Aero Hobbies November games – Napoleonics, WAB, and FOW

Under the direction and excellent organization of Adam H., another Aero hobbies (Santa Monica CA) game day has come and gone. With several events planned, even the rainy day didn’t prevent active gamers from their appointed dice rolling.

Game presentations: WR’s 25mm /28mm Napoleonic game representing a 1805 Elchingen like action, a 28mm WAB Siege and Conquest game (storming the old french castle), and a 15mm FOW desert battle. Three different game write ups given below.

WR’s Napoleonic game was a scenario loosely based upon the battle of Elchingen 1805. Dan brought his early Imperial French so WR rostered up a 1805 Austrian force for tabletop action.

French Lannes V corps: Two French divisions of line and legere regiments (9-10 battalions). One battery of 8lb artillery for each division. Attached light cavalry brigade of three regiments (2x hussar, 1x chasseur a cheval) and 4lb horse battery. Small reserve artillery command of 2x 12lb positional batteries.

Austrian Column under FML Riesch: 8 line regiments (8×3 btns.), 3 grenadier battalions (3×6), small hussar half regiment, my 1790’s carabinier regt for favor, 2x 6lb positional artillery, 1x cavalry batteries.

Table overview with Austrian forces deployed on the hillside (Abbey of Elchingen) and along the right side of photo.

Austrian deployment at start.

Austrian plan….hold the hillside with the abbey position, then push the French right flank with strong Austrian force.Even an Austrian can follow those orders.

Austrian massed forces on Austrian left flank await the french appearance…

French arrive. Their deployment was one command per turn….so the order of appearance was…French infantry division, French light cavalry brigade, French infantry division, reserve artillery (2x 12lb) if required. First French division arrives below. Two legere and two-line regiments with their 8lb battery.

First French division arrives….

Seeing the approaching French, the Austrian plan is placed in motion.

Austrian left flank advances…with light forces leading. Austrians on hill retain their positions.

French expand their deployment and their light cavalry arrive to support their infantry.

French expand their deployment with light cavalry brigade arriving…

Austrians, in parade formations, advance to engage the French legere. Looking good with their SYW tactics. A few supporting battalions in square, seeing the advancing French cavalry.

With stately dressed lines, the Austrians first clashes with the approaching French infantry…

The second French division arrives and advances towards the abbey of Elchingen on the hill. Austrian freikorp skirmishers engage their counterparts as French columns push them back.

Another French division arrives behind the first….they start to push back the Austrian skirmisher freikorps…

French 8lb artillery engage the advancing Austrian close order line.

Austrian lines take losses from French artillery….

French light cavalry call a charge. Some Austrian line battalion retire in confusion or disorder (shaken) before the charge. The second line Austrian squares and their grenadier support stand firm. (game note: Pre-formed squares don’t check morale from declared charges)

After some French cavalry regiments charge, the Austrian line weaken….squares are formed in second line…

Austrian senior command arrives to rally the Austrian lines….

Austrian FML Riesch rides up to steady his troops….squares are formed.

Overview of the Austrian left flank action…

Austrian counter-play….Austrian heavy cavalry (using my Austrian 1790’s carabinier regiment for this battle…they never see the tabletop)...position for calling a charge. French are surprised and fall into disorder (shaken). (note the reversed miniature in battalion formation)

Meanwhile, the Austrian right ride up their cavalry to charge the started French infantry…

Charge effects….French infantry routed away, soon the horse battery will be overrun by the battered Austrian carabinier regiment.

French infantry running away after some hard close action, the venerable French horse battery was next to the disordered Austrian cavalry…

French become active on Austrian left flank. Massed columns, artillery firing and cavalry positioned to charge home on the Austrian infantry.

Left flank again, French columns crash into the shaken Austrian lines, French cavalry sound their trumpeters for charge…

Thundering hoofs, the French light cavalry hussars ride over the Austrian infantry line. Sabers carve a bloody path (ride though).

Austrian lovers….don’t look….French cavalry ride over the Austrian infantry….pass the heinz…

French right flank view of the preceding….

Re-organizing themselves, the French resume their advance. Austrians on hillside watch the French advance.

French left flank sorting themselves out after the sudden Austrian cavalry charge…

French sorted out, back in marching formations, they press forward…

French general Dan has “the measure” of the Austrians…..Austrians on hill still look down on the advancing French infantry…

With the Austrian left command shattered, the Austrian plan in pieces….time to think about plan B for Austrians….battlefield retirement.

With Austrian left command totally scattered (40%+ loss), the French look unstoppable…

Final overview as the Austrian weakened left disengages and the Austrian position on the hill act as rearguard.

Austrians pull the plug….time to retire for another day.

Good game Dan. Austrians had their moment in time…but your steady pressure with the veteran French infantry won the day along with well timed French light cavalry charges.

Next time…..Always the next time with Austrians.

