A courier ship from Andreivia has just arrived, bringing the latest update on the expeditionary forces from the Honourable Black Sea Trading Company. This delayed report has nothing to do with me forgetting to write up second day of the Crisis Point weekend. Not at all, no.
Day 2 of Crisis Point saw a quick rearrangement. Mark K was able to join us and set up his Force On Force game. Richard C set up an American Civil War encounter (with the Union forces recruited from Andreivian émigrés apparently). Ron moved over to the ACW table so Dex joined us for the second battle of the War of Andreivian Succession.
The battlefield. General Ned plans his tactics for the day.
We added a few more troops to this game and introduced some National Characteristics. The English opted for Deadly Volleys and Cadence, giving them a reroll on any failed disrupt tests and more manoeuvrability due to better training. The Andreivians opted for Feudal and Skirmishers, giving them the ability to use Massed formation (although we did not use it during the game) and increased range for irregular troops. Ned used the Skirmishers ability to good effect by using his irregular troops to break Neil's artillery before his guns could get into range.
I deployed on the right flank and sent my irregular cavalry forward while my infantry columns marched forward to the centre.
Neil's British cavalry also advanced up the flank. Neil and Ned's cavalry spent the day slugging it out, with neither side able to gain an advantage.
Early in the game Dex outnumbered one of my Andreivian infantry battalions and sent them off with massed musketry. I hurriedly redeployed my forces to try to plug the gap.
With my firing line restored this part of the battlefield developed into an epic musket duel as both sides alternated volleys and rally actions, attempting to wear each other down.
My cavalry and Dex's faced off for much of the battle, neither one wanting to commit to the charge. He did surprise me by sending a regiment of cavalry against my guns, knocking them out and threatening the flank of my infantry. I eventually saw them off with a combination of fire from my irregular infantry and a charge into their flank by my cavalry.
The musket duel in the centre reached a climax and, when the smoke cleared, the Company forces had broken and the Andreivians were masters of the battlefield once again.
The end was another victory for the defending Andreivian army while the BS Company forces returned to their ships and departed these shores, leaving the British General Horace Wilberforce to write to Parliament explaining how his subordinates let him down and none of it was his fault.
Sunday's field commanders: Myself, Ned, Neil and Dex.
Another cracking day's gaming and great weekend. The Andreivian forces performed beyond expectations; I did not expect them to last long against regular troops once the musket volleys started. Once again, my thanks to Ned, Dex and Ron for taking part in the battles over the weekend, thanks to m'colleague Neil for organising the game and big thanks to Richard C for planning and hosting the weekend. At this time we are unsure if Crisis Point will continue but, for me, I really hope that it does as it is a highlight of the wargaming calendar.