Thursday 8 May 2008

Edelweiss-conclusion



THE VILLAGE IS OURS!
For the next two or three moves the game swung backwards and forwards as the French attempted to force their way into the village and the Spanish inflicted heavy casualties on the advancing units. the main French attack was repulsed but a secondary attack by the Nassau finally broke into the village. French skirmishers were albe to bring the spanish guns under close range fire and prevent them from firing. Finally the Spanish cavalry holding the high ground by the wood broke.
Although a reserve unit launched a successful counter attack they did not have the numbers to be decisive.




On the opposite flank the French cavalry had driven the last Spanish units from the field, the sweating Spanish gunners dragged their guns around to try and establish a new defensive line.


The French had suffered heavy casualties in the centre, and would have found another direct assault difficult to achieve, but with both Flanks in the possession of the French the Spanish General decided that the time was opportune for a dignified withdrawal and conceded the game.

The French prepare for a last charge on the Guns. Fortunately the Spanish general conceded before it was attempted. Even when aware of the 30" charge move it can still take you by surprise. These cavalry are within charge range.

The game took about 9 moves from early afternoon to lunchtime the next day. There was not one uneventful move and once more the charge rules proved able to give an exciting and interesting game. The game was almost unique for me for two reasons. I had a plan rather than just winging it and even more unusually the plan worked.

Now to sort that bloody Garage out!

10 comments:

Gallia said...

All quiet here in the upper USA and I've had the luxury to be able to slowly read, digest and enjoy the reports in a quiet house. Thank you for the whole show JP. Bravo.
Bill

WSTKS-FM Worldwide said...

Good Morning John,

Ah, nothing like starting the day with a warm mug of coffee and the spectacle of scads of Napoleonics on the table! A lovely game and post-game report there John. It looks like you had a great time. What sort of "refreshments" were you two imbibing?

Best Regards,

Stokes

Steve-the-Wargamer said...

..brilliant - a most enjoyable series of read's and well done firstly on the plan (I can only *dream* of having a plan when I face DG across the table), and two - the plan working!

Stryker said...

John,
A most enjoyable read - and great photos too. I could almost feel those cannonballs whizzing past!
Ian

Giles said...

John, a very interesting report. Lovely to see some Nassauers in action (I thought they were the Irish Regiment when I first saw them).

Best wishes

Giles

Der Alte Fritz said...

Did I see some Russian cavalry standing in for the Spanish in this battle?

johnpreece said...

Thank you for the comments, as always more interesting than the post.

Stokes- all done on coffee, I am afraid!

Well spotted Fritz, they are indeed Russian and also some Prussian artillery in there. I could have used Portugese for both units which would have blended in better. But when I started to get the armies out i intended to mix up a few nationalities in order to emphasise that strict historcal tactics were not wanted. That was too much effortso in the end I just went with french and spanish.

MurdocK said...

magnificent!

Great that you got in some action using the CHARGE! rules.

FIXED BAYONET METAL SOLDIERS said...

Wonderful stuff

Anonymous said...

I was wondering if you have painted any of your Les Higgins figures.

Cheers,

Paul MacNeil