Fall In 2018

Steve Umbrell and I drove down to Fall In at the Host in Lancaster, PA.  This was the first Fall In I had attended (it usually falls astride my wife's birthday and I had to receive special dispensation to attend this year).  I ran the Battle of Oravais, 1808 between Sweden and Russia.  This was the largest battle of the war with about 5000+ troops on each side.  After a play test I had adjusted the objectives for each side in an attempt to get the Swedes to operate in a more aggressive posture.  This worked and resulted in a minor Swedish victory.  The actual campaign and battle ended with a Russian victory and resulted in Finland become a Russian province.  Unfortunately I was so caught up in running the game that I failed to take any photographs.  I remedied that error with the other games I participated in, two games run by Tom Garnett as part of a Peninsular War Campaign set in 1808.  The French must breach the Ebro River line.  In the first game I played the Spanish, in the second the French.  It's good to be French.  I also played in a Prussia versus Saxon 1813 game run by John Snead and took photos of the Battle of Champion's Hill (ACW) and another 1813 Saxon versus Prussia contest.   


Champion's Hill.  The photo shows the vice which caught the Rebs between three union fires at the angle of the fence and stream.  After surveying the terrain I would have pulled the Rebs back to the hill - beyond the far tree line and defended in depth from that location.  Easier said than done of course. 

A close up of the bloody angle. 

The first of the Peninsular War games defending the Ebro River Line.  The French approaching the Ebro, attempting to cross at the ford on the left.  Our Spanish militia garrison the town. 



The French were mostly conscripts and Spanish Militia would make them work hard to dig us out of our sacred land. 

The Spanish grenadiers come down from the reverse slope to face off against the French crossing the river.  This was a mistake in hindsight.  They were defeated and Spanish Army morale broken.  It was a challenge to play the Spanish and as long as your expectations were in line with historical reality, it could be fun.  Indeed it was in this case. 

I learned my lesson and was the French in the second game in the campaign.  We had moved down the Spanish side of the River to the next town and encountered a line of Spanish set behind a ridge to the left of the town pictured above.  The French quickly swept the Spanish off the ridge using a combined arms attack of cavalry and infantry and artillery.  Pictured above is a spoiling attack launched by the Spanish cavalry as the French pursue the remnants of the Spanish infantry toward the town and off the table. 

My best troops were two Polish battalions who didn't get into the action until the final turns, smashing the Spanish behind the walls in the orchard on the right of the picture.  A major French Victory was achieved against a well played Spanish foe.  It was good to be French. 

1813, looking from the Saxon camp towards Yorks advancing Prussians. 

The game gets under way.  Weather played a role in this one.  Heavy rain kept the effectiveness of the  musketry to a minimum.  I ran the Prussians at the top right or Prussian right flank.  We should have spent a few more turns softening up the Saxons before launching our attacks.  We paid the price.  Tony, who commanded our left flank was more judicious in his approach and ended up doing better.  Good job Tony.

A final shot of the first Spanish game showing our militia dug into the town.  The smoke denotes a fire started by French artillery fire.  My militia were unable to get out of the town section on their initial attempt and over 50 were roasted in the flames. 

Another Saxon versus Prussian clash I watched unfold before running off to another game.  The Saxon's are poised for a counter attack.