Black Powder Napoleonics with Ed

We were in London over the weekend visiting Victoria's relatives. Victoria and Jasmin like to visit Camden Market on the Sunday so I took the opportunity of arranging a game with Ed.

Ed has just acquired a copy of Albion Triumphant and so was keen to give his 1815 British a run out. I would, as usual, be using my French.

The British commander prepares for battle with a cuppa

We both picked a 500pt force, I used my usual organisation of:

• Divisional Commander: SR7
• Brigade Commander: SR8 with five Line battalions and a foot battery
• Brigade Commander: SR7 with three Line battalions
• Brigade Commander: SR8 with a Veteran Hussar regiment, a Dragoon regiment and a Horse battery

Ed used:

• Divisional Commander: SR8
• Brigade Commander: SR7 with a Scots battalion, two Line battalions and a foot battery
• Brigade Commader: SR7 with two Line battalions and a detachment of Rifles
• Brigade Commader: SR7 with two Line battalions and a detachment of Rifles
• Brigade Commader: SR7 with two Heavy Dragoon regiments

The field of battle

The table was laid out as the picture with gentle rolling ground, a chateau was on the far flank and an enclosure was just off centre, a couple of small woods were on the flanks too. Both armies would enter the table on their first turn.

We rolled up for the characteristics of the commanders, but I completely forgot to note them down, although I do recall that the commander of my large foot brigade had High Decisiveness but Low Independence and that the commander of the British cavalry had High Aggression!

The British center surges forwards.

We randomised and the French got the first turn, I immediately ordered one of the battalions from my small brigade into the chateau, although the rest of the brigade mixed up their orders and declined to support them. The large infantry brigade deployed their artillery on the bluff with the remainder of the troops choosing to stay out of site behind it. As there was no enemy yet in sight the cavalry were held back in reserve.

The initial British moves were to deploy their artillery and then the remainder of that Brigade surged onto the table quickly covering the ground between them and the French (three moves), although as is usually the case in these instances the remainder of the force failed to support them.

Initial moves at the end of the first turn

I countered by committing my cavalry and forcing one of the British infantry battalions into square so that the guns could be deployed against it. Although, the firing in conjunction with the supporting infantry was desultory and only a single casualty was inflicted. Things continued poor for the French when the remainder of the small infantry brigade again declined to attend the field of battle.

As I had moved the cavalry too far away, the British were able to shake out of square and were soon exchanging fire with my columns. On the British left the infantry brigade was thrown in against my troops in the chateau and after several rounds of hard fighting we were both shattered but the French still held onto the buildings.

The thick of the action in the center

Things went better in the center for the French, after some tough fighting my large brigade supported by the lollygagging troops from the second brigade eventually broke the British large brigade and then due to some fortuitous break test results they also saw off the second brigade sent to reinforce them. The French horse artillery had great success against the British Dragoons and both regiments were soon retiring back behind a hillock to recover casualties although the Horse artillery was eventually shaken by concentrated rifle fire.

After a good many turns though the British army was broken, having lost two Infantry brigades while the French had lost only the small Infantry brigade, although the large one was carrying a lot of casualties and had been kept in the game by some fortuitous 'rally on me' rolls.

Here are some images from the game, all the French are from my collection and painted by myself, while all the British are from Eds collection. I forgot to take many photos after the first few turns.

British Center

The French try to envelope the British center

Horse artillery on the French left

British Heavy Dragoons

The British try to force the chateau