David Bickley's Wargames Blog

The occasional ramblings of an average gamer, journeyman painter, indifferent modeller, games designer, sometime writer for Wargames Illustrated and host of games in GHQ.



Tuesday 8 March 2022

Return to the Wars of the French Revolution

 This weeks' game here in GHQ featured an airing for part of my Wars of the French Revolution collection. I'm currently painting the Scots Greys by Trent Miniatures which I bought back before the plague. On a whim I've decided to rebase all the cavalry in the collection having realised I had no room for the new unit if I wanted to utilise the basing system currently in use! Hence this week's game, as it gets the armies out of storage and ready post battle for rebasing! As usual, an annotated photomontage of some significant moments in the battle ~

On their right flank the French Heavy Cavalry and their Horse Artillery supports advance with élan! The British infantry nonchalantly decline to form square, just as well the French fell short! Ominously the British Heavy Cavalry stand ready to enter combat in their turn.
A view from the British lines as a volley pours into the French charge!
Forming square the infantry fire a ragged volley into the French as they charge by to engage the King's Dragoon Guards! The Life Guards in their turn charge the larger French Heavy Cavalry regiment.
Merde! The Ros Biefs thrash the gallant French! Beaten soundly the French fall back in disarray! Meanwhile the Horse Artillery are in confusion, pounded by the British battery (out of frame) and fire from the British square. 
A gallant charge by the 8th Cavalry is repulsed also although the Horse Artillery do manage to deploy and begin to rake the square with cannister shot!
While all the action might seem to be confined to the French right flank, in the centre British infantry deploy to meet the supposed threat from the first French Demi-Brigade.
Back on the French right, the Hompesch Rifles are charged by the rallied French Heavy Cavalry! Surely weight of numbers must carry the day!
In the centre the advance of the Demi-Brigade is halted by rolling volleys from the Redcoated infantry! Although one unit retires, the Foot Guards stand ready to fill their station and hold the line!
Of a sudden the French Horse Artillery are broken and flee! With two other regiments Shaken the French right must retire! In the centre the leading Demi-Brigade has also retired Shaken, leaving the centre exposed. Neither Lord Rawnsley nor De Bykli have the men to force the issue so both sides quit the field not beaten, but not able to press for victory! On the French left? Least said the better as noone advanced with any aggression! Now for some jolly good fun rebasing all my cavalry! Oh Joy! Oh Rapture!


16 comments:

  1. Excellent looking game David.

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  2. A very attractive table. I like the idea of the button hearts on buttons for markers, what an effective solution!

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    1. Thanks Norm! The button hearts were £1 for 25 at a haberdashery store in Shrewsbury. They are on counters from a School Supplies Company

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  3. A grand game, very colourful too with both sides batttled out in the end. The re-basing will be worth the effort, they will look a lot better.

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    1. Rebasing due to get underway tomorrow now!

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  4. Another fine looking games Mr.B. Re: Horse bases. I did ask you at the time "Why?" ;-D

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    1. I started them on sabot bases for Sharp Practice 2 but found it less than inspiring, like all rules from the same stable

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  5. Another lovely looking game David and of a period I'm planning on dabbling in this year as and when my 10mm figures arrive from Pendraken. Oh and you've got to love Bicorne hats on troops, infantry or cavalry:).

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    1. The very best of luck with your project SteveJ!

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  6. A splendid set too David. I have a tale of woe coming up shortly.

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    1. "Woe, Woe, thrice woe!" Only too familiar of late!

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  7. A splendid looking game David…
    Rebasing… you hedonistic fool you!

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Thanks Aly! Rebasing one of the unsung joys of wargaming!

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  8. Lovely looking game David and a collection we haven’t seen much of 👍

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    1. Thanks Matt, but with 106 Blog entries to its name I think you must have missed a fair few ..😉

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