Battle of Elchingen 1805: Link

WarHammer Ancient Battles Game (WAB) with Siege and Conquest

From the words of Adam H., the game master and event organizer….the french castle action report:

Mark, Greg, and I were assaulting a French castle with an Army of Normans at arms in the 12th century.  French lords fighting French lords for stinky cheese, hairy women, and red wine.  The defenders were Larry and Marc.  The attacking force outnumbered the defenders and were able to collapse the main wall and pummel through the gate.  The defender’s crossbows proved lethal, as was well as their motivation to halt the Norman onslaught.  The defenders managed to carry the day, while sustained heavy casualties.

A local monk, positioned in the castle chapel, and fast paint brush work, captured the action for history. Photo and commentary below. Additional photos at: Monk Link

Initial set up…Besiegers ready to advance

Defenders on the crumbling walls

While assault is readied, defenders give the besiegers the old VO5 boiling water treatment…

After some sustained door knocking, the hinges give away, and the rush is on…

Meanwhile, with some hand of god’s assistance, the besiegers swarm the walls, pushing back the defending crossbowmen…

Overview of the melee besides the castle gate. Seems traffic is heavy going both ways on the same lane… crash!

More brawling under the gate…knights push their way in…

With their militia garrison scattering, two brave but foolish heroes try to stem the tide…knights are thinking speed bumps…

The crafty garrison knights seal the gateway, sealing in the besiegers knights, who are chasing down the fleeing garrison militia…

With gateway blocked and secured, all other besiegers defeated, the rallied crossbowmen go hunting knights quest…fish in a barrel.

Castle siege game (background) and WR’s Napoleonic game (foreground) at Aero.

WR’s words of wisdom….castles have one way in….and only one way out. Control the toll booth. WR enjoyed watching the miniature medieval action beside his game. Thanks Adam, Mark, Greg, Larry and Marc for the free show.

Gaming day at Aero…room for additional future games…

Flames of War Game

Now some public announcement words from Christian S. and the 15mm FOW game group.

“Since opposition was a no-show, Panzerregiment 8 held a training exercise using the new mission the Tommies seem to like: “Dust Up”.

Hauptmann Frank’s 2.Kompanie, a Leichte Panzerkompanie, reinforced with a batterie from 1./A.R. 33 and a schutzenzug from 1./S.R. 115 faced Hauptmann Franck’s 4.Kompanie, a Mittlere Panzerkompanie reinforced with a schwere spahtruppe from A.A.33 and a gepanzerte schutzenzug from 2./S.R.115.

The engagement was fought on Aero Hobby’s recreation of a small village next to a wadi north-east of Gambut, near the Regiment’s staging area. The action started with a feint by 4.Kompanie’s spahtruppe south-west of the village whilst the schwerezug of the panzerkompanie (with 3 Pz IVE) maneuvered to gain observation of the freshly unlimbered guns from 1./A.R.33. The leichte Feldhaubitze replied by covering the Panzer IV in nebelwand whilst their mittlere panzerzug maneuvered to chase away the spahtruppe. The judges ruled that the spahtruppe disengagement was timely enough for them to avoid any danger from their neu 5cm cannons.

The 4.Kompanie Pz IVE, reinforced with Hauptmann Franck’s befehlspanzer decided to maneuver through the village to engage 2. Kompanie’s Pz IIIG, which was itself reinforced with Hauptmann Frank’s stabszug and the guns from 1.S.R. 33.  The exact details of the engagement remain ‘streng geheimen’, but suffice it to say that the judges were scrupulous in adjudicating hits and disallowing near-misses, especially from the artillery. The result after four turns is both panzerzugs judged destroyed and Hauptmann Franck’s befehlspanzer bailed.  

Meanwhile, on the other side of the village the spahzug awaited Hauptman Frank’s reserves.  Having some time, they meticulously sighted-in their guns and informed the judges of their efforts.  When the schutzen arrived and marched right up to the sighting marks the judges had no choice but to declare the entire first wave of the platoon out of action!  Although the remainder gamely continued to advance towards the objective they too were judged to have been wiped out once the spahtruppe was joined by panzer II from Hauptmann Franck’s leichtezug.  The schutzen were followed by Frank’s leichtezug, who then engaged in a 2cm versus 2cm duel that proved pointless.

The decisive moment for the exercise came when Hauptmann Franck remounted his befehlspanzer and with careful shooting from his 7.5cm gun forced Hauptmann Frank to bail from his.  At the same time the 4.Kompanie’s gepanzerte schutzenzug roared up in their halftracks and sprinted out towards their objective in true stormtrooper fashion.    Despite the best efforts of the 1/.A.R.33 guns the judges ruled that the schutzen could not be dislodged.

Panzerregiment 8 looks forwards to applying the lessons learned today against the Tommies, and with live rounds chambered there will be no worries about whether the judges are going to allow the hits!”   

Report from Christen S. radio report to German HQ.

      

Another successful Aero gaming day. Thanks Adam for the organizational effort. Look forward to future events scheduled on the 1st Sunday of every month.

WR

Aero Hobbies: 2918 Santa Monica Blvd. Santa Monica CA. Phone (310) 828-5264