Skirmishers Report Enemy Contact at the Ford...

Skirmish line, ADVANCE!

At Bill's suggestion, I came up with a scenario for the last Saturday meeting at the club. Loosely based on the weeks leading up to the battle of Salamanca, where the French under Marmont were trying to evade Wellington's army for the weeks preceding the battle. Bill was looking for some practice of the skirmish rules for our game, so I designed a scenario where both sides had sent out a large skirmish screen ahead of their respective advanced guards. The French were looking for a crossing point for the rest of the army to get their artillery and baggage across a steep-sided river. The Allies, obviously, wanted to deny them of the opportunity. I decided that each player had four battalions as their scouting party, without cavalry, so that the infantry wouldn't have to worry about getting overrun early in the game! the main body of each side would be diced for on a ever-increasing probability after turn 3.

The Allies won the initiative, so Bill's Anglo-Portuguese and John R.'s Brunswickers moved up to the river's edge first. Darren's and my Frenchies followed suit next turn and what followed was a frustrating, but fairly realistic, back and forth bickering between our skirmishers. In our rules you have two options; just stand a blaze away, or engage in skirmish combat. The second option is especially useful if your forces greatly outnumber the enemy, or are of significantly better training than your opponents. Basically, it's like a morale test where one side can force another to retreat if the dice roll and other factors come together in a fortuitous way. The first option is just a straight up duel using firepower targeting skirmishers, which as you would expect wastes a lot of powder to little effect!

Bill and I faced each other over the river and popped away. His Green Jackets were of better quality to my French Legere, but I had the numbers on him, so we more or less cancelled each other out using the special skirmish combat rules. When he opted to just plug away at my troops he had much better results! Firing as Grenadier to my Veteran, he was always more likely to have better luck! He eventually forced one of the battalions to retire after knocking off the magic 30%, forcing a morale test on me. They failed, but not drastically. Still, I needed to keep him on his side of the river, so I brought up the support battalion still in column to stop the rot. That spooked him into forming up his Portuguese Cacadores into line, which was fine by me, as he was threatening to overwhelm my skirmishers with his.

By this stage it was time to start rolling for the main body to come on. On the first roll (9-10) neither side managed it, but next turn (7-10) both sides rolled for their main bodies to arrive. By then, Bill had got his British Light Dragoon cavalry across the river to threaten my right flank as the main force approached the river. My weakened skirmishers on the right decided discretion was the better part of valour and decamped for the woods on the hilltop. On the left, though, they were made of sterner stuff and held the river line against Bill's approaching line troops as well as linking up with Darren's forces, which had seized the ford and were forcing their way across in the face of John's troops.

My hussars covered the advance of my infantry who were immediately targeted by Bill's artillery. I hatched a plan on the approach to march up into close artillery range, cop the pain, but cover my artillery batteries which would then unlimber under cover. My infantry would then clear the field of fire and advance, allowing my overwhelming artillery fire power to silence his artillery and force his infantry to stay back. That was the plan, but it wasn't quite that neat. I'd given both my brigadess an artillery battery each, so I had to deploy one and then wait for the other to catch up before I could hatch my genius (on-the-fly) plan. However, it started off well, with my first artillery battery knocking off a couple of guns from his smaller (6-gun battery), which forced a morale test that he failed. His battery then retreated leaving most of his guns behind. Huzzah!

The first brigade crossed the river into the gap between John's and Bill's infantry. Thankfully, Bill had his riflemen still deployed in front of his remaining artillery, but it was John's hussars who commanded all my attention. I advanced in closed column (another reason I was glad his artillery was masked!), hoping that John's cavalry would back off, or if he did charge, that he'd bounce off my anti-cavalry formation. As it was, I started moving my closed column closest to his cavalry, which triggered the opportunity charge option. he took it and crashed into the infantry. Despite being in closed column, I was pushed back to my starting point at the river. John's victorious cavalry were left high and dry and my other infantry columns advanced past his flank, threatening to cut him off. They beat a hasty retreat to the rear.

By now I was crossing the river on two fronts. The major crossing confronted by John's cavalry was now regrouping, while on the right, the second brigade crossed in the absence of the closest artillery battery. Bill's infantry columns were packed in close, which isn't all that helpful when you're playing with an Anglo-Portuguese army. I was hoping to get across and then attack him before he could shake his columns out into line. Of course, that didn't happen; he put out a line of Portuguese infantry close enough to the river that I wouldn't be able to shake off the disorders incurred in crossing the river. Inconclusive firefights meant we basically bogged down in our positions. That was fine with me, because it meant he couldn't bring his remaining columns to bear.

