Another Fun NQSYW 40mm Imagi-Nation Game

Last Saturday some of the HAWKs got together for a game day at my house, with the first game being a Not Quite Seven Years War Imagi-nations battle run by gamemaster Rob Dean. The HAWKs NQSYW project uses 40mm homecast figures, with members designing their own nations and uniforms.  The rules we used were the classic, "Charge!", and the scenario was "Breakout" from the Charles Grant green cover scenario book.

Our initial deployment. Click to see larger.

Once again the forces of the Pragmatic Coalition faced off against our heroic allies of the Northern Alliance.  The scenario brief we received from Rob at the beginning of the game was that our Alliance forces had just conducted a large and successful raid into enemy territory and were now withdrawing with our plunder back to our homeland.  However, we had detected a large and rapidly approaching body of pursuers, so we had chosen to stop part of our forces here at a spot where a single bridge crossed a river, to set up a rear guard and hold off the pursuit while our supplies made it safely to the border.  We were instructed that we needed to hold out for 16 turns.

The opening encounter as our left flank is hit by the enemy's hussars!

To experienced gamers, this seems too simple on the face of it; as bottle-necking the river at the one bridge with our large force would be a piece of cake, so we figured that there must be another enemy force going to enter on one of our flanks on our side of the river.  We didn't have to wait long to find out just what tricks the enemy had up their sleeves, as on turn 1, two squadrons of Wachovian Hussars appeared on our left flank, and immediately charged a cannon that was hanging a little too far out from it's infantry support.  The gunners were wiped out to a man, and the gun captured.

The cavalry battle on the left, as the infanty moves to support

  We quickly responded with a pair of squadrons of Stansbach-Anwatsch Dragoons, and coutercharged the enemy successfully routing them.  Likewise, the North Polenburg Queen Jennifer Regt. stationed on our left, turned to face any additional threats coming from that direction.

The enemy now appears on our right as the Hawks regiment is deploying

Shortly after, we were surprised again, as two companies of Wachovian infantry and a cannon, appeared on our right flank,  running straight into the North Polenburg Hawks Regt., which, suspecting enemy on their flank as well, had been redeploying in the hills to the right when the enemy appeared.  The orange-coated Wachovians charged one company in the flank decimating it as the other tried to form a defense. Not to fear, as the N-P 32nd Dragoons, on their famed white mounts, rode to the aid of The Hawks. Unfortunately they were caught in the crossfire between the Wachovian gun, and two cannons from the enemy's main body which was now entering the table on the far side of the river, and were ultimately shattered.

The view in the center as the Pragmatic Coalition sends their first cavalry unit across the bridge.

Meanwhile, in the center, with both flanks threatened, the enemy set up firing lines on each side of the river, and began to send their cavalry across to push back the Stansbach-Anwatsch Lady Sarah's Robin's infantry regiment holding the center.  Things were looking difficult for us, but we had stabilised our left, and were sending our combined N-P Hussars and S-A Lancers cavalry unit to help stabilize the right. We just needed the center to hold and repel the attacks coming from across the river.

The enemy's cavalry appears in our rear, and is met by a combined unit of our light cavalry

It was at this juncture that a unit of enemy dragoons appeared on the road in our rear making our situation impossible!  We were informed by Rob, that at this occurrence in the scenario, our orders had now been switched from holding the bridge fro 16 turns, to retreating back off the road and saving at least 60% of our force.

The scene towards the end as we desperately try to hold the bridge.

It now became a desperate game, as we figured the best way to extract our forces.  Though we were able to repel the cavalry in our rear with the combined efforts of the amalgamated N-P and S-A cavalry regt., and the S-A Dragoons riding in from our left, the enemy was wearing down the Lady Sarah's Robins with devastating musketry and repeated charges across the river.  It became obvious to all of us that the Robins would need to be sacrificed in order to get the most of the two flank forces and the cavalry off the table.

The final moments, as everyone makes for the road, and the Lady Sarah's Robins try to make a slow orderly delaying withdrawal, buying time time for their North Polenburg brothers, despite enemy cavalry and infantry now pouring over the bridge.

In the end we were able to save the entire N-P Queen Jennifer Regt. almost unscathed, and a company and a half of the battered N-P Hawks Regt., as well as one cannon.  Also the bulk of the S-A dragoons made it off as well as a few scattered survivors from the 32nd Dragoons, the 25th Hussars, and the S-A Lancers.   Of the Robins, only their commander, sergeant-major, flag, and 4 pirvates made it back.  When added up this only came to just over 50% of our force, so it was not enough for victory and the Pragmatic Coalition was declared the winner.   

  It was a very exciting  game, and certainly a different scenario, with the objectives changing half way through. And, as always, these games are a visual feast.  Kudos to Rob for running another fun game.     

  For a report of the battle from the perspective of one of the enemy commander's see: BREAKOUT