FALL CAMPAIGN '25 - FIRST ENCOUNTER: THE BATTLE OF NILES

 

A new campaign season has opened and in the first battle outside of the village of Niles the Wolfenstein Empire has dug in along a line of hills to halt the advance of the Allied United Packs Commonwealth (UPC) and Von Mutts advances towards Onion City, the Empire's Western Jewel. To get past this formidable obstacle the Allies need to reduce or capture the redoubts on Fairview Heights in the south and Howard Hill in the north. Additionally they need to cut the central road that is the Empire's main line of communication. 

The Plain River is a serious obstacle. While fordable along its length, its muddy bottom and high slopes will disrupt any unit crossing. The conditions mean that artillery will not be able to cross anywhere safely except the bridges. Using the fords will be a serious hazard. The Steepness of Fairview Heights is itself a major obstacle require great effort by any force trying to climb them.  

The Redoubts on the Fairview Heights Garrisoned by the Empire Infantry and Artillery. Across the Plains River are the Massed Ranks of UPC Forces.  

The Empire Defenses on Howard Hill. The UPC Line Advancing to Put Them Under Fire, While the Von Mutts Maneuver to Turn the Flank. 

UPC Cavalry Face Off Against Their Empire Opposite. Both Cavalry Arms are Maneuvering but Unwilling to Cross the Plains River. On the Right Can be Seen the Empire's Elaborate Defenses on Fairview Ridge.    

Advancing Across the Plains River UPC Massed Columns are Meet by a Barrage of Artillery Fire . 

In the North on Howard Hill the Empire's Defense in Depth can be Seen as the First Wave of UPC Troops Advance to Give Close Fire to the Defenders. 

In the Center the Massed Ranks of Cavalry on both sides Await for the Other to be the First to Cross the Plains River. The UPC Brings up Their Guns to Try and Coax the Empire Cavalry to Come to Them. 

The Empire's 2nd Brigade Begins to Shift to Act as Support to the Main Fairview Redoubt When it Becomes Obvious that the UPC is Bringing the Full Weight of Both the Guard Brigade and the 2nd Brigade Against the Works.   

A View From the North of the Battlefield Near Noon. The Assault on Howard Hill and the Von Mutts Advance to Turn the Flank can be Clearly Seen. 

The Battlefield as Seen from the South where the Fight for Fairview Heights Continues in Full Force. Again the UPC is Attempting to Flank the Position, but is Being Delayed by the Empire's Light Infantry.   

Here at Howard Hill the First Line of the UPC has Been Repulsed. In the Background the Cavalry Begins to Stir Looking for Some Opening to Exploit. 

Meanwhile the Empire Cavalry Continues to Hold Their Position not Yet Sure Which Direction to Support. 

At Howard Hill the Von Mutt's Launch a Successful Flanking Assault that Forces the Empire's Troops to the Rear. With Their Militia and Line in Place the Empire Prepares a Counter-attack. The Von Mutt's Succeses is Nullified Some by the UPC Frontal Assault Being Shot Down as They Advance.

In the Center Empire Cavalry Begins to Maneuver to Each Flank to Strengthen the Defenses.  

The UPC Assault on the Fairview Redoubt Suffers a Major Setback when the 2nd Brigade's Lead Battalion is Repulsed and Causes Cascading Morale Failure Leaving Only Their Grenadiers to Continue. 

Over on Howard Hill the UPC Line Presses Forward to Dislodge the Last of the Empire Defenders from the Redoubt. The Von Mutts Press Forward to Prevent the Empire Reinforcements From Interfering.   

With a Desperate Surge the UPC Grenadier Brigade Presses Forward in a Final Assault to Capture the Fairview Redoubt. Meanwhile the Empire Brings Forward Reinforcements to Relive the Troops Who have Been Fighting so Valiantly all Day.  

At Howard Hill the Empire Line Routs the First of the Von Mutts. While The Empire are Forced to Retreat Themselves They have Opened the Way for Their Militia to Strengthen the Troops Still Holding the Redoubt. 

