The Deluge Anyone?

Is that a groan I hear? Not another project? Not really a new project as such and probably one some of you have heard me mention before. 

Steve is planning Thirty Years War at some point anyway but I also have lots of Poles and Cossacks for the Great Northern War I had considered using for the earlier period. The Deluge refers to a period  at the end of the Thirty Years War when the Swedes invaded and over ran the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth whilst a Civil War raged between the Cossacks and the rest of the Commonwealth. So not only did the Poles fight the Swedes during this period, but both other Poles and the Ukraniane Cossacks and both Brandenburg and Transylvania invaded as well, the Poles were later supported by the Crimean Tatars and Imperialist forces. Both sides had a fair number of European Mercenaries fighting for them, all of which sit really well with having some Thirty Years Troops, particularly Dragoons.

The tipping point came for me when reading the latest Helion title on Ukraniane Cossacks who at different points had thousands of "German" mercenaries fighting for them. particularly during the rebellions in the mid century. This at the same time as reading Griff Hosker's Horse and Pistol novel set in the Thirty Years War has got me back interested.

So I decided to try a game with the Irregular Wars, aimed at this time frame, we have used them successfully for Elizabethan Ireland, before trying any new rules I wanted to see if they gave a feel. 

Worth mentioning that at the same time I am having a look at By Fire and Sword and whether these are a game I might try with amends to make them suitable for 28mm.

I decided to run a medium sized game with Ukranian Cossacks vs Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth troops, for the latter I added some mercenary Pike and Shot along with a light gun.

The Cossacks have 7 companies of foot, each of which is a single base. They had one unit of Hetmans bodyguard foot with 2 pike and 4 shot units supported by 4 light Cossack horse, another 2 light Cossack horse waited in ambush behind the Poles.

The Poles have two forces, the First has one unit of Winged Hussars with 2 Pancerni, one Cossack and one Dragoons supported by 2 mercenary shot and one mercenary pike. 

The second has again one winged Hussars, one Cossack, One Dragoon but 3 Pancerni supported by a   light gun.

On paper the Poles have the advantage but they are attacking and the Cossacks have a bottle neck to force the Poles through.

The most disciplined troops are the mercenary foot, these are unfortunately at the rear of the Polish force and moving the most slowly.

As soon as Chris moves his registered Cossacks into range the Ukranian Cossacks charge them.

As it is alternate unit movement Chris charges his Dragoons into the flank of the Cossacks who are in turn charged by more Cossacks in their flank. Each unit charged in the flank immediately takes a deduction to its resolve 

The Dragoons and another unit of Registered Cossacks drop to one resolve which is wavering and are forced to retreat. The registered Cossacks then break as the Dragoons touch them and the Dragoons lose their remaining resolve for being within 5 of a unit that breaks.

The Poles are suddenly not doing so well.

The Pancerni push forward into long range and fire their various weapons at the Cossacks, receiving a volley of musketry in reply.

The Cossack ambush fails dismally but it does hold up a unit of Polish Cossacks and all three Mercenary foot, allowing the Cossack defenders to concentrate on the advanced units of Polish horse.

Steve's plus 1 in initiative has meant that when it mattered he was able to make the first move and gain the advantage in melee's, as he could also decided which Melee went first, which could then impact other units when a unit was defeated he had a significant advantage over Chris.

The Winged Hussars with the Hetman are the last unit to go down fighting suitably enough against the Cossack Hetman and his biodyguard.

Despite initial outlook the Poles have been soundly beaten and the untouched European Mercenaries beat a steady retreat.

A fun game, I do like the rules for Ireland but not so much for Poland.

Hopefully By Sword and Flame will give me something with a more period feel.