NQSYW Imagi-Nation Battle Report

This past Saturday the forces of the Pragmatic Coalition(Booo!)and the Northern Alliance(Yay!) met again on the field of battle in another engagement in our "Not Quite Seven Years War"(NQSYW) project using 40mm homecast figures and the vintage "Charge!" rules. Readers may remember that we had a battle last month(See:http://onemoregamingproject.blogspot.com/2012/08/nqsyw-and-uncharted-seas-game-day.html for a full report) during which the forces of the Northern Alliance, with North Polenburg in the fore, handed the Pragmatic Coalition armies a sound defeat at the Battle of the Bridge. I, as the overall commander of the North Polenburg armies, gave much of the credit to my "General's Hat" which surely struck awe into our foes. This time around, sadly, my hat had no such effect.
     This latest scenario, GM-ed by Rob Dean, focused on the defence of two small hamlets and a redoubt by the Armies of North Polenburg. Even though our objectives only required us to hold the northern most redoubt (as well as the two hamlets), there were three redoubts on the table, each manned by a cannon and crew. Arrayed against us was a Pragmatic Coalition army comprised mainly of units from Rob Dean's Schoeffen-Buschhagen Army and Norman Dean's Wachovian forces.   However valiantly we tried to defend our objectives, the day was carried by our enemies.

The commander surveys his forces. My General's Hat couldn't help me this time... 

A look at the North Polenburg deployment; The 1st  Regiment "The Hawks" is in the foreground, the Queen Jennifer Regiment holds the center, and behind them is the 32nd Dragoons on their all white mounts.  Our objectives were to hold the hamlet to the south (just visible at the bottom of the picture, the other hamlet in he center, and the redoubt in the far distance near the top left corner of the table.  Unseen in the far woods, is a hidden light company from the Queen Jennifer Regt.

The forces of the Pragmatic Coalition arrayed against us, launch their attack.

The opening of the battle.  Schoeffen-Buschhagen's (SB) Prinz Norman Dragoons charges the 1st Company of the Queen Jennifer (QJ) Regt. as the 32nd Dragoons charge up in support. 

A fateful turn in the battle.  For some reason that even now I can't explain, I throw my dragoons out into a line in the face of the approaching infantry. It seemed like a good idea at the time....

And the result:  The SB vonNordhafen Regiment opens fire on the 32nd Dragoon's 1st Squadron, eliminating 2/3rds of them in a single volley the 3rd squadron on the right flank fared little better, while the 2nd Squadron in the center successfully meleed the Prinz Norman Dragoons  facing them.

Meanwhile, the SB King Rupert Jaegers have stumbled upon our hidden light company (red facings) in the woods, taking a hard volley that kills three of them.  Both units then charge into melee.

The 1st Company of the QJ Regt. falls back to regroup after their melee with the  Prinz Norman Dragoons.  The regiment's vivandiere offers them water, as the nearby colonel of the regiment keeps an eye on the defence of the hamlet's barn.

As the first Pragmatic Coalition regiment (SB Adelmann Regiment) storms the hamlet's barn, the QJ Grenadiers march forward to hold the wide open left flank. Meanwhile the remnants of the shattered dragoons regroup themselves.

Boxcars!  The 2nd Company of the QJ Regt., holding the barn, deliver a shattering volley to the SB Adelmann Regiment, as they try to storm the barn.  The enemy regiment is soon after reduced to less than 50% strength and must withdraw from the field. But not to worry for them, as a fresh Pragmatic Coalition regiment (2 Companies of Weigenbugers and an attached Company of SB Schultheiss) moves up behind them to take their place.

The loss of the northern redoubt.  A company of SB von Nordhafen prepares to charge the redoubt, the gunners (North Polenburg engineers pressed into service due to a lack of artillery figures) scatter at the sight of the approaching enemy.

The heroic stand of the QJ Grenadiers.  The grenadiers manage to kill enough of the charging cavalry to force them to retire, meanwhile on their right, the QJ 1st Company moves back up to close the gap between the Grenadiers and the 2nd Company in the barn.

Meanwhile, on the North Polenburg right, the 1st Regiment (The Hawks) is still holding as the Wachovian Regt. try to force one company of  "the Hawks" from the hamlet, as a company of Wachovian Dragoons has made its way around into one of the redoubts where another "Hawks" company is stubbornly defending.  The central redoubt has already fallen to a company of Wachovians.   The enemy has also brought up three guns to try and batter the unit defending the hamlet on the right. 

The end is near.  The Wiegenburgers Regt. prepares to fire upon the already damaged QJ 1st Company.  The resulting casualties, plus further casualties on the Grenadiers from their melee with the von Nordhafen Regt. , puts the Regiment below 50%, and it is forced to retire from the field.

The scene at the end on the right.  "The Hawks" still hold the redoubt, but are in danger of losing the hamlet, and try to move up their reserve company to defend it.  But with the Queen Jennifer Regiment retreating from the field on their left, the cause has become hopeless.

Even though my co-commander, Steve Gelhard, and I lost; it was still a really fun game, and as always, visually spectacular to witness.  I am already looking forward to our next encounter and North Polenburg's chance to avenge themselves.