While the UPC Grenadiers have Forced Out Half of the Fairview Heights Defenders the Empire still Controls the Rest of the Redoubt. With Their General Carried Off the Field Wounded the UPC is Unable to Rally Thier Forces Before the Empire Troops can Advance Back in to Seal Up the Weakened Defenses.  

With their forces exhausted the Allies need to fallback having failed to gain a foothold in either redoubt. While the cavalry of both sides never came to grips with each other the UPC's horse are in a fit state to prevent any serious pursuit of their infantry. With their forces broken the Allies offensive is at a end. The only question now is where will the Empire strike back?  

THE BATTLE OF GLENDALE HEIGHTS

 After a long hiatus we finally got back to playing Dog Wars. This is an independent battle, unrelated to a campaign, so I went with the main idea of getting as many of the figures on the table as I could. The Empire forces were located on a dominate hill and while outnumbered I expected them to have an edge from both being able to stand and deliver fire and get bonuses in Close Combat from the elevated position. The other advantage they have is the United Packs Commonwealth (UPC) needed to complete their victory conditions, while the Empire needed only to prevent this. 

The UPC's Right Flank Advancing Against the Thin White Line of the Empire. Both the Light and Line Infantry of the UPC are Already Suffering Casualties. 

The Start of the Grand Cavalry Melee. The UPC on the Right Charge Across the Carol Steam and are Meet by Their Opposite Number. The Flanking Infantry is Caught in a Hard Place Being Unable to Advance or Bring on Additions Units.

The Empire's Left Flank Under Heavy Pressure. Outnumbered Here Nearly Two-to-One They are Hard Pressed to Hold. This was Exaggerated by the GM's Omission of Bringing Forward the Guard that Should Already be in Place. The UPC's Incredibly Telling Fire was Rapidly Reducing Their Foe. 

The Ongoing Cavalry Melee. Despite Near Parady the Empire Kept Losing by the Narrowness of Margins to the UPC. Despite More Empire Cavalry Arriving all the Time They Could Not Hold the UPC Horse Back. General Hunter's Flanking Force can be Seen Entering. 

While the Empire's Center is Still Holding the Writing is on the Wall, with Nearly the Entire Empire Left Flank Having Been Driven Off. 

On the Empire Right Their Cavalry is Being Steadily Driven Back. The Empire was Losing Squadrons Faster than the New Ones Could Take Their Place. 

With both flanks having collapsed the Empire center was left with nothing else to do than attempting to save itself. Despite the numbers this was one of the quickest battles to date.  What I expected to be a long shoving match turned into a rout for the Empire. Despite the one-sidedness of the battle little fault could be seen of the tactics. 

The forces will be at it again with the Fall Campaign Season starting soon. 

BACK TO BEING ECCENTRIC - THE OTHER BLOG

 After nearly a year not being able to discover a way to recover the Eccentric Game Mk 2, I have finally created the Mk 3 version. This is the place you can see all the other games and projects I am working on. Dog Wars will remain active but remain true in only covering this specific part of my gaming. There is a link on the left of the front page. 

What the Heck is This?

Want to know more about it? Visit the Eccentric Game Mk 3 blog. 

Ramblings of an Eccentric Gamer Mk 3

http://ramblingsexcentricgamermk3.blogspot.com

BREAKOUT - THE ROAD HOME

The UPC Raiders Await the Pursing Empire Forces at the Deer River Bridge. 

This battle brings us back to the United Packs Commonwealths (UPC) homeland. After a successful raid of Fitchburg, just outside of Madison, a UPC combined arms raiding force is making their way back south to home and safety, while being closely pursued by the Wolfenstein Empire's (Empire) forces. Crossing the Deer River Bridge the UPC turns to meet and defeat its pursuers. With the river swollen from the Spring rain, the bridge offers the only local crossing point, making it a strong defensive position. 

The Empire army being led by general Birdinmowthe is fully aware of the local area, and in anticipation of just such a move has sent flanking forces to cross the Deer River further to both the east and west in hope of trapping the UPC raiders. 

