximise the Barbary Pirate's opportunities to benefit from shallow water, rocks and shoals.

As befits neutrals in the War of 1812, they could not be fired upon unless they commenced hostilities against either the US or UK...no matter how threatening their course and speed...

The table was set up with the RN and USN fleets at opposing table ends. Caesar and Daniel were the RN team, Caesar having three 36 gun frigates and Darren three brigs, ideal for coastal work...

The three corsair squadrons widely separated along the Barbary Coast, benefitting from the wind at their backs....

Minh took command of a Xebec squadron (blue strip sails) whilst Phillip led three galleys out of the harbour.

They owed nominal fealty to the notorious Corsair chieftain Al Bailey Al Tripolitana, who also took personal command of another Xebec squadron (red stripe sails).

For my sins I was appointed to command the US Frigate squadron, 

flying my flag on 'Old Ironsides' herself, the USS Constitution, with USS President, both frigates of 44 guns.

The British lost no time closing the US squadron, which were struggling in the wind which had immediately veered to the south east, forcing me to steer a point to PORT, trying hard not to sail off the edge of the world!

The corsairs lost no time closing the British fleet, but remaining just inside the rocks and sandbanks.

Except for the aggressive Al Bailey, who headed straight out to blue water!

The Royal Navy opened the ball with their bow chasers - hardly anything to bother Old Ironsides!

The two US Frigates responded in kind, their powerful initial broadsides seriously damaging the lead British frigate.

But meantime the pirates were edging ever closer to the Brits, some from behind, some from the flank - what where they up to? The British detached the Brig squadron inshore, just in case the pirates were up to no good...

Al Bailey led his squadron hard to leeward of the British Brig squadron - surely this was an unfriendly act?

The fragile peace between the Barbary States and the British Empire was ripped apart by the devasting close range broadside that followed...

Retaliation was swift and condign!

Leading to a pirate Xebec striking its colours.

Meanwhile the RN Frigates and US Frigates had continued their exchange of fire before drawing apart, the American frigates still constrained by the wind...

and with both crews fighting raging fires!

But the British had no time to celebrate - Minh's second Xebec squadron had carefully manoeuvred to deliver a devastating close range stern rake to  Darren's beleaguered Brig squadron!

However, the pirate's lack of gunnery training showed, with all shots missing!

As dusk fell over the North African coastline, peace broke out once again.

Valour & Fortitude: Talavera Mega game

The Wollongong Wargamers staged a mega game of the Battle of Talavera, Spain, 1809, using Valour & Fortitude rules. 

We wanted to represent every unit present, at a figure scale of 1:20. This would involve 92 battalions of line infantry, each of 32 model soldiers - approx. 3,000 infantry figures alone, with cavalry and artillery in proportion. A game of this size requires a degree of planning and preparation:

With everyone pitching in, and different coloured brigade location markers, force marshalling was fast:

The two teams: 

then went off to plan their strategies.

Despite it being rich in objective points, both teams decided that Talavera was a secondary objective

and would be lightly held/masked off.

It would be the Cerro de Medellin where the battle would be won or lost, true to history!

The French also decided upon a major offensive against the northern edge of the battlefield, their flank secured by the steep rocky escarpment of the Sierra de Segurilla. 

Perhaps they hoped that the Duke of Albuquerque's Spaniards deployed there would be a pushover compared to the British...

We would see - the infantry was indeed subject to an 'Unpredictable' test, but the masses of cavalry and guns were the pride of the Spanish service... 

But, apart from a few activation problems, the French initially advanced right across the battlefield.

And the 'feint' at Talavera itself...

Looked pretty convincing to me.

There was certainly plenty of gunpowder expended!

In the centre of the table the French masses also looked threatening.

And the British adjusted their deployment accordingly, attempting to secure the centre whilst reinforcing northwards to the Cerro de Medellin...

Which remained the principal French focus:

The Talavera sector remained stable but fiery as French and Allied troops in light cover exchanged volleys with the Spaniards in heavy cover...

Returning to the central sector, the French assaults were maturing nicely.

But the British were standing firm at the line of the Portina Brook, even managing to keep the Brigade of Guards coolly uncommitted in deep reserve!

Moving north to the Cerro de Medellin, however, the British were having to scramble under the gathering storm...

As assaults and melees...

Followed each other in desperate succession...

The pendulum swung from victory to defeat for each of the embattled divisions...

The call even went out to send in the His Majesty's Foot Guards!

Meanwhile in the far northern sector the Spanish infantry held gallantly for a long while

Before being succoured by the Spanish cavalry, 

who convincingly repulsed the French!

Back in the centre, the French attacks had so far been frustrated...

Perhaps throwing in the heavy cavalry would open things up? Non!

The outcome of the struggle for the Cerro de Medellin was much more closely contested, but eventually here too the French had to fall back...

Resulting in a narrow Anglo-Spanish victory: 7-6.

But the real victor of this game was the Valour & Fortitude rules - they handled both the unfeasibly large size of this game, and a range of player experience, with ease.