Mark got his rematch!
We stayed at 700 points, but went for a four brigade encounter. This changes the game a lot, as a sizable amount of troops are now in reserve, but with the same points, it means you have to pick your forces carefully, as the points now have to stretch a long way.
He tweaked his French force a little, and I tweaked my Anglo-Allied A LOT!
I chose to keep only four of my British units, the Veteran foot, two units of line infantry, and British foot artillery twin gun battery with cassions (although I swapped one gun for a Congreve Rocket Launcher team, just because it's insane, not sure it was legal, but it was fun, I only used the cassion rules for the artillery). I added two stands of the 95th Rifles to the line units to increase their firepower in skirmish.
I took a two unit brigade of Nassau infantry , made up of the Veteran light infantry and the light infantry, supported by a twin battery of 9lbers with cassions. It was their first time ever on table (bulked out from Principles of War days with some stands of Dutch'Belgians, more Nassau on order now).
My promised threat to weild the Brunswickers also came to pass. I brought a four and a five of militia class infantry (5 points a stand, never been this low on points before, if I had to use them, it was a sure sign I was in BIG trouble), the Light Leib Guard, a two-gun horse battery, and the three stand unit of Uhlans. I had originally wanted to use the 'Avent Garde' and attachement skirmishers, but upon closer inspection of my figures, found I had never actually purchased them (something to add to the lead mountain come pay-day then?), but not having them bought the second British line infantry unit and the cassions instead.
In reserve, and taking up the last of my points, were the Dutch-Belgian cavalry brigade, made up of 6th Dutch Hussars (decent) and 8th Belgian Light Dragoons (passable), due to arrive from end of turn 1 onwards (Reserves: the one time you want to roll low).
As someone who defaults to small, elite, infantry forces, this was quite a departure for me, and I was not quite sure how it would work out.
After last week, we shortened the field to 3' deep, which started us a move or two outside of skirmish range at the closest, and should allow the French chance to advance. I chose to deploy 'Centre Forwards' and took defensive line tactics, which means one brigade in the cenntre is pushed up, while the others are set further back. Mark chose to 'screen' with a steady advance. His force was two on-table French infantry brigades and two units of dragoons, he had infantry off table, but I did not know what or how many until they arrived later.
We both had 23 MV points, so this really was an equal game (until I won initiative, and raised mine to 24).
Mark's leading brigade, supported by dragoons, advances with skirmishers deployed on his line units, while the veterans are in attack column waiting. As I had initiative, and Mark had to deploy first, I sited my artillery/rockets so they sighted straight down the throat of the veterans! My first card was intense cannonade, followed by a brigade order to fire artillery as the British line units advanced. Mark's cinc (with dice on stand) looks on.
Mark's veterans were hammered and forced back to rally immediately, pushing back his best troops, who would play no further part in the battle. As they pulled back, The Iron Duke himself paid us a visit to see what all the fuss was about, meaning I gained an extra card a turn, and other nice bonuses. Behind the Saff Essex, my Highlanders (veteran line) wheel right. They are hidden as they have always been Mark's first target and broke in our last two encounters, so I thought it would be nice to give them a break today).
(Since these photos were taken, I have actually painted and flocked the bases, only 12 years after I painted the figures)
On the right, Mark's artillery and off-table artillery deal six hits to the Nassau veteran light infantry (three sixes for artillery, well rolled Mark), who despite rallying, only shake off one hit, but gifts Mark a MV!
Mark has to sacrifice a stand to assist his rally, as the veterans come under more accurate artillery fire (and a rocket hit, which gives me a free MV point, and causes him 2 hits on a d3, but only hits on a 6 on a d6).
They REALLY have to pull back as the rest of his line advances, end of turn 1 and my cavalry reserve arrive centre table, and swing left to try to face down the French Dragoons. This also netted my d3 MVs as my reserve has arrived, and my cards went up to 7 a turn compared to Mark's 6. The green tiddy-wink donates brigade with last orders, as the KSLI (actually serving in the USA in 1814-15) form square against the the threat of a tsunami of dragoons. The Saff Essex are now firmly in skirmish range, and enjoying seeing Sharpe and Co in action. The Scots keep wheeling...
The Brunswickers on the left advance, but not very quickly, leaving their artillery to do the heavy lifting on the French cavalry, when they were actually in range as they were only 6lbers! Mark targets my Belgian dragoons with his horse artillery, to some effect.
But not as much effect as his artillery has on my Veteran Nassau troops, who take 9 hits and leg it! Mark managed to get his artillery to fire into them twice, and got a second consecuative triple 6, followed by two more hits. Brillaint rolling and as a seasoned unit, a costly loss of 4MV on the chart, leaving me a long way South of Mark and very exposed on the right.
Two things are happening here, turn 4 and Mark's infantry reserve is approaching (officer rear), and at the same moment, a stray cannonball skips over his line and unhorses his divisional commander (same as last week, I used a reroll on it, but needn't have worried, my first roll was a '6'), meaning I pick up 2MV and Mark is now down to 5 cards per turn and the MV is more in my favour!
On the right, a combination of Nassau artillery fire with sniping from the remaining Nassau light infantry has caused Mark to lose one of his units that was in column. Mark rolled high for his MV losses, but they weren't expensive in the first place and the MV tally draws level again.
Mark's infantry reserve moves up, and his dragoons crashed into my Hussars, smashing them to pieces and costing me dearly as they break my professional cavalry in one hit. The Saff Essex have to retire to frally from artillery fire, but it is through the Scots, costing them more disruption counters, thankfully they do rally off the skirmisher fire while the KSLI stand their ground and the Brunswickers and artillery remove Mark's victorious, but fatally damaged, dragoons. One of Mark's batteries (marked by a card) is also low on ammunition, so has to reroll all its hits, a very powerful card.
Mark cannot get the cards to get his two central brigades moving, and I start whittling him down with skirmish fire. Mark had been using his dragoons to 'harrass' my square, meaning the KSI had to rely on ralllying (thankfully it was a 0 cost card) or 'steady lads' cards to reduce damage (one disruption counter for each failed motivation check, nasty idea, like it). The KSLI fall back into line as the Brunswickers secure the right, and both British line units deploy skirmishers with their rifle attachments, taking them to an almighty skirmish '3'. Two sets of 'skirmishers harrass' cards in my hand damages the second French dragoon unit and the line facing the Saff Essex, followed by brigade fire order from a divisional order to finish off the cavalry..
The cavalry, uncommitted, but broken by fire.
Plus Mark's line infantry crack, sealing the win for the Anglo-Allied. Mark pointed out that the low ammunition card rerolling every hit is really effective.
Good game, lots of laughs, but there were three games of SoN at the club that night, and the French lost in all of them. One was a first game for the French, but two others failed to contact. We both scratched our heads on this one, the French, on advisement, need Hussars to push back British skirmishers, and then attack in. The game had effectively been won by three batteries of artillery and skirmish fire by two units of British line and a Nassau light line, less than half my physical force. I had lost two units, but both did not give many points away, while Mark had lost a chunk of his command and conrol due to the lost divisional commander. My rolling had been phenominal, whereas Mark's had been less than average. I had six points out of 24 left, and Mark had not contacted me with any of his foot. A good day for the Anglo-Allied, not so hot for the French. I am playing Neal again with my Austrians soon, that will put all to rights for the French, I'm sure!
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