As the UPC Await the Empire's Forces Begin to Converge from the East and the North.

The UPC Begins its Withdraw South as the Empire Army is Converging from all Directions.  

First Clash as the Empire's Pawsworth's Regiment of Dragoons Who are Blocking the Southern Road are Charge by the Full Weight of the UPC Cavalry Led by Woofington's Cuirassier.  

The Battle Continues to Unfold as the UPC Withdraws from Their River Line Trying to Extract the Army South.  

Having Cleared the Way, The UPC has Formed a Corridor for Their Artillery to Pass Safely Down. 

The Empire's Quick's Hussars Attack the UPC's Begsforth's Lights in an Attempt to Breach the Eastern Position. 

At the Deer River Bridge the Empire's Lord Pawling's Cuirassier Storm Across to Engage the UPC's Shepard's Line Battalion. 

On the Western Flank Husky's Battalion is Caught in Column from the Rear by the Empire's Lord Saluki's Hussars. 

With Husky's Destroyed, Shepard's and Begsforth's both Driven well back and Bearly Hanging on, the Deer River Bridge is Now Open for the Empires Remaining Forces to Cross. 

Even With Those Disasters the Corridor South is Still Open Allowing the UPC a Chance to Escape. 

With the Loss of All the Defenders Near the Bridge and the Empire's Cavalry now Massing to the North, the UPC Begins Withdrawing Along the South Road. 

With the Majority of the UPC Infantry Leaving by the South Road Their Cavalry Advances in What Looks to be a Shift to Escape by the Western Road. 

UPC Infantry Attempting to Exit Via the South is Becoming Surrounded by Empire Forces.  

The Empire Begins Shifting to Halt Any Attempt by the UPC to Head Off to the West. 

UPC Cavalry Shifting Back South Finds the Road Blocked by Empire Hussars. They have no Choice but to Fight Their Way Through Before the Empire's Infantry can Close. 

At the Cost of the Loss of Another Cavalry Unit the UPC Manages to Withdraw the Last Remnants of Their Raiders just as the Sun Sets and Ends the Empire's Ability to Pursue. 

In the end it was a very close-run battle. At the crucial moment the Empire lost their cavalry Brigadier which prevented their C-in-C from giving them a chance to double move that would have caught the UPC's cavalry. Had the UPC lost only one more unit the game would have ended in a draw.  

EARLY INSPIRATION

 This is not exactly part of the Dog Wars Universe, but some of the inspiration for it. Many years ago, my gaming buddy Bernie used to run a great game using his Eureka Miniature Teddy Bears armies. Sadly, these figures are no longer available from Eureka. This game was from back in 2017 and was run using the Honours of War rules. 

Prussian Forces Making Their Way to Reinforce the Bridgehead they have Established. 

Austrian Fusiliers with Their Battalion Guns Intact Await the Prussian Assaults.  

Both Side Eye Each Other Up as More Prussians Cross the Bridge. 

A Full Length Shot of the Whole Battlefield. 

The Battle Commences and the Prussians are Already Suffering Casualties.  

Austrian Cuirassier Charge the Prussian Infantry Line. The Little Wheels You See are the Backend of the Hobby Horse They Ride.  

The Prussians Continue to Pour Reinforcements Across the River. The Cavalry Battle from the Last Picture can be Seen on the Right.  

The Austrians seem to be Content at Holding the Hill Line as the Prussians Mass Against Their Left Flank. 

The Prussians Pressing Forward on the Austrian Left Flank.
Popguns are a Popin and the Stuffing is a Flyin.  

The Assault as Seen from Behind the Prussian Line. Casualties Mount but the Assault Continues. 
Yes, the Bear Theme Continues even to the Dice. 

The Prussian Traffic Jam at the River. While Reinforcements Kept Coming the Single Point Made It Difficult for the Prussians to get them to the Action.

While the Prussians Took Their First Objective of the Tree Line, They were Unable to Drive the Austrians Off the Ridge. 

This was a battle I long ago thought I had lost with the catastrophic loss of my computer. When my archive program recovered these I felt it was a sign to share them.