Control the river

We needed to ensure the tables were cleared by the end of this week's session to accommodate a game planned for the weekend.  So rather than the usual campaign game we played "Control the River" from the SOTE rule book. 

The defender (French / Germans) had to hold a river line with 4 crossings whilst awaiting reinforcements. They are also able to place some light troops over the river to disrupt the attackers. Points are scored for the three northmost crossings and the two villages.

The attacker (Allies) plan was to mass most of their infantry in the west, force the lightly defended central ford with some lights horse & remaining foot and screen the eastern crossing with heavy cavalry.

Germans defending the western crossing

The French opted to place all their lights (3 units) across the river, which delayed the Allies but ultimately they were routed across the river and dispersed.  

Charge!

The main Allied target was the western village / crossing. Rather than assault though they mustered all the shooting they could to grind-down the defenders whilst threatening the central ford. 

French take over defence of the western crossing

Dutch advance in the west

This worked pretty well as the defenders diverted much of their reinforcements to deal with the units crossing the ford. It ended badly for the British Hussars who did cross the river but they distracted the French long enough for them to reach their breakpoint due to losses in the west.     

Hussars cross the central ford

Allies mass in the west

So a win for the attacker on this occasion.

The Hussars are surrounded

       

1815 campaign - Turn 3, part 2

This report contains the two additional battles from turn 3 that were fought over a couple of weeks.

Fortified Farm - southern front, Germans vs Prussian

In this "Teutonic-off" the Prussians were defending a farm complex with the aid of the reserve Guards Brigade, played by my Hanoverians. Attacking them were the Confederation of the Rhine with the French Guard in support.  

 

Allied Guards holding the farm complex

German western attack 

The French/COR tried for their commanders favoured bulls-horns with cavalry massed in the east, most of the German foot in the west and the centre held by the Guards and some guns. 

The infatry advanced slowly with honours pretty even and casualties mounting on both sides but no clear winner. The German cavalry attack threw the Prussians back in some disorder but they managed to rally and counter. The gods were with them and they managed to force the Germans back winning the flank and forcing the French Guards into action.        

Long shot with the massed cavalry in the foreground

French Guards

The Germans and French launched a series of attacks around the farm but suffered heavy losses and the army broke leaving the battered Prussians in possession of the field. Prussian win. 

River crossing - northern front, French vs British/Dutch. 

The defending French stretched across the length of the river unsure where the British might decide where to attack. For their part they deployed the British in the west hoping to find a ford, the Dutch opposite the central bridges, and the horse to the west / centre also looking for a fording spot. They opted not to send a flanking force upriver to find another crossing point.    

The British foot rapidly found a ford and so the horse diverted into the middle looking to attack the bridges. As the British crossed the ford they found themselves pinned by French horse and under heavy fire from artillery. They held on gamely but could not make much ground.     

British force the ford

The British dragoons crossed the bridge and scattered some French artillery but came under fire from French foot lining a nearby hedge. Despite a brave attempt British were forced to retreat having reached army break point. French Win 

British heavies storm the bridge

Campaign Situation

As we head into Turn 4 the British are attacking the French regional capital but the Germans are falling back in the south and the British in the north. So the Allies are in the stronger position as they are able to attack the regional capital next turn. 

 

1815 campaign - turn 3, part 1

We started two games this week but only one was completed before the end of the night. So you will have to wait for next week to see the outcome of the French attacking a Prussian defended farm complex. 

The game we did finish was the British attacking a ridge-line held by the French - more or less the reverse of the usual position in Napoleonic folklore. 

The French positioned their infatry on the hills, with the leger and guns the only units on the crest and the rest hiding behind the ridge. They placed the guard cavalry in the west, the heavy cavalry in the east and the lights in reserve at the rear. 

French defenders with cavalry reserve in the distance

The British plan was the attack around the western end of the ridge while the infatry all advanced up the ridge itself. Massed cavalry can be a mixed blessing though as units can end up blocking each other or retreaters can fall back and disorder the units behind.   

 

The British cavalry attacked as soon as in range and had mixed results. some won and some ended up retreating through their compatriots, but mass won in the end with the French forced back.   

