NINE YEAR'S WAR BATTLE OF LONGCHAMPS, JUNE 1692 (HYPOTHETICAL)

 This is a belated game report of a Nine Year's War Volley and Bayonet variant battle that I hosted on December 27th.  A friend of mine was interested to see a linear treatment of VnB, and my variant fit that bill--and it was an opportunity to play with toy soldiers during the holiday period. The game was originally scheduled earlier (before Christmas), but had to be postponed due to a snowstorm.  This is one of my convention scenarios, the Battle of Lonchamps, which is designed for 6 players.  There were only 4 players on this day, which made for some largish commands, but it worked out well.  I was busy running the game, so didn't get many in-game shots.  However, for an excellent in-game battle report to compliment this one, please see my friend AJ's Blog  You can also download this scenario and supporting documents on my Nine Year's War Scenarios and Resources Page on this blog (see the tabs across the top of the blog). Clix pix for BIG PIX.

The situation  is a set-piece, hypothetical engagement:
In June of 1692, William III marched south to break the Sun King's siege of Namur. Marshall Luxembourg marched north with his 60,000 man Army of Observation to block him. Heavy rainfall and swollen rivers kept the two armies from colliding in what would have been the largest open battle of the Nine Year's War. This game clears the skies and allows that pitched battle to happen. 

Battle Schematic from the Allied Perspective

Battle Schematic from the French Perspective

The situation basically is that the Allies need to either break the French Army or (more likely) take key terrain that would make the French position untenable and oblige Luxembourg to withdraw.  Towards these ends, the following victory conditions obtain:

There were other points available for keeping units intact as well as a few other things, but the main points revolved around the terrain. Note the compound effect for holding terrain combinations, which would represent control of the battlefield. The French Army begins with all the terrain, so there is a double effect for losing it--the French drop points and the Allies pick them up, in addition to dropping the bonus points for combinations.  The idea of the scenario design is that it presents multiple options for the Allied player, so there is no "take this one hill and win the game" strategy.  There is also a baseline rule, sort of an elongated camp effect that runs behind the army.  This forces players to maintain the frontage of the army or risk being obliged to withdraw, so reserve play becomes very important in maintaining the integrity of the army's position--the side that uses the reserve to best advantage usually is the side that prevails. In games where one side just sends the reserve in on turn one,  they often lose because they have no force left to react to developments later.  But I digress...

Pete and Bob were the Allies, taking the role of Gravenmoer and Wurttemburg (respectively), and splitting Lanier and sharing decisions on the Army Reserve. AJ and George took up the French, taking the roles of Gourney and Vendome (respectively), splitting Montal and sharing the Army Reserve decisions.  

The short version of the battle report is that after some back and forth, the Allied left wing infantry and dismounted dragoons managed to storm and hold Leuze, the affair being greatly facilitated by an amazing roll of 6 by Pete at a decisive point in the advance. Meanwhile, on the extreme end of the line, AJ and Peter's horse collided and neutralized each other in a swirling ongoing series of melees.  On the Allied right, Bob pushed hard around the French left, eventually narrowly taking Longchamps (with support from Lanier in the center). The French counterattack on Longchamps failed after a spectacular run of lousy dice by the local French commander, George.   Given that it was getting late and that the writing was on the wall that the French were going to be pushed off of the key terrain (the hill) on their left, it was agreed that Luxembourg would be obliged to abandon the position to William. 

Dauphin and Grammont Dragoons Garrison Longchamps

The Netherlands Horse (Left) facing Longchamps.  The Brandenburg and Hessian foot (Right) would press the French left.

The original Wild Geese (Clare, Lee) hold the line on the French right (in the left picture above), supported by regiment Limoisin. The main French position (right) with regiments Navarre, Orleans, Greder Allemande, and Tourraine in the front line. The Swiss Guard anchors the right end of the second line.

The Danes and allied Dismounted Dragoons (Left) would storm Leuze. The English (right) in the form of the Royal and Scots Fusiliers backed by Cambon and Caillemont (French Huguenot Regiments in the Williamite Army) would support the assault.

Everyone played very well, and it was a fine time. I hadn't run this system for some time, and it was very enjoyable for me to get the figures out and use them again. So much so, that I'm thinking of taking them on the road again to conventions in the upcoming year; I've got half done scenarios for the Battle of Fleurus and Neerwinden (Landen) that I need to finish up and then I'll be ready.


Excelsior!