Guns of August: 1918 Scenario.

It has been over two years since we last played Guns of August. It was great to revisit the game and use the boards and miniatures that Michael had prepared. This time, at my suggestion, we decided to play the 1918 scenario. By then, Russia had already been eliminated from the game, the United States had just entered the war, and they could finally deploy tanks and aircraft on a massive scale. The game promised to be truly exciting.

1. Forces.

We played a 3-on-3 game. In our team, the Entente, Mike represented the British and Americans, I took on the role of the French, and Jimmy commanded the Italians and managing operations in Greece. On the opposing team, Ben played the Bulgarians and Turks, David represented the Austro-Hungarians, and Michael portrayed the Germans.

2. The game.

We played through five months, from January to May 1918. During this time, the Central Powers achieved some success on the Greek front, but that was about it. On the Italian and Western fronts, the Entente began to see gradual successes. The Italians managed to cut off the Austro-Hungarians from Switzerland and initiated the encirclement of Trieste. In the west, the British and Americans advanced into Belgium and started attempts to capture Antwerp. Although these attempts had not yet succeeded, the Entente's advantage was becoming increasingly apparent. The French also launched an attack in the centre of the front and moved closer to Metz.

However, the most significant event was the Royal Navy's invasion of the Baltic Sea. At a tremendous cost in terms of losses, the British defeated the German fleet and took control of the Baltic Sea. This victory allowed the US Navy to enter the area, land troops, and capture Danzig. In response, the Germans contemplated ending their occupation of Russian territories, but such a decision could have led to their ultimate defeat. Ultimately, they chose not to take this step, and the game concluded with a narrow victory for the Entente.

3. Links.

SESWC:

https://www.facebook.com/Seswc.co.uk/posts/1102295478594449

FLICKR: 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720330447237

By Fire and Sword: Kircholm 1605.

Sometimes, we come up with ideas that seem fundamentally impossible to achieve. However, with a bit of perseverance and some outside help, these ideas can become a reality. That's exactly what happened with this game. Initially, I announced that I would organise a game of By Fire and Sword, originally intended to be a Task Force-level game. Over time, the concept evolved into an attempt to recreate a historical battle. Given that we recently celebrated the anniversary of one of our greatest military victories—a significant milestone—it was only fitting to focus on the Battle of Kircholm (17.09.1605)!

SCENARIO: Bartek Żynda
UMPIRING: Bartek Żynda

SCENERY: Michael Schneider, Bartek Żynda, SESWC

FIGURES & MODELS: Neil Danskin, Bartek Żynda

1. Forces.

KINGDOM OF SWEDEN

(Bartek)

King Charles IX (###)

First Line, Infantry

Lennartsson (##)

2 x Swedish National Infantry (M, Regimental Cannons)

2 x Swedish National Infantry (M)

2 x Mercenary Infantry (M)

Second Line, Cavalry

Right Flank

Mansfield (##)

2 x Swedish National Cavalry (M)

1 x Mercenary Reiters (S)

Left Flank

Brandt (##)

2 x Swedish National Cavalry (M)

1 x Mercenary Reiters (S)

Third Line, Infantry

Prince of Luneburg (##)

2 x Swedish National Infantry (M)

2 x Muskeeter Squadron (S, Regimental Cannon)

2 x Muskeeter Squadron (S)

Fourth Line, Cavalry

1 x Swedish National Cavalry (M)

4 x Mercenary Reiters (S)

POLISH-LITHUANIAN COMMONWEALTH, DUCHY OF COURLAND

(David, Neil, Michael)

Left Flank

Tomasz Dąbrowa (##)

2 x Husaria (S)

1 x Mercenary Reiters (S)

1 x Cossack Style Cavalry

Centre

Prince Friderick

1 x Husaria (M)

1 x Husaria (S)

1 x Armoured Mercenary Reiters (S)

1 x Haiduks (M, Regimental Cannon)

2 x Haiduks (S)

Right Flank

Jan Sapieha (##)

1 x Husaria (M)

1 x Petyhorcy with Lances (S)

1 x Cossack Style Cavalry (S)

Second Line

Jan Karol Chodkiewicz (####)

1 x Volunteers (S)

1 x Tatar Cavalry (S)

Camp

2. The Game.

The game started with a preliminary round. First, the Swedish player tested his frontline infantry's reaction to Chodkiewicz's feigned retreat. Each unit was required to take a skill test. If a unit failed the test, the soldiers were ordered to manoeuvre and move towards the camp in a double movement. Commanders had the option to intervene and override this order. Ultimately, I only failed one order, so the entire line moved forward together with the second line cavalry. Ouch!

Now the Polish-Lithuanian-Curland forces could issue orders to their troops. David commanded the right wing, Michael led the left, and Neil held the centre, also taking on the role of Hetman Chodkiewicz. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth forces charged at the unprepared Swedish troops.

The Husaria initiated the charge, inflicting significant damage that resulted in the loss of four Swedish infantry units within the first two turns. Soon after, the Lithuanians engaged with the Swedish cavalry. Although the cavalry attempted to counter the charge, they were ultimately forced to retreat under the relentless assault. The charge persisted without interruption.

During the heat of battle, remnants of the Swedish infantry attempted to assassinate Jan Sapieha but were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, the Lithuanians began to ascend the hill occupied by the third and fourth lines of Swedish positions. The Swedish infantry's cannons and muskets made their presence known, decimating two large units of Husaria. However, as the battle progressed, additional lines of Lithuanians managed to reach the Swedish positions. In the chaos, the Earl of Mansfield was killed, causing Swedish morale to collapse. This marked the beginning of the retreat for the Swedish forces.

The Lithuanians required five turns to secure victory in the battle, mirroring the timeline of the historical event. However, their losses were significantly higher than those recorded in reality, with a substantial number of Husaria being defeated. During the game, the Polish-Lithuanian side had the option to utilise their camp. By issuing a Rally order, if their units were within a double march of the camp and no enemy units stood between them and the camp, these units could replenish their lances, particularly for the Husaria and Petyhorcy. Nonetheless, they didn't need to do so.

I created the game unit setup based on the work of Mariusz Balcerek: "Armie walczące pod Kircholmem w 1605 roku", published on Academia.edu, sent to me by Michał Paradowski. Thank you very much!

3. Links.

ORIGINAL BATTLE ON WIKIPEDIA:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kircholm

SESWC:

https://www.facebook.com/Seswc.co.uk/posts/1102295478594449

FLICKR: 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720330306248

Eldritch Horror: The time was crucial!

As October transitions into November, it’s time for the annual Halloween game of Eldritch Horror, organised by Alasdair. Last time, we saved the world, but this time, I was chosen as the Lead Investigator. I quickly realised that running the game effectively requires at least a basic understanding of how to play. It took me some time to get the hang of it, and by the end of the game, I was managing a large number of Investigators. Unfortunately, the time I lost at the beginning proved to be crucial. We only managed to solve one mystery; another was still in progress, one Investigator died, and evil lurked somewhere, ready to strike. This time, we weren’t able to finish the game. Maybe we’ll be able to complete it next time.

© SESWC

Links.

SESWC:

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

FLICKR:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720330170694/