Field of Glory Renaissance in Slimbridge, at Wallenstein 2011

I didn't record the lists at this event, but with only 700 AP on table you can probably work them out. I had opted to take Wallenstein's army, aided by the presence of a Wallenstein figure from Warlord Games as my CinC

Day 1 and I'm facing a small Swedish army made up of very big figures. This is the first time I've used 25mm figures in a competition in close on 30 years, so simply getting the chaps out on the table is enough of an excitement, but to be able to push them around and roll dice as well is remarkable. Luckily the terrain fell to make the table narrower, so the small number of units on both sides didn't really matter that much. It was an obvious battleground in which my Germans would await the Swedish onslaught

The German's three units of Kurassiers were ganging up on the left, hoping to overwhem the rather smaller Swedish mounted arm. If they could distract a Swedish Brigade as well on the way all the better

Elsewhere the game was very much one of waiting, and allowing the German artillery to have a good crack at the Swedes at they advanced

A smattering of excitement came in the form of the 3-strong German dragoon unit, who in the top right of the shot can be seen rushing forward and harassing the flanks of the enemy army almost immediately

Their sniping was an irritant to the Swedish artillery park, and caused a unit of Swedish Horse to come over to chase them away

As the German Horse advanced, as Swedish Brigade could not but help wheeling round (slowly, in 25mm!) to threaten them as they rushed past

Can you guess which of these German units is Average and which are Superior here?

The Swedes were in a bit of a traffic jam, but still their shooting managed to chip off a base of Kurassiers. Exactly what Wallenstein didn't want - although with all three units on one flank there was still superiority of numbers in the German's favour

The face of the battle was becoming clear as the Swedes marched bravely into the valley of shooting-based death that the Germans were hoping to lay down.

The German Horse had been forced to respond to the Swedish infantry peeling off to face them, and whilst a unit of Determined Horse and some Commanded shotte faced off against a similar Swedish combination, more Kurassiers wheeled inwards, as everyone struggled to make space on the table for these enormous bases and figures. (The German Commanded shotte look rather like a lone Dragoon, but as I was providing 2 armies at the comp, there is a limit to how many 25mm figures you can own!)

The Kurassiers who had lost a base were now hopelessly trapped against the front of a Swedish Pike and Shotte unit, however that was keeping the Swedes out of the attack on the German infantry for a while - it also opened up a gap behind the Swedish foote and exposed their rather hapless Karbinyattere to the third German Kurassier formation, who seeing a juicy target rushed forward

Despite prolonged artillery fire, the Swedes had only lost one base so far. Not good.

Not giving a monkeys about the POA's, the Swedes charged in against the rather surprised German Curassiers.

The Swedish Commanded Shotte had attempted to skulk off, but this merely gave an opportunity for the German Kurassier to charge home. A quick win could see the Swedish foote looking rather foolish

2 markers for the Swedes, and one for the German Horse - all good. But what's happening with the battle against the Karabinyattere? The Unarmoured Carbine-armed Swedes have fragmented the German Kurassiers and knocked off a base in the first 2 rounds of fighting. That's not supposed to happen!

The Kurassiers break and run, leaving the Karabinyattere rather shellshocked by the scale and speed of their victory.

Simultaneously, a second unit facing the Swedish Infantry is also destroyed and leaves the fray. The overweight flank attack with 3 units of Kurassier is not looking that clever

Finally some upside for the Germans, as proving the value of metal figures over plastics a unit of 1st Corps Horse (who are actually Swedes - but shhhh, don't tell anyone!) break their opponents and career into the isolated Commanded Shotte. That might yet be 2 units each... and that Swedish army is only 9-strong after all.

Sustained shooting is starting to whittle away the Swedish line - the unit nearest the camera has lost 2 pike bases, and the middle unit has lost one. The Germans start to hope...

Although some of them have less hope than others....

As the German Kurassier plough onwards over the top of the enemy Commanded Shotte, the rather too competent Karabinyattere decide they can take on the now-equally-isolated German Commanded Shotte. Immediately a Fragmented marker (casulaties from Perry Miniatures) sprouts

The German Shotte break and flee, leaving the Kurassiers dangerously exposed.

The first Swedish Brigade gets ready to charge home - 2 bases down, but still very dangerous, especially against a German unit with similar base losses and a DISR marker already

The Germans take up the Last Refuge of The Incompetent - they form a somewhat unconvincing 3-base Square to try and delay the inevitable

Two Swedish units charge home, and a desparate struggle ensures - but in the distance the Kurassiers are returning, fresh from despatching the Swedish Karabinyattere in short order no doubt

The Swedes lose another unit as one of the foote units drops below a somewhat unsustainable 2 bases somehow. The 9-strong Swedish army is broken !

The Result is a decisive victory for Wallenstein and his men

Post Match Summary

Marvellous stuff from my brave chaps today. The Horse ran their socks off and although they didn't all get the rub of the green but they all gave 110% and we ran out deserved winners in the end

In many ways it was a game of 2 halves, and I must admit to being sick as a parrot when the Karabinyattere did for my Kurassiers. But, you always seem to fight harder with one unit down, and we dug deep and proved we had the mental strength to pull through

I'm therefore very satisfied with the result which leaves us in a good place for the next round. You never win the competitionin the first round but it;s always good to get the points on the board early doors

Our name is in the hat for the next round and its a results business after all

Hannibal's Post Match Analysis

Hannibal Reply 1

Oh, buffonery and chicanery, as you stagger to victory that is as undeserved as it is unexpected.

Really you won by the simple expedient of ha ing more units than the enemy, losing as you did almost as many as he, but then again, many great Captains have won by having more men than their opponents. Logistics is clearly a stronger suit for you than generalship, and the efforts spent in painting these legions of figures have clearly paid off

At the end of the day the tactics you adopted were simple, stand in a line and wait, and throw all your Horse at one flank and charge whatever you see. That they nearly failed is a rare sign of the depths your incompetence plumbs, but a victory is a victory nonetheless

(next game)

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