On last weekend we played a battle in General d’Armee, there were four of us, Bartek and Jędrzej were playing France and me and Tomek were playing coalition lead by Great Britain with Portugal, Russia and Spanish as here allies.
Many thanks to all participants for great game and for great time after, on dinner in SOTE pub close to Bolter. Of course I hope that we will continue our games and I will wake up again on Sunday mornings.
Both sides started in opposite corners of the table – here objectives – two stone bridges. Allied cavalry appeard first, British hussars and Polish Uhlans loyal to the Tzar.Our plan was to cross the river and secure bridge for infantry.French cavalry and horse artillery.Both sides visible next to great coffee served in Bolter Cafe.Mixed brigade of Portugal, Russian and Spanish. Had to finish bases and some details of my Russian Jagers.French cavalry advances toward Allied cavalry which crossed river.French infantry march to the other bridge.Combined Portugal, Russian and Spanish brigade march slowly.French cavalry formed into combat formation.Allied cavalry formed to fight as well.British are coming.Cuirassiers securing flank.First clash beetwen cavalry.Allied cavalry losed some combats.British advances forward.On the opposite side French march in the column to take position.Several French units are too much for this bridge.Most of our cavalry regiments ceased to exists, many Uhlans were lost in the river.French cavalry rule over the battlefield. French cavalry manged to cross water in the middle – coming in sight of allied infantry.
Summary: – at the end French succesfully secured one bridge, another one was still in hands of Allied troops. I think that we need more time to play such game – we played around four hours. – thank you to Rafał for showing me rulebook for this, after small talk why I losed interest in Black Powder ruleset, which is simple, but few things with really bad rolls can destroy your will to play. Then tests with Kuba and Tomek – that’s it, I’m waiting for second edition of General d’Armee.
On last Saturday we played bigger battle in General d’Armee – on one side were British and Portugal led by generals Damian and Tomek, on the other side were mix of many different European nations represented by French, Prussia and Russia led by Bartosz, Jakub, Piotr and me.
British are coming.British centre.Part of our centre were secured by Russian infantry and Polish Uhlan regiment.Left flank secured by several cavalry regiments.French securing other part of the centre.Prussian took right flank of our combined force.British left flank opposed by Prussians.Battle for a tawern and crossroads.Russian artillery ready to open fire.Chapel – silent deponent of battle.Among British were Portugal regiment.British right flank secured by cavalry and artillery.Close range fire beetwen Russian Jagers and British artillery.British seized defensive position in tavern.Prussians taking positions behind hedgehod.British slowly advancing on left flank.Cavalry charged on British cavalry.British cavalry after short clash turned tail and fled.Polish uhlans in full speed charged British cannon battery…… and in advance galloped toward British sharpshooters.One of the Russian batallions had enough and retreated.British cavalry regrouped into squares.In act of bravery uhlans charged British square.Left flank secured and British reorganized to defend against massed cavalry regiments.
Summary: – it was great battle – from initial four players we grow up to six generals around the table. – victory belonged to continentals and cavalry did great job on the left flank.
Yesterday we played with Tomek another training game in General d’Armee. We practice it with smaller armies than proposed in rulebook and without some rules as at now they could make our game practice totally impossible. But we will return to those rules in the close future.
On Saturday we played again with small forces deployed on table – no fog of war, no reserves, visible units as they are – just learning in simplest way. So on one side were Tomek British and on the other were Europeans from Russia and others – as we wanted to have all miniatures painted.
We played on standard 48″x72″ table representing some crossroads and different types of fields – some of them were difficult terrain limiting movement to half. Everyone in those armies were regular (excluding British infantry), gun batteries were Elite. Both sides had four regiments each and up to four dices from adiutants.
Infantry in line move slower.Cavalry rode ahead.Several lucky cannonballs panicked Polish Uhlans.British against Russians.Cavalry clashes as Polish lancers countercharge British hussars.Russian batallion finally losed they nerves and fled.Another regiment of Uhlans broke hussars.One of the British batallions broke from Russian infantry and artillery fire.Another batallion broken by heavy artillery and muskeet fire.
Summary: – up to this point I know that there are some more important things we have to use in our games, at now we focus on basic rules, as we want to know them well. We will play with more rules next time. – there are different sort of soldiers avaible – so for me playing this system in usual meeting engage scenarios armies should be created with system points as irreguar cossacs or freshly recruited soldiers behave different way than regulars, veterans or elite units. Rulebook says which formations can be elite – those famous units like guards, 95th regiment and so on. It will need some investigation in the future as bulk of most armies were regular or recruits with some exceptions. – unit can be of different size, small, standard and large. We field them the same way as we do it in Black Powder. – ranges and movement are shorter for units than in Black Powder – muskeet has 9″ of range of fire, rifles are much better so it’s another reason to use skirmishing units like Jagers. I have to paint my own unit of that infantry. Units move less than in Black Powder, it’s a plus as tables are not from rubber 🙂 . – I discovered some useful things on this blog: Sir Able Brush and on this blog Chasseur Acheval – there is useful army creator – really nice work. On second blog I found some ruleset called 321 – Fast Play Napoleonic Rules. – there will be more about General d’Armee on my blog, just need time – me and people I play.
