After action report

Last Friday our group got together for another VSF game. This time we were using the Rampant Colonialism rules. These are my favorite so far. The nights engagement was to be a race to establish a force at a bridge which had been placed in the middle of the board. The sides were relatively even but due to my haste some Boers were required to sub in for the the Prussian allied contingent of the Fenian Republic.

Irish Forces

Captain Seamus Duncree commanding one unit of the recently formed
High King's Own Light infantry;
The Iron Kelly, a steam powered walker armed with congreve style rockets;

Captain Paddy O'Furn Itchr comanding three units of
The Irish Republican Guard, and two dismounted units of the American Gallowglass.

Four units of Prussian allied rifles.

British Forces

Two units of Highlanders;
Four units of British Regular Infantry;
Four units of British Colonial troops;

The british also had a steam powered velocipede mounting a Gardiner gun and a liftwood and steam air launch with a 55mm hotchkiss rotary cannon and a small force of Royal Marines.

The Battle

Things started off well for the Irish, who made quick time moving up in skirmish order and securing the farmhous by the bridge with the Light Infantry.

The British moved up as a single line with their vehicles pushing dangerously ahead of the supporting infantry. As the rest of the irish troops moved up to the bridge in close order the British vehicles played hell with the Irish units. The Iron Kelly being taken out by an opening shot from the air launch which then dropped down to ground level and raked the Irish forces holding the farmhouse. The velocipede topped the rise on the bridge and mangled one of the advancing Regular Irish units. On the right flank the Prussians had moved up to the rivers edge and were engaged in a shooting match with the British Colonial troops. The Prussians took heavy losses without inflicting much damage to their foes.

The American Gallowglasses moved up to replace the Light Infantry in the farmhouse courtyard and managed to disable the air cutter with several volleys of rifle fire. The launch settled to the ground, useles and it's marines jumped out to join the line of British rifles that were loosing a constant fire across the stream at the entrenched Irish forces. With the protection of the walls the Irish were able to give as good as they got against twice their numbers but in the end it proved to be too much. With the Prussians beaten on the right flank and the center units badly mauled the Irish surrendered the position and made a fighting retreat back to their camp.

Our next battle should be a follow up to this with the Irish trying to relieve the British of their recently won position.

Photos of the battle:

Irish infantry march up the road while the Light infantry occupies the hill and fires upon the British air launch

The British advance in line abreast while the air launch and velocipede race forward.

Irish Regulars in the center and Prussian allied troops on the right advance in loose order.

The velocipede crosses the bridge just as the Irish have managed to form up into a line.

The velocipede exchanges its own machine gun fire for a withering volley from the Irish regulars. Allied Prussian troops can be seen on the right engaging the British troops in a rifle duel across the creek.

The velocipede inflicts some serious casualties on the Irish line with its Gardiner gun before being destroyed by the Irish volley.

The air launch hovers at ground level and proceeds to decimate the Light infantry with its Hotchkiss cannon

The American Gallowglass move up to support the severely battered light infantry.

The allied Prussians take a serious beating from the concentrated fire of the British line. Two of the four units were destroyed. The two remaining units elected to reconsider their advance from the safety of some nearby woods.

The velocipede’s crew rallies and charges the Irish line, pistols blazing. Meanwhile, a unit of Highlanders attempts to work their way around the burning wreckage while taking flanking fire from troops in the farmhouse courtyard.

The American Gallowglass bring the Air cutter down with furious rifle fire at close range. They also inflict some serious casualties on the Highlander unit attempting to cross the bridge but at this point are forced to make a fighting withdrawal in the face of far superior British numbers.

British troops work their way around the wrecked air cutter at the creeks edge.

The British prepare to exact payment from the Gallowglasses in the Farm house courtyard.