Rank and File Wargames Rules.

John my longstanding arch enemy and rule expert staged a Malburian game last week using a set of rules we hadnt used for a long time. The rules, Rank and File sold by Crusader Miniatures was set we had tried when they first came out and then simply discounted them and moved back to Black Powder.
   Luckily John returned to them and used them in his big game. The rules worked well even with all the figures being on one base representing one regiment which made things a bit fiddly as we recorded the causalities.

Anyway yesterday we again played Rank and File, but this time using some of my Seven Years War collection which being based in six individual groups lent itself perfectly to the rules as following a unit receiving causalities one simply removed a base whilst recording any carry overs. 

 My French army prior to deployment consisting of three foot brigades and two cavalry brigades. Below is the Austrians prior to deployment, I generously allowed them better quality light troops and cuirassiers. Big mistake.

 Once deployed I realised that John had clearly seen a copy of my master plan and had deployed in a mirror image to my French.[ Just joking] I had attached a regiment of Austrian hussars to John's command, these turned out to be a giant mistake during the battle.

 Below one can see the French cavalry hanging about amongst the trees hoping they wouldnt have to fight.

  We each had one veteran/elite brigade. John's were combined grenadiers, mine were Irish and one regiment of Grenadiers. Unfortunately John had a proliferation of grenzer who lived up to their reputation of ferocious fighters.

                              Nothing to worry about here, just Austrian line regiments.

The grenzer from the Austrian crack brigade caused havoc for my Grenadiers who after losing a morale throw and the subsequent re roll as befits a veteran unit, simply ran back disordering the Irish behind them!

 I was having better luck in the centre where my foreign brigade of Swedes and Italians were holding back the Austrians and managing to actually kill some as they did so.

 The beginning of the end for my French. John sent forward his hussars and one unit of cuirassiers, I countered with my cuirassier regiments.

 Now one would think hussars would simply be run over by my heavier cuirassiers. I certainly expected carnage. Well it didnt work like that and by some very poor throwing my cuirassiers were disgraced and pushed back. Not once but twice!!!Similarly John's Austrain cuirassiers absolutely wiped the floor with my lightweight cavalry.

John was more cautious in the centre and I tried to exploit his lack of cavalry by pulling my second cavalry brigade to support the centre. 

 As my cuirassiers ran, the Austrians began to turn inwards towards my exposed veteran brigade. Using his dragoons he charged into my deployed Irish who should have been expected to stand and cause the cavalry serious causalities. Their volley was pathetic! Again poor throwing caused them to recoil in disorder. They retired behind a second Irish regiment that was unable to deploy into line in time as they were hit by cavalry.

The yellow tokens indicate that my units had thrown their additional rally throws in order not to become disordered. Sadly I failed every re roll!

Who wouldnt charge into the exposed flank of a stationary regiment? I somehow managed to survive the first charge, but the second charge forced the Irish to retreat.

With the retreat of my best troops it allowed the Austrian cuirassiers to advance, all I had to stop them was a unit of French Dragoons. They didn't last long sadly.

 Releasing one of my reserve cavalry regiments I charged into the weakened and disordered triumphant Austrian dragoons. Pay back time. All I needed to cause causalities was anything but a one. What could go wrong?

Below was the answer. 

My revenge charge failed spectacularly. They had bought a bit of time which allowed my Irish to reform and although weakened at least look like a decent line.

Marshal Saxe looks on in disbelief. He was as good as a chocolate fireguard.

 On the right wing the French had managed to keep the Austrian in check but attempting to force the issue I charged in with my remaining infantry who received fire from three! regiments throwing 11 dice. It was a desperate attempt which naturally ended in tears. The regiment received 5 hits, enough to force a morale which I naturally failed. At least I was consistent.

 The reader can sense that things hadnt gone too well for the French. Originally we had planned to introduce additional reserve brigades as the causalities mounted. Rank and File can be bloody and we expected to need to replace the destroyed units. Surprisingly the battle lasted longer than expected, and the French didnt collapse for several hours. As a battle it was tense but fun. [really]
  Rank and File provided a great game with a lot of friction for both players. Nothing is guaranteed, the commanders of which I lost two due to combat can assist a unit in a morale situation but dont have the influence that they have in Black Powder which somehow added to the battle.
 The principles are simple and I understood the basics after a couple of moves. The rules worked really well for the Seven Years War period and gave a better feel for the period than their rivals Black Powder. I will use them again when using my armies and I have replaced my dice.

French heavy cavalry painted by the great Tony Runkee. Sadly they may look good but they fight like girls.

 I found these chaps hidden amongst my spare generals. I had forgotten I had painted them, thye are Breton volunteer light troops.

                                        And how I felt at the end of the game. Another drubbing.