Thursday, 12 January 2012

Ligny, 1815

This game was put together and run by John Armatys as a test for his recently written Brown Bess rules.  John also provided all the 15mm toys.  Martin was the homme in the grand chapeau, while I played the portly Prussian.  I have played Blucher in several games over the years and become rather adept at shouting 'attack' while pretending to fall off a horse.
The initial setup as seen from the Prussian lines.  Ligny is in the centre of the table.
That's me on the hill next to one of John's many windmills.
The brave defenders of Ligny prepare to sell their lives dearly.  As it turned out they were having a January sale...
Rather a lot of Frenchies close in on the Prussian right.
Ligny is on the left.  There really were lots of Frenchies.
Prussian reserves are sent forward as Blucher calmly directs operations.
The defenders of Ligny are a bit outnumbered.
The French columns get stuck in.  The pile of counters indicates that all is not going well for the garrison.
The Prussian left makes ready.
The Prussian right is heavily engaged by the garlic munching hordes.
Blucher prepares a second line of defence as the French overrun Ligny.
A long distance shot of the Frenchies on their hill south of Ligny.
One of my sneakier moves - a Prussian brigade recaptures the village on the right from under the noses of the French.
Blucher continues to oversee events.
The French advance continues - but their nice formations have broken up.
Another hour and Blucher would have been in the front line!
Endgame.  The overall result was broadly historical, with bitter urban fighting and villages changing hands more than once.  Overnight the Prussians would be able to disengage - just in case there's another battle in a couple of days!
                
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19 comments:

  1. Peter Douglas12 January 2012 at 18:44

    Tim

    I've always found that bluster and falling down in public are vastly under-appreciated skills.

    PD

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  2. Tim Gow12 January 2012 at 19:07

    Peter Douglas
    .................. Sorry - fell off the chair while shouting at the screen....

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  3. The Ferrymen12 January 2012 at 19:16

    Tim,
    Good battle report.
    What did you think of the rules?
    And the scenario?

    Regards,
    John

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  4. Paul12 January 2012 at 20:45

    Nice report Tim. I especially like the garlic muncher comment.

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  5. Tim Gow12 January 2012 at 21:14

    The Ferrymen
    The rules worked pretty well - especially for a first outing! The scenario makes for a good play test game - I used Ligny for play testing my own DRAM rules about 10 years ago.

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  6. Tim Gow12 January 2012 at 21:14

    Paul
    Never let it be said that I fail to indulge my readers' prejudices!

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  7. David Crook12 January 2012 at 21:21

    Hi Tim,

    "I am 72 and a proud soldier..." etc, etc.

    Don't forget the gin and rhubarb.

    All the best,

    DC

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  8. Tim Gow12 January 2012 at 22:10

    David Crook
    72? You look younger in your profile photo. Gin did you say? Good plan.

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  9. Chris Kemp12 January 2012 at 22:23

    Very reminiscent of John Davies' big Napoleonic games with 20mm figures, converted Airfix bandsmen, ACW and the like. Looks very good.

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  10. David Crook13 January 2012 at 05:34

    Hi Tim,

    You should see the picture of me in the loft....;-)

    It would deserve and Oscar although I am not Wilde about it....

    All the best,

    DG

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  11. Rodger13 January 2012 at 07:15

    Very nice report and photos Tim.

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  12. Peter Douglas13 January 2012 at 19:33

    Tim

    Apparantly hatred of the garlic-munchers is not limited to the UK. See the story on the Ministry of Truth http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16549624

    Of course north of the border, you can't get elected as PM without being able to speak Francais

    PD

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  13. Geordie an Exiled FoG13 January 2012 at 21:23

    Napoleonic battles have that edge about them

    Won and loss by the strangest of things

    They have the glint to attract the wargaming magpie

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  14. Sun of York14 January 2012 at 11:56

    I have played the old SPI quad game a few times - always a hard slog.

    I recently did the eastern side using Napoleon's Battles. Getting the terrain right is the biggest challenge. Defended rivers are hard work to simulate and still get a game.

    A classic battle and great to see it being gamed.

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  15. Tim Gow14 January 2012 at 16:48

    Chris Kemp
    There were certainly plenty of toys. Most of them (from my point of view anyway) French.

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  16. Tim Gow14 January 2012 at 16:49

    Rodger
    Thanks - glad you enjoyed the report as we did the game.

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  17. Tim Gow14 January 2012 at 16:51

    Peter Douglas
    Maybe the candidate in question is hedging his bets about which country he gets to be president of?

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  18. Tim Gow14 January 2012 at 16:52

    Geordie
    It is certainly an appealing period - just don't ask me to paint figures for it!

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  19. Tim Gow14 January 2012 at 17:07

    Sun of York
    When as previously mentioned, i was play testing my own game some years back I only had French and Prussian toys. I wanted a battle with about 3 corps a side, so Ligny selected itself. Its a good workout for a ruleset.

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