BLACK POWDER NAPOLEONICS

 

Cullison's Cards & Games, Jonesboro, AR

 

For today's fight, we're off to the Peninsula.  Two advance guard divisions are closing on a strategic road junction network, go into bivouac and post pickets for the night, and use their maps to plan their deployments.  The sun comes up the next day, the enemy deployments are revealed, and the battle is joined.  Victory comes to whoever controls both Objectives A and B or destroys the enemy's army.

The British plan is:  1.  Rapid move of their Rifle Companies to seize and hold the buildings at Objective A.  2.  Attack to seize and hold Objective B with an infantry brigade supported by 2 field guns.  3.  Hold their right flank with an infantry brigade and the cavalry brigade.

 

 

The French plan is:  1. Conduct an economy of force mission on their right with two field guns and a Legere Battalion.  2. Send their main attack Infantry Brigade to seize and hold Objective B while leaving one battalion in square to guard their left flank from cavalry attack.  3.  Support the left flank with Dragoons and a Horse Gun and support the middle or right with Hussars.

 

The British Cavalry Brigade on their right and their two Infantry Brigades on the right and center.  At the left of their line the Rifle Companies, joined by Wellington to expedite their move, are ready to head to Objective A with all speed! 

The French main attack.. a veritable sledgehammer of 5 Ligne in assault columns, a Legere battalion in skirmish screening their advance, and the valiant battalion selected to move out in to the gap between the woods and the farm wall, form square, plant their Eagle, and hold that flank from marauding enemy cavalry!

The British send a battalion forward into the woods in skirmish order and the rest of their brigade forms line well to the rear.  The French, sensing an isolated and vulnerable enemy alone, converge on the position and destroy the enemy unit by fire.  First blood to the Frogs!

On their right, the British horse gun moves up and begins to engage the square, but the British Cavalry spend several turns sipping tea as their frustrated Brigade commander can NOT get them to advance.  Dice are hell sometimes. hahaha

The battle for "The Hill of Death" rages into full honk with units charging, assaults locking up or forcing enemies back, and weakened units fall back to be relieved by fresh units joining the fray.

With some units being destroyed, both sides fall back for a breather and to get their units back in order, other than one brave British battalion that charges a weakened French unit.  He draws traversing fire that disorders him and adds a couple of casualties, loses the melee, and rolls a 4 for morale.  Broken and fled the field in ignominy!

On their right, the British cavalry has finally moved up and so have the French Dragoons.  A cavalry fight occurs between KGL Light Dragoons and French Dragoons with their Army Commander attached out in the ground between the Square and the Horse Gun.  The results are inconclusive and both formations retire to reform for round 2.

The "Hill of Death" is slowly taken by the French main attack as one complete British Infantry Brigade is destroyed in the vicious fighting there.   The French lose two battalions gaining OBJ B but are in firm control of the hill.

 

Near Objective A, the British Rifles have destroyed both French field guns with rifle fire without taking any casualties!  The French Legere unit, about to be attacked by Rifles that have moved out to threaten it, redeem themselves by a gallant charge to the rear of the enemy field guns that have moved up to threaten the French center and destroy the enemy artillery.  Way to go Legere dudes!

The final British unit sent into the woods on "The Hill of Death is destroyed, taking its Brigade commander with it.  Objective B belongs to France.

Cavalry Battle, Round 2, pits the French Dragoons again with the Army Commander in a charge / counter charge with the British Heavy Dragoons.  The French destroy the enemy cavalry unit, but are Shaken, and cannot follow up with a follow through attack!

This sets them up, horses winded, to be destroyed in another mutual cavalry charge by the KGL Lights and the French Army Commander dies with his cavalry.  The Ligne unit, still in square, holds the flank and prevents an enemy breakthrough move.

The French horse gun moves up to blow away the British horse gun.. just cuz.  :)

The British are left with 4 Infantry Battalions, 1 light horse squadron, and a Rifle Battalion in control of Objective A.  The French have 4 Ligne Battalions, 2 Legere Battalions, a Horse Gun, and control Objective B.   It's supper time, everybody had a blast, so we call it a DRAW and the battle is over!

A great afternoon with good friends.  Hope everyone had as much fun as I did!

From left to right, Bruce British Cavalry and Infantry Brigade, Clay French main attack infantry Brigade, Shawn British CinC, Infantry Brigade, and Rifles, Brad French Cavalry, and Tim French CinC and economy of force Infantry brigade.