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| LoA Skane Wars action at Partizan September 2014 |
For a change we decided to do something petite and pretty for the show. Gerry, Dave and I were determined to get a chance to game and commenced to roll dice before the doors had actually opened. A first for me in 18 years of attending the show twice a year.
Our enthusiasm to get on with it was driven by the fact that Gerry was yet to participate in a play test game of the new Horse & Musket rules which we hope to have available soon.
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| Oh crap! ANOTHER set of rules from Mr H |
The terrain set up was the seldom seen but much revered Trickett & Whitehouse Retreat from Moscow table of which I have been custodian for over 12 years. Although I have gamed on it many times it has not been seen in public since I used it for a winter Jacobite game about 10 years ago.
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| The Trickett & Whitehouse terrain moves to southern Sweden |
At some point in the future Paul and Dean's original set up of terrain and troops will once again be put on display. This extremely iconic and emotionally valuable collection was, for a short time, in danger of being separated but through some prompt action by a wargaming Coalition of the Willing it has been saved and reunited for posterity. More on that in a future post.
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| Young Dan Faulconbridge does his WI thang at the show |
Back to Newark.... My knowledge of the Scanian/Skane Wars has been leaping on over the past few months chiefly due to contact with a fine body of fellows based in Stockholm. This then was the chosen setting for our September Partizan game. On a table of 6 x 4 feet we portrayed a winter attack by a powerful force of Danes on a weakened and retreating Swedish force. The Swedes, without cavalry were attempting to defend a fortified river crossing and drive a depleted supply column into the safety of a fortified camp area.
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| Regiment Halsinge - notice the characters in front of the unit |
The Danes with Foot, Horse and guns where charged with obliterating the Swedes. I had prepared the orders of battle before the game with the exception of choosing all of the characters and deciding the colonel types.
Danish Force
Regiment of Foot Guards (30 models Guard)
Regiment Funen (30 models Drilled)
Jyske Militia (18 models Recruit)
Jyske Cavalry Regiment (18 models Drilled)
Life Guards of Horse (18 models Veteran)
Gun battery (3 field guns)
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| Snowy Danish battery which attracted favourable comment |
Swedish Force
Dalecarlian Regiment (18 models Veteran)
Jonkoping Regiment (18 models Drilled)
Uppland Regiment (18 models Drilled)
Halsinge Regiment (36 models Drilled)
Nylands Regiment (54 models Drilled)
Bohuslan Dragoons - dismounted (24 models Drilled)
Artillery (2 light guns)
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| The very large Nylands Regiment with Jonkoping behind |
Several of the Swedish colonels were of poor quality although it must be said, so were the Danish! The Danes (under Gerry) thrust forward on their right almost immediately and achieved some success. The very large Nylands Regiment (54 models) ran away when charged by the Jyske cavalry as did the sniping Bohuslan Dragoons on their flank.
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| The Danish line advances |
The Danish cavalry failed to hit their target and ended blown and disordered under the muzzle of a Swedish gun. The Horse then turned tail and fled (almost off table). The Swedes rallied and began to swing in from the left against the Danish centre.
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| The precious Swedish bridge to freedom |
We didn't finish the game as it generated a huge amount of interest which meant we stopped and explained the mechanisms, walked through certain aspects of the rules and talked about the period.
It was a busy, quick and very enjoyable day and Warfare Miniatures did pretty well (thanks for that everyone!)