British massed cavalry attacks 

The British and Dutch foot advanced under heavy artillery fire but were able to force the French into a retreat, aided by the late movement of the heavy cavalry that could have threated eastern flank of the attack.   

British foot approaches the ridge

The French line collapsed as multiple units routed and caused casualties and further routs to those holding the hill. So a British win that means they are now attacking the regional capital in turn 4. 

The ridge falls

    

1815 Campaign - turn 1 & 2, part 2

This week we completed the two remaining battles from first rounds of action. 

Game 1 - Prussian vs Confederation of the Rhine - the forts

Both sides fields their foot guards for this encounter so plenty of infatry on display. We counted the forts as BUA's but with -2 defence against shooting. Both sides placed the guards on the west of the field and massed their horse in the east.  

Allied Guards - Hanoverians playing the role

Prussian infantry

French old and young guard 

The COTR won the early rounds as their horse was able to vanquish the Prussians and turn-in to threaten the centre. The Prussians battled bravely though and launched several spirited attacks on the COTR held fort.    

Eventually the Prussians punched themselves out and began losing units due to routers and accumulated hits, as they were unable to recycle units. It ended with 1 fort each but the Prussians having to withdraw as they reached break point first.

Prussian centre

The guards clash

Game 2 - French vs Anglo-Dutch at the crossroads.

The British massed their cavalry on the east side whilst the Frenchmen for a split deployment that left their guard cavalry opposed by the Dutch-Belgium's and the Rifles. 

French in the east

French centre

The Anglo-Belgium's advanced smartly in the centre and took up position around the crossroads waiting to pour fire into the advancing French. The Allied massed cavalry attack was a disappointment as it was pushed back by the outnumbered French horse.  

British brigade attacks

Allied cavalry and reserve brigade

The French guard horse in the west advanced cautiously and were damaged by the Rifles and Dutch-Belgium guns. They charged, but the Rifles evaded and emptied more saddles to weaken the French and halt the attack.   

Dutch-Belgium's

Centrally, British musketry took a heavy troll on the French infantry and once the British cavalry had begun to finally advance the centre collapsed rapidly for the Emperors men, forcing a retreat.      

Firefight at he crossroads

Campaign Situation

Two victories for the Allies sees them advancing in the centre and north, while the French make progress in the south.  

  

1815 campaign - turn 1 & 2, part 1

Turn 1 saw both sides advance from their regional capitals and so in turn 2 we had 3 battles in the centre of the map. 

We played the Village (5) and Forts (7), with the Crossroads (6) being held over due to a lack of Allied players. The Forts is going into a second week so just the Village this week in the report.

The battle saw evenly marched French and Anglo-Dutch fighting an encounter with both objectives in the village. The French setup with both brigades of infantry in the centre attacking the village, heavy cavalry in the east and light cavalry in the west. The Allies massed all their horse in the west with British infantry attacking town and Dutch-Belgium's seeking to block the French heavies with support from the Rifles.        

French advance in the centre

French lights await the British attack

Winning initiate, and with an inspiring brigadier, the British manage to grab the village and pour heavy fire into the advancing French. The British cavalry overwhelmed the outnumbered French lights and turned inward to threaten the French infantry.        

Some too-and-fro in the village

The British were pushed out of the village but fought back with cavalry and Dutch-Belgium support to regain it from the weakened French. 

French clear the village but are thrown back  

In the east the French heavies advanced slowly but were  beaten back by fire from the Dutch-Belgium brigade and the Rifles. After a hard tussle the French reached breakpoint and quit the field leaving the Allies with the win.      

     

1815 campaign - some further practise games

This week we played 3 games, all using the campaign lists and doing full playthrough from deployment to results. The British won 2 games; one verse the Germans and one verse the French. The Prussians and French drew but with the French ahead on points/kills.

The Germans vs British was very close with the full three hours being needed and the result close until the end. We'll play one more week of warm-ups and then into the campaign proper.

All three games were encounters based on the famous "Battle of Sawmill Village" from Charge!

  

British take a hill from the Germans

Rifles advance 

British take Sawmill village

The French taking a village

Germans advance on the heights

French infatry attacks

German Grenadiers

German infantry attack