BY FIRE AND SWORD: Wojnicz, 3.10.1655.

This year, I have focused my painting efforts on miniatures for the By Fire and Sword game, although we haven't actually played it for quite a while. To change that, I proposed a scenario set during the Swedish Deluge, specifically the Battle of Wojnicz on October 3, 1655. I relied heavily on Michał Paradowski's Against the Deluge, published by Helion, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in this phase of the Polish-Swedish wars.

SCENARIO: Bartek Żynda
UMPIRING: Bartek Żynda

SCENERY: Michael Schneider, Bartek Żynda, SESWC

FIGURES & MODELS: Bartek Żynda

1. Forces.

SWEDES

(Bartek)

King Charles Gustav (4 orders)

2 x Lt. Colonel (3 orders)

1 x Major (2 orders)

1 x Armoured Mercenary Reiters (S, Veterans)

2 x Armoured Mercenary Reiters (S)

4 x Mercenary Reiters (M, Veterans)

2 x Mercenary Reiters (M)

1 x Dragoons (S)

1 x Dragooned Musketeers (M)

POLISH-LITHUANIAN COMMONWEALTH

(Alasdair, David, Jimmy, Mike)

Field Hetman Lanckoroński (3 orders)

Colonel (3 orders)

2 x Rotamaster (2 orders)

1 x Husaria (M)

2 x Pancerni (S)

8 x Cossack Style Cavalry (M)

1 x Volunteers (S)

1 x Wallachian Cavalry (S)

1 x Polish Dragoons (S)

2. The Game.

Before we dive into the actual gameplay, let's take a moment to discuss the events leading up to this battle. Starting in 1648, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth became embroiled in a perpetual war after the Cossack uprising led by Bohdan Khmelnytsky. Neighbouring powers began to intervene in the civil conflict with the Cossacks. When Khmelnytsky sought support at Pereyaslav and placed himself under the protection of the Muscovite ruler, Russia entered the fray. Muscovite forces devastated Lithuania in 1654, and a Swedish invasion in 1655 soon followed, bringing the Commonwealth to the brink of collapse.

Swedish forces advanced through the territory, pushing Crown troops from north to south and engaging in several minor skirmishes along the way. By late September, the Swedish army had reached Kraków and laid siege to the city, defended by Stefan Czarniecki. Meanwhile, the disheartened Polish king retreated to his estates in Silesia. However, the Crown army—still intact—was gathering near Tarnów to march to Kraków's aid. Aware of this, Charles Gustav left part of his army at Kraków and set out with the rest, primarily cavalry, to confront the Polish forces. He engaged them northwest of Wojnicz, near the Dunajec River.

Jimmy commanded the Polish forces in this game, overseeing dragoons, Wallachians, and volunteers in the camp under his direct control. Alasdair led the right flank with one unit of Pancerni and three units of cossack-style cavalry. David held the centre with the Husaria and one unit of cossack-style cavalry, while Mike commanded the left flank with the remaining forces. I took command of the Swedes, influenced by the surprises the Swedes had in store for the Poles during this battle. I divided my forces into two groups, similar to the strategy used in the actual battle.

The situation started with mutual accusations and counter-accusations from both sides. As the overall commander, Jimmy issued guidelines to his subordinates, who then relayed orders to their respective units. I adopted a concept from the first edition: any order that didn't align with the guidelines required a supplemental order. The game was planned for six turns, with the primary objectives being the Polish camp and the ford across the Dunajec River.

Mike advanced on my left flank, where I had set up a Swedish-style ambush with dragoons and musketeers hidden in a small ravine. Interestingly, that ravine is now called "Swedish Ravine" and is home to a small housing development. I learned this while outlining the battlefield on Google Maps. Musket fire stopped the Polish units' charge, but it did not destroy them; subsequent Swedish charges did.

We found ourselves caught in an endless series of close-quarters battles between the two sides. Some of these encounters may have been resolved incorrectly—partly because we hadn't played with these rules in a long time, and also because I had prepared a game that was too large for a Thursday evening. Given its scale, I really should have scheduled it for a Sunday.

In the end, the Swedes inflicted greater losses on the Polish team and emerged victorious; however, we completed only three turns, and both sides still retained all their cards.

In reality, the Polish forces were defeated and fled the battlefield. In the days that followed, many commanders of the Crown army began defecting to the Swedish king in large numbers; before long, almost the entire Crown army had abandoned the Polish monarch. Kraków surrendered, and Stefan Czarniecki retreated to join the king in Silesia. Although the war seemed to be ending, it was only the beginning. Swedish plundering incited uprisings, and the following year the Crown army returned to support the Polish king. The war dragged on for several more years, devastating the Commonwealth and ultimately paving the way for its collapse in the late 18th century. This conflict continued until the Peace of Oliwa was concluded in 1660.

To conclude, I recommend a flyover of the battlefield:

3. Links.

SESWC:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/631841809210352

FLICKR:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720335988674

SONG ABOUT THE GAME:

https://suno.com/s/KuKUmzGSygiz1en3

BLACK POWDER. Germantown, 4.10.1777 - Western part.

