Friday Night Games - The Gotlland Campaign of 1351 in 6mm

Friday 27th June was the final week of Steve's epic recreation of the Gotland Campaign in 6mm. Steve acted as umpire, using his own rules and figure collection.

Playing were Dave & Rupert commanding the plucky Gotlanders against Mat & John who commanded the Danish forces.

Danish attacks comig in from top right. Gotlanders bottom left

The Danes push across the previously defended river to further press the Gotlanders

Gotland reserves coming up to help out

Friday Night Games: Gotland Campaign 1361- Melee at Ajmund's Bridge

Friday 17th January saw us all at Mike N's venue to take sides in Steve's 6mm game that saw Danes and their German mercenaries face off against an inexperienced and quickly gathered together Swedish force.

This was the first in 2 or 3 linked Games in his Gotland Campaign.

The Danish Main Battle deployed on the field

Commanding the Danes where Mat, Mike W and Phil, whilst the Swedes were lead by Dave, Mark, Rupert and Mike N.

The Danes opted to attack using their Vanguard and Main Battles, whilst Phil lead the Rearguard to explore, looking for an alternative crossing point. This would lead to their ultimate downfall.

The Vanguard attacked to the right of the destroyed bridge, the Main Battle took the left. After much manoeuvring the Vangard crossed the river ravine and routed a Swedish unit. They were re-enforced by a second unit across the ravine and then by units of the Main Bartle crossing the ravine  one via the wrecked bride and road.

The Danish Vanguard, deployed and ready to go!

The following is taken from Steve's official Battle Report.

"As soon as the Danes reached the steep river banks this was when their problems started. They soon found that the banks were slick under foot with many a Dane falling on his back whilst trying to make his way down to the river. 

Waist deep in the freezing water the river made movement even more difficult and the cold soon froze many a goodly bollock dagger. The opposite bank was even worst with the Danes slipping back towards the river whilst trying to get a foothold in order to climb up the muddy slopes. Those that made it to the top were soon met by the ferocious charges of the Gotland farmers many of who turned out to be well armed local Leidang militia, albeit wearing outdated and aged armour. 

The Danish Van & Main Battles approach the defended river ravine.

On the opposing river banks a goodly exchange of fire was maintained by the German, Danish and Swedish crossbowmen with the Swedes coming off slightly worst. After a long days fight it became obvious to King Valdermar that the attack was untenable and would cost far too many lives considering the limited resources that he had brought with him even though those troops that had made contact with the enemy had bested them in hand to hand combat which eventually saw the expulsion of a unit of Swedes who fled for home. 

Fighting between the Danish Main Battle and the Swedish defenders across the river ravine

So sounding the retreat Valdermar’s troops turned their backs on the enemy and made their way back toward the river. Even then the trauma was not over for the Danes. Whilst trying to get back to their own lines they found that the river bank that they had just slid down was also as difficult to get back up. With crossbow bolts whizzing past their ears and sometimes passing through their sallets the Danes desperately tried to reach the top of the bank and it wasn’t until the Swedes became bored with their prey that the Danes finally got some respite. 

Fighting by both Vanguard and Main Battles across the ravine

Even though the Swedes couldn’t be bothered to shoot any more they still hurled insults at the Danes and continually Jibed and guffawed especially at those who repeatedly slid back into the mud until the last of the now humiliated mercenaries eventually reached the top.

The day was over and as the sun began to set both sides licked their wounds and bivouacked on their respective sides of the river. The Swedes had held tthefirldand the Danes retired to lick their wounds".....

The Vanguard beats a retreat back up and out of the ravine whlist being pelted with Swedish missle fire!

Friday Night Games: Formosa Campaign - 2nd Battle of Heng Chun

Played on the evening of Friday 12th July, this was one of Mat's Formosan Campaign Games which saw the sneaky Japanese return to the port and city if Heng Chun, with a fresh Division under the command of Phil San.

The game was in teeny tiny 6mm scale, with Mat as umpire, using his own rules and with Mike W & Phil playing the Japanese and with Mike N, playing the Formosan defenders assisted by Dave and Steve. We had a camero appearance form Graham, before he was called away on urgent matters!

The battlefield, Japanese entering rmo bottom of the table
and the Formosans defending the city and lands around.

Unsurprisingly, Phil employed 'edge of world' tactics to successfully attack and seize the city of Hung Chen, with his vetran division, fresh from the boats as they arrived from Korea. As such the initial deployment of the troops was on the centre and right tiles of the table and the army attacked along the flank, to the right of the river.

In an audacious move the Japanese blew the bridge on their left flank to secure themselves form any potential flanking attack and began a Naval bombardment of the outer city defences.

A revisit to the Buddish Temple at Heng Chun

Ultimately the Japanese took the city, after several assaults that were ablely defended by the Formosan Black Army units. Eventually, however, the encircling Japanese units eventually reached sections of  the walls that were not defended and they surged into the city.

