SHAKO II battle, Scenario #4: HOLDING ACTION

 I had not played on the tabletop for more than a month, since our UK trip and the opportunity to do a face-to-face with Martin Knight in Birmingham.

My youngest son was willing to take on a game, so I chose one from the Programmed Wargames Scenarios by Charles Stewart Grant, number 4: HOLDING ACTION.

We set the Russians as the blue force defenders and and a mix of French and Italio-Bavarians as the red force attackers.  Randomly we ended up with the 'middle' map for setting up on.

the Russian defenders had the two hills
with the road between them and the village

this little woods, out from the village,
would turn out to
be pivotal for both sides

initial deployment was concealed
from the attacking French player
(until visual, artillery fire or 18" command range)

French main body and right wing
following the advance guard

by turn three all forces were revealed

French advance guard and right wing columns

main body and left wing
(led by ADC)

these Russian Jagers would win the day
(though their loss eventually would prove
to be too many casualties for a victory)

Russian command had chosen a location
just a bit out of range of their 'second inspection'

meaning it took four turns to get a message
to that commander to start his attack against
the advancing French

Russians on the hill were outflanked
and outnumbered

French command held back, waiting to see if
the main body could break the hill fast enough

a quick strike by Russian dragoons managed
to eliminate 1/2 of a French advance guard
and push back the supporting French Dragoons

while not 'swept away' the Russian left wing
was going to retreat by turn 8

French artillery was now fully supported
and ready to blast out the village

by turn 8 the guns were 1/2 setup

the Russian second inspection was going
to have to cover the final retreat

the Russian first inspection had failed a morale
test and lost all of its artillery

Once again I had my 'second iPhone' on hand and doing
a time-lapse of the battlefield
here again presented with some music and a few notes

I wish everyone some game-filled summer months.

 

Shako Horse engagement

 Following on the heels of the Shiloh game we did a quick horse only game of Shako.

early in the battle

Time Lapse:

Been busy with Fire Department calls and upgrading my medical FR skills, not much in the way of games over the past few months.

Shako II - Solo scenario throwdown - October 2024 - Flavor of Maloyaroslavets

 Over a couple of days in October, I had opportunity to set up the table and leave it, so that I could run a game over a longer period of time without having to clear it all away.

I would have post the data about this game in November, however the day I was to start working on this my bride took a slip and fall and did much damage to her left elbow, after a day in emergency, then overnight and surgery the next day for 6+ hours, she was able to recover in hospital for a few days.
Then return home.

I have been her arms for a few weeks now and shall continue to have much time taken up with these ongoing support tasks.  Thankfully her recovery is progressing well.

With the delay explained, now onto the battle:

Scenario 2, from Scenarios for all ages, was a contested river fording situation.  It reminded me very much of Maloyaroslavets, from the retreat from Moscow situation the French faced in 1812.  This being the case I chose to make it a Russian defending the line, with French attackers.

Again as a solo game, I chose some cards to make the 'command decisions' of the two sides, the Russians came up the 4 of clubs and the French the 5 of clubs. Meaning that both sides were only going to have 'middling' plans with no real commitment to much at all.

My Eugene model had commanded cavalry
many times after the first Maloyaroslavets game
now out in a command stand again

an even older generation Russian command
figure was selected to take on the role of
Baron Sacken for this encounter

I used the ruined hovels for the 'built up areas'
that the game calls for

so ... the plans were terribly simple
I was hoping that the French could get a toe-hold into the
ground on the far side, enough so that the
large force of infantry could storm across
with their flank covered

Once again I used a time-lapse system to capture all the action, which turned out to be a good idea, since I could not fully recall all the actions taken from just the still photos.

Reviewing it all via the editing process, I recalled that the French column did get across the river, in force, yet were all 'damaged' and fighting uphill into supported artillery.  The damage may only have been a 'shaken' or 'disorder' yet it was enough to make the attacks just that little bit weaker ...

The coup de grace was the Russian Dragoon force riding down a French demi-brigade to a man, capturing their eagle and putting a total victory on the battle for the Russians!

