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Sharp Practice: Napoleonic French vs British

Mark and I met up for a game of Sharp Practice.
My French were unchanged, minus their engineers and extra cannister for the artilley, vs Mark's British. Both forces featured three infantry units. Mark had two light infantry units, I had one, Mark brought Light Dragoons, I used Cuirassiers. I also had a 25lber. He had better CinC, but I had invested in troop numbers.
Mark rolled for far right deployment zone, I got central.
I also used a mobile deployment point for my Voltigeurs, Cuirassiers and Artillery. Unfortunately, my force can't actually use this! Oh well! Next time I'll get it right. Simply misread the rules, and only picked it up as we were playing. I apologised profusely too Mark, and we will call this a moral victory to him.
We played on.
Turn 1:
Mark's forces deploy. Two units of rifles and his Dragoons arrive first.


ALL my forces appeared turn 1! To the front left, Voltigeurs take small ruins, whereas the artillery and cuirassiers grab the hill opposite Mark. My infantry begins tthe slow trudge from the rear. My Cuirassiers were the last to arrive. Tiffin!


Turn 2 starts with my Cuirassiers pulling teh firts activation card. As a Cuirassir, there is only one thing you are allowed to do. Go and jump up and down on some Britsih cavalry! 3(d6+3) of charge later. Think I might have won that combat


My artillery only managed one shot all game, but a 12 pounder battery firing cannister at light foot does this! 9 shock and two dead across Mark's two Rifles units, including knocking out his subaltern!


Turn 3:
The Cuirassiers pursue into the remains of the British Dragoons, the result is inevitable.

Mark's unit it wiped out, and the commander suffers a nasty blow to the head,
The Cuirassier wheel round through the woodland, and took a few shots of fire from both the remaining Rifles and Mark's Redcoats who had finally appeared and decided that their only option was to form a square! His Rifles also sniped at my artillery crew, so that their officer spent his activation each turn trying to rally the crew.



The Cuirassiers were taking too many hits, so they decided the safest option was to ride down teh Rifles. One unit is practcally wiped out, the other legs it to safety. However, the Cuirassiers are now at half strength, and their officer has been knocked sensless, with a chance of recovery later. My lights (whose powder was sodden and after the first shot were meant to be ineffective, but kept rolling kills on the Rifles) guide in my three infantry units advance to pin down and deal with the British square. Ideally, I would have liked my 12lber to help, but it is rated as 'immobile', so once it is set up, it is not going anywhere. Maybe a light gun with limber in future?


A good, bloody game. made nore asymmetric by the oops. 

So, without the mobile deployment point (or exploerer class officer to lead troops in), what would have been different?
My artillery would have been sited much further to the rear, and would have had no line of sight due to me putting down a lot of vision blocking terrain. Unless I had thought it through and created a fire corridor, it would have been useless. But then it only fired one shot, so was fairly useless anyway.
The Cuirassiers might not have contacted on the charge turn 2, and may have taken more shots on the way in. However, seeing their charge roll turn 2 was 23", I think they might have seized the initiative and grabbed the Dragoons and slammed them down anyway.
My infantry would have had their longer slog, but the Voltigeurs would have been further back to start with and could have escorted them in.
Mark may not have been stuck in square in the back corner, and might have come forwards to join in. Howver, this means my Cuirassiers might have been even more of a threat, as the action would have been further down field and might have drawn Mark out?
We shall fight again and sort this out soon!

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