On the other flank, Darren was forging forward against John. I thought be my best option would be to add to the pressure and help Darren by distracting as many of John's troops as I could. I tried a charge on his light troops, but aided by Bill's remaining battery, that attack was repelled. I then tried getting into a threatening position in between a couple of his battalions, but again the results were underwhelming. Still, I was able to threaten his flanks enough that he launched a charge at my advancing infantry. Again, I wasn't successful in fending it off, but I was only forced to retire, not to retreat or break.

My pressure coupled with Darren's successful incursion on the left led to John's flank collapsing, which was going to leave Bill high and dry if I managed to push in through the gap left by John's retreating forces.

With Darren in firm control of the ford and John's Brunswickers falling back, it was declared a French victory. Allez les Bleus!

As an exercise in skirmish tactics, it was a demonstration in how it's only worthwhile in overwhelming numbers against an enemy whose own skirmish abilities aren't as good as your own. Bill's riflemen were beginning to get the upper hand against my skirmish screen, but all of that was cancelled out once my cavalry and artillery appeared on the field.

The French view of the allies making their first move

Caçadores and Riflemen move to the riverbank

My French skirmish line advances to the river's edge opposite Bill and John's skirmish lines. 

Darren's Republican skirmishers advance

Contact!

Skirmish fire ripples down the river line

Plain old blasting away pays off for Bill: My skirmish line shrinks while his envelops the right flank.

Bill forms into line as my support column advances to cover the shrinking skirmish line.

The skirmishers incurred too many casualties and retreat!

Never fear, the main body's here!

Darren's main body also approaches the river...

...accompanied by dragoons.

Bill's cavalry lurk on my left flank, causing my skirmish line to break off for the woods, while my hussars protect the advancing infantry of the main body.

Darren gets stuck in straight away as John's troops advance on the ford.

Bill's main body also advances, covered by his skirmishers and cavalry beyond the river.

My first brigade deploys behind their artillery battery, flank protected by the hussars, while my second brigade angles to the right. The reserve waits to the rear to await developments

To my left, Darren piles on the pressure. My first brigade faces the gap between John and Bill.

Bill's columns leave little room for themselves to all deploy in line.

Bill unlimbers artillery at close range and brings up infantry support. My hussars are in for some curry!

John's hussars fill the gap between him and John, facing off against my first brigade.

Darren's infantry's advance is also covered by John's guns and hussars.

I sent my small chasseur contingent on a sweep around the rear of the ridge to scare off Bill's cavalry.

Bills cavalry backed off (top of image), while my first brigade scramble across the river in closed column, covered by the artillery battery. The skirmish line has fallen back, passed by the columns.

Darren has established a foothold on the far bank on the other side of the ford.

My reserve, which consisted of Nassauers, Hessians and renegade Spaniards

The first battalion across the river is charged by John's hussars!

They are pushed back to the river bank, but the advance of the rest of the brigade advances, forcing the cavalry to withdraw.

The reserve moves up, ready to exploit the advance of the first brigade. The second brigade lines up behind both batteries of artillery, which pound Bill's battery at close range with a 2:1 advantage!

Bill's gunner's say "Bugger this for a game of soldiers!" and decamp!

With the demise of one of Bill's batteries, the second brigade takes advantage and crosses the river.

The first brigade holds the line, covered by skirmishers. The battalion driven back by the Brunswick hussars moves up.

The second brigade masks their guns in moving forward. Bill's crowded columns get in each others' way.

John's infantry move up, leaving a tempting gap for one of my battalions to exploit. Leaving it in closed column, though meant I couldn't get the in the requisite 3 functions per turn!

Darren's main body wait to exploit any advantage.

My reserve move up to the river's edge.

Bill's troops fan out in line with a large traffic jam behind. However, with the difficulty in crossing the river and enemy artillery and infantry at close range, this brigade was more or less pinned until the first and reserve brigades could create a breakthrough.

The first brigade were losing troops to artillery fire and had troops approaching their flank. Time to do something!

CHAAARRGGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

'Nuff said!

With Darren piling on the pressure to the left, John decides action is the order of the day!

