Campaigns in Libraria: dispatches from the Freedonian front - December 7, 2013

(Since we play our games as part of the Hamilton Road Gaming Group that meets most Saturdays at the Crouch Branch Library on Hamilton Road in London, ON, the title "Campaigns in Libraria" made sense to me. Although that makes all those who live in the various Imagi-nations there "Librarians." This may need some reconsideration.)

It was a quiet day at the library on Saturday as 5 of us met to play some "pick-up" games using our Imagi-nations armies and the Warfare in the Age of Reason rules for Seven Years War games. Andy, Derek, Martin, Rob, and your humble correspondent set up an interesting game table. (Bear joined us later.) Four banquet-sized folding tables were divided into three identical gaming fields. (Well, as identical as can be done with irregular shaped hills. Each had two smaller forests of light woods on either end of the centre of the table and two small gentle hills at 2 o'clock and 8 o'clock from the centre of the table. The starting area was 12 inches in from the table edge and 12 inches from each side of the area.
Army sizes were arranged in the way we had before - by rolling 15 d4s, taking the total, and then doubling it. This gave us an average size of 74 points for each army. Each stand had a cost - Class 1/militia/conscript = 1 point per stand; Class 2 regulars = 2 points per stand; Class 3 grenadiers/elites = 3 points per stand and Class 4 guards at 4 points per stand. Infantry or cavalry did not matter. Artillery was allocated at 1 medium gun for every 6 units and 1 heavy gun for every 8 units. Generals were allocated at the rate of 1 per every 10 units and one of the generals had to be the C-in-C.
Our die rolls ranged from 74 to 90. (me!) Rob fought Martin, Andy faced Bear, and Derek and I squared off - all on more-or-less identical battle fields. (All photos are courtesy of Andy and Martin; I forgot my camera.)

A bird's eye view of the entire triple battlefield.
Derek and I are at the far end of the table and Bear, who unavoidably came late, is still setting up.

Looking the other way, Rob lays out more troops. Derek and I are already getting into it.

I can best report on my game since... well, I was there. Everyone reported that their battles were hard-fought affairs. Derek had me sweating quite a few times. The photo above shows the advance of my cavalry. This is what my 90 points got me:
     1st & 2nd battalions, Regiment Nurn (Class II regulars)
     1st & 2nd battalions, Regiment Luzerne (Class II)
     1st & 2nd battalions, Regiment Hoch und Deutschmeister (Class II)
     Dragoon Regiment Freedonia (Class II)
     Dragoon Regiment Shanton (Class II)
     Light Horse Regiment von Suppé (Class II)
     Pandour regiment Pavkovic (Class I irregular light infantry)
     The Slabovian Freikorps (Class I conscript line)
     1 8# artillery battery
     1 12# artillery battery
     Generals Radetz (CiC) and Flern
Derek had a mixed force of Frankenschweiner regulars, militia, and grenadiers with one dragoon regiment and two guns.
I advanced my cavalry fast and threw the Pandours into the woods on the right. The Freikorp went towards the left flank woods and did nothing all game. I marched my 6 battalion brigade of line infantry in line to meet Dereks advance. I threw my cavalry at his right flank - the light horse failed to charge his heavy gun (too tight of a space to fit in) and Shanton's dragoons hit Derek's line troops. When the dust cleared, two of his battalions were routed and the dragoons were reduced to one figure plus the attached general! When the light horse did charge, they hit his battalions in line and chased off two of them, hitting them a number of times as they ran. Meanwhile Derek's Frankenschweiner Dragoons hit my right hand line battalions and took two of them out, breaking them but not routing them. (Shear die roll luck!) 1st Nurn and 1st Luzerne took to their heels, with Derek capturing the flag of Nurn. 1 & 2 HuD had performed a left face and we heading to support the cavalry. The Pandours threatened Derek's left with a barrage of cat-calls and a harshly-worded letter to the editor. (They were out of range to fire.)
With four of Derek's line infantry battalions routed and his dragoons at half strength, he figured up his casualties at about 32%. He rolled for army withdrawal and came up with a withdrawal in good order. Gentleman that I am, I gave him terms, but my cavalry was down to half strength and two of my regular battalions were cut to pieces. We realised that Derek's medium cannon was out of range for the whole game and could do nothing.
On the other tables, Andy beat Bear in a close fight and Martin bashed Rob, but just barely!

Now more photos!

Bear's troops with artillery deployed.

Andy's opposing force. Note the Dragoons stage right and the light infantry stage left, ready to wheel out of the starting area box.

Derek's troops advance - Dragoons on the far flank with staggered lines of infantry

von Suppé's light horse nearest with Shanton and Freedonia dragoon regiments beyond. The Slabovians are having trouble keeping their footing on the hill.

Andy's troops meet Bear's in the heat of combat. Both used Andy's figures for the game.
Dinosaur? What dinosaur?

My infantry - Regiments Nurn, Luzerne, and Hoch und Deutschmeister in successive lines.
The Pavkovic Pandours advance toward the woods - the favourite place of light infantry!

Rob coaxes his Worchestershiresauceian force (using lots of Galefreyan Scots mercenaries) against Martin's Rationalians, including his naval landing party. (the square block of bases near the table edge. (Class I conscript mob)
You are not to ask why Rob is wearing a tie.

The satellite captures the action well.

A better view of the Worchestershiresaucian lines... including the fast-firing French 75 serving as a heavy gun.

There were times when we all were wondering what was going on.

As one of my units breaks, I make the baseball umpire's "They're outa there!" sign.

Andy's general has a pet! Welcome Mitzi!
(I was unable to resize this photo properly.)