FoG:R Renaissance in Britcon 2012
Thirty Years' War French, Dutch and German vs Later Swedish
Game 1 Thirty Years' War French, Dutch and German vs Thirty Years' War French
Game 2 Thirty Years' War French, Dutch and German vs Early TYW Swedish
Game 3 Thirty Years' War French, Dutch and German vs Later TYW German Catholic
Game 4 Thirty Years' War French, Dutch and German vs Later Swedish
Game 5 Thirty Years' War French, Dutch and German vs Early TYW Swedish
Game 6 Thirty Years' War French, Dutch and German vs Imperial Spanish
It's game 4, it's Saturday evening, and it's a nightmare matchup, an over-excited Hammy! By now the once-victorious French are starting to imagine that they almost know what they are doing, as the various elements of the army had all operated with some degree of apparent co-ordination in the last game to create a result which was better than the sum of its parts. Would that overconfidence be translated into a confident on-table display against the relative newcomer that they now faced?
The lists for the Thirty Years' War French, Dutch and German and Later Swedish from this game, as well as all the other lists from the games at Britcon can be seen here in the FoGR Wiki.
Having never played FoGR before, Hammy had been given a relatively safe and difficult to mess up army list comprising some quite dangerous troop types - principally Salvo armed Foote in 6-strong regiments. The terrain all fell on one side of the table, creating an ideal location for the Dragoons of both sides to mess around harmlessly, but also giving a challenge to the 2-allies structure of the French as their Dutch and German Cuirassiers would struggle to operate together on the open flank without spreading the German command (of Dragoons who would logically lurk on the right, Pike and Shotte would could be anywhere, and Cuirassiers) across the whole width of the field of battle. The Swedes had no such problem - Horse on the right, Foote in the middle.
The French decided to let the Dutch repeat their heroics of the previous game and anchored their open flank with them, condemning the Germans to a supporting role on the right. The French Horse were already foreseeing a role of providing rear support to Dutch Cuirassiers and hopefully avoiding combat.
The German Cuirassiers were envious of the Dutch, as they were reduced to just blocking a gap in the terrain cluttering the right, and doing that "support the Dragoons" role which they had failed so spectacularly at in 2 previous games…
Yet again the French committed a General and the German General to try and bully 4 enemy Dragoons with 2x2 of their own and some Cuirassiers. Would it work this time and prove third time lucky?
Largely to confuse Hammy, who had only just gotten his head round the Division movement rules, but also because they had no intention of rushing to combat with the Salvo armed Swedes, and finally because there was simply not enough room, the French, Dutch and German Foote deployed in a solid line and simply waited….
Things were happening much more quickly on the Dutch flank, as a log-jam of units from both sides rushed to fighting ranges - the Dutch infantry coming off worst in an exchange of fire with some Swedish Dragoons
Despite the presence of rear support and their own General, the Dutch Foote who had fought so valiantly in the previous battle were clearly still suffering the hangover of their prior victory and were losing bases and cohesion against the overly fortunate 2 long range dice of the Swedish Dragoons.
As the Dutch Foote faltered, rather more Dutch heavy metal added its weight to the argument and a Cuirassier unit moved up into charge range. All of a sudden the Swedish Dragoons found themselves on the back foote. The Cuirassiers charged and rolled long (that's the 6) as the Dragoons rolled normal (that's the 3) - would they be caught?
The Cuirassiers charge clattered into the rear of the evading Dragoons - immediately dropping them to DISR. Cuirassiers were running amok through the dragoon formation, and with more Swedish Horse trapped close behind their Dragoons a rapid rout could see the Dragoons burst through their own Horse and a quick rollup attack for the Dutch was in prospect.
The outrageously lucky Swedish Dragoons however had other ideas, and comprehensively out-rolled the allegedly Superior Dutch horsemen 2 hits to 1 at impact!
The Dutch added injury to this insult by losing a base. The Swedish Dragoons turned, girded their dragoon-shaped loins and prepared for melee - when they would be still in trouble, but not as much as it had seemed but moments ago…
On the other flank, the German Cuirassiers were faring marginally better - they had pushed forward against an exposed commanded-out Shotte/bayonet unit and now were contemplating charging it in the open - evens odds, but a great opportunity if they were to win.
The Swedish Dragoons had condescended to go to FRAGGED after losing the melee to the Dutch Cuirassiers, but this had bought enough time for the Swedes to throw some of their own Horse into the fray, relieving the pressure somewhat and also escaping the possibility of being burst through by the still potentially soon routing Dragoons. Weight of numbers was starting to swing against the Dutch as the Swedes piled forwards in numbers.
The Dragoons broke, and now battle was joined between opposing horsemen in a classic TYW cavalry battle. Would the more resilient Dutch triumph or the more flamboyant but less well armoured Swedes?
