David Bickley's Wargames Blog

The occasional ramblings of an average gamer, journeyman painter, indifferent modeller, games designer, sometime writer for Wargames Illustrated and host of games in GHQ.



Friday 15 August 2014

Hurrah! Hurrah! We'll ring the Jubilee!

Have you ever noticed how in life the unexpected can often bring the greatest pleasures? Real life, holidays and such have meant that Jon and I have not been able to get a game in together since June. A sad state of affairs which was unexpectedly rectified when we were recently able to meet up at the Midland Wargames Centre, in Stafford Games' premises, for a Black Powder ACW game. Even more unexpectedly, given the early moves of the game, Useless S Bykleigh emerged triumphant over the broken army of Jubal E Whyte! Hurrah!
The table was 12' x 6', sufficiently large to give me agoraphobia when I saw the Reb masses moving against my gallant, but rather smaller, force. The figures are all from Jon's excellent collection, being mostly Redoubt and Renegade figures in the main, while the buildings are from Hovells and Architectural Heritage, the latter quite clearly my favourites! Now for the action ~
Rebs swarm forward threatening the Union flank


















The Union Centre is the first to come under attack



















Just in the nick of time Union reserves arrive,and in the right place!














In the centre the New York boys are in trouble!
















On the Union left the Rebs are reluctant to advance













The Reb attack in the centre gathers itself for the assault
















Rifled artillery shells the Rebels' attack in the centre



















The Napoleons add their fire in the centre



















On the Union right the Rebels are hurled back, their Brigade broken!




















In the centre the attack goes in peacemeal



















While on the left the attack is met with a determined stand














With half the Rebel army now broken, Jubal E Whyte was forced to withdraw from the field, leaving the victorious Union cheers ringing in his ears! A great game lasting 10 turns in two and three quarter hours: a great advert for Black Powder as a system I feel. Many thanks to Jon for arranging the game at short notice, and for providing the refreshments when they were sorely needed!

6 comments:

  1. Hurrah, boys! Hurrah! Nice post and fine photos!

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  2. Grand post and pics, don't think I could cope with forces that size these days ;-). I don't care what folk say, myself included, Black Powder only comes into its own with that scale of game, after playing such a game, smaller ones just don't cut it for me anymore.

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    1. Thanks Phil! It was a pleasant surprise and a grand game. Of course you could cope, don't be daft!!! Smaller tables are OK with reduced movement, but in GHQ I'll stick to BR2G.

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  3. Great looking game sir!

    Darrell.

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    1. Thanks for the encouragement, Darrell! Glad you enjoyed the game pictures.

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