An 18th Century Wargame

     While I have been working on Dark Ages armies the last couple of weeks, my intention was to use my new Peter Laing Normans and Picts, I really couldn't find a scenario to my liking in the short time I had. I decided just to have a game using my 18th century toy soldiers. I am still not sure of the manufacturer of the infantry.  I used the idea of picking two armies by dice rolls used in ONE HOUR WARGAMES, except I increased to number of units to 8.  The terrain was laid out using an idea from William Silvester's THE SOLO WARGAMING GUIDE.

    The game was simple itself. There was a village in the middle of the field and both sides wanted to occupy it. The battle ends when one side looses 4 units. Whoever controls the village at that time wins. The rules used are Bob Cordery's MEMOIR OF BATTLE.

The start of the battle. The British are in the foreground, the French can be seen behind the village and woods.

Both sides jockey for position.

The British win the initiative roll and take the village. The British just stormed ahead without engaging the French.

On the French turn their cavalry hits the British cavalry on the flank.

The British cavalry retreats with the French on their tail.

The French start working around the village.

Another view showing the French attack.

The French cavalry continue to rout the British cavalry.

The British inflect losses on the French, but can't push them back. The French continue to push the British line back.

Another view from above.

The French cavlry drive the British cavalry off the field of battle.

The French finally takes the village and push back the British line, where no unit is within range of the village. The British have also lost 5 units at this point; they have lost the battle.

Another view of the French capture of the village.

It was good to get a game in. However, it just turned into a rush for the village with both sides just pouring their units into the attack with no real trying to outmaneuver the other side.  This game has me rethinking my next war-game project. I've started to plan my next game. If my plans move forward, my Peter Laings will be taking a rest from the game.