WSS - another big playtest

 As my ambition grows, so does the size of the games. So far playtests for "From Pike to Bayonet" have featured minimal (= no) terrain, and simple set ups. I'm happy with the core engine, more or less, so time to crank it up a bit.

A bit of high ground, a stream and some woods make their appearance, together with the ubiquitous village in the middle of the battlefield. The French, to the right, are attacking, and need to breakthrough the British/German States to the left. I'm working on evolving a brigade structure mechanism in the system. In this game infantry brigades were six battalions strong, and cavalry four regiments. The French had three of each, and the British two. The British also had a couple of artillery batteries, the French none.

Here's the artillery on the ridge line, with Hanoverian foot to the left, and horse to the right. Each brigade has a command figure, which you can see see standing on a stack of morale status cards.

Richard and Tim arrived first, so Richard took the defenders, and Tim the attackers. Tim boldly committed to a whole line advance. Richard was concerned about a weak left flank, and sent his infantry off to cover it. His artillery opened fire on Tim's cavalry. Note to self: Need to define target prioritisation rules.

Tim was going for a big push through the woods, and a massed cavalry attack. Classic stuff.

Richard sent a couple of battalions into the woods, and moved infantry up to the edge of the hill, separating them from their supports. Note to self #2: I have an issue with resolving diagonal contacts. Also, if I'm interested in how fighting in woods works, I should probably have had all that stuff down my end of the table.

Tim launches an uphill charge against Richard's infantry. All very Heavy Brigade. The Prussians are revealed to be less than resolute ("Wavering"), and let down by Richard's dice rolling, lose the melee, fail their morale check and rout.

At the other end of the table Chris has arrived to bolster Richard, and Phil has the left flank of the French. Chris more or less immediately joins the fun by charging down the hill into the advancing French infantry.

Despite the French infantry being Confident, things do not go well. Their defensive fire volley was ragged, and they lose the melee, fail their morale check, and are routed. Their supports are revealed to be Wavering, and likewise take to their heels.

A massed cavalry action unfolds in the centre of the table. In the background Richard about faces some infantry to volley into the rear of Tim's pursuing cavalry. Tim also launches an infantry assault on the ridge line. The artillery inflict significant hits. I may have over egged their strength points (i.e number of crew figures).

Phil's cavalry push across the stream, driving the Hanoverian horse backwards.

One of Tim's attacking battalions is broken by artillery fire, and flees.

The cavalry melee seesaws a bit. The farthest melee is going the way of the French, although they haven't broken a unit yet. The one nearer the camera has seen one Hanoverian regiment broken, but its supports counter attack, and restore the front line a bit.

More cavalry in action, as Phil and Chris charge each other.

The second wave of Tim's cavalry has made it up onto the ridge line and attacks the defending Hanoverian foot. Elsewhere his infantry attack on the ridge is losing momentum.

Chris' cavalry continue to chase Phil's broken infantry to the edge of the table.

The French infantry emerge from the woods, and there is a prospect of some infantry fighting coming up.

Led by their gallant Brigadier, Phil's cavalry push their British opponents back across the river.

In the centre, however, almost in his moment of triumph, one of Phil's brigadiers is slain in combat.

Tim forces his way on and over the ridge line, pushing back Richard's infantry. He is struggling to break the artillery line, however. In the back ground the fighting in the wood is both cagey and ineffective. Which probably suits Richard more than Tim.

Then Tim's cavalry also win their melee, and force the rest of Richard's infantry off the ridge. However, the latter do pass their morale check, and don't rout.

One of Chris' battalions fires into the woods. His fire is ineffective, and his men are not impressed at being ordered to fire at such a long range.

Richard's right hand centre cavalry has forced the French cavalry in the centre back across the stream, but they are becoming exhausted and a bit ragged.

The British/German left of centre is a bit of a mess, with their artillery isolated and everything else going backwards. The only positive outcome is that Tim has been forced to recall his cavalry who drove the infantry off the ridge, having failed to win the next round of melee.

Much smoke and confusion in the woods.

 

The leading French cavalry unit has been forced to retire, but their supports are fresh, and re-engage the enemy. They will drive them off the table. In the distance, you can see some victorious French cavalry returning to the fray.

Chris sends his infantry across the stream, to drive the French out of the woods.

His horse is doing less well. Pushed back across the stream, they are now being pushed further into the woods. The two cavalry regiments near the camera are also French. Phil has about faced them to cover the rear of his victorious cavalry.

Another thunderous round of musketry from the British stops the French advance in its tracks.

Across in the other woods, both sides are well enmeshed with each other. However Richard has tied up six French battalions with only three of his own, probably key to holding this end of the board. 

And there we ended it. We'd got in about 2 1/2 hours play, and it was a bit slow as some of the mechanisms were new. However, the pace did pick up, and a lot happened with a lot of figures on the table. The French, I think, were ahead, but all of that top quality (?) British infantry was mostly untouched, and ready for a potential counter attack. And Chris talked a good post match de-brief, so maybe the British overall were in a good place.

A very useful evening all round for me, as well as being enjoyable.