Today we played scenario done by „Gargamel” – there were Adam Polish Vistula Legion, Bartosz and Jędrzej French on one side and Kuba Prussians, Tomek British and my Russians on the other side. French were escorting some important guns and others had to prevent them from doing it. On right side of the table were Alpine Mountains were French army was marching.
Adams Polish Vistula Legion.Russians advance to take enemy guns.French column during march.All on one. Single Russian battalion stood they ground.French cavalry ride on the British wing.Russians battalions marched on the left and right with artillery support.French cavalry charged on Russian artillery.Artillerist runned away for they lives.Some hand to hand combat in the middle.I thought it’s the end of my batallion, but…… but it was end of one French unit which turn it tail and fled.
Summary: – nice game, but too many random situations. I think that we need to update some rules. – battle was over after turn 5 and several unlucky charges done by French cavalry.
On 27.02.2022 there were a battle of French and Prussia versus English – continental Europe side dominates over Anglosaxons this day. Battle took place in Bolter.pl, Wrocław, Poland.
Main target for both armies were to secure crossroads.
French battery.French companies moving across forest.
Summary: – I was observer there, as I was too late and my Russians didn’t fight this epic battle.
Today in Wrocław we played our monthly Black Powder game. Today we played Great Britain against unusual alliance of France and Russian Empire. Today British side focused on crossing river (cross it with 13 infantry battalions/cavalry regiments) in four places (two bridges and two fords), French and Russian tried to stop them.
Two bridges, in addition there were two fords – one on far left and other on far right.
HQ of allies inside monastery tower.
British are coming!
Russians with supporting French on right flank.
Left flank belonged to French, middle belonged to French plus cavalry reserve (including Polish uhlans on tsar service).
French marching.
Time to start.
French send screen of skirmishers ahead of main units.
More and more soldiers of the British Crown.
When right flank had problems with understanding orders, middle and left flank on allies side moved. Artillery took hill and hid behind a fence.
Russian artillery got orders to shoot British battery on the other side of the river.
British crossed bridge in the fron of Russians.
French moved into the forest.
HQ send small regiments of light cavalry to aid Russians and French.
British crossed also other bridge. French tries to send them back.
More British in front of Russian flank.
Charge on bayonnets with supporting charge of uhlans on the flank.
Both lines shooting they opponents.
British also want to pass river by the ford.
Few units of French-Russians alliance were broken and left field .
Hussars are coming.
Uhlans charged unit in it rear and unhappily were broken and fled.
Taking position to shoot on the flank of hussars.
The end.
Russian brigade remained unbroken with maybe some more French.
Something is coming back probably?
Summary: – again great game played in Bolter.pl. – thank you all for today game.
Today we played big game in Black Powder on one side were Damians and Tomeks British, on other side were Kris French, Grzegorz Prussians, Jędrzej Spanish and Portugals and my Russians with Polish uhlan regiment. Our target was to secure both bridges. We played our game in Bolter.pl.
Beginning of the game.
Only one Russian batallion arrived and soon British started shooting on them.
French infantry and cavalry charged British.
One battalion of sons of Albion was routed and fled the field. More British were coming passing the bridges.
British forming battle line.
Uhlans encouraged by French action…
… charged.
Several hand to hand combat took place. One of our cavalry regiment was routed from the field by British artillery battery.
Uhlans first time worked well.
After destroying infantry batallions Polish Uhlans charged guns.
Russian and French infantry moving, to take the bridge.
Cavalry charge in the middle.
Uhlans broke cavalry regiment.
Kris French charged on bayonnets.
Tomeks columns in the forest.
Bloody fight to control bridge.
British cavalry on the flank destroyed infantry and charged uhlans on the flank.
Uhlans routed from the field.
Scottish batallion send Russian batallion from the field.
Kris cavalry took bridge after routing of British infantry.
Summary: – it was good game – we played around 3,5 hours. – I missed few photos, as Grzesiek cavalry brigade was looking for a ford and they charged on Damians cavalry, routing them.
Today we played small Black Powder game with Damian in Bolter.pl. Typically Black Powder games looks better with many batallions of infantry and regiments of cavalry formed in brigades. Today we played equal forces of infatry brigade composed of two infantry batallions each plus battery of artillery attached. There were also brigade of cavalry composed of one regiment on each side.
Russians arrived first and one one failed orders.
Then British and soldiers from Hannover arrived.
British cavalry crossed river when Polish cavalry regiments stopped they move befor the ford.
British cavalry charged Russian 1st batallion, so Russians formed square.
Round later orders were issued to form attack column and bayonnet charge.
Hannover infantry bravely stood they ground.
Joined by British hussars they broke Russians.
Artillery shoot at cavalry, but loses among the British were too low, to broke them.
