Action at Thönghausen

I had somehow forgotten that Phil and I had decided on a SYW game for this week's set too here in GHQ and was happily clearing last week's game away when his text reminded me! Lucky for me that! I reorganised the terrain slightly and laid out two armies for a straightforward pitched battle, the fictional Action at Thonghaüsen of the title. As ever now, on to an annotated photomontage hopefully carrying you right down into the unfolding action ~

The Allies advance in their centre and on their left in Turn 1.

On their right the Hanoverian brigade steps off smartly while the Brunswick brigade is held in reserve.

The French Grenadiers advance in the centre while the Wild Geese hesitate to step off.

On the French right infantry supported by Dragoons move past the farm complex to block the Allied attack on their flank.

Their advance is supported by the Hussards a Bykli.

The French commander, the Comt du Merde, does not hurry preparing for battle. Although he does have his carriage readied for a hurried departure, just in case you understand.

On the French left the Wild Geese and Grenadiers have begun to form firing lines as the Allied advance slows.

Fire is exchanged in the centre to little initial effect!

On the French right the Scots move to contest the farm complex as the first Allied troops hurry into position to block them.

Fighting erupts around the farm as both sides hurry reinforcements forward to gain the upper hand.

The Allied centre looks ominously strong as waves of British Foot sweep forward.

Opposing this attack the Grenadiers Royale and the Grenadiers de France shake out into firing lines supported by fire from the batteries of artillery to their rear.

The Hanoverian brigade has faltered as its advance runs into French fire on two quarters. Du Merde feels his left is more than strong enough to deal with their threat.

Infantry in his centre readies itself to exchange volleys with the hordes of British infantry - the battalion guns marking them as Large units with additional fire and melee dice.

Fighting for control of the farm complex has reached a stalemate. Du Merde feels his flanks are secure at this stage, the centre will decide the outcome of the battle in his view.

Things change quickly in battle though, the Hanoverian Hussars rout De Bykli's, opening up an opportunity for the supporting Heavy Cavalry to attack!

Sure enough they sweep forward and their flashing sabres make short work of the Scots!

The King's Dragoons move forward to block further advance as the Hanoverian Heavy Cavalry seek to exploit the opportunity presented by their Hussars victories!

Du Merde feels things are still largely moving in his favour at this stage, all along his line the French are holding their own.

The first Hanoverians finally break under heavy fire but the Brunswick brigade, lead by a line of skirmishing infantry, has moved onto their flank to press the Grenadiers de France. The Hanoverians though have lost their brigade commander in the rout!

The contest for the farm complex is still far from being decided in either side's favour! Casualties are mounting but neither will give way!

Disaster strikes Du Merde's cause, the first Battalion of the Grenadiers Royale can take no more and breaks under heavy and sustained fire!

Looking along the French line casualties are rising now as heavy fire from the Large units of British Foot takes its toll. Disorder resulting from this hampers Du Merde in his attempts to shore up his battle lines!

All is not lost though: the Hanoverian advance has faltered on the loss of their commander and the fire from the Grenadiers Royale breaks the leading Brunswick Battalion!

The Fortunes of War are cruel though. In the next Turn the French leftvsuffers catastrophic losses as the Grenadier brigade cannot take any more! The 'Dice Gods' have turned against the French!

The Wild Geese are similarly broken in the next Turn! With their capitulation the will of the French army is Broken. Du Merde rufully mounts his carriage and departs for his Estates, leaving his subordinates to salvage what they may of the army...

Hengist and Horsa

 Along with my 1st Corps order for the Early Saxon Warband of Young Warriors I also purchased the Hengist and Horsa pack of character figures. After finishing the Knights of the Round Table figures I slipped the two into the painting queue ahead of the warriors as I rather liked the look of them ~

Horsa, on the left here, will lead my Hearthguard for the Early Saxons. My order for the figures to make up that unit is on its way from Gripping Beast even as I type this entry. 

Hengist, on the right in the first picture obviously, will lead the Arthurian Hearthguard,  the Wolftail Warriors I have featured earlier in a blog entry for this project ~

The Warband of Young Warriors for the Early Saxons are well underway now, with one base already completed. More on them hopefully in the coming days as they pass under the Brush of Doom...

Knights of the Round Table?

