Russian Dragoons and a Great Northern War Club Campaign

Russian Great Northern War Dragoons.

Minis from Warfare Miniatures.

After the engaging attendance of our Great Northern War Holowczyn participation game at this year’s Lincon Gaming Convention, Jesper and I decided to prolong the GNW project to accommodate for a GNW Campaign for our local gaming club, Little Wars, here in Stockholm.

The Campaign Overview. Our scenarios will follow the historic march

of the Swedish army into Russia and Ukraine.

The general idea is that each player will take control of a regiment; much like one would take control of a character figure in a roleplaying scenario based board game.

Wonderful GNW artwork by Marc Grieves.

The Swedish Guard at Narva.

We then string together 6 scenarios, based on the Swedish army’s historic march 1708-1709 through western Russia, via the battles of Holowczyn, Lesnaya and ending up at the fateful battle of Poltava in the Ukraine. 

A view of the Dragoon officer. Tsar Peter greatly expanded the number of Dragoon
units in his army, as they could cover the huge Russian theatre, but at the same time dismount in and fight on foot in battle.

A game master will play the Russians in all games, while each player then controls his/hers regiment through the historic battles, hopefully gathering some victory points along the way, enabling the purchase of new skills after each game has ended.

An example of our unit cards.

Here the units points and performance will be recorded for each scenario, along with any special abilities purchased for the victory points. Mind you, if a unit is slain in battle, it looses all abilities, and has to be raised from scratch with new recruits from the Swedish homeland.

We’ll be basing the rules on Black Powder, and the skills up for purchase will be taken from the BP tool box of extra abilities, like Brave, Elite, Stubborn etc. It’s really an experiment in combining historic wargaming with some of the elements from well-produced board games like Imperial Assault from Fantasy Flight. 

Another of Marc Grieves fantastic paintings.

This is Värmlands Regemente at Narva.

After a test game (Here is an AAR from Jesper’s blog) co-player Pål suggested a fun addition to our initial idea. One of the players on the Swedish side, will take permanent control of the C-in-C role for the Swedes, and dish our orders for each regiment/player before the start of the game.

The ensign. I mounted him with a rather inconspicuous infantry sized flag,

in support of their dismounted abilities. 

This proved really fun and smooth playing, so it was added to the concept, as we now draw closer to kick off. I will be documenting each game in the campaign via our club blog, and for anyone remotely familiar with the Great Northern War, the storyline in our games is evident when viewing the scenario names below:

1) Holowczyn: Surprise attack in the dawn

2) Holowczyn: Russian reinforcements

3) Lesnaya: A Russian snare

4) Lesnaya: “Defend the train at all cost”

5) Poltava: Men, storm that redoubt!

6) Poltava: The final charge; “Gå På”.

Thank you very much for reading.

Any comments are welcome!

Lincon 2015 Gaming Convention

After a few months of preparation it was finally time to head on down to Linköping and this year's Lincon gaming convention. So Jesper, Micke and I packed the car with our Great Northern War participation game in 28mm, based on a scenario of the Battle of Holowczyn 1708. 

For this GNW collection and the Lincon convention in particular, our club LittleWars have teamed up with Warfare Miniatures, in an attempt to promote this key period in Northern European history along with Warfare's recently launched excellent 28mm range for the "Karoliner" period.

Large portions of our GNW collection is based on Warfare Miniatures, and I recommend anyone interested in this period to check them out, if you're not already familiar with the quality of this brand. 

Here follows a gallery of two great days in Linköping:

We had two great days at Lincon! 

Met a lot of nice people eager to talk history, miniatures and of course roll some dice. 

A very big THANK YOU to all who dropped by our table and supported the range!

Charles XII and his Dalecarlians

Charles XII leading his Dalecarlians into battle.

All minis and flag from Warfare Miniatures.

This week I finished up the C-In-C command base for the Swedish army we’ll be fielding at next weekend’s Lincon gaming convention in Linköping Sweden. As we are hosting a Great Northern War participation game based on the Battle of Holowczyn 1708, I thought it would be appropriate choosing a scene from that dramatic fight as inspiration. 

Another great Cederström painting of Charles XII.

The warrior king always wore a simple, dark blue "Karoliner" uniform into battle.

The Swedish warrior king, Charles XII, had a taste for battle and enjoyed leading from the very front, sword in hand. During the Battle of Holowczyn, he personally led three battalions of his Guard and the Dalecarlian Regiment over the Vabitsch River and into an initial flanking sneak attack on the Russian camp.

Portrait of Charles XII.

Took inspiration here when adopting a similar hairline to the miniature.

This dramatic scene is what I’ve tried to capture here, on the C-in-C base. King Charles XII, pointing with his sword, directing men from the Dalecarlian regiment forward into the fight. Currently there is no really good Charles XII miniature available in 28mm, so I built this one out of parts from three different Warfare minis, filing away the hairline on the head to resemble Charles’ actual hairstyle.

