Nap Campaign: 3rd Battle of Ainsworth. 18th April 1808. Introduction

For the first game of the year I have decided to go big. The 3rd and final battle of the campaign day beckons. I begin with the area map containing the battle:

The 3rd and final battle of this single day in the campaign is arguably the most important. This involves Napoleon himself leading a battered French army falling back from a strengthened Prussian army lead by Blucher. He is seeking an opportunity to give the Prussians a bloody nose and believes he may have found it. 

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Plans for 2026

 I shall continue with breaking down my plans into Battles, Campaigns, Painting/Modelling.

BATTLES

ANCIENTS:

Early Imperial Roman: TBC from Britannia campaign.

Punic Wars: Battle of Lake Trasimene.

WARS OF THE ROSES:

Mini siege campaign.

First action - "The Messenger"

ECW:

Historical Scenarios - Stratton 16th May 1643

AWI:

Historical Scenarios - White Plains 28th October 1776

NAPOLEONIC:

Peninsular War project - Fuentes de Onoro 3rd - 5th May 1811. 

Campaign -  3rd Battle of Ainsworth (French v Prussians)

ACW:

Port Republic 9th June 1862. 

There is also the possibility of playing a large battle such as Shiloh but dependant on available time.

PONY WARS:

This really will be a priority this year!

COLONIAL:

Zulu Wars - Rorkes Drift

WW2:

Market Garden: Battle in the Woods from the Rapid Fire scenario book involving the UK Paras.

Operation Compass: Attack on the Maletti Group. This is a scenario from a mini-campaign acquired from Wargames Vault. 

Continued -

Review of 2025.

Time to review how the year went and how close or otherwise I was in maintaining discipline and sticking to the plans! 

The plans for the year are in italics.

BATTLES

ANCIENTS:

Early Imperial Roman: 9th Legion v Ancient British Mona.

Completed with a surprising Ancient Briton win meaning the campaign will continue.

Punic Wars: Battle of Trebia.

Completed. History overturned with a narrow Roman victory.

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ECW: Braddock Down. 19th January 1643

Braddock Down has been chosen to test the Pike and Shotte rules for the first time. It is a fairly simple battle to play albeit historically very brief. 

Background to the battle

Cornwall had declared for the Royalists with the well disciplined Cornish foot regiments led by the capable Sir Ralph Hopton. Parliamentarians under the overall command of the Earl of Stamford launched an offensive from Devon into Cornwall. A detached force led by the professional Scottish soldier Colonel William Ruthven advanced ahead capturing Liskeard.

A turning point came for Hopton with the capturing in Falmouth of 3 Parliamentarian ships carrying much needed supplies on 17th January 1643. Re-equipped and ammunition stocks replenished, Hopton advanced towards Devon. Ruthven, believing the Royalist force to be a rag-tag bunch of stragglers marched out of Liskeard to intercept him. Ruthven's force was primarily inexperienced Devon Trained Bands who made contact with Hopton at Braddock Down during the morning of 19th January 1643 not realising it was Hopton's main army. 

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WOTR Battle of Hedgeley Moor, 24th April 1464

 This is a scenario from the Wars of the Roses Hail Caesar supplement. 

Background of the battle reproduced from the supplement:

The Lancastrian situation was not ideal. Henry VI was cooped up at Banburgh Castle after evading the Yorkists, the Scottish were looking to make a peace deal with Edward IV, and an attempted surprise takeover of Newcastle by the Duke of Somerset had failed dismally. His woes had only worsened, as he was nearly captured in Durham whilst asleep, escaping barefoot with nothing other than his nightshirt.

With a growing band of Lancastrian loyalists coalescing in the north whilst the Yorkists were distracted by countrywide unrest, the Scottish peace talks were postponed and chosen to be held in York - something that Somerset and Henry could use to their advantage by delaying them with an active and resistant Lancastrian North.

When Edward dispatched Baron Montagu north to deal with this threat, Somerset was tipped off to his mission and Sir Humphrey Neville was sent with a small force to ambush and kill him. Montagu managed to escape this deadly trap and arrived at Newcastle, where he raised an army to march forth and vanquish the Lancastrian troublemakers once and for all.

A very spartan tabletop! The terrain is basically a moor, the only feature being a road. I have deliberately picked a relatively simple game to test Hail Caesar with amendments in the WOTR supplement for this period. So we shall see how it plays!

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ACW Battle of Cross Keys. 8th June 1862 - The Battle

 

The early action was centered around the 8th New York who reached the foot of Pence House Hill before receiving volleys from 2 Confederate regiments. They were fortunate to save 5 of 6 hits but left them disordered.