This time, Michael has prepared a mini-campaign centred around the Battle of Germantown, which took place on October 4, 1777. However, he presents it in a slightly different format. This campaign follows a "what-if" style and breaks down the battle into three smaller engagements that occur simultaneously, each influencing the final, fourth clash. We will be using the Black Powder rules for the game, along with a few house rules created by Michael.

SCENARIO: Michael Schneider
UMPIRING: Michael Schneider

SCENERY: Michael Schneider, Bartek Żynda, SESWC

FIGURES & MODELS: Michael Schneider

1. Forces.

UNITED KINGDOM

(Alasdair, Jimmy)

CinC (8)

2 x Hessian Line

1 x Hessian Grenadiers

2 x Hessian Jaegers

1 x Medium Gun

POSSIBLE REINFORCEMENTS:

2 x Commander (8)

4 x British Line

UNITED STATES

(Bartek, David)

CinC (8)

1st Brigade

Brigade General (8)

3 x Militia

1 x Light Gun

2nd Brigade

Brigade General (8)

3 x Militia

POSSIBLE REINFORCEMENTS:

3 x Dragoons

2 x Light Guns

2. The game.

The main objective was for both sides to pin each other down, preventing reinforcements from reaching the forces engaged in the final major battle. I set an additional goal: to draw in as many British reserve units as possible, weakening the opponent for that final clash. Additionally, I could easily deploy a dragoon unit from the reserves; however, since Michael only had one painted unit, I was limited to fielding just that one. If it had broken through, it would have posed a significant problem for my opponent. 

I set up the table in the wrong orientation, aiding the British.

I was also concerned that the Hessians might retreat to their own table edge and wait for the militia to join them—a scenario that, combined with the Hessians' superior training, would have presented serious trouble for me. Fortunately, that did not happen.

The Hessians began the game marching in a column along the road, just as we did, but on the opposite side of a small stream. To prevent the enemy from retreating to the edge of the field, I ordered my troops (the 2nd Brigade) and David's troops (the 1st Brigade) to cross the stream and slowly advance against the Hessian units. My Brigade moved toward the woods where Jimmy's Jägers were concealed. At the same time, David faced a more challenging situation, as he had to confront two battalions of line infantry led by Alasdair. Meanwhile, the British divided their forces into two groups: the Grenadiers fell back to the edge of the field to cover the Jägers, while Alasdair advanced with the remaining troops toward David's Brigade.

After an initial exchange of fire, one of Alasdair's units charged at David's militia unit with fixed bayonets. What happened next was unbelievable: David's unit withstood the initial assault and, after a prolonged engagement, defeated the Hessian unit, completely routing it. Alasdair now found himself in a difficult situation; David advanced on the isolated commander with his remaining units, forcing him back toward the edge of the field. Dragoons also entered the fray but failed to engage. They first made a blunder that forced them to retreat, then botched a series of orders, which frustrated me.

At the same time, my Brigade charged the Jägers hidden in the woods. After a prolonged exchange of gunfire and a final charge by one of my militia units, I routed both enemy detachments. Now, two of my units moved toward the edge of the forest, threatening to cut the Hessian troops off from their own lines. Meanwhile, another unit advanced to support David in eliminating Alasdair. Alasdair.

Disrupted by our musket fire, Alasdair was slowly retreating toward the edge of his table and was forced to abandon his cannon. Eventually, a blunder exposed his flank to David's unit. What followed was a textbook example of battlefield chaos. First, David fired at point-blank range but inflicted no serious damage. Then he ordered his troops to charge the flank, but they did not understand. I issued the same order, and it failed just the same. Finally, I ordered the dragoons to cut Alasdair off from the edge, but again, the order was not carried out. I haven't seen a round like that in a long time.

Not everything went exactly as I had envisioned. My militia positioned at the edge of the woods prompted Jimmy to call for reinforcements, specifically a unit of British line infantry. While Alasdair's unit was lost and certainly cut off from the final game, the Hessian and British grenadiers could still participate. At that point, I decided to implement a "Death or Glory" style attack. My militia charged at the Hessians and engaged them in hand-to-hand combat. We didn't resolve the fight before the game ended, so all the units involved remained locked in that sector and couldn't participate in the final, decisive battle. The plan succeeded, and we achieved far more than we expected. We will play the next game in three weeks, this time north of Germantown. We shall see if Washington makes the same mistakes.

Here is an overview of the battlefield after we completed the game:

3. Links.

SESWC:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/631841809210352

FLICKR:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720335831520

SONG ABOUT THE GAME:

https://suno.com/s/PRPDeIFTsEfVIMpq

GODS OF WAR: TOGO. Santiago de Cuba, 3.07.1898.

My last game featured some newly painted models set in Santiago de Cuba during the Spanish-American War of 1898. In the actual battle, the Spanish fleet was decimated, while American losses were minimal. However, to make things more interesting, I gave the Spanish a fighting chance and adjusted the scenario slightly. You can read about how it all turned out in my battle report. We used Gods of War: Togo rules for the game. 

