Black Powder Napoleonic Game

Steve Clarke and I managed at long last to fit a game in - must be 6-8 weeks since we had one !

As our club seem to have settled on Black Powder as the default rule set, we thought we had better get used to them !

The scenario - a town in French hands is about to be attacked by a combined Austro-Russian force.

They only have one piston from which to fire artillery so the French commander (Steve) decides to come out and face the enemy.

French forces arrayed across the river from the town facing towards the expected enemy.

Trees rescued from a Christmas decoration being thrown out by one of my daughters !

Here come the Austrians & Russians, filtering through wooded terrain into the open.

The Russian commander sorts out his brigades into some sort of order.

The French decide attack is the best defence

Skirmish screen to the fore.

Undeterred, a brigade of Russians & Austrians are order to charge them

with Russian Hussars moving up on their right flank

The French cause a few casualties with defensive fire but the charge goes in.

The Austrians roundly defeat the unit opposite them but the other battle carries on.

Russian guns have been brought forward in support.

Over on the other side, Russian cuirassiers have dashed headlong towards the enemy formations.

French skirmishers eye them nervously !

The continuing melee sees the Russians forced to retreat leaving the Austrians exposed.

Austrian casualties are racking up !

A Russian infantry brigade has managed to catch up with their Cuirassiers as the first French unit forms line ready to fire.

The Cuirassiers baulk at the idea of charging the French infantry !

and take fire from the line.

French infantry charge the Russians that backed off earlier as the Austrians broke and left the field.

Austrian hussars move up to replace their Russian counterparts who got decimated by a combination of artillery and infantry fire.

The French infantry had been asked to do too much and their charge ended in defeat and rout from the table.

The cavalry brigade commander urges his hussars to attack the French light cavalry in front of them but they hesitate (bad command roll !)

On the far side, the Russian brigade has passed the disordered Cuirassiers and charged home against the enemy skirmishers and line. The skirmishers tried to evade but were caught nevertheless.

No quick answer here - the melee continues for a second round.

With the skirmishers destroyed, the French support battalion has to turn and face the threat to their rear and the French Legere Battalion fails to march to the aid of the battalion in combat.

The French line goes and now one French battalion finds itself fighting both front and flank. The Legere look on helplessly.

Saxon Grenadiers are ordered forwards by the French commander to bolster the position on the near side.

The outnumbered French battalion routs eventually leaving the Legere alone on the road to town.

With two rapidly reorganised Russian battalions heading their way !

The Austrian hussars finally rouse themselves to charge

and the French counter charge.

The Russians now have two guns firing down the road and two aimed at the Saxons.

The French light cavalry have lost and fled leaving the skirmishers to try and fend off the enemy cavalry - which amazingly they seem to do !

The Russian Cuirassiers have turned and found room to charge the French guns - one goes immediately as the other valiantly tries to turn and fire.

A Swiss battalion looks rather isolated as the French crumble.

The Saxons cannot hold the line forever and with over 50% of the French forces gone, French resolve is finished.

Austria & Russia prevail !

Neither of us felt in control of this game but we had some fun.

Next game, Sunday, at the club, American War of Independence battle again using Black Powder - a much bigger game in terms of units per side with several players involved.