A view from the opposite site, showing the conversion I did

to create a Charles XII miniature.

To add a little drama and further allude to Charles’ special relationship with his Dalecarlians, I’ve posed him here waving the Dalecarlian regimental flag, as he takes a gallant stand at the front line.

The special relationship between the Swedish kings and the Dalecarlian people has deep roots, going all the way back to when Gustav Vasa founded the Swedish Crown with the help and encouragement of the Dalecarlians in the 16th Century. Through the ages of the Swedish warrior kings and imperial expansion, the tenacious and proud people of the hilly woods and lush farmland in Dalecarlia have been the indicator of national spirit, whether it was for or against the king and his wars.

Gustav Vasa addressing the Dalecarlians in Mora, 

leading to the rebellion that would finally overthrow foreign suppression, 

and found the Swedish Crown in the 16th century.

This special position, perhaps at the very heart of all things Swedish, naturally reflected on the morale and fighting spirit of the Dalecarlian Regiment. This infantry unit was a personal favourite of Charles XII, and often given the most dangerous and demanding tasks in a given battle – simply because the king trusted the Dalecarlians to get the job done.

The beautiful and picturesque Dalecarlia region.

Holowczyn was no exception, and the Dalecarlians preformed the risky sneak attack with great discipline and vigor, resulting in the Swedish forces shocking their adversaries and gaining the upper hand and initiative for the rest of the battle.

A view from behind, offering a good look at the Swedish "Karpus".

The special soft felt hat, worn by many Swedish units during the Great Northern War.

The Karpus could be bent down over the ears, as protection during the cold northern winters.

One year later at the Battle of Poltava in 1709, the Dalecarlians would once again be dealt a most dangerous and demanding task. They were to form the spearhead of an suicidal attack on a well defended Russian redoubt system. Having been given a clear order to attack and conquer the redoubts, the regimental commander, Roos, ordered attack upon fruitless attack, until the regiment was canistered to pieces and all but annihilated. 

Swedish troops storming the Russian redoubts at Poltava.

The destruction of the Dalecarlian regiment and the monumental Swedish defeat at Poltava would also signal the fall of the Swedish Empire, and the rise of a new one. The Russian Empire under Tsar Peter I.

Thank you very much for reading!

P.S: Did I mention my fiancé is from Dalecarlia ;0)

Repnin's Grenadiers

Repnin's Grenadiers in a desperate fight against the 

well disciplined Swedish attackers. Models and flag from Warfare Miniatures.

Work continues on our club project for the Battle of Holowzcyn and the Great Northern War. This week’s output from the painting desk is a key Russian infantry unit, Repnin’s Grenadiers, participating in both Holowzcyn and the more famous Battle of Poltava. For those of you in possession of Osprey’s great book on Poltava, info on both Holowzcyn and this unit can be found in that volume.

The Uniform plate from which I took inspiration.

The unit is built using models from Warfare Miniature’s coming Great Northern War Russian range. These have not yet been released, but since we’re doing a rather large club project on Holowzcyn for the coming Lincon Gaming Convention, May 14-17th here in Sweden, Barry Hilton from Warfare Miniatures was kind enough to sell us a few spins from his master moulds. 

The mounted officer is trying to induce discipline into the line of grenadiers,

as they face a fierce "Gå På" doctrine charge by the Swedes.

Prince Repnin is an interesting character, and worth a few lines in his own right.

Anikita Repnin (Аникита Иванович Репнин) was born into a Russian noble family, and his friendship with Pater I would result in a career trajectory taking him to the rank of field marshal and in receival of a prince title.

Prince Anikita Repnin - 1668 to 1726.

At the age of 16 Repnin came in contact with Peter for the first time, as he was assigned to the only eleven years old future Tsar as his footman. Peter enjoyed Repnin’s company, and two years later, promoted Repnin to “Officer of the Playbuddy Battalion”.

The Streltsy - a conservative force in the face of Peter I's many innovations.

During the Streltsy Revolt in 1689, which was a reaction from the conservative forces against Peter’s many innovations to “westernize” Russia, Repnin was by Peter’s side as they took refuge in the Trotsky Convent. At this pint a strong friendship had developed, and after they both took part in the campaign against Azov, Peter promoted Repnin to the rank of General.

Executions at the Red Square during the Streltsy Revolt in 1689.

With the outbreak of the Great Northern War, Repnin was sent to the Baltics with 19 infantry regiments to honor the alliance with Poland-Saxony and August II. Repnin’s forces participated in the battle of Düna (Daugava), in which the Russian troops fought like lions, but were next to annihilated because they refused to surrender. 

In his effort to reduce the Streltsy Revolt, 

Tsar Peter took to refined methods of torture and mass executions.

