DBA 15-19K Choshu Samurai vs British - Shimonoseki

Dandy British Sailors & Marines take the Choshu Samurai guns at Shimonoseki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_for_Shimonoseki

British Marines get ready to 'pile ashore'
piccy www.thediehards.co.uk

Hello everyone, it seems like an eternity that we've been away, probably because it has!  Work has took it's toll, Amy, my opponent is doing many other hobbies, so our time together has been very limited.  Coupled with that is that dreaded 'wargamers block', I haven't picked a paint brush up in 6 months, so the enthusiasm has dropped.  Since our 'room switch around' we also don't have a permanant table, so we can't leave a game for a few days & come back to it.  Such is life, maybe we'll be able to get back into the hobby soon.

Anyway, this particular game, I'd been looking at a few months ago.  I'd read about it in Donald Featherstones 'Colonial Small Wars 1837-1901', a cracking book if you can get it.  I was pleased to see Wargames Illustrated April 2012 cover the build up & battle.  Victorian Brits versus the Samurai! What a prospect with the Battle of Shimonoseki, which took place in 186-something.  Featherstone has 1864, Wikipedia another & WI another.  Anyway read the background by clicking on the Wikipedia link above... 

In our game it would be ten elements of British Rifles, Marines & Sailors.  The Choshu Samurai would have more elements, 2 Cavalry(Samurai), 1 Artillery, 6 Auxillia(Ashigaru), 4 Blades(Samurai), 4 Jaegers(Ashigaru).  We would be using the trsuty & stalwart DBA 15-19K rules.  Amy took the Samurai & I the Brits, would the Samurai become 'rifle fodder' OR would the Dandy Navy lads get cut to bits..? 

The Battlefield, the Sailors would take the Guns, the Marines battle the Samurai.

The Choshu Guns

The Brits march to battle.

The Samurai advance to meet them..

The Marines are split into 2 forces.

Rifles lash out & the Ashigaru Gun is destroyed.

The Brave Ashigaru charge in, but are cut to pieces.

Magnificent! In go the Samurai.....

TheSamurai are sent reeling...

The remaining Ashigaru can't get close..

The Sailors storm the guns

In go the Samurai again, Foot troops & the Cavalry prepare to charge.

The Ashigaru would be sacrificed...

Still the British Marines stand tall!

Attack!! Attack!!! Kill the Barbarians!!!

Could the Samurai Cavalry turn the battle?

A sneaky flank attack from the Sailors & another Samurai bites the dust..

The British Sailors make short work of the Ashigaru...

The 'end is nigh' for the Samurai, in more ways than one!

'Capture the Guns'

The End & the Samurai Army breaks...

A nice little game, extra possibilities & the attack on the Choshu Garrison.  Perhaps a British force could man some fortifications & be attacked by an even larger force??  Until the next bout of enthusiasm...... :-)

...

General PiPPiN Von Krums After Action Analysis

British Rifles are supreme don't mess with them!

Mass your Samurai & try for overlaps!

Wars of pen & ink lead to wars of cannon & bayonet!

John Bull - Battle of Queenston Heights 1812

The Battle of Queenston Heights - General Brock is mortally wounded.

STOP U.S. Aggression!!! 
Canada for the Canadians (& the British...)


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Queenston_Heights

Here we go then, our first attempt using the 'John Bull' Rules.  Each element is classed as a platoon about 20-50 men.  A group of these make up a  Company, led by a Captain.  A number of Companies make up the force, which in turn is led by an overall leader.  Each element in a Company must be the same & each Captain is represented by a counter.  Turn wise, a die is rolled to see who goes first, moving/firing one Company of choice, then the other player goes.  Continue till all Companies have moved.

Each Captain has a morale value & may have a special characteristic, which has it's effect on the play.  Each Company has all it's stats. printed on a game card, Move/Fire Value/Melee/Morale, so game play is speeded up. Simples!!

