Imigi-nations on the march!

I have not blogged in a while and I make no apologies. I've been quite busy with work (year-end reports and funerals) and my wife had major surgery. She's doing quite a lot better now, thank you, but it leaves me as the only licensed driver in the house. (My daughter has her "G-1", but she can't drive without a licensed driver in the front seat with her.) I've missed a few games and I will get to them. The game today, I have to tell you about.

     Andy, Martin, Kevin, Rob, and I put our new Imigi-nations figures on the board to try them out. We wanted to practise with the rules and clean off the "new unit" curse from all the figs. Since we're still learning the rules ("Warfare in the Age of Reason"), the game went slowly, but it was enjoyable which is the whole idea. Anyway, the legions of the Grand Electorate of Saxe-Fredonia with their allies from Gallifrey (Beth's Scots) and the Duchy of Worchestershiresauce (Rob's Anglo-American Indian army) met the troops of Frankenschwein on the field. We "set the table" according to the random map system laid out in the rules. (In my opinion, it is a wonderful way to randomise the field and well worth 'borrowing' for any game.) The Saxe-Fredonians outnumbered the Frankenschweinians (Frankenschweiners?? Yeah, that seems right.) but they had more cannon than we. We were pretty evenly matched. We had slightly more cavalry and 3 light infantry units to the Frankies one.



On the right, Rufus I with his aides meets the Frankenschweiner commander.
I didn't get his name.

 

The battle field looking west. Martin considers his options and Kevin looks over his as well.



the field looking west-southwest overlooking the Whine River.
Andy makes a point while  Rob, Kevin, and Martin look on.

The Frankenschweiner infantry advances with artillery support.
Frying Pan & Blanket artillery sets include a gun and a limber with horses.
They are little gems!

Kevin's brigades - The Fredonian Freikorps, the German Battalion, Pavkovic's Pandours,
both battalions of Regiment Stahl, a 12# battery and the Hesse-Burder Hussars.
General Heinzelmenchen is in command.



Rob's brigade including two large warbands - probably from the Heckowi and
Turtleburper tribes. (I'm making this up as I go along!) 

 

Frankenschweiner artillery in both 6# and 12# flavours. The dragoons are backing them.

The Frankenschweiner commander with an artillery battery

His Grace, Michael, archbishop of Fredonia ("Die verrückten Pastor") took the field with
his regiment who actually stood to the left out of this photo.

Both sides advanced and exchanged artillery fire which was more of an annoyance than anything else. Rob faced Martin's light infantry in the woods on the bank of the River Whine and had to retreat once formed troops came up. In the centre, my Fredonians faced nothing less than the Frankenschweiner Guard Grenadiers backed up by a battalion of line grenadiers. Regiment Luzerne lost it's 2nd battalion in hand to hand combat with the Guards when the battalion failed to counter-charge those Guards. The Guards were hurt but being larger-than-average and tougher-than-average, they carried the fight.



The Guards and grenadiers advance.

 

The Guards from another viewpoint. Their yellow uniforms are distinctive.



Regiment Luzerne takes a beating. Regiment Gibbs, to their left, suffered from artillery
bombardment. Behind them, 1/Regiment Nurn is in support.

On the left flank, Kevin manoeuvred his brigade and the Hussars to face off Andy's infantry and dragoons. At one point, his 12# battery bombed our a Frankenschweiner battery and chased it off! (a medal for those artillerists!) His brigade included the 1st & 2nd battalions, Regiment Stahl, The Freikorps (Thugs, muggers and thieves!), the German Battalion, the Irish Legion, the Archbishop's Own, and Pavkovic's Pandours.



Archbishop Michael and his one-battalion regiment

 

The Hesse-Bruder Hussars, the Irish Legion, and the Archbishop's Own.
The gigantic die kept track of the turns - we're on turn 5!



Andy's Frankenschweiner Dragoons.
He based his troops on FP&B's AWI German musketeers, grenadiers, dragoons, and gunners.




Another view of the Frankenschweiner Guards slapping Regiment Luzerne around.
The green bingo chip indicated a casualty. The white tile shows the original start
position of the charge in order to calculate possible breakthroughs.

 

Rob's cavalry - both 'regular' light cavalry and First Nations' horse - just before
their brave but ill-fated charge.
The Saxe-Bariton Shutzen watch in awe.. or something like it.

On the allied right, Rob's tribal warriors were not able to stand before formed troops and fell back through the woods. His cavalry, two half-sized units of light cavalry and Indian horsemen charged the Frankenschweiner line and were thrown back.

Curfew rang and we called it a day. The Fredonians and their allies lost a few more troops but there were more of us to start with. The affair was still undecided. Our centre was in trouble, but the flanks were strong. The Frankenschweiners had lost a gun and had committed their Guard and grenadiers from the first. Rufus' Electoral Foot Guard and Grenadier Battalion Stinner were still in reserve. Rob had not unlimbered his field piece when we called it a day.

Lessons:

• Light infantry cannot stand before formed troops, so they should be kept to deny the enemy forests, rough ground, and built up areas. We all decided that only one light unit in each army could be rifle armed.
• Deploy into line immediately. Changing formation takes valuable time and movement.
• Keep your generals handy to put some backbone into wavering troops or assaults, but have plenty of generals since they can be killed doing their jobs.

Finally some more photos:


The Fredonian left flank under General Heinzelmenchen and the Archbishop face
the enemy advance over the rubber roads.

 

Martin's Wolfen light infantry battle the tribes in the forest.

 

The Elector and his supply train. I'm afraid to ask what's in it!

 

Fredonian Artillery
FP&B German gunners and French guns painted in Austrian colours.
I suppose I have a 'thing' for Austria.
The civilian 'contractors' hauling the gun haven't run away yet.

 

His Grace, the Grand Elector, Rufus I Glowurmchen.
At least he was still on the battlefield, making cracks and being cynical
... and hilarious!

 

Frying Pan & Blanket make their tribal warriors in 7 different poses. Add in the
dismounted horse warriors and you've got quite a variety.



Martin's brigade of Andy's army set to advance with the Wolfen Light Infantry in the lead.
Martin's troops - still in the painting and basing stage (he's a very busy man) will serve the
Serene People's Republic of Rationalia. All his units are named for philosophers.

 My regiments have funny names, I know. They're often named for places I've lived (Luzerne County), old friends (Stahl, Stinner, Pavkovic), or wierdness (Nurn or Hess Brothers, after the old department store). I've named generals for various things; "Lebo" for an old fiend, "Heinzelmenchen" are the German elves that make shoes for the old shoemaker, and Dresden -who is now seconded to Rob's army for Harry Dresden from the fantasy novels. There's even a "General de Sastre." (Sound it out.) It's all for fun anyway.

Hail, hail Fredonia! Land of the brave and free!