The walled city of Heng Chun

The Umpire reports that the Japanese took quite heavy casualties, but in taking the city they have released 1,000 captive Imperial Guards and captured about 2,000 enemy.

Japanese troops poor accross the bridge to attack the City Gates,
only to be surprise by infernal French Machine guns

Part of the problem the Japanese faced was the enemy had unexpectedly been supplied with machine guns by the French. By good fortune  the Japanese Naval force that landed the Infantry, Artilery & Cavalry were able to impounded the French freighter and crew, who supplied said MGs.

The encircement begins

The  Japanese will no doubt will exploit this diplomatic gaff by the French at the highest levels, to gain leverage with ongoing international treaty negotiations.

By the time the Japanese had encircled the city,
it was all over for the formosan defenders, which surrendered en masse.

Friday Night Games: Formosa Campaign - Battle of Heng Chun

Friday 17th May saw the fighting of another battle in Mat's Formosan Campaign. The game was hosted at Rupert's and 6mn figures and rules supplied by Mat. Mike W & Phil played the Japanese whilst Steve, Rupert, Mike N & Dave commanded the Formosan

Elements of the Japanesr Imperial Guard lended some 10km north of  Heng Chung and marched south to conduct a raid in strength to take out the defensive batteries some 3km north of the City.

An initial strong bombardment of the fortifications knocked out one of the two defensive batteries and the second battery wss neutralised relatively quickly there after.

Port facilities near Heng Chung,
were quickly apprpriated by the Japanese forces

Nearby Temple at Heng Chung

Coastal Battery at Heng Chung,
with elements of the Japanaese Navy offshore

A view of the battlefield,
with the walled city of Heng Chung uin the disatnce

As assaults on the now defined battery were being prepared, a Formosan relief column arrive from the north, presumeably originating from eth ecntral city of Tai-Pai, consisting of fanatical 'Black Flag' units.

As they marched on to the table, much to the surprise of the Japanese, the were in turn quickly surprised by one of the assault columns taking cover on the woods to the Formosan's immediate right.

In the ensuing firefight, the lead Firmosan unit broke and ran, but a second fuselage from ghe Japanese failed to score any hits and allowed the Formosans to slowly turn and engage their enemy on the flank

The resulting struggle carried on throughout the rest of the game, despite domd Japanese successes, weight of numbers told and gge Japanese where gradually pushed back go the beaches north of the fort and fge safety of the Jaosbese fleet that controlled the area.

Close up of the city of Heng Chung,
with rice fields in the foreground

Japanese Imperial Guards deployed at start of the game

and from another angle

Japanese command and field artillery deployed on a hill
overlooking the Heng Chung coastal batteries

Close-up of the Japanes forces

Meanwhile the second Japanese assault column executed their orders effectively, reaching the fort and assaulting the wall.

After a bit of a struggle the Japanese took the fort, after ghe hilarious sacrifice of the assault columns commander who fell on reaching the top of the walls.

The defending Formosan battalion was captured and upon leaving the fort the Japanese forces blew the forts magazine.

Action unfolds - Formosan Back Flag units advance south (right to left)  down either side of the road.
Japanese forces deployed in the treeline, at top of photo have fired on the Formosan flank, breaking one unit, other units start to deploy against them.
At bottom of photo can be seen Formosan units advancing through rocks and trees towards the Temple complex.

Formosan units finally burst out of the city to advance along the road to attack Japanese troops

Other Imperisl Guards units had a struggle to escape the table as a Formosan column burst forth from the city at unexpected speed, nor displayed by any other unit earlier in the game.

Despite Phil's command shooting out the head of this column the wangled a dice roll to save their morale, enabling them to press further forwards.

As the umpire called a day on the fighting  a number of Japanese units were in danger of capture.

A strategic success for the Formosans it was a costly tactical success for the Japanese yo eliminate the fort.

The bigger picture of the Formosan counter attack emerging from Heng Chung

Formosans push the Japanese artillery and ciommand units off their hill

Japanes forces pinned by Formosan units emerging from Heng Chung and Mike N's
Black Flag units arriving form the north.

The 'meat-grinder' of the battle raged most of the eveneing with the Japanese gradually giving ground as they slipped west to the landing beaches

Japanese Assault Column No.2, successfully takes the Heng Chung Battery,
capturing the entire garrison

Japanese Imperial Guard command, successfully leads the break out units heading for the Heng Chung beach head.

Even at this 6mm scale we can see the embarrassment on the commander's face!

Friday Night Games - Formosan Campaign, the Relief of Ke Lang

Photos by Steve, Words by Mat, with additioanl material from Mike W.

Friday 9th May saw the playing out of a battle in Mat Toy's ongoing Formosa Campaign. An Imperial Japanese force of combined infantry & cavalry were marching on Ke Lang to relieve a seige that was being enforced by a largely mounted rebel Formosan force.

