Managed to have some of the guys over for a Seven Year's War Black Powder game last night. Keith brought his Russians and Swedes which were allied with my Bavarians and Austrians. The Austrians made a good showing, blowing away the Prussian Garde du Corps kuraissier regiment with massed musketry. This was the first outing for the Pandours, so they feel pretty chuffed about things.
The game was notable for crap command rolls on both sides. I think 7 for the middle of the road Staff Rating may be too low and bumping everyone up by 1 might be better. Making the senior Prussian regiments 'Superbly Drilled' helped (once I remembered about that rule for them), but one has to choose to use the move and leave the artillery behind or maybe wait for next turn? I definitely think now that a Staff Rating of 7 would hamper the Reichsarmee or Saxons quite enough. Everyone else should be 8 or 9 and leave the 10s for the really dynamic commanders like Ziethen or Nadasty (maybe).
Here is the Order of Battle for the Prussians used last night. 6 figure cavalry squadrons and 12 figure infantry battalions. I did add some more artillery to balance out Keith's Russian artillery. The table formatting has been stripped off by Blogger unfortunately. I suppose I could try and save it as a .jpeg and upload it as an image? Is that possible?
Army Name: Prussian Army
Commander-in-Chief Frederick the Great Staff Rating: 8
Brigade: Left Wing Cavalry Commander: Schmettau Staff Rating: 7
Unit Type Weapon Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special
KR 2 Heavy cav Sword 9 0 3+ 3 HvyCav d3
DR 6 Cavalry Sword 8 0 4+ 3
HR 8 (Red) Lt. Cavalry Sword 7 0 4+ 3 Marauder
Brigade: Right Wing Cavalry Commander: Furstenburg Staff Rating: 8
Unit Type Weapon Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special
KR 13 Gd Cavalry Sword 10 0 3+ 3 HvyCav D3, Reliable
DR 3 Cavalry Sword 8 0 4+ 3
HR 5 (Black) Lt. Cavalry Sword 8 0 3+ 3 Hvy Cav +1,
Brigade: 1st Brigade Commander: Wedell Staff Rating: 8
Unit Type Weapon Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special
IR 15 Gd Inf Muskets 7 4 3+ 4 Elite 4+, Superbly Drilled, First Fire
IR 6 Gren Gds Muskets 7 4 3+ 4 Elite 4+, Superbly Drilled, First Fire
IR 2 Musketeers Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 Superbly drilled, First Fire
Jaegers Lt Inf Rifles 5 3 4+ 3 Skirmish,Sharp shooter
12 pdr artillery 1 3-2-1 4+ 2
Brigade: 2nd Brigade Commander: Staff Rating: 7
Unit Type Weapon Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special
FR 35 Fusiliers Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 First Fire
FR 40 Fusiliers Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 First Fire
FR 42 Fusiliers Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 First Fire
GR 1 Garrison Muskets 5 2 5+ 3
6 pdr artillery 1 3-2-1 4+ 2
Brigade: 3rd Brigade Commander: Staff Rating: 7
Unit Type Weapon Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special
IR 19 Musketeers Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 Superbly Drilled, First Fire
IR 13 Musketeers Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 Superbly Drilled, First Fire
IR 18 Musketeers Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 Superbly Drilled, First Fire
Grenadiers Grenadiers Muskets 7 3 4+ 4 Elite 4+, Superbly Drilled, First Fire
6 pdr artillery 1 3-2-1 4+ 2
Brigade: 4th Brigade Commander: Staff Rating: 7
Unit Type Weapon Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special
IR 24 Musketeers Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 Superbly Drilled, First Fire
IR 27 Musketeers Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 Superbly Drilled, First Fire
GR 2 Garrison Muskets 5 2 5+ 3
6 pdr artillery 1 3-2-1 4+ 2
Brigade: 5th Brigade Commander: ‘Quintus Icilius’ Staff Rating: 7
Unit Type Weapon Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special
Von Kleist Freikorps Infantry Muskets 5 3 5+ 3 Marauder, skirmish
Freikorps Infantry Muskets 5 3 5+ 3 Marauder, skirmish
Freikorps Infantry Muskets 5 3 5+ 3 Marauder, skirmish
FK Uhlans Lt Cavalry Lance 6 0 4+ 3 Marauder, skirmish, lance
Here is the Order of Battle for the Allied Army:
Army Name: Allies
Commander-in-Chief Staff Rating: no CiC
Brigade: Austrians Commander: Staff Rating: 8
Unit Type Weapon Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special
Grenadiers Infantry Muskets 7 3 4+ 4 Superbly drilled, First Fire
Musketeers Infantry Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 First fire
Musketeers Infantry Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 First fire
Musketeers Infantry Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 First fire
Pandours Lt infantry Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 Skirmish, marauder
Pandours Lt infantry Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 Skirmish, marauder
3 pdr Artillery 1 3-2-1 4+ 2 24cm range
6 pdr Artillery 1 3-2-1 4+ 2
Brigade: Bavarians Commander: Staff Rating: 7
Unit Type Weapon Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special
Grenadiers Infantry Muskets 7 3 4+ 4 Superbly drilled, First Fire
Musketeers Infantry Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 First fire
