Innholdsfortegnelse for WSS 135 i Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy

“The battle is completely lost; but it is only two o’clock, we still have time to win one today.” – Louis Desaix, Général de Division These heroic words were attributed to Desaix by First Consul Napoleon, in conversation with his secretary Louis de Bourrienne. Famously, Desaix arrived with three fresh infantry regiments just as the French line was buckling and starting to retreat. Leading from the front, he pushed back and broke the exhausted Austrians, but was hit by a stray musket ball and killed. Napoleon was grief-stricken on hearing of Desaix’s death, crying out “Why am I not allowed to weep?” Marengo is a good example of the ebb and flow of battle. Sometimes, a battle can seem lost but just at that last moment a unit can rally…

With the Austrian defeat at Mantua, Napoleon had proved his genius at strategy. The Italian Campaign captured over 150,000 prisoners, 540 cannon, and 170 standards, winning eighteen pitched battles – all thanks to Bonaparte’s superior artillery technology, tactics, and strategy. Britain, though, was still a thorn in the French Directorate’s side. Napoleon suggested that an invasion of Egypt would threaten British trade routes with India, and the Directory agreed to the campaign, as it would move this increasingly popular general far away. The Ottoman and Mameluke armies in Egypt proved no match for the professional French army: the Battle of the Pyramids in July 1798 was more a slaughter than a battle. However, the British victory at the Battle of the Nile in August 1798 destroyed the French fleet and…

Unfortunately, when playing pick-up games against strangers there is plenty of potential for players to clash due to a mismatch of expectations. So is there a secret to playing in the spirit of wargaming that could help smooth-over some aspects of this problem, and if so, what is it? I had cause to reflect on this recently. Like many others I have been overjoyed by the return of The Old World of Warhammer Fantasy Battles. I have leapt into the game feet-first and had an incredible amount of fun playing both old friends and new, although most of my games have been down at my local club on a Thursday evening after work. The chance to immerse myself once again in this fictional world - using models that I find…

Ground Forces in the Korean War 1950-53 (2) By Robert C. Mackowiak ISBN: 979-1472862648 (Osprey Publishing, 2025) - £12.99 At the outbreak of the Korean War, many of the American units sent over to the Korean Peninsula were under-resourced and under-prepared. At the time, US brass underestimated the capabilities of the North Korean People’s Army and the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army with predictable results. The US Army and Marines wouldn’t have looked too out of place in the European and Pacific theatres of World War 2. That being said, there were many developments in the interwar period that built on the successes of equipment used up to 1945. Osprey’s latest addition to their Men-at- Arms series gives us a deep dive into the US Army and US Marine Corps of the…

King Aethelfrith of Northumbria was, by all accounts, a most powerful and mighty ruler - as well as an intimidating opponent. In describing him, Bede calls upon his Bible for a suitable quotation: [he] ‘shall ravin as the wolf; in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.’ In his two decades in power, he had united the kingdoms of Deira and Bernicia under his rule and defeated his British, Dal Riatan and Saxon neighbours in multiple battles – no mean feat in this era. The conquest of the British fortress of Din Eidyn (Edinburgh) probably also dates from near the start of his reign. In this turbulent environment, any king of such ambition would have rivals: such was the case with Edwin…

Napoleon’s campaigns in Egypt and Syria saw a highly experienced French army face much larger Ottoman forces: a mix of Mamelukes, local militias, and a core army which had limited experience of the European style of warfare, and which was no real match for the French. Furthermore, the Ottomans had a completely chaotic command structure against arguably the most brilliant in Europe at the time. Napoleon’s most famous battle in this campaign, the Battle of the Pyramids, saw his army blast away a disorganised enemy, with the French secure in their large squares. It does not offer the best scope for an easily playable or fun scenario. There are two battles that offer potential for the Ottoman army to achieve some success, though, namely the battles of Mount Tabor -…

This review looks at suitable models for the armies of the French Republic. What follows is a brief guide to the models available. As usual, space and time prohibits us from covering every single manufacturer, and we are using what has been kindly supplied in time for our deadline. We have not included the Magister Militum range, however, we understand this is changing hands and will be back in production. The ranges are classified as follows: Basic, basic infantry only; Standard, has the essential infantry and command; Comprehensive, as Standard, but with support and other options; and Complete, you would have to think hard to come up with units they do not have. Bicorne 28mm Range: Comprehensive Size: 27mm ‘foot to eye’ or 31mm tall Price: £1.25 per infantry casting…

TO BASE OR NOT TO BASE There are a few things that prove divisive in this hobby (avocado or mushy peas… black pudding in a cooked breakfast…), but none come as close as the battles lines for whether tanks should be based or not. Basing tanks — particularly at the smaller scales — is practical for storage and transport, plus it raises the tank to the same level as infantry where bases are relatively thick compared to figures’ height. However, they can look odd when driving down at street with half a field attached, or having their own Bailey bridge when crossing an obstacle. Being a proper Midlander, and therefore on the fence between the North/South divide, I decided I wanted the positives of both! I attached one or two…

This year marks another personal milestone, in that the government have kindly written to explain that I’m now eligible for the state pension. With such riches due my way thanks to the unbounded generosity of the British taxpayer, one wonders if it is time to put up the feet and spare the gaming public any future ramblings on my part. It would, in this era of particular environmental concern, save on ink and paper, not to mention wear and tear on my keyboard. It would also free up valuable time that could be spent shuffling round garden centres and driving along narrow country lanes at five miles an hour below the speed limit. So, a win all round for everyone really. Meanwhile, I might as well inflict upon an unsuspecting…

In early 1800, the French army in Italy, known as the Army of the Reserve, was poorly organized and demoralized. The Austrian army, under the command of General Michael von Melas, had significant successes against the French, pushing them back into Genoa. The Army of Italy had to be relieved or face complete defeat. PREPARATION AND MOBILIZATION In March 1800, Napoleon rapidly assembled an army. The plan involved a daring manoeuvre over the Alps, aiming at the heart of the Austrian positions at Alessandria. Napoleon hoped to catch the Austrian forces offguard before they could fully coordinate their defences. THE FIRST ENGAGEMENTS In May 1800, Napoleon’s army crossed the Alps via the Great St. Bernard Pass, emerging in northern Italy. After capturing Fort Bard, the French army descended from the…

Armies of the United States Supplement for Bolt Action: Third Edition By Warwick Kinrade, et al. (Warlord Games, 2025) £25.00 Dice: D6 Dice activation Following in the footsteps of Armies of Germany, The Armies of the United States book is the next addition to the Third Edition rules, containing roughly fifteen pages of history, three pages on special rules and equipment and fifty-five glorious pages of unit descriptions. Granted, not as much compared to the Germans, but what do you expect when you show up to the party late? It seems — at a glance — that Warlord has taken all the campaign books from the Second Edition and combined them into one book. So units which appeared in previous supplements are (mostly) all here. There is also the By…