AAR: A Return to Rügenwald 1630 - a Thirty Years War Skirmish in 28mm

A battle report using the Pikeman's Lament ruleset, depicting a raid during the Thirty Years War

Introduction

The Thirty Years War had been raging on the European continent for already more than a decade when Gustavus Adolphus in 1630 landed in Northern Germany with an army, initially to take control over the German cities on the northern German coastline.

Gustaphus Adolphus landing in Germany 1630.

Reay's Regiment, a regiment under Scottish commander Donald Mackay, 1st Lord of Reay, joined the Swedish forces and was involved in taking the coastal cities of Stettin and Colberg. Like an earlier game, seen HERE, this game is set in between the taking of those two cities. During that time, in August 1630, six companies of Reay’s Regiment, was ordered to re-join the main body of the regiment at Stettin. En route, one of the boats foundered off the Pomeranian coast near Colberg, and nearly 200 men landed with only themselves, their "swords, pikes and some wet muskets". The Scots surprised the town of Rügenwald (today Darlowo in Poland) and obtained fresh powder, ammunition and other supplies. They held the town for nine weeks until Gustavus Adolphus sent Hepburn’s Scottish regiment to relieve them.

A print showing Scottish soldiers of the Thirty Years' War. 

Northern Germany by the Baltic Sea in 1630. Rügenwald is marked on the map.

In an earlier game of this setting the Scots clashed with Imperial troops outside Rügenwald. In this game, that we played quite some time ago, the Imperial forces have managed to contain the Scots to the city of Rügenwald. The Scots don't just sit and wait for Gustavus Adolphus to come and rescue them however, but try and make life as miserable as possible for the Imperials. This game sees the Scots sneak out of the city to raid one of the Imperial camps in a nearby settlement. 


Scenario

We played the game using The Pikeman's Lament ruleset. Its a great ruleset written by Daniel Mersey and Michael Leck, from Osprey Games. The scenario was the Beating Up Quarter scenario from the rules with the Scots attacking and the Imperial troops defending. The defender - apart from a small unit - start asleep in the buildings and must successfully activate to enter the table. The attacker set up a given distance from the buildings. To win the attacker must succeed in setting fire to four buildings and not lose half of his force.

The Forces

The Scottish attackers.

The Imperial defenders.

Set up and deployment

We played on a 4x4' table.
The attackers must set up outside 12" from the camp.
Most defenders start the scenario in the buildings.

The Game

The Scottish attackers initially had some trouble putting houses on fire. Also, the Scottish infantry struggled against the Imperial forces that quickly managed do get out from the buildings to defend their camp. The Scottish fortune changed however and some Scottish horsemen managed to put first one and then another building on fire before the Imperials could come and stop them. In the end, just as the attackers were taking some heavy casualties they managed to set a third and fourth building on fire, thereby achieving their objective and they returned to Rugenwald victorious.

Below is the game in pictures.

The Scot raiders attack...

...and the alarm sounds.

A small Imperial night guard is ridden down.

The Scottish horsemen initially fail to put a building on fire.

The defenders rally from their quarters and mount up as the Scots close in.

The Imperial troops fire as the Scot gallopers charge.

The Imperials quickly form lines to repel the attackers.

Push of pike as the Scotsmen charge in.

Taking heavy casualties some Scotsmen turn and flee.

Having cleared the first line of defenders the Scottish
horsemen manages to put some buildings on fire...

...before getting back into the fight again.

The battle swings back and forth as more units charge in.

The fourth fire breaks out!
The Scotsmen have achieved their
objective and can retreat to Rügenwald.

AAR: Rivalry at Rügenwald 1630 - a Thirty Years War skirmish in 28mm

A battle report using the Pikeman's Lament ruleset depicting a skirmish outside Rügenwald in 1630

Introduction

After a long summer and a quiet blog its time for an AAR from a while back.

We played a Thirty Years War game using the excellent Pikeman's Lament rules of Dan Mersey and Michael Leck.