After Düna, Repnin even took part in the battles of Nöteborg, Nyenskans and Narva, but it was in 1708 at Holowzcyn where his soldier-luck would run out. The overwhelming routing of his troops and his failure to stem the Swedish tide during the battle had enrage the Tsar. Peter court marshalled Repnin, and stripped him of all titles, demoting him to the rank of private in the army.

The Battle of Düna in 1701. 

The Russian force was next to annihilated as they refused to surrender.

The loyal Repnin took this standing up, and actually fought as a private in the subsequent Battle of Lesnaya in 1708. His colleague, General Golitsin, appealed to the Tsar, highlighting Repnin for promotion and the Tsar’s forgiveness. Peter eventually gave in, and reinstated Repnin with all his titles.

The order of Saint Andrew.

During the Battle of Poltava the following year, Repnin commanded the Russian center with excellence, and was awarded the Order of Saint Andrew. In 1726, after Russia’s main enemy for Baltic domination, Sweden, had been effectively beaten, Repnin died in the conquered town of Riga, having been promoted to Field Marshal the year before.

Thank you very much for reading!

Field Marshal Carl Gustaf Rehnskiöld

Field Marshal Rehnskiöld personally lead 

decisive cavalry charges in many of Charles XII's battles.

Our local wargaming club, Little Wars Stockholm, is participating in this year’s Lincon gaming convention in Linköping. We’re hosting a participation table with scenarios from the Battle of Holowczyn 1708 – one of the Swedish army’s finest victories, and one of the more interesting battles from The Great Northern War.

Carl Gustaf Rehnskiöld.

1651 - 1722.

Holowczyn was fought between the Royal Swedish Army and the Tsar’s Russian Army under leadership of Prince Repnin, and was part of the Swedish ”march on Moscow”, that ended with a detour into Ukraine and the fateful defeat of the Swedish army at Poltava about a year after Holowczyn. 

But in 1708, things were still looking bright, and the young Charles XII was the dashing warrior king, admired by the courts of Europe and who’s courage was praised by Voltaire in his great work on the Swedish king. But, to become a successful warrior king, you need some good generals.

The Swedish victory at Narva 1700.

One of Sweden’s finest cavalry officers was Carl Gustaf Rehnskiöld, who started his career under Charles XII’s father back in the 1670ies, during the Scanian War. Rehnskiöld was born into a noble family coming from Swedish Pomerania, and by the time of the Scanian War and the Battle of Lund in 1676, he held an officer’s rank with the Dowager Queen’s Cavalry Regiment.

I've used a cavalry officer from 

Warfare Miniatures range to depict the gallant Rehnskiöld.

The young Rehnskiöld showed great promise, leading several cavalry charges that broke the Danish formations. After Lund Rehnskiöld was endorsed for further promotion by Charles XI. In 1697 Charles XI died. Three years later in 1700, the Swedish Empire, now ruled by his son the only 18 years old King Charles XII, would find itself encircled by an alliance of Denmark, Russia and Poland-Saxony, bent on attacking and dividing the Swedish territories, now that the country was run by a young and weak king – or so they thought. 

Swedish cavalry and infantry resting while on their 

non-stop campaigns from 1700 - 1721.

Painting by Cederström.

War was declared and time had come for the great struggle for power in the North. The Swedish army, arguably one of Europe’s finest at that time, faced the united forces of Russia, Denmark and Poland-Saxony. At his side Charles XII had the now experienced Rehnskiöld, who would become the king’s favored general, and in many ways his teacher in the art of war.

With Rehnskiöld often leading charges in person, 

this miniature had the look and animation I was searching for.

Rehnskiöld would prove a rock of determination and experience in battles such as, Narva, Fraustadt and Holowczyn. In the latter battle, Rehnskiöld –now almost 60 years old, would personally lead the Swedish cavalry in a dashing charge through the Russian camp, to fight off arriving Russian reinforcements. This timely action by Rehnskiöld and the valiant King’s cavalry guard – Drabanterna – could be credited for the happy outcome at Holowczyn. 

Tracing the long campaign of Charles XII 

from Narva to his ominous defeat at Poltava.

However, the old and experienced Rehnskiöld would finally succumb to pressure during the battle of Poltava, where he –with the King wounded – had effective overall command. In the pre-battle march-up things got tangled. Confusion and unclear orders resulted in losing the advantage of surprise, which would prove too costly during the ensuing battle. 

Charles XII fought in the front line, and was wounded on more than one occasion.

At Poltava he would be carried around the battlefield on a stretcher by guardsmen.

With the historically almost invincible Swedish army beaten at Poltava, and the dark blue “karoliners” broken and in full retreat, Rehnskiöld turned his horse around and rode back into the thick of the fight. Perhaps the old warrior was seeking a honorable death in this time of epic defeat. The result was captivity in Russia, where he was held from 1709 until 1718.

