HAWKs Hold a NQSYW Imgai-Nation Game

On April 6th, the HAWKs got together for a painting bee to work on this year's Armies for Kids Project (see previous blog post) and a Not Quite Seven years' War (NQSYW) game. NQSYW is the club's 40mm homecast Imagi-nations project. 
   The game was run by Rob Dean, and we used the classic "Charge!" rules. Click on any picture to see it larger

Initial deployment of forces: For the Pragmatic Coalition; the Wachovians, in their orange coats, are on the left and center along the ridge, and the Schoeffen-Buschhagen grenadiers are on the right.  Out of frame on the lower left of the shot is the enemy light infantry, and some reinforcing cavalry can be seen behind the ridge.  On the Northern Alliance side of the field; the North Polenburgers can be seen in their green coats on he right of the picture. Next to them are two regiments of Stanzbach-Anwatsch infantry ,one white coated, and the other in black. Then next to these are the combined batteries of NP and S-A, then the combined squadrons of cavalry. Our plan was to hit the enemy's right flank hard, where the ridge line ends, and roll them up.

   The scenario pitted an army of The Northern Alliance trying to capture and hold a ridge line from an Army from the Pragmatic Coalition.  While the Pragmatic defenders start off relatively weak, they receive constant small reinforcement units throughout the game.  Me, and my North Polenburg forces, fought as part of the Northern Alliance. Joining North Polenburg were the forces of Duncan Adams' Stanzbach-Anwatsch, and a detached unit of Light Infantry from Buck Surdu's Bergdorfreuthenheim.
   The opposing Pragmatic Coalition army was made up of a large contingent of Norman Dean's Wachovians, and several elements of Rob's Schoeffen-Buschhagen forces.

The scene on the Pragmatic Coalition's right. My green-coated lights, supported by the black-coated Bergdorfreuthernheim lights, battle with the enemy lights and grenadiers. In the first turn of fighting casualties on both sides were heavy.  This soon turned in favor of the enemy.

   I was assigned the command of my North Polenburg (NP) Hawk's Regiment, and a Light Company from the NP Queen Jennifer Regt. as well as the detached Light Company from Bergdorfreuthenheim. My troops were positioned on the left of the Northern Alliance line, and I was assigned the task of punching a hole around the right of the Pragmatic line, where the ridge they were defending came to an end. In hopes of turning their flank.  I had high hopes as opposing me was but a single Schoffen-Buschhagen (S-B) Light Company and Grenadier Company. I should know by now that it never works out as easy as it looks.

A melee develops amongst the lights, as the grenadiers prepare to pour fire into the lead company of North Polenburg infantry. On the ridge, the enemy cavalry can be seen preparing to charge the lead company of white coated S-A infantry.

I pressed my lights forward, but due to the confines of the terrain and our prescribed deployment area, the  companies ended up stacked up, so I was unable to bring their superior numbers to bear on the enemy light company. I hoped to press forward aggressively and defeat their light company with my 2 to 1 superiority, while also peppering the S-B Grenadiers in the flank so they would be weakened by the time my infantry regiment made it to the action.  This didn't work out, as my dice were dismal this day.

On the Pragmatic Coalition's left, two squadrons of Northern Alliance cavalry have worked their way into the rear, and threaten the enemy guns.

    My lights took it on the chin from their opposing number, and my fire against the grenadiers did little damage. So, when my regiment arrived, the S-B Grenadiers were able to shoot it full of holes with their superior marksmanship.  Again, the confines of our deployment, and the large numbers of forces we had, meant that I could only bring one company to bear from the Hawks Regt at a time.

The battle at it's peak. The first company of NP infantry has been shattered by the grenadiers, while the second moves up.  The Pragmatic cavalry in the center holds off the advancing S-A regiments, while in the distance the beginnings of the mass cavalry melee are  developing

Meanwhile, on the Hawks' right, the white-coated Stanzbach-Anwatsch (S-A) regiment marched forward, keeping step with my green-coated troops. The S-A regiment found themselves subject to a charge from a squadron of S-B cavalry from atop the ridge line.  The cavalry threw themselves at the infantry column in a suicide mission, buying precious time for three companies of reinforcing S-B infantry to make it to the ridge and prepare a defense.

Nearing he end.  Reinforcing Pragmatic troops reach the ridge, as the shattered NP regiment tries to hold while the black-coated S-A second regiment moves up. The cavalry battle swirls in the distance.

  Their plan worked. Just as I broke the S-B grenadiers, the first two reinforcing companies of S-B infantry crested the ridge, and fired into my regiment, bringing them over the critical number of casualties, and they fled the field.  Likewise the Queen Jennifer Light Company was also decimated and retreated, while the remnants of the Bergdorfreuthenheim lights sought shelter in a nearby patch of woods.
  Likewise, the lead regiment of S-A infantry had been so badly mauled by the cavalry, that a few shots from the S-B infantry now on the ridge left them near to breaking.  This left only the black-coated S-A regiment, which pushed hard at the enemy, but were weakened enough that they would not be enough to push the defenders off the ridge.

The black-coated S-A regiment makes it's final, ultimately unsuccessful, push. While in the cavalry melee the Northern horse begin to waver.

  Meanwhile on the far right of our line the combined NP and S-A cavalry had pushed hard and fast into the Wachovian defenders on the ridge; and together with some excellent fire from the NP and S-A combined batteries located in the center of our line, soon overwhelmed the Wachovian (W) infantry regiment defending there. At one point two squadrons of Northern Alliance Cavalry worked their was around the W's left flank and were able to charge and overwhelm their artillery.  These cavalry were in turn beaten back by a reinforcing squadron of Pragmatic Coalition cavalry. In  a few turns a massive swirling cavalry melee developed at the base of the ridge on our right.  This melee lasted several turns, but in the end the Northern Alliance cavalry was forced to give up their ground. And though both sides were badly mauled, there were enough surviving  Pragmatic horsemen to make another push at the ridge untenable. 


The scene near the end.  The NP infantry has left the field. The two S-A regiments have taken heavy casualties. The Northern cavalry is about to break and flee.

  And so we called the game, with both sides badly hurt, but with the Northern Alliance in no condition to push the remaining defenders off the ridge and then hold it. The game was determined to be a Pragmatic Coalition victory.    I look  forward to our next meeting on the battlefield, and a chance to reclaim our honor.
See Norman Dean's Blog for a report of the battle from the view of one of the Pragmatic Coalition commanders.