More, Better Photos of the Retreat Game

My friend Alan took these photos with his digital camera. They came out much better than the ones I took with my phone. He also was able to take photos throughout the game, while I only took them at the beginning and end. Enjoy!

Retreat From Moscow Game in 54mm

I ran a French retreat from Moscow game at my local club last weekend. I was inspired by Conrad Kinch's article in the November issue of Miniature Wargames magazine called: The Weather Outside is Frightful. Due to my slow painting speed and, even with help from a friend who painted two Russian units, I was only able to field 6 figure foot and 4 figure mounted units, half the recommended size for the rules I used, which were The Men Who Would Be Kings. The small, brittle units made for a fast, deadly game and we were able to play ten moves in two hours. The object of the game was for the French to cross the table with their two wagon loads of wounded, supplies and loot. The French force consisted of two units of cavalry, two units of Guard (Old and Young), one unit of line infantry, one unit of dismounted cavalry and a headquarters unit that included a Cantinière and Marshal Ney. The Russian force consisted of two units of mounted Cossacks, one unit of foot Cossacks, one unit of Partisans, one unit of Jaegers, one unit of Militia and one unit of Grenadiers. Since the Russians were short one mounted unit, they were allowed to recycle one unit of mounted Cossacks after it was destroyed. The Russians were deployed using a randomized dice roll, which had surprising results.

With the small sized units, the game resembled a game of chess with a unit only surviving a short time once it attacked the enemy. The French were able to make it only 2/3 of the way across the table before coming up against a blocking force of all three regular Russian foot units which stopped their progress.

I plan to add more figures to bring the number of figures for each foot unit up to nine and cavalry up to six. I might try it again using "About Bonaparte" even though it is really a skirmish game.

Gaugamela 331 BC in 54mm

My godchild (well child he has become 27) asked for his birthday to have friends invited for a battle of Greeks vs Persians. With the help in figures of Steven and Ronny, we were able to stage the battle of Gaugamela: 

The final battle of Alexander III of Macedon, 

against  Darius III of Persia

A vast number of Persian soldiers, allies, and Greek mercenaries. 

Against the seasoned army of Alexander.

Players and OOB

Persians : 

Right flank : Niel  10 units of light cavalry, 2 units of light infantry, 1 scythed chariot

Right center : Steven 5 units of Greek mercenary hoplites (heavy - veteran), 8 units of light infantry

Left center (including Darius) : Ronny : immortals 1 unit ( light - elite), 1 war elephant, 1 unit heavy cavalry, 1 unit medium cavalry,1 guard unit ( medium - veteran), 6 units of light infantry, 3 scythed chariots 

Left flank: Alwin: 7 units of light infantry, 3 of light cavalry, 1 of medium cavalry.

Macedon - Greeks (all veteran unless mentioned otherwise):

right flank : Alberik : 2 units medium calvalry, 4 units of hoplites

Right center (including Alexander) : Kristof :  3 unit of companions (elite heavy impact) Alexander must be always be attched to  one of the units, but can only be killed with the throw of 2 flags.

3 units of hypospists (heavy elite infantry) 3 units light infantry

Left center : Noémie: 6 units af phalanx, 5 hoplite units (heavy infantry)

Left: Dirk (me) 2 units of medium cavalry, 2 units of heavy cavalry, 3 units light infantry, 2 units medium infantry, 2 hoplite units (heavy infantry).

With the Greek positioned more to the right, the left flank faced almost both of the Persian right and center right. 

The first turn, the skirmish infantry in front of Alexanders' elite troops were send forward to haras the chariots, with no other movement on th greek side. The greek bowmen inflicted one loss.

The Persian response was to send forward the scythed chariots, which were on the Greek center held up by the skirmishers, on the left, they did hit the heavy cavalry only inflicting one loss.

Alexander and his companions continued, hitting hard, cavalry and infantry , joint tHe next turn by the hypospists, and the first unit of phalaxes.

Companions, hypospists and phalanxes unstopable advance.

Agressive Greeks also on the lift flank, keeping most of the Persian right flank pinned at the rear.

But the masses of light cavalry started to ount.

The Persian light infantry no match for the phalanx in the center.

desperate, Darius moved his chariot to the rear.

Alexander closing in on Darius

Darius ordered his elephant unit towards the critical point.

While also on the right, the Greeks were pushing the Persian infantry of table.

Greek left flank under more and more pressure.

The immortals now in a desperate fight with the phalanx.

While the immortals were decimated, the elephant units did hit the unit of Alaxanders companions.

To relfect Alexanders fortune, he could only be eliminated with the trow of a double flag, 1 chance out of 36....which Ronny did throw...

Alexander killed by the elephants.

Hisotry turned upside town, the Greeks without leader...

The Persian army snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

A great and fun game of two hours of play with an unexpected result.