For Dan´s visit I put toghether a special swedish thirty year war scenario revolving around the Death of the Swedish King Gustav II Adolf at The Battle of Lützen, 6 November 1632. My mateys Jonas and Mattias joined in for a firts game and later in the day some more of my club mateys that help out playtesting The Pikeman´s Lament joined in for one more extended game, more about that in another AAR.
The game we played was about doubble an ordinary game for the rules, but sins every one was familar with the rules, the game was concluded in about 90 minutes.
As our guest Dan ofcourse did get the honoure to command the Swedish King...
OOB Imperialist (Attackers)
1st Company – Götzen´s Cuirassiers
5x Elite Trotters @ 6pts each
2nd Company – Piccolomini´s Harkebusiers
4x Trotters @ 4pts each
2x Dragoons @ 4pts each
OOB Swedish (Defenders)
1st Company - The King´s Lifedrabants with the King of Sweden, Gustav II Adolf
1x Aggressive Elite Galoppers @ 6pts
2nd Company – Smålands ryttare
6x Aggressive Galoppers @ 4pts each
3rd Company – Östgöta ryttare
6x Aggressive Galoppers @ 4pts each
Piccolomini´s Harkebusiers top left, Götzen´s Cuirassiers top right, Smålands ryttare bottom left, Östgöta ryttare bottom right and the Swedish King with his Lifedrabants all exposed in the middle....
In the thick smoke and fog of Lützen the Swedish King and his entourage run in to a large force of Imperial Cavalry...
The Imperial trotters mad a swift advance against its prey, covering their flanks with some dragoons...
As the Swedish King had road ahead all the Swedish force tried to keep up...
Just a few units of Smålands ryttare managed to keep pace with the Swedish King...
On the imperial left flank a company of Götzen´s Cuirassiers advanced to get a piece of the royal loot comming ahead...
Götzen´s Cuirassiers divided their forces on both sides of the small forest...
a few units of Götzen´s Cuirassiers rode on the left side of the forst and ended up in combat with the main part of the Östgöta ryttare company...
General advance to either capture or resque the eager Swedish King that on his new horse Streiff road in advance of the remaining Swedish force...
It took not long before the Imperial Trotters started to were down the Kings bodyguard...
The Swedish King was not affraid of doing some dirty work himself leading his body guard in a ferocious charge...
It was an intense fight...
...but in the end the Imperial Trotters hold and the Kings unit had to regroup...
...a unit of the Smålands ryttare move in to support the King in his efforts to brake the Imperial line...
On the Swedish right flank the Östgöta ryttare had engaged the Götzen´s Cuirassiers...
...even ironclad the Götzen´s Cuirassiers could not withstand the power in the Swedish charge...
Spoils of war...
Östgöta ryttare also joined in with the Småland ryttare to protect the Swedish King... he could use it due to all reallu poos dice rolls by Dan... we even had to adjust the kings skills a bit so he would survive a bit longer... ;)
...with several Swedish unit arriving to support the King it looked like a done deal for the Swedes...
...just for the to charge home...
...but the bad luck continued and there wasn´t much of a Swedish charge...
...not even with the Swedish King cheer on his tropops and charges was made...
...giving the Imperial trotter another round of shooting... THE KING HAS FALLEN !!!
The Kings death really send a chock wave throught the remaining Swedish troops and several of them started to retreat from the battle field...
...Swedish troops without leadership...
...in the end some of the Swedes rallied and could continue their struggle to relieve the Swedish Infantry in the center of the Battle of Lützen and turn it to a Swedish victory...
It was a very tense and fun game, but I don´t think I ever seen a man roll so many bad dice rolls in the same game...
Next up we run a game of the infantry struggle in the center of the battle...more about that in another AAR.
Greate to have you over for a game Dan even as you managed to have Gustav II Adolf killed... ;)
History repeats itself! Fantastic looking game, Michael! You know, I was cheering for the Swedish King to reverse history. Not to be!
ReplyDeleteVery appreciated Jonathan!
DeleteAs the King died we had to change the rules ;)
Some great photos there. The first one is especially good.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Sir !
DeleteBrilliant photos! I had great fun and please remember that was one of my better dice rolling days, normally it's much worse! People think I'm joking when I say how terrible a gamer I am, but it is true :-)
ReplyDeleteHowever, I say that you killed the king yourself, the moment you decided I would play him!
