230 points of Lasalle, no particular scenario. Technically the villages are the objectives but I’ve never known one of us to not break the other. The man from France took control of the French, three battalions of Elite Legere, four of conscript Ligne, two squadrons of Hussars, another two of Lancers and three batteries spread through the brigades. I was the ill-fated British. I’ve played this vs about four people and no matter who takes the British, they have yet to win. First brigade was four veteran infantry and the 95th rifles, second mixed two elite highlander units with another battalion of veteran infantry and the third brigade was three squadrons of light cavalry. Each had a battery of cannon. In addition to more momentum, France had the first turn initiative….
And as always the cannon had the first word. Again, one of my batteries was disordered from the start.
Nothing to do but push on and trust to British musketry. After replying with the guns, more noise than effect, the elite centre advanced. The right positioned itself to hold the flank in front of the camp. The 95th rifles on the extreme right were to get some fire in to disrupt the flanking lancers early then reform to fend off their charges.
The French advanced along their whole front. I actually had a light edge on cavalry on the their right (my left) and the Frenchman discovered that village was going to make it tricky to set up a coordinated assault on the line of Highlanders. The lead battalion of Legere was amazingly solid. Initial British fire was in accurate and the lead attack column got in place with only minor casualties.
Likewise in the French left….I got an early reminder that woods do not actually slow a particular unit down. Instead they soak up more momentum and the French had this to spare. My shooting was going to have to do much better or I would end up pinned then flanked.
Unexpectedly, the breakthrough came early on the left with the cavalry. Instead of trading charges and tiring each other out, my light dragoons charged and broke a unit of Hussars. The French Legere would now need to peel off a battalion to plug that flank and give my own best infantry a local advantage.
With the lines now closed, further rounds saw casualties rapidly mount. Alarming, they Gordon Highlanders were subjected to ruthless crossfire from two French batteries. Solid as they were, they were not disordered but casualties were mounting. To their right and left though, British musketry was counting and French Battalions were feeling the pressure.
The French had maintained initiative into the middle of the battle though and it turned out the British general may have become too focused on the successes to the left. The 95th rifles were caught in line and charged down by French lancers.
To add insult to injury, French cannon took out my central battery with bounce through, while murdering brave Scotsmen. The Cameron Highlanders were out for blood at this point and marched on the last unengaged French battalion.
Their fellows were to have the glory though. Admittedly their general blundered in his positioning, leading to a British battalion twice having to face two to one melees. However, the French were bogged down due to casualties and disorder. As time wore on, the musketry began to find its mark and a second French battalion broke.
To the French left, their Lancers were unopposed and could either turn into the British right or race on to capture their baggage. It was now a matter of whether the rest of the French army could hold out.
The British light brigade surged forward and not only cut down the Legere marching to plug the flank but saw off the rest of the French Hussars. With the loss of another conscript battalion to musketry on the other flank, the French broke and retired.
Unbelievable, the British actually won.
Great game and banter over the ups and downs as it unfolded.
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1. We’d been discussing the French superiority and the Frenchman felt it was their cannon. We had always run them with foot batteries and often reserve artillery. This time they had one foot battery, one horse battery and the reserve battery was a horse battery. This did seem to take the edge off.
2. These rules are great. It’s been a while but I only needed the full rulebook to properly understand charging. Otherwise we could play with the quick reference. That’s because this second edition seems to have found an efficient process for getting the outcomes it wants.
3. Sorry 95th Rifles, I may have forgotten about the -4 for poor formation when choosing where to spend momentum.
4. Figs are Warlord Epic. Based on 30mm BW, mat is ADLG sized 120x80cm.
5. Armies:
L'Armée du Nord (100 days) Infantry all sk3
D’Erlon’s 1st Corps 2nd Division
1st Brigade.
1er, 2e & 3e Battalions 13th Legere. 60
Elite (Legere) 20 6/2 5+
Elite (Legere) 20 6/2 5+
Elite (Legere) 20 6/2 5+
2nd Brigade 64
1er & 2e Battalions 19th Ligne
Conscript (Ligne) 16 6/3 4+
Conscript (Ligne) 16 6/3 4+
1er & 2e Battalions 51st Ligne
Conscript (Ligne) 16 6/3 4+
Conscript (Ligne) 16 6/3 4+
1st Light Cavalry Division
7e Régiment de Hussards 46
Light Cavalry 17 6/2 5+
Light Cavalry 17 6/2 5+
Horse battery 12 3 dice 4+
4e Régiment de Chevaux-légers (in reserve) 36
Lancers 18 6/2 5+
Lancers 18 6/2 5+
Horse battery 12 (army reserves) 3 dice 4+
Foot Battery 12 (army reserves) 4 dice 4+
Anglo-Allied Army reserves British 5th division
British 5th division (all infantry SK 3)
Kempts Brigade
Veterans 20 6/2 4+
Veterans 20 6/2 4+
Highlanders (Vet) 20
95th Rifles 23 7/2 5+
Field artillery 10 3 dice 4+
Packs Brigade
Veterans 20 6/2 4+
Highlanders (Elite) 22 6/2 5+
Highlanders (Elite) 22 6/2 5+
Field artillery 10 3 dice 4+
5th Cavalry
Light Cavalry 17
Light Cavalry 17
Light Cavalry 17
Horse artillery 12 3 dice 4+
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