Looking back I see it was last October 2023, when I managed to get in scenario 1, perhaps I'll be able to do scenario 3 in 2025?

Let me know if you enjoy this sort of content or if I could change it up some way more interesting.

No idea if I will get in another game before the new year, though I have some painting progress to report in the coming weeks, happy holiday season to everyone reading.

SHAKO II pickup game using random terrain

 One last game session at the Kelsey Center in Sayward.

It was an amazing fast-paced game played by two experienced players.

Austrians vs Italians and Bavarians.

Since both players were so experienced there were virtually no delays between moves and both players were fast in taking actions.

Again a time-lapse was made of the game and some images were inserted into the video.

It was a simple Italio-Bavarian attack against the Austrian defenders.

Austrians chose to line up everyone on the front line and push forward along a line of tall hills in the south, with a division holding a lower hill in the north.

The Italio-Bavarians, foot troops moved forward to engage on the low hill, then cover the flank from the tall hills - then on turn four the flank riding light cavalry division arrived and smashed the Austrian position on the low hill - driving over the Austrian field command HQ.  It was a 'French' victory with horrendous casualties among the foot troops.

At one point, just before the light cavalry flank arrived the Italians were in danger of retreating from the field - the casualties had been that bad.

I am attaching all the images this time that were used in the video.

the many casualties around the Austrian Grenadier
Battalion
seen here also is the 'shaken' markers that I use
a 1/2 wagon wheel and a drum or broken musket

many many casualties pile up around
a Bavarian 1/2 foot battery ...

French Light Cavalry Division
seen across the top of this image
command figure in top right corner

Austrian horse did tough work off a tall hill and into
a thicket of woods - defeating a Jager brigade by flank
attack while pushing on the front!

In the end Austrian divisions just could not maintain
morale while loosing so many men

All-in-all a really great game!

Thank you Chris for coming out.
Thank you Alex for making the space available.

Next game day: SHAKO II

 The next game day in Sayward, at the Kelsey Centre is set for March 17.

I am doing a SHAKO II participation game and plan to have enough commands for up to six (6) players, possibly eight (8) if the situation warrants.

 

I have also started on my Shiloh 15mm confederates, so that project will see completion in the next 60 days ...

2023 a year in Review and looking ahead

 The past year has had a number of shifts take place.

It started off great with a whole weekend of games, the peak being a defend the bridgehead battle:

Defend the bridgehead!

My ACW efforts reached a first battlefield ready condition, Bull Run 1861

the whole 15mm force for both sides in the starting battle
of the American Civil War

 

These troops were then put into action on the tabletop in the Bull Run 1861 battle:

 

 Bull Run 1861

 

Some digital image work was done, in progress towards a potential little game ...

The Alpian Wars moves into a new 'realm'?

 

Still more use of the ACW troops and expanding into the "Operational Level" of battle management.

Operational Level of command

 

The full battle can be tracked here:

Then more ACW potential came to light as the Gettysburg Campaign was put into operation for the first time here, and culminated in a number of battles:

some quick troops were assembled to support the others that already existed, so that we could do some really big battles.

bare metal was brought to full paint quickly
to support the needs for more Union troops on the tabletop

Then the campaign took action and an amazing set of a-historical battles resulted:

UTICA MILLS:

Push on the Potomac:

Cavalry action at Bruceville:

Then Autumn arrived, there were many other things I needed to do and focus on, so games took a back seat, though the itch did get scratched a few more times before the end of the year, most importantly in the Bull Run 1861 game and expo at the local community center.

Victory Without Quarter

SHAKO 2

Bull Run 1861, at the Kelcey Center

I now also have a little painting commission, that will need addressing in the new year, so expect some progress photos of that project in the coming months.

The ACW set has Shiloh on deck, with only the Confederates needing to be painted at the moment, they are all up on the painting shelf, ready to roll after the commissions.

At least three other games days at the local community center are slated, in January, February and March.  So there will be some more tabletop images to come ...

Added on all of this are the continuing home operations, a work prospect that keeps me near my phone and computer most days along with Firefighter duties weekly (& whenever the 'tones' drop) and plans for better marketing of the rescue society needs.

Happy New Year everyone!