Gaming - Napoleonic - Battle of Borodino

 This weekend I was invited to a friends birthday gaming bash to refight Borodino hosted by the good lads at Legendary Wargames near Bradford. The battle bunker had 2 tables 24x6 with more quality miniature than you can wish for. We were using Grand Manner rules 

It was a typical Borodino hard bruising fight. As ever with these very large multiplayer fights you get wrapped up in the fight in your own area and lose track of what happening further along the line . The only indication may be shouts of joy or groans of despair. I have Davouts Corps which was a sizeable chunk of the French army to attack the Fleches and woods west of Utitsa. I would receive additional cavalry support early in the game too.

Anyway her is a selection of action shots .

 

Classic Grand Manner large cavalry melee action .. my Empress Dragoon’s dishing it out to various Russian Kuirassier in style ! 

 

Starting the French Adance.

Moving up the woods-,veteran battalions lead the way

The Grand Redoubt  looms  large.

Russians have succumbed to first attacks and are on the back table 

The French advance through the woods pushing the Russians back 

 

The attack on Borodino goes in 

Two divisions of Daviut have taken the 3 Fleches and are advancing supported/protected by the Empress Dragoon’s.

A cracking weekend has been had . It was declared a French victory - somewhat historical overall .

I was great to be back doing big games with a bunch of great guys

Gaming - D Day - Sword beach to Pegasus bridge.

 7 of us met up today for the first big game in 18 months . 

James and I ran the Germans , Ian W had the Ox & Bucks at the bridge . Martin has grandads Commando, and John,Stig , Bren and Other Ian had the Funnies, the 13/18th Hussars , and the assault  8th infantry brigade from 3rd Division. 

AVRE ‘s are the first to land

LST’s unload the 1st wave , DD’s swimming in 

Setting about clearing a path through beach obstacles and the wire 

   Next up infantry and more engineers 

 

The beach obstacles are cleared by engineers and the tanks and infantry start to knock out the defences in front of them 

                                     The Ox and Bucks hold the bridge against the first small attacks 

 Hillman dominates the inland position on one side of the table 

Colleville lies between the beach and Pegasus bridge .

  Commanders discussion of inland progression - we even had “Ike” aka Bob join on Zoom from the USA to find out if they had made good progress  - or are they drinking tea!  John was drinking tea …

 

The Commando’s follow the piper and race off through Colleville , assaulting any troublesome Germans.

                                                It wasn’t long before the bridge was in sight …

  

         A good fun game , with laughs along the way . It’s been sorely missed . More again soon.

Stig has done some video work you might enjoy too.