So I'm back after a bit of R&R. Ten days exploring the South coast from Plymouth to Brighton was a welcome break from the tears and travails of working life.
In that time we managed to see an awful lot of interesting and exciting places from the Mary Rose, Victory and Mayflower museum to a tour of Brighton courtesy of Henry Hyde from Miniature Wargames (thanks for that Henry - a very nice thing to do). At some point I'll get around to doing some blog posts about some of the places visited but for now you'll have to settle for a game review.
Saturday saw James and myself get the Great Northern War collection out for probably the last time this year and have a game. Just the two of us and with James playing the role of the Russians.
Sixteen battalions of Russian foot with support from eight squadrons of horse and a couple of light guns, facing ten battalions of Swedes with eight squadrons and three light guns (not that they saw any action). Both sides had entered the flood plain of a meandering river which was fordable along the entire length, and tasked with securing a cross roads at the far end of the table.
The Russians elected to gain the small ridges that lined the flood plain and wait for the Swedish foot.
The Swedes tried to be clever. On their right two battalions would aim to pin down the four Russians facing them whilst the central six battalions would try and punch through the Russian lines. This attack would be supported by two battalions on the Swedish left swing round and pushing the Russians into the middle. At the same time the Swedish dragoons were to hold off the superior numbers of Russian horse whilst Charles would lead his drabants into the centre to exploit any gaps.
As I said a clever plan. Too clever as it turned out.
On the Swedish right the Russians were suffering badly in the melees but refused to break. Despite losing every round of melee the Russian resolve held firm and with superior numbers able to repulse two infantry attacks from the Swedes.
It was much the same story in the center. The Swedes just couldn't break the morale of the Russian foot and the longer the action continued the more the Swedish casualties mounted.
In the end the Swedes had to admit defeat and retire having lost three battalions, the same as the Russians, but a far greater proportion of their forces.
A very good game and full credit to James for using the Russian strength in numbers to his advantage.
It was a game that helped me to decide that the rules used (my own "Swedish Lion Russian Bear") were just about right. After the three games at the recent AMG16 event (see earlier posts), where the Swedes had won a convincing three times in a row, I was wondering whether the Swedes were too powerful. This game showed that the Russians could defeat the Swedes and provide a balanced game.
Great fun and a good way to end the holiday.
Figures are all from my collection and are Footsore Miniatures. Scenery and table settings from the shelves of the Grimsby Wargames Society.
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