Another Russians left the field.
Everyone shooting at uhlans and Russian infantry.
Russian brigade was routed by Damian’s force.
Summary: – it’s nice format to play, still few more batallions and it could be even better. – good occasion to meet some friends and talk about other systems. – I realized that my top three systems for bigger games are: 1. Warhammer Fantasy Battle 4-7th editions. 2. Black Powder. 3. Bolt Actions. – for skirmish I’m not sure, but probably: 1. Sharp Practice. 2. wish to play Mordheim or Warheim as I like Warhammer world (thank you old team from Games Workshop). 3. wish to came back to Fallout Wasteland Warfare.
Today we played our monthly game in Black Powder, one one side was Arek with British and Portugal, on the other were Bartek, Tomek and me with British and Russians. So in someway it was civil war beetwen British .
Both forces deployed, without Russian brigade.
Tomek’s British.
Bartek’s British and first battalion of Russians which arrived moment ago.
Arek’s British advanced toward Tomek’s line.
View from our left flank.
Portuguese advanced forward…
… and started shooting.
View from right flank. Portuguese cavalry doing outflanking maneuver.
In the middle both sides started shooting.
More Russians arrived, jet they doesn’t wanted to perform orders.
Portuguese advanced to fight British from front and Russians on flank.
What is on this map? I don’t understand this strange symbols, do they know cyrillica?
Fight for small shrine in the center. British infantry charged on flank by Portuguese cavalry.
British infantry repelled in hand to hand combat Portuguese cavalry.
Then started shooting at them.
In the middle Portuguese unit came close to British and continued firing.
Finally Polish uhlans understood order and charged…
… but enemy was ready to…
…
British against Portuguese cavalry.
But enemy formation formed square with final result of uhlans turn back.
Uhlans managed to retreat.
British close to brok Portugal cavalry.
Portugal cannons hiding behind trees.
Another uhlans charge and again retreat.
British infantry won against cavalry.
Another Biritish brigade of Arek broken.
Portuguese remain unbroken.
Bartek’s brigade is also marching off the field.
Brave Portuguese.
Summary: – my artillery studied maps off the field for whole time. – it was great game – usually there were more generals and bigger table. – one of those big battles with all models painted. – need to paint another officer group, to make separate cavalry regiment. – thank you everyone for game.
Today we played a battle which we play monthly – big battle with many participants – there were two Russian brigades my and Michał, Marian’s Austrian brigade, British brigade of Bartosz and on the other side French brigades of Mikołaj, Gargamel’s Italian brigade and Spanish brigade of Grzegorze. Thank you Bolter.pl for terrains and place we played. Our brigades started marching on the roads – each player came from different direction. There were three sides of conflict – Austria and Russia, United Kingdom and Spain and French with Italy. There were also Krzysiek as gamekeeper.
From bottom – on right Russians, then tin the middle Italians, after them on left British. On the top left Spanish, in the Middle Austrians and on top left French.
Russian brigades arrived.
Austrians came too.
British advanced.
Uhlans scouting area.
When Russians marched forward to the crossroads, Italians crossed bridge using one batallion, the other one took objective – which was farm animals.
Italian batallion took animals.
Uhlans charged by Spanish counter charged and won. In the middle Austrians took positions to the front and also left and right flank.
French cavalry arrived.
Uhlans galloped after Spanish cavalry fled.
Battle for the bridge started, also Russian on north realized that Spanish took a village.
The last action of uhlans, defeating Spanish cavalry – then they started reading map and squabling.
British valiantrly fighting against French.
Austrians took cavalry charge in they flank.
One of the Austrian batallion started shooting on fortified Spanish.
French cavalry in action.
Russian artillery started shooting on the Spanish inside village.
That way! No that way – this village is not so big on the map. I guess that four rounds of game I failed giving any order to move.
Austrians repelled French cavalry and waiting for infantry. Clash for a bridge going on.
British standing against French.
Battle for a bridge going on, one Italian batallion was broken.
Russians crossed bridge, another Russian brigade charged Spanish fortified in the village.
French fighting with English and Austrians.
Heavy hand to hand combat going on.
French surrounded by British.
Russians crossed a bridge – Italians left with farm animals.
Fight beetwen Austrians and French.
My third batallion stayed there due to a problems with issuing orders.
Heavy fighting going on.
British close to a farm.
Russians came too late, still crossed a bridge.
Hand to hand combat beetwen Austrians and French.
Generally end of battle with a score: Draw.
Need to learn how to roll low on orders. My brigade was staying for four turns at least.
Summary: – It was great game, thanks everyone – will try to update some informations about this battle soon. – Next time need to split my brigade on two – one composed of infantry and another one of cavalry, as I had all time issues with giving order. Need to paint more cavalry – not sure if I can do it, I have a month. – in Wrocław we are avaible under this page: Wrocławscy bonapartyści. – After game with Bartosz we went for some lunch to the nearest pub SOTE – wine pub & food and next to Tacos Locos – hope next time more people will go with us.
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