Catawba Gamers August 2011 part 2

Welcome to the final instalment of the battle report from the August 2011 Catawba gamers monthly game. The game was Chassepot and Needlegun and played at Parker Banner Kent and Wayne in Cornelius, North Carolina.



The Prussian Guards take refuge in the ruins on the French left as the Infantry and mitrailleuse pour a withering fire into them.

The 8th Chasseurs charge out of the cornfield, While the 69th hold.

The French right turns into a giant swirling cavalry melee.

The French take the worst of it and fleeing units cause a withdrawal of several other units.

The French form up to retake Vionville.

The 69th infantry move up to cover the 8th Chaseurs flank.

The Prussian Guards abandon Vionville and their impending doom but charge the flank of the 69th infantry.

The 8th Chasseurs break the Prussians and several units end up being removed because of being below fifty percent and failing their leadership roll. The Prussian Guards fail to close on the 69th, starting a continuing trend. this leaves the 8th Chasseurs expose and they take many losses from the subsequent Prussian shooting.

Another regiment of Prussian Guards charge the French Mitrailleuse.

Plagued by failed leadership rolls the French Guards now are able to catch up and deploy in the French center. A Guards regiment Charges in to help the French lancers.

The French Mitrailleuse open op on their attackers as they charge in.

All six shots hit and cause the Prussian Guards to halt.

The 69th Infantry suffer from a failed leadership roll and stand in the open, exposed. The Prussian Guards charge them again but once again fail to close.

Vionville reoccupied by french forces the 69th Infantry move back into the cornfield and prepare to sell their lives dearly.

The French force the Guards to withdraw under a murderous crossfire.

The Guards turn and charge the 69th again. They fail to close for a third time.

The Prussians charge out to try and break the French line and are halted by fire.

The survivors of the 8th Chasseurs a Pied withdraw, unbroken, with their colors held high.

Another regiment of French Guards charge in to help the French light Cavalry against the Bavarians.

The French Lancers and Guards break the Bavarian Cavalry.

They overrun into the Bavarian Infantry.

Who they also rout.

The other two regiments from the French Guards brigade charge the Prussian cavalry.

The Guards force the Prussian cavalry to withdraw.

End Game. The Guards prepare to charge the Prussian cavalry when the game is called.

There was much debate about the games outcome. We finally agreed that the French players performed better than the historical result and left it at that. I had a great time and look forward to the next game. There was some debate about the Prussians having to roll to close into close combat while the French closed automatically. The rule did make a big difference in my part of the game and cost the Prussian side. The flip side is that the French have a worse leadership and this many of our units standing in the breeze at very bad times. I would call them both part of the rules that add flavor to the game.

I would like to thank Chuckaroo for running the game and Matt at PBKW for letting us use monopolize a good bit of his gaming area for the ten hours or so we played.

ColKG

Catawba Gamers August 2011 part 1

Once again the Catawba Gamers got together for their monthly gaming day. This time ChuckarooBob had brought his Franco-Prussian miniature collection for a game of Chassepot and Needlegun. The game was played at Parker Banner Kent and Wayne in Cornelius, North Carolina. It was my first visit to their new location and it is nice. They have a much larger retail area and tons more gaming room. The table set up was sixteen by six feet and almost the whole amount would end up being used during the game. The scenario was based off of the Battle of Mars-la-Tour, where an outnumbered Prussian force was despatched to stop the French from escaping the city of Metz and joining the French forces ay Verdun. The Prussain started grossly outnumber with 30,000 Prussians facing 130,000 French. The Prussians were soon reinforced and ended the battle outnumbering the French.




A view of the table. The closest village is Mars-la-tour and the farthest village is Vionville. Each box is a French infantry division waiting to be deployed. Unlike most games put on by the Catawba Gamers we actually had the table set up and models waiting to be deployed by the normal game start time of 1pm. Little did we know we would be there for quite a while.

A French division of two brigades deployed in line on the French left commanded by Brian.

Another French Division of two Brigades deployed on the French right commanded by Jody.

The Prussians start to deploy.

An Overview of the table from the French side, showing The French move toward Vionville with the reserves behind the line of advance.

A view of the Prussian battle line, notice the two artillery batteries on the heights behind.

A French Regiment advance behind the Mitrailleuse battery.

First blood to the French, a Prussian Regiment takes casualties.

The French advance into the ruins only to find a hidden Prussian unit. The French charge home anyway.

The Prussians are blooded but withdraw in good order.

The French push toward the village of Vionville in the center to root out the Prussian defenders.

A Bavarian division arrives behind the French right. the Prussians had a lot of reinforcements and brought them on early. The French players didn't really understand exactly where the reinforcements could arrive from and this left us caught flat footed.

The French Heavy cavalry arrives and charge toward the Bavarian reinforcements on the French right.

More French Cavalry race to stop the Bavarians.

The Bavarians charge in and break a regiment of French infantry.

Even more Prussian reserves advance onto the table.

The Bavarian cavalry form up to charge the rear of the French battery.

The assault on Vionville begins with a Regiment of Brian's troops who are halted by defensive fire from inside the Village. Then my two regiment Brigade closes, forces the defenders to withdraw and takes Vionville. I think this was also about the time Brian showed what a true wargamer is made of by refusing to stop playing after taking a bad stab from one of the wire bayonets. Even bleeding he refused to leave the table.

The Bavarians swarm the French right while the French artillery try to stem the tide.

Vionville firmly in French hands, the 8th Chasseurs in the village and 69th infantry to the right reform to clear the corn field of Prussian scum.

As the French Cavalry close the Bavarian Infantry form square and their cavalry prepare to meet the charge.

The 8th Chasseurs and 69th Infantry take the fight to the Prussians.

The reserve Prussian Guards Brigade marches into the ruins on the French left.

Thr 8th Chasseurs and 69th infantry sweep the Prussians before them and a cowardly Prussian regiment marches into the undefended Vionville.

Come back for Part 2 and the conclusion of the game.