Battle of the Bridge. A Thirty Years War Pike and Shotte Game

Our last game of 2016. We fought the battle at Bob's using his figures and he helpfully wrote up this report of the game for our blog.

This game was based on the mercenary captains’ campaign in the Pike and Shotte Devil’s Playground supplement. Three mercenary captains each leading a brigade must fight a series of battles on their way to meet their employers. The first is to take and hold the only bridge over an unfordable river.

Alan took the part of Officer Ensign Hakan Nilson Skytte, the senior officer of the three Swedish Protestant captains – I was the Catholic German Fullkwin von Brunn. The three brigades on each side were diced for and each was different.

The table was set up by random dice throw. 

Alan won the imitative (all captains were rated 7) but failed to get any of his 3 brigades to move. I managed to get 2 of my brigades onto the table and my dragoons raced to the bridge and dismounted ready to fire at any one coming from Alan’s side.

 followed by German infantry

.

Alan was now able to bring his troops on and deploy his guns

He ordered his Swedish Cuirassiers to gallop over the bridge 

They smashed into my dismounted dragoons who fired and then evaded.  

Since the Cuirassiers had outstripped their officer and troops they found themselves losing the melee because my troops were supported and they were alone. They had taken a casualty from my artillery when they crossed the bridge. The Cuirassiers fell back to the centre of the bridge.

My artillery forced them off the bridge and Alan's artillery did damage to my German troops enfilading the brigade and breaking one of the regiments. 

Meanwhile other units on both sides moved up to the river’s edge but could not cross

I had positioned my gun on a hill within medium range and nothing could come across without taking casualties. No units could cross the river at any other point, and everyone was reduced to firing across the river at their enemies. Individual regiments took casualties but since they could not cross the river they had no real effect. Except for Alan's units of peasant's who having stood and taken three rounds of fire eventually failed a moralke test and broke.

The object of the game was took take and hold the bridge and with no other way to cross the river the game became bogged down. Alan tried to take the bridge by attacking with his pikes

I met him on the bridge with my pikes. Both troops were of equal value and on the bridge there was no way of reinforcing them.

It was at this point we decided that the game had come to an end. The rules worked but the scenario was poorly designed. With the bridge the only method of crossing the river and my gun covering it, there was no chance of Alan taking the bridge.

The 28mm figures for this game were Bob's Irregular Miniatures ECW figures, to which he added Warlord’s TYW range. All the  ECW figures, about 300 of them, were based for an excellent set of 18^th century rules King of the Battlefield.  These used 3 bases for an infantry regt or a cavalry unit. I use 3 x 4 infantry and 3 x 2 Cavalry. This game used P&S rules which uses bases and does not care how many figures are on a base.

Most units have oversized flags – the Swedish and German flags are enough to change the ECW figures into the two TYW armies. There are odd conversions such as the leading Cuirassier charging across the bridge who has a cape made from a cigarette paper covered in polystyrene glue added. Perhaps more interesting are the gun crew – one is a pirate, another a Border Reiver and the last a Celt! They seem to work and neither Jack or I has ever commented on them (might notice now).

The militia whom Bob successfully drove off the field are the Perry’s Russian Napoleonic peasants. The first set of 6 have hand weapons and the second 6 captured firearms. The only figure that doesn’t fit with the 17^th century is the officer who wears a Potemkin, Bob also uses the peasants with my Napoleonic Russians.

28mm Poles and Swedes Pike & Shotte Game

A couple of posts ago I sent Alan sketchy details of our next game - publish as 'Preparing for the Next Game'. He commanded a small Polish port which an enemy would attack with a view to destroying the supplies on the dock.

At the port Alan had

3              regiments of infantry

1              unit of Sailors

                Fort with 8 guns but only 4 crews

At the other end of the table were his reserves. Since this is a frontier port there were no Winged Hussars or elite troops. His reserve was

2              units Pancerni

3              Units Light Cavalry (1 brigade)

2              Units Light Cavalry (2nd brigade)

3              regiments of infantry (1 brigade)

4              regiments of infantry (2 brigade)

Attacking the port were my Swedes

2              Units Cavalry (1 brigade)

1              Unit Dragoons

2              regiments of infantry (1 brigade)

2              regiments of infantry (2 brigade)

The Swedes got a free move but did not get the large moves they needed to take advantage of their surprise attack. Deployment was by dice throw.

Within a few moves it was apparent that the battery in the fort was too strong. The first Cavalry regiment was hit by 2 guns, as well as a volley from the Polish infantry on the road, which was enough to break them.

The Yellow brigade of infantry fared no better. The guns on the other side of the fort opened up on the leading regiment, again supported by Polish infantry. The regiment halted, which left it as a target for the guns the next move. Its morale was good enough to keep it there for several moves, every move being hit at close range by 2 guns and the Polish infantry. In the end it broke and the second regiment took its place.

At the far end of the table the 2^nd (Red) Brigade stormed the seawall, supported by the Dragoons who dismounted and fired at the Poles. The Polish sailors had only swords and could not stop the Red infantry advancing and climbing over the crates that served as a barricade. But their swords were easily a match for the muskets being used as clubs, and they held. In the second round of melee they drove the Red regiment back.

On the left flank the second regiment of Swedish cavalry charged the Polish infantry and started a melee. Less positive was the fate of the 2^nd Yellow infantry regiment. Like their predecessors they were hit by artillery from the fort and stopped, battered but unbroken.

Alan had the opportunity to bring on his reserve, but failed to move his cavalry. The 2^nd Infantry Brigade suffered a blunder and all 4 regiments retreated. With the leading cavalry regiments stalled on the road nothing moved.

The Swedish cavalry suffered but broke the Polish regiment. The 2^nd Yellow regiment charged and although suffering casualties from the guns and the Polish closing fire they hit the Polish regiment and broke them. Two Polish regiments streaming away.

On the dock the Red regiment had broken but its second regiment closed with the sailors pushing them back. The dragoons were shooting at the last Polish regiment on the dock. But the fort was still a major problem.

Because of the way the 8 guns were positioned there was no safe position for the Swedes. Another round of artillery sent my remaining cavalry of the table. And other guns dominated the dock area.

The fort poured close range fire into the 2^nd Yellow infantry regiment, and although it had cleared the path in front it went back.

Alan had finally got his Pancerni to move and they came down the road in column. They were still several moves away but the cavalry and the infantry were coming.

All I had left was the 2^nd Red Infantry and the dragoons. When I moved the dragoons to set fire to the stores they came under artillery fire. So I withdrew my last regiment and what was left of the dragoons, just as Alan’s Pancerni were moving steadily up the road.

An enjoyable game. I had beaten 3 regiments of Polish infantry and a Unit of sailors but been unable to destroy the stores on the dock. In retrospect the fort was far too powerful. The 8 guns covered every approach and it was this that destroyed my units and hopes of winning. Next time (and there will be a next time) there will be less guns, perhaps 3 so that there are gaps that can be exploited.

Rules were the standard Pike &Shotte..

I am afraid I took the pictures with Bob's very good camera, rather than my own and didn't do too good a job focusing it.  My apologies for some of the pictures which do not portray a good game as well as they should.