Using their initiative the 8th New York managed to pull back to safety but not before taking more casualties causing them to be shaken.

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ACW Battle of Cross Keys. 8th June 1862 - Introduction

This is the 6th Scenario from the "STONEWALL" Guns at Gettysburg Scenarios Book 4. I have added the label "ACW Battles Stonewall" on the right where you will find the other 5 scenarios. 

In the previous scenarios GaG rules were used but here I will be using Black Powder 2 for the first time with amendments from the "Glory, Hallelujah!" supplement. Conversion was relatively straightforward with only minor adjustments in unit sizes. 

BACKGROUND

Having achieved his aims of diverting Union troops from the Richmond theatre, Jackson considered the Valley campaign at an end. Lee gave Jackson several options, stating that Whiting's Division was on the way to join him and that he should join the main army at Richmond. He also gave him the option to strike a blow on the Federals.

The same day Lee issued these orders, Jackson's camp at Port Republic came under attack. A raiding force had been sent by Shields to seize the bridge but had been driven off although Jackson had nearly been captured. Fremont's Union army marching from Harrisonburg to the north-west intended attacking Jackson from this position.

With the possibility of getting caught between two Union armies, Jackson began getting his troops out of Port Republic. Meanwhile, Ewell organised a stand against Fremont on Mill Creek Ridge in the vicinity of Cross Keys Tavern.

Fremont decided that he would attack the Confederate right and attempted to conform his own line to that of Ewell's.

The game will be played on a 4'6" x 3'0" table using Baccus' 6mm figures. 

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Nap Campaign: Battle of Loverna. 18th April 1808. Turns 10 - Conclusion

 TURN 10

The French 6th Corps begin their evacuation across the single bridge to their rear with several battalions held back as a rearguard.

That rearguard is looking increasingly fragile. On the right the Granaderos Militia have successfully beaten off  the 2/8th Light Battalion forcing them to retreat. On the left the 2nd Badajoz Volunteers have charged the 1/8th Light Battalion and held to a draw. Beyond them the gap was created by the destruction of Penne's 1/75th Line by artillery and musketry. 

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Nap Campaign: Battle of Loverna. 18th April 1808. Turns 6 - 9

The situation at the start of turn 6. In the south the 6th Corps has gone on the offensive following the collapsed Spanish attacks. Dogged by poor command rolls the Spanish failed to co-ordinate their assaults leading to piecemeal charges which were easily dealt with by French defenders. What is left of the Spanish 2nd and 5th Divisions are retreating from the field. Their Vanguard, 3rd and 4th Divisions along with their cavalry are still fresh and with Picton's 5th Division may yet defeat the 6th Corps.

In the north the threat of the French dragoons has been dealt with in the nick of time and the stage is now set for an Anglo/Portuguese general advance against a weakened 4th Corps. The French are still strong on cavalry though and could prove problematic for the allies.

TURN 6 

Battalions of the French 22nd Division quickly move out to hit the Spanish, some of whom were still in a square formation as a result of the close proximity of lancers. Here the column of the Hesse-Darmstadt battalion charges into the Valencia light battalion in square formation. The Germans quickly overcome the Spanish unit causing it to break and flee the field.

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Nap Campaign: Battle of Loverna. 18th April 1808. Turns 1 - 5

 TURN 1

A dice was rolled to determine who had the initiative which was won by the French. They had the first turn which was not without problems. The 2nd Cavalry Corps, consisting entirely of dragoons, were ordered to deploy on the right flank anchored on the river. The 9th Cavalry Division in the lead received their orders which Burthe passed easily moving out to its designated position (top of photo). Vincent however, failed his command roll. Strolz intervened with a re-roll which resulted in a Command Blunder! Vincent's Brigade inexplicably retreated off the tabletop.

The single brigade of the 10th Cavalry Division (bottom right) moved sluggishly but at least it was in the right direction.

The march columns of infantry is Toussaint's Brigade of the 14th Division also move slowly towards the farm and their intended position. 

Allied movement was confined to their left flank with the Portuguese spreading out clear of the rocky terrain. Collins has a good command roll allowing his brigade a full 3 moves along the road crossing the bridge. His primary task is to secure the second crossing near the French lines in order to prevent any possible outflanking moves. He is to use his accompanying artillery battery along with musketry to harass the French flank. A secondary task should the opportunity present itself, is to cross the bridge if safe to do so and assault the French.

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