Battle of St. Klauswald

     Finally! A rule set I can use where I can truly game solo when I lack for an opponent. (Which is quite frequent.) My wife purchased One Hour Wargames for me as a Christmas gift and within an hour of opening it, reading the rules for Horse and Musket Era gaming and the Solo section, I feverishly grabbed up some soldiers and deployed for battle! I present to you a historical account of the Battle of St. Klauswald, during the Spittlesbach Succession War (or War of the House of Spittlesbach). A ferociously fought war on a scale with our world's Seven Years War, in which the main participants were sidelined by their allies in the scope and tenacity of the fighting. The House of Spittlesbach were the royal family of one of the major provinces of the MittleReich. A collection of states and principalities that continually bickered and fought each other over titles, estates, land, territory, and anything worth starting a fight over.

     This particular dispute began when the Spittlesbach king of Luggendorf died and the succession was brought into question. The king had one illegitimate son and one legitimate daughter. By the laws of succession the son always inherited before any daughters but this son was not legitimate. It wasn't long before a war broke out between rival factions at court and the son supported by Villenois was on the march whilst the daughter, Princess Amelie, was supported by her distant cousin the Duke of Saxenburg. Shortly after this, the King of Midland and his Parliament saw opportunity to gain more territory from Villenois on a table wide scale if they came into the war and it wasn't long before Midland ships were blockading Villenese ports and a small army was sent to the Continent under the command of General Blair Dunconnell to support the Princess of Luggendorf.

     What follows is an account of the Battle of St. Klauswald, a short, sharp skirmish deep in the Klauswald, which tested the mettle of the newly raised Northlander regiments against the finest of Villenois.

 His Geminic Majesty's Army faces the Militaire de Villenois in the midst of the Klauswald. General Dunconnell commands the Midlanders against Marshal Spoletti and the Villenese crack troops.

 

Narrative aid. 😉

 The 44th Northland Regiment of Foote, Captain Cawdor's Men, facing the Madiran Dragoons.

Marshal Spoletti at the head of the Madiran Dragoons.

 

Le Regiment du Comte, the Count's Regiment. Finest body of household troops in service to the Davault House.

 

The Count's artillery prepares for action. A mix up in supply gifted them with a casque of Madiran vino.

 The rest of the Northlanders and some grenadiers. Normally grenadier regiments are broken up into companies for larger engagements but for skirmishes like this they are kept together.

Midland artillery, the King's Gunners, eye the opposition.

 General Dunconnell urges the men to victory. The 12th Light Horse spur their mounts to a gallop.

 

 Le 12th Regimente de Ligne, Grenadiers du Mason. The Count's personal guard.

 

The air is tense, silence reigns for only a few moments, each side waiting for the other to blink.

 

Dunconnell blinks first as the artillery open fire scoring 4 hits on the Villenese. First blood to Midland! The light horse suffer heavy casualties charging straight at the Grenadiers du Mason, but manage to inflict losses on them as well.

 

 

Villenese guns return fire scoring hits on the Northland Grenadiers. They keep marching in good order though.

 

Dunconnell in the thick of it.

Marshal Spoletti charges with the Madiran Dragoons but Cawdor's Men hold them back. The regiment may be "green" by official standards but her men come from several infighting clans and war is a way of life in the Auld North.

 

 

 

The casualties are piling up on the Midlander's right flank but the hardy men of Northland press  through the storm of lead. Drums and pipes play on across the battlefield.

 

Things look grim for Midland as the casualties pile on.

 

Villenois stands firm! Until....

 

A devastating close range volley from the Northlanders causes havoc among the Villenese line. Followed by a terrifying  Northland charge.

 

 The day is won! Midlanders cheer as Marshal Spoletti retreats from the field and captured men are lead away.

 

 

Villenese gunners attempt one last volley before the grenadiers close with them.

 

The Grenadiers du Mason surrender.

 

A jubilant army cheers on Dunconnell as Villenese troops throw down their arms and are lead away to captivity.

 

 

Huzzah for the General! Three cheers for the King!

 

A Merry Klausmas indeed. 🎄😉

     Overall I thoroughly enjoyed One Hour Wargames' rule set. Short, to the point, and very flexible, I think I'm going to have a lot of great evenings gaming with OHW. Whether alone or with family. I highly recommend this rule set to anyone with a limited budget, time, or space and it makes for great filler games in between the big battles. A perfect stocking stuffer for all types of wargamers.