No, not really, very sorry if I've  disappointed any frothing fantasy gamer, but just some 1st Corps Arthurian Heavy Cavalry to add to the ongoing Age of Arthur project. These six figures are the last elements of my initial Warband purchase from their sale, the Warlord and Draco bearer plus four Commanipulares. I replaced what I considered the overlarge Draco with a smaller one from the spares box which I thought was more in keeping for a mounted standard. You are free to differ on this of course ~

My latest arrivals, 1st Corps figures making up a warband of younger warriors for the Early Saxon, are now spray undercoated and fixed to the MDF hexes ready to take their place in the painting queue. Along with them I also had ordered the pack of the Hengist and Horsa  character figures which are also ready for painting now. I plan to add them as command elements for the Hearthguard for each force: for the Arthurians the Wolftail Warriors I've previously featured here; for the Early Saxons the Gedriht figures I have ordered from Gripping Beast, taking advantage of the Wargames Illustrated monthly voucher offer which reduced the P&P costs to a more acceptable £1.00! Afterall, my warchest is not bottomless.

Attack at Gelderhöf

Paul expressed his preference for a Black Powder game for our monthly meeting in GHQ, so after some reflection I chose a SYW theme for the game, the Attack at Gelderhöf. The game is set at 12 Turns for the Allies to defeat the French by capturing the defences in two of three sections or causing the army to retire. Paul commanded the Allies and I took control of the French defenders ~

The French are encamped around Gelderhöf during a lull in the early stages of the Spring campaigning season when they are surprised by the appearance of a large Allied force of five infantry Brigades.

The French commander the Comt du Merde rouses himself from his ablutions to direct a hurrid defence of the outer perimeter of the camp.

The French hurry to get into position in the face of the imminent Allied assault developing rapidly before their eyes. The Allies have caught the French with their pants down so as to speak...

A British brigade is tasked with assaulting the left flank of Gelderhöf, supported by a Brunswick brigade attacking the right flank of the position.

Two further British brigades assault the centre of the French defences while a Hanoverian brigade on the right flank of the Allied assault is confronted by the Wild Geese!

The French centre is defended by Grenadiers: Grenadiers de France supported by Grenadiers Royale and two batteries of heavy guns. So, the scene is set,  on to the subsequent action now...

A small French brigade of Dragoons is held in reserve to protect the right flank.

The Allied attack stepped off smartly with only one Brigade failing its Command Roll. Thus the French defenders were unable to inflict the casualties they hoped for.

The centre Allied brigade  of the 11th,12th, and 19th Foot makes good progress to assault the French grenadiers deployed in hastily erected defences.

They come under heavy fire and the 11th falter, leaving the 12th to close on the French grenadiers. In the background the Hanoverian brigade can be seen closing on the Wild Geese!

Converged Grenadier companies lead the assault on Gelderhöf. Leading Small elements of Grenadiers prepare to throw their grenades!

The Wild Geese confront the leading elements of the Hanoverian brigade. Both sides exchange volleys to no real effect!

The attack all along the front makes little headway by Turn 3, galling fire from the defenders inflicts Disorder which disrupts the Allied plan of attack. Although outnumbered the French are putting up stiff resistance. 

The leading elements of the Converged Grenadier brigade cannot dislodge the stout defenders of Gelderhöf. Disordered and Shaken their attack is beaten off!

The Wild Geese are similarly holding off the Hanoverian attack on the French right, driving back the Shaken Grenadiers in Disorder. Their supporting British Foot also find the French defenders disinclined to give up their position.

Despite losses and Disorder the Allied Foot keeps pressing the French centre held by the Grenadiers de France and the Grenadiers Royale. There is little respite for the defenders as the battle heats up!

On the French left flank the stout hearted Wild Geese are toe to toe with the Hanoverians. Crucially the Supports will sway the outcome in the next Turn.

The 33rd breast the works having driven off the defending Grenadiers. Suddenly events take a turn in favour of the Allies after a lot of heavy fighting.

Meanwhile the Wild Geese make short work of their Hanoverian foe. They have no appetite for the cold steel. "Ils naiment pas ça!"

But they were counting their chickens it seemed as fresh volleys see first one and then the other regiment sent fleeing for their lives! The French left is crumbling fast! Merde!

Over on the right the fighting for Gelderhöf is intense. Fresh troops from the Brunswick brigade drive forward to exploit a gap in the French.defences.

Despite galling enfilade fire the Converged Grenadiers leading the Brunswick brigade break through the French lines.

They swiftly form line and beat off the attack from the Dragoons du Roi. Their gallant stand buys time for the supporting regiments to flood into the gap.

The Grenadiers de France are put to flight and the Grenadiers Royale pushed back by weight of numbers. The French position is crumbling away...

More Allied troops sensing victory pour firwardcto seize Gelderhöf as the French army crumbles.

The last action for the Grenadiers Royale sees them soundly beaten in the close combat, subsequently joining the Army's rout!

And all captured in glorious oil colours by our resident war artiste, Paul de Gornale, artist to kings and princes! A grand game decided in eight turns with the usual Black Powder swings of fortune. Tomorrow sees a second SYW battle here in GHQ, more on that by the weekend hopefully...À Bientot mes amis!