Example of a Swedish cavalryman of the Karoliner period.

The breast plate was unusual and only found in a few elite units.

Returning to Sweden in 1718, he loyally followed Charles XII on his last and fateful campaign against Danish ruled Norway. Rehnskiöld eventually died in 1722, 70 years old.

Thank you very much for reading!

The Royal Swedish Household Cavalry & The Great Northern War 1700-1721

The Swedish Household Cavalry charging home in "V" formation.

2015 is fast approaching and the project list for the year to come is filling up quickly.

I’ll return to this matter of joyful planning in a later post, but for now reveal one coming project. Inspired by the announcement of the release of Warfare Miniatures Great Northern War range, it was decided at our local wargaming club in Stockholm Sweden, that we would put together a battalion based collection in 28mm for the Battle of Holowczyn 1708. 

A strict protestant discipline was attended in the Swedish Army,

and field priests was a core ingredient of the traveling Swedish war-machine.

Painting: Gustaf Cederström.

The Great Northern War is arguably one of the most important conflicts fought in Scandinavian and Russian history. In 1700 Sweden was one of Europe’s top three military powers, with perhaps the most well drilled and professional army of all. Sweden was at its pinnacle of power, with all of Finland, Estonia, most of Latvia plus possessions in Poland and Germany under its direct rule. At the same time, a sleeping bear to the east was starting to wake up, gathering power under the guidance of Tsar Peter the Great. 

Swedish possessions were widely spread over the Baltic region 

and in Northern Germany.

Peter the Great had one goal in mind, to pool all Russia’s military resources, and establish an empire with a capital modelled on a Western grandeur situated with waterway access to the Baltic Sea. Only problem was – this was a Swedish dominated area. Forging an alliance with Saxony, and the ever Swede-bashing Danes, Peter’s coalition declared war in 1700 on Sweden, ruled by the only 18 years old Charles XII.

Detail: The shabraque is marked with three crowns,

signaling the unit's position as Royal Household Cavalry.

Charles would prove to be nothing less than a brilliant military commander, later receiving praise and alliance-proposals from all of Europe’s courts, and he even had an ode written in his honour by Voltaire, but… After knocking out the Danes and successively the Saxons, Charles turned on Peter and the vast domains of Russia. 

Charles XII, the toast of Europe after he successfully wiped away the Saxon army.

It was all to change after the failed Russian campaign and Poltava 1709.

Painting: Gustaf Cederström.

Peter’s pledges for peace were scrapped by the vindictive Swedish king, and he set out to do what Napoleon and later Hitler would both try to – conquer Mother Russian. Needless to say, he got the same result as his historic counterparts, and it all ended with the destruction of the Swedish army at Poltava.

Holowczyn 1708.

Holowczyn is a battle fought as part of this Russian Campaign in 1708. It poses the Swedish army, carrying out a sneak-attack led personally by the King, against the entrenched Russians forces in camp under Prince Menshikov. It’s a highly playable battle in wargaming terms, and we’re very excited to get started with this core subject in Swedish history.

Gå På! The unit is based on 2 pcs of 60x60mm bases from Warbases.

I love that you can get these with the little rounded corner, which adds some finish to the base.

As my first unit for this collection, I chose the Royal Swedish Household Cavalry – not to be confused with “Drabanterna” which was a much smaller unit acting as the King’s personal bodyguard.

The Household Cavalry traces its roots back to 1536, first formed as regional cavalry units. These regional units would later be merged into the “Livregementet till Häst” = Household Cavalry, and in 1687 formed into 12 Companies totalling about 1.500 elite horsemen. They took part in mayor battles of the war such as; Klissow, Holowczyn, Poltava and the later battle of Helsingborg.

The uniform of the Household Cavalry.

Source: Tacitus

Their uniform diverted significantly from the standard dark blue “unity uniform” introduced in the Swedish army both in the cavalry and infantry. Their jackets were sky-blue, and their standard was all white with gold embroideries and their regional heraldry in the top inner corner. 

They were, like many Swedish units, completely wiped out with any surviving troopers caught after Poltava, and had to be re-raised from scratch in 1710 back in Sweden. 

Swedish cavalry charging forward 

in their preferred knee-to-knee "V" formation. 

They are based in a forward going “V” formation, which was according to the Swedish shock attack doctrine of the time. Its said that each trooper had his knee touching the knee of the horseman next to him, but that might be more of a theoretical doctrine as the unit will no doubt loose cohesion as the horses build momentum. Safe to say, they tried to stick with this “plough” tactic, and they were compact units charging forward sword in hand on their small but sturdy Swedish horses, acting as a wall of flesh and steel coming at the enemy’s ranks.

Thank you very much for reading!