Thanks for a great game.
Don't blame me I gave you the most presioust of them all and you gave him to the dark side;)
DeleteEven so it was an Greate allout cavalry battle that showed that our rules are on the right track and give tendens, fluid and tense games.
Was indeed Greate to have you over to the north :)
Great AAR!
ReplyDeleteSorry I could not participate. Things are starting to come together for me at work so I should get some more time for gaming soon! Thanks for the Great AAR and the miniatures look great!!
Long Live the King!!!
Mark
Long Live the King!!! :)
DeleteYou are most welcome to join in whenever "real" life let you do so ;)
A great and dynamic (except for Dan's die rolling) looking game. The 'fog-of-war' looked great as well. Can't wait to read the next AAR:).
ReplyDeleteThank you matey!
DeleteGlad you notiser and liked the fog of war :)
Working on the second part of our game.
Fantastic report Michael!
ReplyDeleteThanks Rodger!
DeleteExcellent stuff and as inspiring as always.
ReplyDeleteWe've got plans at the club of doing a classic Border Reiver campaign later in the year and these rules look like they will fit the bill perfectly (sorry about the bad pun!) :>)
Darrell.
Thank you Darrell
DeleteI indeed think they Will work fine for border reiver gaming! Just a year left untill publication...
That was a really good read and a fantastic looking game.
ReplyDeleteAppreciated Rodney!
DeleteGood looking game! Thanks for the battle report.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteA really nice (and historical) game. An totally un-related question about The Pikeman's Lament: Wouldn't pikemen be very inefective in an 1/1 skirmish game as this? Pike-blocks were quite large as far as I know and the pike (unlike the spear is useless in close quarters). I tried to figt as a pikeman in a re-enactment a few years ago with about twenty pike vs. half a dozen enemy cavalry. My impression was that a few pikemen caugt alone would be run down and butchered by that much cavalry if the pikemen had no support. Even if the cavalry charged from the front. (Shoot to kill and dissorganize and emidiately follow up by a charge...)
ReplyDeleteGlad you like the look of the game!
DeleteWe haven't really decided scale of what are representera in the Pikeman's Lament as it is a game that should be fun to play and not a historical simulation. regardless of scale we can't have a game of pike and shot without pikes, can we ;)
I look forward to these rules and I definately agree with pike being required in pike & shotte... :)
DeleteI just came ot think about this detail and wanted to share it. (Maybe pikes should become stronger if they have support from another unit?)
It was a great game to play! Lots of fun to try to recreate that fateful charge of Gustavus Adolphus at Lutzen on the tabletop.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I'd love to credit the king's death to my tactical brilliance I must confess that Dan's poor dice rolling helped. A lot. :-)
Great gaming in great company!
/Mattias
Indeed a Greate game and thanks to your Eager of fielding you Gustaf II Adolf mini!
DeleteOf course the death of the king was due to your tactical brilliance :)
Great occasion for a (good looking) game!
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it, even if "your King" died!
Indeed it vas a Greate game ! Glad you enjoyed the look of it :)
DeleteBeautiful as always and great report!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jay !!!
DeleteFantastic post, Michael - I am very much looking forward to seeing these rules in print! I love your figures and terrain, and the size of the game looks great. I love the way you've added the smoke, wreathing the Lutzen battlefield. And don't feel bad about fudging the dice rolls - didn't Gustav get shot first by an Imperialist corporal before being shot a second time by Falkenberg? See - accurate after all :) Well done, Sir!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Sidney!
DeleteIndeed it is told that Falkenberg did fire tha fatal shot in the kings head. While he was laying wounded on the ground...
Most of King Gustav II Adolf cloths, pistols and even his horse Streiff are on display at the Livrustkammaren (royal armoured) at Stockholm castle. Had brokiga Dan there the day before so i asume hi was inspired to a true historical outcome...
http://livrustkammaren.se/en
Superb!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteExcellent looking games.
ReplyDeleteNice !
ReplyDeleteGreat looking game Michael!
ReplyDeleteChristopher
Great game, really, really interesting and very fine!
ReplyDeleteGreat write up Michael particularly like the smoke effects. May pinch this in the future.
ReplyDeleteGreat AAR Michael! And great game – thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful game and nice write-up. I like the clever basing system. I'm looking forward to the release of the rules, but it looks like I'll have a lot of painting time to get ready.
ReplyDelete