The Japanese relief force marching to Ke Lang engaged with a major Formosan cavalry army on the relatively open undulating land to the west of the besieged City.

Marching in column the three battalions of Japanese Imperial Guard foot were guarded professionally by 7 squadrons of cavalry to the front, flanks and rear. As the column advanced towards a small town nestled between low hills two of the lead cavalry squadrons dismounted to provide fire cover to flanks as lead squadron advanced on the town, this revealed Formosan Heavy horse in large numbers on both flanks obscured by the topography.

The Formosan commander ordered a full attack and 2000 mixed heavy and light horse converged on the lead Japanese elements who were caught mainly on foot. Luckily for the Japanese the bulk of the Formosan horse was cautious to advance too quickly and stout musketry by dismounted squadron on the left flank kept the chargers at bay. However more bold elements of the Chinese horse caught the advanced squadron of Jap horse in the rear as they tried to retreat back to the protection of the infantry. A rolling melee developed to the front and right flank where Formosan numbers started to tell and the Japanese were pushed back.

On the left, where good carbine fire had held off the initial charge, the Japanese mounted up just in time to be hit by a second charge. Stiff fighting held the line for a few minutes before again the Japanese horse were outnumbered and collapsed.

The delay caused to the Formosans by the outnumbered Jap cavalry and the Chinese initial caution allowed the Jap infantry to form lines and start a steady rifle fire on the sweeping ranks of Formosan horse. Japanese reserve squadrons were thrown into the melees as Formosan militia foot appeared on high ground to the right flank and exchanged long range fire with the Japanese .

By now the Japanese horse was in full flight. Two squadrons annihilated and three others routing. Seeing a well formed infantry defence the Formosans disengaged, taking steady rifle fire as they rode from the scene.

The Chinese undoubtedly had the better of the cavalry fight and left many dead Japanese on the field. But, the Japanese relief column remained in the field and can continue its advance to Ke Lang.

Overall, enough for both sides to claim some sort of victory!

Japanese Invasion of Formosa, 1895

 This was a test game put on by Mat, using his new 6mm figures, to wargame an interestingly niche period - the 1895 Japanese Invasion od Formosa.

A contemporary illustration of the Storming of the Baga Battery!

The photos and comentary by Mat tell the story of the game.

Walled city of Chuahan blocking the two river crossings and strongly held by Formosans, supported by a strong emplacer battery on the right flank of the city.

Overnght, Japanese troops force a river crossing upstream and develop a flaning attack,
bypassing the city's defences

Stiff fighting around the Bagua Battery eventually wen the day for the Japanese, as Formosan gunners held on until overwealmed by storming parties and focussed Japanese counter-battery fire.

Formosan troops defeated on the flank, stream back to the city and melt into the civilian poplation as a counter-attack using reserves develops..

6mm Balkan Wars - Battle of Sarantaporo. 9-10th October 1912

Friday 29th Sepember saw us all at Mike N's place playing as either Greeks or Turks in the First Balkans War, Battle of Sarantapor.

Mat  John & Mark lined up on the Turkish side  defending their positions  - whilst Mike N, Mike W, Steve & Rupert played the Greeks, attacking with six divisions.

At the time, in 1912, the Greeks and Turks did not have a brigade structure. A division was made up with 3 regiments, each of 3 (or 4) battalions, a base being a battalion. A base of guns anything up to 12 real pieces. A base of cavalry is two squadrons (4 squadrons to a regiment).

A base of machine guns is a section of about 4 guns, there were not as many as in WW1!

As for ground scale, 300 yds = 1", 6" to a mile, so 6ft is 12 miles, 8ft is 16 miles...hence the title Bloody Big Battles.

Some of the scenarios have an even greater ground scale, ie 1" = 500 yds plus, with 5 or more bases equalling a division.

Rules used where "Bloody Big Battles'.

Pictures below show week one.

Two Greek Infantry Divisions, each of 3 x Regiments of 3 Battalions, plus Artillery, MG & Command Stand.
Also a third division of  2 x Regiments of 3 Battalions, and a Light Infantry Regiment of 2 x Battalions plus Artillery, MG & Command Stand

 Close-up of the Greek Artillery models.
6mm gear, showing a fores & limber plus a deployed Field Gun. (French 7mm Field Gun)

 Close-up of  a Greek Infantry regiment with each base representing a battalion.

A Greek Infantry division, deployed, with two regiments in the attack line with one in reserve. Ahead are deployed the Greek Light Division, with two Light Infantry Regiments screening the Infantry Division to their rear.

The right and centre of the tabletop, from Greek perspective, all terrain is hard going and you can see a couple of passes in the teraain in the mid background.

Week Two. we had a change in the Turkish leadership with, only Mark remaining form Week One and John & Mat having to drop out and being replaced by Nigel.

Turkish Infantry Battalion

A view along the Turkish lines at he start of Week Two