Maurice and the Seven Years War

We were back at Maurice last Wednesday evening with the French facing off against my Prussians. Michael again cursed his loss of the scouting phase which led him to be the defender once more. Fueled withsome new ideas about how to use my horse and infantry i was overjoyed to attack and the Prussian s duly lined up for the advance.

The Prussians first hit the hurdle of the French cavalry who rushed up to catch us in column formation. I lost one unit of infantry, who got into line but rolled very poorly, but i then had the French isolated away from their infantry. From this moment the Prussian's blood was up and we thought of nothing else but flanking and killing. This loss of focus would later lose me the game as i neglected to advance on an undefended objective. 

While the Prussians surged ahead the French were disentanging themselves from the rough terrain they had placed to guard a frontal advance on their line and were now approaching the Prussians from a flanking position. The game was now a race between the rampaging Prussian cavalry and whether the French could shoot their way through the line. Would the bayonet outclass the sabre?

The final images are of the Prussian cavalry smashing on and over the flank and rear of French infantry units. They had reduced the French to a single morale point but it was to no avail. The French had reduced the Prussians to 3 and when another unit was lost their break point was reached. Michael, the Grande Frenchie, pointed out later that had I not been so bloodthirsty i could have ridden straight onto the obective winning the game. OH, well, another great game and another cliff hanger finish .... and i did really enjoy the series of cavalry charges that i was able to launch. 

Maurice wargaming SYW in 15mm

Just a very quick post on this occasion ... today we played Sam Mustafa's excellent rules Maurice once more. It was my bold Austrians up against Mick's flamboyant French. I easily out-scouted the French, due to the use of Grenzer irregular infantry (which hadn't been used before), and chose to attack.

The five French batteries gave me pause so i surmised my best plan was a huge ouflanking assault that quickly got me out of his firing arc. Nine infantry units and three cavalry encroahed on the French line.

It was at this point that i neglected to take further photographs. We were too engrossed in the game. In any case the French, despite having all their cavalry blasted away by musketry, put up a valiant defence.

They were hampered by poor shooting and eventually were flanked at the other end of their line by grenzer infantry and elite cuirassiers who destroyed two units winning the game. Again, the attacker was victorious in our games of Maurice - but having said that the defender has often struggled with some poor rolls (just as my general - Colloredo - suffered from the gout in this battle but won out despite the discomfort.) I really love the Maurice game and the cards that add such features as 'the gout' and a huge reason for this.