On the French right flank, commanded out Swedish Shotte were driving the German Dragoons back out of the woodlands as they Dragoons had little answer to the heavier and more numerous Swedish advance
The Dutch infantry had resolutely failed to recover from their initial cohesion losses, and had been subject to remorseless barrages from the Swedish artillery park. Astonishing, the heroes of the previous game had been reduced to broken status as a result of this sustained shelling, and broke and fled, much to the surprise of the Dutch General who had been trying to bolster them for pretty much all of the game. This left the French let flank much weaker than it should have been…
The Swedish Horse were also winning the battle against the Dutch Cuirassiers, chipping away at their bases and cohesion. The French Average Cavalry started to contemplate the prospect of getting involved in actual combat….
On the other flank, the German Cuirassiers took their chance and charged into the unsupported Shotte unit - but the Swedes stood firm against the German charge, and the Germans suddenly found themselves on the wrong end of a base-loss war of attrition..
Attrition continued to attrite the Germans far faster than it was doing the same to the Swedes. The normally resilient Cuirassiers were being skittled down at a rate of knots.
With both flanks not really going to plan, the French line started to contemplate the prospect that they might actually have to take on the frightening Swedish Salvo Foote in mano-a-mano combat, rather than expecting their mounted colleagues to have largely wrapped up the game before the two lines of Foote came into contact. They therefore started to echelon around to bring the maximum firepower to bear on the advancing Swedish infantry, hopefully leeching away some of their mojo before the inevitable clash of arms to some
Oh dear. The French Horse were definitely being committed to action, in aid of the remaining uncommitted unit of Dutch Cuirassiers. The Swedish Determined Horse facing them tried to work out whether they were unhappy about facing twice their number of opponents, or happy about the prospect of laying into the soft underbelly of the French army.
On the opposite flank the traditional game of French Dragoons with the support of a General losing out to equal numbers of enemy Dragoons without one was starting to be played out…
DISR, down to half strength, the German Cuirassiers decided that breaking off was the best part of valour and fell back from the Swedish bayonet armed infantry. If mothering else this would prolong the holding action they were now clearly undertaking on the French right a little longer.
The Swedish Foote however had other ideas, and with a resounding volley destroyed the remaining Cuirassiers leaving the German general somewhat exposed and surprised at the same time.
The two lines of infantry in the middle prepared for battle - both sides knocked down a few bases and inflicted some cohesion losses in the initial exchanges of fire.
The Dutch and French were in! As the badly eroded Dutch Cuirassier unit that had once been so hopeful of winning the game on its own after catching the Swedish Dragoons fell back from combat, the other Dutch unit charged in…
The French Guards were dishing out a terrible pounding to the Swedes facing them, eroding the Swedish formation dramatically whilst standing firm themselves. Maybe the infantry battle would go against form in the centre in the same way the Horse had done on the flanks ?
The two lines sized each other up cautiously, not quite able to decide when and where to advance first…
The French Average Horse unsurprisingly came off worst in the initial clashes, but the Dutch Cuirassiers stand firm. With the Swedish Determined horse being only one rank deep, the opportunity to roll lots of dice against them was a risk the French commander thought worth taking… but so far it had not paid off as the Swedes were still to lose a base..
The first Swedish Foote to go in piles into the best unit in the French Army - and already reduced to 50% casualties and DISR, this is somewhat of an act of desperation on the part of the Swedes.
The Scandinavians are much more confident about wrapping up the French left flank, and charge home against the badly beaten Dutch Cuirassiers. Rallying Back has bought them some time, but no respite from the repeated Swedish attacks
The initial Swedish attack is destroyed, allowing the French Guard units to pursue forwards into the more relatively squishy stuff at the back of the Swedish army.
Amazingly, luck is swinging back in favour of the Dutch - their DISR 2-strong Cuirassier unit is now winning against the Swedish Horse, prompting the Dutch Commander to consider whether it is worth his while trying to bolster his surprisingly resilient men?
Well, it appears a better bet than associating himself with the perfectly predictable debacle which is unfolding as the French Horse lose bases and drop to FRAGGED in the face of the relentless Swedish attacks.
The French Guard continue their charge into the Swedish supporting infantry, but come off worst in the initial exchanges dropping to DISR at impact
Melee sees them lose a base as well - the Swedes should clearly have started with their reserves at the front…
Bye-bye for the French Horse. The Dutch however do not give a monkeys, and continue to fight in a lobsteresque way against the more lightly equipped Swedes, chipping away a base from the 4-strong unit and evening the odds somewhat
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The French are seizing the initiative across the middle of the table now, and their infantry pile forward into the generally fairly eroded Swedes. For the French it is a combination of committing units to combat who might otherwise break from shooting losses, and attacking the Swedish units which are closest to breaking. Either way the result is a mass charge!
The weak link however is on the French right where the German allied Pike and Shotte unit is singularly failing to uphold its role as the flank guard, Attacked by Pike and Shotte from the front, and being surprised by et emergence of commanded out Shotte from the woods it suffers a succession of base losses and quickly breaks. The French have no right flank anymore…
Battle is messily joined everywhere along the line.