SCENARIO: Bartek Żynda
UMPIRING: Bartek Żynda

SCENERY: Michael Schneider, Bartek Żynda, SESWC

FIGURES & MODELS: Bartek Żynda

1. Forces.

US NAVY

(Andy, Tim) 

USS Vixen

USS Brooklyn (flagship)

USS Texas

USS Iowa

USS Oregon

USS Indiana

USS Gloucester

ARMADA ESPAÑOLA

(Alasdair, David, Jimmy)

Infanta María Teresa

Vizcaya

Cristóbal Colón

Almirante Oquendo

Furor, Plutón

Morro Castle battery (2 x Ordóñez 305 mm) 

Before the game, Jimmy, portraying Vice Admiral Cervera, received a secret telegram about the arrival of reinforcements. Here is its content:

URGENT TELEGRAM — MADRID

3 JULY 1898

TO: VICE-ADMIRAL CERVERA, SANTIAGO DE CUBA

REAR ADMIRAL CÁMARA, WITH PELAYO AND EMPERADOR CARLOS V, WILL APPROACH SANTIAGO TODAY.

YOU ARE ORDERED TO PUT TO SEA IMMEDIATELY AND JOIN CÁMARA'S SQUADRON.

THEREAFTER, BOTH SQUADRONS ARE TO BREAK THROUGH THE ENEMY BLOCKADE, LEAVE CUBAN WATERS, MINIMISE LOSSES AND HARASS UNITED STATES COMMERCIAL SHIPPING AND TRADE ROUTES.

AVOID UNNECESSARY ENGAGEMENTS WITH SUPERIOR ENEMY FORCES. PRESERVE THE SQUADRONS FOR FURTHER OPERATIONS.

DO NOT DELAY.

BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY OF MARINE.

From Turn 2, roll a D6. On a 6, it appears in the centre of the opposite table edge. If not, on Turn 3 it appears on a 5 or 6, and so on. 

2. The Game.

The forces were evenly matched. The Spanish began to gradually exit the strait leading to Santiago; however, despite my warnings, they failed to maintain proper spacing—an oversight that would soon prove costly. As they slowly cleared the channel, the Americans opened fire on the Spanish ships. Vice Admiral Cervera's flagship, the Infanta María Teresa, was the first target. She quickly suffered significant damage; one shell struck the rudder, causing the ship—still moving at full speed—to veer toward the Cuban coast and the rocky shoreline.

As early as the second turn, Admiral Câmara's squadron, under my command, appeared at the centre of the battlefield. We opened fire on the American ships, specifically targeting the USS Brooklyn and the USS Vixen. While our attacks successfully ignited a fire on the American yacht, the shells fired at the American cruiser only stripped away its paint, causing no significant damage.

The Spanish ships moved into open waters, gradually closing the distance to the American vessels. An exchange of fire quickly broke out between the Spanish torpedo boats and the second American yacht, the USS Gloucester. In the actual battle, the American ship sank both torpedo boats. However, in our version, the outcome was different—the USS Gloucester was the first vessel to be sunk in the engagement. This initial success made it appear that things were looking promising for the Spanish. But that was only an illusion.

Insufficient spacing and uncoordinated movement began to hinder the Spanish fleet. The Cristóbal Colón, commanded by Alasdair, turned to starboard and rammed the Vizcaya, commanded by David, which was positioned to its right, causing the latter to sink. This incident was just the beginning of the tragedy.

The American ships advanced decisively, throwing the Spanish fleet into disarray. With their superior capabilities, the Americans quickly gained the upper hand. They began by sinking the Spanish torpedo boats, then redirected their fire at the Spanish cruisers, causing fires and flooding. The situation soon became critical for the Spanish.

The USS Indiana tried to ram the Almirante Oquendo, but the Spanish ship miraculously avoided the manoeuvre. Unfortunately, it ended up directly in the line of fire of the American battleship's guns. The outcome was inevitable, and yet another Spanish ship sank.

Alasdair then continued his ramming exploits with the cruiser Cristóbal Colón. He first attempted to ram the USS Indiana, but the American ship evaded the Spanish vessel; however, the manoeuvre that failed against the USS Indiana succeeded against the USS Iowa. The American ship miraculously avoided sinking, while the Spanish vessel remained afloat.

Meanwhile, the duel between my squadron and the American left flank continued. Although my shells failed to inflict significant damage on the American ships, their fire eventually found my flagship. The Pelayo took a torpedo hit, causing a hull breach and uncontrollable flooding; ultimately, the ship capsized to starboard and sank. The other Spanish vessels remained afloat—the Infanta Maria Teresa managed to repair her rudder—but the combat damage she sustained was severe enough that she would likely have been forced to do what happened in reality: run aground on the rocks. As for the Cristóbal Colón, American battleships surrounded it and would have forced it to surrender or sunk it in subsequent turns. The only vessel that would have surely escaped the battlefield was the Emperador Carlos V. As a result, the battle ended in an even greater defeat for the Spanish fleet, though this time the American losses were significant: one ship was sunk and another, the USS Iowa, was heavily damaged.

3. Links.

SESWC:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/631841809210352

FLICKR:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720335704892

SONG ABOUT THE GAME:

https://suno.com/s/P7zi0QSItFdtsUKM