Wednesday 28 March 2012

Battling the beastly Boers - FLW game report - Part 1

On Friday I was privileged to play FLW with the game's author, PW in his well-manicured garden.  After my arrival at noon, we set out some terrain (all from P's collection) and agreed forces.  I had taken the Forbodian Army, while mine host selected (from the many options open to him) a Boer-type force - 'Army Orange'.
King Boris had at his disposal three infantry battalions and a cavalry regiment, along with three gun batteries - 1 each of light, medium and heavy.  The Boers (who were apparently all on holiday in neighbouring Ruritania...) fielded three smaller infantry units, one of cavalry and several guns and new-fangled machine guns.
We agreed that the objectives would be to take and hold both the farm and town.

This photo gives an idea of the size of the playing area!
The Forbodian Army begins it's advance.
The infantry on the Forbidian left were soon spotted by Boer scouts.
The scouts in question - complete with signal flags.
The Forbodian right - Jagers and a field gun.
Forbodian cavalry and a light gun soon reached the central wood.
The Forbodian gunners seemed happy to be in the open air.
Enemy light gun (left) and machine gun.  Frightful!
Enemy cavalry taking up position ahead of the Forbodian left.
The Forbodian 'side' of the battlefield, with everyone now visible.
The delightful Mrs W had created this farmyard.  If the size of that chicken is anything to go by then Genetic Modifications are alive and well in Ruritania!
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23 comments:

  1. Robert (Bob) Cordery28 March 2012 at 16:54

    Tim,

    What a wonderful opportunity and a great battle to remember!

    FLW does look so much better on a lawn than on a tabletop. You get the feeling of space in which to move and fight.

    I look forward to hearing more in due course.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  2. Don M28 March 2012 at 17:01

    looks to have been a splendid outing!

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  3. Peter Douglas28 March 2012 at 17:12

    Tim

    That's just good old fashioned silliness - I'm jealous.

    PD

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  4. David Crook28 March 2012 at 17:12

    Hi Tim,

    Outstanding! All that was missing were the straw boaters....;-)

    All the best,

    DC

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  5. Mad Padre28 March 2012 at 18:25

    That's just so brilliant! I would love to do something similar in my back yard but here in Western Canada there is a bit of snow still hanging on. Maybe in another week or two.

    What scale are those figures? 1/32nd perhaps? Hard to tell in the closeups without any perspective. Looks like fun.

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  6. tradgardmastare28 March 2012 at 19:52

    Splendid piccies sir!Thanks for posting...great fun had by all!
    BTW can you tell me more of the wonderful aeroplane featured in the piccies of your indoor FLW game of late?

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  7. Unknown28 March 2012 at 19:57

    Hey Tim!
    What a blessing to be able to play with the Padre. Good for you mate! Nice pictures by a "Better Sort of Chap."
    Jeff

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  8. Ross Mac rmacfa@gmail.com28 March 2012 at 23:00

    Imight be tempted to come vacation in Ruritania with an army myself, (there was still snow on the ground this morning though it seems to have gone somewhere since, possibly Ruritania)

    But what a splendid way to have spent a day! Love the Boer's Iron Brigade gun!

    So what is the effective range of a 4.7" when unhampered by walls and tables?

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  9. Brian Carrick29 March 2012 at 07:54

    The gem looks like a lot of fun, I'm looking forward to seeing the outcome.

    Best wishes, Brian

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  10. Tim Gow29 March 2012 at 08:09

    Bob Cordery
    The wide open spaces of the Gloucestershire 'Veldt' produce a very different game. Now what wargaming venue do we know with a nice big lawn?

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  11. Tim Gow29 March 2012 at 08:10

    Don M
    A very splendid day all round - even the trip there and back was easy.

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  12. Tim Gow29 March 2012 at 08:11

    Peter Douglas
    You are quite correct - on both counts!

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  13. Tim Gow29 March 2012 at 08:12

    David Crook
    Given that it was mid-arch in Britain, we had agreed in advance to dress for comfort rather then Edwardian style.

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  14. Tim Gow29 March 2012 at 08:12

    Mad Padre
    They are indeed all 1/32. A 'snow' game would be interesting....

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  15. Tim Gow29 March 2012 at 08:14

    tradgardmastare
    More still to come! The Flyer in the earlier post is a Corgi 1/32(!) model - Steve (it's owner) have commented on the earlier post with more info.

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  16. Tim Gow29 March 2012 at 08:15

    Chasseur
    And a thoroughly gentlemanly game it was too.

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  17. Tim Gow29 March 2012 at 08:16

    Ross Mac
    I knew you'd weaken! The guns can easily fire out to about 10 feet. Hitting anything is quite another matter....

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  18. Martin Rapier29 March 2012 at 15:26

    It looks magnificent! Did you find out whether the rather counter-intuitive movement rates for open vs closed order were a typo or deliberate?

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  19. Quantrilltoy30 March 2012 at 10:32

    Nice one Tim! Which were the star units of the battle? James

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  20. Tim Gow30 March 2012 at 11:45

    Martin Rapier
    It was magnificent! In all the excitement I forgot to query the movement rates.

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  21. Tim Gow30 March 2012 at 11:47

    James O'Connell
    On the Forbodian side - the Jagers - they inflicted several casualties and suffered none. Overall - the Boer light artillery - very dangerous chaps!

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  22. Conrad Kinch1 April 2012 at 18:22

    Playing Little Wars outside is the only way to do it. Looks like a fantastic game.

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  23. Tim Gow1 April 2012 at 19:00

    Conrad Kinch
    I like to think HGW would approve. Can't wait to do it again!

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