David Bickley's Wargames Blog

The occasional ramblings of an average gamer, journeyman painter, indifferent modeller, games designer, sometime writer for Wargames Illustrated and host of games in GHQ.



Thursday 7 November 2013

The Defence of Le Blancs' Landing

Recently Jon and I played out a F&IW scenario here in GHQ. Jon, as ever, took command of the British force, leaving me to lead the French force to victory, or not... The rules we used were based on Astounding Tales, my rules of choice for this sort of mini game, with some additions to cover the artillery lifted from Black Powder and the use of the activation cards from Muskets & Tomahawks ~ a set I've given up on long since.. The game opens with the French deployed in the settlement and fort located at the Landing, with the British marching onto the table at the opposite end. Their objective is to capture the French arsenal and carry off the arms and ammunition it contains for a Resounding Triumph, or burn it for a mere Victory. Any other result is a French Resounding Triumph! The view from the Landing ~ the french vessel supplies some last ditch artillery fire to cover the Arsenal ~


















The British force march onto the table. I co-opted some Foundry SYW Grenadiers, artillery and command to supplement the Redoubt figures ~























The Rangers arrive over the mountains to effect a surprise river crossing ~





















Only to find that a group of cunningly deployed French Coureurs du Bois have seen them ~























Meanwhile the settlers of Le Blancs' Landing spot a group of enemy Light Troops trying to infiltrate the settlement ~













Alerted by the sound of musketry from the settlement, Colonel Le Gloire leads out his regulars from the fort ~
















Soon the two sides regulars are joined in a bitter firefight, while irregulars and civilians snipe away at the edge of battle ~






















At last the French allied Indians arrive on the table ~


















Aiming to bring some much needed support to the defenders of the settlement and the Arsenal ~


















Meanwhile the British forces press the French defenders hard ~


















While the Indians land in support of their French allies ~


The British begin to drive the French regulars back towards the fort ~
Suddenly the French regulars' morale becomes shaken and they fall back quickly on their blockhouse fort ~
Under the cover of all the fighting the British have managed to get a unit of Rangers right around the French flank ~
Meanwhile the main British force advances on the few remaining settlers in Le Blancs' Landing ~
The Rangers who have flanked the settlement make a forceful move on the Arsenal and for the French its all gone wrong suddenly ~
With a roar the Arsenal is set fire and the British claim the victory in turn 11 ~
We had a thoroughly spiffing time fighting out this scenario in about two and a half hours. For those of a certain frame of mind a quick run down on the figures and terrain: figures from Redoubt and Foundry; vegetation from The Last Valley; the Block House/Fortlet I bought years ago on a Bring & Buy ready painted for £14, the other buildings I scratch built eons ago; the dock is from Ainsty and the ship from the old Flagship range I think. I'd be interested in some feedback if anyone else tries out this scenario for themselves.
 
 



5 comments:

  1. Quel jeu magnifique, narrative et gravures magnifiques, bravo monsieur

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very nice report and great looking game!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great game in most congenial surroundings and another defeat for Les Froggies - Huzaaah for King George!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Very nice AAR, great looking picutres !

    ReplyDelete