On Monday Donald Adamson and I took forward a long term objective as we played the 1745 Campaign from ‘The Last Argument of Kings’ supplement. I supplied the table and basic terrain and Donald provided all the troops. The battles were fought with15mm figures and so we halved the movement and ranges in the Black Powder rules. We used our usual alternative sequence for the rules – Initiative Moves, Shooting, Commanded Moves and Melee plus some specific amendments for the 18th century.
Donald took the part of the Hanoverian player and I was Bonnie Prince Charlie. I rolled a 4 when I unfurled the Jacobite Royal standard at Glenfinnan giving me 5 Highland regiments so I decided to forego a reroll and marched at once to Edinburgh to meet the Sir John Cope’s army at Prestonpans.
Donald deployed his 4 infantry units in historical order with his 3 guns on their right and his 2 regiments of dragoons split to on either flank. My right wing of 3 Highland regiments under Lord George Murray rapidly advanced and engaged Donald’s left of 2 battalions and Hamilton’s dragoons. One infantry unit broke and fled from the terrifying Highland charge. While the other retired and was destroyed in melee as the Highlanders followed them up. The Dragoons repeatedly retired and then ran from the field. My other 2 highland units screened this attack from the movement of the Hanoverian right wing. I lost the Camerons in hand to hand combat but the arrival of the victorious right wing broke all the remaining Hanoverian units.
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| Prestonpans - Jacobites mass against Hanoverian left |
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| Donald as General Cope prepares his victory message! |
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| First Hanoverian Btn flees from the terrifying charge |
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| Second Hanoverian Btn broken in melee |
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| Colonel Gardner leads his Regt home in rout |
I decided to leave enough troops to effectively besiege Edinburgh and Stirling giving me another roll on the Jacobite Victory table – yet again an upgraded unit. With only 2 units available to march into England I abandoned that plan and stayed in Scotland – giving me another roll on the Victory table –yet again an upgraded unit. Luckily for me Donald’s Royal Navy Blockade roll was the worst he could get and I received 2 full units of Irish Piquets, a French Horse Regt and enough arms and money to make my last 2 Highland units tough fighters.
Facing an invasion of Scotland by Field Marshal Wade I decided to take the option of making a stand near Stirling and so brought on the Battle of Falkirk. My Jacobites had their original 5 Highland regiments, now all tough fighters, the 2 full units of Irish Piquets, the French Horse Regt and 3 guns. Donald allowing me to use the guns captured at Prestonpans – a true gentleman. Donald as FM Wade had 14 Line infantry units, a Horse Regt, 3 Dragoon Regts and 4 guns.
Being massively outnumbered but knowing my Highlanders Terrified all the units in the opposing army I decided to launch all the Highlanders supported by the French Horse at the Hanoverian left wing – consisting of 6 Dutch infantry Regts, a Horse Regt and a Dragoon Regt. The Piquets and the 3 guns I deployed as a delaying force on my left wing. So it was a bigger version of my Prestonpan’s plan.
It started well with the Highlanders and the French horse advancing a single move but then it all went wrong. The British and French Horse met in melee and the French were pushed back 3 turns in a row before they broke. Some truly abysmal dicing by me. This continued and from turn 2 onwards I never managed to get the Highlanders to move. Even using the Bonnie Princes rerolls and then his increasingly desperate follow me attempts. Truly appalling! The Highlanders just took more and more shooting hits without scoring much in return from the 3 Dutch battalions in the first line (they were deployed in 2 lines) and the 4 Hanoverian guns. It was very sad. One Jacobite highlight was a British Dragoon Regt charging a Highland unit in the rear and bouncing off!
On my left 6 British Infantry units and 2 Dragoon Regts broke the gallant Irish Piquets (2 regiments). Watching the utter fiasco of the completely stalled Highland attack the Bonnie Prince turned his gallant steed and rode quickly for a French ship at Montrose.
It was good fun – Prestonpans was very historic and Falkirk turned into an even grimmer Culloden.
Link to all my photos on flickr
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmJMUZfH
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| Falkirk - the Jacobites massed to smash the Dutch wing of Wade's army |
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| Irish Piquets doomed struggle |
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| Highlanders stuck on the front of the ridge - immobile - Charles Edward thinking of best road to Montrose |
Anyway, great fun, and more than enough to make us want to do it again with suitable tweaks. Also we are now inspired to consider the 1715 Campaign.
| JACOBITE 1745 | Weapon | Type |
H_H
|
Shooting
|
Morale
|
Stamina
|
Useful Rules |
| Highland Clan | Musket, Pistol, Sword | Warband Infantry |
7
|
2
|
4
|
3
|
First Fire, Terrifying
|
| Lowlanders | Musket | Reg Infantry |
6
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
|
| French Piquets | Musket | Reg Infantry |
4
|
2
|
4
|
2
|
First Fire, Reliable |
| Horse | Sword, Carbine | Cavalry |
4
|
0/2
|
4
|
2
|
Mounted Infantry |
| Light Artillery | Artillery | Smoothbore |
1
|
3-2-1
|
4
|
2
|
|
| HANOVERIAN 1745 | Weapon | Type |
H_H
|
Shooting
|
Morale
|
Stamina
|
Useful Rules |
| Guards | Musket | Reg Infantry |
7
|
3
|
3
|
4
|
First Fire, Reliable
|
| Line Infantry | Musket | Reg Infantry |
6
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
First Fire |
| Highland Infantry | Musket | Reg Infantry |
6
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
First Fire |
| Yeoman/Recruits | Musket | Reg Infantry |
6
|
3
|
5
|
3
|
Freshly Raised |
| Horse | Sword | Cavalry |
8
|
4
|
3
|
Hvy Cav +1 | |
| Dragoons | Sword, Carbine | Cavalry |
6/4
|
0/2
|
4
|
3
|
Mounted
Infantry, Freshly Raised? |
| Light Artillery | Artillery | Smoothbore |
1
|
3-2-1
|
4
|
2
|
|
Small units reduce Hand to Hand by 2, Shooting by 1 and Stamina by 1.
First Fire Add1 dice to first shooting
Skirmish Can adopt skirmish formation
Reliable Add1 to Command Level
Terrifying Charged opponents must take a break test
Mounted Inf Can combine a mount /dismount to any move order, cannot be combined with a charge. On foot they skirmish.
PERIOD SPECIFIC HOUSE RULES – mainly from Last Argument of Kings
Cavalry which become Disordered by closing fire retire disordered one move.
Infantry with secure cover on a flank count this as a support in combat resolution.
Artillery, other than battalion guns, once deployed cannot be manhandled or relimbered but can turn in place as move.
Infantry in line cannot use more than 2 moves.