The French guard have fought back bravely from their initial reverses, and have now evened the odds inflicting base losses and DISR markers on the Swedes. Crucially however, their success has also resulted in the death of the Swedish Commander - now momentum is with the French and the Guard are starting to feel increasingly confident of finishing the job they started so poorly
Dutch and French infantry gang up in a 2-on-1 attack on the somewhat unsupported flankers in the Swedish infantry line. It's a tough struggle, but the French and Dutch both commit Generals as they seek to achieve a breakthrough
Bypassed by the multiple units of commanded out Swedish Shotte, 2 German Dragoons decide that hiding in the woods is their best bet and assemble a protective covering of trees as they hope to pass the rest of the game unnoticed…
The resilience and shooting accuracy of the Swedes is now getting embarrassing, with the MAWS logo on the Swedish dice appearing far too frequently.
The Dutch Cuirassiers are losing the will to carry on the fight as well. The French left flank may join their right in collapsing fairly soon
But you can always rely on the Guards! They triumphantly break through the last vestiges of Swedish resistance in the middle having run through the best Sweden could put before them on their way to a string of stunning victories
The Dutch resistance crumbles and Swedish Horse are free in the rear of the Dutch command - although they are now DISR and have lost a base as well. In the distance, the other Dutch Cuirassier unit has reduced their opponents to 2 bases and are still fully intact. Perhaps they can even the odds with a win there?
The exhausted Swedish horse now come under telling fire from the Dutch infantry, losing bases and cohesion as they drop to FRAGGED. They are now neutralised, with no prospect of a General rescuing them. The French left flank is again secure.
The Swedish infantry line is starting to evaporate under successive waves for French attacks - The second French Guard unit (in red) breaks it's opponents and now only one Swedish unit is left !
The game ends as time is called, a bloodbath on both sides as the forces of Protestantism realise belatedly that they have been engaged in a religious civil war on which they should have been fighting on the same side. The Result is a 10-10 draw, with both armies having lost 8 out of 10 points!
Click here for the report of the next game in this competition, or read on for the post match summaries from the Generals involved, as well as another episode of legendary expert analysis from Hannibal
Post Match Summary from the Thirty Years' War French, Dutch and German Commander
Luck may be a lady, but sometimes she is a bitch, and I feel roughly violated by the fortune of my opponent this fine summer afternoon and early evening. The Swedes enjoy many advantages in combat capabilities, and here they benefitted from a force multiplier of luck, and so I am extremely proud of my boys ability to hang on in there and tough it out to a position in which the game appeared to be at one stage even winnable
Yet again the combination of 2 Generals, loads of Dragoons and a Cuirassier unit ended up working out less effective than 4 enemy Dragoons, and I am starting to despair of any solution to this problem save to employ some Swedish Dragoons as mercenaries in my army myself - and come to think of it, in the first game my opponent did have a Weimarian ally which provided the Dragoons which so comprehensively bested my own…
At least the Guards did the business, and handed out a pasting to the upstart Swedes - Salvo may be better than Impact capability on paper, but combined with our innate Frenchness and the relative superiorities of the produce of our winemaking regions to whatever fish-infused and fermented pressings of the midsummer dingleberry that passes for alcohol in Scandinavia I think a point has been well and truly proved beyond all reasonable doubt.
Onwards, upwards and the night is yet young. Time for Le Curry!
Hannibal's Post Match Analysis
Thou roynish hasty-witted minimus. Playing a new-born in the expertise of Renaissance warfare, who could do little more than line up and advance and yet you still almost accomplished a spectacular defeat? At least you should have been well versed in the lack of imagination which was the Swedish pseudo-tactic, as it is one you practice often and with consistent results.
How on earth did even a clouted pottle-deep egg-shell like you not manage to deploy all of your Cuirassiers on the one open flank of the table? I know it might be messy for the Germans, but there was literally nowhere else for the Swedish Horse to go, and knowing your opponent was relatively unskilled and inexperienced, surely you could have guessed that he might think that the Swedish Determined Horse would be better than your dour Cuirassiers and take them on? How much better would it have been to have a third Cuirassier unit instead of deciding - probably still foolishly - to commit an unarmoured average unit of Horse to the fray?
That would also have meant you had extra firepower on the left to chip away at the end of the Swedish line, and all of the French infantry would have filled the rest of the gaps instead of that weak link of Germans who were your pivot on the terrain, and were defending your guns you villainous sheep-biting fustilarian- effectively your weakest unit placed in a key position who's loss would also mean the loss of the guns, and probably the baggage too given a couple more bounds??
Please, learn some lessons from your mistakes you pribbling rough-hewn varlot, for they are frequent enough that repetition alone should mean they sink in, and I am now severely lacking in patience to keep reminding you of them…
Click here for the report of the next game in this competition
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Game 1 Thirty Years' War French, Dutch and German vs Thirty Years' War French
Game 2 Thirty Years' War French, Dutch and German vs Early TYW Swedish
Game 3 Thirty Years' War French, Dutch and German vs Later TYW German Catholic
Game 4 Thirty Years' War French, Dutch and German vs Later Swedish
Game 5 Thirty Years' War French, Dutch and German vs Early TYW Swedish
Game 6 Thirty Years' War French, Dutch and German vs Imperial Spanish
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