His charge succeeded in pushing one of my battalions back, but it was the last hurrah, as Darren had him on the ropes!

PS. Madame Mere has taken the option of surgery, despite the risks, and fingers crossed, everything seems to be going well!

Another Flowerpot Men Duel

"En Garde, Bill!"
"Damn yer eyes, Ben!"

EDIT: I was playing around with the Blogger app on my tablet and didn't realise I published this post before I'd finished it! Apologies. (Though it's heartening I still got two comments in that time...)

Well, it's been a while!

Finally got a game under my belt AND remembered to bring the camera! It's been a torrid time for me in  past month or so. The flu season has been the worst for a long time, and I was off work for about a week in early August. Then I had to have an infected tooth removed...etc., etc.

This game was the first I'd been to at the new NWA Saturday venue at the Croydon RSL club, which, while a bit more snug than the previous venue, certainly has its bonuses: There's a bar! Nothing like having a cold one while contemplating military tactics.

Anyway, Bill and I decided on another Peninsular War scenario using the randomised entry of advanced guard, main body and rear guard formations. Bill started off holding the central village with his Portuguese, while my advanced came on the board at a randomised point. From then on we rolled to see when and where our next units came on, adding little randomised chaos to the game! Bill also devised another variable by adding ANOTHER roll, dubbed the "racist roll". In the event of his main body or rearguard successfully rolling to enter the board, Bill would then roll again to see if the British commanders would ignore the pleas of their Portuguese allies, dismissing them as "panicky foreigners". In the event, his British units remained faithful to their oldest allies, but it added a certain frisson of danger to the game!

Bill started off the game with two Portuguese line infantry battalions occupying the central villages, while two battalions of skirmished caçadores held the wooded ridgeline and vineyard across the stream. My advanced guard crossed the stream by the vineyard with one of my battalions in skirmish order to fend off the nearest caçadore battalion. Ineffective skirmish combat kept the Portuguese at bay while the rest of my force crossed the stream and formed up behind the villages. His artillery and some of his infantry redeployed to meet the threat, but with no cavalry, his infantry were effectively blocked from taking offensive action. However, I didn't really have enough infantry to take advantage of that fact, so it devolved into an artillery slug-fest with my guns whittling down his infantry square, while my skirmishers bickered away with his. My skirmishers eventually prevailed over the caçadores, forcing them back from the stream with losses.

That coincided with my main body making an appearance on the board behind the Portuguese position. Caught between hammer and anvil! Now to press on before the Anglo-Portuguese main body appeared. But, wait! Bill also rolled for his main body to appear on the table. Still, he had to make the "racist roll"...Curses! He passed it! Then he had to roll for his entry point on the table. Guess where he rolled for? Right behind my advanced guard. Now I was the one in between a rock and a hard place!

After putting my infantry in defensive formations to face the dangers from both directions, I moved the hussars from threatening the Portuguese artillery to face the British threat. I thought I was toast there for a while, but then Bill moved his light dragoons into my opportunity charge range. I declared the charge, managed to roll for it and launched the charge (Nothing worse than declaring you're going to take the opportunity, then flubbing the roll; Officers yell "CHARGE!" and the troopers say "Yeah...nah"). SO satisfying to have things go the right way for a change; the hussars barrelled into the advancing light dragoons and smacked them around a bit before pulling up just short of the infantry. Not such a nice place to end up, but the British were stuck where they were for the moment, pinned to the edge of the board with the cavalry behind the infantry licking their wounds from the rough handling they'd been given.

Just then the sun seemed to be out and smiling on my efforts as my rearguard appeared in the quadrant closest to be able to support my game-saving hussars! Infantry and another cavalry regiment (chasseurs this time) were arriving ready to fall on the British flank if they were ever able to advance away from the edge of the table.

Of course, that advantage didn't last long with Bill's rearguard appearing on the table (fortunately a fair distance away). Still, I needed to get my skates on if I wanted to keep the advantage. I elected to keep the horse gun battery facing the villages in order to keep the Portuguese in cover, while trying to get as much infantry to bear on the British brigade pinned to the edge of the board by the hussars. This was made easier by Bill keeping his caçadores in skirmish order, but I was sure he wouldn't be leaving them in that formation for much longer.