During the Thirty Years War many Scotsmen served with the Swedish army. The war had been raging on the European continent for already more than a decade when Gustavus Adolphus in 1630 landed in Northern Germany with an army, initially to take control over the German cities on the northern German coastline. Reay's Regiment, a regiment under Scottish commander Donald Mackay, 1st Lord of Reay, joined the Swedish forces and was involved in taking the coastal cities of Stettin and Colberg.

Our game is set in between the taking of those two cities. During that time, in August 1630, six companies of Reay’s Regiment, was ordered to re-join the main body of the regiment at Stettin. En route, one of the boats foundered off the Pomeranian coast near Colberg, and nearly 200 men landed with only themselves, their ‘swords, pikes and some wet muskets’. The Scots surprised the town of Rügenwald and obtained fresh powder and ammunition. They held the town for nine weeks until Gustavus Adolphus sent Hepburn’s Scottish regiment to relieve them (for more information have a look here).

In our scenario an Imperial probing force is closing on Rügenwald and some men of the Reay's Regiment mount up to meet them. For this we used the Gå På-scenario from the Pikeman's Lament, a straightforward fight between two companies, with scores for routing or wiping out enemy groups.

The Opposing Forces

Scottish

6 Gallopers including Officer @ 4 pts
6 Gallopers @ 4 pts
6 Gallopers @ 4 pts
6 Gallopers @ 4 pts
12 Shot @ 4 pts
12 Shot @ 4 pts
12 Pike @ 4 pts

The Scotsmen from Reay's Regiment

Imperial

6 Trotters including Officer @ 4 pts
6 Trotters @ 4 pts
12 Shots @ 4 pts
12 Shots @ 4 pts
12 Shots @ 4 pts
12 Pike @ 4 pts
6 Dragoons @ 4 pts

The Imperial Attackers

The Game

The game begun with both sides advancing. It soon became clear that the Imperial side could find good defensive positions on their side, covering the open ground in the middle of the battlefield. Also, the Scottish infantry in the center had difficulties keeping up with its cavalry. It didn't help that the Scotsmen got a message from their commander back in Rügenwald calling a group of men from the field of battle (a Random Event: rolling a doubble '1' for Activation followed by a '6')! However, the same group of men came back just a turn later (rolling a dobble '6' for activation followed by a '6')! We laughed as the Scottish commander obviously couldn't make up his mind.

The Scottish cavalry heavy forces failed to get to grips with the Imperial forces and where instead steadily depleeted through Imperial musket fire. A group of Scottish Gallopers tried to turn the Imperial flank but failed to make true impact. When the Imperials, through yet another Random Event, got reinforcements on that very flank the fight was all but over.

Some poor Scottish cavalry deployment facing well placed Imperial infantry gave a hesitant Scottish advance and manouvering in the face of Imperial musketry. The end result being that the Scots of the Reay's Regiment had to retreat to Rügenwald, and wait for Gustav Adolphus to send troops to save the day.

The Scottish cavalry advances...

...as the infantry try to keep up in the field.

The Imperial line, with Trotters coming down the hill.

A close order group of Imperial pike - reinforced with Shot in good
positions -  making the Scottish cavalry hesitate.

With an overcrowded left flank met with fierce resistance
some of the Scottish cavalry try to find another way forward...

...but the Imperials pour fire into the Scottsmen trying to manouver in the field.

The Imperial line, well positioned.

A group of Swedish cavalry - having entered the field of battle
through the hamlet - arrive to try to turn the Imperial flank

"Our commander needs us elsewhere! Lets go!"
The Scottish pike are called off the field of battle.
Only to return a turn later. :-)

Swedish cavalry on the extreme left flank.

The Scottish cavalry finaly attacks...

...crushing into Imperial Shot.

A swirling cavarly clash in the center.

Having beaten back the Imperial Trotters at a very high cost, the
lone surviving horseman of the flanking Swedish Gallopers
is in turn attacked by Imperial reinforcements. Game over.