Musketeers Infantry Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 First fire
Musketeers Infantry Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 First fire
Musketeers Infantry Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 First fire
3 pdr Artillery 1 3-2-1 4+ 2 24cm range
6 pdr Artillery 1 3-2-1 4+ 2
Brigade: Russians Commander: Staff Rating: 7
Unit Type Weapon Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special
Grenadiers Infantry Muskets 7 3 4+ 4 Superbly drilled, First Fire
Musketeers Infantry Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 First fire
Musketeers Infantry Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 First fire
Musketeers Infantry Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 First fire
Musketeers Infantry Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 First fire
Musketeers Infantry Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 First fire
Pandours Lt infantry Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 Skirmish, marauder
Heavy Gun
Medium Gun
Howitzer
Brigade: Russian Cavalry Commander: Staff Rating: 7
Unit Type Weapon Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special
Dragoon Cavalry Sword 8 0 4+ 3
Hussar Lt. Cavalry Sword 7 0 4+ 3 Marauder
Cossack Lt Cavalry Lance 6 0 4+ 3 Marauder, skirmish, lance
Brigade: Swedes Commander: Staff Rating: 7
Unit Type Weapon Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special
Grenadiers Infantry Muskets 7 3 4+ 4 Superbly drilled, First Fire
Musketeers Infantry Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 First fire
Musketeers Infantry Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 First fire
Musketeers Infantry Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 First fire
Medium Gun
Brigade: Swedish Cavalry Commander: Staff Rating: 7
Unit Type Weapon Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special
Dragoon Cavalry Sword 8 0 4+ 3
Although I just realized I forgot to use the 'heavy cavalry d3' modifier when KR2 had their charge. They got stuck in with some Russian dragoons and flanked by cossacks. D'oh! It was a drawn melee and both sides recoiled. If I had remembered the heavy cavalry bonus they would have won their fight and turned the Russian flank!
Otherwise all the troop types got to see some action to test the stat lines and I was pleased with how they worked out. It was also the biggest SYW battle we've had in a while with 20+ units per side. I got all of my Prussian infantry on the table this time, and things moved along nicely.
The criticism I've heard that troops get blown away too quickly didn't happen last night. The Allies only lost two units and the Prussians three after some pretty intensive musketry and close range artillery. I had most of Keith's Russian infantry shaken and with another round of musketry he might've started blowing his Break Tests, leaving a big hole where his center used to be. Or he might've rallied some troops and rolled boxcars on his Break Tests and held it together too.
Shame no one brought a camera. But you can see the Austrians here and the Prussians and Bavarians here. Keith's Russians and Swedes are featured in an early battle here.
I've got one more commission to do and then for a reward I've promised myself I'll paint up some cavalry for the Austrians. 6 hussars, 6 dragoons and 12 kuraissiers.
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Frederick on a rating of 8! He's always a 10 on my table. I think you're right about raising the staff ratings - I use a standard 8 for the Austrians and 9 for the Prussians. I also never use the heavy cavalry modifier as part of my tweaks to prevent cavalry charging frontally against infantry with too much success.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly like to give those elite units powerful stats - something for me to think about. I tend to make my units rather more uniform.
Looking forward to some photos next time.
Best wishes, Keith Flint. www.keefsblog.blogspot.com
I debated this with myself and a few commentators a few months back on the blog. I'm also thinking of randomizing Staff Ratings a bit more: Daun's Austrians did all the right things at Kolin and then acted very sluggish at Leuthen. Frederick had some brilliant days and he had some less than spectacular ones too.
ReplyDeleteHave you got Ziethen or Seydlitz commanding your cavalry or have you got Schmettau?
The minis are all pictured on earlier postings too.
Of course you have to look back 6 or 7 months in the archives to find some of my earlier SYW musings! My how time flies!
ReplyDeleteI've just edited the post to include some links to the earlier posts with pictures!
ReplyDeleteAfter a year's play or so (?), what's your verdict on Black Powder? The last SYW set of rules I've used was Age of Reason and while I'm not keen on buying another set of rules, I'm curious.
ReplyDeleteI find it an enjoyable fast moving game. A bit 'loosey goosey' perhaps, but it doesn't let itself get bogged in details.
ReplyDeleteOur armies were just too big for AoR and it took forever to get a game to any kind of conclusion.