Using the Queenston Heights Scenario from Scenarios for The War of 1812, we had a basic game.  It went very well, the game played much quicker than I expected.  For the US forces we went with 4 equal sized Companies.  For the Brits, we had 3 Companies & a Light Field Gun.  All officers were drawn by random.

The US Army - along with Company Cards & Officers

The British & Canadians

The Battle

The British won the initial die roll & opted to move the Light Infantry forward, opening them out into 'Loose' order.  An initial pot shot at the enemy was poor.

The US forces have a go with equally pathetic results.  However the Canadian Troops step forward & 'Wayhey' BLAST away the Yanks.  This results in the loss of a Platoon, and a Morale roll.  This is failed & the Yanks leg it. 

The US Militia moves forward & takes a shot at the Brits, who respond in kind, no result.

That cancels the British units move & the other US Militia moves forward

A new round, the US wins initiative.  The British Company looses the firefight, forcing them to retire one move.  The Canadian Unit changes facing & 'WayHey' another mega die roll sends another US Company packing.

Another failed Morale roll & there off!

Oh dear, the US forces are in trouble....

RUN, FORREST RUN!!!!

One unit off table & another two in full retreat, the Brits take the day...

A nice enjoyable game, the first round was spent leafing through the rulebook, but we soon got the hang of it. We'll need a bigger game board for the next one, in an effort to get some movement before contact.  

Amy enjoyed playing with the 28mm figures as well.  Next time we'll have a go at The Battle of the Raisen River!

DBA 15-19K Pirates vs Spanish

Happy New Year & all that malarkey....bah humbug.  Work, most definitely took it's toll on MrF last year only a measly 16 posts for the DBA 15K website.  Well this year it will be different!!!  Though it may not be DBA we'll be playing.  I've had a look at a few other rule sets & at last found one that appears to be Ok.  We've already started collecting new minis, this time in 28mm, so stay tuned.

SO first up Captain Henry Morgan's Raid on Panama 1671.  Pirates vs Spaniards.  This was inspired by Steve Balagan's battle http://www.balagan.org.uk/war/dbx/dbr/scenarios/panama.htm

Well done to Steve, another cracking website... check it out.

The fine & dandy Captain Henry Morgan

The Battle of Panama 1671

Links to the attack on Panama....

http://latinamericanhistory.about.com/od/historyofthecaribbean/a/Captain-Morgan-And-The-Sack-Of-Panama.htm

http://www.historynet.com/henry-morgan-the-pirate-who-invaded-panama-in-1671.htm

Spanish Army

1x General, 4x 3Knight, 4x 4Pike, 4x 4Shot, 1x Artillery, 5x 2Psiloi (Indians), 

2x Warband(African Slaves), 2x Cattle(Warband), 1x 4Bow (Indians)

Pirate Army

1x General, 1x 4Blades, 6x 4Shot, 2x 4Musket, 8x 3Warband

(4 Warband would be kept off table for a sneaky flank attack..)

As usual a few rounds to come to grips...

The Pirate lads AAaaaarrrr.. take the initiative & attack.

Scratch one artillery

Spanish turn & in go the Stampeding Cattle!!!

Ole! The attack of the Spanish Knights

Those sneaky Indians are trying to out flank the Pirate lads AAArrrrr!

Pirate shooting takes down the Spanish!

The Stampeding Cattle are PANTS & shot to bits...

End of turn 6 positions

The Pirate sneak attack, more Pirate Lads AAaaarr!!

Pirate firepower sends em packing...

The Spanish Line steadies....

The Pirate Lads AAarrr!! hack down the Spanish Pike.

It's not looking good for ze Spanish!

AAAaaaaaarrr!!!

and more AAAaaaaaaarrrr!!!

Nice view of the battle

The Pirate Lads AAarrr! press home their attacks

But the Spanish Knights manage to cut down some unlucky lads

But the Pirate Lads AAAaaaarrr! can't be denied!!! Victory

Panama is SACKED!!!

Amy took the Pirate Lads AAaarr!! for that one & went straight for the jugular.  My Spanish Army was poorly lead & it showed...  Never mind, at least we've started 2011!