A First Game of Beneath the Lily Banners -War of Three Kings (6)

The Danes are crossing the bridge with the rest of the Williamite infantry marching behind them.

Both sides artillery fire to no great effect.

The Williamite Horse are under ’Form’ orders directly under the supervision of Major General Von Tettau.  Antrim’s Foot causes Schomberg’s Horse another casualty which the cavaliers ignore by virtue of passing their ‘Check morale’.

Now we must consider the 'Risk to officers' in respect of Von Tettau.  A D6 is thrown with a score of 4. The Commander is safe.

Schomberg's Horse ‘About face’ which ends their movement in this turn.  They are now facing the Jacobite cavalry.

Portland’s Horse ‘Wheel’ as they exit the bridge which ends their movement too.  They are now facing the right way too but are in an ineffective formation.

The first squadron of Jacobite Horse begins to ‘Charge’. It is the ’Veteran’ ‘Blade’ Galmoy’s Horse.

Galmoy's Horse ‘Morale check’ upon receiving the order to ‘Charge’ and as they are ‘Veteran’ throw a ‘Signature Dice’ D10.  They score a 9.

They gain +1 for their accompanying Brigadier, Dominic Sheldon, and +1 for being supported by the Squadron behind them and so comfortably exceed the score of 5 needed to fulfill their orders.  They dig their spurs in.

 Schomberg’s and Portland's Horse must now 'Check Morale' for being 'Charged'. A score of 5+ is needed for both as they are 'Drilled'.

Scomberg's throw a D8 and score a 2.  They will not stand to meet the charge and will withdraw by quarter moves and end the full move disordered.  They may still be caught by Galmoy's charging troopers.

Portland's throw a D8 and score a 1!  They simply rout .  Here, I had a dilemma. the rear of Portlands were still on the bridge-should they ride down the Danish Foot behind them? Or,  would they simply follow Schomberg's troopers?

Galmoy's Horse are still charging on.  This is how it works, the chargers move 5 inches plus the score on a D6, in this case a 6!  As with firing, there is no pre-measuring in BLB, if you misjudge the distance your charge will not hit.

Schomberg's troopers get clear and find themselves looking down the muzzle of the Jacobite 'Light' gun.

Portland's should make a rout move of 5 inches + a D6 but behind them is a bog impassable to Horse. Some try to follow their Schomberg comrades but are caught by Galmoy's troopers others ride through the Danes on the bridge disordering them in the process. 

The two bodies of Horse have different fighting styles 'Blade' and 'Bullet'.

Galmoy’s Horse are ’Veteran’ ‘Blade’ Horse with a D10 ‘Signature dice’ . when charging or pursuing they get 2 dice a stand and go up 1 dice size to D12.  They throw 3 D12 and an extra one for Brigadier Sheldon.  They throw 7 dice hitting on a 5+ scoring 1,5,5,6,7 and 10.  They have caused 5 casualties.

Portland’s Horse are ‘Drilled’ ‘Bullet’ Horse with a D8 ‘Signature dice’.  Normally they would throw two dice per stand and go up one dice size to D10 hitting on a 6.  But they are routing, disordered and hit in the rear and so throw 3 D6 instead.  They score 3,4 and 5 inflicting no casualties.

Von Tettau has been in the thick of the fray and once more a D6 is rolled for 'Risk to officers'.  This time it's a 6 followed by a roll of 1.  The Major General is among the slain.

We stopped the game there, drinks were required.  Had we continued the General's death would have triggered 'Check Morale', The Williamite Foot would likely have left a Battalion to seal the bridge while the rest of the Army retired.  The Williamite troopers would mostly have ridden hard and lived to fight another day.  The Williamites task had been unenviable but they had given it a good go.  For the Jacobites it was a morale boosting victory even though most soldiers on both sides had not engaged.   

We felt that we had put the rules to the test and we liked what we got.  Next time we want to try infantry fire fights and charges.  Then fighting in built up areas.  One step at a time but we had a pleasing afternoon and look forward to more of it.  Best of all we both felt we had sufficiently got the hang of things enough to try our Aughrim based game.

I hope you enjoyed reading this series of posts on my first game of Beneath the Lily Banners War of Three Kings.

A First Game of Beneath the Lily Banners -War of Three Kings (5)

The Duke of Berwick  is having a hard think (He threw a 5 and can move half his units).  His two centre line battalions have just, very necessarily, used their ‘First Fire’ to eradicate the dangerous Williamite Guard Cavalry .  All to the good, but when the Danes arrive his men will now fight at a huge disadvantage. 

He sees it all in his mind’s eye, ‘Veteran’ highly disciplined, ‘Flintlock’ armed Danish Battalions reserving their ‘First Fire’ to point blank range and blowing away his poor lads while they fiddled with their slower loading ‘Matchlocks’.

It is an infamy not to be borne.  He needs fresh troops into the line and orders up the Lord Grand Prior’s Regiment ‘Drilled’ ‘All Musket’, ‘Flintlock’ armed and still with ‘First Fire’.  They will deploy into line of battle next to the Irish Guards. 

 

More Williamite cavalry have crossed the bridge.

Von Tettau calls up his infantry Brigadiers gives them their orders and rides off the lead the cavalry. It is do or die for Major General Von Tettau.

The leading elements of Schomberg’s Horse receive fire from Antrim’s Foot and from the Jacobite ‘Light’ gun.

This time though it isn’t the all important ‘First fire’.  Antrim’s Foot throw 3 D8 scoring 3,8 and 8. They are not at short range and so don’t double their dice.  The ‘Target is dense’ so they re-throw the 3 and get a 2.

Antrim’s Foot have inflicted 2 casualties.

The Jacobite ‘Light’ gun fires.  The gunners don’t have to test for steadiness as they are not being ‘Charged’.  The range is ‘Effective’ and the ‘Target is dense’ they throw 2 D8s and will re roll misses.

They get a 1 and a 7.  The 1 is re-rolled and they get a 3. 

Schomberg’s Horse have lost 3 casualties and so ‘Check Morale’.  As ‘Drilled’ Horse they throw a D8 and get a 7 and carry on.  Meanwhile the Jacobite Horse have them in ‘Charge’ distance. 

Things are coming to a head.