Sharp Practice in Writtle

A demo game of Sharp Practice at Essex Warriors, put on by Steve Clarke for the edification of some of our more enlightened club members !

Here's Mark contemplating the battlefield and getting to grips with the idea of "blinds"

The rule book and QRS

A large force of French infantry are quickly spotted over on the right of the battlefield

and the French spy some green jackets heading for the farm house 

Two groups of French infantry are then unmasked heading for the bridge in the centre

The British commander, Captain Small is determined to look better than Richard Fondler

and his redcoats are warned to only take his orders

the French in the centre pass the orchards and make a determined effort to reach the bridge first

but Rifles with Sgt. Paisley get to the river bank and prepare to fire at them

The French are a little shaken  by this

More Rifles are spotted in the walled fields next to the farm house

A view from behind the British positions at this point in the game

Lots for the players to think about !

More British troops arrive at the river line on their left

The battle is now developing, as Mark makes a move

His Poles bravely charge across the river to the farm house, with Rifles firing at them on the way

and the two groups of French in the centre just reach the bridge end

but they are faced with three enemy groups or formations

Both sides ponder their next moves

The big French force on their right flank move up and engage the enemy

a fire fight develops across the river

amazingly, the Poles get into the farm house first, despite Rifles units besides and behind the farm

Captain Small's men get spooked and fire a ragged volley at nobody in particular and waste their first fire !

Is Alan really amused or is this a look of incredulity ?!!

Its really hotting up on the French right and both sides are taking casualties but the French have more officers and NCOs capable of steadying the ranks

Captain Small has leaped forward to head the Rifles attack in the centre

 and the Poles luck has deserted them. An attack by the Rifles on the farm house has resulted in a complete rout for the Poles who have lost half of their number

Their NCO tries to rally them

but Fondler gets his chosen man, Harry Bagman to have a pot shot at him and ...

bang ! He's dead.

Rifles charge our from behind the walls and engage the French at the bridge

At this point we had to stop.  Honours were pretty much even in terms of casualties but the French had not been able to drive the British back, which was their objective.

Good fun to return to these evergreen rules and all the players quickly picked up the mechanisms.

I'm sure we will play Sharp Practice again down at the club at Writtle. Well played Essex Warriors !