On the other side I was spreading my main body out along the stream. At first I contemplated storming the nearest BUA, but decided that I should first secure the flanks. After Bill's rearguard came on nearby, I decided that should be the primary  focus of my rearguard, despite the fact that my troops were beginning to be spread out to cover all contingencies. With his riflemen peppering my columns as they advanced, my forces were being disordered before they could get in a position to threaten Bill's exposed line. I had a moment wbere it looked like I could get around his flank, but by skillfully withdrawing the flank just out of reach each time I threatened, my chance quickly evaporated. Nowhere else along that sector did  I have enough of a concentration of forces to break his defences. After a little toying, where I managed to force back but not destroy an infantry square, Bill got his second cavalry unit into their rear of my pinning force and then freed the original unit I'd charged. After the hussars were dealt with, my inantry were caught between both cavalry units and were picked off one by one. With that front collapsing and stalemate on the other, we declared it an Anglo-Portuguese victory.

Although it wasn't a favourable outcome, it was still a very entertaining game. The fortunes of war fluctuated from one player to the other causing all sorts of consternation, and with lots of open flanks it was a real challenge to protect all contingencies. Bill's 'racist' dice roll was another innovation,  but unfortunately (for me!) didn't have an effect on the game.

Hussars and horse gun battery approach villages with infantry following behind.

Caçadores in the vineyard...

...and on the wooded hilltop.

The French forces cross the stream, to be met by the Portuguese artillery.

The Caçadores leave the vineyard to confront the last French légère battalion, which has unformed.

Skirmish combat ensues, while the rest of the French forces across the stream ready themselves for action.

The skirmish line

The French triple threat (a bit light on infantry, though. Light?...Infantry?...Geddit?! Ha!)

Bill protects his artillery with an infantry square on one flank and a line anchored between the 2 occupied BUAs.

My légère skirmishers win their combat, forcing the caçadores to retire with losses.

Blurry action shot of my main body entering the board!

Portuguese get that funny feeling that they're being watched...

Curses! The table are turned almost immediately!
Bill's main body appear behind my advanced guard's position.

Hussars about face towards the threat

One battalion faces the Portuguese while the other turns along with the horse gun battery.

On the other side of the table, my main body advances on the Portuguese position.

The hussars take the charge at the advancing British cavalry!

The light dragoons are repulsed! They also retreat through their own infantry, disordering them all.
Huzzah!

Behind that action, the rearguard rides to the rescue!

The hussars pull back with a parting shot from the British, while the rearguard appears at the top left.

Bill's rearguard appears off the flank of my main body on the other side of the table!

Bill's caçadores enter the walled field, threatening the French columns. My rearguard approaches the fight from the top. In the top right corner, though, British cavalry can be seen!

The French guns and infantry line facing the villages remain oblivious to the threat!

On the other side of the table, my main body spread out instead of concentrating against one target.

While my guns attempt to whittle the British infantry in preparation for my infantry columns to charge, the pesky rifles with their long-range fire rack up the disorders on my columns!

Disaster!
Back in the center, the British cavalry from the main body spring their trap on the horse guns

They then take the breakthrough into the infantry line who are unable to form square in time!

"Tally-ho! Yoiks and away!"

Things are looking crook in Tallarook!
Time to go on the offensive, methinks!

One battered battalion in square moves forward to block the threatening British cavalry, covering the neighbouring column's path as it charges the nearest British infantry square.

I was hoping to break into the square and then unleash the hussars behind...

Although successful...

...the square was only pushed back, not broken.

Meanwhile, between the villages, my lines were getting out flanked. With added firepower from the artillery now released from guarding against the French artillery, my infantry was in a losing position.

Even with rear support, their numbers were shrinking fast. 

Further down the stream, my infantry had crossed with the intention of outflanking the British line, but with constant rearward movement guarded by persistent galling skirmish fire they were relatively safe. They were extremely powerful light bobs who would have made mincemeat of my poor, battered regulars if push came to shove.

On the stream between these two actions was another 3 battalions which couldn't really do anything but block. Charging a BUA across the stream with support from the line would have been risky at best and suicidal at worst! I'd spent too long faffing at the edges when I should have concentrated on the BUA.

Bill's coup de grace: his light dragoons (all recovered now) charge the flank of the closed column after his caçadores had pushed back my weakened square.

After smashing the closed column, the light dragoons' momentum takes them into the square, which is too weak to resist...

...taking the dragoons into the flank of my valiant hussars!

The dragoons end up like a knife blade in the heart of tne French position.
Game over!