Last evening, I played a game of Blucher by Sam Mustafa - my favourite rules set. This was a 200 pts battle between French and Prussians. We fudged things a little by not using the Late War French list. This was mainly to make things easy as a 'newish' player was using the army for the first time. Our club finds 200 pts to be the correct amount for a weekday evening battle. If better prepared we would have used Scharnhorst - but this makes things a bit longer.
The table was dominated by a built up area with a large marsh beside it extending from the French left flank into the centre of the table. The French were the attacker and could easily reach and garrison the BUA first. This gives a significant advantage as multiple units are needed to dislodge a infantry unit once in such as area. Due to this the Prussians directed their main thrust into the French right.
MO points (two dice rolled at the beginning of each turn) were fairly evenly distributed in the early stages of the battle. This is a special feature of Blucher for our little club as not knowing how many MO you have each turn creates tension and forces harsh thinking to prioritize movements. In Blucher, you just can't move everything.
Above can be seen a Prussian attempt to draw away French forces from the French right. This would really fail to draw in significant forces throughout the night.
The Prussian feint drew in the French heavy cavalry. These would wreak havoc amid the lighter Prussian cavalry forcing all to retreat toward the table edge by the end of the battle. On this side of the table the BUA and garrison proved very strong - even though the Prussians did finally manage to dislodge the French. The only problem for the French was trying to move out from behind the BUA and large marsh. Over time this would prove to be an advantage as French troops could cycle fresh troops up to replace their battered frontline units. Many of these just fled toward the back of the table and the Prussians had difficulty catching them.
The battle was decided on the French right. Here the Prussians outnumbered the French but many of their units were landwehr. These took the brunt of French guns and superior skirmishing fire.
Over time, their numbers, and cannon of their own, inflicted many hits on the French. Later in the battle almost all French infantry in the right and centre of their battle line were significantly injured with 3, 4 or 5 hits sustained out of 6.
The French, almost outflanked, counter attacked. Everywhere French melee seemed superior to the Prussians and better than their ability to fire. This was turning into a battle of sabre and bayonet.
Cavalry clashed but again the French melee ability was superior to the Prussian. Their higher numbers of cavalry did reduce one cuirassier but the other proved indomitable.
The Prussians attacked. The landwehr were used as a front line absorbing fire and bearing the brunt of charges. They did so manfully inflicting injuries on the French.
After a fearsome struggle for the village, the victorious Prussians were counter attacked and sent back. Losses of two units of landwehr at the end of the battle would tip the Prussians over their morale and save the French - who were teetering on their final unit (while many of 3-4 of their original twelve infantry ran for the safety of the table edge.)
Above the Prussian cavalry retreats from the rampaging cuirassiers. They, like the French infantry, were heading for the hills.
It had been an epic encounter filled with vicious melee in which the French were often superior. The game was decided by a final Prussian attack where two units attacked a single half strength French unit only to be thrown back in disarray. The following turn the French made two charges of their own, removing two landwehr and winning the game. So close for the Prussian army's first game as an independent force.
Of special note for me, both armies were mine! On calculation around 900 infantry, 80+ mounted and 16 or more guns were deployed. While this was my current full Prussian force, I had more French not taking part. I only have two more Prussian units to paint then just a single battery and a handful of skirmishers. Not much when I've already painted thirty one 32 figure battalions of foot alone.
No comments:
Post a Comment