AGWA 2026 - The Battle of Weinberg...

A summary of the action from the AGWA 2026 'big game'....

(AGWA => Armchair Generals Wargaming Association).

Table setup

A view of the 30ft x 10ft game table, while troops were being setup in their start positions...

The Allied Plan

The map for the game, with allied entry points shown on the right...

I had to plan something with no idea of the French positions. I had four columns at my disposal: British/Hanoverians, British,  Hessians and Brunswick/Hessians, each column had its own cavalry brigade. In addition their were two independant cavalry brigades.  I had four commanders on my side, so each got a column to command, I looked after the independant cavalry brigades. As commander I had to place myself to best improve command action of generals, raise the moral of my troops and roll the 'all important 'move and fire initiative dice.

My 'cunning plan' of advance was a left hook, hoping to hold or push through the centre; with a blocking force on the right flank. The planned allied column movements are shown in black on the map below. Of course the French opposition had their own plan, the main lines of advance are shown in red on the map below; they too went with a left hook, centre attack and a blocking force of Duchy of Saxony troops on their right flank.

For simplicity I'll provide the highlights of the action from the allied perspective for the left flank, centre and right flank. About eight photos per section of the battle.

Allied Left Flank  - Hessians/Brunswick V Saxons

The allied troops advanced on Schlaup and Henersdorf

soon the infantry are engaged with the Saxons to their front...

The Saxon infantry suffered heavy casualties and eventually they were off the field (destroyed, routed or captured)

The second allied cavalry brigade is round the back of Henersdorf ...

The other allied cavalry brigade and the Saxons got into position....

and then charged....

After the melee, the allies had one cavalry unit left blown with the Saxons having two left but unable to reform which slowly fell back as the allied infantry moved towards them; also coming their way was more allied cavalry.

The Saxons held the allies advance and by the end of play the allied troops on the left flank were to far away to intervene in the centre.

Allied Centre - British V French

A view of the centre of the battle field as both sides closed....

The British moved on Schlauphof and tried to eject the French...

The British got a toehold in Weinberg and tried to hold their position, I positioned my commander here to provide the best command and morale points.

As the French brought up more troops, the British were slowly pushed back...

The British cavalry clashed with the French guard cavalry...

and gave them a thrashing (3 British cavalry regiments left afterwards, with 1 French regiment left, which retired)

Allied Right Flank - British/Hanoverians V French

The French advance through Gross Janowitz...

and then deployed advancing contact the British & Hanoverians to their front... who were holding a line from Weinberg ...

The British and Hanoverians infantry held on well under great pressure

but eventually the French infantry broke through the middle of the line by dint of sheer weight of numbers...

Mean while the 'juggernaut' of French cavalry started their advance ....

and one great big cavalry engagement ensued....

as time went on they slowly got the edge and gained ground.....

Who Won

The umpire adjudicated at end of play - result was a draw, so honours even. A well played game by both sides - a great two days gaming.

'Big Game' on the horizon....

This weekend (28th/29th) is AGWA 2026's 'big game' at Fleet Air Arm museum at Yeovilton.  It'll be a large SYW western theatre encounter, between the Frenc/Saxons and the Allies (Brunswick, Hanover, Britain, Hessians).  I'll be commander of the Allied army. After the game I'll post some pictures.

I've finished boxing up troops I'm taking for the game - some Saxons and some Hessian cavalry.

also I'm taking my Hanoverian pontoon train

A copy of the rules, dice etc

Plus the important Allied army battle plan

AGWA Wargames Weekend - Siege of Havana 1762

This last weekend I attended The Armchair Generals Wargamers Association (AGWA) held a large scale 18th century game at Yeovilton.  A great time was had by all and many thanks to Willz Harley for organising the event.

The weekend event was a "re-fight" of the siege of Havana in 1762, with extra allied forces for both sides and with the scenarios setup so the Spanish had a chance of beating off the British invaders.

The game using a host of Spencer Smiths figures was played over 4 large tables; one table for Havana city's defences and one table each for the main coastal forts.  

The multi-player game was played twice, once on each day with the players swapping tables and roles. I took some photos of the tables and the games in play. I have more pictures from the two games I played in which were:

- on the first day in the role of the Spanish, defending the large fort of El Moro

- on the second day in the role of the British, landing and attacking one of the smaller forts.

Havana city

The allied forces advance to assault the breaches in the defences...

on both days the city was taken.

Coastal Forts (1) - Puntal and Lazarro

The British had already captured the small fort of Puntal in the foreground, but the Spanish still had control of Fort Lazarro further along coast.   The Spanish tried to eject the British from Puntal and push them off the beach...

The Spanish forced a British withdrawal on the first day.

Costal Forts (2) - The Main Fort of El Moro

The defending Spanish forces in position.... I didn't bother with the far half of the table, apart from deploying a couple of artillery batteries...

My lone Spanish ship exchanged broadsides with the Royal Navy...

and paid the price....

Troops landed down the coast from the fort. I managed to sink three barges and reduce the numbers of some units with artillery fire and cannon fire from the fort.

By the time the second wave landed I was withdrawing back to the fort of El Moro and the built up area behind it.

 A small land attack on the fort was beaten off, the attackers withdrew

The fort came under bombardment form the British naval ships, slowly knocking out my fortress guns.

At the end of the first day's play, El Moro was still in Spanish hands, but if we'd have played on the fort would have fallen eventually.

Coastal Forts (3) - Cojimar

The fort and some of the supporting Spanish troops..

British ships bombard the fort, as the first wave comes ashore

The first wave secured the landing beach... with naval battery at each flank...

The second wave on their way in ....

The Spanish advance ....

Second wave form up on the beach, the Spanish attack has stalled...

The third wave come ashore ....threatening the Spanish flank...

As the third wave comes ashore, the British ships start to bombard the fort again, slowly knocking out the cannon...

The third wave have formed up and started their advance inland as the Spanish fell back...

The storming party forms up and advances towards the fort...

scaling ladders up....

and into the fort ...

with the fort taken... thats when play finished on the second day;  the Spanish forces were still present but we didn't have time to carry on.  It would have been nice to have had time to advance the British inland and engage the Spanish.

---oXo---