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 Thirty Years War Pike and Shotte game

Bob laid out the 'Blood On The Danube' scenario from the Pike and Shotte rule book for a Thirty Years War game using the rules.

In this scenario part of the Swedish army is sent to chase down the rear guard of the Catholic Army. To add spice to the game the Catholics have stored the imperial war chest in one of 3 locations; a Manor House on their left flank; a Windmill in the centre; and another building on the right flank.  We didn't have a windmill so Bob substituted with another building. Finding the treasure wins the game.  

Bob commanded the Catholic forces using a random selection based on a dice roll to  decided which building would house the treasure.  and I took on the task of commanding the Swedes.

The starting forces.  The Swedes

The Catholic Forces

In the example in the 'Pike and Shotte' book the advancing Swedes suffered badly from the artillery on the hill. In our game, I got 3 command moves and was on the guns before they had much chance, helped by the narrower table width. On reflection Bob probably should have had a round of fire before I moved to reflect the closer distance.   Anyway, the closing fire stopped one regiment, but the other closed and engaged the gunners.

Elsewhere my Swedish infantry engaged Bob's musketeers.

My Pikes made short work of the musketeers and the gunners fled.  Bob brought up his supporting central infantry. On his right we got back to the brigades failing to follow his command and masses of cuirassiers sat and watched.

I fared better and my dragoons made the walls and hedges on the left and starting taking pot shots even managing to hit someone.  

In the centre the Catholic artillery pieces were removed from the table and Bob moved his infantry brigade forward at a pace to confront the Swedish infantry.

The Swedish Guards, having failed to move initially advance into the fray.

Having seen off a group of Catholic musketeers the Swedish and Catholic pike units got to grips.

 

On Bob's right his cuirassiers and infantry finally got going.  My problem was that I had only deployed Dragoons to hold the position.

Could I find the treasure before the hammer blow fell?

All I thought I could do was throw forward my remaining infantry and cavalry in the hope that it would deflect the attack by posing an alternative threat.  The dice were with me and all my brave lads advanced.

Bob's infantry responded likewise and a tussle ensued

However his cavalry weren't so keen.

A gap opened up between the Catholic right and centre and I felt the need to exploit this by advancing my Finish Cavalry, some of the best on the table, to exploit this in the hope of crashing into the rear of Bob's infantry who were stoutly holding the centre. 

Of course, as you do, when enthusiasm takes over control, I forgot that this same cavalry were supporting my dragoons and were the only thing that could stand against Bob's cuirassiers!  Worst still they then stopped and didn't respond to orders!

Bob moved a unit of cuirassiers to thwart the advance, leaving the 'Windmill'/ house in the centre undefended.

All the time I had a unit of cuirassiers just standing around who suddenly woke up and got a 3 command move.   They took passing fire from the Catholic infantry, but nothing could stop them on their quest and they were able to take advantage of a gap that had appeared on Bob's left flank to reach the 'Windmill' (or house).  

This revealed a 'pay master' in charge of the Catholic treasure who was the worst for ware and resulted in a win for the Swedes.  

This was a very fortunate outcome as Bob was about to crush my dragoons on my left flank and had a large unit of cavalry ready to exploit any sniff of victory by his infantry in the centre and on the left. 

A very enjoyable game were we got more things right with the rules and spent less time looking things up.  I was very lucky with my initial infantry move being able to overwhelm the artillery and on more looking at the rules, probably got less artillery hits than I should have but we live and learn as they say. The similarities between these and the Black Powder rules in places also helped to speed up game play.

Following a request on The Miniatures Message board about the figures used in the game I have amended this blog.

These armies grew out of Bob’s ECW armies which were based on 300 plus figures from Irregular Miniatures. Some Renegade figures were added and we played a few games. The figures languished for several years until Warlord brought out their plastic TYW range. Bob added more units and turned his ECW armies into Swedish and German Imperialists.

Used with Bob’s Poles and Turks we are able to game a range of armies and conflicts.

All Bob’s figures are based for a particular set of rules with 4 infantry or 2 cavalry on 50 x 50mm square bases. Three bases form an infantry or cavalry regiment. These work fine with Pike and Shotte and Black Powder as well as other stand based rules.