Some Frozen Lard

I had two great games last week in Montreal and discovered the existence of a new Canadian Lardie Group called Frozen Lard. I am not a big fan of facebook but it seems one does not have a whole lot of choice in the gaming world as there appears to be a wholesale migration from webpages etc to facebook.

I drove up last Monday and surprisingly enough it was it was 26 degrees C, so not frozen at all. I have a portable table and mat in place in my apartment there but there was still a lot of stuff to lug up in the car. It is always nice to see my daughter with whom we share the apartment. She has a new job with Nicole Benisti so hopefully she is getting settled in her career choice of Fashion Design.

Chain of Command

On Tuesday evening I had planned an introductory game of CoC with Pierre-Yves T. who had contacted me through the TFL forum. I believe there to be a dearth of historical wargamers in Montreal so I was excited to hear from him. Although he had not played CoC before he as you can see through his twitter feed has done some great work on a German Panzergrenadier force as well as a lot of terrain. 

I decided to set up a German Grenadier Platoon versus British Rifle Platoon game using the Probe scenario from the rulebook. We chose table sides and PY elected to be the German defender. We threw for Force Support and got a 6. The Germans selected a Sniper and I took a MMG Team and a 2" Mortar. I will not bother to do an AR but here are some snaps of the game.

PY took a defensive position on the right.

 

I started my advance but the Germans got stuck in behind the wall on my left flank and in the trees on my right flank and set up a squad on the centre road.

As you can see although I get to cover I am getting pretty shot up. PY did a great job in his first game.

It was actually a complete rout as one can see from above and I ended up losing when my FM dropped to 0, while the Germans were still at 8! It was a fun game and I believe PY enjoyed himself.

We are planning to have our next game in late June or early July, this time we will be playing at PY's, he has a 28mm set up and I am looking forward to seeing his great terrain and figures.

Général d'Armée

Wednesday night, Iannick came over to my place. We have been playing Napoleonics for around 10 years now and I believe we have tried at least 4-5 rulesets over that time. We have played GdA twice before but most recently 14 months ago. My last game was in September of last year so I spend a lot of time going over the rules prior to the game. The more you get into these rules, the more you realize they are quite simple to play but it is always difficult if you do not play any ruleset for extended periods of time.

I decided to set up a game from the new source book: 1815 The Hundred Days. The Battle of Gilly seemed the business but I had no Prussians but could find enough of my new Dutch-Belgians and Brunswickers to fill the OB. Had to add a few Allied troops from the Peninsula but all good.

As usual Iannick played the French and I took the Prussians. Again not a true AR to follow but I did take a few photos.

The table showing the troops on each side, I should note that this was not there final dispositions in the battle line.

Both side had 4 brigades with the French having 5 ADC's and the Prussians 4. Most French Inafntry Brigades had 5 standard sized battalions while the Prussians had 3 large battalions. There was a Cavalry brigade per side with 2 and 3 Artillery batteries.

The Prussian right flank with line units to the left in line and the reservists in the centre-left in column.

The Prussians deployed both of their Fusiliers battalions in Skirmish order making the Skirmisher Tasking quite useful.

The French Veteran brigade advancing on the Prussian right flank.

Disaster for the Prussians. The Empress Dragoons( in the upper left of the photo) charge the Prussian Musketeers, they fail their Discipline test and are thrown back in retreat, their supportin unit also withdraws unformed. In the next turn they falter and subsequently suffer a Sauve qui Peut on the Falter Table!

The Prussian cavalry charges the centre unit in the middle French Brigade but fails also being thrown back in Retreat.

The Prussian right flank is much more successful with the Artillery successfully throwing cannister at the French Veterans. The Prussian Skirmishers aided by the formed unit in the BUA add casualties.

The Prussian skirmishers flank the attacking French. A French battalions is dispersed.

 

 

 

The Prussian reservists on the right form into line but by now the French have two Brigades on Infantry Assault orders.

Another Prussian Battalian retreats. It is over the Prussian withdraw failing to slow the French advance to Waterloo.

 

Although we did not exactly meet the victory  conditions set out in the scenario after 3 hours and 6 turns we decided that the French had achieved a victory. They had caused one Sauve qui Peut effect on the main Prussian brigade and had not even brought on their reserve cavalry. The Prussian right flank was solid but it was going to be increasingly difficult to hold their left flank with reservists. 

It was a fun game and I am quite convinced that this is a great ruleset as is I believe Iannick. Looking forward to our next game.