A little more Ligny

Quite a splendid close-up with loads of figures on view

Following on from our game last month Paul and I played another battle yesterday pitting his Prussians against my French. This time we would be playing slightly larger forces using 900 points from the Albion Triumphant supplement (we used 750pts last time) This gave me the kick up the backside that I needed to get some more troops painted.

I set up the table up as per the aerial photo, a central village and open farmland. While I did this, Paul made the teas. I picked the following French Army of the North 1815 list, prior to the game we rolled up the commanders attributes

Durette: Divisional Commander Staff Rating 8 - 25pts (High Aggression Low Decisiveness)
Dubois: Cavalry Brigade Commander Staff Rating 8 - 25pts

• 2 Veteran Hussar - 94pts
• 1 Horse Artillery Battery - 26pts

Pegots Brigade

Pegot: Infantry Brigade Commander Staff Rating 8 - 25pts (High Decisiveness)

• 2 Veteran Line Infantry Battalions Tough Fighters - 90pts
• 2 Line Infantry Battalions - 76pts
• 1 Foot Battery - 27pts

Brue: Infantry Brigade Commander Staff Rating 7 - 0pts (Low Independence)

• 2 Veteran Line Infantry Battalions Tough Fighters - 90pts
• 2 Line Infantry Battalions - 76pts

Schmidt: Infantry Brigade Commander Staff Rating 8 - 25pts (Low Descisiveness)

• 2 Veteran Lighr Infantry Battalions Tough Fighters- 96pts
• 1 Line Infantry Battalion - 38pts
• 1 Foot Battery - 27pts

Milhoud: Cavalry Brigade Commander Staff Rating 7 - 0pts (Low Agression)

• 1 Dragoon Regiment - 44pts

Paul deploys his Prussians

Kellermann: Heavy Cavalry Brigade Commander - Staff Rating 7 - 0pts

• 2 Cuirassier Regiments - 116pts

TOTAL 900pts

This would give me the opportunity to use the newly painted Hussars supported by the battery of 5.5" Howitzers.

Paul used the following Prussian force

Blucher SR8

• 3 large Valiant Musketeers

The brigade of Perch II on the Prussian left

Von Stemets SR8 (High Aggression, High Decisiveness, High Independence)

• 1 Fusilier, 2 Musketeer, 2 Landwehr, 1 foot battery

Perch II SR8 (High Aggression, High Decisiveness)

• 1 Fusilier, 2 Musketeer, 1 Landwehr, 1 large Landwehr, 1 foot battery

Von Treskow (SR8 High Decisiveness)

• 2 Dragoons, 1 half horse battery

The Fusiliers get to the village first

Von Jakov SR8 (High Decisiveness)

• 2 Veteran Uhlans, 1 half horse battery

As you can see, the Prussians had the cream of the abilities rolls for their Brigade commanders.

Paul took the first turn and was soon advancing towards the French. Pegots troops in particular were up against it, facing their four battalions and a battery were five battalions of Prussians, a foot battery and two Uhlans and a horse battery, I was soon reinforcing these with my Cuirassiers.

Pauls' Fusiliers were first into the village so I stalled a column advancing to take that point, although on my right one of Pegots columns was soon in one of the other village sections. Pegot continued very well, deploying in line, the ensuing fire-fight went very much our way, the Prussians decided it would be best to close to cold steel and came off the worse for it.

Bluchers Bulldozer

Things did not go so well in the centre, Schmidt fluffed his orders and his troops supported by those of Brue made little headway. On the left the 'new toys syndrome' was very much in force, despite being Dubois SR8 and having reliable Hussars, these failed to move for the first three turns.

I knew as soon as I put them in the force that the brigade of a single unit of Dragoons would be a liability and soon they were shaken and I was a brigade down already. However Schmidt and Brue had soon formed a solid line in the centre that had soon repulsed and broke Bluchers brigade of three large Musketeer units. Unfortunately, Schmidts brigade was broken simultaneously.

Schmidt and Brue take on Blucher

Dubois finally got some troops moving, the horse artillery moved up and deployed, only to be blasted by cannister from the half battery supporting the Prussian Dragoons, I survived the blast unscathed, however the new toys effect was well in place and my return fire failed to damage the Prussian horse battery who fired back a second time wiping me out. In a fit of pique Dubois ordered the newly painted 5th Hussars to charge the half battery and they destroyed it, taking severe damage from cannister on the way in.

Things got worse, Durette two turns in succession ordered troops into the fray and twice rolled three moves and hard to roll again for his Low Decisiveness and both times rolled a double six, blundering and finishing my turn. Pegot did save some face, supported by Kellermanns' Cuirassiers they succeeded in breaking the brigade of Perch II on the right. 

Useless new boys!

Having sorted his troops out Dubois moved up the 6th Hussars with the 5th in support, Von Treskow took the bait and the Dragoons went in, both the 5th and 6th Hussars were broken in the initial charge, only inflicting two wounds on their Prussian opposite numbers - bugger, that was my army buggered as I had lost five of my six brigades.

Prussian Dragoons

A great game again, I buggered up though by using the single unit of Dragoons as a Brigade led by a SR7 commander, they failed two orders and moved once before succumbing to some skirmisher fire. For the next game I plan to get another unit of line infantry painted to replace them, that will make Schmidts brigade more resilient.

Here is a final shot of Pegots troops earning my man of the match and despite overwhelming odds securing my right flank.

Pegot saves some face